From Frustration to Advocacy

At times when one looks out into the world, he or she may feel frustration or even anger and think, Why aren't things different, or Why hasn't change occurred? When that happens it is important to define what is not working, and turn the strong emotions and energy of frustration and anger into actions of advocacy and change.

My dad says, "Don't complain; do something about it." I am also reminded about the famous Gandhi quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world." Tuesday's #leadfromwithin NOW leadership chat reminded me that we are living in the now,  and while the "then" can inform our journey, "then" should not serve as an anchor to our current action and growth.

This week, a parent Olympian came and spoke to students and staff. He reminded all of us that achievement happens with one small step after another. Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots Coach, looks at the game in "chunks," breaking it down into plays rather than tackling the whole game at once.

We can help our colleagues and students when they become frustrated by asking these questions:

• What is making you frustrated? 
• What would be your ideal?
• How would you help a student/teacher like you?
• What can I do to help you create change? 

 Then you can support a plan for change.

When frustration and anger grow, those emotions disable individuals, and they become mired in a sense of hopelessness or despair. However, turning those emotions into a forward movement towards change, one step after another (and sometimes one leap after another), will move individuals, families, organizations and communities toward better effect and greater happiness.

Next Steps: Research and Revision

Today as I contemplated my professional goals, my husband asked, "What's your dream job?"

I thought about it, and remarked that my dream job had the following components:

• students
• a learning environment
• awesome tools
• a dynamic, collaborative team
• meaningful problems to solve

I enjoy a challenging project and a passionate, creative team.  I like to work with others with an efficient, targeted process to revise, create and alter environments for better effect--keeping the best of the old, and adding the best of the new. That process drives my work and learning. 

As a system, many are working on details related to the common core and state-wide standards. As I understand the standards, I believe the content/process changes will be minimal as we already employ many processes, tools and materials to teach the common core or similar standards.

At this time, the greatest challenge for me as an educator is to shift the learning environment in ways that integrate tools, processes and the environment to best reflect the latest research related to cognition.  I want to facilitate a brain-friendly learning environment that facilitates students' ability to learn how to learn in addition to acquisition of a solid academic foundation (the standards).

What will it take to achieve this goal?

First, I need to read all I can about cognition.  Thus, my summer reading list. 

Next, I need to arrange the learning environment, schedule, communication and routines to match the systems' goals and reflect a brain-friendly environment with the tools, furniture and spaces available.

After that, I will continue to revise projects and lessons, unit by unit to mirror optimal cognitive strategies and process. 

It would be great to do this with a dynamic team of like-minded educators, but currently I need to find the time and space for independent research and reflection. When the 2012-2013 school year gets rolling, I'll have the chance to work with a wonderful grade-level team during PLCs, grade-level meetings and inservice initiatives to integrate topics of summer study and system-wide goals.

A large part of achieving vision is identifying the vision. This is the latest in my vision revision--let me know if you have any suggestions that will impact my work. The more I blog about system processes and individual work, I realize the delicate balance that occurs, and the factors that impact optimal synergy and effect. I will think about that relationship too as I read about and plan for continued growth and change in the learning environment. 

Effective Educator-Driven Change

Inclusion came to be a mainstay in my school system about 25 years ago.  The concept of including all children in the regular education program most of the time was relatively new. It was a different model than the pull-out model of servicing children with diagnosed learning disabilities of the past.

It didn't take much to convince me that inclusion was a step in the right direction, and I jumped on board.  A masterful teacher leader in my school, who also favored inclusion, saw the need for systematic supports to make this change happen.  She gathered all the teachers in a room and said, "If this is going to work, we need support."  Then teachers created a long list of supports that would make inclusion work.  The support list included the following items:

• Training
• Time for teachers, teaching assistants, parents and counselors to meet on a regular basis to plan for, and make inclusion work.
• A transition meeting in the spring between the current year's teachers, next year's teachers and the parents to create a smooth transition.

I delivered the list of ten or more supports to the assistant superintendent at the time.  He retorted strongly that it was the the most demanding list he had ever received.  I left the meeting discouraged only to find out several days later that every request we made was granted.  25 years later most of those supports are still in place in our school and inclusion continues to be a vital part of our system.

25 years ago our union was strong, teachers were bold and children took center stage in our school.  There were fewer mandates and less paperwork, but vision led our work with strength.  It wasn't perfect though, and many of the tools and systems we have in place now such as RTI, tech integration and PLCs are efforts that hold promise for better work. However, this story of old points out important lessons for future change.  Effective change requires vision, communication, collaboration, training and support.  

