I recently recorded myself meeting with a teacher for a follow up conference to an observation I had conducted in his classroom. I reviewed the recording immediately following my conversation with "Mr. Jones". I appeared very relaxed and smiled a lot throughout our discussion. As he spoke, I wrote down comments of note. There was an informal feel to the conversation that established a connection as colleagues, not as one of evaluator. I started by sharing that I had really enjoyed the Science lesson he had conducted. As he spoke about what he felt went well, I validated his responses by giving specific examples of student behavior that illustrated his comments.
We discussed the questions I had planned, but I did not bring up all three of the lesson suggestions I was going to make. In fact, I only addressed one issue regarding the importance of assigning roles to students when they work cooperatively. I saw in the video that he had a physical response to this suggestion. His shoulders slumped and he ducked his head a bit. He explained that he used to have name tags he would hand out to students to identify their role as reporter, recorder, leader or materials manager. He did not know where they were, but agreed that he should use them again. Knowing that my pointing this out somewhat discouraged him, I decided then not to discuss the other two items I had on my list. Had I not intentionally thought about Mr. Jones’ personality and learning style ahead of time, I am quite certain I would have plowed ahead with my plan to make all three of the recommendations. I knew there would be a better opportunity to discuss that with Mr. Jones.
Completing the full clinical cycle of teacher observation with Mr. Jones solidified my belief that effective professional development and supervision of teachers requires a multifaceted approach. Just as students need differentiated instruction, self-directed learning opportunities and experiences with both formative and summative assessments, teachers, as life-long learners, deserve the same. Supervisors must understand the personality and teaching style of the educators in their building. Knowing which Clinical Language to speak can go a long way in truly communicating what the teacher needs to hear (Pajak 2003). Supervisors should offer opportunities for teachers to learn in a variety of settings, taking into account the learning style, time constraints and interest level of the staff. Pairing new teachers with teacher leaders is a non-threatening way for inexperienced educators to learn new strategies and be reflective. Additionally, frequent, informal, non-evaluative classroom visits by the administrator can create a climate of trust where teachers feel comfortable identifying their struggles and asking for feedback.
Evaluative experiences should be structured in a way that invites the teacher in to the conversation and validates them as professionals. Co-planning lessons, co-creating the observation tool and designing a meaningful follow up conference can make the formalized observation experience less threatening and more effective for the teacher. Throughout the process, educators and leaders must not forget the ultimate goal: increased student achievement.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Learning to Arrange
I’ll never forget setting up my very first classroom as a fresh-out-of-college 4th grade teacher. I enlisted my artistically gifted husband to paint the perfect mural on a huge wall in my room complete with an airplane pulling a banner behind that claimed, “Reading takes you places!” I brightened up file cabinets with some spray paint and my mom made curtains for the windows. A few fake plants (I don’t have a green thumb) and I was ready! I remember wanting to try some of the room arrangements we had learned about in college, but I had 34 students to cram in to a fairly small room, so my options were quite limited. As a young idealistic educator, my initial priority was to help my students to feel that our classroom was a second home. I wanted to build a community on mutual trust and respect so there was a better chance for us to learn and grow throughout the year. Sixteen years and many trends later, room arrangements remain a reflection of a teacher’s values.
Throughout my current building, I saw a direct relationship between the arrangement of desks and the way the teacher runs the class. In one particular math class, the desks are in clumps of six, with students grouped in threes. At times, the two groups of three would check in with each other, but then go back to working together in their smaller group. This seemed to work very well as it’s hard to “fly under the radar” when there are only two other people with you. Each day this math teacher places name tags on desks to form the best groups for that day’s lesson. Sometimes she wants to place strong students together and vary the activity to present a challenge, and other times she wants the groups to be heterogeneous. In another room where an ancient history teacher is known for his unique story-telling method, there are no desks! Students sit in chairs in a semi-circle facing the projector where images illustrate his animated speaking. Later in the class, a group who has been working in the hallway comes in to perform a skit based on Greek mythology. They don’t ever get out any paper or pencils. There was one room where all of the desks were separate and in rows. Knowing this teacher does lots of group work, I inquired about the arrangement. He shared that one section of his 6h grade Geography class could not handle the close proximity of other students yet. They needed more time to acclimate to his strict expectations of focus and engagement in class.
