New School Year, New Beginning

I can’t believe it’s been so long since my last post.  Let’s just start there.  Over a month.  Lots has happened since I have last written, and as I write, the projects are still waiting for my attention. 

But the beauty of a blog like this is that I can stop for a minute and reflect, and help myself and my team prepare to focus on the tasks at hand as we move into what looks to be an incredibly busy and interesting year. 

Here in my district we have lots of technology integration across the spectrum.  Many many teachers are working hard to engage their learners in a variety of ways.  With a new set of principals, (we have new principals at every level) we have an opportunity to move the district even further into the 21st century.  These educational leaders come to us with new experiences and ideas as well as insight as to what other districts are doing.  So we have new people in key roles across the district, ready to support and model technology integration in smart and interesting ways.  I feel the stage is set, unlike it has been set before, for an increased shift and step across the line from the teaching to the learning. 

My Technology Cadre, the Professional Development Team that I have the priveledge of working with made up of two teachers from each school, is poised to move their practice more into the coaching role and step up to an even heavier leadership role in the area of mentoring for technology integration.  Some of our schools even have excellent incentive plans in place working with the PTOs to highlight teachers and teams that are working hard to engage students using 21st century tools.  That is the doing of our Cadre members and their out of the box thinking.

This year is shaping up to be one of innovation and motivation all across the district.  I personally have been in the classrooms of 11th graders teaching Audacity, and also in an 8th grade classroom teaching Digital Storytelling.  I have other mentoring and modeling scheduled all across the district.  We have the iPods in the Classroom project ongoing, and ready for a new round of 70 more teachers to participate.  We have semi-flat classroom projects in the works, and also a professional development brochure almost ready to be published to offer onging systematic professional development to teachers who want to earn hours and learn some excellent techniques along the way.

When I began this position in this district two years ago, I had a vision of how I saw things going.  Of course coming out of the classroom straight to a district level position, I had a major learning curve.  Along the way there are several things that I learned and continue to rely on as I move forward in this role as Technology and Instruction Specialist:

Absolutely keep Student Achievement and Student Learning as the baseline in any decision we make.
Relationship-Building is the most important first step in any new job, area, project, etc.
Listening to needs is key to understanding how to support teachers.
Finding early adoptors is a wonderful thing.  They are great to help with momentum, and evangelizing for the new learning and techniques.
Planning for implementation needs to be inclusive-meaning that we need to involve teachers, administrators and appropriate district personal in the decision-making.
Collaboration with others is key to facilitating out-of-the-box thinking.
Things take time–but never give up the creative thinking.
Teachers, Administrators, and District Office Personnel all want the same thing-What’s Best for Students–And every conversation needs to be based on that.

Finally, We cannot afford to teach the way we have been taught.  WE have to innovate our practice, to teach creativity, problem solving, and global critical thinking.  But we have to model this in professional development.

I am proud of the way my Cadre, and district has moved along in the pursuit of engagement and student achievement with 21st century skills.  As we move forward this year, modeling, implementing, evangelizing, and collaborating, we will move our students forward and better prepare them for their world.  I am so excited for this year, and all of our opportunities out there.  I am thankful for the risktakers that have embraced me and some innovations so far, and am hopeful that more will follow suit! 

Here we go!!!

WOW-20–Tuesday Night of NECC–Live Broadcast

I want to take a minute to write about the wonderful night at NECC when the Women of the Web did their live broadcast in the Second Life Cafe on Tuesday.  I know it was about two weeks ago, now, but I am still catching up with my blogging.  I have been wanting to write about this session in particular because it was so extremely transformational for me.  I know the slogan and theme for this year’s NECC was Convene, Connect and Transform.  Well this session did all three for me.  :)

 

I really wanted to go to the broadcast last year.  But it was my birthday and I had gone out for dinner that night with a wonderful friend.  This year I was not going to miss it, so I made sure I was there early.

