tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44900650312081711312024-03-13T00:30:10.447-07:00Exploring Authentic LearningRobert Thornell, Ed.D. of Texashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975140882812154667noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-76413513513850575392021-03-12T12:41:00.000-08:002021-03-12T12:41:27.347-08:00Do your students know you care? Do they know you expect them to "be someone"?<p> <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em">“Teachers affect eternity, no one can tell where their influence stops.”</em></strong></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="983c">As we look towards the end of this school, it is amazing to think that the craziest school year anyone could ever imagine is almost over. It may feel like it just started, but in truth we have learned a lot about ourselves and our students they year. No matter if you have been teaching in-person or virtually, or a little bit of both, teachers always learn alot about their students and that may remain one of the rare constants of the 2020–2021 school year. Of course our students have learned a lot about us too! They know what we will and will not accept, both in behaviors and with assignments (even in kindergarten!). They have a pretty good idea of who the teachers’ pets are and where the popular kids sit at lunch (or in what virtual chatroom they are in).</p><blockquote class="graf graf--blockquote" name="6dbf"><i><strong class="markup--strong markup--blockquote-strong">And above all, they have decided if their teachers care about them or not</strong>.</i></blockquote><p class="graf graf--p" name="cc3b">I am not questioning if teachers care about their students. I can honestly say I have never met a teacher that didn’t. But I do believe there are students that come to school every day that aren’t sure if their teacher cares about them and their success. I believe that feeling could be exaggerated even more by a virtual setting where it has been easy to overlook a kid that doesn’t show up to a zoom meeting. You might not notice, but they do. The point is, it doesn’t matter how you feel about someone, if THEY don’t know how you feel, they are left to their own perceptions and sometimes, with some of our students, they may not perceive the best.</p><blockquote class="graf graf--blockquote" name="eb49"><strong class="markup--strong markup--blockquote-strong"><i>How do your students know you care about them?</i></strong></blockquote><p class="graf graf--p" name="09c8">A recent “Student Voice” survey of over 65,000 students conducted by the Quaglia Institute (<a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://qisa.org/" href="https://qisa.org/" rel="nofollow noopener noopener noopener" target="_blank">https://qisa.org/</a>) showed that only 34% of students believed that their teachers knew “their hopes, dreams, and aspirations”! What a discouraging number!! A lot of research has also been conducted about the value of high expectations as a vital tool for success. They have shown it will push us to do things we were not sure we were capable. How and Why do we do this? Often we do it because someone else is counting on us. The question I have posed to kids as I have traveled to schools the last couple of years is one I read about in a story of highly successful people that came from less than stellar backgrounds. It is a simple question:</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="e6fe"><strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em"><span> <span> </span> </span>Who Expects You to Be Somebody?</em></strong></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="468b">As you can imagine, many students pick their family members when I ask that question. However, often it is one of their teachers that students tell me about as the person that expects the most out of them. I had one student tell me that they try to do their best because they don’t want to let their teacher down. That is a huge impact. Recently, I saw a short video clip of a brain surgeon who credits his middle school science teacher with “inspiring” him to be a doctor just by telling him he had “the hands for it”. It was one comment to one child, but it had an enormous impact on him and his future. Watch the video here:</p><p class="graf graf--p" name="53da">A Teacher Appreciation Story: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFs8P_TrAVQ">"You have the hands to be a surgeon!"</a></p><p class="graf graf--p" name="c790">So as we near the end of the school year, stop and reflect about the students you see every day. Some of them are behind the class academically. Some are struggling to fit in and belong. Some you have identified as those that need extra attention. No matter what you think you know about your students, ask yourself: <strong class="markup--strong markup--p-strong">Who expects them to be somebody? Is it you? Do they know it?</strong></p>Robert Thornell, Ed.D. of Texashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975140882812154667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-44015046815779756282021-02-17T11:08:00.000-08:002021-02-17T11:08:38.670-08:00An Open Letter to the Teacher We Met Working At Target!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZDwMMwBcQL_7I8gXtUdopsutDKw8ZfHrc6TbaWJSwksNs1dDB0CReY-pLRqbst8Wr42O-0dA3L40W9v0uegAPYIRfd7YDta1pxcZiZ3MTIUjtf06APPNXS6_YFsTqq6VT-J7DTrshs9W/s640/tartget.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZDwMMwBcQL_7I8gXtUdopsutDKw8ZfHrc6TbaWJSwksNs1dDB0CReY-pLRqbst8Wr42O-0dA3L40W9v0uegAPYIRfd7YDta1pxcZiZ3MTIUjtf06APPNXS6_YFsTqq6VT-J7DTrshs9W/w400-h300/tartget.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Dear First Year Teacher Working at Target, </p><p>I hope you never lose the sparkle in your eye! You inspired us today! The high temperature in Fort Worth, Texas was 14
degrees. That is cold by just about
anyone’s standards, but for many who live here, it is pretty much a shutdown,
stay inside at all costs type temperature.
In the last couple of days, the grocery stores have been emptied in
preparation for the coldest week in years.
Being in the school business myself, my and my wife, along with teachers and students
all over the area, we were told to take everything home and be prepared to work
remotely this week if need be. You were too.</p><p>Sure enough, Jack Frost hit Texas this week like he never has. Millions are without water, electricity, etc. and some are in dangerous situations because of the cold and isolation. At my house, we lost power for about 36 hours, but we are also blessed with a warm fire, plenty of food, and all the basic resources we needed. It was for us, a mere inconvenience but also a little bit of an adventure. Others weren't so fortunate, and we know it.</p><p>It is in that vein, that my wife and I jumped in the car to go to Target. That is basically how both blessed and spoiled we are. We used it as a way to warm up, charge our phones, and stave off boredom. And that is where we met you.</p><p>You may not even remember us going through your line. I am often the type that strikes up a conversation with the cashier. I sometimes get a chuckle from my wife and also an eye-roll or two from the people in line behind me, but I like to watch people and interact and see how they do their job. Often cashiers are friendly and pleasant, but other times it seems like they dread their job, and sometimes I don't blame them. This would have been one of those times. With temperatures well below freezing, everything shutting down, and people scavenging to get the last gallon of milk (or wine) it would be easy to want to go home and be safe too. But not you. You greeted us with a smile and asked us how you were doing. You seemed so young, or maybe I am just that old, but I would have bet you were a local high school student. I thanked you for coming in to work to serve us and mentioned that I hoped you got to go home soon because the roads were bad and more stores were already closed. With a smile, you said you had "volunteered" to work today because you knew others couldn't. That was my first "wow". Then you mentioned you had the day off today because you are a teacher! My wife is a teacher and I work in administration so we were both excited to hear this! You shared you were a first-year teacher and taught seventh grade! My wife has taught 7th grade as well and I chuckled as you both immediately began comparing notes. That was my second "wow". And then I saw it...</p><p>The first-year teacher sparkle. The one I hope you never lose. You shared how the year has been so hard. The students don't turn in their work, the middle school boys give you a hard time, you have had to learn to teach in-person and virtual at the same time, but you told us all this with an authentic smile. You shared how much you loved your job and couldn't wait to see your kids again. How you hoped they were warm and safe this week (even if they didn't turn in their work). Maybe it was because you didn't look like you are too far removed from middle school yourself, or maybe it was because you had that sparkle when you talked about your students, but there was a certain brave innocence about you that inspired us. </p><p>As we walked to the car, my wife and I continued to talk about you. We know how hard teachers have it this year, even if others do not. Then we talked about the young person that you appear to be. The kind of person that doesn't celebrate a snow day away from kids, but instead volunteers to work an extra shift at your "second job" because you know others couldn't. You are the kind of person the world needs to teach our kids. We reminisced on our own first-year of teaching. About how hard we thought it was, but knowing it was nothing compared to what you have gone through. Working two jobs (at-least) through a pandemic and learning all about middle school? And doing it with a smile and a sparkle. I hope you never lose that. Many start off in the profession with sparkle and somewhere along the line, some (fortunately not the majority) become frustrated and even cynical. They succumb to the frustrations of the role. Their dreams of changing the world crushed by unappreciated people, miles of red tape, and the struggles of a society that teachers alone can't fix. Don't do that. We need you. </p><p>I know firsthand how hard teachers work. I have known many who keep their sparkle throughout their careers and inspire thousands of kids. I hope you go on to become one of those. I hope that you always enjoy your teaching job and light up when you talk about your students the way you did with us. I hope you greet them at the door the way you greeted us, with a big smile. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I hope someday you don't have to work a second job to make ends meet. </b></span></p><p>I didn't catch your name and I will probably never see you again, but I hope I don't forget you. I appreciated your sparkle more than you could know. It inspired me. Your students and your school are lucky to have you.</p><p>I hope you got home safely last night and had everything you need. You deserve it. Thank you.</p><p>A grateful fellow educator,</p><p>Rob</p><p><br /></p>Robert Thornell, Ed.D. of Texashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975140882812154667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-81652136493881616622020-09-13T20:36:00.006-07:002020-09-14T06:29:09.442-07:00Our Teachers Are Awesome. I know, I live with one.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzaOfsx5Ugtze22fe2sTXGXJ7A9fAXDuON2lb9-U4jPLcc4a8mhUyMpBbYnElU0qEPQcgHeb57zkF-zpIykYiwj66CpPXrjVrriDq4xEySbhX_hxVsQQiNEjjh6EHjtqgKzewlNo1Qgbdo/s640/first+day+class.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzaOfsx5Ugtze22fe2sTXGXJ7A9fAXDuON2lb9-U4jPLcc4a8mhUyMpBbYnElU0qEPQcgHeb57zkF-zpIykYiwj66CpPXrjVrriDq4xEySbhX_hxVsQQiNEjjh6EHjtqgKzewlNo1Qgbdo/w625-h351/first+day+class.png" width="625" /></a></div><br /><span><span> I am so proud of all the educators I know.</span> </span>Teachers all over the country have started or will start their school year very soon. In my district, we started the school year virtually for the first three weeks and when we went back to in-person learning last Tuesday. We had about half of our students choose to remain in a virtual setting. While I am too old and too set in my ways to ever be convinced a student isn't better off in an in-person school setting, I do understand and respect the decision of families that choose to keep their kids home during these uncertain times.<p></p><p><span> My wife and kids work and attend school in a neighboring district. They start their in-person learning tomorrow. Suddenly the decisions I have been dealing with on a professional level have become very personal. After months of wondering if and when we would ever go back to school, the time is here. To be honest, I am not worried about the kids. Maybe I should be, but I truly believe they will be okay and I know it will be good for them to be around their peers. They like school for the most part and I trust they will be in the best care possible. It is the educators I am worried about.</span><br /></p><p><span> I read an excellent blog post this week written by a teacher entitled <a href="https://medium.com/invisible-illness/i-dont-like-bren%C3%A9-brown-anymore-d8ccaa51c01e" target="_blank">I Don't Like Brene' Brown Anymore</a> (I love her work by the way, and so does the author) and thought it was an excellent reflection on just how much we have all relied on teachers during this pandemic. They have done SO much. I know. I live with one. My wife, Sarah, is going to teach second grade this year for the first time. She has taught multiple grade levels, been an assistant principal and principal, then chose to return to the classroom a couple of years ago. Why you ask? Because she loves it. She loves her students and from what I can tell, is a great teacher. Yeah, I might be biased, but I am not the only one that says it. She still hears from kids that have graduated that she taught in first grade so I would say she has had an impact on many. I know this, few, if any, do it with more passion or enthusiasm. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jkj7Vot-XVWWWaarMSpd2ETiWI8Ial4gWIcR8Pjwm4FsOYlBIu4SSfKqaNN5c4517OMktCNxAzHsChJrCcOMK85jjSy4-_R2gkQCtZxynIzHQP-msXsW6U3lat2HXT4sonAZ0SlhbTzc/w320-h240/sarah.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>There she is!!</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><span> </span>Over the last few months, I have gotten a true behind the scenes look at what our teachers are going through and I am so proud of her and all my educator friends. I have seen her cry because she didn't get to say good-bye to her kindergarten students in May. I have seen her work for hours upon hours this summer making videos to welcome her students and create lessons so they could understand and enjoy school again. I have seen her laugh with her team during zoom meetings (or zoom happy hours) and I have seen her sit through long, monotonous virtual meetings with the very best of intentions. I have even been next to her when she has gotten kind, sweet emails from parents and when she gets ugly, mean ones as well. With all the frustrations going on in the country right now, teachers have taken more than their share of the responsibility in making things right. Like teachers everywhere, Sarah has played the role of teacher, tech support, counselor, doctor, and even parent, for the families she serves. All of this was new for her and she has done a remarkable job holding it all together. You wouldn't know that if you didn't live with a teacher. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlPAGUvPdTVyLGDGOkWYJhV2KwScie-1-ZgmU6AO-ja4mtU-gYm3apVMN_w7ruakPwbIOWs1KWUwm9TputGtcJYkDGqCw784prZFqgJo4G_mw0EzPx7pbmsjs81ev8bbf_Nbcj_PWKwQg/s640/IMG_9653.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSlPAGUvPdTVyLGDGOkWYJhV2KwScie-1-ZgmU6AO-ja4mtU-gYm3apVMN_w7ruakPwbIOWs1KWUwm9TputGtcJYkDGqCw784prZFqgJo4G_mw0EzPx7pbmsjs81ev8bbf_Nbcj_PWKwQg/w320-h240/IMG_9653.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Here is what conferring and giving feedback to a student looks like!!</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div> There is a lot of things you wouldn't know if you didn't live with a teacher. I have gotten to see the countless ridiculous requests that are made of them (some from administrators like me). I have seen her answer the same questions graciously to the same parent for the fourth, no fifth time. I have seen countless Amazon boxes be delivered to our door in the last few weeks, all ultimately destined for the classroom, because some student might not have what they need or because she had to have these flashing disco lights that might just make the class a little more fun. I have been up to the classroom a few times to try and help. I got to tape the name tags on the desks and lockers (only after specific directions and a tutorial), but I left and she remained at school for hours to make sure it is just right. We made a few trips to get school supplies and pick up the pictures of her kids she had printed so she could put in frames. <p><span><span><br /> </span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2BxnS-xIEo3CivjwOalD-8mGPC-4t-DI3euVGnZQU8Njdswl6ZkMWGStZXejMAZkSeuQfqst8lLE5UJMGudO24TW6CasPGyCJ3a015Q9eFXCUg_L2pbBb5zwkwNk9KDTxuckER3OLF2U/s640/IMG_9652.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw2BxnS-xIEo3CivjwOalD-8mGPC-4t-DI3euVGnZQU8Njdswl6ZkMWGStZXejMAZkSeuQfqst8lLE5UJMGudO24TW6CasPGyCJ3a015Q9eFXCUg_L2pbBb5zwkwNk9KDTxuckER3OLF2U/s320/IMG_9652.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Wall of Fame! Late night run to CVS to pick up the rest!<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><span> </span>When she got her class list this year she was so excited and she has done her very best to make them feel comfortable during virtual learning the last couple of weeks, but tomorrow she will meet them for the first time. She is nervous. As teachers, we are all nervous the day before school, but this year is different. This year the "team building" activities won't look the same. This year they will eat lunch two kids per table. This year they can't share a book or pencils. This year she and teachers everywhere are having to relearn and reinvent everything they have ever done. And most, like Sarah, are excited and thankful to do it. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltx8SrKxUuT6pXJAoqtewmq1NWeqFhVvADr_s1-QzQ3iPR2g9SDqmsX2AiOP3rtVhQvruPwTYw4HZcwWWydp-OVM_2yorIkwsJah3000tOJCC7a8D6eiwLzbmfBBi7Dl6-qyZVQ1O5J2F/s640/IMG_9643.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltx8SrKxUuT6pXJAoqtewmq1NWeqFhVvADr_s1-QzQ3iPR2g9SDqmsX2AiOP3rtVhQvruPwTYw4HZcwWWydp-OVM_2yorIkwsJah3000tOJCC7a8D6eiwLzbmfBBi7Dl6-qyZVQ1O5J2F/s320/IMG_9643.jpg" /></b></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Essential supplies by the classroom door!