Technology Gardening #leadershipday12 #summerblog12

Leadership Day from Scott McLeod holds a special place in my blogging heart. It was Leadership Day 2009 when I posted to this, or any, blog for the first time. I was working on becoming a connected leader. I had opened a twitter account, @fliegs, a few month earlier, and I was reading education blogs (my blog bundle). Starting my own blog was the next step.

Over the next few years I blogged about the goings on at school, my opinion an all sorts of education topics, and summaries of education books. I wrote for Leadership Day 2010, but missed it last year.

So, here I am in August 2012 and the question is: What should a principal do to increase the amount of technology integration in school?

A principal needs to nurture the integration of technology. Nurturing means to provide the right environment for technology integration to grow. Teachers need to feel comfortable taking risks, the students need access to decent (or, dare I say, the best) equipment, the network needs to be robust, and the internet needs to be fast and stable. In other words, we need to prepare the soil.

Once things start to grow, we need to tend to them carefully. Of course tomatoes need different care than potatoes; lettuce is handled very differently than peas; squash and onions need totally different amounts of fertilizer (says my wife). Now, if I were far more ambitious (and did not have a board meeting earlier tonight), I would take this analogy way too far by describing what kind of adult learner compares to each of the aforementioned vegetables. Instead, I will point out that some teachers need only play around with technology to learn it well. Others want some direct instruction then off they go. Still others need step-by-step handholding until they are comfortable. Principals need to differentiate the professional training just like a gardener differentiates the care of the plants.

It is at this point that my garden analogy totally falls apart. Principals need to choose the right moment to shift from nurturing to expecting. While the peas on the faculty have already been integrating tech, often for years, the beets finished some PD and got started. On the other hand carrots take a long time to germinate and then grow (not sure how carrots play into this, told you the analogy fell apart). Anyway, two-thirds or more of the teachers are integrating technology. One way to get some of the remaining third growing, I mean using tech, is for the principal to set the expectation. Sometimes we have to quit nurturing and start expecting. Try telling a row of corn that you expect it to grow without fertilizer this year - this analogy is busted.

Another technique that principals often use to encourage technology integration is to model its use. I and many other principals integrate technology into our practice daily. We demonstrate classroom integration ideas into faculty meetings. I have been trying to convince my wife that the best way to get peaches to grow in Vermont is for her to show the peach trees how to grow here. I'm not yet sure that modeling is going to work in this case (in addition, I'm not yet sure that my wife has ever listened to a single word of my gardening advice).

In all good gardens, harvesting the fruits of our labors is the best part. Watching the cucumbers working on a dynamic lesson using all sorts of innovative technology designed by their teachers is as good as serving a salad of only locally grown students. Or something like that.



P.S. No vegetables were harmed in the writing of this blog.

P.P.S. Future blog post: how to avoid getting blight

Posted with Blogsy

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1 (or 39) Top Idea(s) for Educators from Mindset by Carol Dweck

Of the many books that I have read in the last year, Mindset by Carol Dweck has caused me to think and question my long held beliefs more than most. According to Dweck, our intelligence and our basic frame of mind can change. We can have either the fixed or growth mindsets.

• You have a choice. Mindsets are just beliefs. They're powerful beliefs, but they're just something in your mind, and you can change your mind. Location 308

N.B. I read the kindle edition before kindle included page numbers, so I have included the kindle location number. While reading, I highlighted passages and made some notes. The passages in italics and the main bullet points are direct quotes from the book. The sub-bullets without italics are my thoughts. Those notes proceeded by "Note:" I wrote while reading the book.

The two mindsets will affect a person's approach to any task. A person with the fixed mindset believes that he has a set amount of skill or intelligence or aptitude. The fixed mindset person is just good at stuff and will never get better or worse.

• From the point of view of the fixed mindset, effort is only for people with deficiencies. Location 737

People with a fixed mindset will quit easily; they give up because there is no use in struggling or giving extra effort. Many fixed mindset people will not even attempt challenging tasks; that way they can't fail.

The growth mindset on the other hand is filled with possibility. People witht the growth mindset believe that through hard work they can get smarter, better, stronger. Often the effort is the reward for the growth minded. Failure is a sign of just needed to try again only harder. Growth minded people will not give up very easily.

• Not only weren't they discouraged by failure, they didn't even think they were failing. They thought they were learning. Location 110
• Those with the growth mindset found success in doing their best, in learning and improving. And this is exactly what we find in the champions. Location 1650
• Those with the growth mindset found setbacks motivating. They're informative. They're a wake-up call. Location 1671
• You have to work hardest for the things you love most. Location 758
• Actually, sometimes you plunge into something because you're not good at it. Location 919


• In 2011, as part of the EdCamp Boston planning team, I took on the task of creating the logo (from the generic EdCamp logo) when our teen artist fell through. I am not much of an artist and have only a limited skill set in computer graphics. Well, after much trial and error, I came up with a decent looking graphic using only free tools on the iPad. With that success behind me, I once again took on the role of graphic artist with EdCamp Vermont.
  

