Learning Habitats and the Educational Environment

The word habitat is defined as: The natural home or environment of an animal, plant or other organism. Humans put great importance on most of our habitats.  Our homes are designed with furniture and decorations that make us feel comfortable and put us at ease.  When we bring a new baby home from the hospital we have a newly painted room, with kid-friendly wall paper (whatever that is), and special furniture. Our habitat accommodations even extend to animals when we put them in a zoo. I once saw a prairie dog exhibit at a zoo.  They had special grass, decorative driftwood, hollow logs... for prairie dogs... underground rats.  One more example--carnival goldfish.  Even those free fish we reluctantly win at carnivals get a round bowl with rocks at the bottom, fake plants, a castle to swim through, and sometimes we even buy them a friend.  We are all about the habitat.

Consider all of that, and then think about most secondary schools and the classrooms within.  Our elementary years are spent in colorful classrooms with decorations and sometimes a special rug where students can comfortably sit.  As students transition into junior high and high school they typically enter bland walls, desks in rows, maybe some "inspirational" posters about doing your best--an environment more suitable to prison life than student life.  The inside of most classrooms are institutional, stiff, and unwelcoming.

I think we need to create a habitat of learning in our classrooms.  A comfortable, welcoming learning laboratory   Students should sit in groups.  Seating should be comfortable--how creative and engaged would you feel sitting in a school desk all day?  Leading companies like Google have embraced this, how have we ignored it for so long?

Concise Professional Development with Diigo

Education is a busy business.  Ask your teachers to participate in a book study and watch the eyes roll to the sky.  Its not you, its not your book--it a time thing.  Educators feel slammed during the year, but Diigo offers a great solution.  With a Diigo account, you can annotate articles with highlights and sticky notes and share the annotated articles to your colleagues or have them create Diigo accounts and create a group, which makes sharing very simple.

The real beauty of of Diigo is the ability to just grab the most important sentences and paragraphs (using the browser extension), which allows you to share the most important, actionable parts of a given article.  The selected text can be emailed or shared in groups creating a concise, digestible form of professional development for departments, administrators, or the entire staff. Obviously, this tools can be used in the classroom too!

In addition, users can make comments on annotated parts of an article allowing virtual conversations to take place right in the article.  This video (courtesy of Will Richardson) shows user conversations about highlighted areas of an article.  We all need to learn and improve our craft.  Tech tools such as Diigo allow learning and collaboration to fit into our busy schedules by cutting the fat and getting right to the meat.

Remember When we Couldn't Know EVERYTHING?

I'm lucky enough to be a part of the generation that was pre-cell phone and pre-Internet and I like that.   It makes me appreciate the information-rich, communication-saturated world we live in.  I remember a time when four friends were sitting in a car and someone posed a question, 'is it farther to New York or Panama City from Indianapolis'... an no one knew the answer.  AND NO ONE COULD FIND OUT!  We just sat and wondered and continued to... not know.

Those days are gone.  Smartphones, 4G, WiFi, etc. have created an information atmosphere that blankets most of the developed world.  While there has been a lot of ink spilled on this in the last decade, I had a realization the other day.

"There is no excuse for not knowing something."  

It happened when Joey and I were designing the plumbing for some rain barrels.  We don't know anything about plumbing or rain barrels for that matter.  We read research online, watch videos, and looked at pictures--we could probably start a rain barrel consulting firm at this point.

There are some major implications for education in this new world.  Why do we stress memorization in school?  How much school-organized PD training do teachers  really need?  How can schools and libraries stay relevant in a world when all of the collective known knowledge is floating in the ether?

Whether you want to build rain barrels, learn French, or find a better way to teach fractions--all you need is a computer, a connection, and the motivation to explore.  There is no valid excuse for not knowing something that you want/need to know... besides laziness.  It sounds harsh, but its true.  In addition, ubiquitous information also raises the bar both professionally and personally.  We should expect excellence, especially in our professional lives.  The cliche' 'where there is a will, there is a way' has never been more true.  By the way, Panama City is closer to Indianapolis by 48.4 miles.  Thanks Google.

What is an Expert?

What would you call a professional who did actual field research 36 weeks a year?  They were classically trained for 4-6 years and continue their education to stay current in the field.  They collect quantitative and qualitative data, evaluating singular and large samples sizes.  The record their data and make predictions, which they share with a community of other professionals who combine their findings to refine their theories.  Would you call them a scientist?  Would you call them an expert?  I would call them a teacher.

