Where are you going?

As an educator, I like to focus on three areas of my work:

• Reflection related to what we've done.
• Focus on the learning at hand.
• Contemplation about next steps.

This morning's tweets and blog posts seem to focus on similar areas of education today which led me to reflect more about those areas with regard to my own work.

Reflection

My classroom demeanor, focus and environment have changed significantly in the past few years.  I've moved from a teacher-centered classroom to a student-centered environment.  I no longer have a teacher desk, and my room consists of many more spaces for collaborative learning and project/problem base work. Tech is infused in about 50% of our learning, and much more time is focused on how to learn rather than what to learn.Overall the changes have served to empower, engage and delight students.

Further, our system's investment in PLC/RTI and Literacy Studio with expert visitors (Austin Buffum, Ellin Oliver Keene), teacher collaboration and focused implementation have served to move my work and the system's work related to student learning forward in substantial, meaningful ways. 

Learning at Hand

Currently the learning at hand is challenging for both me as the teacher and the students.  I've instituted an individualized learning program with regard to math computation.  Presently that takes a lot of teacher time.  As I infuse tech tools, students' investment and a pattern, my investment will become more streamlined and reasonable.  Students are also involved in movie making and a global conference which require new levels of skill, attention and investment.  Common core standards are woven into these projects.  Hence the learning at hand is vigorous with a substantial learning curve for all.  Again, after we embark on these projects for a first time, the efforts will begin to take on a more natural flow, rather than the extensive investment first-time teaching takes.

Next Steps

Next steps are obvious, but not yet within our ready embrace.  The next steps include the following:

• The use of gaming to learn.  Many students are fluent at video games and gaming--they love it.  That engagement and the virtual worlds that gaming brings are a definite next step for classrooms everywhere.  I realize that some classrooms already embed this into their daily routines.  I need to learn more about this so I can implement the medium. Luckily I have a new colleague who is invested in this approach so that will help.
• Onsite learning.  We need to take learning into the community in more vigorous, engaging ways.  Field trips have to become interactive field studies, and student learning, when possible, should positively affect the community and world they live in. Rather than exploring natural phenomenon in books, we need to take our iPads, cameras, iPods, notepads, questions and investigations into the field, then report back both our learning and our ideas for sharing that learning or impacting that environment.
• Programming: Rather than teaching just "secretarial" skills, we need to invest students' time and attention into creating with technology as suggested by Stager.  Programming is an essential skill in that regard, and we need to teach this skill at every grade level in developmentally-friendly ways. 
• STEM: We need to build more meaningful opportunities for students to build and create using engineering, science, math and other content principles.  Early experiences with engineering will build a more innovative, self reliant populous.
• Science Lab: One reason we don't have enough scientists is that students' early experience with science in the elementary school is limited due to a lack of science labs, hands-on investigations and scientific experiences.  The current structure of elementary schools does not support this growth; this would be a simple change with a dramatic effect. 
• Greater collaboration.  We need to move collegial collaboration forward so that we are serving children as well as we can.  With assessing the passions and skills of each other, and careful planning and targeted response, I believe we can serve children better.
• Sharing ideas. It's past the stage where we wonder if teachers should share their learning and ideas. Now we must move towards how we'll share.  It's imperative in this age of information overload, that a continual conversation of ideas, learning and efforts is ongoing and present in every school.  Our school just started an online blog called, "Collaborate," to provide a platform for that kind of sharing. 

As you reflect, implement and determine next steps, how is your list different than mine?  What have I missed in terms of integral movement and action?  If you are an administrator, do you keep this kind of list current and visible for your entire system or do you simply share reflections and current goals rather than next steps?  

Where have you been; where are you now, and where are you going are important considerations as we teach children well.  Do you agree? 

Do You Read? Professional Growth

"Do you read?" was the question posed to me by an administrator years ago when I was juggling classroom teaching, financial constraints, raising three young children, and navigating the needs of a large extended family.

"Read?" I replied, when do I have time to read?"

That question stayed in my mind as I watched that administrator embrace new ideas and boldly pave the way for some wonderful teaching and learning paths. I liked many of the ideas he was putting into action, and I was challenged by his question.

So when life started taking on a more reasonable pattern, I began to carve out the time to read and write related to my professional journey, and to quote Frost, "that has made all the difference."

This experience leads me to two conclusions.  First, asking the right questions inspires action, and next, it's advantageous for administrators to consider the busy, financially-strapped lives of young teachers who are often balancing families and teaching.  As part of that consideration, administrators can help those professionals make time for advantageous professional reading and research by giving them professional days during the work week, extending planning periods, and sending them to conferences or professional workshops during the school day.