One by one and a few at a time we gathered there.  Convening together as The Women began to get connected.  So inviting and nice.  There was Cheryl Oakes, trying to connect the internet.  Vicki Davis, helping get connected and connecting the back-chat.  Lucy Gray, in for Jen Wagner was there too, so nice and friendly.  And finally, Jen Wagner was there over the Skype.  So the women were ready and Cheryl began her WOW for the week.  Just like that they were online and connected.  I was sitting close by watching and participating in the back-chat.  So much fun.  Many folks couldn’t be there, so they were wondering who was sitting there and what was happening.  We were trying to tell them what was happening, while things were getting set up.

Anyway, then after The Women took turns telling their WOWs, Vicki came around the audience and invited us to get up and say our WOWs.  I got nervous.  But some of the people went right up there, so after a few minutes, I told Vicki I would go, too.  She put me “on deck” and then … it was my turn.  Cheryl couldn’t have been nicer.  She handed me the mic and I don’t even know what I said.  I will post the link to the webcast here.  It was so nice to be involved and invited.  

Here is the amazing “Connect” part.  I had only met Cheryl once before.  She had been someone I had been listening to over a year ago, before last year’s NECC.  We met in person in Atlanta, and visited there.  This year she remembered me and was so warm and nice to me–just like we’d been friends all year.  We reconnected during this NECC, and I hope to be better at staying in touch.  I also met  Jo McLeay, from Australia, just an incredible person, and we ended up in the Flat Classroom Class together the next morning.  Peggy George, from my state was there, and we seemed to see each other everywhere.  The other women that I met were so helpful and kind.  It was just such a great evening of sharing and connecting.  I had been wanting to meet Vicki and finally had my chance, and also, was happy to meet Lucy.  I think I met Jen last year in Atlanta, or at least we had visited over the internet once or twice.  Just the nicest people.

The transformative part of this entire situation is that we are all basically strangers, but we are not strangers at all.  The power of the internet and the ability to connect and convene, to reach out and risk reaching out your hand, so to speak. to others, and find them reaching back, that is a wonderful feeling.  Perfect strangers, but all there for the same reason.  The sharing and connecting was truly amazing.

Thank you Women of the Web, for the invitation, the innovation, the connection, the opportunity to convene, and the transformation of one of many of your listeners into a better educator because of your efforts, kindness and “reach out.”  You are truly an amazing group of women.  I am so proud of you all and happy to have met all of you.

Session–Transforming Technology Projects from Good to Great.

I came in 15 minutes late to this session….Gary Stager was talking:  Questions worth asking (That is a great and loaded sentence starter:  In anything we do in education we should always start with questions such as these….)

• is the problem solvable?
• is the project monumental or sustantial?
• who does the prompt satisfy?
• what can they do with that?  – It has to fulfill an important end.

 

A good prompt:  So important.  When we set the bar high, when there is an audience, the kids will do well.
(I agree with this—always when I have set my standards high with worthwhile goals, my students have thrived and risen above my expectations.) 

Gary states these points:

• a good prompt will challenge students and motivate them.
• you need to provide appropriate materials
• you need to provide sufficient time
• you need to provide supportive culture and expertise

It also must have an artist’s aesthetic.  It needs to be thoughtful, beautiful, personally meaningful, sophisticated, shareable with a respect for the audience, moving to you, and enduring.  

(I totally agree with this. Student’s project should be worth looking at.  If it is on there, it should be worth looking at.  )

Ways to Use Materials.

1  Teach a specific concept

• gears, friction, multiplication of fractions…..

2.  Thematic project

3.  Curricular theme

Gary Stager says we need to use computer as a Prop.  

Educational technology is not about hardware, its about software.  Software defines what you are able to do, and knowledge is a consequence of experience.  

Sylvia Martinez is talking about the “yeah buts”, and how to get through them with project based learning.  And she is explaining that you model and tell them to let go, and talk to them about the HOW to do it.  Don’t teach the tools. the kids will get it.  They will go for it if they have a chance. 

This is a great aha….if we teach the kids, the teachers will come!!:)  What I mean is that if I plan in any of my workshops to really teach about management, and the “HOW” to manage any of the project-based learning that I am advocating in their classrooms, then hopefully they will leave with the confidence they need to begin the project.  