• In the growth mindset, you don't always need confidence. Location 917

Dweck explains that even the fixed mindset is not truly fixed - it can be broken.

• People can also have different mindsets in different areas. Location 825
• It's also important to realize that even if people have a fixed mindset, they're not always in that mindset. In fact, in many of our studies, we put people into a growth mindset. We tell them that an ability can be learned and that the task will give them a chance to do that. Or we have them read a scientific article that teaches them the growth mindset. The article describes people who did not have natural ability, but who developed exceptional skills. These experiences make our research participants into growth-minded thinkers, at least for the moment—and they act like growth-minded thinkers, too. Location 816

So what? What does all this talk of mindsets have to do with modern education? The mindsets cut right to the core of why we teach (hopefully). Educators must truly believe that EVERY child can be successful through the right combination of hard work and good instruction. The number 1 Top Idea for Educators from this book is:

• Believing talents can be developed allows people to fulfill their potential. Location 840

We are all about fulfilling potential - our students', our school's, our community's and our own potential.

Now that I have uncovered the 1 Top Idea of the fixed and growth mindsets, I want to share more of this powerful book. I've split up a slew of pithy quotes into categories that may be most relevant to educators.

Students

• I think by now we're getting the idea that character grows out of mindset. Location 1564
• So, by helping students with their mindset, we might be making progress on part of the hidden curriculum. Great.
• Praising children's intelligence harms their motivation and it harms their performance. Location 2839
• WOW! This flies in the face of so much that I thought I knew.
• We can praise them as much as we want for the growth-oriented process—what they accomplished through practice, study, persistence, and good strategies. And we can ask them about their work in a way that admires and appreciates their efforts and choices. Location 2874
  • Note: Can we make this part of the way teachers talk to students? Should we have a parent session about this?
  • From this time on, I must praise hard work, etc. whenever possible.
• So what should we say when children complete a task—say, math problems—quickly and perfectly? Should we deny them the praise they have earned? Yes. When this happens, I say, "Whoops. I guess that was too easy. I apologize for wasting your time. Let's do something you can really learn from!" Location 2894
  • Note: Wow! Imagine that in school.

Not trying

• Many adolescents mobilize their resources, not for learning, but to protect their egos. And one of the main ways they do this (aside from providing vivid portraits of their teachers) is by not trying. Location 991
• This low-effort syndrome is often seen as a way that adolescents assert their independence from adults, but it is also a way that students with the fixed mindset protect themselves. Location 996
• John Holt, the great educator, says that these are the games all human beings play when others are sitting in judgment of them. "The worst student we had, the worst I have ever encountered, was in his life outside the classroom as mature, intelligent, and interesting a person as anyone at the school. What went wrong? . . . Somewhere along the line, his intelligence became disconnected from his schooling." Location 998
• teaching them this mindset unleashed their effort. Location 1004
• Note: Should we teach the growth mindset early and often and explicitly in school?

Bullying

• There's a big dose of fixed-mindset thinking in the bullies: Some people are superior and some are inferior. Location 2700
• So, will teaching students to be growth minded reduce bullying?
• But some schools have created a dramatic reduction in bullying by fighting the atmosphere of judgment and creating one of collaboration and self-improvement. Location 2753
• First, while enforcing consistent discipline, he doesn't judge the bully as a person. No criticism is directed at traits. Instead, he makes them feel liked and welcome at school every day. Then he praises every step in the right direction. But again, he does not praise the person; he praises their effort. Location 2763
• The combination of building the relationship and praising the positive efforts sounds like a powerful way to approach the "frequent flyers" - the kids with the worst discipline records.

Teaching

• Jaime Escalante (of Stand and Deliver fame) taught these inner-city Hispanic students college-level calculus. With his growth mindset, he asked "How can I teach them?" not "Can I teach them?" and "How will they learn best?" not "Can they learn?" Location 1090
  • Note: We've got to get every teacher thinking like this about all the kids.
• This means there's a lot of intelligence out there being wasted by underestimating students' potential to develop. Location 1097
• What any person in the world can learn, almost all persons can learn, if provided with the appropriate prior and current conditions of learning. Location 1122
• Remember, test scores and measures of achievement tell you where a student is, but they don't tell you where a student could end up. Location 1127
• But some teachers preached and practiced a growth mindset. They focused on the idea that all children could develop their skills, and in their classrooms a weird thing happened. It didn't matter whether students started the year in the high- or the low-ability group. Both groups ended the year way up high. It's a powerful experience to see these findings. The group differences had simply disappeared under the guidance of teachers who taught for improvement, for these teachers had found a way to reach their "low-ability" students. Location 1134
• In contrast, when students were praised for effort, 90 percent of them wanted the challenging new task that they could learn from. Location 1214

