Leading for learning

Being a school leader comes in many different forms but the most recognizable is the school administrator. This is the person that the community, teachers and students see as being the school leader, in some way or another. Tonight on Plurk, there was a good discussion about whether a principal needs to have teaching experience, how much, in what areas and other such things. My own views of on this subject have come from working with several administrators in different school settings and listening to what teachers have said in relation to being an effective school administrator. 

You have to teach

My own opinion, for what it’s worth, is that you need to be a teacher for some time before making the leap to school administration. It’s through teaching, being in a classroom with students, that you learn and develop the skill and art of teaching. I spent a few years being a classroom teacher, 10 to be exact, before I made the move to administration. During those years, I went from being a mediocre teacher who really didn’t have a clue about what to do to being a good teacher. I never considered myself a master teacher by any stretch. I worked with a few of them in my journeys and can tell you what they do and how they do it. But just as I was honing my skills, I decided that maybe, if I wanted to exact change in education, I needed to move into administration and bring about some sort of change that would help teachers. Thus, I began my admin adventure by beginning a master’s degree while I was a grade 7 homeroom teacher. During this time, I would take what was being introduced in classes and see how it worked in reality, in the classroom. My whole constructivist view of learning took root as I began to move away from the “stand and deliver” and began to listen to what students wanted in their learning and include them in some of what was happening in the classroom. Having implemented several new curriculum, been a pilot teacher, had an intern and held several other positions in the local teacher association and at the provincial level, I realized that bringing about any meaningful change was going to require some changes at the administrative level. 

Some type of world experience

I didn’t get into teaching to become an administrator. Actually, my venture into education wasn’t the normal route or the route that I often hear. I didn’t know I was going to go into teaching until after I had finished my first degree and, because of marriage, needed to find an occupation. As I’ve stated in a few posts, I spent a few years in the work force developing a painting business that was profitable and really helped to put me through school. I realized during this time, that I didn’t want to spend my life painting but wasn’t sure what else to do. After marrying a teacher, I decided that I could do that and the road to today began. 

I didn’t have any teacher that inspired me and I don’t have any moment or story about a teacher that influenced me. However, once in university, I realized that I really did love learning and figured maybe I could help youth to learn to love learning. However, it has been what I learned while carving out a niche for my painting company that I’ve relied upon during my teaching and administration that has been the most unexpected part of what I do. Because I’ve been in the “real world” outside of school and have returned there a few times during summer to paint, I can talk to some of the ideas that students have about work and being away from home. I have experience trying to build a business base and knowing what happens when things go wrong in business that have helped me in conversations with many students. I’ve done more than “just be a teacher.” 

Accept you don’t know it all

Over time, I realized that to be an effective administrator, I need to work with the strengths of the people around me and allow them to use them and develop them. I don’t know it all and won’t, no matter how long I do this job. I’m always learning and I have so many sources to explore in that learning. As an administrator, I’m always looking for learning opportunities. I’ve taken several online classes through Harvard Graduate School of Education, been involved in different division and provincial PD initiatives and just looked for different ways to increase my knowledge in areas that I know I need development. I’ve learned to accept criticism and take on the mindset that if people aren’t happy with what you’ve done then there is something to learn from that situation. “Take the sand and make it into a pearl” is how I look at these things. 

Realize that learning doesn’t stop - EVER

Learning is lifelong. This goes with the above idea. I must be open to new things and new ways of doing things. I need to keep myself up to date on what is being written and what is being discussed in various areas of education, from pre-school to post secondary. I don’t need to be an expert in all areas but I do need to know about them in order to make decisions that are based on some type of information. Whether it’s the use of technology, brain-based learning, Professional Learning Communities or  collaborative teaching strategies, my role as a learning leader is to know about them. Some of them I need to develop my knowledge about so that I can lead my staff while others I need to know enough so that when people begin to discuss it I am familiar with what is going on. I leave it to other people to know more than I do because that is their role. I have to trust them as professionals but know enough to see that something might not be going as it should. 

Not taking myself too seriously

I am replaceable. There will be another administrator come in and take my place when I leave. My time in the position should be dedicated to making education better for the students and helping the teachers to that end. It’s not about me! Now some people don’t see that and will look at situations from a very narrow point of view concluding that I’m only thinking about myself. Hopefully, I can move things along so that it does become apparent that it isn’t about me but come to accept that some people won’t see it that way, especially when they don’t get their way.

It’s all about learning

This took me a while to figure out. I still think many administrators don’t get this part of the equation. For me, the whole thing is about learning - students learning and growing from where they were. This can happen in a number of ways and it manifests itself in an equally number of different ways. Yes, part of it is about covering curriculum but it’s more and, as an administrator, it’s my role to help teachers to do their best to enhance the learning environment in the classroom. Sometimes, it’s praising them and sometimes it being direct and then helping them to learn and develop. It’s being truthful about what I see as leader for learning. 

As this new school year begins, I am once again teaching a whole new set of classes. My teacher side is nervous and worried that I won’t be prepared for this. My administrator side is worried about the overall school and teachers and helping them to prepare for the upcoming school year. I have 5 new teachers in the building, three who are new to the profession. I will have 2 more join our staff in a few months as two of the teachers go on maternity leave. It seems enormous at times. However, as a leader, I realize I don’t face this alone. I have teachers who are experienced and who have many talents. I have support people in the division that can help. In the end, my role is to help all the staff to create a school that is a center of learning, who are focused on student success and who know that there is nothing that can happen that we won’t be able to work through or overcome. 

Life is a journey of continuous learning. In the school, my role is to lead for learning for everyone, including myself. To help those around me, I figure I need to have at least some experience in what it is like to be a full time teacher in order to make decisions that will be the most effective in providing the opportunities for learning. Not all will take advantage of those opportunities, which is very unfortunate, but I’m the person who, when the rubber hits the pavement, is responsible for the learning that takes place. I can’t do it along, and don’t intend to try but, if I don’t accept that responsibility, then there is little chance it will happen. I learned this while being a classroom teacher. From my perspective, you can’t skip steps otherwise you miss out on too much learning yourself. 

That’s why administrators need to learn in the classroom first.

Listening and decisions

Well, my last post has created some good discussion, I always like discussion. One thing that seemed to generate some good discussion revolved around listening to students.  As mrsdurff commented 

“Producing future workers in the economies of our countries who are able to think critically is the point. This cannot be accomplished without the use of the tools. There are many who are concerned about the widening digital divide, or as I like to say the wrinkles.” 

I won’t completely disagree with this although I wonder if school should be focused on producing future workers. If that is what schools are to do, then tools we use need to be much more than just the tech tools because our economies are being driven by more than technology. In my area of the world, we cannot find people who work in the trades - carpenters, plumbers, electricians and such, nor can we find enough people for the service sector to work in restaurants, hotels and other such places. These are the areas where we need people to work and it has been that way for a number of years. 

As for the “widening digital divide”, I’m seeing it kind of like the discussion of the 21st Century Skills discussion that has been making the rounds. From my perspective, we need to teach the youth much more about dealing with people and worry less about them learning to use the tools - they’re already doing it and will grow into using these tools in their chosen area of employment. They’re youth, they will experiment and learn then take what they need for their employment. The divide, from my perspective, is more about socio-economic conditions than about using tools. If we can work on dealing with the human factor, maybe the divide won’t be such a problem. But as long as we continue to feed the narcissism of the youth, getting them to see other’s plight will be that much more difficult. 