Unfortunately the de-professionalization of teachers throughout the history of public education has attempted to reduced our role to that of a worker on the assembly line.  More importantly it has reduced our public image and therefore our general influence over change in our own profession.  We are the receivers of educational policy.  We need to be the makers of educational policy.  Aren't we the experts?

Kids Can't Learn From Teachers They Don't Like

Rita Pierson grabbed the spotlight and spurred a great conversation with her recent TED Talk titled Every Kid Needs a Champion (below).  In her talk she asserts the title of this blog--'kids can't learn from teachers they don't like'.  A statement like this would likely sound like heresy to rigid traditionalists.

'I'm not here to be their friend'.

'I don't care if they don't like me'.

I remember teachers in my youth that made statements like this.  I even remember having instructors in college who reminded us that 'we are not there to be their friends'.

While all of this is true to some degree, being 'liked' by your students opens opportunities that wouldn't exist without the foundation of a strong relationship.  Your students need to know that you care about them and feel the passion you have for  your class.  If you don't show that you care and have passion, why should they?  And you have to be authentic.  Students can sniff out someone being 'fake' like a shark smelling blood in the water.  They have to truly believe that you care about them and the stories they tell, and wow, do they have some stories to tell! Listening to your students and asking them questions about their lives is an investment that will pay dividends throughout the year.  Building meaningful relationships with your students is the cornerstone of effective classroom management.  Here are some ideas:

• Ask questions--Show a genuine interest in students' lives by asking questions and then checking in throughout the year.  
• Be funny--I know its 'not your job to entertain them', but humor goes a long way and makes a good first impression.
• Individualize your relationships--I used to be able to describe the character of a class period, but not necessarily the individual students before I moved to conversations as my main assessment method.
• Let them teach you--Students love it when you are open enough to allow them to teach you something.  Its an act of sincerely listening and students eat it up because they love to be heard.
• Talk to them after/out of school--While I'm sure its been a long day, going to watch their game or chatting with them after school will earn you  a great deal of credibility. 
• Let them be heard--Most students love to be heard.  Their families, dislikes, funny stories, pets, etc. all provide good material for conversations and the beginning of a productive relationship.  
• Be playful--Once you have established the foundation for a relationship and that your class is a place of learning, its OK to lighten things up a little with some playful behavior and non-offensive sarcasm. There is a fine line here, but a little play will go a long way to show students you care about them as a person, not just as a student.
• Be the captain--Being open and playful requires the need to drop the hammer too.  Students need boundaries, and they actually like it when you fairly keep them within class expectations.  I alway error on the side of fairness when I have to discipline students.  

Many students come to school without the first levels of Maslow's Hierarchy satisfied   How can we expect a student to learn if they feel hungry, unsafe, or unloved?  As effective teachers, it has become an unspoken part of our jobs to find a way to bridge these gaps left by a bad home life.  Many of us would probably agree we are part teacher, part counselor.

Building an organic, individual relationship with our students will have a greater impact on learning than any piece of technology or model of pedagogy.  If we scoff at the idea that 'kids can't learn from teachers they don't like', we are undermining any other measure that we believe is effective and spinning our educational wheels.  

De-Professionalizing Teachers

Today in education you may hear people talk about "professionalizing the profession".   It dawned on me recently that the teacher's role in education has been historically moving toward de-professionalization and recent conventions have rendered us nearly obsolete.  The fact that we are discussing how to "professionalize" a profession like teaching is evidence of the erosion of authenticity and specialized skills of the modern concept of what it means to be a teacher.  Several events in the history of education have been key moments that have slowly de-professionalized the teacher.

Teachers were originally professionalized by their content knowledge.  They held special knowledge that was not easily available to their students.  Later, standardized textbooks and teacher editions provided a content crutch.  Teachers could lean on this one resource rather than learn a rich body of authentic, specialized knowledge that was once a premium.  The component of content knowledge was stripped away from the profession.  More recently, the Internet has 'flattened' the world and put the collective knowledge of humanity at any students fingertips.  Teachers are no longer needed to be the 'knower of everything' and 'answerer of questions'.

