Change for Direction, Not Perfection

“To improve is to change. To be perfect is to change often.”

“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction.” 

Both of the above quotes are attributed to our pal, Winston Churchill, with the former likely being more familiar to most than the latter. In education, it seems we are almost always advocating for change in almost every aspect of what we do. In fact, I find myself and many fellow educators I respect a great deal arguing passionately for changes in the ways we approach instruction, classroom environments, assessment, grading and reporting practices, technology integration, libraries, and teacher evaluation, to name but a few. It seems as if we believe, a la Churchill, that the more we change, the closer we will come to “perfecting” education.

I typically consider myself somewhat of a change agent in our profession; in fact, I often look forward to and embrace change in all areas of my life. Recently, however, I realized that Churchill’s second quote is equally worthy of our attention; it is not always wise to change simply for the sake of change; instead, we must consider why we want change and whether the proposed changes will accomplish our goals and result in a better version of what came before.

Each January, I visit my eye doctor for an annual vision screening. For years now, I have worn one contact lens, in my left eye. It was a compromise we made several years ago, allowing me to see adequately--though not perfectly--both from a distance and while reading. To see perfectly in terms of both reading and distance would have required that I wear both contact lenses and reading glasses, a scenario I refused (and still refuse) to consider. For me, this compromise continues to work well enough. In terms of the contact lens itself, again, I have been using the same brand and type for many years. To me, these lenses have always been fine. Not perfect, mind you, but they rarely bother me and my eye is never dry or irritated from wearing this lens on a daily basis. Still, each January, I head to the eye exam, secretly hoping there will be a change of some sort, a change allowing me to see even better or to a contact lens that is even more comfortable. Lo, for the past five years, I have come away disappointed. My vision has remained the same and each year the doctor suggests keeping the prescription exactly the same. Once we agree on that, I then ask eagerly if there has been any new contact lens innovation resulting in a different lens I should try instead of the lenses I have been using for years. Each year, the doctor informs me of other options available, but always asks a series of questions along the lines of: “Are your current ones comfortable?” (Yes). “Do your current ones bother you on a regular basis?” (No). “Do you feel as if your eyes are often dry?” (No). Then, she looks at me suspiciously and asks why I would want to change. My answer? Although there is nothing really wrong with my current vision or the comfort of my contacts, I would be happy if my current condition could become even better. In my view (pun intended), there is no reason to settle for the status quo if it can be improved upon by changing to a new approach. Alas, each January for the past five years, my eye doctor has sent me on my way with the exact same prescription and exact same type of contact lens. Each January I depart, just a bit dejected that no changes were forthcoming and that things would remain the same--at least for the next twelve months.

How does my eyesight situation apply to teaching, learning, and leadership? Speaking only for me, I approach work--much like when visiting the eye doctor--actually hoping for change. I start with my bias that change is good and that we can always get better at what we do. If getting better requires change of any first or second order variety, I stand ready to lead such change. At the same time, when considering (and even hoping for) change in these areas, I need to consider whether the change options available will be an improvement on the status quo. Are there some things we are currently doing that are actually operating at peak effectiveness and efficiency? What is the problem we are currently experiencing? Is there a change we can effect that will solve this problem? How will the changes we implement impact our staff and students? What metrics should we use to determine whether change is needed?

Change simply for the sake of change is not necessarily a good thing. Importantly, it is not always a bad thing, either; I often advocate changing certain things simply to shake things up. Yet, we must consider all changes we undertake carefully. Although I am an outspoken advocate for moving beyond our comfort zone and always trying out new ideas and resources, too much change can result in confusion, disorganization, and lack of direction, causing more damage than if we had simply stayed the course. Moreover, when considering change, it is important to draw a distinction between changes in mission, vision (not eyesight in this case, but in what we hope to become as an organization), and values from changes in the way we execute, strategize, or implement to fulfill our mission and achieve our vision while behaving in ways aligned to our shared values. Our mission, vision, and values are designed to be long term propositions. Therefore, changes in these areas should be made only after carefully considering the current status and fully understanding the major shifts in winds requiring us to adjust our sails. It’s very difficult to keep team members focused, inspired, and empowered if the direction in which we are heading keeps changing. On the other hand, making changes in the way we execute our plans can and should be considered frequently, even on a daily basis, with each of us asking how we can do what we do better, even when we are already getting stellar results. 