</b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span> Tonight, w</span>e have about about five boxes by the front door to take to school tomorrow. They are packed with a lot of the usual things. There are snacks for the students that may forget or don't have one. There are extra school supplies. But there is also a box of face-masks and a box of disposable gloves along with extra hand sanitizer. She is a teacher, not a nurse, but yet these are a must this year. These are the things we didn't use to think about on the eve of the first day of school. There are a lot of things we didn't use to think about. </p><p><span> Sarah, like so many others, pours her heart into her job. Yes, I am so very proud of teachers everywhere tonight. They truly do make a difference, they always have. This year teachers, more than anyone else, may be the key to our country getting back to normal (whatever that is). </span>They are being asked a nearly impossible task this school year, so please say a prayer and give them a little grace and encouragement. They work so very hard and they are incredibly dedicated to their students but you might not know that if you didn't live with one like I do. </p><p><span> To my wife on her first day, to my many friends who are educators, and to the millions of teachers all over the country, I say thank you for all that you do. Stay safe. Stay strong. Be Bold.</span> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Y7uXJ1VX43n847pthN2bLyw-q9wo7WX39YPRBHBnOw9oAsS9ldAz4VtSydIyoqtTTieQaVdOleigbhJzJvhGtL0MmhdfM56u2iqcD3plGXErCFtwgYfW8o6vCJ89s-X_MRmjuQh0UQ2i/s640/IMG_9660+%25281%2529+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Y7uXJ1VX43n847pthN2bLyw-q9wo7WX39YPRBHBnOw9oAsS9ldAz4VtSydIyoqtTTieQaVdOleigbhJzJvhGtL0MmhdfM56u2iqcD3plGXErCFtwgYfW8o6vCJ89s-X_MRmjuQh0UQ2i/s320/IMG_9660+%25281%2529+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1st Day With Students!!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p></div>Robert Thornell, Ed.D. of Texashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975140882812154667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-6100153401568106172020-08-19T19:04:00.000-07:002020-08-19T19:04:13.881-07:001st Day of School: "Get them fed and get them home safe?"<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">The first day of school….<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Every year, I always say, “If the kids get fed and get home, it has been a great 1<sup>st</sup> day.” Well that phrase is out the window this year! Too many other things to worry about! Although I did hear someone tell a parent, “at least you won’t lose your kid, they are at home with you”. It actually made the parent feel better. Truth is, some things did not go well today and there were loud voices in our ears telling us so. Things like "your plan is too easy, too hard, or isn’t working." But others were quietly appreciative and reaped the benefits of our hard work and the fact that kids were engaged in school and learning again. That is what is is all about! I couldn't visit schools like I normally would, so I lurked on twitter and saw tons of teachers and students having fun!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">Today marked my 27<sup>th</sup> year as a public school educator and I feel like a new teacher all over again. I started today wide-eyed and truly not knowing what is going to happen. New job. New District. I just didn’t know. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">But I do know this…The first day of school was AWESOME. It always is! Every year, no matter where I have been working, we always, without fail, seem to say this was a great day! This time, it may be more appropriate to say, “that was the most unique first day ever!”. Unique, challenging, different, innovative, busy…we will probably use lots of adjectives to describe school this year but we will have school and it will be AWESOME. It has to be. Our kids need it. Our parents need it. Our teachers need it. The whole community needs it!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">I saw this tweet today and I thought to myself, this kid gets it. She sees firsthand how her dad is trying his best. I hope most kids and spouses of teachers feel this way and see the struggle so many teachers are having trying to connect with students in new and even unorthodox ways. These people should be applauded! Talk about examples of life-long learning…they have had to reinvent how they do the job that many of them have done for years. It is not easy, but the heart of a teachers won’t let them do anything else.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1237" data-original-width="1242" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Y6EcADfDBoI3mTey-7SWZu6HsuKWoNqlQrPklIitbQDwZwOWBq6CsaUWfWfCjM6CF3XUwX68wwE70GH72FoZ1m8jAhGuRphxJaW38M3dBDvy1Rp3hswq5bB8onP6RZ-LuyNh5WZK_HYV/w200-h199/Screenshot+2020-08-19+at+4.50.41+PM.png" title="Daughter's Tweet" width="200" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">One thing that the 20-21 school year has in common with all the others…Anything is possible on the first day of school. All our dreams and aspirations are alive and in front of us. The hope that springs eternal is that of a fresh start promised to everyone…teachers and students alike. This year may be different, but the opportunities for success remain. I often use the hashtag #BEBOLD with my tweets. I started this a few years ago as I would send daily texts to my kids encouraging them to branch out and try new things. It then became more of a personal challenge when they would ask me, “Are you bold?” So it has become kind of a personal reminder. What will I do to push myself out of my comfort zone? Won't take much this year. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; margin: 0in;">I hope this year teachers and students will take advantage of the circumstances and be bold. They should try the craziest of ideas, or maybe that thing that has been burning in the back of their thoughts for so long they just can’t stand it anymore. You have a safety net. If it doesn’t work, blame it on the pandemic…but what if it does work? What if that one idea or thought is the thing that makes all the difference. You will never know if you don’t try. This is Day 1…the perfect time to start. #BEBOLD<o:p></o:p></p>Robert Thornell, Ed.D. of Texashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975140882812154667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-60006329195143630512020-01-28T08:31:00.001-08:002020-01-28T08:31:37.421-08:00What can educators learn from Kobe?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6qUbPhB3EZjv8USIwR54u8r_HP92YyuRUWg_SXbX_CI3nZTsGSkZCQPW6rVO0iacsoicDe-UhNlXtwjYKgfqxX68ixTcHRswStkLLIs_fpdwdpl-pPYp2CsFQ17EW5Q9jhSu2ZSTxRrF/s1600/kobe+and+daughter.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="640" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj6qUbPhB3EZjv8USIwR54u8r_HP92YyuRUWg_SXbX_CI3nZTsGSkZCQPW6rVO0iacsoicDe-UhNlXtwjYKgfqxX68ixTcHRswStkLLIs_fpdwdpl-pPYp2CsFQ17EW5Q9jhSu2ZSTxRrF/s200/kobe+and+daughter.png" width="200" /></a></div>
I need to say right up front that Kobe was not my favorite basketball player. It may be my age, but I always was, and always will be, a Jordan guy. I did always have a healthy respect for Kobe, mostly because he always struck me as a player that truly respected the game and tried to play it the right way. However, after reading and listening to so much over the last couple of days since his tragic death, my respect for him has grown tremendously. I have found myself wondering why. Why does a basketball player have such a tremendous, positive impact on so many people all over the world? And if we somehow could understand and harness that impact, maybe we (as mere mortals) could have that kind of influence as well. <br />
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<b>MAMBA MENTALITY:</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0q6nJFe7kSXjYEz7UiAenzhmh9FjfcMebgm-hRBtt5QtJJZRhHoxEkuOxzyUJO3rsB3je236F6pdNAKUwHb8yiYlcqk4dJSuI7wuqCzYfxyg86xx91OtVCLfvHrwkW4igcGSXDfw0IHu/s1600/kobe+determination.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="640" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0q6nJFe7kSXjYEz7UiAenzhmh9FjfcMebgm-hRBtt5QtJJZRhHoxEkuOxzyUJO3rsB3je236F6pdNAKUwHb8yiYlcqk4dJSuI7wuqCzYfxyg86xx91OtVCLfvHrwkW4igcGSXDfw0IHu/s200/kobe+determination.png" width="200" /></a>The first thing that almost everyone mentions in recollecting on Kobe Bryant is his relentless, killer instinct. They call it the Mamba Mentality. Now, "killer instinct" might not often be used to describe educators, but the great ones are most definitely relentless in their pursuit of excellence. <b> They do not quit </b>and they do not accept failure from anyone; themselves, their students, or their peers. Kobe was like that. If there was ever a criticism about his game, it was that he didn't pass enough, but when things got tight at the end of games, he knew he was the best player on the court and he had the confidence to do what was necessary to help his team win. John Hattie and Peter DeWitt have made the terms "self-efficacy" and "collective efficacy" common terms among educational leaders with the idea that if we believe we can make a difference, then we often will. Kobe's confidence and "self-efficacy" also translated to leadership. That leadership gave his team the "collective efficacy" it needed to achieve greatness. They often won simply because they believed they would. Check out this link from the ESPYs!<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgU7n1Sz5To">REST AT THE END, NOT IN THE MIDDLE</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XmodE2se5FJz4WjljQABw5Xex1Lks8HYMinPiq_y2kXgvpgPBGs7c0rwoWkgdRADwPuNXtuyyCYUU4PlWw8yX_PbT4HdPKwZKlea3eXFJdhk96Vdz-FSjU3An_XErpxnDEi7P73IsqnM/s1600/kobe+rest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="622" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XmodE2se5FJz4WjljQABw5Xex1Lks8HYMinPiq_y2kXgvpgPBGs7c0rwoWkgdRADwPuNXtuyyCYUU4PlWw8yX_PbT4HdPKwZKlea3eXFJdhk96Vdz-FSjU3An_XErpxnDEi7P73IsqnM/s320/kobe+rest.png" width="311" /></a></div>
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<b>WORK ETHIC:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FuSbl-9L6-sAX4T-I30Y8UKXsrPAhIAMtxmNNGmlCW7CXNRJ9hOJkePU0xniiMn0E7I7g5zSLeRUI1EDlzbr2xwv35hzyktgG7Gh4O2K58jyiiULivsTdyev2MWFonhVKh7P2VMcDGjg/s1600/kobe.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="840" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FuSbl-9L6-sAX4T-I30Y8UKXsrPAhIAMtxmNNGmlCW7CXNRJ9hOJkePU0xniiMn0E7I7g5zSLeRUI1EDlzbr2xwv35hzyktgG7Gh4O2K58jyiiULivsTdyev2MWFonhVKh7P2VMcDGjg/s320/kobe.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Kobe Bryant's work ethic is legendary. Almost everyone who achieves greatness in any field shares this trait, but even among his peers, Kobe stood out. He was known to push his teammates harder than their coaches. One legendary story has Kobe taking away his personalized "Kobe shoes" from players because their work ethic (not their play) did not meet the standard necessary to wear them. The players got the message. In the video clip below, Kobe starts with a simple, but telling phrase: "If I have to fight you to get in the gym, that is a problem." Every school I have ever seen has teachers and administrators that work very hard. What often transforms campuses to greatness is the influence these hard-working, over-achievers have on the rest of us. Do you have an environment where slackers can get by because someone else is doing more work than they should or does everyone pull their weight? Do you have to fight them to "get in the gym" (PLC, professional development, etc.) Kobe was not afraid to work hard, but he also challenged others to match his commitment or get left behind. Countless players (in various sports) this week have talked about how he made them better just by modeling his work ethic. That is leadership.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5b3LFR4MmA">The Mind of Kobe Bryant</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcv708IW5OleFDWCO80EHci9GgW97ILL1HWymFleDT3Me5daPPI4VwVE0CqlEN3A_ag9afkqZmjvp0wp5x1vRdZHaeUPxot5q0tztg8kAfEc1zWJh7amoj8qtGIaS8QrUqQx89gMf3uE-/s1600/kobe+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="551" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcv708IW5OleFDWCO80EHci9GgW97ILL1HWymFleDT3Me5daPPI4VwVE0CqlEN3A_ag9afkqZmjvp0wp5x1vRdZHaeUPxot5q0tztg8kAfEc1zWJh7amoj8qtGIaS8QrUqQx89gMf3uE-/s320/kobe+2.png" width="275" /></a><br />
<b>TRANSCENDENT:</b><br />
Finally, I wanted to look up this word to make sure I have the definition right in my mind.<br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 18px; font-style: italic;">adjective- </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 18px; text-align: center;">going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding.</span></b><br />
<div class="css-1o58fj8 e1hk9ate4" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #4a4a4a; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; margin-left: 20px;">
<div class="css-12vimxp e1q3nk1v3" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: list-item; line-height: 1.5; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 25px; position: relative;" value="2">
<span class="one-click-content css-1p89gle e1q3nk1v4" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="supreme" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; cursor: pointer; font-size: 18px; position: relative; z-index: 1;"><b>superior or supreme.</b></span></div>
<div class="css-1nmzxaj e1q3nk1v3" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: list-item; line-height: 1.5; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 25px; position: relative;" value="3">
<b><span class="one-click-content css-1p89gle e1q3nk1v4" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; cursor: pointer; font-size: 18px; position: relative; z-index: 1;"><span class="luna-labset" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="luna-label italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">Theology</span></span>. </span><span class="one-click-content css-1p89gle e1q3nk1v4" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="Deity" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; cursor: pointer; font-size: 18px; position: relative; z-index: 1;">(of the Deity) transcending the universe, time, etc</span><span class="one-click-content css-qbz9p4 e1q3nk1v5" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; cursor: pointer; font-size: 18px; position: relative; z-index: 1;">.</span></b></div>
<div class="css-1euup3e e1q3nk1v3" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: list-item; line-height: 1.5; list-style: none; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 25px; position: relative;" value="4">
<span class="one-click-content css-1p89gle e1q3nk1v4" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; cursor: pointer; font-size: 18px; position: relative; z-index: 1;"><b><span class="luna-labset" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="luna-label italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">Philosophy</span></span>.</b></span><br />
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 20px; position: relative;"><b><span class="one-click-content css-1p89gle e1q3nk1v4" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; cursor: pointer; font-size: 18px; position: relative; z-index: 1;"><span class="luna-labset" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="luna-label italic" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">Scholasticism</span></span>.</span> <span class="one-click-content css-1p89gle e1q3nk1v4" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="all" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; cursor: pointer; font-size: 18px; position: relative; z-index: 1;">above all possible modes of the infinite.</span></b></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 20px; position: relative;"><b><span class="one-click-content css-1p89gle e1q3nk1v4" data-linkid="nn1ov4" data-term="all" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1a1a1a; cursor: pointer; font-size: 18px; position: relative; z-index: 1;"><br /></span></b></li>
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I think it helps answer my original question of why does a basketball player have such a profound impact on the world. It's not just his extraordinary basketball talents. It's any person that goes beyond what is expected and does things that seem impossible. All of us respond to greatness and most of us respect it, even if we are not fans. Kobe Bryant was transcendent. We will miss him. #RIPKobe<br />
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Robert Thornell, Ed.D. of Texashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975140882812154667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-18863936025526171872020-01-15T10:27:00.002-08:002020-01-15T10:27:31.018-08:00Students as Curriculum Designers? Why not ask the experts?<br />
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I was asked this week about some ways to empower students. It seemed pretty simple at first, but upon reflection, I wondered if some of the traditional ways truly impact the learning environment and empower students they way we hope they would. There are countless ways to give students a voice in the classroom and on the campus, but some thoughts I had on how students could impact themselves and future students is by getting them involved in the teaching and learning on the campus.</div>
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Great teachers empower students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They do it in a variety of ways, and sometimes they can’t even describe
how they did it, but great teachers and great schools empower students to own
their own learning. This is the essences of empowerment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The students of 2020 have perhaps the greatest experience in
schools in history when compared to any previous generation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The resources, thanks to technology, are almost
limitless, and the emphasis on student-choice and social emotional learning have
created classrooms and schools that are designed to engage students and make
the learning experience meaningful to each individual child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it
working?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes and No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no doubt that many classrooms around
the nation have transformed from the traditional rows of desks and teacher lectures
to a more inviting learning environment of flexible seating and student choice,