A New Team

Teaching teams were announced yesterday. My team will change, and there's still one spot left to be filled.  I knew change was in the works, and I was anxious to hear about the new team.

I'll miss the fine work and intelligence my former teammates brought to our grade level group. I learned a lot from them.  I'm also looking forward to learning and working with the new team.

It is difficult learning about a new team at this time of year as there's litte time to wrap up a classroom and work with the old team, while also setting up orders and making time to connect with the new team.

Now that we rely on collaboration to a greater extent in schools, I believe that systems of team change have to alter to accommodate strong initial team building and efforts.  Similar to the start of inclusion when we changed many systems to accommodate a more inclusive teaching environment for all students, now schools have to change their systems to initiate, develop and build strong, collaborative teams that work well together for best effect.

How can a system do this?

First, systems have to define what team means to them?  Is the teaching team a grade-level team or a team that has a different definition?

Next, systems have to develop timely, fair protocols for change in order to give teams the time and support they need for team change.  That system might include the following steps:

• A protocol is determined by administrators and teachers.
• Teachers send in their requests for the next year, and administrators look at system-wide needs.
• Team changes are made utilizing the determined protocol. The changes are announced on the same day to eliminate conjecture and stress.
• Existing teams have time, perhaps in a PLC or grade level meeting to wrap up the year and make decisions related to the change. This could be a good time for leadership support.
• New teams have time to meet, order materials and discuss the year ahead before the summer break--a time when teachers do a lot of planning and thinking about the next school year.

As I've mentioned before moving from a system of relative isolation (one teacher-one class) to a system of greater collaboration will take effort and innovation.  It won't just happen overnight.  Effective, focused protocols, communication and systems can serve to support a strong collaborative culture which we know holds promise for successful 21st century schools.

How has your school system changed protocols, processes and communication to support the move from isolation (one teacher-one class) to collaboration in schools (many teachers working together to serve many student needs)? What are the essential processes organizations use to foster optimal collaboration in the work place?  What are the expectations in a collaborative culture and how can educators and administrators help each other to meet those expectations?

Our systems' implementation of PLCs would be a good starting point for this effort.  Also re-looking at the yearly calendar of process and change may be a necessary step for schools moving towards a more collaborative culture since the systems of old were there to support a very different school culture.  Change in schools is coming because there is no way that we are going to be able to ignore the overwhelming research and promise related to technology and brain-friendly education that points to new structures for greater student engagement and success.  Those changes will occur with greater ease and effect if systems take the changes seriously and plan for the new collaborative cultures they hope to build. 

I Care

Lately, I've been discouraged.  I've been discouraged because I care.  I know that when systems are carefully constructed and thoughtfully carried out, change occurs with strength and potential.  I know that when teachers are given time to complete tasks in a thoughtful fashion, the tasks are completed well. I realize that good work matters, and choosing the best person for a job makes a difference. It's never perfect, but when same systems are repeated year after year without revision, it can be discouraging.

Endangered Species Continued. . .

The furniture has been shifted to make room for our upcoming endangered species open house.  The projects are nearing completion.

Now it's time for the final project list:

1. Finish your Google presentation. Spell check. Share with teacher by Friday, 6/8.
2. Finish your iMovie, export to desktop or Youtube, upload to presentation by Friday 6/8
3. Finish your animal drawing by Friday 6/8
4. Choose from this bonus list to make your exhibit inviting.
• create a word find.
• practice presenting your presentation.
• make a crossword puzzle
• create a diorama.
• write a song or poem.
• make signs about the animal's amazing facts.
• do you have another idea? If so, let me know.
5. Or help out with an open house job:
• make an open house invitation.
• make a welcome sign.
• help to organize and clean up the room.
6. Download a powerpoint version on 6/11 just in case the server doesn't work on the Open House morning. 

On the 14th we'll share the projects with family members as a way to celebrate a job well done. 

Teacher Voice

I play a very small, but important role in the work place.  I'm in charge of the education of a classroom of bright and talented children. I have many ideas about the ways our systems can grow and change to better effect the work we do with students, but the processes for idea exchange and communication are not in place for ready discussion, debate and delivery.

As you may imagine, it is discouraging to see potential without a ready vehicle for sharing and implementing those ideas.

Currently in education,  to have a voice usually means you have to be an administrator or friend, otherwise it is expected that you will stick to your role and your charge by focusing on the children, and letting the leaders do the job of discussing ideas and best practice.

The problem with that mindset is that the system greatly affects the work teachers do each day, and the system influences motivation, direction, interaction and vision. When there is shared investment and clear communication and protocol, systems thrive, and serve children well.