Opening it up to questions and comments:

Q.  Projects take lots of work.  How many do you do?

A. Constructivism is not a way to do things it is a state of mind.  

A comment:  go through the curriculum standards at the begining of the year–choose some standards that you can do a project with that creates an interdisciplinary project.  

Gary says:  it’s ok to think about what you are going to do and plan.  Over time you’ll see that kids are capable of doing things bigger and better.  

A School Master of the Great City

Constructivist Consortium.org

www.stager.org/necc

Students who do the most work are the students who are the ones who sometimes don’t usually do it.  It is a win win for all.

Courage–be brave to move into this type of teaching.  Push others and do the right thing.  

Q: was:  How do you get Principals to understand what you are doing in your room during project based learning?  Principal should be a kid watcher and — a kid watcher sees what ’s happening in the room.  She sees the absolute process that he is engaged in.  

LESS US, MORE THEM–Gary Stager.

Kids need time to define projects, but Teachers need time to define projects too.  Reflect, refine and reload these projects and do them.  Continue to take the projects from good to great.  Project-based learning takes time, years to get good at this.  

The best project is the one that the kids do not know the anwer.  Meet with like-minded people, but then go back and share, talk and come back to one another and begin.  Transform!

Reflections for an interesting day

Today was the first official day of NECC.  The hustle and bustle, the hundreds and thousands of people going everywhere and doing everything.  I am really sure that I walked 5 miles today easy.  But my initial reflections of today really are wrapped around the notion of collaboration and sharing.  I saw examples of this all day today in one form or another.  People everywhere talking, leaning in to their computers together, working, and sharing.  I’m telling you, it was just an amazing site.  Everywhere I went there were people involved with people.  Sure there were folks working on their laptops solo, or focused on their own thing.  But I really think that if there was anybody out there who may have wanted to connect, they did just that.  

This is an amazing thing to me.  I came here to this conference to learn, and connect with others whom I have met and not met.  People who I have wanted to meet, who actually I feel like I know.  (if that isn’t too quirky??)  So far, I have not been disappointed.  I have gotten reacquainted with Cheryl Oakes from Maine, who I have learned so much from online.  We sat today and chatted about things and it was very natural.  She is such a nice genuine person who was kind enough to remember me from meeting me last year.  We shared a few sites and info.  We’ll visit again probably.  I also had a chance to visit with Wesley Fryer, the educational technologist and blogger at Moving at the Speed of Creativity, and probably one of my most important “teachers” when it comes to my 21st century attitudes and learnings.  He took time to coach me on my blog and how to spruce it up a bit.  So nice.  As we were sitting there, others came and went, and introduced one another and it was all so natural.  

So what is my point?  Well, this is a Computing conference.  But you know what, it is an EDUCATIONAL Computing conference.  I have already had lots of learning and it is only officially the first day.  So much of the time we are stuck on the tools of our trade.  What are we using, or who’s using what.  But I think, really when we get right down to it, we are all learners here, and really we are learning and sharing.  Growing.  This is a collective learning environment, where we are all like-minded people here for the same cause.  How can me make education more effective for our young people….  And then engaging in the conversations around that topic.  Tools or no tools, the conversation is the same.  What works for kids and teachers to make the most impact.  What a gift to be a part of that conversation.

 

Dr. Thomas Guskey: Gathering Evidence on the Effects of Professional Development

I am live blogging this session of Thomas Guskey.

Evaluating professional development:  there are many ideas that we look at when we think through the evaluation process.  But it is something that we naturally do.  

1.  Participant’s reaction to the experience.

• Is the temperature right, are the materials appropriate, is the food good, are the conditions for learning appropriate…….

2.  Participant’s learning from the experience.

• Have the participants learned something and are walking away from the experience with more than they came?

3.  Organization Support & Change

• Is the organization ready to make this shift?
• Building principal is the Critical Element.
• The principal needs to actively participate or the message is that the experience is not important
• When the practice at the school is in conflict to the new learning that has just taken place…. it sends a poor message, and is detrimental to the relationships and structure of the whole PD system.

