Good Process: Looking Ahead

On Monday, I began a project with the students that many educators agreed on. The project did not go as planned originally

Last night I witnessed a meeting where the effort did not go as planned either.

What both events had in common was that the voice of the stakeholders were not effectively included during the planning time.

In the case of the project, we should have started the planning with a student conversation. We could have said to the students, "We're noticing this, and we're wondering if we do some projects in this area (naming particular area) if that would help. What do you think?" But because we didn't enlist student voice upfront, the buy-in wasn't as great as it could of been. We did, however, backtrack to include student voice which worked out in the end.

In the case of the meeting I witnessed, it's my feeling that the efforts to include stakeholder voice upfront way back when the initiative started were not inclusive enough therefore there wasn't representation from a broad group of stakeholders, but instead a smaller chosen group.

As I think ahead to the teaching/learning to come. I am wondering about initiatives that I will pursue in the coming weeks, months, and years, and how I might utilize good process in that respect--what can I do to promote effective effort and result?

High Needs Students
I want to continue to think about my work in this area. I reached out this week to a member of our teaching team who offered an idea. We'll begin putting that idea to work today to see how it goes. I want to think about more systematic efforts in this regard as well. For example, I'll meet with students to get their ideas with questions such as:

• How can I support your learning more?
• What would help you learn more?
• What do you need?

I also signed up to attend ECET2Boston which is an event that is focused, in part, on this issue. I'm sure my team will continue to study, discuss, and work towards meeting the needs of these students in the days to come.

Cultural Proficiency

I'll soon dive into the Frederick Douglas biography and visit the African American Museum in Boston to prepare for students' field study. This is one part of our overall cultural proficiency effort. Further, my colleagues and I, will work with surveys we've identified to forward our work in this regard. Finally, we'll incorporate a lot of our work this year in this regard with the upcoming biography project, Global Changemakers, in ways that help students choose people to study that both "speak to them," and inspire them.

I want to think more about good process as I continue to hone my craft with relation to the math program and STEAM study too. I'll return to this topic in the days to come when I have a bit more time. 

Teaching Well is a Full Time Job

As you think of the needs and interests students present on top of the positive response and coaching that encourages their learning, you realize that teaching is a full time job.

As I look ahead to tomorrow, I'm aware of a number of small details that will make a positive difference in the day.

New Reading RTI Groups
Students will transition to new RTI groups tomorrow so that means we'll need to make some time to talk about that transition with regard to where they are meeting, who is their lead teacher, and what the expectations are. Once we meet in the groups, we'll focus on the group organization, getting to know one another, deciding on some goals, and then reading together.

Math Standards Study
Students will continue to focus in on specific math standards related to fraction study. We'll focus on fraction sequences, simplest form, relationships between the numerator and denominator, equivalent fractions, mixed numbers, and improper fractions.

Math RTI: Fraction Projects
We'll continue to coach students as they complete their creative fraction projects.

Social Competency
We'll have a class meeting to focus on specific social competency goals/criteria.

Lunch Meetings
A few students have asked to work through lunch on projects and I'll make that available tomorrow.

We're back to our steady routine. I've noticed that students are taking a little more control and ownership of our daily learning efforts, and that's very positive. Onward.

Layers

Sometimes layers are created to hinder change, responsibility, and good effort.

For example if you have a decision to make and you add multiple layers to that decision, it's possible that you will never have to make that decision because the layers will be so cumbersome, people will just give up and you will never be tasked with doing the work at hand.

Layers can act as a distraction or hindrance to the potential possible.

As much as possible we should streamline process, communication, and decision making rather than add multiple layers of people or process to slow down or impede good wok.

Yet, on the other hand, sometimes layers can help out by adding important levels of consideration and vetting so that the best work rises to the top--this is when layers can work in advantageous ways.

In the end, processes need to be considered carefully to see if they are over-layered, under-layered, or layered just right. Just right layers help process to serve potential whereas layering that is not just right hinders the potential possible.

Onward.

Working in the Parameters Set

Every work place sets parameters and expect employees to work within the parameters set.

Those parameters may be seen as too loose, too tight or just right depending upon your perspective.

Also, sometimes, the parameters differ depending on who you are and where you sit.

In the best circumstances, parameters are created by those they affect with inclusive process including representation of all stakeholder groups. This is ideal.

When the parameters do not fit your philosophy, belief, research, or need, there is a decision to make. You can choose to advocate for change or decide that the issue is not important enough to forward therefore choosing another path.

We see this decision as we operate in families, neighborhoods, communities, workplaces, organizations, and our country.

What parameters will you accept and work within?

What parameters will you work to change?

Currently as I think about this. I will continue to read and think about how we might change parameters to serve our high needs students better. I will also think about how we might change parameters to modernize our teaching/learning community efforts to teach every child well. Those are two questions that I'm very interested in, and questions I will invest in as I move along my professional path.

With respect to our country and communities, I want to think about and advocate for better parameters (policies and laws) when it comes to "life, liberty, and happiness" for every citizen--how can I work with others to elevate the potential communities hold for good living.

At home, I'll look for ways to use time and money to support a loving family, happiness, and success for family and friends.

Betterment is within everyone's grasp and this betterment depends on good communication, apt process, respect, research, collaboration, and care.

The Response to Good Process and Communication

Recently I have been involved in a process that has been thoughtfully created and carried out. It's been amazing to see how this process has elevated the people involved creating trust and respect for each others' values and ideas. Being apart of this process reminds me of the importance of making the time to use good process to solve problems and make decisions. Too often we don't give process the time it deserves when it comes to teaching and learning well. Good process and communication elevate, and that's integral to positive learning/teaching communities.