I recognize that I see things through my lens as a classroom teacher, and there are many other lenses and viewpoints with regard to an organization's vision and process.

Do teachers quiet their voices since systems of  fluid idea management and exchange usually don't exist, or do we find ways to speak up and share ideas. We can be quiet and unsatisfied doing mediocre work, or teachers can play a vital system role by shaping schools with conditions for excellence.

How do you support and employ teacher voice in your system? Do you embrace passionate voices?  How do you collect, reflect and manage ideas from those in the front line of schools: students, families, teaching assistants, educators and service providers? Do your administrative structures support the best possible work when it comes to students, and do you make time to include teachers in the big questions affecting their daily work or as Jose Vilson states "give teachers a seat at the table" when it comes to policy and decisions.

Teachers are sometimes invited to share their ideas through surveys, evaluations, one-to-one conversations, ideas/grants realized, and that's a first step. Yet, fluid systems of idea exchange, communication and forward thought will encourage and employ teacher voice in dynamic ways that serve to better meet students' needs and interests.

Personally, I want to remain a classroom teacher, but I also want to have a voice.  Is that possible?  Thoughts welcome. Debate embraced. I'm seeking solutions and processes, and I invite your discourse.

Keep the Child Center Stage

A day in school can be long particularly when the demands outnumber the minutes in a day, but no matter what we do, we will do a good job if we keep the child center stage.

The Weekly Memo?

Weekly Classroom Memo

Do you write a weekly memo--a memo that lists the week's focus, main events and future considerations? I believe that the weekly memo centers an organization by providing a weekly reminder of the organization's vision and matters at hand. The weekly memo supports transparency, shared goals and collaboration rather than conjecture and separate paths. A regular memo creates organizational rhythm and greater harmony.

My husband worked in an organization that had a powerful memo from the organization's leader each week. The leader shared the latest news and vision related to the organization with warmth, humor and respect. I noticed how this memo lifted my husband's sense of purpose each week, and I must admit his boss's words of wisdom lifted my work each week too even though I worked in a very different type of organization.

I write a memo to family members each week.  My error is that sometimes my weekly memo becomes an every-two-day memo. Hence, my challenge is to stick to a once a week memo rather than too many messages. Then there are the weekly memos that are simply shopping lists--too long and dull so no one reads them. What's the best solution?

Organizational leaders need to keep work places' mission and vision up front as that builds collaboration and shared goals.  Managers have a responsibility too to coach the team with timely information and regular inspiration. When the information is hidden and the goals vague, organizations do not reach the potential possible. Yet, when information is too readily shared, people may not listen. Also, perhaps a weekly memo is one task too many.

How do you communicate with colleagues and those in your charge?  How does your organization share goals, vision and events?  What kinds of communication and communication systems best support optimal performance, rhythm and harmony in the work place?  I will heed your thoughts and ideas as I plan my classroom communication system for next year, and think realistically about the quality and quantity of communication I produce and expect for best effect.

Why NING?

Ning Protocol

I have been using NING for the past five years as my class's closed social network. I'm convinced that upper elementary is the best time to start guided social media efforts because it introduces students to the medium and the language related to the medium at an eager and open minded age.

Since the law requires students to be 13 or older to interact legally on the Internet, I ask families to join the NING rather than individual children. It is up to the family members to guide and monitor their child's use of NING at home, and I do the same at school.

These are many of the reasons why I employ NING:

Ning Twitter-Like Stream

• It's a closed network that family members, colleagues and I manage. When children post an inappropriate comment, we use it as an opportunity to teach students about safe social media use, and the comment is quickly deleted.
• The platform provides a great vehicle for teaching digital citizenship and Internet responsibility.
• NING melds many social media venues into one site. There's a Twitter-like stream, Youtube-like video area, Pinterest-like image area, blog options, and information posting places. 
• Students can easily contact the teacher and each other via NING whether they are near or far. Recently a student traveled to China for a month, and he was able to correspond with the class via NING. When students travel, they can easily post images of their adventures on the site as well. 
• As the classroom teacher, I easily forward newsletters and updates to all members of our learning team via NING.
• NING interfaces with other websites well.
• Parents and students are able to check in on class events 24-7. 
• NING allows me to share the classroom events with colleagues and our building administrator too. 

Ning YouTube-Like Video Area

Next month on move-up day, I'll invite families to join our 2012-2013 NING. As in years past, several families will join during the summer months and stay in contact throughout the summer. That really puts some children and families at ease about the upcoming year.  Others will join in September.  I'll have a family/student tech workshop to guide those that want help in joining early in September so that I'm sure that I have included all families.  