Schools

• Don't judge. Teach. It's a learning process. Location 3021
• Simply raising standards in our schools, without giving students the means of reaching them, is a recipe for disaster. Location 3150
• The fixed mindset, plus stereotyping, plus women's trust in people's assessments: I think we can begin to understand why there's a gender gap in math and science. Location 1340
• The great teachers believe in the growth of the intellect and talent, and they are fascinated with the process of learning. Location 3158

Leadership

• they are constantly trying to improve. They surround themselves with the most able people they can find, they look squarely at their own mistakes and deficiencies, and they ask frankly what skills they and the company will need in the future. Location 1853
• "If we're managing good people who are clearly eating themselves up over an error, our job is to help them through it." (Charlie, former boss of Jack Welch, quoted by Welch, quoted by Dweck) Location 2145
• Check out my story, A Tale of Two Ripped Papers.
• leadership is about growth and passion, not about brilliance. Location 2229
• Maybe I do have a chance to be a decent leader.
• Herodotus, writing in the fifth century B.C., reported that the ancient Persians used a version of Sloan's techniques to prevent groupthink. Whenever a group reached a decision while sober, they later reconsidered it while intoxicated. Location 2278
• I'm not advocating, merely offering up the wisdom of the ancients.
• Create an organization that prizes the development of ability—and watch the leaders emerge. Location 2304

Becoming Growth Minded

• "You have to apply yourself each day to becoming a little better. By applying yourself to the task of becoming a little better each and every day over a period of time, you will become a lot better." Location 3378
  • Note: Wisdom from Wooden...(as quoted by Dweck)
• The critical thing is to make a concrete, growth-oriented plan, and to stick to it. Location 3742

So, read the book and then make your plan. You can grow no matter how good you think you are.

---

Related articles

• Mindset (principalj.blogspot.com)
• Mindset: Start making the shift... (justintarte.blogspot.com)
• http://www.mindsetworks.com/

All Hands on Deck!

In the days of yore, the captain of a ship would have the Boatswain (or Bosun) use his pipe to make the "All Hands" call when he wanted the entire crew up on deck and ready for action. Everyone, no matter what their role, no matter when their last duty shift, no matter how busy on another project, were expected to stop what they were doing, assemble on deck and, presumably, focus on the crisis at hand.


Now you might think that I am going all naval again like last year's post featuring the OODA Loop. I am not. Instead, I want to gloat. You see, I became principal at Wolcott Elementary School this year, and I noticed that the teachers here understand what it means when the principal (or other staff members) call "All Hands" on our proverbial Boatswain's Pipe.


A number of times this year, one of us has come to the Educational Support Team (EST) with a student crisis. Sometimes it's been very low achievement; other times we've had a student in personal crisis. In December, I called "All Hands" in order to prevent the total meltdown of several at-risk students (this was somewhat successful, but we plan to do much more next year).


Each time, the response from every staff member has been fantastic: what do we need to do? what can I do? I never had to ask "What are you going to do?"


The great thing is that this is the culture here! It's embedded deeply in the staff. I could fill a whole separate blog post just listing all of the ways that Wolcott Elementary School staff get together on deck for the good of the students. I am lucky to work here.


If you want to hear the All Hands call on a Boatswain's Call/Pipe, take a listen.

Image: CC 3.0 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bootsmannpfeife.jpg



Cross posted to Connected Principals

Feasting and Dancing in Jerusalem

So I am not a teenage any longer. In fact, I haven't been one for quite a few years. Anyway, I realized a few months back that I still have teenage trait left in me (no, not my sense of humor as that is more like a 12 year old). I still have songs that define my life. In the last eighteen months, there are three songs that tell a lot about me.

This Year by The Mountain Goats

Firework by Katy Perry

Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

This Year is a song aimed squarely at a demographic more than 20-years my junior. I don't connect much with the whole teen angst thing. My teen years were not very angsty, and I am not so angsty now. Except...last year was pretty tough for me. (For most of that story, please read this post). Anyway, my connection to this song was really only with the last line and the chorus: 

Image via Wikipedia

There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year

I am going to make it through this year if it kills me

I am going to make it through this year if it kills me

A powerful, hopeful mantra as I listened to that song about seven million times.

During the spring of 2011, things started to pick up for me. Sometime during the winter, I, along with 3 zillion other folks, watched a Texas high school lip dub of Firework by Katy Perry on YouTube. While not my usual style of music, I was hooked and added the song to my happy-songs playlist. Over the course of a few weeks in the spring, I drove from Massachusetts to and from and all over Vermont. As my interviewing confidence grew, I kept turning up the volume on Firework. Some of the lines I like best are:

"Cause baby you're a firework

Come on show them what you're worth"

Image via Wikipedia

"If you only knew what the future holds

After a hurricane comes a rainbow"

"Maybe you're the reason why all the doors are closed

So you could open one that leads you to the prefect road"

"It's always been inside of you, you, you

And now it's time to let it through" 

Catchy? Sure. Trite? Absolutely. Beneath an educated, professional? Definitely. Did I listen to this seven million times also? You bet.

