Self Assessment: Numbers Matter

Do you teach well?

How do you determine the merit of your teaching? How do you relay this information to others?

It's difficult to be objective with regard to your own work. That's why it's important to create a self assessment process that helps to move you forward with your teaching and learning--a process that works in tandem with outside evaluations and assessments.

For example, a main objective of my work next year is to teach math well.

How will I assess that?

First, I have to define what teaching math well means. What does teaching math well look like? What are the results I seek?

This is a difficult question in these times--times when "teaching math well" has many definitions depending whom you talk to. The integration of technology and new research related to learning and the way the brain works have impacted math teaching and learning greatly. Technology integration and cognitive research are relatively new with regard to integration into classroom practice and math education. Therefore it's difficult to define what teaching math well means today, but at this point, I would define teaching math well with the following attributes:

• Students understand and know how to use multiple paths of math learning including using online math tech teaching platforms like Khan Academy, coding to understand math, making math models, reading math books, learning math vocabulary, and developing numeracy skills, knowledge, and concepts.
• Students understand the beauty and value of math--they know that mathematical thinking plays an important role in all aspects of life and they appreciate the value of developing a strong mathematical mindset.
• Students enjoy learning math and realize that math can be learned in a wide variety of ways.
• Students master age and/or grade-level math standards.
• Students develop number facility across all operations. (I teach 5th grade)
• Students develop a visual foundation of math concepts and knowledge.
• Students are able to communicate mathematical ideas with clarity, ease, and accuracy.
• Students become facile with the Standards of Mathematical Practice.
• Students understand how to use math resources and tools with accuracy, ease, and purpose.
• Students are able to use mathematical thinking and reasoning to solve real-world problems and complete meaningful projects. 
• Students have growth mindsets. They understand that everyone is capable of learning math and the key is figuring out what they need and accessing those tools and processes to deeply learn the subject.

As I think of the attributes above, I next wonder about how I might assess these attributes.  

First, I'll refine the list above. Then I'll create an early year assessment(s) to assess the attributes noted. I want to have a thorough understanding of where my students are starting the year with regard to these attributes.

Then as I teach standard-by-standard with meaningful numbers, problems, and projects, I'll assess student growth with regard to these attributes. I'll keep good records related to the attributes above and work to be explicit and transparent with students, their coaches/parents, and colleagues with regard to this information. 

This logical process will help me to self-assess my work, and that honest self assessment will help me to forward my teaching in ways that matter. This assessment will also help me to identify, share, and advocate for practices that work well with students in the classroom. Too often educators are given a list of directives without consult of voice, and then it's our job to follow the directions and hopefully find ways to personalize the approaches in ways that matter. This works if you have solid evidence for what you do and why you do it. Starting the year with comprehensive assessment or set of assessments as well as follow-up formal and informal formative assessments gives you more voice, trust, and support over what you do because you have the evidence to show what's working well. 

Now, it's true that none of us can assess ourselves completely. We need to have outside evaluators and evaluations to contribute to a quality assessment. Too often outside evaluators are short on time and without the related content knowledge to assess completely too, and that's why it's important that we create meaningful self-assessments prior to the start of the year, assessments that truly lead us forward to do the work that matters when it comes to teaching every child under our leadership well. 

Teacher: The Humble Servant?

"I am not a perfect servant. I am a public servant doing my best against the odds. As I develop and serve, be patient. God is not finished with me yet." - Jesse Jackson

"He who is not a good servant will not be a good master." - Plato

"The public character of every public servant is legitimate subject of discussion, and his fitness or unfitness for office may be fairly canvassed by any person. - Charles Babbage

When it comes to teaching there is a bit of a myth related to the value of the humble servant, an individual who tirelessly does his/her work without complaint day after day.

While there's great strength in humility and a steadfast attitude in education, there's also potential harm with the humble servant myth since if all teachers were humble servants who did their work without share, voice, and choice, then would we be able to move systems forward with strength and good work?

As in most things, there's a good balance to be had here--a balance between listening and speaking, humility and assertiveness, service to others and service to self, observation and action, and following and leading.

I imagine the humble servant has its roots in religious, cultural, racial and economic roots. It has probably been analyzed through all of these lenses. I will think more on this topic, and if you have anything to add, please let me know.

TLI Final Meeting: Positive Challenge and Support

Terrific guiding competencies for teacher leadership. 

Today was our final meeting for the year-long Teacher Leadership Initiative (TLI). It was a great course with substantial learning and challenge. I was introduced to so many areas that I can continue to focus on to develop my skills and abilities with regard to teaching and leading well. The teacher leadership competencies offer a rich guide to teaching and leading well. In fact, it would be a good guide to begin using with pre-service educators as they prepare to teach.