While most teachers have their large desks tucked in a corner to allow more floor space, almost every classroom had the white board/screen as the focal point with a table or desk in front of it where the teacher sits. Knowing how innovative some of my colleagues are, it surprised me that this is still the default arrangement. It communicates to me that while we’re grabbing on to some great technologies (every student has her own tablet computer), teachers are still directing the lesson and supplying the needed information. I believe a time is coming when learning will be so student-directed that where he or she faces in the classroom will be irrelevant. They will be sitting in groups and sharing research with their team that is needed for them to take the next step in building a machine, proposing a green initiative or developing a program to address illiteracy in their community. Instruction will happen through blogs, podcasts, streaming video or Skype sessions. Learning will not be limited to a classroom, a building or certain hours of the day. The real question will be whether or not the teachers in these children’s lives are willing to arrange for this type of learning to become a reality.
Throughout my current building, I saw a direct relationship between the arrangement of desks and the way the teacher runs the class. In one particular math class, the desks are in clumps of six, with students grouped in threes. At times, the two groups of three would check in with each other, but then go back to working together in their smaller group. This seemed to work very well as it’s hard to “fly under the radar” when there are only two other people with you. Each day this math teacher places name tags on desks to form the best groups for that day’s lesson. Sometimes she wants to place strong students together and vary the activity to present a challenge, and other times she wants the groups to be heterogeneous. In another room where an ancient history teacher is known for his unique story-telling method, there are no desks! Students sit in chairs in a semi-circle facing the projector where images illustrate his animated speaking. Later in the class, a group who has been working in the hallway comes in to perform a skit based on Greek mythology. They don’t ever get out any paper or pencils. There was one room where all of the desks were separate and in rows. Knowing this teacher does lots of group work, I inquired about the arrangement. He shared that one section of his 6h grade Geography class could not handle the close proximity of other students yet. They needed more time to acclimate to his strict expectations of focus and engagement in class.
While most teachers have their large desks tucked in a corner to allow more floor space, almost every classroom had the white board/screen as the focal point with a table or desk in front of it where the teacher sits. Knowing how innovative some of my colleagues are, it surprised me that this is still the default arrangement. It communicates to me that while we’re grabbing on to some great technologies (every student has her own tablet computer), teachers are still directing the lesson and supplying the needed information. I believe a time is coming when learning will be so student-directed that where he or she faces in the classroom will be irrelevant. They will be sitting in groups and sharing research with their team that is needed for them to take the next step in building a machine, proposing a green initiative or developing a program to address illiteracy in their community. Instruction will happen through blogs, podcasts, streaming video or Skype sessions. Learning will not be limited to a classroom, a building or certain hours of the day. The real question will be whether or not the teachers in these children’s lives are willing to arrange for this type of learning to become a reality.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Effective Leadership
I just completed a graduate class in Effective Leadership. Having never studied anything like this in the past, I really didn’t know what to expect. I was excited to realize that the readings were completely fascinating to me and immediately applicable. I was presented with ideas that had me enthusiastically nodding my head, while others didn’t seem to ring true. Throughout the eight weeks, I began to shape a personal philosophy of leadership that will inform my decisions in the months and years to come.
While writing and sharing with those in my cohort, I found myself coming back again and again to Peter Senge’s idea of a “learning organization”. This is a place where “. . .people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where the collective aspiration is set free, and people are continually learning how to learn together (1990). This is a powerful vision that encompasses all we should be about as educators. We are faced with demanding expectations from our constituencies and need to prepare students for a challenging future. At no other time has there been a greater need for educators to reinvent themselves. As John Dewey said, “If we teach our children as we did yesterday, we rob them of the future.” To stay relevant and effective, we must see ourselves as learners; a connected community of learners, whose collaboration and common purpose make us much more powerful than we can be on our own. A learning organization celebrates ingenuity- doing things differently than they’ve ever been done. It encourages authentic exchanges where a teacher willingly admits gaps in knowledge, confident that a colleague will eagerly help to fill them in. This is a place where ideas aren’t owned and protected, but shared and collected.