Lao Tzu reportedly posited, “If you do not change direction, you may wind up where you are heading.” At times, we find we are headed in the wrong direction in some area of our work; when this is the case, it is our moral imperative to make the changes necessary to correct our course. At others times, we determine that we are generally headed in the right direction; still, it behooves us to consider what changes we can make along the way so as to make the journey better, faster, smoother, or more enjoyable. Finally, we may even identify those rare instances when---at least for this present moment--changing course would lead us in the wrong direction. Like my eyesight, our current situation may not be perfect, but it may be the absolute best we can do today. Tomorrow? Perhaps new opportunities will arise which compels us to change. With apologies to Churchill, pursuing perfection is a fool’s errand; on the other hand, changing in pursuit of the path toward continuous improvement is work worth doing. In short, we should change for direction, not perfection. Identifying what we must change, what would be nice to change, and even what should not be changed are ways we Teach, Learn, and Lead with Passion!

1.35 Seconds

“The 3 P’s of Success: Passion, Persistence, and Patience.” 
Doug Bronson

Passion? Check. Persistence? Check. Patience? Umm...I may well be the world’s most impatient man. This has long been a flaw within me, one about which I’ve always been acutely aware. Even when I do not recognize it within myself, I have a plethora of family and friends happy to remind me of this rather obvious flaw on a regular basis. Although I am not typically one to make formal New Year’s resolutions, living my life as a more patient human being would be one well worth considering. In addition, many of my PLN members have been sharing their #oneword for 2016 in recent posts, something that has become an annual tradition for some. When first asked what my #oneword was in a previous year, I responded quickly with my stock answer: “Passion.” This year, however, I feel the need to consider the much less glamorous and rather more pedestrian: “Patience.” Moving from “passion” to “patience” is due, in part, to a recent realization that my impatience with all things in life had reached a level of ridiculous proportions.

For the past two years, I have lived in a high rise condominium. Thankfully, I am only on the 8th floor; were I to reside on the uppermost floors, I would likely lose all semblance of sanity waiting for the elevator to reach its lofty destination. Still, even on the 8th floor, my impatience manages to get the best of me most days. I began noticing something especially troubling. It happens when I am on the elevator and it stops at another floor, allowing someone to join me for the ride. One of two things happens next: Sometimes this new passenger immediately pushes the “close doors” button. Other times, the new passenger will simply board and wait for the doors to close automatically. In the former scenario, the doors close more immediately and I find myself secretly congratulating this savvy fellow traveler; in the latter instance, I find myself mildly agitated at the precious time being wasted and silently rebuke this careless, time-wasting neighbor or visitor. Occasionally, I would even reach over and push the “close doors” button myself in an effort to expedite this painful process. After all, there was work to be done, people to see, places to go; who were these frivolous people who could nonchalantly allow precious time to pass so idly? 

Then, over the holiday break--a time when I find myself acting with just a tad more patience than is typical for me--I realized my annoyance in this regard bordered on the insane. I decided to actually measure the difference between the two scenarios, hoping to justify this insanity. Using the stopwatch on my phone, I learned that it took a whopping 2.65 seconds for the doors to close and the car to begin moving when I did nothing at all, other than allow the doors to close on their own. Next, I timed how long it took these same doors to close when I pushed the “close doors” button immediately upon stepping onto the elevator. The answer: 1.3 seconds. I was saving a precious 1.35 seconds each time I, or a fellow passenger, took the proactive stance of pushing this button. 1.35 seconds.

Like many of you, I am extremely busy on a daily basis. In fact, I am acquainted with no fellow educator who complains about having too much free time at work. There is always work to be done and always too little time in which to do it. Still, 1.35 seconds? Did I really need to worry about “wasting” 1.35 seconds? Starting today, I am going to work on being just a bit more patient in all areas of my life: with colleagues, with family members, with parents, with myself, with the important work we are doing, and...who knows, maybe I'll even chill on my future elevator rides. “Patience” may not become my #oneword, but I aim to give it equal importance next to the other two “P” words from the quote above which I have long prided myself on, “Passion” and “Persistence.”

Being passionate as an educator is almost always an attractive trait; I enjoy being surrounded by educators who are truly passionate about the kids they teach and the content they are responsible for teaching. However, like most good things in life, carried to an extreme, passion can become a negative, transforming into anger, or at least behaviors perceived by others as anger. Being persistent, too, is generally an excellent trait to seek in prospective educators and promote within all educators. Here again, though, we can become so focused on reaching our goal that we risk losing sight of the bigger picture. So, it is important to balance our passion and persistence with a healthy dose of patience, knowing all the while that change may not occur as swiftly as we would like and we may never have enough time to accomplish all with which we are charged. At the same time, when we persist--with passion and patience--we know we will eventually see the fruits of our labor. I will continue to make the most of every minute available to me in this new year. On the other hand, if I am faced with the occasional 1.35 seconds of idleness every now and again, I am going to embrace those moments as well. Exhibiting passion, persistence, and patience, each in its proper measure is another way we Teach, Learn, and Lead with Passion!