The required professionalism slipped further when textbook companies started to offer resource packages and curriculum guides.  Another pillar of professionalism began to crumble.  Flash to today where many large school districts create pacing guides to be used among all the teachers of a given class.  A dozen or more 8th grade math teachers teaching the same basic curriculum at the same pace.  While I can understand the concept of a guaranteed curriculum, this reduces teachers to a simple deliverer of a one-size-fits-all 'education'.  Large online classes are are natural extension of this model.  In this type of course the 'teacher' simply needs a general disposition to facilitate the provided curriculum.

All of these developments or what I would label education de-form, rather than reform, have created a completely different role for the once professionalized job of being a teacher.  It has also created low expectations.  You don't need to know too much.  You don't need to be able to create authentic course work.  You really don't need to plan a curriculum.  You simply need to implement.  All of the art has been reduced to a calculated, one-size-fits-all science.  The salary (which began low) followed the decent of professionalism.  This has made recruitment of unique talent a difficult task, but then again it isn't really necessary.  Often, when it comes to hiring, schools are more concerned with filling a role.

I am not a role.  I am not a deliverer of a pre-formed 'education'.  I believe many teachers would reject this description, but we are the sufferers of a system of de-professionalization that has come to dominate mainstream education.  The progression of our education de-form has created a culture of low expectations and reliance.

Despite the sad story I've told, I truly feel the tide is turning, or being turned.  Leaders such as Sir Ken Robinson and Will Richardson are changing the conversation.  School leaders and teachers are listening and the ranks of educators that reject de-professionalization is growing.  I was never really aware of all of this.  I accepted the de-professionalized role when I first became a teacher.  It was only when I got connected to Twitter and reading other educators' blogs that I realized a battle was being waged to change the culture.  A great deal has happened since then and the change is clear.  Will Richardson calls for authentic, personalized, real world learning.  He is keynoting 4 of the 17 major professional development conferences being promoted by the Indiana Department of Education.  His message is not well received by traditionalists, so his mere presence is an exciting sign of change.  

How can we re-professionalize the profession?  I think we start by philosophically rejecting the conventions above--textbooks, pre-made pacing guides, workbooks, etc.  A massive gulf exists between connected and disconnected educators.  Teachers need to be connected--not just to those in our districts, but to greater world of education.  We have to be aware of the efforts to reform and deform education, so we can recognize the difference.  We need more educators, student, and parents talking about real education reform.  Teachers need to exercise their professionalism and promote positive reform--in their classroom and publicly in social media.  This is a numbers game and we need to grow our ranks.  We have to change the conversation.  What are you going to do about it? 

5 Characteristics of a Change Agent [Amended]

The following blog post is by George Couros.  He writes on his blog The Principal of Change.  Its fantastic and I wanted to share some excerpts of a recent post that really hit home for me.  Its about Change Agents.

5 Characteristics of a Change Agent: "In my work through school and organization visits, I have been fascinated to see the correlation between the speed of change and an individual who is “leading” the charge.  The schools that have someone (or a group of people) helping to push the boundaries of what can be done in schools seem to move a lot quicker with a larger amount of “buy-in” through the process..."
"Below is a list of what I have seen consistently."
1.  Clear Vision – As mentioned above, a “change agent” does not have to be the person in authority, but they do however have to have a clear vision and be able to communicate that clearly with others... It is essential to note that a clear vision does not mean that there is one way to do things...
2. Patient yet persistent – To have sustainable change that is meaningful to people, it is something that they will have to embrace and see importance.  Most people need to experience something before they really understand that, and that is especially true in schools... change agents just help to make sure that people are moving ahead.
3. Asks tough questions – It would be easy for someone to come in and tell you how things should be, but again that is someone else’s solution... Asking questions focusing on, “What is best for kids?”, and helping people come to their own conclusions based on their experience is when you will see people have ownership in what they are doing.  Keep asking questions to help people think, don’t alleviate that by telling them what to do.
4.  Knowledgeable and leads by example – Stephen Covey talked about the notion that leaders have “character and credibility”; they are not just seen as good people but that they are also knowledgeable in what they are speaking about...  If you want to create “change”, you have to not only be able to articulate what that looks like, but show it to others...
5. Strong relationships built on trust – All of the above, means nothing if you do not have solid relationships with the people that you serve.  People will not want to grow if they do not trust the person that is pushing the change...
"...positive change is not reserved to be the responsibility of any position... I can think of many people that I have encountered who have helped pushed their organizations ahead that have no formal “authority” over any individual... some of them do it in spite of their principal or superintendent and often feel that they are in constant conflict..."