but is it having a real impact on student learning?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have the lessons and tasks really changed or
have we just made the kids more comfortable?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I believe one of the best places to look for true empowerment
of students is to solicit their feedback and reflections after the lessons have
taken place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As educators, we often
spend precious hours of planning time to try and create lesson choices that
will entice students and stimulate their minds so they will be interested and
engaged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about how much time could
be saved if we had a few students around the table joining the teachers in a
PLC to give feedback on previous lessons and input on upcoming units. Give your
students, not just your top students, but the struggling ones as well, as
chance to give you feedback on the tasks in your classroom or even your
teaching style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And here is a little
secret, students do not hold back near as well as adults do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You want to know the truth, ask a kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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As educators, formative assessment is something that is stressed
at every level as the best way to monitor student progress, but what if we truly
empowered students to formatively assess our curriculum and instruction? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We might not want to hear what they have to
say!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a middle school principal, I once
had a group of students tell me, “If you want to LEARN you take this teacher,
but if you want to have FUN you take this one.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Originally, I was baffled by their candid answer, but I have used that
example many times over years to make the point that “Kids Know”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They know who pushes them and who lets them
slide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They know when they can turn in
less than their best effort and when they must do their best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we want to get better, we should give them
a seat at the table and make them a part of professional collaboration. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How in the world could that happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a few easy steps:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Individually- Create a system in your classroom
where students give you regular feedback on your teaching and the tasks you assign
them (you may or may not have control over the tasks you give).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you keep a reflective learning journal,
this is a great place to take notes to formatively improve the next lesson or
change the task for next year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Campus or PLC- Invite a small, but diverse group
of students to your grade level/department PLC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t put them on a stage as a panel, which is often fake and kids see
through fake, but instead give them an equal seat at the table. You might have
to train them a bit so they realize what lesson planning and curriculum mapping
is all about, but they will catch on quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t do it a once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Commit to making
the group a regular part of the discussion for at least a six to nine-week
grading period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they are with your
PLC that long, they should experience lesson design, reflection of
lessons/units, data dives, etc. Basically, a full learning cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After that, switch to a different group.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->District- A larger commitment might be to invite
a group of students that just completed an entire course to be part of a
district level curriculum writing team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who
better to share what was good and bad about Algebra than the students that just
completed the course? Think of the power of hearing about the same lesson from
three or four kids from different schools. It has the potential to help with curriculum
alignment and calibration. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I have five kids spanning from a kindergarten student to a
junior in high school and everyone of them will tell you what they liked about
school and what they didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
pressed, the older ones will tell you what lessons were challenging and which ones
were “busy” work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will tell you
what they remember from several years ago and what lessons had the biggest
impact on their learning. KIDS KNOW.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Imagine the impact over time on the learning environment if
we spent more time letting the kids help us design the lessons?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a different paradigm then simply differentiating
a lesson and letting kids have “student choice” over a few activities all designed
by adults. Its challenging but it is a way to truly have students own their
learning in a way that adults cannot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be
bold and give it a try!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Robert Thornell, Ed.D. of Texashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975140882812154667noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-20839497959345230432018-08-12T18:56:00.000-07:002018-08-12T19:17:10.662-07:00A - F rankings, Why I still don't agree with them, but now I feel guilty about it!About a year and a half ago, somewhat out of frustration, I posted the blog below about my own kids' experience at schools that somehow didn't make the grade in the Texas accountability system. The post must have struck a nerve with some people because it got over a half-million views! That was pretty big stuff for someone whose normal posts reach about 400! I was interviewed by several publications and the State Commissioner for Education, Mike Morath, even gave me a call to congratulate me. The response was almost universally positive, save for a few comments from those that classify educators as whiners. Unfortunately, the discussion was short lived and we all went about our business. Our schools and students kept doing great things, parents kept supporting our schools, and it seems there remains a group committed to showing our schools are not doing a very good job. Some things never change.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to present day. In the past couple weeks, perhaps in preparation for districts' A-F ratings to go public, a number of high ranking school administrators, many of whom I call friends, have come out against the rankings and are pleading for a better system.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.tasanet.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=71&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=3932&PageID=1">TASA Issues Statement on Accountability</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/other-voices/article216443950.html">Educators Don't Agree With A-F</a><br />
<br />
While I could not agree more with the countless educators sharing their views on the accountability system, I can no longer solely blame our Commissioner or even our Legislature without also looking in the mirror at wasted opportunities. The State has given us small glimpses of hope that it would be willing to offer changes, but I do not think we have taken full advantage of the opportunities. That is where my own guilt comes from. We don't need the State system to certify the quality of our schools. What we need is to place value on the multiple measures for which we advocate. It is not enough to say the system is unfair. We have to commit to offering a better solution.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<b>Wasted Opportunities:</b></h2>
<br />
In 2011, House Bill 1157 called for districts to apply to be part of the Texas High-Performing Schools Consortium. My own district was 1 of 22 accepted and the group began to work together to share lessons learned and forge a new path for education. At the premise of these discussions was the concept of Community Based-Accountability. Many of us worked with our own stakeholders to create multiple measures to assess our schools. Here lies the hurdle that many of us can't seem to get past: We are still receiving an annual ranking from the state and while the belief in the locally controlled, multiple measures was strong, so was the pull of having to perform well on a one-day, one test accountability system. The information and desire is still strong as witnessed by the Future Ready Schools website, but we have yet to gain the kind of traction needed for true public acceptance.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.tasanet.org/domain/205">Student Centered Schools</a><br />
<br />
Next came House Bill 5 in 2013. This well publicized bill generated lots of discussion and feedback around the five student endorsement plans designed to have students college and career ready, a far less discussed portion of the bill actually gave the opportunity for schools and districts to finally rate themselves on something other than test scores. It outlined eight domains that would allow for multiple measures and, yes this is the amazing part, districts would be allowed to set their own system for evaluation!!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Fine Arts</span><br />
·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Wellness & Physical Education</span><br />
·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Community & Parent Involvement</span><br />
·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">21st Century Workforce Development Program</span><br />
·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Second Language Acquisition Program</span><br />
·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Digital Learning Environment</span><br />
·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Dropout Prevention Strategies</span><br />
·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Educational Programs for Gifted & Talented
Students</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
It was finally here, locally controlled accountability over multiple measures. 2013-2014 was the first year the system was reported to PEIMS and districts not only were able to create their own measurements, they only had to pick three of the eight. What happened next might could have been predicted, but it was very unfortunate. We, as educational leaders, did not take full advantage of this opportunity. Well over 90% of the districts gave themselves perfect scores. Little time was put into the development of true measures and when the student achievement didn't match the exemplary ratings, who could blame the State for deeming the experiment a failure. While HB5 was not perfect, the state did it did open the door for some local control over accountability, but we failed as a profession to truly take advantage of it. And again, I feel guilty about that.<br />
<br />
I am ready to call the next piece a missed opportunity as well, although the jury may still be out. In 2015, House Bill 1842 introduced Districts of Innovation (DOI) as a concept that would allow school districts the opportunity to create their own plans to free themselves from Texas Education Agency mandates. It was praised as a way to honor schools eager to transform with new and innovative ideas, however something just doesn't translate. You can ask for anything you want but you can't get out of the accountability system. Basically, the state challenged you to find a better way to do "old school". Here is a link to TEA's information on DOI:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Schools/District_Initiatives/Districts_of_Innovation/">TEA: Districts of Innovation</a><br />
<br />
Why, in my opinion, is the jury still out? We could start with the fact that the top 4 exemptions asked for as part of DOI are as follows:<br />
<ol>
<li>School Start Date (I get it. If you start earlier you can finish the first semester before Christmas and start the summer earlier. All for it)</li>
<li>Teacher Certifications (Again, in some cases, especially in CTE fields where industry experience may be paramount, a person without a teacher certification may be the best person to teach the course. But are we ready as a profession to ask permission not to be certified?)</li>
<li>Class Size (Currently K-4 grades are capped at 22, but I guess the innovative idea is to make the classes bigger? Again, I understand the proposal but let's be careful what we ask for.)</li>
<li>Class Size Part 2 (This one I love. In the age of transparency, this exemption allows districts to go over the class size cap and not have to tell parents about it? Seriously.)</li>
</ol>
<div>
I would suggest that three of the four have everything to do with saving a district time and money and nothing to do with innovative teaching and learning. That is not to say that districts haven't tried to be innovative, but the combination of the rules surrounding DOI applications don't truly call for school transformation. I am guilty on this one too. Other than changing our calendar, I am still working with others to find innovative ideas that fit our districts needs. To read more about DOI's implementation:</div>
<br />
<a href="https://tcta.org/node/14394-districts_of_innovation_the_reality">Texas Classroom Teachers Association - Districts of Innovation: The Reality</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://communityimpact.com/austin/at-the-capitol/2017/01/23/top-20-exemptions-picked-texas-districts-innovation/">Top Twenty Exemptions for Districts of Innovation</a><br />
<br />
So why did I write this tonight, especially at the risk of alienating some of my educator friends? Because I want us to do better and I think we can. I am tired of waiting for the legislature to send a miracle that will save our public schools. I am tired of trying to explain/defend an A-F system that really doesn't make sense as a comprehensive tool to measure schools (On a side note, the state delayed A-F for campus ratings. Two years wasn't long enough to figure it out.). But I am also tired of feeling guilty that we haven't done enough to show what our schools really can do. In my district we have developed 12 indicators and rubrics to measure what we think is important (the eight indicators from the original HB5 plus four locally developed academic goals). They are designed to be difficult to achieve, but more importantly, they were developed by our district stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members) to show what we value in our community. I choose not to be frustrated anymore about an accountability system that does nothing for us. Instead I pledge to focus on what is important to our schools and the community we serve and I commit to sharing the results that matter most. Schools deserve it.<br />
<br />
To see our Community Based Accountability rubrics:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.nisdtx.org/departments/research__assessment_and_accountability/community_based_accountability__cbas/">NISD CBAS</a><br />
<br />
#guiltfreeeducator<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-28076237655911911392017-01-05T18:17:00.004-08:002020-11-19T07:14:19.032-08:00What my kids have learned from going to an “F” school!<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8KhQ9cyhQUNtcocp4LIQ5YDiJJ5MyzknJqmU6qfCN1hLz-UMru5U4wufsLF6HxHSreVljJMHrZasMNpC8E8XnJ8aixdSJe8xQnm29uKssLRMEk2s4PYHWUC9ATmgznxrnWTiY851q1fg/s640/Unknown-4.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8KhQ9cyhQUNtcocp4LIQ5YDiJJ5MyzknJqmU6qfCN1hLz-UMru5U4wufsLF6HxHSreVljJMHrZasMNpC8E8XnJ8aixdSJe8xQnm29uKssLRMEk2s4PYHWUC9ATmgznxrnWTiY851q1fg/w150-h200/Unknown-4.jpeg" title="3rd Grade Biography Day" width="150" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Tonight, just for fun, I asked my youngest daughter (4<sup>th</sup>
grade) if she had to give her school a grade what would she give it. “An A+!” she said enthusiastically!! When I asked her why, she said, “The teachers
are awesome and we get to do lots of cool stuff!” Then I told her some people think her school
is an F! “Those people are dumb. Have
they even been there?” she replied.
Unfortunately, the answer is probably not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJw8sohXYkXushhdN2-NIe_6tMlKfK5gwRHOikMJH2kZmI5sbJ6JRrTadwIbNdb2rWiNfCIMGCURHLIP_BlFLnA2B2mliUhwpDEOpDHZhOb4b7X-JMhvgPVi4guwOPI8ZbZYZY35iavI46/s640/Unknown-2.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJw8sohXYkXushhdN2-NIe_6tMlKfK5gwRHOikMJH2kZmI5sbJ6JRrTadwIbNdb2rWiNfCIMGCURHLIP_BlFLnA2B2mliUhwpDEOpDHZhOb4b7X-JMhvgPVi4guwOPI8ZbZYZY35iavI46/w320-h240/Unknown-2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making Friends Around The World!</td></tr></tbody></table>Several years ago, my kids switched schools away from a
wonderful campus and began a new experience in a much different, yet equally
wonderful school environment. We had
moved and I wanted them in the same school district in which I worked. At the time my oldest daughter was in third
grade and my son was in first. Now, I
will admit, they were coming to a school that was quite different than the one
they left. For one thing, over half the
students at their new school were what our state labels “economically
disadvantaged”. This was a new
experience because my kids had been quite sheltered and quite frankly, never
been around kids that didn’t have just about everything they wanted. I will never forget my son coming home the
first week and telling us about his new friend.
“He doesn’t speak English, but he is really good at math and building
stuff” he excitedly told us. I remember
telling him to learn all the Spanish you can </span><span style="font-size: large;">from him because one day you may
need it. My son is in middle school this
year, and more often than not when I ask him who he sat with at lunch, that
same first grade friend is one of the kids he mentions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The truth is, I couldn’t have asked for a better school
experience for my kids despite the fact that my 6<sup>th</sup> and 8<sup>th</sup>
graders go to a middle school that got a “D” on the just released “rough draft”
accountability ratings from the state and my 4<sup>th</sup> grade daughter’s
school got an “F” in one of the categories.