Maybe We Should Do a Word Search

“If you aren't excited about examining your students' work, you are giving the wrong types of assignments.” 

via @davidwees on Twitter

Our school district recently (finally!) received our results from our first-ever PARCC administration. Like almost every other educator I know, I am not overly excited about testing and it certainly had nothing to do with my decision to enter the noble field of education; I am much more passionate about children, teachers, and leaders, and how we all interact on a daily basis than I am about standardized testing. Still, as a public school teacher, principal, and, now, district office administrator, I have never wasted much energy complaining about these annual tests and I actually have no serious problem with them as an inevitable part of our job. In addition, although we spend little to no time “teaching to the test” in our district, we do take our results seriously and try to learn whatever we can from these each year as we move forward. Thankfully, we continue to get top-notch scores, on par with the best schools/districts in the entire state. Having said all this, however, my post today is not really about testing or test scores; instead, it is about the work we assign students and I was reflecting on this as I pored over our PARCC results earlier this month.

In a way, I felt like a student when it came to analyzing our test results this year. You see, we had never administered the PARCC tests before; this new assessment replaced the ISAT assessments, which had been the annual standardized accountability program norm in Illinois for many years. Over the years, I had become quite familiar with the ISAT and very adept at analyzing our data and sharing this with all stakeholders, including our Board of Education. This year was different: I had to learn an entirely new system with an entirely new way of assessing, scoring, and reporting student achievement scores. I had a lot to learn and the pressure was on; there had been plenty of negative press and reaction in neighboring communities about the PARCC. I really had to learn this stuff inside and out and was not sure where to begin. I’m not gonna lie; I was in panic mode. I turned to Marcie, a colleague whose opinion I respect a great deal. Unfortunately, she was equally dumbfounded. Determined, I pressed her for an answer. Finally, she said, “Well, I know my daughter has to do a word search every week. Her teacher says this helps her learn her spelling words.” Then, she paused and suggested, “Maybe we should do a word search.”

Eureka! This was the “Ah-ha!” moment I had been seeking; I needed to get up to speed on all things PARCC and the sooner, the better. I enlisted the help of Amy, yet another colleague; together, we brainstormed all possible words relating to the PARCC assessment. Next, we Googled, “Create a word search,” and came 
up with this:                                               

We immediately knew we were on to something big! I asked Marcie if we should complete the Word Search separately or together, thinking that, together, we would find the words more quickly. Alas, she informed me that her daughter was not allowed to do this and, in fact, was required to do the Word Search assignments for homework. Armed with this information, I printed three copies and we each took one home to complete. We arrived to work the following day giddy with joy: Marcie and Amy had each found all sixteen words (they are really smart!); meanwhile, I had found all but one (sadly, Amy, a mean-spirited stickler for rule-following, subtracted an additional point because I inadvertently highlighted an extra letter in the word "percentage"). We were feeling pretty good about our PARCC knowledge at this point and marched into the superintendent’s office to share what we had learned and how this would inform our presentation to the Board. Imagine our surprise, then, when he did not share in our joy, but, instead, began firing off ridiculous questions, asking how we compared to the state average, how we compared to neighboring districts, how the PARCC scores compared to our previous ISAT results, how these data looked across schools, grade levels, and demographic subgroups, and to what extent we could discern whether our instruction was aligned to standards. Furious, he grabbed our worksheets, tore them to shreds, and told us to start conducting some legitimate research into all aspects of the overall assessment design as well as our own data. He demanded that we create a comprehensive--yet simple-to-understand--multimedia presentation. He further insisted we collaborate with neighboring districts to see what they had learned. Finally, he charged us with establishing a plan for communicating our results and findings with staff, students, parents, and the community. Our superintendent is, admittedly, a bit of a killjoy by nature. Still, we had to admit upon leaving his office that the work plan he suggested was likely to yield vastly superior results compared to the word search approach we originally favored. 

So we spent the next few days digging into the project with zeal. Honestly, it was a laborious process as we toiled both alone and together to gather as much information as possible before synthesizing and evaluating it all. However, when we finally finished, we were proud of what we had accomplished and confident in our ability to present our findings clearly. The project was a challenging one to be sure, but it was important work and we were pleased with our performance.

Obviously, this is all intended to be a bit tongue-in-cheek, yet there are serious points to consider about the work we assign kids. In fact, I tend to agree with Phil Schlechty and others who suggest that engaging student experiences do not happen by chance; they are the result of teachers’ designing compelling work for the students they serve. 