Now, we need to listen to the youth most definitely. As one of my new acquaintances points out:

“I think we have to listen to kids….I think we have to listen a LOT. They shouldn’t be totally empowered, but they should be heard. Thinking that the teacher has all the answers is misguided. In fact, some of my best teaching has been a result of asking the right questions and listening.”

Again, I’m not going to disagree because what is said is correct. However, listening to them doesn’t mean you give them all they want. My comments come from the point of view that there are many discussions where I see youth putting their points out and then, when an adult disagrees with them or doesn’t side with them, they are angry, upset, rude and disrespectful. As an administrator I get to see more than my share of this and it isn’t getting any better. When we elevate youth to equal adults, we create problems that go far beyond just the age difference. We create a peer situation that is, basically, wrong. Adults and youth are not peers. Yes we can learn from listening to youth just like we can learn from listening to those older than us or people in different situations than us or listening to someone of the opposite sex or…. the key is learning through listening. However, there is a point where we need to make it clear that although a youth may appear to be wise beyond their years, they are still a youth and guidance from those older than them is required. Yes, I know all about those youth who are like that, I live with a few of them. But they are still youth and need the guidance of parents and adults and need to respect those adults. It is a life skill that will serve them well in their lives!  To invite a youth into a situation where they are discussing as a peer with adults creates a situation that, frankly, I wouldn’t want to be involved and I sit and discuss with youth about various things on various levels. Input, ideas, opinions and the rest are important but cannot be confused with being given the responsibility to make decisions about areas that are not within the realm of the youth. And, if the adults don’t make it absolutely clear that all the youth are providing is input, ideas and the like, then that is misleading. To qualify, I’ve seen what happens when youth are led to believe they will be given the ability to change policy or have ideas implemented and then find out that it’s not so.

This whole area is a bit of a contentious one since educators work so closely with youth and can see that their input and ideas are crucial to the whole educational context but because they do not have all the bigger picture pieces nor some of the life experiences that the adults have, there is just a difference that cannot be ignored. Call me what you will, but I believe that my time here on the planet, my education and my abilities give me an advantage about certain situations in relation to a youth. 

Okay, now here’s another thing that I don’t get. Since when haven’t youth been disconnecting and powering down when they went to school? I don’t get this. Maybe I hung with a different crowd or was abnormal but, for the most part, what we did in school was almost completely disconnected from our lives and we powered down and disconnected at school only to reconnect after. We couldn’t do it via texting or msn so we actually had to plan and get together f2f or talk on a landline, but we were connected quite a bit. We played video games, hung out at each other’s homes, drove around finding places to get away from adults and be, well, kids. We didn’t videotape the time we hung out (for that I am so thankful!!) and post it online and we had to drive to a meeting place. The tools have changed but the fact that youth have been disconnecting from school isn’t new. (See earlier post and reference to Socrates!) The youth finally have the ability to get their message out in a persuasive manner and for some reason it’s bothering adults! 

The important thing is to find a balance between listening to what youth are saying and continuing to realize that some of what they are saying has been said before and is part of being a youth. To frame this as a new problem of youth discounts the past, which has much to teach us. What will be interesting will be what happens when these youth are no longer youth. How will their tune change?

Being critical

My summer vacation is almost finished. 2 weeks and the school will be full of students, some excited to be here and some wishing they were anywhere else but here. It’s been an odd summer in that I spend most of my time working at a second job - painting - and doing some odd jobs around the house. No major get-away and nothing really exciting. As I pondered the upcoming year through the summer, caught up on some of my reader reading and became connected to my PLN in Plurk again, I noticed a few topics of discussion that caught my attention. So, in no particular order, here are some of the thoughts on these topics.

Tech leery administration

Administrators are the educational leaders of their schools/divisions/districts. Whether they embrace this or not it is something that has been demonstrated in a number of different books and articles about the subject. These people are the leaders of their respective institutions and set the direction and tone of what is going on. It baffles me that there seems to be so many of these people who, for various reasons, are leery of technology use in classrooms. 

Being an administrator, I know that many of these people are dedicated to creating the best possible learning environments that they can for the students. However, it has also been my observation that many of them are very leery of using web2.0 technologies in schools. Many of them, from what I understand, do not fully understand these technologies and don’t appreciate how they might fit into the learning environment. There is a fear of the “What if” that continues to be perpetuated by the media without a broader and more indepth discussion of what is actually happening. 

Administrators also need to begin using these tools themselves. The time when one could ignore advances in technology ended a while back. I’m not sure how an administrator can begin to make decisions regarding technology use and integration without having some working knowledge of the technology in question. I know you don’t have to know all about a car to drive it but it helps to know about how things work so that you can make decisions based on knowledge instead of the colour you like. 

21st Century Teaching

I’m going to take a leap here and go against much of the hype that I’ve been reading. Students are disengaged because they are, well, children and would like to be doing other things instead of being in school and it hasn’t changed. Don’t you think that Socrates had to deal with someone sitting in the class thinking “Man, I’d rather be out doing combat training than listening to all these dumb questions.” Really, to think that these are the first students to be disengaged is, well, absurd. We’re giving way too much power to the tools by discussing student disengagement because their teachers aren’t using these tools. To do so minimizes the great talent it takes to teach, to know content and to make students interested in what is being delivered. Technology is a tool in the same manner as a pen, book and a whiteboard. Yes they text, play video games and communicate via internet and have access to so much more information but it’s still the skill and art of the teacher that bridges the knowledge the student has to what is out there. Creating critical and creative thinkers doesn’t require technology.

The 21st Century Student

Again, I’m going to go against the stream but there seems to be way too much focus on a particular student type. I know that earlier this month there was some discussions about a well known student blogger who also was part of some educators twitter conversations. For me, that is just a no-no. Somewhere along the line there has been a confusion between asking students for their input and worshipping some of these students for their skills. I know that may offend many but as an administrator, I’ve seen it become more and more prevalent in my dealings with students. Somewhere along the way the voice of youth has become the overpowering voice as adults abdicate their responsibilities of teaching and guiding - being adult - in order to be “liked” by youth in the guise of making sure that youth have a voice. 

Unfortunately it seems to be only certain youth with particular skills that burst onto the educational discussion scene. Yes, they need to be heard but not at the expense of adult knowledge, experience and wisdom. And, it’s okay for them to be disappointed or upset or angry when they don’t get their way. It’s important they learn that respecting someone older is important even if they don’t agree with them. Eventually the tables will turn and if they haven’t learnt some of these lessons, they will have a struggle with the outcomes. Of course, the opposite is true and adults need to respect the youth but that’s a whole different discussion. In my experience, many youth confuse respect with getting their own way. To them, respecting them is giving them what they want. And before the dumping begins, I meet with many students during the year. I do have a clue! 

The 21st century student is so much more than technology and being connected globally. In fact, a huge group of youth aren’t. For some reason, the tech savvy adults have grasped onto this without looking around 360 degrees to see all the other students who aren’t, can’t be, don’t want to be or have other interests. These adults are, sorry to say, confusing the developing youth connectiveness and technology use with abilities and skills. Learning is so much more than using technology and, for many youth, needs to be more. Yes we need to teach many different skills but, really, they are just things we have taught but now in a new milieu - online. The one example of the “new 21st century” student doesn’t come close to capturing the variety and differences in students that will come into a classroom and it’s wrong to take that view. If educators are to truly be teaching to all,  to narrow them all down to a particular type of all doesn’t work and things have gone awry somewhere. 