I was part of a group of people who brought major changes to my school district.  We implemented a 1 to 1 program in grades 4-12 and are working to change instruction and assessment across the board, while maintaining rigor and expanding opportunities for students.  This would have never happened were it not for the change agents within our school.  The list provided by George Couros is excellent, but I would like to offer a few amendments.

6. Willing to challenge conventional thinking -- Change can never happen unless we have someone who is willing to think outside conventional wisdom.  This goes with 'asking tough questions', but the difference is important.  Traditions must be challenged, routines should be questioned.  Are we doing this, because it is what is best for kids in this day and age or because this is the way we have always done it?  I say question everything.  Often change means glueing a new idea to an old one, but rarely do we evaluate the entire substructure and foundation and consider rebuilding from ground zero.
7. Draws knowledge from a diverse PLN -- I don't know how an agent of change could have the knowledge and inspiration without being plugged into multiple social networks that help them maintain a diverse professional learning network.  A PLN dramatically expands the vistas of possibility.  My list of blogs in Reader, Twitter community, and other smaller communities in other social networks inspire and motivate me daily, e.g., George Couros.
8. Works overtime -- Change agents don't work from 8-3.  They are driven by passion, and that often means they never "stop working".  They reflect on their lessons all day, they think of new class activities at home, they listen to education podcasts when they have time, they participate in Twitter chats, they answer emails until they go to bed, they "talk shop" with teachers and non-teachers, and they read.  They read a lot.  Change never comes easy, and it will never happen during school hours only.

What else can we add it this list?

DIY Education

I haven't cracked open a textbook in 2 years.  When I did use the textbook, I used it sparingly.  The Internet provided me with all of the content I needed to teach my 7th grade social studies class.  I would be willing to bet that ANY class's curriculum requirements could be met with FREE materials from the Internet.  I'd love to take that challenge.

Worksheets?  When I used them, I always used my own worksheets.  I don't even like to say the word. Worksheets are an artifact of an obsolete teaching method, especially in a 1 to 1, digital curriculum.  Engaging projects are easy to build and far more effective.

Most people love a good Do It Yourself project.  Why do we shy away from it in education and rely on stale, static resources (textbooks/worksheets) that everyone agrees are not best practice?  A DIY Education would be authentic, engaging, and cost effective.  A small district like mine can easily spend $90,000 on textbooks and related materials every six years.  EVERY SIX YEARS!  While we are reimbursed for that expense, the money has to come from somewhere.  It would be much better, in many ways, to pay teachers a higher salary and require them to create their own materials.  If teachers simply pass out textbooks, assign questions, grade, and repeat, we should probably be replaced by a computer program.

Computer Club

The summer before my school went 1 to 1, we tried to prepare for any foreseeable problems our students, parents, or teachers might encounter.  One issue was Internet access. There are many in our community who suffer from unemployment or underemployment and roughly 70% of our students receive free or reduced lunch.  What are students supposed to do if they have homework and they need the Internet to complete their work?  While they likely have local hotspots, friends, or relatives who have Internet, as a school we can't ask them to "just figure it out" without a reasonable option.  My experience has been that students are efficient excuse machines, and if given any legitimacy, they, and their parents, will overrun you.

Thus, the creation of Computer Club.  Computer club is an after school, supervised place for students to  work on homework or just hangout and use the school's Internet access.  This is also a place to get help with computers.  Teachers often send student to me in Computer Club to learn how to use iMovie, iPhoto, or some web tool.  Teachers themselves regularly drop in to get tech advice or troubleshoot a problem.

To be fair, lots of kids come to Computer Club to play non-educational games like Minecraft, and hang out with their friends. However, one could argue this is a great alternative to having them walking around town getting into trouble or returning to an empty house because their parents are at work.  Last week I sat up and surveyed the kids in Computer Club.  There were several athletes using it as a pre-practice study hall, there were 2 kids discussing their new blog and how to promote it, our APAX News Team was planning their next broadcast, about 12 hardcore Minecraft builders hunched over their computer, and another 6 or 7 kids floating from group to group socializing and casually working on homework.  It was exciting to see kids engaged in what they were doing and having fun in school.  Computer Club has been an integral part of our 1:1 plan, it has also become a time for clubs to assemble like APAX News Team and the new upstart SWAT Team (Students Working to Assist Technology).  Great things are happening in little Wabash, Indiana, and like our announcements regularly say, "its a great day to be an Apache".