This past year I saw my school begin a journey towards becoming this type of organization. A group of us were chosen to experience a job-embedded, year long, professional development experience through Powerful Learning Practice, or PLP. Using social networking tools like Twitter, Diigo, Nings, and wikis, we connected with education professionals from around the world. Sharing best practices, reading current educational theory and being exposed to new technologies caused enormous professional growth within our group. The excitement was not to be contained! Within several months, all three divisions of the school were taking part in professional development on a regular basis that was designed and implemented by teachers. Without paying one outside presenter, our teachers experienced a tremendous year of learning. Learning to learn with and from each other is not going to happen overnight. We have a lot of work to do in translating our knowledge to the classroom. We have paradigms shifting and teachers feeling unsure of the next step. But we are learners who will never claim to have arrived. What a powerful message to live for our students.
So here’s the rub: how do we assess success in this messy new landscape? It seems preposterous that we would teach students skills of collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity and then measure achievement with a “fill-in-the-bubble” test. Throughout this class, however, I was asked to look at such data in regards to developing school vision and to evaluate the success of programs. There were very few members of my cohort who had anything good to say about state testing programs, and yet we didn’t question using the test results in this way. I understand that this is reality in American public education right now. I don’t understand, however, admitting defeat by leaving these methods unquestioned. A group of intelligent, passionate professionals should participate in rigorous discourse regarding these issues. Kenneth Leithwood’s essay, “Transformational School Leadership in a Transactional Policy World”, offered compelling reasons to fight the current system of measuring school success. He poses that effective leadership practices are being abandoned in order to answer the demands of these transactional policies. Administrators must remember what makes them good leaders. They have to commit to leading by example and from an authentic sense of self. They have to resist the path of rewards and consequences and continue to lead their faculty under a shared vision regarding teaching and learning. Policy should not preempt passion.
Moving forward I have much to learn about how to navigate the political side of administration. I will certainly have moments where I am desperate to rewind time and make a different decision. I will, however, be moving forward armed with a leadership philosophy grounded in authenticity, a desire to learn and the realization that I am surrounded by those who can teach me.
While writing and sharing with those in my cohort, I found myself coming back again and again to Peter Senge’s idea of a “learning organization”. This is a place where “. . .people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where the collective aspiration is set free, and people are continually learning how to learn together (1990). This is a powerful vision that encompasses all we should be about as educators. We are faced with demanding expectations from our constituencies and need to prepare students for a challenging future. At no other time has there been a greater need for educators to reinvent themselves. As John Dewey said, “If we teach our children as we did yesterday, we rob them of the future.” To stay relevant and effective, we must see ourselves as learners; a connected community of learners, whose collaboration and common purpose make us much more powerful than we can be on our own. A learning organization celebrates ingenuity- doing things differently than they’ve ever been done. It encourages authentic exchanges where a teacher willingly admits gaps in knowledge, confident that a colleague will eagerly help to fill them in. This is a place where ideas aren’t owned and protected, but shared and collected.
This past year I saw my school begin a journey towards becoming this type of organization. A group of us were chosen to experience a job-embedded, year long, professional development experience through Powerful Learning Practice, or PLP. Using social networking tools like Twitter, Diigo, Nings, and wikis, we connected with education professionals from around the world. Sharing best practices, reading current educational theory and being exposed to new technologies caused enormous professional growth within our group. The excitement was not to be contained! Within several months, all three divisions of the school were taking part in professional development on a regular basis that was designed and implemented by teachers. Without paying one outside presenter, our teachers experienced a tremendous year of learning. Learning to learn with and from each other is not going to happen overnight. We have a lot of work to do in translating our knowledge to the classroom. We have paradigms shifting and teachers feeling unsure of the next step. But we are learners who will never claim to have arrived. What a powerful message to live for our students.