Ageism

What is this? Like really, I’ve read it a few places where it’s tossed around as a way to discount all the experience and wisdom that people have gained through living. There is a huge difference between being 16 and 46 and the experience gained in that time does count and cannot be discarded with a pshah and the utterance of “ageism”. Again, it bothers me when I read educators using this in order to discount what other adults/educators say. When a youth says it to prove a point, it demonstrates the youth’s inexperience and, to some degree, lack of respect. Adults who have achieved a particular position have knowledge and wisdom that youth just don’t have and to say otherwise is to, once again, worship the whole youth culture. I’ve learned to respect the wisdom of elders by listening to what they have to say and then drawing from their wisdom to apply lessons to my own life. But in order to do that, I have had to realize that their stories of up hill both ways through 8 feet of snow aren’t about the hill or the snow but about something much more. Too quickly the phrase “but it’s not like that any more” or some equivalent is tossed out and the wisdom is lost. And, really, some of what I’ve read does sound like whining and wanting something that hasn’t yet been earned. (reflect on the hills and snow!) 

Schools and teachers need technology

Maybe. I’m still not sure that we need all the technology that is being pushed. Too often, technology is seen as a way of “engaging” students so they don’t “disconnect” when they come to school. Having watched several “master” teachers in their classrooms, students don’t need technology to learn. In fact, I’d rather see a teacher master the art of teaching before they start with the technology gadgets. Poor teaching will not be improved with technology. Engaged students are that way because an adult has taken them to a place where engagement is necessary, technology aside. 

I use technology but not as a means of engagement for students. If my students are not engaged before the technology is used, they won’t be no matter what technology I toss at them. It is a tool. It is a tool. It is a tool. Nothing more. Engagement needs to be planned and created before the technology is used by the students. Oh, we can allow them to be engaged by letting them play games but if there is no engagement before that, then it’s just the game. And, again, before I get it from the educational game people, I am a gamer - not to the degree I was - but I’ve been involved in WoW, online games, video games and the sort. There is a great deal of learning that takes place but there needs to be someone to draw out what was learned. 

I’ll stop here. I have a few other things but I figure that, for one day, I’ve brought out a few things that have been crinkling my linen over the summer.

We all want to be popular

Last night I was able to spend some time on the net getting caught up with some of the sites that have popped up (www.go2web20.net - awesome site for new and upcoming web2.0 stuff) and just plurking away. Plurking? Yes, I’ve moved away from twitter - the much hyped but very flaky social network that was the darling of the edubloggosphere for the past little while. 

The Social Network Thing

Now, I began on twitter 6 or 7 months ago when it was in its infancy. Truth be told, it wasn’t a big hit with me since I didn’t have the time to be on it constantly like many of the others were and I just didn’t cultivate the network relationships that many others did. I’d drop in and chat or see what was going on but I couldn’t sustain a conversation or play some of the games that went on. Then Pownce came along and I really liked it. It did so much more than twitter did and the conversations could be longer than 140 characters which was a big drawback that I didn’t like about twitter. Some people gave pownce a try but stuck with twitter, the first SN that they were on and this seems to be a trend that is continuing with Plurk. Some people are gravitating to plurk, others are trying to do both (something that will be very difficult when school is on) and some are staying with twitter. That’s good! I’ve basically moved and my PLN is changing a bit but that’s good. Eventually I hope to find a social network where there are actually some more principals who will really admit they are principals:) 

 I made up my mind that I’m going to go over to Plurk for several reasons. The first being that it is up and working when I’m there and I don’t get this 

which seems to be the norm lately. I know, it’s because twitter is so popular and if Plurk was as popular it would have the same problems. But it doesn’t, it works and, for me, the ability to sustain and add to a conversation, regardless of which way the timeline moves, is a BIG plus over twitter which is very chaotic and nonlinear. I can look up old conversations and then use them - which you’ll see later in this blog.

Popularity

Since I began on Plurk, there has been much ado about karma, the little incentive Plurk has for using plurk. I find it of no big deal but some people look at the karma and discuss its movement up and down. Kind of like the discussion that took place on twitter about the twitter ranking of twitterers that went on a few months back. Is this about popularity? I’m not sure and really don’t care that much. To say I don’t care at all would be a lie because I do want people to make comments and join in discussions that I begin but do I care about my karma going up and down? No. Maybe it’s something that I’ve developed as a principal but being popular isn’t the reason I became a principal. It was to do good things for students and, sometimes, that makes you unpopular with some students and parents. I know that when I first began as a principal, I wanted to be liked by everyone. I realize now that when you are in a position of decision making, someone will not be happy with a decision you make. 

This idea of popularity came up last night in a discussion on plurk and twitter and the role of popularity in the edubloggosphere. The discussion was very good and I always like it when there is a chance for people to express how they feel about such things. I think all of us want some level of popularity in that we want to be able to connect with others and contribute to the discussions that are taking place. There are those in the edubloggosphere who really worry about being popular and will say things and make comments that are very “distasteful” for an educator just to get that popularity and generate visits to their blog. 

For anyone who has been blogging for some time, Scott McLeod over at Dangerously Irrelevant posts a list of the top 50 edublogs every so often as ranked by technocrati. Now, I find that it is a useful tool for me to find some new blogs to visit and reacquaint myself with blogs I haven’t visited in a while. However, after the last post, there was a discussion that took place that really underlined the fact that some people are looking for popularity and will say whatever to get it.

So why should social networks be any different? Some people will make various comments about whatever comes into their heads and post it. I’ve seen it on both twitter and plurk. To be truthful, I’ve rarely seen these types of posts on pownce. It seems to have less “I just woke up from a nap and am having coffee” types of posts. As for popularity, all social networks are about popularity to some degree - from MySpace, Facebook to Plurk, Jaiku and twitter. In fact, if popularity weren’t a part of it, why would people continue to search for that tool that lets them post and read on ALL their social networks? Because we feel we have something to contribute - it’s not a bad thing at all.

Liz Davis - someone I’ve grown to appreciate for her insightful comments and her uncanny sense of humour expressed that

lizbdavissays

I find the whole issue of “fame” within the edubloggosphere very interesting. Teaching is supposed to be a selfless profession. I think teachers tend to feel bad when they think too much about themselves. It has to be about the kids or it is selfish.

As I commented to Liz, the difference is that the edubloggosphere isn’t necessarily always about students - actually it sometime has nothing to do with students but about people’s ideas, ideology and pedagogy and their ego, stature and status. The edubloggosphere isn’t school and so people don’t always act the way they do when in the education setting. School is, or should be, about what is best for students (that is always debatable) and what can be done to enhance their learning in a variety of ways. Schools are, or should be, focused on students. The edubloggosphere is focused on a variety of things, one of them being the adults in education. 

We Can’t Mandate 

We can’t, and shouldn’t, expect educators to always be focused on students 24/7. No one in any profession does that. And we should expect people to be all over the map when using any type of social network. I sometimes discuss education issues, sometimes parenting, sometimes silly and, really, things that maybe might be better left unsaid. But, these people have become more than just professional learning network members, they have become people that are friends and that is why I discuss so many different things. Some have even come to appreciate my sense of humor, which, for the record, I surgically have removed each fall and then replaced again each July. 

In the End

We all want some sort of popularity, notoriety, recognition or kudos. It may just be the type that allows us to interact with more people and gain their perspective or it might actually be all out popularity that will give us that ego-shine we want. Social networks are a place for that to take place as much as the rest of the internet does the same thing. In the end, does it really matter? 