Failure and Success in Learning

Failure is bad.  Failure is rejection.  Failure is the end.  These are the messages we sometimes receive from society.  This is how we often feel when we "fail".  Carol Dweck recently wrote a book called Mindset.  In her book she explores two divergent mindsets that often define learners: fixed and growth mindsets.  Obviously, there is enough detailed theory and data behind this concept for an entire book, but one major theme she touches on is our response to failure.

A person with a fixed mindset sees failure as I describe it above--a final judgement of inadequacy.  A growth mindset takes failure in stride--a bump in the road on the way to their destination.  For a growth mindset, failure is not an end but a minor learning experience that guides them in a different direction. Edison is a perfect example of a growth mindset. 

I found this information to be so powerful that I wanted to share it with my kids.  I made a How We Learn activity to start our year off.  I want my kids to embrace "failure" as a guidepost to redirect their learning.  Today, I gained the final piece of the puzzle. 

About a month ago, I applied to the Google Teacher Academy.  I wanted in.  I really wanted in.  I love Google--their technology runs my classroom and they inspire me.  Me applying to Google is like Rudy applying to Notre Dame.  I really, really wanted to be a part of the team.  I filled out the lengthy application including a 1 minute video that I made about motivation.  I learned today that I failed.  I didn't get in. 

Initially, I was pretty disappointed--I really thought I would be chosen.  My family was quick to console me.  As I reflected on my feelings, I was reminded of my How We Learn activity.  I took a shot and failed, but this is not the end, and I certainly wouldn't want my students to be devastated and give up.  I'm going to share this experience with my students.  I'm going to tell them how I plan on learning more and applying the next time the Google Teacher Academy is geographically near where I live.  I will be a Google Certified Teacher.

What's Bad About Education Technology

I want to start by saying that I am a huge advocate of technology in education.  I work in a one-to-one school and infuse technology into every activity and project in my class.  That being said, all great power can be wielded positively or negatively There are definitely some negative outcomes that can occur as technology floods into education.  Here are a few that a can lead educators and districts down a bad path.

Sorry Apple, but tablets that don't have full computer capabilities are are mistake as a one-to-one device.  You can try to make this square peg fit into the round hole of education, but you will have to jam it in to make it work.  I love my iPad, but I find it increasingly difficult to use compared to my Macbook when I do school work.  Problems with typing, moving from app to app, file management, compadibility, etc. can doom a one-to-one initiative if it becomes more cumbersome than paper and pencil.  I understand the cost prohibitive of a Macbook, but by the time you buy an iPad, accessories, apps, and other required equipment, you can nearly afford Macbooks, considering Apply will knock down the price on a large education purchase.  Don't go one-to-one because all the cool kids are doing it--with some device that "is good enough"--it will end up costing you more in the long run.

While we are talking about technology devices.  I have to get in a few shots at SMART Boards (SINO--smart in name only).  Spending valuable tech-dollars on SMART Boards is not a good investment of money or pedagogy.  These are a gargantuan waste of money for most classroom applications.  I can see the usefulness in a small elementary or special needs classroom, but in a classroom of 20+ students from middle school up--the only real purpose SMART Boards serve is a $8,000 projection screen.  Technology needs to be used for creation--student creation--not content delivery.  This leads me to my next point.

Using technology to replace or support traditional methods of direct instruction is a misuse of technology.  Computers are tools of creativity.  Schools are not going one-to-one to save paper.  Running worksheets through the Xerox machine to turn them into PDF's and digitizing multiple choice quizzes, based on a boring lecture are tech-crimes that should be met with corporal punishment at the very least.  This is bad and students will know it right away.  This stale method is not engaging to say the least, and it will lead to cheating and other discipline issues.   

Webinars are the absolute worst form of professional development and should be avoided at all costs.  If the video and audio feeds actually work, which is rare in my experience, a webinar is one of the most disengaging forms of learning I have experienced.  Short tutorials are useful, but a 5-person, conference-call-styled presentation is awkward and borderline absurd as a learning methods.  I understand if it is the last possible option, but it too closely resembles traditional direct instruction, only you're not in the same room--a method most effective teachers would laugh at.

Unprofessional Professionals

Professionalism is an important issue in many fields.  Every profession seems to have a different definition of what professionalism means to their particular job.  Generally, people expect a certain dress, language, and work ethic.  However, I think the most important aspect of professionalism is often overlooked.  Professionals should embody the core of their profession.  For a true professional, the line between personal and professional life should be completely blurred, meaning their profession should soak into their personal lives, like an estuary of fresh river water and salty sea water.