Well time went on as it always does, and we moved to another town. Getting the principalship at Wolcott Elementary School, moving to Vermont, and finally selling our old house in Massachusetts has made for a great New Year.

Image via Wikipedia

During these past few months since the move north, I have listened frequently to Chicago by Sufjan Stevens. Once again, a song aimed at a very different audience, spoke to me. The hook was the beauty of the song, but the refrain at the end seems to sum up my learning of late:

we had our mindset
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things know, all things know
(I made a lot of mistakes)
you had to find it
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things go, all things go
(I made a lot of mistakes)

So, that is me in song (at least recently). Going forward who knows what I will listen to. Maybe more of the same, maybe a whole different genre (countrified rap here I come).

Over the last eighteen months, I have come a long way. Things are good. We are not in Jerusalem, but we are feasting and dancing this year.

Related articles

• Making the Most of Mistakes (connectedprincipals.com)
• Katy Perry breaks Twitter silence for first time since Russell Brand divorce announcement to warn fans off believing gossip (mirror.co.uk)

Full House for a While

This is a great time for me right now because of two full houses.

No, not aces over kings. I am referring to my school and my home.

My school has finished two weeks of the three week Summer Learning Camp (SLC). Each day a wonderful staff, that includes Wolcott Elementary staff, teachers from elsewhere, and a few teens, greets more than thirty Wolcott Elementary students.

This year, the SLC has chosen the theme of "Super Heroes." In these last few days of the program, they are working hard on an original play called "Superhero Crisis." I can't wait until Thursday to see the show and then blog about it.

Having the SLC around has been a great way to start my time at Wolcott. Instead of an empty school, I got to be right in the middle of it all.

The other full house was at home. We just had six house guests staying with us for several days. While it was a bit chaotic, my daughter and son loved having two cousins around, and it was great to see my parent and one of my sisters.

Now, the house is back to normal (whatever that means) and the SLC is winding down.

In a few days, I will be longing for the full house of the in-service days and the start of school.

I can't wait.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Kids v. Grown-ups, Guest Blog #2

The other day, I can't remember exactly when or what the context was, my daughter drafted her second blogpost. I agreed to allow her, once again, to guest blog here on the Principal's Point of View.

***
Learning
by Maya Fliegelman

Kids learn more than grown-ups.

Q: Why?

A: Because kids have more to learn.

***

I used to agree with this line of thinking. In fact, as a child, it never occurred to me that adults learned at all. I don't remember a teacher ever telling us about her own learning. Now, from what I can remember, I had several really good teachers, but no memory at all of thinking of them as learners.

When I was in the classroom, I made a point of saying, "I don't know" when I didn't know. I also made a point to talk to the students about how I learned as I talked to them about what and how they learned. I even taught them the words "pedagogy" and "metacognition." (Of course, teaching seventh graders how to say the Massachusetts lake, Chaubunagungamaug, was far more entertaining.)

Anyway, I dare not argue with my daughter to her face as I do not want to be humiliated by losing to her. Instead, I will argue with her on my blog. I think that she is wrong. I think that some grown-ups think they have little left to learn and seem to stop learning. I know many adults who are the opposite. For example, both my father and father-in-law have been learning all sorts of new things into their seventies. I know many teachers who never stop learning and never stop being excited about showing off their learning.

What do you think? Do kids learn more because they have more to learn? Do adults learn less? Do teachers talk enough about their own learning? Which is the better way to refer to the unyoung: adults or grown-ups? Leave a comment and your opinion.

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A Tale of Two Ripped Papers

"If we’re managing good people who are clearly eating themselves up over an error, our job is to help them through it.”
-Jack Welch as quoted in Mindset by Carol Dweck, Kindle edition location 2133 of 4714

Ripped Paper #1
One afternoon, Joan, a teacher in the building, came to tell me that her colleague, Anne, was crying and feared an angry phone call from a parent. Joan could/would not tell me what was going on, but wanted me to go to Anne. Of course, I went right away. Anne, a fantastic, young teacher, had gotten frustrated with a very challenging student and tore up his unattempted homework page. Between tears, she told me that she was embarrassed and humiliated. She was angry at herself for losing control and letting the student get under skin. Once she calmed down, I let her know how much I thought of her as a teacher and a person. I let her know that I would continue to support her as she figured out how to repair the relationship with the student and the parent. We decided together that Anne would call the parent that day and apologize. The next day, Anne would talk with the student. Anne would solve the problem, with contrition, and make things right. In other words, a good person, eating herself up over an error and then making reparation.