To be fair, some students probably enjoy doing mindless activities like word search puzzles. I am convinced, however, that they are even more engaged, inspired, empowered, and--ultimately--joyful, when we challenge them with more authentic work that demands more of them. More important still, if we want our kids to gain the knowledge and skills needed to succeed, we need to assign them work that requires them to create, collaborate, communicate, and think critically. Asking what it is our kids need to know and be able to do and then going about the hard work of intentionally designing quality assignments designed to equip them thusly is another way we Teach, Learn, and Lead with Passion!

A Compass for Innovation

“Change is an opportunity to do something amazing.” 

George Couros

Among the many things I was thankful for this past Thanksgiving was the time to finish an amazing book by an educator I respect a great deal, George Couros. The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity is one of the best educational books I have read and I recommend it enthusiastically to all teachers and school leaders. In this well-written, inspirational, and practical book, George provides readers--as Dave Burgess suggests in the Introduction--a “compass” for creating a culture of innovation in their classrooms, schools, or districts. 

Image via Amazon

Although I have been focused on helping to create innovative classrooms and schools for years, this new book challenged my thinking and offered new insights into the direction we need to head in our own district. It all starts, as Couros suggests, by understanding that innovation is not about skill set; it is about mindset. The way we perceive changes and new ideas determines the extent to which such changes will be successful and such ideas will be implemented. I love the example George provides in the book when talking about Vine, the six-second video app. Some people asked, “What in the world can you do with six seconds?” Others (those with an “Innovator’s Mindset”) said, “I wonder what I could do with six seconds?” When new tools such as Vine present themselves to us as teachers, learners, and leaders, each of us has an equal opportunity to innovate. Some of us do and some of us do not; we are the variable.

This powerful book is filled with page after page of keen insights and sharing my thoughts about these go well beyond the constraints of a short blog post. However, here are seven brief points I find myself still reflecting on after perusing this book:

1. Have We Forgotten Our “Why”? Couros reminds us to examine why schools exist and why we serve as educators. I find myself hard pressed to improve upon his offering of a collective “Why”: “When forward thinking schools encourage today’s learners to become creators and leaders, I believe they, in turn, will create a better world.” Helping to create a better world is a Why? I can get behind.
2. Defining "Innovation." Again, it would be a waste of my time to attempt a better version of the definition George uses for the purposes of his book: “A way of thinking that creates something new and better. Innovation can come from either ‘invention’ (something totally new) or ‘iteration’ (a change of something that already exists), but if it does not meet the idea of 'new and better' it is not innovative." Change for the sake of change is never good enough and, in fact, often counterproductive, if our goal is meaningful innovation.
3. Innovation vs. Transformation. After reading this book, I realized many of us have been using these terms interchangeably and, therefore, incorrectly. In essence, Couros maintains that transformation requires dramatically altering the work we are doing in education. To truly transform our work is beyond the scope of an individual teacher or administrator. Innovation, on the other hand, is within easy reach for each of us, no dramatic shifts required. Each of us has the ability to innovate almost immediately, regardless of our role. For teachers, of course, it helps when school leaders have worked to create a culture that inspires and empowers them to take risks in order to provide the best learning experiences possible for the students they serve.
4. Innovation “Inside the Box.” Couros notes that people are always challenging us to “think outside the box.” This sounds innocent enough and, indeed, I have employed this mantra myself as an exhortation to educators with whom I work. After reading this book, I will instead focus on innovating “inside the box,” as George suggests. This point is directly related to the previous one of transformation versus innovation. Great educators do not necessarily innovate outside the box; many are too impatient and realize that it is more effective and efficient to simply innovate inside the box--often by creating new and better methods to teach the required curriculum. In public schools, we are likely to have standards we are required to teach for many years to come. Although some may disagree, I maintain that we should have such standards. Instead of fighting against these or fighting to teach different versions, great educators create innovative learning opportunities for the students they serve within the constraints of the system.
5. Innovation as “Doing” Rather than “Knowing.” One of the first steps on the path to encouraging innovation within our students is getting them to see themselves as creators because real learning begins when students create. Whether we are focusing on our kids or ourselves, we must always keep in mind that what we learn is not nearly as important as what we create from what we learn. 
6. Innovation as a Series of “What If’s”. When George speaks to groups, he often shares a slide with the following question: “What if all teachers Tweeted about one thing each day that they did in their classrooms and took five minutes to read other teachers’ Tweets? Imagine the positive impact this would have on learning and school culture." In this book, he includes a series of questions that begin: “What If…” as a way to challenge us to dream big and figure out what is most important for us as educators and for the organizations we serve. These are powerful questions well worth reading and reflecting upon.
7. Innovate or Teach “Basics”? I find myself agreeing with Couros wholeheartedly when he answers, in essence, “Both.” It is counterproductive to get caught up in the extremes of either school of thought or be forced to choose between one or the other. To truly innovate in any field, our kids need basic skills, whether the area of study is literature, music, art, or science. Leaders should not insist on one or the other; teachers should not pretend they cannot do both. Having said that, although the basics in any field of study are of critical importance, in order to truly innovate, we must move beyond knowing into creating and doing.