Police officers should abide the law and serve and protect even when not on duty.  Nurses should care for the health of people and themselves on and off the clock.  Teachers should be learning and instructing outside the classroom.  Professionals living their profession--this is the most important measure of professionalism.  Unfortunately, unprofessional professionals are pervasive in so many parts of our economy, from crooked cops and nurses that smoke cigarettes to undemocratic politicians.  The one that really bothers me, the one I could rant about for pages and pages are unprofessional teachers.

Anyone who works with me will tell you I don't tuck in my shirt, I'm a little loose with my language at times, and I stray from other minor facets of "professionalism".  However, I learn at an exponential pace and I share my learning with my colleagues, students, and community members.  I pains me to sit and listen to teachers complain about having to learn something new.  how antithetical can a person be!

We have all experienced it.  Teachers can be worse than students.  I remember being addressed by our superintendent and awkwardly watching him having to wait on teachers to stop talking while he was talking.  Its hard to count on my fingers all the times I have been in professional development sessions where teachers are not paying attention, playing on their phone, or not participating at all.  How about all the negative comments about school in general?  We all need a break and comic relief is necessary in  a stressful job, but teachers complaining about school and learning new things does irreparable damage to a school's culture. This is a fundamental part of professionalism that needs a shift.  We need to live our profession and expect from our teachers at least what we expect from our students.

Tech Lag

It has always been obvious that a massive chasm exists between technology innovation and the average user's knowledge.  From phones to computers, most users are aware of 1/10th of a given gadget's capability.  This same phenomenon is rampent in the education world.   Every time I am involved in professional development, I am surprised to see people who don't know the basics of general computer literacy and troubleshooting.  Even people in the technology department sometimes work and spend in counterproductive ways.  To be fair, many teachers are too busy learning their content, pedagogy, professional requirements, building requirements, coaching obligations, not to mention trying to balance a personal life, to keep up with the constantly changing landscape of educational technology.  Edtech moves so fast its hard even for technology people to keep up and make good decisions about what to commit to.

However, there are countless web tools and gadgets to make life easier for everyone.  The question is how can we professionally develop teachers in a way that is efficient, meets their needs, doesn't overwhelm, and is cost effective?  I don't think there is a silver bullet that can span all school districts systematically.  Just like our students, each school corporation, each building requires a unique plan for professional development. I think there are a few things like an RSS Reader such as The Old Reader, Feedly, or NewsBlur that make learning easy and fast, but that is another post.

http://www.mylot.com/w/photokeywords/computer+frustration.aspx

All too often teachers are given some technology, such as a SMART Board with very little training, so the technology actually ends up more frustrating than their older paper and pencil methods.  This is an example of the problem with efficiency and bad tech decisions.  "SMART" Boards can cost from $2,500 to $8,000 or more if you get all the bells and whistles.  However, for the way most teachers use SMART Boards the same technology is FREE online--all you need is a $300 dollar projector, a wireless mouse, and a bed sheet to project on--I can guarantee it will work more often too.

Technology in and of itself is not the answer for education--that is not what I am saying.  It is a tool... actually it is a massive warehouse full of millions of tools and if we don't let teachers in the warehouse and give them a guided tour, they are going to walk the other way.  This is going to have negative effects on their classroom and school corporation as a whole.  Education is moving quickly into technology, we have to equip or teachers with the tools and support they need to embrace this movement, not fear it.

21st Century School Culture

In Changing Education Paradigms, Sir Ken Robinson discusses the habits of institutions and the habitats they occupy.  While his intelligence exceeds mine by a factor of 10, I think what he is talking about is creating a collaborative culture of learning among all stakeholders of a school or institution.  Among other things, this culture must be truly collaborative--from top to bottom, or better yet, from bottom to top.  There are so many aspects to explore within this thought, but one that struck me recently is the general disjunction of professional development between administration and staff.

Office Space (1999)

It seems administrators attend one type of professional development and teachers a completely separate type.  There is rarely a crossover and it leads to groups moving in new directions separately.  This leads to a disjunction in collaboration, learning, and general sense of community within a school's culture.  This is a bad habit of many schools.