I have time to read and write now, and that has impacted my work exponentially. It shouldn't be the case however that you have to wait until you are older and have more time and money to do the professional work that is essential to teaching children well.

Alliances?

I've always been a distant member of most groups.  I haven't spent a lot of time allying myself closely and supporting specific agendas.  I've always "marched to my own drummer" in many ways, following more of an interior vision than an exterior motivation.

That's worked well for the most part in my world of work and play.  I've been able to maintain my own voice while interacting and collaborating with many.  However, now that I'm interacting with so many diverse groups and individuals on the Internet, I'm finding a greater need for alliance.  There is too much to navigate not to ally myself with a few groups--groups that collectively research, post, discuss and create knowledge that help me to teach children well.

Do you ally yourself with specific online organizations? Which organizations do you find promote the best that we can do for children when it comes to authentic, child-centered education and care?  What groups are not only promoting best practices, but digging deep to develop and create schools that truly will make a difference in children's lives as well as impacting the integrity and vitality of communities and nations?  Who are the leaders in this evolution?

I'm seeking answers to these questions. I think this could be a great #edchat or #teaching2030 topic?  What are your thoughts?  I want to know.

Teacher as Diagnostician?

The more I teach, the more I realize that what I like best about the job is matching just right curriculum and process to learners in an effort to engage, motivate and teach.

I just spent the morning tailoring math lessons, practice packets and lists of online sites and games to boost individual students' performance and skill.

That's why no one curriculum, online venue, field study or program ever works for me--I teach in response to the students in front of me and the identified primary standards for success which include the following:

• reading comprehension/fluency
• writing skill/fluency
• mathematical/scientific understanding/skill
• identified content that matches students' passion/interests
• 21st century/life long learning attributes: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.

Essentially I am invested in the role of diagnostician and learning coach.  

In that role, I find myself committed to these activities:

• Reading and research related to the science of learning.
• Searching for the best learning tools, venues and experiences.
• Listening to, and getting to know learners with depth and care.
• Responding to students' needs and interests.
• Coaching my students with positivity, vision, respect and kindness.

Does the role of diagnostician or coach match your definition of teacher?  How would you modify or enrich the activities list I've presented?  In what ways is this a role shift from the teaching role of the past?  What do teachers need with respect to structure, environment and support to perform this role with strength?

As I move along my professional journey towards teaching children well, I will continue to consider these questions and actions.  I look forward to your response. 

MCAS 2nd Analysis 2012

I received my son's MCAS scores which sent me back to analyze my students' present and past scores once again.  Like every teacher I want every child to score proficient or advanced.  So when I see students scoring in Needs Improvement or Warning, I'm prompted to analyze the scores carefully in light of the academic program and my efforts.

I've been giving the MCAS test at elementary school for a long time.  Over the years my scores have varied, yet they tend to hover around the 1/4-1/3 to 3/4-2/3 differential in both ELA and Math. There's been that rare year when everyone scored in proficient and advanced in a subject, but mainly there's a larger group in proficient/advanced and a smaller fraction in Needs Improvement/Warning.

Our students generally come from highly educated, loving families who have the ability to care for their children well and support our schools with care. Obviously, those are significant reasons why our students generally score well at all grades.

As I looked at the scores today, I was reminded of the following points to help our students do well on these standardized tests:

• Make sure that all children complete daily, meaningful practice in reading, writing and math.
• Strategically match students with teaching assistants and specialist teachers to support growth.
• Monitor progress regularly with formative assessments and adapt instruction when needed to promote growth.
• Nurture a positive, student-friendly learning environment.
• Embed standards in meaningful, engaging project base learning whenever possible.
• Provide regular feedback to students and hold students to high standards.
• In math, provide students who fall well below the grade level standards a chance to strengthen their mathematical foundation skills. 
• Create short term, challenging and realistic goals with students and strategize with children as to how to met those goals. 
• Collaborate with the teaching team regularly to share successes and challenges as a way of promoting the best possible collective program.
• Implement PLC (professional learning communities) and RTI (response to intervention) to promote targeted student growth.
• Regularly provide feedback and don't let anyone "fly under the radar" by not completing assignments in class or for homework.

Good teaching matters, and there are many strategies we can employ to help students learn well.  What would you add to my list?  What would you take away?

While some do not support standardized testing, I continue to be a fan of streamlined testing at fourth grade.  Since testing I have noticed greater attention towards those who are challenged by reading, and greater investment by all parents. Also, testing at fourth grade focuses on essential skills; skills that every child will need to move forward in their academic lives so these are standards I can live with. 

The key is to take these standards and make them a part of lively, meaningful student-friendly projects that also build 21st century skills of critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration. Onward.