image via slideshare

I have been a huge fan of Couros’s work for several years now; after reading his new book, I am even more impressed with his passion for innovation as a way to improve learning for our students and his ability to clearly communicate his passion in a way that inspires me to re-dedicate myself to this important work. As Burgess says, the book is not a step-by-step guide nor a checklist one can follow or complete to “become” innovative. In fact, no such book does or ever will exist; skill sets can be taught in such a way; mindsets require much more. However, I encourage you to read this book for what it is: a compass for cultivating an innovative mindset within yourself and empowering those with whom you work--students and adults--to become innovators as well. 

image via Debbie Saviano

When speaking of compasses and directions, one inevitably learns about “magnetic” versus “true” north. There is a significant and critical difference between true north and magnetic north. True north will lead you directly to the North Pole. Magnetic north is influenced by a pulling effect of the earth’s magnetic core. In reading George’s book, I noted that he comes back time and again to simply doing what is best for each and every child we serve. Innovation and an "Innovator’s Mindset" is but a means to this noble end; the “magnetic north” may well be innovation, but the “true north” which compels us to innovate is continuously asking ourselves and each other, “What is best for kids?” Keeping our eyes on “True North” is another way we Teach, Learn, and Lead with Passion!

What's Best for the Best Is Best for the Rest

“All great changes are preceded by chaos.” 

Deepak Chopra

In the midst of a week rife with international terror incidents, I recall the chaos that accompanied 9/11 in our own country. Although this remains one of our nation’s greatest tragedies, some “great changes” definitely resulted from the “chaos” that ensued on that day. One example is that air travel is now much safer than before. While we may never be able to guarantee air travel completely free from terrorist attacks, systematic steps we took as a global society immediately after 9/11 almost certainly prevented a number of additional tragedies.

One small, post-9/11 security change in our country was to cease the practice of allowing non-passengers to proceed through security to airport gates. Prior to 9/11, I actually enjoyed walking to the gate with friends and relatives who were departing on a flight. 

Even as a young boy, I would head to O’Hare with my dad every holiday season to accompany my grandmother to the gate as she would venture off to San Francisco or Hawaii to spend the holidays with one of her other children. We would watch her walk down the tunnel to her seat on the plane. I would remain in the gate area with my dad, waving to the windows of the plane, hoping “Granny” would see me. I enjoyed this and even now it is a nice memory. Yet, times have changed and I believe that it is simply no longer best practice, nor can a case be made that it is a necessary option for travel in our world today.

So, after the chaos of 9/11, what happened in this area? Almost immediately, every airport in the country ceased the practice of allowing non-passengers to accompany passengers to airport gates and instituted more strict security precautions throughout the entire air travel experience. Notice that this was not left up to individual airports to decide on a whim. What was determined to be best practice for one airport meant that it was best practice for all. Every. Single. Airport. Some people were angry with this new practice. Some still are, while others have adjusted to the change readily after an initial negative reaction. Regardless of whether the general public thought it was a sound idea, a horrible idea, or something in between, the change was made. I do not recall having a vote in the matter, nor do I recall a long, drawn out conversation. It just happened. And, almost everyone adjusted immediately, to the point that a few short years later it actually seems odd that we once could and did do this.

But what does this have to do with education? Well, I find myself wondering if there are some "givens" that should be in place at every school in the entire country. Right now. Today. For all kids. Everywhere. Since 2009, I have flown more than 500 flight segments into more than 50 airports (I traveled for work 100% of the time for three consecutive years). During these travels, I noticed that airports around the world vary greatly in any number of ways: size, parking, car rental locations and protocols, dining choices, tram options, frequent flyer lounges, WiFi offerings, availability of charging stations, and many other variables. 

However, when it comes to matters of critical importance--such as our safety--these widely-varying airports were remarkably similar. The people in positions to make such decisions determined that it was fine for O’Hare to establish a restaurant with a Chicago Blackhawks theme and A-OK for the Nashville airport to set up an annex location of Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge within. It was also up to the local sites to determine I would be taking a tram to get from the terminal to the Rental Car center at Newark and San Francisco, but I needed to take a bus to the rental car facility each time I landed in Albuquerque. These decisions are relatively inconsequential. Truthfully, I preferred the smaller airports, like Lubbock or Lehigh Valley, where I could simply walk to my rental car, but I was still able to achieve my goal of procuring a rental vehicle regardless of the local procedures in place.