The trigger of a new direction may be out of the hands of some administrators, or it may be a choice, but it can come from many places.  A conference they attended, choices of a rival school, a recent book they read, an article in a publication only they receive, etc.  Either way--the problem is not a new direction.  The problem is a lack of collective community learning.  This problem is facilitated by a lack of communication.  Even in the best schools, communication between administration and teachers can usually be vastly improved.  

So how do we bridge this disjunction?  How do we foster a better school culture?  I think it can start with two simple habits.  Teachers and administrators attend the same professional development and fully participate (obviously not everyone, but at least representatives).  They don't sit in the back and play with their phone (teachers and administrators), they model the engaged participation they generally expect.  The second habit is weekly idea sharing among the entire community in one way or another.  An exchange and discussion of meeting notes, a shared digital "wall" online, regular staff meetings--something where new ideas are shared, reflections by the above mentioned representatives are shared, and new paths are chosen or at least discussed by the entire group of professionals.

Its about collaboration, its about community, its about buy-in.  If the soldiers don't buy-in to the battle plan of the generals, they won't execute it properly--then we are wasting time on enforcement and discipline.  This analogy applies to whole schools and individual classrooms.  Schools and educational institutions are really encouraging 21st Century skills, but it starts at "home".  A school's culture must employ 21st Century skills, build collaborative learning habits, and create the cultural habitat Sir Ken Robinson mentions--a model of what we expect in the classroom.

Wagging the Dog

Photo from: Eric Doherty

I recently had a conversation with my excellent student-teacher about last week's post advocating for an end to traditional grades.  She pointed out the implications of the large-scale practical application of grade-less education.  How would that affect admissions into higher-ed?  How would that effect financial aid and scholarships?  My collaborator Joey Till responded in a very matter-of-fact way, 'well, we have to change the system'.  

Obviously the system can change.  From NCLB to merit-pay and school choice--education policy will bend to the loudest voice.  Unfortunately, these changes have all been in the wrong direction.  These were top-down changes that have mainly come from outside sources who political motivations.  We need a positive change toward progressive pedagogy/assessment on a platform of technology with an evaluation system that doesn't involve a carrot or stick.  This needs to be bottom-up initiative that moves from the teachers to buildings to districts to the state level. 

I haven been a part of major change in my building (1:1 computing), which is now affecting change in my district (1:1 grades 4-12 next year).  Other schools have been visiting our school and changing their districts--hopefully this will lead to changes at the state level.  However, the fight to changed the evaluation system is a much harder fight.  I think its a fight worth fighting.  I think what we need is an organization of teachers who want change.  We need to create a grassroots organization of teachers who are interested in changing educational policy in the interest of learning.  Does one exist already?  Where do we start?

The Next New Thing in Education

It seems like every time a new thing is introduced in education you hear one of the following:  "No. not another new thing to learn... its always something".  "We just learned (insert thing), now we have to learn this"?  "TTSP--this too shall pass".  We have all heard it.  I have said these things myself in the past.  I understand the feeling, but we have to change our attitude as educators in the Digital Age.  From the time of John Dewey until the Digital Age, changes in education were relatively small and incremental.  The Digital Age has caused an explosion of exponential change that is rippling chaotically through all facets of education--often from the bottom up.  Progressive educators now have a voice and an ability to assemble---digitally.

Content, pedagogy, assessment, professional development, classroom management, communication, administration--everything is rapidly changing.  The tremors of change have not shaken public education uniformly, but its only a matter of time.  The question is, are you going to do the shaking, or will you be shook?  I would rather do the shaking.  With an expectation of change on the horizon, I want to be a part of the changing, not sit idle and wait for someone to change me.

Our school has used Moodle in the past, then Google sites was introduced this year along with a few other web hosts, now Edmodo is becoming popular.  Some people are just now getting really comfortable with Moodle, and we are off to a new thing.  Fear not; this is a good thing, and its something that will never go away--change.  Do we need to radically shift our class with every new shake in education--of course not.  We should all maintain a general style, but we can never stop.

In fact, education is very similar to our wardrobe.  We all have a general style.  New fads are always springing up--we don't buy everything, but we must buy something.  We can't be afraid to change out of what is comfortable.  We risk the metaphorical style of cousin Eddie.  Is this how you want your teaching to look?

It never stops.  We are never "there".  We ask our kids to keep learning more, push themselves, go farther, sharping their skills--shouldn't we?  Our classrooms are learning laboratories, and we must be educational scientists, lest we find ourselves in a leisure suit.