As I mentioned last night, if you are part of a group that is focused on education, then maybe that isn’t the place to be looking to be popular and grow your karma. But, if you are like me and discuss various topics, sometime simultaneously, you might be serious and goofy all at the same time! When the dust does finally clear, I want to be popular to some extent because I feel I have something to offer to the edubloggosphere even if it is just my own reflections on my growth, life and living in the fast-paced, change-happening world. If it helps someone else and they can use it in some way, that’s even better. If they can’t use it and just get a chuckle from the absurdity of some of the things I say, that’s okay too. After all, this is all about the SOCIAL networks, something that anyone with a teenager should not have to reminded but, as an adult educator, might need to be. It is partly about being social of which a small part is popularity. And, really, what’s so wrong with that?

Outside the Education Bubble

It’s the middle of July and this will be my first post for the summer, if I have time to actually finish it. It’s not that I haven’t started a number of posts but none have reached the publish stage. The reason I’ve not finished these is that life outside of the educational world has been very busy. In fact, I’ve spent very little time, except for dropping into Plurk each day, worrying about or working at or discussing what’s going on within the educational bubble. 

It is a bubble

Over the past two years, I’ve spent my summers working construction. In my past life, before education, I was a painter and I now use those skills during the summer as I work for a local builder painting new houses. This means that I spend my time with various trades people through the summer which is a HUGE change from the world of education. I also meet and talk with many of the people in the community during coffee breaks, talking about farming, building and various other important topics of the day. If there’s a storm go through, the implications of hail and too much rain are the topics of discussion. No talk of education pops up - unless the school is broken into. That did happen this week but people were more concerned about who might do such a thing and not about even what happened! 

This is much different from the discussions that are taking place in the educational world. When I drop in to Plurk and see what’s going on, most of the discussions are focused on this presentation being streamed or this new website or that new wiki or tool. There’s discussions about this conference or that conference and all the great discussions that are coming from these. Now, there are the discussions about children and holidays that take place which are not education focused but are the kind of discussions that build relationships which are essential to the growth of any human network.  That’s not what this post is about.

The people outside of education are discussing the price of oil, the impact of the price on their work, how they will be able to maintain what they have with the  price of production and the rise of prices on all goods plus the impact of various decisions on the environment. They wonder how the weather will affect their future ability to sustain their livelihood. They want to know why it takes so long to get things delivered from the city and why I get so much paint on myself! In my two years of working outside of education, I have yet to have any type of sustained discussion about technology. First, because people accept that technological progress is happening and there are those they need to use. Secondly, it’s not a big deal. Things progress, you adapt and life and work go on. 

In educational circles these past two years, all that has been discussed, demonstrated and examined is technology and its implications. We debate whether schools should have open access to the web, whether students should be allowed open access or work behind walled zones. We discuss how teachers should be looking at technology and how to get PD. The discussions continue on and there is no end in sight while, as I sit down with coffee, I listen to a farmer well into his 80’s describe the new seeder that he has just bought and the technology that it has and what it will mean to his production. He went to a day long session to learn about the equipment and then a rep came out to assist him with getting started. Now, he’s good to go, as he said. 

Educators Talk/ Others Do

Technology and change are now a part of the social fabric of our society. To ignore this or to somehow say it isn’t happening and affecting how people interact and live is a crucial mistake. People may want/wish that  things weren’t progressing but, for the most part, they are accepting and adopting those things that believe will make their lives easier/better. As I watch houses being built, the use of technology is everywhere, from the computer generated floor plans and 3D graphics to the colour generation technology that is used to select colours. Granted, some of the technology has nothing to do with computers. The stilts I use to paint high areas are not computerized but they are indeed technological improvements over the ones I used years ago. The sprayer I use is a fraction of the size and weight of what I began using and the technology in the paint has made it possible to do things I couldn’t do a few years ago. This is true across the many trades that I encounter during my summer work. From the battery operated nailers to the digital tape measures, technology is being used. People accept that things progress and there needs to be changes in order to keep up. Fact. They do.

In education, the talk is still happening. Whether we should do this or that or adopt this tool or that tool or…… what I’ve learned from working over the summers is to quit talking and just do. You see, there will always be talk, just as someone will buy this farming technology and someone will choose to pass but buy another. This discussion about the use of technology in education has gone on far too long. 

Do or do not. There is no try.
Yoda, Star Wars

These words, which I heard many years ago, have become words that I live by and which, I believe, have helped me as an educators, to make decisions that were essential to improving myself. For me, they are words that guide me as an administrator as I work with students, parents or staff. I either decide to do things or not do them. With each decision, I then must be willing to make the necessary adjustments so I can accomplish it or I don’t do it. It may sound kind of black and white to some “Well, why not just try it to see if you …” often is thrown my way. Do you know how many things there are to try? Can you seriously expect educators to try all the things out there? We’ve been doing that for quite awhile and look where we are right now - still talking. 

Time to Do or Do Not

During the first few weeks of summer, I dropped into a few streamed sessions from NECC and BLC08 to give a listen and chat a bit. Same stuff. Maybe a few different presentations but mainly it was the Edu-conference-presenter-group who were the keynotes. I wonder “Where’s the beef?” I know what’s being said because it’s been said again and again and again….. in different ways, with a slightly different twists but “We need to change how we do school” & “We need to get teachers using new technology” & “We need to move away from the testing culture” is still being delivered. And yes, there are shining examples of this being done - SLA in Philly being an example - but it’s not the norm in so many different ways. 

Do or Do Not

The way this will change isn’t by having more teachers trying the technologies. It isn’t by gathering the choir together to talk about it. It isn’t about getting a few more people to look at social networks or listening to people keynote about what needs to happen. It’s by identifying those people who can make things happen and doing - sometimes despite what others say. It’s by creating requirements for professionals which make it a part of being a professional to adopt change and adjust the teaching strategies to accommodate for the changes. Change is happening at an increased rate and to continue to allow people to not adopt that change and not use the new technologies is no longer acceptable.

Where to Start?

Those at the top, administrators et al., need to become responsive to changes in new ways. Instead of constantly trying to maintain the status quo so to remain popular or move up or whatever they are doing, they MUST be the initiators and see how these new technologies fit into the “We have to have our students do better” mantra. It doesn’t mean they know all there is about all the new technologies, but they learn go develop a Personal Learning Network that will help them. They seek out information and quit hiding behind “Will it help test scores?”. Of course it will, eventually. But today or next week - no guarantees. In the future, you bet. 

Teachers have to be held accountable for how they teach, the tools they use and the way they deliver their course material. It doesn’t matter if you are up on brain research or not, if you’ve ever watched a small child figure something out or learn something, they don’t do it by sitting passively and listening ALL THE TIME! They may have to once in a while, as a parent explains something, but usually it is by doing, trying, seeking, adjusting what they know with what they are learning. And forget about saying teachers cannot do it. I’ve learned to make all sorts of Transformers transform WITHOUT any manual or lecture because my children want them to be something else and don’t have the patience to wait for the lecture. Necessity requires us to learn to use new technologies and my role of a parent of small boys has required me to be able to learn this new technology and NOW! 

As for the others who are involved in educational decision making, there needs to be a change in how the whole process works. It can be done! It takes will but it occur. Being part of a school division that is still going through the pangs of force amalgamation, I know it isn’t easy but it can be done. My hope is that as things continue to grow and change, people who are working in these positions will continue to foster growth and not settle into a plateau stage. It’s not the growth and change that is the problem, it’s believing we have achieved a level to stop that is. 