They have had some of the best teachers I have seen anywhere, and I should
know, I have spent the last 22 years of my life in schools of all shapes and
sizes. They have been challenged and
they have grown and learned more than I could ever imagine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">It is hard for me to believe that those with very limited
knowledge of schools could have the audacity to create a system that they can’t
even explain and give grades without providing promised support. If a teacher
did that to his/her class we would consider it poor instruction at best and
gross negligence at worst. If you think
I am being overly dramatic, you didn’t spend the last two days like I did
talking to principals and educators and trying to explain that places they put
their heart and souls into were deemed not good enough. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYQy-S_DlpvUwV17UV5je1vK8kVkXmjL4NwjKR-QfrMy34xFcMisMEFEas9yCYqWSjBtfDUYPVKEyNUWprLgXzTMn-ESrFFpl0thpr4HchIvsvEm7ovYIdBxH5dGO2dHTaeVup_-Pp96G/s640/Unknown-5.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivYQy-S_DlpvUwV17UV5je1vK8kVkXmjL4NwjKR-QfrMy34xFcMisMEFEas9yCYqWSjBtfDUYPVKEyNUWprLgXzTMn-ESrFFpl0thpr4HchIvsvEm7ovYIdBxH5dGO2dHTaeVup_-Pp96G/w200-h200/Unknown-5.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />Enough politics. My
real point in writing is that I am thankful for some of the things
my kids have learned in these so-called failing schools. Our District and schools strive to provide a
dynamic learning experience and that is exactly what they have done. My kids learned to dance. Yep.
No one in my family can dance a lick, but when your friends are part of
the after school dance club that is so popular that they have one for every
grade, you sign up and show your stuff!
They learned to read and <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzq_sxlLqZjurvzcUBaO9tfQMCe-SfZqDKoPZcu5ny4PCkUtNKrmGPZ6WKrfCKuvFepY5ymauXj_K2SS_VabcHIbLD5M4EXSpUbdPQEl7KYuc_Glgv5DKliUO-Rz0Lwf1ORTCKkGn5btqV/s640/Unknown-28.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzq_sxlLqZjurvzcUBaO9tfQMCe-SfZqDKoPZcu5ny4PCkUtNKrmGPZ6WKrfCKuvFepY5ymauXj_K2SS_VabcHIbLD5M4EXSpUbdPQEl7KYuc_Glgv5DKliUO-Rz0Lwf1ORTCKkGn5btqV/w150-h200/Unknown-28.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div></span><span style="font-size: large;">debate.
Have you ever seen a “Battle of the Books” competition? It is intense. You have to read and work as a team to determine
your answers as you compete against other teams. They have <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8zJHOd330Fi4ZQIGJ-adqdVhMb9RFZkZ3dOPjpN1T_ctUlydR-pXC4tsZIG6xaPF6OJyORrZA9wEgklBqq6t29QXd5eaAgahmuXehEdLbl-M9Qhcd3_bPYkhNWzlqcsXz48Z_0S4fRJu/s640/Unknown-21.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8zJHOd330Fi4ZQIGJ-adqdVhMb9RFZkZ3dOPjpN1T_ctUlydR-pXC4tsZIG6xaPF6OJyORrZA9wEgklBqq6t29QXd5eaAgahmuXehEdLbl-M9Qhcd3_bPYkhNWzlqcsXz48Z_0S4fRJu/s320/Unknown-21.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />been in plays. They have built robots. They have learned to
solve a Rubik’s cube. Learned to play chess. My daughter was a magician in a
talent show. My son and his friends traveled to a global problem solving completion
for Destination Imagination. My oldest was part of a team that placed second in
a STEM competition at Bell Helicopter and she writes her own blog. They
have collected things for Angel Tree gifts and later realized it was for
friends at their school. They have been so lucky to have the care and guidance
of so many wonderful educators. This is not a bragging list about my kids, it
is meant to point out that <b><u>NONE</u></b>
of the things above (and countless others) would they have ever experienced
without their schools. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirRHU30xySxNYDQYwK1sN-ZtJklB8jBHBVNSMti1_8Yv_5Ky-141p8sKqXNMjgJxB8VbymQxKhxPfmjDIJi5-7nx1t8SK7HS3-xZzQKPYdPHr5GRye89w_1BO5ICXvEQano5gN23KT6Ham/s640/Unknown-26.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirRHU30xySxNYDQYwK1sN-ZtJklB8jBHBVNSMti1_8Yv_5Ky-141p8sKqXNMjgJxB8VbymQxKhxPfmjDIJi5-7nx1t8SK7HS3-xZzQKPYdPHr5GRye89w_1BO5ICXvEQano5gN23KT6Ham/s320/Unknown-26.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> What they have
learned in school I couldn’t have taught them.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Next year my oldest will start high school and all three of
my kids will be at schools that received a “D” or worse from the state. I wouldn’t have it any other way. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PyGPc15pV_1UWObOZcBi5xchPhh1Bplta3VQUVWCsYyML8nmyUuvm5w5lwxrs4IV-_nkIhdr0mPWGMik2rh40qw2dBLz7wORJwpvV48orIDxb-t8lL7UsvoftQ9MSNt7J8qm_J_UcB64/s640/Unknown-30.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5PyGPc15pV_1UWObOZcBi5xchPhh1Bplta3VQUVWCsYyML8nmyUuvm5w5lwxrs4IV-_nkIhdr0mPWGMik2rh40qw2dBLz7wORJwpvV48orIDxb-t8lL7UsvoftQ9MSNt7J8qm_J_UcB64/s320/Unknown-30.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com85tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-75577358649161375322016-10-20T07:30:00.000-07:002016-10-20T07:31:40.981-07:00Why I Write....National Writing Day<span style="font-size: large;">Eight years ago the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) began the National Day on Writing in an effort to promote one of the most critical components of literacy....and one that seems to be an increasing struggle in our schools. The hashtag #WhyIWrite is being used today all across America to share the importance of writing so I thought I would play along. Here is the link: </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://whyiwrite.us/"><span style="font-size: x-large;">WHY I WRITE!!</span></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The truth is, I love to write. I don't claim to be good at it, but I like the challenge of it and I like the feeling of looking at a finished product. There is something that is satisfying in that...a conversation gets lost to memory, but the written word remains. I write for three primary reasons: Professional, Personal Communication, and Reflections.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Professionally, my days are spent with countless emails. Some are informal answers to questions or requests, but others, depending on the audience take on a more formal approach. In addition to the email barrage, I write a weekly blog/memo to my department and try to make it both informative with a touch of encouragement. Other professional writing I do as part of my job include writing memorandums, school regulations, presentations for the public, etc. The style of writing varies and it always satisfying to complete a written project.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Personal Communication takes on all sorts of formats as well. Sometimes it is an email or through social media, but more importantly, I like to write hand written notes. I don't do it as much as I should, so here is a written goal to try and improve it. Recently, I was at my grandmother's and she gave me a shoebox full of cards and pictures that I had made for her over the years. It was special. She actually had every thank you note I had written for Christmas or Birthdays or other occasions, as well as letters and notes through the years. I had no idea they meant so much to her! In my own garage, I have several boxes of letters from former students or summer camps kids I have taught over the years, as well as a box of letters from my Dad. They all mean the world to me. Handwritten, personal connections are not as common as they use to be, but they are no less significant. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Reflections: For much of my adult life I have kept a reflective journal. It goes in spurts, sometimes I write on a regular basis for awhile and sometimes it sits idle. It is generally a mixture of ideas, thoughts, and questions. Some of them are personal and some are professional, but I have found that taking the time to do this helps me put things in perspective. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So that is my answer to the "Why I Write" question. I hope our students find reasons to write and that our teachers encourage them to do so. Our kids should be using both electronic and handwritten forms of writing. Journals, blogs, research papers, personal narratives, etc. are all types of writing that our kids should experience regularly. Communication in the written form is truly an essential piece to literacy and overall personal success! It is truly an example of AUTHENTIC LEARNING.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-47384894976804632142016-05-29T08:14:00.001-07:002016-05-31T06:02:11.901-07:00Why Destination Imagination is a lot like Mardi Gras.!!..You Had To Be There<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ianNPEDRggU/V0r5RaQjc9I/AAAAAAAAAQM/K7uVRo78K8AbAhQ0TPl3g-3sNDH-hRkTQCLcB/s1600/DI%2B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ianNPEDRggU/V0r5RaQjc9I/AAAAAAAAAQM/K7uVRo78K8AbAhQ0TPl3g-3sNDH-hRkTQCLcB/s320/DI%2B5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trading Pins from around the world is a big deal!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
I am headed home from five days at the Global Finals for
Destination Imagination and I have to say that although I have been in
education for over twenty years now, I have never seen anything quite like
it. In fact, until last year I didn’t even
know this world existed. The best
comparison I have for Globals is Mardi Gras in New Orleans….not for the debauchery,
but because when you tell stories about what happened, you will inevitably get
two types of reactions: If someone has
been there, they understand; if they haven’t, don’t bother trying to explain it
because they won’t believe you anyway.
We saw costumes that would rival anything you might see at Mardi Gras,
but one of the big differences is they were made by hand from kids all over the
world. <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nnfn5h_Jm1k/V0r5iGMpaqI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/1hfYpjxzWMI0Lfpcmy2YFiedlgwrVAstQCLcB/s1600/Di%2B12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nnfn5h_Jm1k/V0r5iGMpaqI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/1hfYpjxzWMI0Lfpcmy2YFiedlgwrVAstQCLcB/s320/Di%2B12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the NISD students at the "Duct Tape" Ball</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YvUEVWwW9zQ/V0r5jIIoHCI/AAAAAAAAARA/RBruj7zOWNg62lMv9g7jD6xLTyzvgKe-gCKgB/s1600/IMG_4389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YvUEVWwW9zQ/V0r5jIIoHCI/AAAAAAAAARA/RBruj7zOWNg62lMv9g7jD6xLTyzvgKe-gCKgB/s200/IMG_4389.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy could fit in at Mardi Gras</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
When I started this blog a couple of years ago, I entitled it
“Exploring Authentic Learning” because I believe that our students need as many
avenues as possible to get hands-on, real-world learning experiences as they go
through school. As educators, we have to
be intentional about planning for these types of activities to happe<span style="text-align: center;">n and I
believe in NISD, we do about as well as anyone, in finding ways for kids to
express and share all sorts of talents. In fact, while our group was gone,
approximately 1,000 students shared and displayed their work at our District’s
annual “Night of No Limits”. Where else do you see that many K-12 students come
together on one night to celebrate their learning?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we make the trek home today, I can’t help but reflect on
what our team experienced this week. And when I say team, there are twenty-three
of us in a caravan (the team, parents, and siblings) driving from Knoxville,
Tennessee to our home in Newark, Texas. We
are all exhausted, maybe a little grumpy, but also feeling very fortunate to
have been supported by so many friends and family through prayers, thoughts,
and finances. <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jfVCijO0SK4/V0r5rdUyaSI/AAAAAAAAARI/Uf8xYuk1v3MlrjGjTUP5rWOS79PbDhwVQCKgB/s1600/DI%2B16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jfVCijO0SK4/V0r5rdUyaSI/AAAAAAAAARI/Uf8xYuk1v3MlrjGjTUP5rWOS79PbDhwVQCKgB/s200/DI%2B16.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William and some friends from China</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The father in me is very proud of my son and his team, but
the professional educator in me cannot help but see the endless possibilities a
program such as this can provide for students around the world. As I mentioned, I didn’t really know much
about Destination Imagination two years ago.
For me, it was like countless other programs (and there are many other
good ones out there), but that all changed because of one teacher and one
parent. Two years ago at my kids’
elementary school, we had a teacher new to the campus that really pushed to try
and get the DI program going.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N6I4QGrFl2o/V0sFUkz7FaI/AAAAAAAAARs/LSPiLed1L-AVRMzjNOQNSQG-iWYPziVtwCKgB/s1600/IMG_4308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N6I4QGrFl2o/V0sFUkz7FaI/AAAAAAAAARs/LSPiLed1L-AVRMzjNOQNSQG-iWYPziVtwCKgB/s200/IMG_4308.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out with friends!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
She made
calls and sent letters to try and get a few parents interested. She held a parent meeting that was sparsley
attended, but she did what so many of educators talk about doing, she connected
with one parent and convinced him that it would be a great opportunity for our
students. We talk a lot in schools about
how we need our parents to volunteer and help, but often they do not know how,
or, gasp, they are not really as welcomed or encouraged as we would like to
believe we make them. One teacher didn’t
give up and for that, I am grateful. (On
a side note, many of the schools in our District have been competing for years
and I have had other teachers approach me in my role about expanding the
program. NISD sent over 100 teams to the Regional competition this year…duly
noted).</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8B2sYA3xCks/V0r54BKVqeI/AAAAAAAAARI/DX-azPFEfeQIPPANKv-4rcRwAQuBL90JQCKgB/s1600/Di%2B6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8B2sYA3xCks/V0r54BKVqeI/AAAAAAAAARI/DX-azPFEfeQIPPANKv-4rcRwAQuBL90JQCKgB/s1600/Di%2B6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tidwell Middle School </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
So our little team started last year with one dad meeting
weekly with the kids in his garage (almost a prerequisite for sponsoring
DI). They built and rebuilt props, wrote
a script to solve what DI calls a “Technical Challenge”, designed costumes and
by the Spring they were ready to compete for the first time in the local
competition. Much to our delight, they
placed high enough to qualify for the State competition! This was exciting! You could tell they had caught the fever and
in an age when we struggle to get kids excited about school, competing in
problem solving and being successful is a great way to get them to stretch
their minds. At the State competition we
learned a lot last year. We learned that
working together and collaboration are essential to success, but the exciting
part is they walked away determined to do better next time!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JdqkRmdfbNs/V0r5iwefqQI/AAAAAAAAARA/8c5NG2fclEwucan3NOEiApd0W1C-yoWEACKgB/s1600/IMG_4505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JdqkRmdfbNs/V0r5iwefqQI/AAAAAAAAARA/8c5NG2fclEwucan3NOEiApd0W1C-yoWEACKgB/s320/IMG_4505.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Stepping away from the parent part for a moment, and going
back to my role as an educator, what happened next really excites me. At our school we went from one team, to
three. Okay, maybe that is meager
progress, but rather than 6 kids experiencing the process, we are up to 18
(including my daughters third grade team)!!