Ning's Image Center

Then we'll utilize NING throughout the year with other online venues to foster optimal creativity, communication, critical thinking and collaboration. Every year NING is used differently by a class, and that's okay as every class presents a different set of interests and needs. I let this medium act as a casual communication part of our classroom efforts while our class website serves as a resource center; the content blogs/websites serve as vehicles for targeted learning and endeavor, and Twitter lends daily updates and focus.  This classroom communication system has served the class well this year and in the past.

How do you manage classroom communication? What tools do you weave together to meet the many needs and interests that your learning community presents?  How do you foster facile social media understanding and use with upper elementary school students so that they are ready for responsible, effective use of social media venues in the years to follow? Thanks for weighing in on this topic as we continue to navigate the ever changing world of education and communication. 

Blog Discussions

Direction: Defining Your Role

I've been looking for greater role definition in education, but now I realize that has to come from me.

Curriculum leaders, coaches and administrators are working to implement the common core, RTI, PLCs and a better schedule for meeting students' needs. They've asked for our thoughts, and now they are busy crafting the plans for our work next year. I imagine that we'll receive updates either at the end of this year, over the summer or at the start of next year about these new and revised initiatives.

In the meantime, I find myself thinking deeply about how I will use my time and run my classroom to personalize learning for each child within the collective frameworks mentioned above. In that regard, I am focused on learning about brain-friendly education--the kind of learning that teaches children how to learn in meaningful, efficient and successful ways that include their passions and interests.

In a sense, I'll have my own "mini sabbatical" this summer and focus on my summer reading list. I hope to return to school with a host of activities, guiding posters, classroom routines and a stronger mindset for teaching children well.  I'm excited by this journey because it's the first time in my life I've had the time to read and focus on a topic that intrigues me with energy and depth over several mostly-uninterrupted weeks (I also have a family to care for).

I'm sure I won't be alone on this journey.  Last summer I was able to connect with other educators near and far who were researching and thinking about the deeper questions related to the work they do.  I look forward to that collegiality again this summer. The cycle of teaching, then learning, then teaching again positively affects the work we do.  That's why I'm not in favor of 12-month school year, but instead believe that all children should have the opportunity to learn in new and invigorating ways during the summer at camps, local programs, on their own and with family members.

In education, defining our role depends on time to read, research and strengthen our craft--the kind of time I'm looking forward to this summer.  Let's see what happens.

Fourth Graders' 2012 Summer Olympics Intro Film

Students enjoy making films, and there are so many tools for easy film making available today. If you've made a film, you understand how challenging it is.  It is especially challenging to stop and say, "good enough," as a film can be a limitless project.

My small book group worked with a professor from BC and me to craft a script and create a movie.  They had a difficult time reconciling that the movie would not look just like a Hollywood film due to our inexperience and time limits. However we were able to include their ideas, voices and creativity.  They'll present the film at our upcoming Summer Olympics Assembly as a way of introducing the whole school to the games.

Take a peek at their final product.  This is one of many films to come for this small band of learners.

We'll end the school year crafting films for our endangered species projects. I'll challenge students to think deeply about their audience and message as they create each film.  I'll also take into consideration that creativity is a step-by-step, contagious process that will spread about the classroom with joy if I allow it. 

Pruning the Path Towards Effective Work

If you've read my posts you know I like my work to be effective.  You also know that my dreams and vision far outweigh time and energy.  Hence, one main issue I contend with regularly is prioritization.

When it comes to prioritization, I like my time and energy to be spent effectively.  I don't like to waste time or work on redundant tasks.  Instead I like to move forward with as much fluidity, focus and care as possible.  So when what may seem like inefficient, unnecessary obstacles are placed in my way I become easily frustrated as I work to remove those obstacles with speed so I can get back on the road toward effective work.

In any large organization one is going to contend with multiple viewpoints and many perceived obstacles, hence it's essential to define the task at hand and prioritize actions in order to move towards that task with care. It's also important to recognize what you're going to spend time on and what issues you're going to ignore.

As I move forward as a classroom teacher, I've identified the following goals and efforts as priorities.

• Students First: This is such a simple statement, but one that clearly puts educators on the right path when it comes to the work they do.
• Streamline Systems:  Create streamlined systems with students for classroom routines leaving most of the time for collaborative, engaging learning tasks and endeavors.
• Effective Communication: Establish effective two-way communication systems for family, student, educator (local and global) communication related to the classroom program.
• Knowledge: Spend a considerable amount of time reading and researching so that the classroom program reflects state-of-the-art, student-friendly academic practices and endeavors.
• Collaboration: With respect to student endeavor and growth, seek out and collaborate with like-minded educators with a similar students-first focus.