Life Long Learning

This phrase is so hollow for so many in education. They say they want students to become life long learners but they have no idea what exactly that is because they quit doing it themselves so long ago they forget how hard learning is and what it takes to be a learner. Oh, they think they are learning when they adopt a new reading series or math series or some new center but it’s not. They continue to do the same old with a new piece. It’s like using your computer on highspeed to just answer emails. If that’s all you do, stick with dial-up! I mean, one doesn’t paint their entire house with a brush anymore. Why, because someone invented a roller or sprayer. One don’t use lead-based paints anymore because someone has figured out it really messes you up and someone invented incredibly good acrylic paints. I could go on and on about this because in education this type of “learning” happens all the time and we accept it as actual learning. Instead, all educators must be required to show and demonstrate their learning is actual learning - adding something new to their knowledge base. For crying out loud, that’s what we expect from students! 

Get out of the Bubble

One of the reasons I continue to paint and do these other things is that it gets me out of my education bubble. I am in situations where I do or I do not. Besides, I like the fact that at no time will anyone be able to use the “I can make it so you don’t work again!” against me. Always learning means there are so many opportunities out there for me and my family and, with staying involved outside education, I know that there are opportunities to be had if I were to make that decision. 

My suggestion for all educators - get out of the bubble. Instead of going to a conference on more education - learn a trade or how to do something that is outside the bubble. It’s amazing what people who aren’t in education talk about. It’s these insights that get me out of my narrow “educational” view and looking at things differently. It’s probably why I think educators need to “Do or do not”. Change is happening and it’s time to quit talking to the choir. They already agree and sing the same tune. 

Whether you agree or disagree, take a stand. Like John Mellencamp says” you either stand for something or you fall for anything!” Time to stand up!

Atlas has it easy.

Most people, nope, that’s wrong. Some people are aware of the myth of Atlas holding the world on his shoulders.You know, there he is standing on…. well standing there holding the world on his shoulders. Naked. What was he standing on? Snot - now I have to go find that out. Anyway, as an administrator in June, I’m thinking about seeing if there is any way to do a job switch for a few weeks. Now, I know that this sounds strange, but a couple times the last few weeks it has felt like some comicbook badguy has crept into town and stolen all the common sense and I’ve been tasked with finding it and giving it back all with my wondercape and tights out for cleaning.(Don’t ask, don’t imagine, just read. Trust me on this one.)

Yeah, I know, that is why I get the big bucks. Let’s just clear that up by saying that, here the BIG BUCKS are more like middlen bucks with the wonderful opportunity to practice the “camera pose.” Why do you think administrators always take such good yearbook photos? Speaking of yearbook, why don’t they ask for the principal’s message at the beginning of the year? If I were to truly give my message now  …..I might not have anything to trade with Atlas.

I know it’s the end of the year and all, but if I’m being required to be on my best at this time of year how come others are being let off early? Did I miss out on the memo on good behaviour? Maybe it was one of the 300 daily email I get that I didn’t read clearly enough or didn’t have a subject. How hard is it to put a title in that line? Do people not realize that when you get 400 daily email, not having a title really slows down the whole email sorting process. In fact, a good title can really make or break the email for me. So, from the 500 odd email, those without a title go to the archive folder unless they have the name of someone I know wouldn’t send me a time-waster. (For those people, if you are reading this, it’s ok not to have a subject. I open your email regardless!) For all the others who are vying for my attention out of the 600 emails, no subject and archived you are. This account for about 400 leaving me with 300 to sort through and decide if I answer them “now” or do I put them on “hold” for later in the day. That’s my email sorting system. With 800 emails, I need something simple and quick.

It’s like common sense, that subject line, and lately there seems to be a shortage. So with my cape and tights being cleaned, starched and pressed, I’m trying to do this without letting on to others my hero identity, which actually isn’t tough because no one is noticing me until there’s a crisis and then, when I arrive, they disappear. Like “poof” gone.  “Go get the principal!” can be heard in my office from the far reaches of our known galaxy (the farthest point south on our playground) or, better yet, I can hear from the phone the secretary has answered and she’s two doors down the hall and mine is closed.(I tell everyone the lights are off to conserve energy and make it cooler in my office. Like flurescent bulbs give off heat! And they believe me!) Really, I’ve had all kinds of things just dropped off at my door. There’s a knock and when I open it, some students have been just left there with a note stapled to one of their shirts with a brief explanation of what happened. When I ask the students, they aren’t even sure which teacher was there because they left so fast.

Common sense. Missing in action. Get this - some of my students - between the ages of 10 and 12 - didn’t realize that if they threw rocks at one another, someone might get hurt and end up bleeding. Yes, you read that right. And they were just playing a game - which involved throwing rocks at each other. And - I quote - I didn’t know that if I hit him in the head with a smaller rock it would cut him. I didn’t know he’d get hurt. What do you say to that? I’m not making this up - 5 of them. (The team with only 2 did lose the game but had better aim because the others had the more severe damage.) That was morning of the second day.

Today, I entered the library to find 3 or 4 classes in the resource centre (that’s our new name for the library with a computer lab) and 1 teacher was visible. When I mentioned this, there were all kinds of reasons for me seeing only one teacher. All I can say is thank goodness the librarian was away for the afternoon or she’d have been having a coniption and I would have been the one she would have been having it on! We all know that, after the secretary and janitor, the librarian is next on the list of “Do not tick off!” Like, no one planned any activities so all these classes were sent to the computer lab. And like the rock throwers earlier in the week, there was a lack of understanding about why this wasn’t a good idea. Really, you cannot have 75 students on 27 computers. Some will be doing nothing which, in June, is not a situation I like - 50 odd students, mulling about with nothing to do and one person watching over them who is not armed. Visions of City Slickers II and the coffee grinder just popped into my head.

To top it all off, this is happening at a time when I’m trying to figure out teaching assignments and determine class offerings for next year which, by the way, have not gone any where near how I thought they would and, unless something happens involving the school to which we broadcast, we, yeah right we, there will need to be some changes which might include going from a 6 period day to a 5 period day. And you should have been a fly on the wall when I delivered that bit of joyous news. You’d think Atlas had dropped the ball and the world as we know it was going to end. And talk about being treated like a 7 year old - there were times I felt like I was back in grade 2 being scolded by the teacher. I’m the principal for crying out loud. “Did you count the selections right?” HUH???

A suggestion was just to have the students taking the class leave their other class the 10 minutes early. Hmmm - over an entire semester - about 98 days that’s, well, hmmm. Well I can’t count from the sheets how do you expect me to figure that one out? But I can tell you  that it’s too much time to miss from any class.

I just want some common sense to return for a few more days. Please. If you are the badguy who’s stolen the common sense, what do you want to have it returned? Wait, maybe if Atlas will just do a switch for a few days, then it would only be one world I’d be trying to hold up not everyone’s separate universe. You don’t know how many times I’ve looked at someone and thought “What colour is the sky in your world?” One world, the sky is blue, a few days. I only hope no other principal has thought of this before and Atlas is on to it. I’m not worried that he wouldn’t come back. I’m more worried that someone would steal his common sense and then we’d all be in trouble. “No Atlas, you can’t use it as a hackey-sack! I don’t think it’s good for the oceans! I don’t care what the rock throwers said, it will definitely hurt an ankle. Did you look at their foreheads? They threw rocks at one another!”