Who knows what next year will bring, but I am an advocate for more kids
and parents getting involved. Our own
team stayed together. Two members “graduated”
to middle school, and were replaced, but we also added two more coaches. One of the parents scheduled permitted her to
eat lunch with the kids once a week and work on “instant challenges”. Again,
parents working with students and the school to help provide dynamic learning
experience! In fact, my middle school
daughter now competes on a team in which the mom coaches SEVEN teams!!! You
might say we are hooked.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TeezmScjjpU/V0r55i615jI/AAAAAAAAARI/y1xk4_gIE7AyhO4TCTEvZic6bwa__-nvwCKgB/s1600/DI%2B10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TeezmScjjpU/V0r55i615jI/AAAAAAAAARI/y1xk4_gIE7AyhO4TCTEvZic6bwa__-nvwCKgB/s200/DI%2B10.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently, in a meeting with principals from our District, I
asked them to think about how their campus plans for ALL students to share,
reflect, and publish their work. This is
very important to authentic learning. We
should feel morally obligated to provide cultures in our buildings where
students have real-world experiences. If
we do not, how can we say we are preparing them for their future? Don’t “allow” it to happen, encourage and
foster a setting in the classroom and the campus where it “has” to happen.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ekV2Yh7DP94/V0r510u8OpI/AAAAAAAAARI/xHY5Bcyasrwp8NFyIreLKwzkgD6xN0SVgCKgB/s1600/IMG_4267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ekV2Yh7DP94/V0r510u8OpI/AAAAAAAAARI/xHY5Bcyasrwp8NFyIreLKwzkgD6xN0SVgCKgB/s200/IMG_4267.JPG" width="200" /></a>This week was a wonderful experience for my son and his
team. One that they will never
forget. They reached their goal of
qualifying for Globals and they now have that fever again to come back and
compete against the best in the world. However, competing was just one fraction of
the learning experience. Our kids worked
to fundraise, they learned to write letters to both request and thank people
and businesses for funds, they even spoke at a Board of Directors meeting to receive
a grant to support their trip. All of
these life skills and experiences forced them to do things they would not have
learned any other way. While at the
competition, I watch in amazement as they interacted, bartered, and traded with
kids from all over the world. Who knows,
someday, one of them may end up negotiating with China over something much more
important than a decorated pin.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXvBfXNRSa4/V0sJn7j44-I/AAAAAAAAASA/m--bl8H1B8UtJUoqYSWC2lsdQhfFb1yJwCLcB/s1600/DI%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXvBfXNRSa4/V0sJn7j44-I/AAAAAAAAASA/m--bl8H1B8UtJUoqYSWC2lsdQhfFb1yJwCLcB/s320/DI%2B1.jpg" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lakeview Elementary</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GIhzCJQ4KF4/V0sJoTpkkuI/AAAAAAAAASI/zy_Rha9a8xQ6bSMmRDz4EBr_NHZUloGfwCLcB/s1600/DI%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GIhzCJQ4KF4/V0sJoTpkkuI/AAAAAAAAASI/zy_Rha9a8xQ6bSMmRDz4EBr_NHZUloGfwCLcB/s320/DI%2B3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medlin Middle School</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nhcSQqyA8ss/V0sJoJ_z2jI/AAAAAAAAASE/Y9rVPjeQEW4bQGplDiU7XFzo5RRMi6PKACLcB/s1600/DI%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nhcSQqyA8ss/V0sJoJ_z2jI/AAAAAAAAASE/Y9rVPjeQEW4bQGplDiU7XFzo5RRMi6PKACLcB/s320/DI%2B4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tidwell Middle School- Instant Challenge Champions</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
As I mentioned, in NISD, we put an emphasis on authentic
learning. Our Academies at the high
school level provide all sorts of real-world experiences. Many of our schools have joined the “makers
space” movement to foster student creativity, and our teachers continue to
develop problem-based learning lessons for students. Our students build their own e-portfolios and
some even tell stories of using them to get jobs! My challenge for NISD
teachers and administrators, and really educators everywhere, is what can we do
to ensure that ALL of our students experience learning like the four teams from
NISD that competed at Globals this year? Or the STEM kids from NHS that built
rockets and competed with schools around the state? Or the robotics club at Clara
Love Elementary that qualified and competed at the state level. Truly, the list of opportunities and
successes in NISD is endless, but let’s not be satisfied until ALL students are
Ready for College, Ready for the Global Workplace, and Ready for Personal
Success.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are so many different pathways and opportunities but
it all starts with one teacher and possibly one parent. I am very thankful for the “one” teacher and
the “one” parent that stepped up almost two years ago and decided that the
extra time for a few kids was worth it. <b>
It was. </b> <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
For more information or interest visit: <a href="http://www.globalfinals.org/"> Destination Imagination Globals 2016</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPGM5ileLiI/V0sFHjRQ_JI/AAAAAAAAARY/MojnAZwaRnMf-2ca6TnWzzzVsvPqUJqvwCLcB/s1600/IMG_4509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPGM5ileLiI/V0sFHjRQ_JI/AAAAAAAAARY/MojnAZwaRnMf-2ca6TnWzzzVsvPqUJqvwCLcB/s400/IMG_4509.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZntiTM6Sx8/V0sFLck1uTI/AAAAAAAAARc/mge6TIL0nN4omqZ96pzutlo6CZlV1XP3ACLcB/s1600/DI%2B13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZntiTM6Sx8/V0sFLck1uTI/AAAAAAAAARc/mge6TIL0nN4omqZ96pzutlo6CZlV1XP3ACLcB/s200/DI%2B13.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We left our mark for sure!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d1-LoZNeraE/V0sFOaHNCVI/AAAAAAAAARk/VxyHzKtc6joT7F7RCLRpvxrkLzzrf3RBwCLcB/s1600/di%2B17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d1-LoZNeraE/V0sFOaHNCVI/AAAAAAAAARk/VxyHzKtc6joT7F7RCLRpvxrkLzzrf3RBwCLcB/s200/di%2B17.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Stars At Night Are Big and Bright!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-68309556833124491712016-03-02T18:36:00.001-08:002016-03-02T18:36:30.234-08:00Shadow a Student Challenge!!<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-42pIdTCtErc/Vteg5QZReMI/AAAAAAAAAOs/-LQ7P-6j07g/s1600/nhs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-42pIdTCtErc/Vteg5QZReMI/AAAAAAAAAOs/-LQ7P-6j07g/s320/nhs.jpg" width="320" /></a>Since I graduated from Lewis-Palmer High School, Monument,
CO in 1989, my visits to high school have tended to be limited to brief
classroom visits, an occasional walk through the halls, or an athletic or fine
art event. I remember really liking high
school…especially the social part. I
don’t really remember too much about most of my classes but I remember my
friends and many of my teachers. Today I
decided to take the “Shadow a Student” challenge and spent the day attending
classes at Northwest High School in my District. I can tell you I learned a lot
and walk away with more questions than answers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9SM7Bfu1Nf0/Vteg3AXBceI/AAAAAAAAAOg/2IzQCoZ566w/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9SM7Bfu1Nf0/Vteg3AXBceI/AAAAAAAAAOg/2IzQCoZ566w/s200/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Meeting"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had asked Principal Jason Childress to find me a student
and he paired me with Josh. Josh is a
sophomore football player and within the first few minutes, I knew I would like
him. Everybody likes “Big Josh”. He was a great tour guide today and didn’t
seem to mind too much having me tag along with him all day. I will keep some of our conversations
private, but I do believe he gave me an honest and authentic look into the life
of one of our student athletes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bMZeFXoTqGA/Vteg3CAalcI/AAAAAAAAAOc/3VJyaSAT0Eg/s1600/IMG_3254%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bMZeFXoTqGA/Vteg3CAalcI/AAAAAAAAAOc/3VJyaSAT0Eg/s200/IMG_3254%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously??</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our day started with 1<sup>st</sup> period athletics. We dressed out and offseason football
workouts and I was amazed with how organized and efficient the workouts and
drills were. There was very little “direct”
teach, but the coaches encouraged and motivated the team as the students worked
with each other through drills they had obviously practiced before. Josh was one of the vocal leaders and even
tried to get me on the bench press. I
resisted, but did participate in some of the workout. Best of all, I got a NHS football t-shirt to
wear the rest of the day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tbp9KEK-FYM/Vteg6E6mA4I/AAAAAAAAAO0/SDQlr6OFZwU/s1600/push%2Bup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tbp9KEK-FYM/Vteg6E6mA4I/AAAAAAAAAO0/SDQlr6OFZwU/s200/push%2Bup.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="182" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tapping Out!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The juniors were taking the SAT test today and many of the
teachers were being used to help with coverage.
Because Josh took Spanish I is an 8<sup>th</sup> grader, he is already
in Spanish 3 (typically a junior level course) his teacher was helping with the
SAT. Therefore our 2<sup>nd</sup> period
was more of a study hall. I was a little
relieved I didn’t have to practice my Spanish, plus it gave me a chance to talk
to Josh about his typical day. He shared
that after school he will workout (again) and generally doesn’t get home until
about 6:30-7:00 on most days. He also has a part-time landscaping job, likes
old cars, and does a little homework. I
must admit we discussed making a Sonic run during second period, but thought
better of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sjW1qkxqorI/Vteg4B-OuGI/AAAAAAAAAOk/Id4Sny5Nk_0/s1600/ela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sjW1qkxqorI/Vteg4B-OuGI/AAAAAAAAAOk/Id4Sny5Nk_0/s200/ela.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">World Geography</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Third period found us in World Geography. Students grappled with the work of Ghandi and
what social injustices are still present today.
The variety of thought in the room was substantial. Because of the room
arrangement, I didn’t get to sit by my new friend Josh. The group I was with struggled a bit making
connections, but we worked through it.
It was also an Advisory period day so we stayed in 3<sup>rd</sup> period
a little longer and had a lesson on cyber safety and got to watch announcements
created by the AMAT academy. It was all
very good information and seems like a great way to get the message to all the
student.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back when I was in high school, my favorite period of the
day was lunch! We use to drive to Dairy
Queen or one of the other fast food restaurants and hope we go back to school
in time. Nowadays, the students don’t
get to leave, but the food court in the cafeteria rivals any medium sized mall.
Josh and I had Pizza Hut and nachos. The
students were able to socialize and I even asked Josh if there were teachers on
duty because it just seemed like everything was running smoothly on its
own. We sat at a table by ourselves as I
tried to convince Josh that Texas Tech would be a great place to aspire to play
football. He was polite, but I could
tell he has his sights set on Oklahoma State.
He mentioned that he needed to focus more in the classroom so that his
grades are not an issue, but I was so impressed with his focus and his
perspective of his future. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g0vjnanY7eU/Vteg2yiqZBI/AAAAAAAAAOY/HJUWAEeKCg8/s1600/collaboration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g0vjnanY7eU/Vteg2yiqZBI/AAAAAAAAAOY/HJUWAEeKCg8/s200/collaboration.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">English II</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the afternoon, the academics got a lot tougher. We went from English II, to Chemistry, and
then Geometry. One thing I recognized in
all the classes is that you better keep up.
They move fast and expect students to have their work and be ready to
go. There was support, both in class,
and with tutorials but I sure wouldn’t call it hand holding. In English we practice some revising and
editing which I could do fairly well despite my tendency to misspell words and
generally butcher many grammatical rules.
Chemistry might as well have been a forgien language. I vaguely remembered some of the concepts
from high school, but I was basically lost.
Josh left with homework…I was just glad I didn’t have to turn my work in
tomorrow. The Geometry class was a
review for a test tomorrow. The students
all seem to grasp the concepts and were ready to go. As the teacher reviewed
with the student, I heard what was my favorite quote of the day, “This class is
designed for YOUR success, not mine.” He was trying to have the students reflect
on what they needed help with and address their needs. We ended our day in Josh’s Principles of
Agriculture class. I was disappointed
when we went to a classroom instead of a barn, but I did learn a lot of
vocabulary around dairy science that I did not know. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n7ZCSQIRr4M/Vteg4ZRvKAI/AAAAAAAAAOo/e7wVBPn_8l4/s1600/end%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n7ZCSQIRr4M/Vteg4ZRvKAI/AAAAAAAAAOo/e7wVBPn_8l4/s200/end%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bday.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">End of the Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After that, my day was over, but not for Josh. He headed back to athletics for after school
workouts. Based on what I saw in
Chemistry, he will get home tonight sometime around 7:00 and have an hour or so
of homework before returning for football practice tomorrow morning to do it
all over again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So what did I learn today? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I learned that high school hasn’t gotten any
easier in the last 25 years. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I learned that teachers and students work very
hard (actually, I knew that, but I saw it in action).I learned that classes and
lunch are quieter than they use to be…a lot of kids on phones and with
headphones. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I learned that almost all of the students are
very agreeable and follow the rules.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I saw very few “excited” about what they were
learning and that most adults (including myself) sound foolish when we attempt
to determine what is relevant for all students. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->The “average” high school student is a myth. There is no such thing…they are all unique.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Someone asked me as I left if it was worth it. Absolutely.
It was the best day I have spent at work in a long, long time and
probably the best professional development I could have experienced. Students
will help us transform our schools if we let them. We just need to look and listen!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A special thank you to Josh, Principal Jason Childress, and
the entire Northwest High School staff for letting me invade your space
today. It was a pleasure!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">#shadowastudent</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">@NHSTexans</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5A_UBzmZVSA/Vteg5ckaUoI/AAAAAAAAAOw/UgSNRu2Ak_4/s1600/poe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5A_UBzmZVSA/Vteg5ckaUoI/AAAAAAAAAOw/UgSNRu2Ak_4/s400/poe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<o:p></o:p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-7461953300419142402016-01-31T17:26:00.002-08:002016-01-31T17:26:54.560-08:00Don't let your leadership cause a Head-On collision!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Every September in Sweden, the citizens remember
H-Day, probably some more fondly than others.
<span style="background: white; color: #252525;">"</span><b style="font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><i style="font-stretch: inherit;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Högertrafikomläggningen</span></i></b>" ("The right-hand traffic
diversion") was the day in 1967 in which Sweden switched from driving on
the left-side of the road to the right side. While it may seem a bit comical
now, it was serious business at the time, if you stop and reflect on the amount
of planning that would go into such a switch, it is easy to question why even
bother. The background of the decision
included over 40 years of debate in the country and once the decision was made
by the government in 1963, it took four years of planning despite an overwhelming
opposition from the public. In fact,
over 80% of the Swedish population opposed the switch but the leaders pressed
on. Why? To begin with, most of Europe drove on the right side, including
Norway and Finland (Sweden’s immediate neighbors) and more and more vehicles
were being made to drive on the right side of the road. Also, numerous studies had sited safety
concerns for left-sided driving. There
were many more head-on collisions in Sweden per capita that other countries.
And so the leaders pressed on despite opposition they believed they were making
a change that would ultimately be good for the country. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How does this compare
to our leadership in education? What
sacred cows do we hold on to because it is the way we have always done it? Do
we resist change because it might be an inconvenience and does not seem worth
the effort? In Sweden, they basically
shut down the roads for a day, had lights, traffic signs and paint ready to go
for an immediate switch. They even
bought over 8,000 buses with doors on the correct side nationwide to accommodate
the change. They spent several years training drivers and preparing them for
the change so that when it happened, it was actually one of the safest Mondays
on record in terms of accidents. People were focused on their driving, had been
prepared, and implemented the plan almost flawlessly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What if Sweden had
never had an “H-Day”? Maybe
nothing. Maybe everything would have
gone on just as it was and people would have been content. However, maybe
things are safer now….maybe driving between countries is easier and more
likely. My point in telling the story is
not about the driving. It is more about
the vision, the planning, and the courage it took to make such a switch. One that literally effected everyone in the
country. It took communication, courage,
money, and time. A lesson we would all
be well served to remember when we are leading/seeking change in our schools
and our system. Not everyone is going to
like it, but if we have a good reason, stick to the plan, and communicate/prepare
everyone well, the change is much more likely to be successful and not a
head-on collision.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-51236501693967249632016-01-01T10:23:00.002-08:002016-01-01T10:23:32.251-08:00Make 2016 About "Goal Accomplishment"<div class="MsoNormal">
The turning of the calendar to a new year always brings a
renewed interest in self-improvement. It
may be to eat healthy, exercise, learn something new, be a better person, or
just finish a book, but many people set goals and/or resolutions every
January. The vast majority of them will
never keep them. It happens every
year. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you are reading this, more than likely you work in
education and January is the perfect time for goal setting and mid-year
adjustments. I thought I had a unique
idea about some ways to start the new year, but it turns out my Twitter and
Facebook feeds are both full of people sharing ideas about education
resolutions…most far better than mine, but I decided to press on nonetheless. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just like the age-old exercise resolutions, well intended
aspirations often don’t last long. Here are three activities that have I have
found greatly increase the likelihood of “goal accomplishment”:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Write
them down:</span></b> Sounds simple enough, but
many people will tell you the exercise of writing down a stated goal leads to
the likelihood it will be accomplished.