This pushes me to reflect on certain practices in schools, at least schools in our nation. We tend to value and fight for local control of our schools. In many ways, we should; we know our kids and community best, our relative strengths and needs. 

But are there some aspects of education today that are so obviously necessary--or best practice--for ALL children that they should be in place everywhere, immediately? If so, what are those things? Are children’s futures in the schools across our great nation still subject to the zip code within which they reside? I have worked in schools located in more than half of the fifty states in the past decade and have seen shocking discrepancies in facilities, technology, safety, curriculum, and quality of staff among and within these states. These visits leave me wondering if local control is always the best policy. There are simply some things that the “best” schools have or do that should also be in place or done at all schools. If it is best for the “best,” it is likely best for the rest.

Here is my initial list of five things that should be in place in every school in our country right now. Perhaps there are many more; what would you add to my list? In addition, feel free to let me know which of my five you would not include:

• A device for every child in every grade. I am a big believer that it is our pedagogy, not our technology, that drives achievement, but in 2015 every child should have access to a device to accelerate their learning and enhance the ways in which they show what they know.

• Free access to high quality internet both at school and at home. 24/7.

• Safe, inviting, aesthetically pleasing, inviting, modern, collaborative facilities with classrooms designed for student centered learning.

• Blocks of time regularly reserved for students to learn about topics/problems of their own choosing.

• Instruction focused on clear, compelling standards and reporting practices that provide honest feedback to students and their parents about how students are performing to such standards.

• Bonus (HT @mfaust): Bacon.

Public education in America may not exactly be in a state of chaos just yet, but when I look at the inequities that exist from community to community across the fifty states, I honestly think at times we at least teetering on the precipice. Perhaps that would not be a bad thing, though, if it forces us to finally effect large scale, systemic change for the better--for all kids everywhere, not just in my backyard.

Going to the gate with my Granny as a youngster was fun. I’m glad I have those memories. Having said that, I think it was wise to do away with the practice of allowing non-passengers to do this. Just because it was fun does not mean we should keep that practice in place. As important as it is to START doing best practices in every school in every district, it is equally important to STOP doing the things that no longer make sense, regardless of our fondness for doing them. What we should stop doing in every school in America immediately is, perhaps, a post for another day.

As educators, it is our responsibility, of course, to do what is best for the kids we serve directly. Knowing these kids well, building off their strengths and interests, identifying and supporting their areas of need and wanting them to have the very best goes without saying. Wanting this for every child in our country as well is another way we Teach, Learn, and Lead with Passion!

We've Sung Every Hymn in the Hymnal

“Teacher growth is closely related to pupil growth. Probably nothing within a school has more impact on students in terms of skills development, self-confidence, or classroom behavior than the personal and professional growth of their teachers.” 

Roland Barth

This photo of Saint Simons Island is courtesy of TripAdvisor

For seven years, I lived on St. Simons Island, Georgia, a beautiful coastal community roughly halfway between Savannah, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida. While living there, I attended services at Wesley United Methodist Church at Fort Frederica every Sunday for seven consecutive years. One Sunday, near the end of my time there, the music minister stood to tell us which hymn we were about to sing and added something that surprised me: “After singing today’s hymn, we will have sung every hymn in the hymnal since I arrived here as the music minister.” Even though I had attended services at this church nearly every single Sunday for seven consecutive years, I had no idea that we had worked our way through every song in the hymnal or that the music minister had an apparent strategy behind what he was doing in his leadership role. Although this particular moment took place over a decade ago, I was reminded of it recently when reviewing feedback from our staff about a recent professional learning day in our district.

http://wesleyssi.org/welcome.html caption

For three years, I have had the honor to help plan--along with a host of other very talented colleagues--the professional learning (PL) events in our district. We take these opportunities rather seriously since there is never enough time for professional learning and we want to maximize what precious time we do have available to us. Immediately after each formal PL event on our calendar, we send a survey to all staff asking whether the time spent on PL was useful and soliciting feedback on how we can do better. Thankfully, the feedback we receive is always positive overall, a testament to the fact that the vast majority of staff in our district are not only teachers, but also lifelong learners themselves who are continuously seeking ways to grow and become even better at what they do. When we perused the comments section of the survey from our most recent PL day, we noticed that some folks suggested we bring in “outside experts” on a topic (which we have done on several occasions) while others asked for extended time to work in job alike teams for planning purposes (which we have also done on several occasions). Still others suggested we plan an Edcamp style event (which we did two years ago). It struck me that, in a way, we have “sung every song in the hymnal” over the past three years when it comes to what we have planned and implemented in terms of PL experiences. 