My wife compares all of this to giving birth. It starts out all fun, with some type of party which hopefully includes fireworks for someone. Then, as things progress you begin to remember how things were but you still don’t recall the end. There are moments of warm glowing happiness and times of really bad vomitting.  When the final few days arrive, you wonder if you’re going to make it at all, hoping it all will just end. Finally, when the moment arrives, you question your own sanity but almost as soon as it’s over and you hold that miracle in your arms, you forget all about what just went before. Sure, over the next few weeks, you’re reminded of it with pains here and there but, after a few months, you’re willing to have that party all over again. (Look, I’m a principal and a father of 7 children so this works for me!)  I’m at the “I just want it to end” stage. Grad is in 8 days. Birth.

Common sense. Maybe I’m the one who has none! Really, who’d want to trade with a guy like Atlas - all he does is hold up the world - I’m trying to help create it one student at a time. (minus the rock throwers would be nice. I’m just lucky the bars are close together on the windows or someone would have been buying a new window!Not. The bars I mean. They’d have had to pay for a new window. Hey, I don’t make that much!)

From Theory to Practice

pjhiggins Twitterpoll: If you could have your administrators read one book this summer, what would it be?

This question comes from one of the administrators who has become part of my PLN over the past year. Now, before I go into how I responded, some of the replies were:

ssandifer @pjhiggins wikinomics

chrislehmann @pjhiggins Moral Leadership — Thomas Sergiovanni

Now, there are a few topics that I believe are becoming essential for administrators to have a working knowledge about:

Data and data management

Economics and global influence

Leadership and the leadership role

Assessment and Curricular Planning

Technology Integration

Students, parents and school community relations

Helping All students reach their potential

Conflict Resolution

Now, the list could be endless but I think that these topics, although very broad, will give an administrator some guidelines. One cannot possibly be up-to-date on all the topics of education but it is important to have a grasp of those things that significantly affect education. Some people might argue that there are other topics that could be added and they’re right. Some might disagree with the way I’ve set this up and so be it. The point is that there is no one book that will “be” the book to read. It might give us some insight into a particular area of education or school or economy or society or…. but it won’t be definitive.

So, what is my suggestion for a book or two to read through the summer? Well, my answer to the question was:

@pjhiggins “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” (Charles Schultz) or “Scientific Progress Goes “Boink”  and “The Days are Just Packed” (The last two are Calvin and Hobbes books by Bill Watterson.)

What the? probably just ran through your mind. This is suppose to be for school administrators. What in the world do these books have to do with that? Well, nothing and everything. These are comics and, on their own, have nothing to do with being an administrator. However, they are about children, written in such a dynamic manner that they capture the angst of that time in a manner that I have yet to see done by any of the many books that I have read. In fact, it is during times when I’m very unsure of what I’m doing and where things are going that I often turn to these books, or others by the same writer, that I find inspiration for where I am going.

It’s from these images and stories that I find more real ideas than from many of the “expert” books that I have read. It’s the fact that these two writers are able to so magnificently capture the angst/joy of childhood and youth in a way that allows one to see beyond just what is there.

Life is a Comedy (of errors?)

As a young administrator, I was going to fix the schools of their problems. Yes I was. I had the answers and once people saw that I had them, everyone would listen, we’d bring about sweeping changes and I’d climb the steps all the way to the Division office in a few short years. Really. I mean, I’d spent 10 years honing my craft in middle year classrooms, working with incredible teachers, learning from them and beginning to explore how connecting students and curriculum was so important. I was ready.

Apparently, the rest of the educational world wasn’t quite ready for me and I was definitely not ready for what was follow. Let’s just say, I had a bit more than my eyebrows singed in my first years as an administrator. Now in my 8th year, I understand that I know very little, I have very little power and school administration is not even close to what I thought it was going to be. I was, in truth, completely clueless.

Don’t squirt lighter fluid on a burning fire

Truth be told, my learning is increasing each year as I see relationships that need to be explored and then look for information and ways of learning about the different parts of the relationships. As the school year screams along, I try to keep up with different ideas and thoughts regarding education. I also try to keep seeking out ideas and thoughts from outside education, looking for ways to blend and merge, to create an experience that is less “unreal” so students can experience “the real world” well before they exit from school.

In doing this, I sometimes find that I use to squirt lighterfluid on bonfires which, if you’ve been camping, can be quite interesting depending on the size of the fire, the amount of fluid and the distance from the fire. I’ve since learned that this type of activity does nothing but create a much larger fire that usually singes hair off your body. (note - a person looks stupid with no eyebrows or eyelashes!) Instead, I’ve learned to that fires do not need any additional fuel from me and my job is to make sure they stay under control and are put out.

Cartoon Heroes

When things get really intense with my job, which is about every few hours, I’ve learned that if I take myself too seriously, I will make mistakes. That’s when a few moments to refocus and recenter is so important. My inspiration at these times is a Calvin & Hobbes cartoon. No matter the situation, it makes me smile and reflect. The theory is always useful but it’s the transfer to everyday situations and individual moments where it really counts. Sometimes it isn’t always easy to do and sometimes, it’s downright gut-wrenching. It’s times like that, when the two worlds are colliding and I’m searching, I spend a little time seeing what the comic philosophers have to say. It’s not that I’m looking for one specific answer. Instead, I’m looking at people and humanity through different lenses. In fact, most of my heroes come from those pages - heroes that may not save the world or always be stronger, faster and stronger. They’re my heroes because they point out our human follies and virtues in ways that are accessible to everyone.

So, my suggestion for reading during the summer might include a few “educational” books but it definitely will include those comic philosophers who will remind me of the importance of staying in touch with all aspects of being human. I’ve so much to learn. When I first stepped into administration, I had so many answers. Now, I have so many questions and, as an administrator, it’s all about the kids - all kids. I’ve felt like many of the characters in those pages. So, if you excuse me, I have a coffee table that needs some nails and a ball team that needs a pitcher.

The Power of the backchannel

Like many of my twitter friends, I am still in a sort of after-glow from attending the TLt Summit last week in Saskatoon. As I begin to connect some of the things that went on and bring together ideas with conversations, I am slowly getting a better idea of how the conference participants’ and their presentations are combining with my own ideas and knowledge about education.

One of the immediate thoughts that struck me was the power of the backchannel. This came from Stephen Downes’ presentation. Now, Stephen’s presentation focused on future trends/predictions but the power of the presentation was the combination of the ideas that Stephen presented and the interaction of the audience via the backchannel. As Jen Jones commented on Stephen’s site

Your presentation blew me away! I was so upset I didn’t bring my computer. I had left it so I could pay attention, but you showed how participation is just as important as paying attention. I would loved to have added substance to the backchannel for you.

That pretty much sums it up for me, too. The presentation was an incredible give and take between Stephen and the audience as they put forth their ideas. There were times Stephen had to prompt the audience - like to add pictures with comments to the backchannel but, for the most part, the interaction was a seamless flow between members of the audience and others in the audience or Stephen.

Now, despite the power of this interaction, there were many in the audience who really didn’t get what was taking place. Again, Jen sums it up nicely:

“Some people get it. Some people do not get it. Do not dilute your message for these people. Give them all the inferno. The embers that reach those on the outskirts will eventually turn into flames.”