Why? Who knows? My guess is that
the very elementary task of taking the time to put enough thought into it to
put them in writing give you that extra little bit of commitment. It is sort of like a “To-Do” list, but if you
subscribe to a growth mindset, it is more than a compliance to-do list, it
becomes something to strive for that makes you and your students better.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>
</b></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Celebrate Small Wins:</b></span> As the old saying goes,
how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
Long term goals are great (and necessary to accomplish a vision), but
small wins can serve as both a formative check point and as positive
motivation. By the end of the month, you should know if you are making progress
towards your goal. If your goal is to lose 10 lbs. it is easy to jump on a
scale and determine if you have accomplished your goal or how much you still
have to go, but if you are working on a specific skill or teaching strategy it
may be more difficult to assess how you are doing. Take time to know if you are improving….either
with student results or your own practices.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>
</b></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Have a clear success criteria: </b></span> One of the biggest reasons goals are not
accomplished it because we fail to articulate clearly what we are trying to
accomplish, how we are going to do it, and how we will know we have
accomplished it. Often we have goals like “I’m going to get better at giving
feedback.” What does that even mean? The
frequency? The quality? And isn’t the purpose of giving feedback so that
students will improve? If so, might that
truly be the success criteria for effective feedback. There are countless other examples of broadly
based, well-intended goals without a clear cycle of assessing for success.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of my favorite TED talks of all time is a simple,
lighthearted look at 30-Day Challenges by Matt Cutts. He touches on many of the principles above,
but does so with a common sense approach to goal accomplishment. Here is the link:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p><a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/matt_cutts_try_something_new_for_30_days?language=en"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Try Something New for 30 Days</b></span></a></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whatever you are trying to improve in 2016, I wish you the
best of luck….I hope you know by the end of January if you are making progress.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-6041555013983475202015-11-15T17:05:00.003-08:002015-11-15T17:05:58.482-08:00How do you bake a cake?<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KWTA_yhS05E/VkkrOWm_7yI/AAAAAAAAAM4/As6nxDPQ2Bo/s1600/baking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KWTA_yhS05E/VkkrOWm_7yI/AAAAAAAAAM4/As6nxDPQ2Bo/s320/baking.jpg" width="320" /></a>Recently, I was chatting with someone I consider a true
expert in our field. We were talking
about what seems to be missing in today’s classrooms. Don’t get me wrong, it was not a cri<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
tical
conversation about today’s classrooms.
In fact, it was an acknowledgement that teaching today is harder than it
has ever been….students are more diverse, parents more difficult, the content
has increased as have the expectations.
Another variable that has greatly increased for teacher is the access
and availability of resources. There are so many “researched based” ideas out
there that a quick search of the internet or even the classroom bookshelf gives
a teacher an abundance of great lesson ideas or quick fix strategies. Here is where my wise friend struck me with
an interesting observation. She asked
how many teachers know how to cook from scratch? And how many bake cakes from a
box?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The premise was simple.
I have had some excellent cakes made from a box (even made a few
myself). I dump the contents in, add an
egg or two, a little milk and PRESTO! I
have a cake….actually, I have a pretty good cake. One that I would even serve guests and be
proud. The problem is, I have no idea
how to bake nor the first thing about what goes into making a homemade
cake. There is also no way I could teach
someone else how to bake because I don’t understand the process, I just follow
the recipe. When an expert baker begins
a cake, they know what ingredients to add, they put a little extra here and a
little less there based on personal taste.
Because of their experience and their knowledge, they know how to make
the cake a little lighter or sweeter or whatever they want. They are designing it as they go and if you
stopped them to ask, they could explain the why behind each ingredient and the
order in which they should be added. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Teaching is no difference.
The true experts (the bakers) can design a perfect lesson because they
understand the content and their students (what flavors do they like?). They know what order to present the
information. They know when to add something extra and when to leave out
something out that is not needed. They
know what is important. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Htdvspbh4g4/VkkrT8a34jI/AAAAAAAAANA/AwLcUiUymgQ/s1600/cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Htdvspbh4g4/VkkrT8a34jI/AAAAAAAAANA/AwLcUiUymgQ/s320/cooking.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Box cakes lessons and resources are very necessary and can
be very good. They help us be more efficient
and feed our students. In a day and age
when everything is so busy, it is important to have tools that save us time and
energy. It is equally important to have
someone that knows the ingredients (the process) and can make adjustments as
needed. We need teachers that are bakers!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-20916940533900312852015-08-30T18:43:00.001-07:002015-08-30T18:53:51.108-07:00Do you have any Sleepers in your classroom?<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #990000;">"To raise achievement, schools may need to work as hard on the social-emotional aspect of learning as they do on the academic aspect." -Deborah D. Brennan</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></div>
After only the first week of school, chances are most
teachers are already getting a feel for their students. In any given class, there are teacher
pleasers, those that test our patience, probably some students that know the
material you are presenting already, and some that may never truly understand
it. The challenge of teaching a room
full of students with different interests, backgrounds, and motivations is part
of what make teaching one of the most difficult professions in the world.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The start of the school year is also when educators
everywhere annually proclaim their job is about “building relationships”. It is true!
A teacher that doesn’t love students and do what they can to get to know
them is in the business for the wrong reasons.
However, getting to know them isn’t enough. From a teaching standpoint, the whole purpose
of building relationships is so that we can figure out what makes a kid “tick”. How can we teach them better? How might we design our classrooms and our
lessons to make them more engaging and fulfilling for our students? Building a relationship with a student should
be the very first formative assessment of the year. The question remains, just like with any
other formative assessment, what will you do with the information about the
student once you have it? With so many
kids and so many styles, it is difficult to know them all. It takes time, experience, and
expertise. It also takes a teacher that
is willing to change the way they do things when needed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Michael Wesch, a professor at Kansas State University,
created a great video about a student he referred to as <span style="color: red;"><b>“The Sleeper”</b></span>. This student made him question the way he
taught his class, and it also taught him a lesson in building relationships
with student. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Watch and see….the student didn’t change until the teacher’s
classroom changed! Nobody said teaching would be easy….but it is worth it! Get to know your kids and then use it to make
their learning experience dynamic!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-45524764989636473812015-07-24T19:36:00.001-07:002015-07-24T19:36:26.024-07:00Chapter 6- Coach’s Guide to Facilitation Protocols and Activities<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6LAdthK1RLY/VYDlOb5bfUI/AAAAAAAAAKk/5i3xJ-G22bI/s1600/PLC%2Bbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6LAdthK1RLY/VYDlOb5bfUI/AAAAAAAAAKk/5i3xJ-G22bI/s200/PLC%2Bbook.jpg" width="133" /></a>As we near the end of the book (and unfortunately summer),
we come to an often overlooked or at least underestimated part of the PLC
process….training and supporting the leader of the team. Most PLCs are led by a grade level
chairperson or a content department chair.
Generally these people have earned such a title because they are great
teachers and probably have also shown the ability to lead around the
campus. However, leading a PLC can be a
challenging process for anyone and some of the protocols and activities
outlined in Chapter 6 can go a long way in helping a PLC leader prepare. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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While I will not go through the specific activities outlined
in this chapter (you can read them yourself), I can’t emphasis enough how
important it is for the leaders of the building to set the tone for
professional learning on the campus. The
question Venables’ poses on pg. 111 is highly valuable and should be asked over
and over again: <b><i><span style="color: #c00000;">Why does
this activity have to do with being part of an authentic PLC?</span></i></b>
While this question is used as part of the Traffic Jam protocol, it should be
used as the basis for any agenda for a PLC.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another important component in successful PLC’s is setting
up the expectations. In Chapter 2 we
discussed norms and the need to take the time to discuss and create them as a
team. In our own curriculum with students, it has become common place to take
time within the “First 30 Days” to set up rituals and routines in the classroom
with our students. We emphasize building
relationships between students and teachers and we should do the same with our
PLCs. The first few weeks can and be
used to understand the purpose of the meetings, agree upon agendas,
expectations, and even practice some of the proposed protocols or
activities. While we may think we don’t
have time to “set up” our PLCs, I would argue that we don’t have time not
to. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Although the entire PLC is responsible for student learning
and the overall culture of the PLC, everyone will look to the leader to set the
tone. When PLC leaders ask difficult questions that challenge the status quo,
they are pushing the entire team to get better.
By using protocols, it can help everyone involved, especially the
leader, to become more comfortable challenging each other and improving over
time. Richard Elmore, co-author of Instructional
Rounds, shared that <span style="color: #c00000;">“<b>Schools that show the greatest improvement, generally do so under their
own devices”</b></span>. This takes
leadership from teachers, innovation, and a willingness to challenge each
other. When your PLC has acquired these
characteristics on a consistent basis, you will have arrived as an <b><span style="color: #c00000;">“Authentic PLC”.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #c00000;">Reflective Questions:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->What has our campus done for PLC leaders to
prepare them to move their team’s work forward?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->What protocol in the chapter, or elsewhere, are
you looking forward to using in your PLC this year?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-36876953009419046162015-07-16T14:43:00.003-07:002015-07-16T14:43:59.099-07:00Chapter 5: Reviewing and Responding to Data<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6LAdthK1RLY/VYDlOb5bfUI/AAAAAAAAAKk/5i3xJ-G22bI/s1600/PLC%2Bbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6LAdthK1RLY/VYDlOb5bfUI/AAAAAAAAAKk/5i3xJ-G22bI/s200/PLC%2Bbook.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #980000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.2; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">“In God We Trust, All Others Bring Data”</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Throughout the summer, as we have read Venables’s book, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>The Practice of Authentic PLC’s</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a constant has been the reminder of the three purposes of a Professional Learning Community. Very simply, PLCs should do the following: Look at student and teacher work; design quality common formative assessments, and review/respond to data. This week’s chapter discusses the last of the three and perhaps the one that is the most misused. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are so many versions, variables and ways of looking at data, that one of the biggest challenges individual educators, much less PLC’s, have is to determine what data to use and how to use it. On page 92, Venables uses a quote from James Popham’s book, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Transformative Assessment</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to sum up the use of data about as well as it can be. “Formative assessment is a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #c00000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">planned process</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #c00000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in which teachers or students use assessment-based evidence to adjust what they’re currently doing.” Looking at data in a PLC must be a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #c00000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">planned process </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(intentional). What common assignment are we going to look at? Why did we pick this particular assignment (high leverage? Readiness standard?) And what is the learning criteria/standard we expect of the students? If the PLC answers these types of questions in their PLC (see chapter 4), the type of data they collect will be much more valuable and therefore can be used to guide learning in the immediate future. If, on the other hand, they bring in random pieces of student work that are not designed around the most important learning standards, is the data (or time used doing it) worth using to assess how a group of students are progressing? Part of this process may be the need within our PLC to develop common “Assessment Literacy”. Does everyone in the group know the purpose of the assessment, what they are looking for, and how it is aligned to larger learning standards? If they do not, it can cause misalignment, inaccurate data, or both.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Besides the planning process of looking at data, the value in collecting data only comes from using it correctly. In NISD, our grading policy categorizes assignments/assessments into two categories: Formative and Summative. The concept seems sound, formative grades are used to help monitor and prepare students for the larger summative assessments that culminate a unit of study. However, the reality is that the differentiation between formative and summative has more to do with how the student and teacher use the information than what goes in the gradebook. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When your PLC looks at data, they should be very intentional about what data they want to look at to assess their own progress as well as individual students. You should also confront the brutal facts about what pieces of data truly effect your teaching and learning. The chart below has been modified from the one on pg. 95 to fit the NISD terms for assessments. It is an excellent visual to show the types of assessments that can, and should be, the most impactful on instruction. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KhO1awg3grs/VOuPkCE_G-I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/TlXF2WdYOrI/s1600/data%2Bpyramid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KhO1awg3grs/VOuPkCE_G-I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/TlXF2WdYOrI/s320/data%2Bpyramid.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is my hope that our PLCs during this coming school year can be </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #c00000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">curious</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> learners when it comes to looking at student data. No matter if the initial results are good or bad, if we take an “inquiry” approach to looking at data and take out the personal side of it, we are better able to find the trends and answers we are seeking. And, if we can connect all three “purposes” of a PLC together we can do the following outlined on page 103:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #85200c; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.2; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #85200c; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.2; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Connecting Learning Gaps to Instructional Gaps</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 45pt; margin-right: 90pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #980000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“All too often, teachers use data to discover where their students are weak or to indentify skills and concepts their students have not mastered, and then they stop there. In these instances, teachers are seeing only half of the issue. Unless and until teachers link these student weaknesses to teacher practice, that is, to instructional weaknesses, they cannot move forward in fixing the problem.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This short video from the Data Wise project at Harvard University does a great job of outlining the purpose of data to instruction and the effect of intentionally collaborating on data in a PLC.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harvard University: ACE Habits of Mind (Action, Collaboration, Evidence)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.6666666666667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=datawise&pageid=icb.page582597" style="text-decoration: none;">http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=datawise&pageid=icb.page582597</a></span></div>
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Reflective Questions:</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">What evidence do you collect (more data) that shows a response to data improves student achievement? How do you know?</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 19.2000007629395px;">What is the hardest part of looking at data with a PLC?</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-1544697188207396842015-07-10T06:35:00.003-07:002015-07-10T06:35:45.501-07:00Chapter 4- Designing Quality Common Formative Assessments"<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>"Great team members hold each other accountable to the high standards and excellence their culture expects and demands." </b></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>-Jon Gordon</b></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wv9oY9VZb5c/VOuNkY1wteI/AAAAAAAAAJo/x4A0mVYYr_o/s1600/authentic%2Bplcs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wv9oY9VZb5c/VOuNkY1wteI/AAAAAAAAAJo/x4A0mVYYr_o/s200/authentic%2Bplcs.jpg" width="133" /></a>Of all the things that make teaching both challenging and
worthwhile, assessing students learning may be the most difficult. The responsibility of monitoring student
progress is far from an exact science, but it can be made easier through
collaboration and calibration with other educators. <b><span style="color: #c00000;">One of the main areas of focus for our PLCs should be
designing quality common formative assessments.</span></b><span style="color: #c00000;"> </span>It sounds
simple enough, but as Venables points out, creating quality formative assessments
are not easy. This is why is it so
important that teachers work together to determine what they want students to
know and how they will assess if they do.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, we must remember be clear about the difference
between formative and summative assessment. In NISD, we have a collection of
Curriculum Based Assessments (CBAs) that are summative in nature. They are
given after a unit of learning and generally speaking should give us
information about which students did or did not learn the key points within the
curriculum. STAAR tests, EOCs, AP exams,
should all be considered forms of summative assessment as well. They come near the end of the year and are “suppose”
to inform us about what students have learned, but they do very little to guide
instruction or help students improve. To
truly know how students are progressing, teachers must use various forms of
formative assessment (daily, weekly, etc.) to frequently monitor how and what
students are learning so they can tailor their instruction to meet both class
and individual needs. Great teachers do
this either through experience or second nature, but the power of sharing
connected knowledge is developing these types of assessments through
collaboration in PLCs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uqwnkgcO7SI/U8chaoNdFQI/AAAAAAAAAFE/LRz_QjADBPw/s1600/learning%2Btargets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uqwnkgcO7SI/U8chaoNdFQI/AAAAAAAAAFE/LRz_QjADBPw/s200/learning%2Btargets.jpg" width="155" /></a>In Chapter 4, Venables spends a lot of time addressing the
sometimes negative perception of “teaching to the test”. As he mentions, and I agree, if it is a well-constructed
assessment, there should be no problem with teachers instructing to the level
of the test. However, if the assessment
or task a student is to be given is at a low-level, it is likely the instruction
will match that as well. This is why it
is essential that teachers work together to create the best formative
assessments possible which also allows for consistency and calibration within
the school. The word <b><span style="color: #c00000;">“common”</span></b><span style="color: #c00000;"> </span>should not be underestimated. Several campuses use protocols or systems such as "State of the Class" each week that is based on a common assignment. Activities such as this allow for identification of needs, both for the whole class and individuals. If teachers work together to determine the
learning target for the lesson and unpack the standard to decide the level of
rigor in which that standard will be assessed then the instruction is much more
likely to be on point. It also gives
valuable information when using the protocols to assess student work (chapter
3) and student/class data (chapter 5). Pages
64-66 in the book do a great job of explaining some ways in which PLCs can
begin to identify standards to assess.