So here’s the rub: how do we assess success in this messy new landscape? It seems preposterous that we would teach students skills of collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity and then measure achievement with a “fill-in-the-bubble” test. Throughout this class, however, I was asked to look at such data in regards to developing school vision and to evaluate the success of programs. There were very few members of my cohort who had anything good to say about state testing programs, and yet we didn’t question using the test results in this way. I understand that this is reality in American public education right now. I don’t understand, however, admitting defeat by leaving these methods unquestioned. A group of intelligent, passionate professionals should participate in rigorous discourse regarding these issues. Kenneth Leithwood’s essay, “Transformational School Leadership in a Transactional Policy World”, offered compelling reasons to fight the current system of measuring school success. He poses that effective leadership practices are being abandoned in order to answer the demands of these transactional policies. Administrators must remember what makes them good leaders. They have to commit to leading by example and from an authentic sense of self. They have to resist the path of rewards and consequences and continue to lead their faculty under a shared vision regarding teaching and learning. Policy should not preempt passion.
Moving forward I have much to learn about how to navigate the political side of administration. I will certainly have moments where I am desperate to rewind time and make a different decision. I will, however, be moving forward armed with a leadership philosophy grounded in authenticity, a desire to learn and the realization that I am surrounded by those who can teach me.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
How Do I Rate?
I recently read about the 21 responsibilities of a school leader in "School Leadership that Works" (Marzano, Waters, McNulty). Although I am not the principal of a school, I do lead teams that develop curriculum and professional development initiatives at the K-12 school where I work. I completed a self assessment related to the 21 responsibilities and then answered a more comprehensive inventory to get graph-able (why isn't that a word?) results on my strengths and weaknesses related to these leadership qualities. The good news is, I know myself pretty well. The self assessment results were identical to the inventory results. The bad news is that it's one thing to know your weaknesses and quite another to go about improving them. In an effort to be authentic, I want to discuss my top three(or should I say bottom three?)weaknesses.
#1. I stink at establishing operating procedures and routines. My heap 'o laundry by the washing machine attests to this. When it comes to running task oriented committees, I must improve on this or at least confess to the weakness and delegate the responsibility. This one has a .25 correlation to student achievement which is on the higher end of the spectrum.
#2. I don't often "adapt [my] leadership behavior to the needs of the current situation and [feel] comfortable with dissent." I've been told by my boss that I need to temper my passion with patience. When I am excited to move forward with an initiative, I positively resent those who resist. Not good. I need to welcome the opposing ideas and learn from the dissonance. With an even higher correlation to student achievement at a .28, this one takes priority.
#3. It's important to recognize accomplishments and acknowledge failures. I love doing the former and never do the latter. Who wants to talk about how we tried this great new technology idea that failed miserably in the classroom? If I want to lead with integrity and gain the trust of others, I have to open up about the ideas or initiatives that have failed. When it comes to student achievement, this one is at a .19 correlation- important, but not imperative.
So as not to be annoyingly self-deprecating, I will mention my strengths as well.
Ideals and Beliefs- I have a well-formed philosophy regarding teaching and learning.
Intellectual stimulation- I work hard on initiatives that keep teachers learning!
Knowledge of and Involvement with Instruction, Curriculum and Assessment- these are my passions and required of me as Director of Academic Development.
Optimizer- I love to think creatively and challenge others to question why we do things the way we do.
Relationships- I genuinely love people of all backgrounds and personalities and am truly interested in their lives.
Unfortunately, most of my leadership strengths have a small correlation to student achievement as defined by the authors. However, they make a point of saying that a combination of all 21 Leadership responsibilities is vital to successfully lead a school.
I appreciated the opportunity to analyze my leadership style and recognize the areas in which I need to grow.
#1. I stink at establishing operating procedures and routines. My heap 'o laundry by the washing machine attests to this. When it comes to running task oriented committees, I must improve on this or at least confess to the weakness and delegate the responsibility. This one has a .25 correlation to student achievement which is on the higher end of the spectrum.
#2. I don't often "adapt [my] leadership behavior to the needs of the current situation and [feel] comfortable with dissent." I've been told by my boss that I need to temper my passion with patience. When I am excited to move forward with an initiative, I positively resent those who resist. Not good. I need to welcome the opposing ideas and learn from the dissonance. With an even higher correlation to student achievement at a .28, this one takes priority.
#3. It's important to recognize accomplishments and acknowledge failures. I love doing the former and never do the latter. Who wants to talk about how we tried this great new technology idea that failed miserably in the classroom? If I want to lead with integrity and gain the trust of others, I have to open up about the ideas or initiatives that have failed. When it comes to student achievement, this one is at a .19 correlation- important, but not imperative.