For those who got it, the interactions were tremendous, as good, if not better, than any backchannel that I’ve taken part in. For those who didn’t obviously get it, the power of what was going on was beyond their understanding. It was obvious who had taken part in backchannel discussions before and who hadn’t. Those who hadn’t were distracted by the messages being posted while those at my table, who had been involved in quite a few backchannel discussions, were able to springboard on what Stephen was saying, making connections and expanding the breadth and depth of the discussion.

I did some posting but I spent as much time watching the crowd as they responded to what was being displayed and those around me who were into the discussion and what Stephen was saying, searching and adding to the dialogue that was taking place. (All except Jen who had left her laptop at the room Watching the crowd made me realize that we have a long way to go as educators. Many people in the room seemed to be having difficulty with the two things going on at once. Maybe that is why so many educators become frustrated with the use of cellphones or laptops in their classes; they don’t see how the two things can be going on at once. What I’d like to see is for educators to harness that energy and use it in teaching, helping students to use the backchannel to have a greater impact on what is going on in the classroom. So like Stephen, instead of being distracted by the backchannel, using it to enhance and help inform the learning that is taking place.

Like so many of the presenters, Stephen modeled how technology can have a positive impact on the learning environment. Many educators have no experience with this and find it disconcerting when it does take place. Instead of banning devices that allow for the backchannel discussions, educators need to be open to seeking ways to leverage them to add to the learning. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to the session on using cellphones in class but from all accounts it was a great presentation. It is this type of thinking that draws students into their learning.

Conferences have a tendency to give us great ideas but once we return to our school environments, there is the good chance that many fall right back into what they were doing before they attended. For me, this one powerful example has me questioning and examining how I, as an administrator, can help teachers to see new technologies, not as a distraction, but as powerful tools that can enhance what they are doing. As my favourite recording artist, John Mellancamp says in A Peaceful World

It’s what you do, not what you say

If you aren’t part of the future, then get out of the way.

This may sound a bit “out there” but I feel that it really captures what is happening in education at this moment in time. This doesn’t mean we toss all that we are doing but it does mean we need to be open and forward looking, experimenting and challenging, not looking back and trying to keep things as they are. It means educators need to be looking at what skills future generations will need and then boldly seeking to assist students to acquire those skills. One of those skills will be developing the ability to use backchannels to enhance conversations that are taking place and add to the discussions thereby enhancing their learning and the learning of those around them.

TLt Summit - staying motivated/moving on

Last week had me attending my first “Techie” conference in full force. The TLt Summit in Saskatoon was truly an inspiring experience. I sat through some incredible keynotes by the likes of Stephen Downes, George Siemens, Brian Lamb and Rick Schwier. I attended sessions by cutting edge educators right here from Saskatchewan like Dean Shareski, Rob Wall, Kyle Lichtenwald, Alec Couros and Kathy Cassidy. I enjoyed lunch and drinks with many of these same people plus listened and learned from Jennifer Jones, D’Arcy Norman, Cindy Siebel, Donna Desroches and others who have incredible ideas and insights into the use of technology in education at all levels. I was humbled knowing that some of these same people were at my session on the second day.

Seeing several key Canadian players in the educational technology realm was important because I find that there is a difference between what is happening in education in Canada and what I read is happening in many US states.  It was a chance to spend time listening to what they had to say on all sorts of topics, from the discussion I had with George Siemens about student/teacher equality (I wish I would have had more time for this as it was a great discussion.) to the time I spent listening to Brian Lamb and Stephen Downes discuss education at the university level. Each keynote had so many great points and interesting nuances that I really wasn’t sure which way to go. Actually, I’m still sifting through the different layers, fitting together ideas from one or another session or keynote.

The one thing I did learn was that, when doing a presentation, you need to really keep track of time, spend more time interacting with the audience, less time delivering the “big message” and more time giving examples of how to bring about changes in small, but meaningful, ways. My presentation, which consisted of 10 very bland slides with key prhases on them, wasn’t really what I wanted it to be. I spent way too much time delivering the message that administrators need to be advocates for technology use, learners who start to embrace the use of technology,  researchers who examine different types of technology and skeptics who question those who are too gung-ho and those too restrictive. From many discussions that I have had, too many administrators are unsupportive of technology use and implementation. I’m not sure their reasoning but it seems that, for whatever reason, there is a reluctance to move forward with seeing how different technologies can enhance the learning of students within a school. Instead of this,

I was actually very disappointed in my own presentation but, it being my first, I’ve learned so many things from it. Having seen so many great presentations put on during the three days, I was hoping that some of what they did would find its way into what I did. Unfortunately, it didn’t.  I didn’t pace myself and lost a wonderful opportunity to show others how, as an administrator, you could help a staff to be more open to technology use and begin to make it a part of how the school operates.

As usual, I’ve spent a fair amount of time reflecting on what I did and didn’t do during my presentation and how, given another chance to do the presentation, I will shift the emphasis from the “What I think” to “What you can do” paradigm. The first really is quite common and, although moving, doesn’t really have any substance while the second, although not always as moving, is very practical which is really what many of the people in attendance wanted. In many ways, I let those in the audience down by not delivering the goods. If the chance ever presents itself again, I plan on spending much more time discussing setting up technology for integration and less time brow-beating those in attendance.

Motivational Meetings

TLt  has really motivated me to reexamine what I am doing and focus on a number of key items. The first is to reflect on what has taken place at our school this year and put together a much more concrete plan for technology use and integration. Thus far, the plan has been just sitting there, bubbling in the back of my mind. Hearing what the various keynotes and speakers had to say, I more convinced that each teacher can make much better use of tools that will enhance the learning of the students and become an integral part of the strategies they use. Kathy Cassidy’s presentation about using Web2.0 tools in the classroom really spoke to me about how teachers don’t need to be the technology experts but, instead, need to be willing to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. They are to live being a life-long learner where nothing is impossible with the help of others.

Brian Lamb’s opening to his session was incredible. He demonstrated how using various tools can allow one to demonstrate their learning by mashing together different pieces of information to create a unique and personal response to a question or inquiry. There were a few people who didn’t particularly appreciate his introduction but I found it to be exactly what I would want a student to be able to do in one of my classes after exploring a particular theme or idea. The learning was obvious and the message that Brian was able to create was his own, mashing together various sound bites through which he was able to tell his story. Thanks Brian!

I also realized how important visual images have become, especially personal images that tell a story from the perspective of the person. Throughout the three days, various people were always taking photos - D’Arcy Norman and Alec Couros have the greatest cameras! - which they then uploaded to their online accounts. They were able to access these and use them during Stephen Downes keynote - telling part of the story as Stephen discussed his predictions for the future. What an awesome idea, having these images accessible and use them to demonstrate ideas and understanding. And Stephen, to offer the use of the backchannel right during his keynote to allow participants to actually participate and interact in a real way, what an amazing idea - worthy of use by any teacher who is seeking to have studnts become learners instead of receivers. I’ve been part of the bachchannel during online presentations and know that it is an incredibly powerful tool but seeing it being used during Stephen’s presentation really brought home how technology could have an immediate impact on the receivers. I’m not sure that grade 7 or 8 students would be quite ready for this but I can see it being a very useful thing in a university setting. Can you imagine the discussions that might take place, especially if the presenter was able to adapt material to backchannel discussion. I’d really like to see something like this in distance ed classes for students.

Truly Humbled

Reality - I am an administrator in a K - 12 school in rural Saskatchewan. After my first foray in the world of presentations, I realize that my dream of wowing the crowd and being sought after is still just a dream. I have made some great f2f connections, meeting many people who are my online twitter friends. Each, by themselves, has so much to offer but the chance to meet them en masse, WOW!!!!