Another excellent resource for this work is <b><i><span style="color: #c00000;">Learning
Targets</span></i></b>, because it forces teachers to determine what and how a
student will meet the learning criteria.
There are numerous protocols and ways to break down standards, the key
is to use the PLC to work together so that all members have the same
understanding before beginning instruction.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Hs0H6HXDWw/VZ_HdNn2s3I/AAAAAAAAALg/dZLWzmx88Ik/s1600/PLC%2Bbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Hs0H6HXDWw/VZ_HdNn2s3I/AAAAAAAAALg/dZLWzmx88Ik/s320/PLC%2Bbook.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you are looking for some great PLC resources, I suggest these books. All have protocols and ideas to help jumpstart even the most experiences of PLC groups!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MMQaUUK258E/VZ_IpioFjWI/AAAAAAAAALo/LBgd6MunkHQ/s1600/standards%2Bbased%2Bassessments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MMQaUUK258E/VZ_IpioFjWI/AAAAAAAAALo/LBgd6MunkHQ/s200/standards%2Bbased%2Bassessments.jpg" width="200" /></a>Have your students ever done really well on all the
formatives leading up to a summative and then “bombed” the test? The most common reason for that is
misalignment between the two. In an era
in which we are trying desperately to have kids “think” and the assessments to
be more “authentic” it is imperative that what they experience daily is
rigorous and standards-based. Pages
67-71 do an excellent job of explaining the rationale for standards-based
formative assessment, including a chart on page 71 highlighting some of the
differences. However, to produce the most authentic forms of
assessment (and also the most time consuming), Venables offers a section of “Alternative
forms of Common Assessment” starting on page 72 that should prove both
challenging and essential in an NISD classroom.
PLCs should be discussing ways students show their learning beyond
multiple choice tests, but in doing so, they must keep several key components
in mind:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #c00000;">Alternative forms of assessment should be rigorous and
content-rich<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #c00000;">Alternative forms of assessment should align to the ELO’s
(not merely assess other related skills and concepts).<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #c00000;">Alternative forms of assessments should be evaluated with
a standards-based rubric. Pg. 72<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the purposes of this blog and space, there are too many
implications to the statements above, but I hope that all the readers will take
time to reflect on the types of projects and rubrics in use by their PLCs or in
their own classrooms. The author points
out several common misconceptions in their design that often lead to
misalignment or improper assessment of learning (read: the project becomes a
waste of time). The essential question
to keep in mind<b><i><span style="color: #c00000;">:
Where in what the student did is there evidence of learning?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally, there are two other areas addressed by Venables in
Chapter 4. Grading and
Intervention. While grading is a
necessary component to our daily jobs, they key takeaway for me is the need for
calibration among the PLC members. We
must design quality formatives and then we must grade them consistently in
order to make the valid and informative.
The intervention component of common formative assessments is the
lifeblood of why we would do formatives at all. If we do not do anything to
inform our instruction or assist students in need, the purpose of the formative
is lost. We will explore this subject in
greater detail next week as we look at how data can be used in a PLC.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Reflective questions:</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>- How does your PLC respond to "teaching to the test" comments?</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>-How often do my students experience a common formative assessment created by my PLC? And what do we do to ensure it is a high-quality assessment?</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>- What are the pros and cons of using alternative formative assessments on a regular basis?</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-9345498605739038682015-07-02T13:00:00.004-07:002015-07-02T13:00:58.503-07:00Chapter 3- Looking at Student and Teacher Work<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wv9oY9VZb5c/VOuNkY1wteI/AAAAAAAAAJo/x4A0mVYYr_o/s1600/authentic%2Bplcs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wv9oY9VZb5c/VOuNkY1wteI/AAAAAAAAAJo/x4A0mVYYr_o/s200/authentic%2Bplcs.jpg" width="133" /></a>If you want to assess how effective your PLC’s have become,
one of the most valuable places to start is the level of student work and how
it has improved over time. This is one
of the most used activities in a PLC, but often used inefficiently in terms of
formatively assessing practice and making improvements. The reasons it can be ineffective are simple
and two major factors contribute greatly to it.
The first is competence and the second is trust. Our author, Daniel Venables, discusses
building trust through norms and protocols in Chapter 2, but extends the
discussion through several examples of protocols that could be used to look at
student/teacher work during a PLC. On
page 46, the author mentions feedback as <b><i><span style="color: #c00000;">“the lifeblood
on nearly every aspect of PLC work, most notably, the lifeblood of looking at
student and teacher work.”</span></i></b><span style="color: #c00000;"> </span>However, the word of caution remains that
the quality of the feedback is dependent on the willingness of the groups to
give and receive honest feedback regarding the quality of the work. At the very bottom of pg. 46, Venables offers
reasoning for why teachers do not give critical feedback and quite frankly, it
stings a little bit. It is because the
often not thinking deeply enough about the work and going through a series of
compliance steps to satisfy administrative requirements and they are not truly
invested in the process. If that is the
case we have not done a sufficient enough job of establishing a learning culture
in the PLC. The protocols will help,
but teachers must have the trust and the willingness to make them thrive. The second reason, competence, is not
specifically addressed by the author in Chapter 3, but one that must be
addressed to reach the end goal of increased teacher and student
performance. If the participants,
especially the facilitator, of the PLC are not competent in their knowledge of
both curriculum and instruction, the protocols and the activities become a
well-intended activity without the desired results. While it is true that the PLC in itself is
embedded professional learning, when examining both teacher and student work
there must be a standard of excellence in which the group is striving. If that is not the case, it makes it
difficult for the critical feedback to occur. One of the first things a
facilitator of a PLC must assess, are the individuals in the group “willing and
able”, “willing but unable”, or in the worse-case scenario “able, but
unwilling.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Besides the protocols for looking at student work, Chapter 3
also offers several examples of looking at <b><i><span style="color: #c00000;">“teacher work”.</span></i></b><span style="color: #c00000;"> </span>Figure
3:10 on pg. 58 is a great list of the various forms of teacher work that can be
completed during a PLC. While it is
hopeful that many of the activities listed would not be done in isolation, but
rather as a group, the protocols listed in the book do call for some
individual presentations and accountability.
Too often we sit and plan lessons,
assessments, rubrics, etc. together but never take the time to put them through
any sort of “quality control” check to make sure they are meeting the
objectives we want them to. In our
District, we have used some protocols such as “pre-lesson shares” or the “Targeted
Planning Process”, however it those are “events” rather than embedded as part
of the culture or don’t have the trust and feedback noted above, they will not
push the limits of new learning and progress.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The final piece on teacher learning that Venables discusses
in Chapter 3 is <b><i><span style="color: #c00000;">Peer Observation</span></i></b>. Perhaps nothing has the potential to be more
beneficial to teachers than feedback on the implementation of their planning
than respected peers observing them teach and offering honest feedback. There are so many models of this, including
the use of video, that are popular right now, that it is hard to imagine a
teacher in NISD that hasn’t participated in peer observation in some form or
fashion. Let’s take two of the more
established protocols, Instructional Rounds and Focused Walkthroughs. Both of these provide time for structured
observation however they come with very different purposes. Instructional Rounds are less about individual
teachers and more about determining trends of instruction around the
campus. Our focused-walks have several
specific protocols that determine the type of feedback the individual teacher
is to be given. Both of these protocols
can be very helpful, IF: They are used on a regular basis and not every once in
a while, and IF all the participants understand the purpose and are willing to
give critical feedback. Again, the
challenge lies in the instructional culture of building. Other effective examples of peer observation
are when the receiving teacher identifies and asks for observers to look for specific
areas in which they hope to improve or focus.
This allows the teacher to “own” the learning and can be more beneficial
to individual growth. The worse thing we
can do has have teachers “go watch” a great teacher and expect results! They most observe with a purpose.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chapter 3 is full of ideas (some old and some new) of ways
to improve our PLC culture and the craft of improvement. However, never is the skill of the
facilitator nor the trust of the PLC put more to the challenge then when
looking at student and teacher work.
Remember the lessons from the first two chapters…it won’t happen
overnight and it won’t happen without intentional planning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></i></b><!--[endif]--><b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Picture the PLC in
which you spend the most time, are the participants both “willing and able” to
do the work necessary? If the answer is
no to either “willing” or “able”, what steps will be necessary to build
capacity for the team?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></i></b><!--[endif]--><b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When you “plan” as a
team in your PLC, could you or would you
use a protocol that allows for some sort of “quality control” before the lesson
is ever presented to students? <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></i></b><!--[endif]--><b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When participating in “peer
observation” what protocols do you feel are most beneficial and why?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-49958771630907902932015-06-25T06:07:00.001-07:002015-06-25T06:07:17.590-07:00Chapter 2- What to do First: Building a Foundation for Collaboration<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Your team doesn’t care
if you are a superstar. They care if you
are a super teammate.” – Jon Gordon<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6LAdthK1RLY/VYDlOb5bfUI/AAAAAAAAAKk/5i3xJ-G22bI/s1600/PLC%2Bbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6LAdthK1RLY/VYDlOb5bfUI/AAAAAAAAAKk/5i3xJ-G22bI/s200/PLC%2Bbook.jpg" width="133" /></a>One of the biggest mistakes leaders make, no matter the
profession, it not investing the time it takes up front to build a great
team. The military has “basic training”
and most sports team participate in pre-season rituals, each of which is
designed to bring teammates together and force the group to work together. As a result, there are countless stories and
examples from these groups in which individuals put their own needs behind what
is good for the group and as a result, their feats far outweigh what may have
been achieved otherwise. Unfortunately,
the reality is, many organizations do not follow this example. They collect the most talented people they
can find, and then expect them to be able to work together and collaborate. It
doesn’t always work out that way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are built on the
concept that all members are active participants willing to speak up and share
their talents, but as Daniel Venables shares in Chapter 2 without intentional
planning on the part of the leaders on the campus, PLCs focus and effectiveness
can be compromised. Several key points Venables makes early in the chapter are
the way schools establish their teams and their leaders. <b><span style="color: #c00000;">What do the PLCs look like at your school and what are
the expected outcomes?</span></b><span style="color: #c00000;"> </span>Most secondary PLCs are
compartmentalized by subject area which make sense because they are writing
common assessments and looking at data, but if schools value the “whole child”
and also “cross curricular” discussions Venables encourages intentional time
with subject-diverse PLCs whose <b>primary
focus is looking at student work.</b>
Teachers can learn a lot from reviewing the types of assignments other
subject areas are giving as well as the way students respond. So is there a need for both? How often? At the elementary level, most teachers teach
more than one subject and PLCs are often by grade level with some vertical
discussion by subject. It would be
interesting to hear from teachers which type they find more beneficial to
improving their craft.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was also impressed with the way Venables addressed the
elephant in the room that is our “elective” or “specials” teachers. These teachers are some of the most important
in the building. They know students from
a perspective that often gets overlooked and can add valuable insight into
campus PLCs if they are intentionally used in this way. I encourage all the readers (especially those
charged with setting up the PLCs on a campus) to review pgs 20-21 for examples
about how “related arts” teachers might be used in PLCs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next section in Chapter 2 discussed the importance of
selecting the right leader/facilitator for the PLC and also the importance of
training them. This is imperative and
could easily be modeled on a weekly basis.
<b><span style="color: #c00000;">Do
your instructional leader meetings follow a similar agenda to what the grade
level/dept. PLCs are expected to use?</span></b><span style="color: #c00000;"> </span>Remember the objectives Venables set
forth in Chapter 1 for PLCs: <b><i>1. Looking a student and teacher work; 2.
Designing quality common assessments; and 3. Reviewing and responding to data.</i></b> If the leaders of the building do not spend
the majority of their time balanced
between these 3 objectives, how can they expect the rest of the PLCs to do
so? In addition, the constant modeling
will help all the PLC facilitators improve their skills and understand the
expectations.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The author spends a great deal of time to discussing the
importance and process of setting <b><span style="color: #c00000;">NORMS and Team Building</span></b> for your PLC. As he
shares, often times we set norms with good intentions, but do not follow through
or revisit them nearly enough. I believe
sometimes the teams that have been together the longest may be the ones that
need norms the most. The familiarity
allows for complacency if we are not careful.
While Venables shares several examples of activities to bring teams
together, we will offer more examples at our District’s Leadership Academy in
July. A huge takeaway from this section
for me was the intentional design of team building activities. It is not just about “fun”…was there a
purpose or a task the group had to accomplish while “bonding”. Again, getting along and having everyone be
happy is not the same thing as an authentic PLC. It helps, but it doesn’t guarantee the end
goal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the chapter closes, the section on pg. 31 entitled <b><span style="color: #c00000;">“Constructing
Community Knowledge”</span></b><span style="color: #c00000;"> </span>was a
perfect reminder for PLC facilitators (and all of us really). Everyone comes to the table with different
background, talents, and experiences.