https://www.uakron.edu/education/current-students/prof-learning/

Honestly, this has not been accidental; indeed, it has been intentional. We do not believe in a one-size-fits-all model of learning for kids; we are equally opposed to such models for staff. As a result, we strive to plan widely varying PL events in our district. We have hosted nationally renowned leaders like Tom Guskey, Todd Whitaker, and Tom Murray in our district to name but a few. We have sent staff to local, regional, and even national conferences near and far. We host an annual Teaching and Learning Conference each January as a way to kick off the second semester to each school year. We schedule ongoing grade level and PLC meetings to continuously re-examine what it is we want kids to know, how we will know if they know it, how we respond when they do not learn, and how we respond when they have already mastered what we intended to teach. We have hosted district wide Twitter Chats on a variety of topics, asking all staff to choose one in which to take part. We have joined forces with neighboring districts to host an annual summertime “TechCamp” focusing on teaching and learning in a 1:1 environment. We have hosted optional face-to-face after school workshops and within the day “lunch and learn” workshops. We have created a district hashtag (#engage109) on which many staff share articles, resources, and ideas they try out in their classrooms. This year, we even unveiled our new anytime, anywhere PL platform we call Deerfield University, offering over 30 opportunities to complete a mini PL course, with topics ranging from Project Based Learning to Home-School Connections, and allowing staff to earn digital badges and incentive points along the way. Honestly, this brief list merely scratches the surface of the amazing amount of professional learning opportunities that amazing educators in our district have planned, designed, and implemented over the past three years.

In reflecting on these wide-ranging professional learning opportunities, it seems we have attempted to offer every type of learning on every possible topic during a relatively short period of time, much like the music minister in my former church was able to cover all the hymns in our hymnal over time. Not to belabor the point, but when comparing these two seemingly-unrelated events, I find a few additional parallel points worth noting:

• Although we sang every hymn in the entire hymnal at our church, some were way more popular than others the majority of attendees. Likewise, some professional learning events tend to be more widely popular with most staff than other events.
• Not everyone in my church had the same favorite hymns. Hymns I considered the absolute best were ones my neighbor did not like at all. Likewise, some professional learning events we have planned were extremely popular with some staff while somewhat unpopular with other staff members.
• The actual singing of the hymns was only a small--but extremely important and talked about---part of the entire service. Likewise, professional learning is but a small part of our school year, but equally important and talked about.
• The actual singing of the hymn was only part of the overall point. The meaning behind the words, how--if at all--they impacted us, and how we acted as a result moving forward was more important than the actual singing. Likewise, professional learning events themselves are only a small part of the learning; what we DO with what we learn is more important still.
• As but one individual among hundreds of church members, I had no idea whatsoever the strategy and intentionality behind the music leader’s efforts. I marveled when I learned there was actually a rhyme and reason to the songs he selected each week. Likewise, although it may seem random to some, in school districts with effective professional learning, designers of such learning start with the Why? and have a purpose in mind for every learning event they schedule, as well as an overarching, long-term strategy.

Excellent teachers I have observed over the years plan and deliver daily lessons and units of study that are intentionally designed and which purposefully call on students in the class to engage in a wide variety of learning activities, all aligned to specific learning goals. As adults, our learning must be equally intentional and purposeful. Engaging in a variety of professional learning experiences on a variety of topics is another way we Teach, Learn, and Lead with Passion!

Great Teachers are Boring!

“A teacher is one who makes him/herself progressively unnecessary.” 

Thomas Carruthers

As someone whose title is “Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning,” I spend a great deal of time in classrooms observing--not surprisingly--“teaching and learning.” In the past few years, many of these visits have been very brief. This year, I enlisted two colleagues in our T and L Department, @mfaust and @arubin98, to kick off the year by spending a full hour in one classroom at every grade level and every subject area across our district. One goal we have in doing this is to focus on great teachers across grade levels/disciplines to analyze what themes emerge regarding what great teaching looks like. As of today, the three of us have observed for a full hour in the following grades/subjects at different schools in our district:

Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade            

6th Grade Math
8th Grade ELA
8th Grade Social Studies

Fortunately for Amy, Marcie, and me (and, more importantly, our students and parents), our district employs scads of outstanding teachers from which to choose if one wishes to observe top notch teachers. Not surprisingly, these rock star teachers readily agreed to let the three of us barge in and spend an hour closely observing teaching and learning and taking notes on what we observed. We still have many observations scheduled for the weeks ahead, but after just a few, I made a general “observation” about my “observations,” which, honestly, went contrary to my expectations. Some of these 60-minute chunks of time were largely student-centered, while others were largely teacher-centered. To test my observation, I posed a question to my PLN: “Which lessons do you think have been more fun to watch, the student-centered ones or the teacher-centered ones?” For anyone reading this question, what is your own guess?