As I learned today, I realized that it's important to invest oneself into questions, problems, and areas of study, research, and work that is meaningful to you--areas where you feel you can make a significant impact on those you collaborate with. We all bring with us different styles, experiences, vision, and goals, and it's important to recognize those elements in yourself and others as we move individually and collectively towards goals.

It was heartening to hear that the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) holds promise for greater teacher leadership, choice, and voice in schools, and that to know ESSA well, is to maximize the positive qualities of the law. Leaders today noted that many schools are creating ESSA implementation teams to give the new law the time and attention it deserves. I think this is a good idea, and once I finalize this year's paperwork and get some rest, I'll probably take a good look at the new law.

Going forward from the Teacher Leadership Initiative, I plan to invest time into growing our shared teaching model with colleagues, developing my math teaching repertoire, and looking for ways to help struggling learners learn more. As a union representative, I'll continue to update our website and work on sharing news of union events and opportunities. And with regard to the the big picture, there's lots to do with regard to our upcoming ECET2 event this fall. It looks like we may have to change our date or location due to an unexpected turn of events, but we have time to deal with that.

With one more day of school and Father's Day tomorrow, it's time to get ready for the celebrations. Onward.

Teacher Leadership Initiative (TLI): The Journey Continues

Late last summer, I began the Teacher Leadership Initiative (TLI) sponsored by multiple education organizations including The Center for Teacher Quality (CTQ), National Education Association (NEA), The Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA), and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Throughout the year our TLI team in Massachusetts has met numerous times online and offline to develop our leadership knowledge and skill as each of us worked on a capstone project. My capstone project was focused on the three-teacher/classroom shared teaching model that my colleagues and I started this year. Also, as part of TLI, I was able to work with teachers and leaders from other states as well mostly in the area of instructional leadership.

I learned a lot throughout this endeavor, an endeavor which gave me greater confidence and skill with regard to getting involved in multiple education associations and organizations to develop and share my craft and collegiality. Further, and most importantly, this effort helped me to grow the collaborative model with colleagues to teach children well. As part of the capstone project, I had to present my work via a portfolio which I've shared below.

If you read through the portfolio, you'll note that the model overall was wonderfully successful for multiple reasons. I learned a lot throughout the year. You'll also note that there are still areas for growth and development with regard to my teacher leadership work and systematic efforts. In some ways, it's been challenging to move from the isolation of one-teacher-one-classroom to a shared model, a model that's mandated that we work more with district leaders as we move towards greater research-based change and innovation in what we do.

I'm grateful that my system administrators supported our shared teaching model, and I'm thankful too that our state and national union as well as other leading education organizations have supported the Teacher Leadership Initiative (TLI) and other education work that I'm currently involved in.

In the end, what's most important is that we serve children well, and in that end, it's vital that educators find ways to work with groups of like-minded colleagues and forward thinking leaders in the field to develop their skill, inspire their work, and move forward to meeting the promise and potential a good education holds for every child's life and every community's well being.

If you have thoughts or ideas for me in relation to this work, I welcome your wisdom. Also if TLI intrigues you, sign up and take advantage of this incredible learning opportunity.

Note that as a veteran teacher of thirty years, I've decided to be extremely transparent about my work including my strengths and shortcomings. I don't advise this for newer teachers as I believe it's important to think about what you share and why you share, however, because educators have so often not been treated with respect or given realistic, inspiring avenues for growth and development, I think it's important that some, like me, relay the real journey of ups and downs, support and challenge, highlights and low times that teachers experience. Only when we look deeply into the profession, will we be able to better celebrate and elevate the work we do to teach all children well.

Note: There remains a few typos to clean up and for some reason, Pathbrite doesn't recognize dashes, so I've got to explore that which is the reason why phrases such as one-teacher-one-classroom look like this "oneteacheroneclassroom."

Good Teaching Takes Time

Recently I've noted a number of opportunities for teachers to get involved in organizations outside of their schools. The events sound interesting and there's a part of me that would like to get involved, but what I really like more is teaching well and that takes time.

To do a really good job with the students is a full-time job, yet if you don't take advantage of some of these outside offers, you simply won't be able to grow your craft in optimal ways or stay up with the times.

What's a teacher to do?

I think the key here is targeting your efforts. Finding a few places where you're going to truly invest some good time and energy for greater effect.

In my world, at this moment, that results in three areas including math education, better serving underserved students, and local union efforts. I truly like what we're able to do with our shared teaching model. There is so much potential with that model, so for the time being I'll focus in on what I can do to support that growing effort. Onward.