Ripped Paper #2
Months later, I got a phone call from a parent in Sally's class expressing anger that Sally had ripped her child's paper and thrown it in the recycling bin. The parent said that she was too angry to speak with Sally today and wanted to know what was I going to do. I promised only to look into the situation and get back to her.

Sally, an experienced teacher, was unrepentant. She told me that when she received homework papers with no name on them, she put them on the table and asked the students to claim them. In this case, she said that she knew whose paper it was and needed to teach him a lesson about forgetting his name. Sally mentioned that she had been telling thee kids to put their name on their papers all year; they should know by now. She must have seen the look on my face or known deep down that she'd done wrong because Sally then asked me if she wasn't supposed to tear up papers any more. She told me that many of the veteran teachers in the building have torn up papers in the past.

It was tough to keep my cool. I was shocked that I had to explain that humiliating students, while possibly effective in teaching students to comply with rules, was never acceptable. I made little progress with Sally.

The bottom line is that teachers are people who do stupid human things all time. What separates that adequate from the great is attitude. Sally's attitude was crap while Anne's was right on target.

Jack Welch would have me support Anne and help her get past this episode. I wonder what Jack Welch would say my job was in relation to Sally.



Note: While both ripped papers are real, all names and many details have been changed.


Image credit: Flickr user pineapple9995 CC

Smile File to replace Written Praise (#apr13)

During this week's noon edchat, the discussion centered around what teachers and schools need from administrators. At one point in the duscussion, someone brought up the idea of keeping a file of written praise as a great way to help get through a tough day.


I wrote about this in July 2010, Written Praise. The only change now is to switch to the somewhat corny, but much catchier title, the Smile File.

teacher6th (@teacher6th) 4/26/11 12:36 PM RT @coreydahlevent: I save letters (and email) that are positive...that speak to what I strive to be. #edchat This is my "Smile File" coreydahlevent (@coreydahlevent) 4/26/11 12:37 PM @teacher6th I like the "smile file" idea. On occasion, I will look at my "atta boy" letters. #warmfuzzy #edchat

fliegs (@fliegs) 4/26/11 12:39 PM @teacher6th Smile File is a way better name than Written Praise. I just may borrow that. #edchat

I admit, I am not above a little corniness from time to time. 


I was also thinking that not only am I going to rename my own file, but in next school year, I am going to encourage all the staff in my building to keep their own Smile File. In fact, maybe this is the sort of thing that we can build with each child. It could be part of their portfolio over the years. The trick is that we, as the adults, will need to be sure that we are helping each and every child build their Smile File.


So, go add to someone's Smile File. I am sure that the smile will be returned.

International Thank A Teacher Month (#Apr13)

Image via WikipediaI have just declared that today is International Thank A Teacher Month (or is it this month is Thank a Teacher Day. Or...)

Anyway, I was reading Mindset, by Carol Dweck earlier (more on this book coming soon) and it got me thinking about my own mindset about math classes when I was in school. Also, in the many interviews that I have done while job searching, a common question is to tell about a favorite teacher.

So, I got thinking about Mr. Gordon, my senior year math teacher. Then I thought wouldn't he love to get a letter from a former student thanking him for being such a good teacher. Fortunately, 23 years later, Mr. Gordon is still teaching at the same school. Here is the email that I sent him just before publishing this blog post.

Dear Mr. Gordon,

I am writing to thank you 23 years after graduating from Penn Charter. You were my math teacher in 12th grade and were involved in the drama program with me.

Throughout the last 15 years as an educator myself, I have often been asked to tell about favorite teachers I had. After I speak about Mrs. Wiener, my fifth grade teacher and a family friend, I talk about you and my experiences in your class.

You see, ever since third grade, I believed that I was bad at math. At PC, I struggled in math classes with Mr. Goulding, Mr. Hitschler, and others. Then, I got to 12th grade. I had not done well enough to take calculus, so I was in your senior, pre-calc class. I think it was your first year at Penn Charter.

I admit that I don't recall much of the math that you taught. What I do remember is your attitude. You were fun. You were goofy. You acted like you really enjoyed being in that senior, pre-calc class with us. You chose to have a fantastic attitude.

I remember one day when some of us came to class and had bibles on our desks (I don't recall what class the bibles were for). Well, you took one of the bibles, stood up on your desk and started reading aloud to the class. It was a riot. I think that you even tried to connect that back to math at the end. 

Your attitude must have been infectious because my grades in math were never better.

Well, I still don't think of myself as a math person, but I am willing to consider the possibility. It may have taken 23 years, but I will take another math class again soon. Only this time, I expect no bibles or teachers standing on desks.

Once again, Thank you Mr. Gordon.

Sincerely,

Larry Fliegelman, OPC '88

Elementary Principal

Former 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher

P.S. I am going to post this letter to my blog http://principalspov.blogspot.com Check it out if you want.