So as not to be annoyingly self-deprecating, I will mention my strengths as well.
Ideals and Beliefs- I have a well-formed philosophy regarding teaching and learning.
Intellectual stimulation- I work hard on initiatives that keep teachers learning!
Knowledge of and Involvement with Instruction, Curriculum and Assessment- these are my passions and required of me as Director of Academic Development.
Optimizer- I love to think creatively and challenge others to question why we do things the way we do.
Relationships- I genuinely love people of all backgrounds and personalities and am truly interested in their lives.
Unfortunately, most of my leadership strengths have a small correlation to student achievement as defined by the authors. However, they make a point of saying that a combination of all 21 Leadership responsibilities is vital to successfully lead a school.
I appreciated the opportunity to analyze my leadership style and recognize the areas in which I need to grow.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Transformational Leadership
I’ve digested a lot of information during the past two weeks of JHU’s Effective Leadership class. Of all the theories of leadership we’ve studied, transformational leadership stands out as the most natural style for my personality. This is not heady stuff we’re discussing. It’s about being a person of integrity who is passionate for a cause. It’s about a deep commitment to bringing out the very best in individuals. It’s about respecting other’s ideas and beliefs and pushing the team to act in the best interest of the group. James MacGregor Burns defined it best in his book, Leadership, when he described it as a process by which, “. . .leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of morality and motivation” (p.20).
A transformational leadership style will thrive in a learning environment even during deep shifts in educational theory and practice. This hinges, of course, on the commitment of the school administrator to resist a transactional leadership style. This is no easy task considering the enormous burden they carry to be a high performing school defined entirely by scores on a state mandated test. Educational leadership expert, Kenneth Leithwood, maintains that principals should resist transactional leadership, “. . .on the quite likely grounds that many of those to whom you are accountable don’t care what you do as long as it is ethical and gets results” (p.193). A community of educators led in a transformational way will feel empowered to be agents of change; their experience and expertise will be tapped in order to develop curriculum and practice that improve student motivation and performance. Guided by an articulated vision, they will strive to constantly learn, and will adapt their practices based on the needs of their students in a changing society. There will be no status quo, but the entire faculty will be encouraged to innovate and create as prompted by their continued learning. The administrator will not need to provide extrinsic motivators as teachers will be intrinsically moved by their commitment to the vision, the students and each other. This is a powerful environment in which to operate.
In today’s technological society, “change” can no longer be a dirty word. It must be embraced with gusto by anyone who wishes to be relevant in the world of education. We need to move beyond the phrase “technology integration”. This idea suggests that our old curriculum should be infused with some technology in order to give it an update. In reality, our curriculum should be replaced. We need to start over if we want to prepare our students to be competitors for jobs that don’t even exist at the moment. In Curriculum 21, Heidi Hayes Jacobs gives practical ways to begin making the shift. When students have access on the web to anything they’d like to know within seconds, the knowledge we dispel as teachers becomes useless. Instead we need to focus on the skills and dispositions our students need to sift through the information. They must be critical thinkers who can communicate, problem solve and create. In a learning organization with a transformational leader at the helm, students and teachers alike are on a journey of exploration and discovery. In this culture of questioning and collaborating, there is no limit to what the community can accomplish!
A transformational leadership style will thrive in a learning environment even during deep shifts in educational theory and practice. This hinges, of course, on the commitment of the school administrator to resist a transactional leadership style. This is no easy task considering the enormous burden they carry to be a high performing school defined entirely by scores on a state mandated test. Educational leadership expert, Kenneth Leithwood, maintains that principals should resist transactional leadership, “. . .on the quite likely grounds that many of those to whom you are accountable don’t care what you do as long as it is ethical and gets results” (p.193). A community of educators led in a transformational way will feel empowered to be agents of change; their experience and expertise will be tapped in order to develop curriculum and practice that improve student motivation and performance. Guided by an articulated vision, they will strive to constantly learn, and will adapt their practices based on the needs of their students in a changing society. There will be no status quo, but the entire faculty will be encouraged to innovate and create as prompted by their continued learning. The administrator will not need to provide extrinsic motivators as teachers will be intrinsically moved by their commitment to the vision, the students and each other. This is a powerful environment in which to operate.