The most effective PLCs find ways to bring the best out in everyone. Thus the need for norms, protocols, etc. A skilled facilitators will capitalize on the
talents and wisdom of the group to make everyone more effective. Building common knowledge of the group is
important, but utilizing each member’s strengths is imperative.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #c00000;">Reflective Questions:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #c00000;">What are the many different PLCs on your campus? How were
they organized? Is there a place for
everyone?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #c00000;">What have you done in the past to intentionally set norms
or team building strategies? Did they have a specific purpose and were they
effective?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #c00000;">When you think about the PLC in which you will spend the
most time next year, what are the strengths of each member? What can you do to
find out?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="color: #c00000;">How might some of the ideas in Chapter 2 help your PLC
moving forward?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<b><span style="color: #c00000;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: #c00000;"><b>Leave your comments here or on twitter #impactNISD</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<b><span style="color: #c00000;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><i><b>“If we all simply nod our heads in agreement and never ask
questions or disagree, then we are wasting the wonderful ability to think.” –
Justin Tarte</b></i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-68485541953361392952015-06-16T20:21:00.001-07:002015-06-17T05:37:10.139-07:00Chapter 1: The Business of PLC’s<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6LAdthK1RLY/VYDlOb5bfUI/AAAAAAAAAKg/U5V9mobNNAo/s1600/PLC%2Bbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6LAdthK1RLY/VYDlOb5bfUI/AAAAAAAAAKg/U5V9mobNNAo/s200/PLC%2Bbook.jpg" width="133" /></a><br />
<b><i>"On many teams people are committed to their individual goals but on great teams they're also committed to each other." -Jon Gordon</i></b><br />
<br />
When I started to select a book for our District’s
Leadership Academy this year, it took me quite a while to decide which title
would have the most impact. There are so
many wonderful books on teaching and learning that it wasn’t hard to find
plenty of relevant topics, but I chose <b><i><span style="color: red;">The Practice of
Authentic PLCs</span></i></b><span style="color: red;"> </span>by Daniel Venables
for three very distinct reasons: 1. As we like to say in our District, “we
learn best, with and through others!” 2. Last summer at the Leadership Academy
and throughout the school year, we focused in on John Hattie’s research and the
impact that teachers evaluating each other’s work can have on overall student
learning in a school. 3. Finally, this
Spring, our School Board adopted our “Profile of an NISD Educator”. This document sets forth our not only our
aspirations, but also our expectations for educators in our District. Highlighted in the document is the key word “committed”
but also throughout, it shares words like collaborate and shared
responsibility. These three reasons and
countless others we will find in the book, demand that we all work together in
the process of getting better. It’s the growth
mindset, so let’s get started.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oaFUSeEtmIo/VYDmql0dcII/AAAAAAAAAKs/Yh-PrLmIvhU/s1600/profile%2Bof%2Ban%2Beducator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="488" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oaFUSeEtmIo/VYDmql0dcII/AAAAAAAAAKs/Yh-PrLmIvhU/s640/profile%2Bof%2Ban%2Beducator.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Profile of an NISD Educator - Adopted 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Chapter 1, Venables sets the stage by sharing some of the
research behind PLCs and their purpose.
The definition on page 10 probably states the purpose of our PLC’s as
well as any I have read…. “PLCs exist to improve student learning by making
teachers more effective in the work of teaching.” That is really the bottom line. If your PLC is not making you and your teammate’s
better teachers, then they are a waste of time.
How does that happen? The author suggests
that a narrow focus within a PLC that provides for specific tasks to occur will
be the most effective: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Looking at student
and teacher work; </span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Designing common formative assessments; and </span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="color: red;">Reviewing and
responding to data.</span></b><span style="color: red;"> </span></li>
</ul>
Later this summer, as we continue to
work through the book, we will share different ways to do these things together
in perhaps more effective ways than we have in the past. <o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As you read through Chapter 1 this week, please pay
attention the chart on page 13 and reflect on your own PLCs from this past
school year. My guess is you did many of
the things the book will advocate, but as we stretch our own thinking and
learning, I hope we will all work together to make ourselves a better
Professional Learning Community!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: blue;">Reflective Questions:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: blue;"><b>1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Who is the lead facilitator in your PLC?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: blue;"><b>2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>Where did your PLC spend most of its time?
What items were on the agenda on a regular basis?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: blue;"><b>3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b>What training or understanding does your
team need?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: blue;"><b>4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--></span><b><span style="color: blue;">For the good of the group, please share
some of the most effective activities you do in your PLC’s?</span><o:p></o:p></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: blue;">You can share here or feel free to share at #impactNISD</span></b></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-23173800725129835672015-05-03T18:38:00.003-07:002015-05-03T18:38:55.778-07:00A letter to NISD Teacher...Thanks!!<div class="MsoNormal">
To all NISD teachers,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last Friday night, I had the wonderful privilege of
introducing our newest NISD Teachers of the Year at our INSPIRE
Celebration. The room was full of
exemplar educators from all over our District, and the winners, Maggie Walsh
from Beck Elementary and Joanna Kysar from Chisholm Trail Middle School are
both well deserving of such an honor. Besides recognizing each school’s own Teacher
of the Year, we said good-bye to our retirees that have served our District so
well for so long. It was quite a night
and everyone there was worthy of recognition.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the eve of “Teacher Appreciation Week”, I can’t help but
believe that everyone that was recognized at INSPIRE would tell you that there
are many more back on their campus that are just as deserving, if not
more. Part of that comes from the
selfless nature of so many teachers, but part of it also comes from the high
quality people we work with in NISD. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We started the year with a goal of providing “dynamic
learning experiences” for our students and I believe we have succeeded
greatly. From my perspective, I get to
see and hear about so many wonderful experiences and accomplishments of our
students and there are great teachers behind every single one of them. This year our students have traveled all over
the country, from New York to California, because their teachers have pushed
them and provided them opportunities beyond many of their wildest dreams. NISD
teachers do more than a job, NISD teachers change the world! You should be
appreciated! Not just this week, but
every day!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Teaching is a hard job.
One of the hardest you can find. People leave our profession at an
alarming rate. I know many of you quite well and others I do not know at all,
but one thing I hope we all have in common is the desire to make the daily
lives of our students better. Otherwise, this would really be a thankless
occupation. Many people outside of education don’t appreciate the difference
you make, but as a parent with three children in NISD, I know how much you
mean. The “dynamic experiences” my kids have lived this year are countless and
their growth is amazing. I believe there
are 20,000 others just like them….kids that love their school and love their
teachers. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week, as much as any other, I hope you feel appreciated. I hope that one of those students that looks
up to you everyday finds a way to let you know just how much you have meant to
them. Or maybe that parent that hasn’t
quite been happy all year finally sends an email just to say “thanks”. Even if
neither happens and you go through the week just as you would any other….please
remember that you are making a huge impact on a future you many never see. I
hope that is enough and I hope you know you are appreciated. Thanks for all you do!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rob<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-40004674285018636412015-03-22T18:28:00.002-07:002015-03-22T18:28:31.983-07:00Learning Targets UPDATE: Where are you?<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-px1ZdwXgWus/U6HjcDcOFHI/AAAAAAAAADk/3_Q_3zQrc3g/s1600/learning%2Btargets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-px1ZdwXgWus/U6HjcDcOFHI/AAAAAAAAADk/3_Q_3zQrc3g/s1600/learning%2Btargets.jpg" height="200" width="155" /></a>Last summer over 250 Learning Targets books were given out
to our campus administrators and teacher leaders in NISD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The purpose was to continue to enhance our
teachers lesson planning while promoting the partnership between teachers and
students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The authors stress the fact
that Learning Targets must share a common language, focus, and goal between
learner and facilitator. Otherwise they are useless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b7bUrHS0m6k/U6HjgnQKQqI/AAAAAAAAADs/vzR00-WkRBA/s1600/Unknown.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b7bUrHS0m6k/U6HjgnQKQqI/AAAAAAAAADs/vzR00-WkRBA/s1600/Unknown.png" height="135" width="200" /></a>The weekly twitter chat in our district, <span style="color: red;">#nisdchat</span> (Sunday’s
at 8:30 pm) has spent a few different sessions with teachers talking about how
they are using Learning Targets in their classrooms this year and more
importantly, how students are responding to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you missed the chat, here are the
questions…leave a comment below or search the chat on twitter and join the
discussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pictures are welcome!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PJYRgFV6l8k/VBY-PehWT5I/AAAAAAAAAF8/WinujHZUp48/s1600/Learning%2BTargets%2B3rd%2Bgrade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PJYRgFV6l8k/VBY-PehWT5I/AAAAAAAAAF8/WinujHZUp48/s1600/Learning%2BTargets%2B3rd%2Bgrade.jpg" height="117" width="200" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->How have LTs helped you as a teacher this year?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->What success have you had with learning targets
in your classroom?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->How do you work to make sure students “own their
learning”?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->How have LTs helped you communicate expectations
to parents?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->How might your targets change between now and
the end of the year?<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you would like to see more about the Learning Targets
discussion in NISD, please review the blog post below from the summer of 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-10568575654749005472015-02-23T12:47:00.002-08:002015-02-23T12:47:38.970-08:00Are High-Stakes Tests Becoming Dinosaurs?
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">About a year ago on this blog, I wrote a piece<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>entitled <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">364 > 1, </i></b>in which I tried to
emphasize the importance of high quality instruction day in and day out rather
that placing all the importance on a one day, high stakes test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To this day, it remains my most read
post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I assume that meant that many of
the educators that read it agreed with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, since that time, the emphasis and pressure for students and
campuses to produce on a given assessment has increased even more if that is
possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our state’s accountability
system found a way to disregard the many other data sources available (and
mandated such as House Bill 5) to recognize schools that were “perpetually underperforming”.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In some cases, “perpetual” has meant
that schools with traditionally high student achievement scores that took a ONE
year dip and found themselves on the state’s “most wanted” list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are documented cases of schools with
pass rates over 90% that made the list because they didn’t make enough progress
based on a complicated series of statistics. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My grandfather, who was about as wise a man as I have ever
known, never failed to make simple points with strange analogies. He grew up
poor in West Texas but became, by all measures a successful business man,
husband, and father. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will never forget
him telling me, <span style="color: red;"><strong>“Dinosaurs are extinct, but jackrabbits still run wild.”</strong></span> When I
asked him what he meant, he talked about how too many people become frustrated
reaching for the one “big event” that will prove they are successful that they
lose sight of all the small things that mean so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t help but think that we have somehow
turned high-stakes tests into Dinosaurs….big, bad, and scary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, if we remain focused on the little,
day to day, activities that improves student learning, we will not only
survive, we will thrive…just like the jackrabbits in West Texas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wv9oY9VZb5c/VOuNkY1wteI/AAAAAAAAAJk/pCriX9qRfoY/s1600/authentic%2Bplcs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wv9oY9VZb5c/VOuNkY1wteI/AAAAAAAAAJk/pCriX9qRfoY/s1600/authentic%2Bplcs.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Daniel Venables, in his book “<em>The Practice of Authentic PLCs</em>”
creates a data triangle that highlights the <strong><em><span style="color: red;">importance of daily lesson
planning, formative assessment, and feedback</span></em></strong> that have the largest impact on
student achievement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The message is
clear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The results of an End of Course
exam or STAAR tests, while important, do little to change teaching and
learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the attention to daily
results based on <strong><em><span style="color: red;">learning targets, formative assessment, and observations with
feedback</span></em></strong> that have the potential to change results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, if we don’t use the daily
information we gather to change and adapt our own skills, we will, like the
dinosaurs, become extinct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KhO1awg3grs/VOuPkCE_G-I/AAAAAAAAAJw/ZVdntvAKeKo/s1600/data%2Bpyramid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KhO1awg3grs/VOuPkCE_G-I/AAAAAAAAAJw/ZVdntvAKeKo/s1600/data%2Bpyramid.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From bottom to top: What a teacher and students do on a consistent basis has more impact than any high-stakes test!</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4490065031208171131.post-54447452743043477192015-02-12T18:28:00.001-08:002015-02-12T18:52:05.612-08:00Never forget why you started…..<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dtxZlW11aAo/VNzpUydJJfI/AAAAAAAAAJU/OECYQrQQ_cg/s1600/why.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dtxZlW11aAo/VNzpUydJJfI/AAAAAAAAAJU/OECYQrQQ_cg/s1600/why.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At a training this week, the facilitator asked us to share
an elevator speech on “Why you do what you do?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It sounded simple enough, but as I fumbled through the one minute time
limit I realized what a challenge that really was for me to articulate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d like to believe that a bunch of baseball
scouts missed the chance of a lifetime by overlooking me in high school and
that is why I went into education, but the reality is that I decided to be a teacher
much earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was in second
grade, in a private school in New Orleans, I can distinctly remember thinking
to myself day after day, “I could teach better than Ms. ______” (name omitted to protect the
guilty).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a few detentions and even
a couple of “licks” that year to prove that she thought otherwise, but I
survived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next three years, I had male
teachers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, that was the perfect scenario.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> They were great teachers and role models for me. </span>I don’t know where any of them are now, but I
know they impacted my life a great deal and confirmed that I wanted to be a
teacher! A series of circumstances caused us to move a great deal when I was a
kid (10 schools in 12 grades), but what I always remember is that it was a
teacher or a coach that made me feel comfortable and kept me on track.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How I wish I could go back and thank all of them. Later, while in college I got a job one summer working at a camp for diabetic kids. One summer turned into nine and I loved every minute of it. Living in a cabin with 20 kids for 3 weeks at a time is only for someone that truly loves it!! Making their lives better was my passion. When it came time to "grow up" and get a full time job, I intentionally found a place where I could teach a
self-contained classroom because I wanted to have my “own” kids each and every
day in hopes of helping them in the way so many helped me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to make a difference in kids’
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why I started! One of the most rewarding things in my career is the number of them that are now teachers themselves!!</span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fast forward a few years and I find myself farther away from
students than I ever dreamed. The same second grader that thought he could do
better than his teacher also couldn’t keep his mouth shut about how things should be
done better and was eventually asked to prove it in a series of "promotions".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I have learned anything in my first year in a new job, it is that I
don’t have all the answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is
humbling experience for sure, but one that has challenged me to remember even
more why I started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I have to keep that in perspective and believe that while I no longer interact with students on a daily basis, my role now is to do the best I can to support the adults that do touch their lives.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Simon Sinek, has a wonderful TED talk describing what he
calls “The Golden Ring”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(see the link
below) The premise of his talk for organizations and its leaders is “People don’t
buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hope for teachers everywhere is that you
never forget “why” you do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I know my story is not unique...we all had teachers that impacted our lives, but m</span>ore and
more, we are “selling” education to kids and parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Today's students are more skeptical and/or curious than ever before. </span>They must know why learning is relevant and
that starts with your passion for what you do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It shows in all your actions and impacts students and their parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, they don’t buy what you do, they buy
why you do it! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=simon%20sinek%20ted%20talk&FORM=VIRE1&adlt=strict#view=detail&mid=3A95274017FC2CC800443A95274017FC2CC80044">Simon Sinek's TED Talk</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">I became an educator because I loved being with kids and because of the many teachers that helped me during my life...I figure, I owe them. So there you have it, my elevator speech.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Why do you do what you do?</span></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2