If you have a teacher in your past that made a difference (and you better), then please say thank you. That teacher deserves it.

Location, location, location (#apr13)

In the second of this ongoing series of blog posts with topics chosen by my wife and son, I will share some ideas about facilities.

When I started teaching in Medford, I worked in the old Roberts Middle School. The building was built in the 1920s and had very little maintenance over the years. It was so bad that there were cracks in the walls large enough for me to see clearly through to the exterior brick. Within a few minutes of sweeping, there would be a new layer of plaster dust on the floor. We tried not to think about what we might have been breathing. Worst of all, I learned the hard way that my bulletin board would get wet in a heavy rain - more than a few pieces of student work were ruined that way.

It got worse. Because the building was in such bad shape and allowed to remain that way, the attitudes of some staff (especially the custodians) and many children were pretty lousy. The lack of care of the building was palpable in many ways around the building. From the supply-hoarding principal to the kids who regularly destroyed the 8th grade hall bathrooms, the place was not a happy one.

So, it was a weird feeling when the new building project actually neared completion. Would we really get brand new buildings?

We did our first day of school in the new buildings was September 10, 2001. Our first fire drill came on September 11, 9:30am. While few of the systems in the school were working yet, someone had a radio.

That fateful day aside, the first year in the new building saw a great change in many of the ways that middle school worked in Medford. We had the good fortune to welcome a new, progressive principal to the new buildings. Most importantly, you could feel the optimism in the air. The building felt mostly happy.

We faced many challenges that year. The building wasn't really finished until January, but we moved in in August. The new principal tried to shake things up and met resistance from some of my colleagues. We had to merge staff cultures from three previous middle school buildings.

All in all, it was a tough year, but a great one. The kids and staff of Medford, were proud to have the new buildings. We all felt hopeful.

Maybe it is all about location.


photo credit: nate'sgirl cc not the actual Roberts building. ;)

cross posted on Connected Principals

I am an Artist (#idesmar)

A few weeks ago, I was asked to write about how the arts have influenced me personally and professionally. Here is what I wrote:

I am an artist. There I said it. I am not a bohemian walking around with oil paint on my pants. I am not an art student who knows the difference between a 6B and 3B pencil. I am not a trumpet player busking at the train station. I am not a poet in a beret with one of those really long cigarette holders. No, I am not that kind of artist.

Still, I am an artist. I've been creating and enjoying a variety of art my whole life.

The arts have been a part of my life since the beginning. My parents have finally forgiven me for drawing on the hallway wall when I was 2. I was fortunate to attend a middle and high school that valued the arts. I acted in every play from 6th through 12th grade. I sang in the regular and select choirs. I was the photography editor of the school newspaper. One summer, I attended the National Music Camp at Interlochen, MI, as a theater major. In college, I focused on technical theater and built scenery and props. I continued with tech theater for a couple of years and gradually got interested in woodworking. Although more a craft than an art, my woodworking was a creative outlet for a few years.

My daughter has been the impetus for another artistic outlet: drawing. Some yeas ago, I collected a few drawing pencils and started to sketch. I found that I liked to draw, but I did not like to show my drawings to anyone. Now, I watch her draw and end up joining in. This year, I took a leap and created an account on ArtSnacks. I have only uploaded a few drawings so far, but it is a thrill knowing my drawings are out there. (OK, so maybe I do know the difference between 6B and 3B pencils.)

Something kind of cool happened about ten years ago. I found an old trumpet. I played for a while and then forgot about it. In 2007, when I became principal of Spofford Pond, I could hear the different bands practicing each morning before school. One day I remembered that old trumpet. As a way of showing support for the band program, and to satisfy my own artistic drive, I asked if I could sit in on the beginning band once they started in January. The band director was thrilled. So, I was the tall one sitting in the back row with the fourth graders in the band. I was the only band member to bring coffee and my school walkie-talkie to rehearsals. I even joined the group for the big concert (I ended up filling in on snare drum for the Theme from Star Wars when none of the kids could keep the beat). I still play the trumpet, although too sporadically to get any good. Now, my daughter (5 years old) has started to play. Maybe she will one day be the busker.

Professionally, the arts have always been part of my educational outlook. I integrated arts into my history lessons back when I taught middle school. As an administrator, I have supported arts during tough budget times. I have made it clear that I value the arts for the benefits they bring to children.

The arts are known to improve children’s academic motivation, achievement, and school attendance. Training in and practice of the arts helps students gain self-confidence, creativity, and success. Children feel good about themselves when they have something non-academic to enjoy and find success in. Students can create fantastic art together regardless of their background. Stanford Thompson, Director of Tune Up Philly, also notes that the arts nurture social-emotional and behavioral development by providing family and community experiences. Performances at school are something parents can enjoy and appreciate regardless of language barriers or cultural differences. Nothing brings parents of all different ethnic groups together at school faster than a concert, play, or art show. The arts are vital to a full education and a full life.