As I move forward as a classroom educator, I will put my energy and time into the tenets above.  And, as stated in an earlier post, I will center my summer study on learning about education practices that include optimal brain-friendly, cognitive strategies that optimize students' ability to navigate the knowledge-laden world we live in with strength, care, confidence and success.


Note:
I hope to use this post by Shawn Blakenship to guide my work as well.

2012-2013 Prep: Updated List

August starts tomorrow and I'm energized for school year prep and planning.  I'm revising this earlier list to share with colleagues near and far and to organize my work in the days to come. As teachers know, there is a great deal of work that goes into planning and preparing for the school year ahead--work, when well done, results in optimal student learning, engagement and success.

School Year Planning and Preparation Action List

Update website.  Delete outdated material and update with new pages, links and information.  The goal of the website is to serve as a quick class reference site that parents, students and colleagues can easily refer to during the summer and school year to learn about and interact with the classroom program. (completed)

NING: Our class social media, NING, is up and running and ready for student-family guided social media exchanges this year. Some families have already signed up and are actively involved.  I will work at getting all families to sign on during the first weeks of schools and taking the time to teach children how to use this media effectively.

Communication Protocols and System: I will devise a streamlined, regular communication system for our classroom learning team. I will outline the system on our class website, and introduce the system during Curriculum Night at the start of the school year.

Room Organization: Put aside about 40 hours for room prep--I'm going to give this task extra time this year as I know it makes a significant difference in student learning, engagement and success.

Program Review: I've organized the essential goals and process, the next steps include sharing, discussing and revising this work with the learning team i.e grade level teachers, coaches, curriculum directors and assistants.

Field Trips: It's almost impossible to plan and schedule field trips during the school year so I'll try to do as much of that work as possible during the summer months.  I've pruned this list down and now I have to spend a few hours making phone calls and completing forms to organize my share of this job.

Summer Study: I will center my summer study on learning more about brain-friendly education. I will continue to work away at my reading list and continue my efforts related to Hattie's Visible Learning for Teachers #educoach chat.

iPad Exploration: I continue to not find the time for iPad exploration since I utilize the computer mainly for composing and I like the quick access to multiple windows, the keyboard and the many other tools the computer has that the iPad doesn't.  I will set up a schedule for iPad exploration with students in the fall, and let that exploration continue with student learning. Also one of my new colleagues is an iPad aficionado, so I'll learn from her.

Schedules: Once schedules are shared with staff, I'll create a draft schedule plan for the class to make sure I include all program objectives.  Then I'll work with the many specialists and assistants that work with my class and students to make sure we make time for all targeted instruction. I'll add the schedule to the website as soon it is available so students and families will know what to expect.

 Program review and collaboration with colleagues: During the first days of school, we'll meet as a learning team, grade level teachers, specialists and leaders, to discuss the following topics:

• computer share schedule
• year-long calendar, rotation schedule
• schedule for special programs i.e. Just Like Me, Plate Tectonics, Immigration Museum, Field Trips.
• Nuts and Bolts for first six weeks.
• Materials sort, extra ordering if needed.
• Parent-student tech mornings.
• Curriculum Night: agenda, sign-up sheets, parent conference sign-ups.
• Recess duty schedule.

Establish optimal routines including a birthday routine: I will think through the main routines for the classroom and work with grade-level colleagues to draft a plan, then I'll work with students to finalize a plan for the important patterns for a happy, productive classroom.

Committee Work/Professional Development: I'll have an open ear about the initiatives, professional development and committee work presented during the initial days of the school year.  I'll choose a few areas to commit to, areas where I feel I  have something to both learn and offer.  I also plan to use my student teaching voucher for a local University math course. 

First Six Weeks Curriculum Preparation: I'll also begin to prep and plan materials for the first six weeks of school lessons including the following:

• Literacy Studio Introduction
• Classroom Library
• Literacy Studio Routines: I'll use my research from last year and our PLC work to guide my work in this area: Daily Five Personalized and Literacy Studio Applied
• Learning to Learn Lessons
• Standards for Mathematical Introduction and "Fact Smart" Lessons
• What's Your Culture? Unit
• Self Portrait Poetry Anthology

What have I missed?  What would you add?  Note that this is a working list I'll modify and enrich as the weeks unfold.