I would not be surprised if you answered as did my PLN. With near unanimity, they quickly replied, “The student-centered ones!” That certainly seems the logical choice; after all, we regularly promote the idea of “student-centered” classrooms as a point of emphasis. Although there needs to be a balance and there is nothing at all wrong with teachers leading the learning, we have spent considerably more time and energy working with teachers to create student-centered classrooms in which students are more in control of the learning with much less time devoted to traditional “stand and deliver” teaching strategies. However, after just a few observations, I realized that the teacher-directed lessons were actually a bit more “fun” and somehow “easier” to observe than the student-centered lessons we observed in which the teacher did little in the way of traditional, direct instruction. Why is this? What meaning might we take away from this generalization?

When I observe lessons in which “traditional” teaching is occurring (i.e., the teacher is doing the majority of speaking, the teacher is standing up and leading discussions, the teacher is providing direct instruction to the whole group, etc.), I am in my comfort zone and know just what to do. I draw on my own eighteen years of teaching experiences and am able to focus on everything the teacher is doing. It is easy to provide feedback, highlighting what worked and offering possible alternative actions the teacher might consider. In a great teacher's classroom, when traditional teaching is occurring, I am entertained and marvel at the way the teacher rolls out the sequence of learning events. I suspect kids are, too. I reflect on comments teachers offer, questions teachers pose, movements teachers make, stories and jokes teachers share, body and facial language teachers employ, and their pacing of the lesson segments. Moreover, it matters not whether I judge the traditional teaching to be outstanding or unsatisfactory; with either extreme, it is still somewhat fun and certainly easy for me to observe this type of teaching, providing appropriate feedback. I am comfortable with this type of teaching and learning and look forward to sharing my insights on this type of teaching and learning with the teacher.

On the other hand, during my recent observations of less traditional, more “student-centered” learning, I have found myself feeling almost a bit bored and having a harder time focusing. The teachers weren’t doing anything! They were not at the front of the room, they were oftentimes silent, and nothing they were saying or doing seemed worthy of writing down to reflect on later. How could I provide feedback on their “performance” as a teacher when they were not “performing”?

The realization that I found “traditional” teaching more interesting and fun to observe than “student-centered” teaching bemused me; how could this be and what did it mean? The answers, perhaps obvious, are still worth remembering when we are observing “teaching and learning” in our classrooms:

1. Why is observing “traditional” teaching “fun”? I get to sit back and watch and am often entertained. The teacher does the bulk of the work; I am off the hook.
2. Why is observing “traditional” teaching easier than observing “student-centered” teaching? I simply focus on everything the teacher says and does. I know and am comfortable with this type of teaching. I have done it, seen it, and have provided tons of feedback previously on such teaching. 
3. What does it mean and what must we do? In many schools, we have encouraged teachers to leave their comfort zones and release more responsibility for the learning to students. We must understand that this may push many of our students outside their own comfort zones as well. Sometimes, “traditional” teaching is easier and more fun for our kids, too. We need to push teachers and push our students to leave their comfort zones. At first, it may not be as fun or as easy, but fun and easy should not necessarily be our goal. Hard work and fun go hand in hand and this is an even better outcome. Finally, anyone who is observing a teacher (and I hope that includes not merely formal, administrative observations, but also teachers observing teachers), needs to work harder as well; it will be fun (not boring!) when we do. Instead of sitting and simply watching the teacher and noting all s/he says and does, we need to get up, immerse ourselves in the learning, and focus on students: What are they saying? What are they doing? What is the task? How are they collaborating, communicating, creating, thinking?

And now, a confession: I do not really believe that great teachers are boring; in fact, a few truly great teachers I have observed recently in our own district are also the very antithesis of boring. They are all ridiculously great teachers; in addition, they are among the most unique, interesting, passionate, energetic, and dynamic human beings you could ever hope to find. So, admittedly, I am trying to be a bit provocative with my blog post title; at the same time, I do believe there lies a hidden truth within this statement. 

Too often, we still equate great teaching with teachers who play the leading role in the classroom; charismatic, entertaining, sage-on-the-stage, stand-and-deliver orators and presenters of information. This still has a place in the realm of great instruction, but I have also learned that great teaching (maybe not teachers) can look quite boring, including the “teaching” I saw in a recent observation in which the teacher said nary a word for 13 consecutive minutes while the kids did all the talking--and teaching. In this sense, then, great teaching can indeed be “boring.” To shift this mindset and understand this type of teaching is not boring, we need to shift our focus when observing in classrooms, observing the teacher less and students more and observing “teaching” less and learning more. Focusing on learning, not teaching, is another way we Teach and Lead with Passion!