I still don’t own a beret, and I’ve never used oil paint. I do draw and play the trumpet. I do support and value the arts in school. The arts benefit me, and the arts benefit children. I am an artist. Students are artists.

What about you? Are you an artist? Do you truly support the arts in school?

Artist Ellen from jimjarmo on flickr CC BY 2.0

Innovation Instruction not Technology (#idesmar)

A few weeks ago, George Couros wrote a good article called "Innovation Instruction."

This is not about the tool, it is about learning.  The tool is just the medium we are using at the time.  I am doing my best to use the term “innovative instruction” (thanks Alec) when talking about what works best for our students.  This could mean using a pencil, a computer, a brush, your hands, whatever, but focuses on innovative ways for students to learn.

Let’s just ensure that there is a balance of tools we are using, and just focus on what best meets the needs of our students.

Are we there yet?

Like most good bloggers, he finishes with a thought provoking question. Are we there yet? From what I have seen in most classrooms, no we are not. Of course every teacher I know is somewhere on the path. There are those who are innovating with exciting technology and others who are innovating without new tools.


So many in my PLN and the edutwitterverse seem convinced that the only path forward is through technology. Me, I'm not as certain.


I like George's shift in focus to "innovative instruction." Starting today, I will make the same shift.


Are we there yet? 


Not sure, but we're on the way.

Related articles

• Progress (georgecouros.ca)

Elevator Statement Challenge (#idesmar)

A few weeks ago, Tom Schimmer challenged us to create our elevator statements about 21st Century Learning.

With all of the talk about Personalized Learning for the 21st Century, I thought this might be a fun challenge and way for all of us to refine our messages and learn from each other. I am a big believer in making messages simple and accessible, which is why I think this challenge is so relevant. It’s very easy to kill a good idea with a poorly constructed message, especially early in the implementation/exploration phase.

So….here is your assignment, should you choose to accept it:

“You are attending a conference on 21st Century Learning (yes, I see the irony!) At the end of the first day you step into the elevator at the hotel in which the conference is being held with someone who is NOT attending the conference and is NOT an educator. They turn to you, notice your name badge, and say as the doors are closing, “You’re attending that conference on 21st Century Leanring, right? What’s that all about anyway?”

You have 4 floors (3-5 sentences) to explain to this stranger what 21st Century learning is and give one example of what would be different. Can you do it? How would you respond?

Good luck! This message will never self-destruct so send it to every educator you know!!

So, here is something that I wrote for a principal job application. I would convert it from written language to spoken, but the ideas are the same.

The 21st century is an exciting time for education. Never before have there been so many ways to gather information, create content, make global connections, and meet student needs. We need to teach media literacy so that students can be discerning consumers of information. Students can be writers and artists with an authentic, online audience. Instead of just reading about a place, we can Skype with students there to learn even more. Using technology, we can tailor learning for individuals. 21st century education can be summarized with four words: inform, create, connect, and personalize.

What is your elevator statement?

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Things We Should Not Do at School (#idesmar)

Richard Scarry gave this advice to children in 1976. I like that he didn't just make a list of rules. I am also totally impressed with the flight of that paper airplane (of course I am very disappointed in the raccoon(?) in the pink shirt - he should know better).

When I look at this page from Scarry's In My Town my first reaction is just how much school has changed since Scarry put out this book.

Just look at the old wooden desks set in rows facing the teacher. The teacher is sitting and reading from what I assume to be the textbook. The students are barely engaged in the learning (unless this shows a physics class).

Today, in many classrooms, this scene would be totally different - the desks would be that hard plastic stuff.

Seriously, most classrooms that I have visited in recent years are far more dynamic than this illustration. Of course students still mess around sometimes, but most decent teachers keep the students as engaged as they can be.

Anyway, I figure this is as good a time as any to launch a list of things not to do at school.

1. Don't rely on the textbook.
2. Don't keep the desks in rows. Change the chairs depending on the needs of activity planned.
3. Don't be satisfied with the status quo.
4. Don't give up on a student - ever.
5. Don't stop learning.
6. Don't stop sharing.
7. Don't stop caring.
8. Don't stop listening to others' points of view. One cannot know all things. (added from Maureen)

What else belongs on this list?




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Say 'No' to the Status Quo (#idesmar)

Before I am demonized for protecting the status quo in my last post, please understand that I advocate many changes in education. We have a long way to go to provide a truly fantastic education for the 21st Century.

I expect teachers to work very hard to meet the needs of a wildly diverse student body. I expect teachers to keep learning new content and new pedagogy throughout their careers. I expect teachers to find ways to ignite the passions of their students. I expect students to take responsibility for their learning in an environment that encourages them to be creative thinkers. I expect teachers to take advantage of the vast resources available to them through an online Personal Learning Network. I expect teachers to be responsible for their own prossional development in an environment that encourages them to collaborate and grow.