One highlight was hearing Rick Schwier speak on Wednesday evening after the banquet.  I  took a class, some time ago, from Professor Schwier. It had something to do with education and technology from what I remember.  His talk was about technology and  life. He reminded me that each of us has a role to play and to be  content, we must find enjoyment and fulfillment in what we are doing here and now. I don’t remember what he said but it was the feeling I had as he talked - of being part of a very special moment when someone with a great deal of knowledge and wisdom is going to let you in on some of it. I remember he focused on storytelling and how important it is to people - not just the telling but the listening. He also mentioned something about playing and having fun. The whole time I kept thinking, it’s about the people - connecting with people - bringing people together and helping one another. Thanks, Rick, for the insights!

Where do I/We go?

Alec Couros and Kyle Lichtenwald both commented that my posts were just way to darn long. They’re probably right. Maybe I need to heed their advice and learn to twitterize my posts - limit each to 500 words or something. Wouldn’t really matter because it would still take me too long to get to where I’m going which is here. For me, the conference has renewed my resolve to bringing change, if only in my school. At this point, given what I do, that is really my only option. This summer I will get another chance at presenting, hopefully, if Donna doesn’t have second thoughts! So, as I prepare for the rest of this year and begin to envision a new year, part of it will include a renewed emphasis on integrating technology, working with teachers to enhance the opportunities for the students through whatever means it takes. Jen Jones had it partially right  when she said

He’s also completely dedicated to making this world a better place for his family, one rotten student and teacher at a time, and I am convinced he’s going to do it!

It’s not just my family but all students. (Did I really call them rotten?) I don’t believe that students or teachers are bad. They make poor choices. I hope to be able to help them in whatever way I can. I want all students to come home and answer the question “How was your day at school?” with an excited conversation about the day. That’s my motivation!

Transformative administration

Our school just finished DEAR reading time - 15 minutes of each day dedicated to reading. My book of the day is Transformative Assessment by W.James Popham. I’m just comfortably started the book and enjoy the dedicated time I can have to just read. Today I read a great line:

Instruction should not be an Ouija-boardlike game in which teachers guess what to do next.

I’m thinking that this could apply to so many areas of what we do in schools. In fact, as I’ve read, listened and reflected this year, it seems we need to really take the guessing portion out of what we do. We have enough knowledge about learning that we really don’t need to any guessing.

Over at Leadertalk.org, there have been a couple posts regarding dealing with teachers who are, for whatever reason, not doing as well as they should be in the classroom. The first was by Scott McLeod and dealt with dealing with teachers that were not meeting expectations. This was also the basic idea of Greg Farr’s post.  I read through these posts, thinking about what my role as an administrator, what I am currently doing and what I need to do. I look at how our school is functioning, what is going on in the building, how  people are feeling and a whole host of other factors and assess what areas need addressing.

Needs to be addressed

Now there’s lots of information on Transformational Leadership but this isn’t going to be one of those. In fact, this is going to be how administrators need to be willing to transform themselves, assessing what is happening around them and honestly evaluate areas that need to be changed, develop ways of doing that change and seeking advice in going about that change.

Just as classroom formative assessment helps teachers to address what is happening regarding the learning in their classroom, administrators need to be doing school formative assessment, adjusting what they are doing to help the learning that is taking place in their school. Just as teachers need to adjust to the students in the room, helping some more than others, partnering them, praising them and giving them constructive criticism to help them improve, administrators need to do the same.

Both Scott and Greg, and all the people who responded in the comments on those posts, addressed an issue that is sometimes hard for administrators to get a handle on - the teacher not meeting expectations. Now Chris Lehmann, in his commented noted that:

what of the struggling teacher? What of the teacher who is open to help, who is learning the craft, but has not mastered it yet?

I’ve known many, many teachers whose first year… even second year… were nothing short of train wrecks, but who were at nurturing schools with administrators and colleagues who helped them improve and became excellent, excellent teachers.

We have so many teachers in our systems whose potential remains untapped… let us not write them off before we have done all within reason to help them to become the teachers we need.

I agree with Chris, so does Gregg by the way. What about those struggling new teachers who need that help? It is important to help them and move them along, giving them access to tools, resources and other assistance to improve what they are doing. It is crucial to support them as an administrator and help them to become reflective professionals. But what about those teachers who are going through some sort of mid-career crisis? Those who seem uninspired or unmotivated? Or the teacher with only X number of years left? Or, or or or? What is an administrator to do?

This is where I see administrators being crucial in helping these teachers to move along, one way or another. They need to have the necessary tools to be able to be truthful with these teachers and offer them their support, not to get them out of teaching but to help them transform themselves. This is where reflective administrators can be examples for teachers, being willing to examine what they are doing and, if it isn’t benefitting the students, be willing to make the necessary changes very similar to teachers who change their instruction after they do formative assessment and identify areas their students need support.

Another way that administrators can be transformative is in their approach to changes and new ideas. My experience is that there are three ways administrators approach incoming changes: 1. Resist 2. Wait, evaluate, adopt 3. Jump in. The first and third are ones that, although popular with particular teachers, are not good for the school as a whole. The second allows for the staff to become somewhat comfortable with the change before things begin. In fact, as an administrator, I’ve learned that unless it is an emergency, the second approach is very practical for most decisions. Taking time to evaluate, find some data and do some thinking, is essential in making changes that are less disruptive and receive better reception from staff. This doesn’t mean all staff will like the changes but it does allow for a period of transition.

The technology thing

This is one area that I feel many administrators do not do as well as they could. In fact, my experience, although limited to what I hear and read through my PLN, is that many administrators are poorly informed about technology and resist or poorly informed and jump in. Too few are willing to take the time necessary to learn about different technologies, inquire about educational benefits or have enough information to at least discuss these with people who are dead against them.

Administrators must be the educational leader at the school and being unwilling to explore and question, discuss and inquire does not set the stage for being a leader that is willing to support and help those teachers who are struggling. I too often hear about teachers being moved or transferred because an administrator feels threatened by the “power” the teacher has with other staff or the way the teacher questions his/her ideas or whatever. It’s a sad day, indeed, when administrators in schools cannot see that they are to be the supporters of teachers who doing great things, helping teachers do great things not being power-brokers.

Administrators must begin to leverage the power that technology can give them - see that it can help them with organization, time-management, paperless work and staff communication and all types of things if managed correctly. It can also give them options that they didn’t have before like attending a web-based conference or class, using a video conference for meetings instead of driving or sharing documents without plugging up the email. It can also free up time which will allow administrators to get into the classrooms and build relationships with students and teachers.

Misleading title

The title was misleading on purpose. It set up the idea that there was going to be a discussion on the skills and traits of transformative administration. Instead, I wanted to focus on what this type of leadership does for the students, teachers and school and some of the key ways that it can also help the administrator. I know that it has sure helped me in building my PLN, gathering information, finding answers to different questions and other things. It has allowed me get connected with parents, students and staff. Best of all, it has allowed me to get in tough with the important things for me and allowed my passion for learning to grow and trickle out and affect others. I’ve come to see learning as a never-ending process that we have somehow turned into a grind for students and teachers. Exploring different ways to bring that passion back is something that motivates me and I’ve realized that the new technologies give me an advantage - something that I’m trying to pass on to other administrators. My work has just begun.