In today’s technological society, “change” can no longer be a dirty word. It must be embraced with gusto by anyone who wishes to be relevant in the world of education. We need to move beyond the phrase “technology integration”. This idea suggests that our old curriculum should be infused with some technology in order to give it an update. In reality, our curriculum should be replaced. We need to start over if we want to prepare our students to be competitors for jobs that don’t even exist at the moment. In Curriculum 21, Heidi Hayes Jacobs gives practical ways to begin making the shift. When students have access on the web to anything they’d like to know within seconds, the knowledge we dispel as teachers becomes useless. Instead we need to focus on the skills and dispositions our students need to sift through the information. They must be critical thinkers who can communicate, problem solve and create. In a learning organization with a transformational leader at the helm, students and teachers alike are on a journey of exploration and discovery. In this culture of questioning and collaborating, there is no limit to what the community can accomplish!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
First Post for JHU Cohort
Last week I started on a year-long adventure in online learning. Since I teach full time, have three young children and live on the campus of my school as a dorm parent, it was a very attractive option. There is an assumption out there that an online program is an easier route to take, yet every colleague who has earned a degree this way insists it is much more intensive than face to face classes. The small taste of the program I’ve gotten during the two week orientation corroborates my friends’ sentiments.
I was drawn to this particular program because of the outstanding reputation of both Johns Hopkins University and the International Society for Technology in Education. I am excited to expand my understanding of school leadership and professional development. I look forward to the class on curriculum development and implementation. I expect to be challenged by my team members and to grow my Personal Learning Network. My hope is to have my Graduate Certificate in Administration and Supervision by this time next year.
It’s intimidating to be back in the “classroom” after so long (has it really been 16 years since 1995?). So far I have failed my first quiz, felt completely boring after meeting my classmates and developed a complex about people not replying to my posts. Fortunately, I recently read Carol Dweck’s Mindset, and can look at these challenges as opportunities to grow. I will need the support of my team to remain transparent in my learning. I have a feeling much pride will be swallowed throughout the year.
My plan for success entails a self-imposed, non-negotiable schedule for assignment completion. I appreciate the weekly checklists and will use them to map out my time. Going to school having experienced my profession for a while is exciting. My motivation to learn will go well beyond earning grades, since the knowledge will be practical and immediately applicable. So, here goes!
I was drawn to this particular program because of the outstanding reputation of both Johns Hopkins University and the International Society for Technology in Education. I am excited to expand my understanding of school leadership and professional development. I look forward to the class on curriculum development and implementation. I expect to be challenged by my team members and to grow my Personal Learning Network. My hope is to have my Graduate Certificate in Administration and Supervision by this time next year.
It’s intimidating to be back in the “classroom” after so long (has it really been 16 years since 1995?). So far I have failed my first quiz, felt completely boring after meeting my classmates and developed a complex about people not replying to my posts. Fortunately, I recently read Carol Dweck’s Mindset, and can look at these challenges as opportunities to grow. I will need the support of my team to remain transparent in my learning. I have a feeling much pride will be swallowed throughout the year.
My plan for success entails a self-imposed, non-negotiable schedule for assignment completion. I appreciate the weekly checklists and will use them to map out my time. Going to school having experienced my profession for a while is exciting. My motivation to learn will go well beyond earning grades, since the knowledge will be practical and immediately applicable. So, here goes!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
For My Own Good
So this social networking thing can be a real buzz kill. I'll have a great time reading a tweeted article or watching a video posted on my ning. I'll forward intersting blogs to a friend with a common interest or get inspiration for a class I'm teaching. But I can't just leave it at that; enjoy what I'm soaking in. I somehow feel compelled to evaluate the worth of the contributions I've tweeted, posted, replied or blogged. I check to see if any of my stuff has been read, replied to, re-tweeted, uploaded or forwarded. Today I decided to take baby steps in getting over this approval addiction- (let's call a spade a spade). So I've decided my blog is no longer for anyone else. I will use it as a place to journal the journey. I'll debrief new learning, record rambling thoughts or spout frustrations. What I WON'T do is give a flying fig about who else is reading it. It's for my own good.
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