I expect principals to tackle the difficult task of truly supervising the teachers even when that means working to remove an ineffective, veteran teacher. I expect principals to give their teachers a sense of purpose, a large amount of autonomy, and the time/resources to gain mastery when creating professional development programs,

I expect all of us to talk less about the poverty-related problems our students bring to their education and talk more about what we are going to do to improve their learning. I expect to hear talk like 'What can I do to be better?'

I expect the community to trust their educators. I expect the community to want to be involved. I expect the community to support their schools.

I expect a lot, but I know it can be done.

The thing is, once we improve in all the ways that I've mentioned, we just have to change more. Our society and our children will never stop changing, and we have to change with them. Good teaching will always require good learning on the part of the teacher.

So, say 'No' to the status quo.


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Stay on Message (#idesmar)

This is the second in a short series examining the blog post, "What We're Trying to Say Here..." Media Training Tips for Teachers by Roxana.

While Roxana's advice is aimed specifically for those educators who find themselves at a talk show or forum focusing on education, the advice is easily adaptable for general public school advocacy by any educator.

I loved West Wing on NBC. One of the little tidbits from that show that has stuck with me over the years to place during one of the elections (I can no longer recall if it was Bartlett's first election in flashback, the second election, or Jimmy Smit's election). The candidate kept getting the advice to stay on message and control the message. So, when I read Roxana's fourth principle, the idea resonated.

Principle #4: Stay on message.
When students ask questions in class, teachers give the most direct answer we can. We'd never get away with repeating slight variations on the same three points for forty minutes. Not so with the folks talking for the cameras. This explains why during the "question and comment section," politicians are more likely to repeat their earlier statements in a soothing voice than actually address our comments and questions. It is also explains the tendency of charter school principals to begin nearly every statement with, "At (insert name of charter school), we are committed to (restatement of charter school mission statement)." This guarantees that reporters looking for a quote from the meeting will have to quote a talking point. Rather than be frustrated by the disingenuous show, teachers would do well to concentrate on our own message, and give the media a chance to quote our side of the story.

In short, the idea is to answer questions by making the point you want to make and worry later if you have actually answered the exact question. When I do this, I do not emulate the politicians that Roxana's mentions. Instead, I blend a direct answer with my point. I want make sure I am responsive, but I also want to make sure whoever is listening takes away what I want them to take from the conversation.

The bottom line is that educators need to speak eloquently about how wonderful public schools are. Stay on message and they will remember what you tell them.


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7 Sound Bites for Ed Reform (#idesmar)

In January, Rick Hess allowed guest blogger, Roxanna Elden, to present "What We're Trying to Say Here..." Media Training Tips for Teachers.

As I have written and presented throughout out this year, I believe strongly that we educators need to do a better job talking about all of the good that our public schools really do. Over the next several posts, I will use Roxana's article to share some ideas.

A couple of weeks ago, I asked my PLN for a phrase that educators could use when talking about education reform. I got the idea from this part of Roxana's article:

Principle #3: Find your "quotable quote."
Teachers prepare students for academic discussions, but television's short attention span for each issue doesn't give us time to build logical points based on evidence. Politicians, on the other hand, know they have to boil down points to manageable sound bites that are easy to quote and hard to take out of context. (And hard to argue against without sounding like a jerk.) They will often lead with statements like, "Teachers are the most important factors in our children's education," then pause for applause. Meanwhile, we're waiting for the conversation to turn toward issues like over-emphasis on questionable test scores. What we don't realize is a savvy politician is unlikely to say the word "test" at any point during an event full of teachers. He or she is more likely to employ a series of practiced sound bites about how "children, especially in this vibrant community that I am so happy to be visiting today, deserve only the best education," followed by some generic comment about the importance of identifying outstanding educators. If teachers want our points to get equal airtime, we need to take our own main points and condense them into equally media-friendly phrases. Come up with three different succinct ways to express each of the three main points on your list. Also remember your audience is not the people you see every day who already agree with you, but fair-minded people who may not know basic facts that insiders take for granted.

I got a few fantastic ideas through twitter.

@slaleman Edu is about giving EVERYONE a shot at the Amer. dream, not just those with money or connections. Edu can be great equalizer

@QZLPatriotHawk: Simply put...Hope and Equality for ALL.

@Akevy613 Helping students succeed. Giving our students tools to be successful in life. Facilitating the growth of tomorrows leaders

@j_allen: Passionate

@walterASCD: We teach the future! (old slogan)

@walterASCD fueling the engine of our information economy by preparing students for the opportunities that lay in the century ahead

@ericjuli we are an opportunity to end the cycle of poverty for kids with dreams @myen


Go ahead, come up with your own quotable quote. Share it here in the comments and on twitter.


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