4.  Participants’ use of New Knowledge and Skill

• Did you influence practic?  Are they using new knowledge and skill?

5.  Results:  Students Learning Outcomes

• Impact on the students?

outcomes for today:

1. Understand these five levels.

2. Each level builds on one another.  If one breaks down then the next one will not happen.

3.  When you plan professional development, the order is in REVERSE.

• First issue that comes up is what you want to accomplish and the evidence of that accomplishment.  
• Then thinking what new knowledge of skills needed to accomplish these skills. What are the practices we need to gain to accomplish this work?  
• Is the organization ready to think about this endeavor?
• What do we want the students to learn?
• What are the conditions I need to put in place to make it happen?

Two Premises that will guide our work:

1.  Ideas are more important that vocabulary

• We seem to be changing the vocabulary but the ideas are the same–
• inservice>staff development>professional development>professional growth> professional renew>human resource development>professional learning

If you want to concentrate on the quality of what you do, don’t worry about what you call it…

2.  We are in desperate need of good information on Effective Professional Development.

• “What Works” Clearinghouse Evidence Standards-(check it out)
• He showed data from this study
• Any change in student improvement resulted in a 40 hour instruction series
• Content–was all focused on curriculum and pedagogy 
• Then teachers could adapt at their discretion based on their students

But these studies are limited–we really need more information on effective professional development.

We don’t have best practices we have better practices.

Part II of the morning:

What makes professional development effective?

We need to think differently about planning professional development.

1.  Program topic?

• The topics don’t matter–it is important, but some times the very important content can be presented to a selection:  needs survey–old way–these are problems, concerns, dilemmas and wants.
• Selection needs to be aware of the symptoms of needs.  teachers are in demanding roles, so we need to interpret the symptoms of their needs, and then translate that to proper PD.  
• Shrink the ratio of the involvement in learning between the time they are there, and the time they spend on learning.
• If you manage learning well, you don’t have to manage the learners. (Bloom)
• See the symptoms, and interpret the needs.

2.  Program Planning?

• There must be more to your planning and PD than raising the test scores.
• Should be planned collaboratively between the district and site level.
• Across buildings.
• Contextually relevant
• Find ways of collaborating and engage people with you on the topics.

3.  Program Participants?

• Mandatory or voluntary?  research says it depends.  On what youwant to accomplish
• If your focus is to share info-mandatory large scale session serves well.  1.  gives all a shared knowledge base; 2.  fives you shared vocabulary; 3.  dispels rumors.
• But when you move to implementation it must be voluntary.  Then who is going to volunteer?  the ones who are the most talented and effective.  The resistant ones will be the ones who need change the most.  So you go with the ones who will choose it first, then be visible with the results, so the slow-to-engage will become interested.  Focus on the results.  (not the people)  It is what they do.
• When the results become well known the interest will spread.
• Plan 3-4 years out–sustained efforts

4. Program leadership?

• It is not who shares the info it is what they do.  Inside people or outside people–same
• Person presenting has to appear credible.  (inside or out)
• Ideas have to be seen as valuable and useful; relevant to their world.  Have to be able to relate to the setting
• If you bring in anybody who talks down and is demeaning to them this will be bad.  Get references and talk to others.
• It is not who but how they present the material to them.

Two things parents want to know at open house

competence (not years of teaching)

if the person cares about their student

in parent/teacher conference–if the first thing you communicate is grades, it shows you don’t know the kids.  

5.  Group size?

• Size depends on the topic and objective

6.  Program timing?

• According to research, best time to do pd is summer
• Removes teachers from ongoing responsibilities of the classroom
• Sub plans are a pain
• Worse time-after school

7.  Length of training?

• Larger magnitude of training, the longer it will be
• Structural change offers opportunity if you change positively what you do with the structure
• If you invest in the learning about the format, then results were seen

8.  Types of Activities?

• Are adults different from kids?  no.  
• What makes for excellent pd is the same for kids
• Learning stiles, intelligences, engagement, interests, sharing, motivating
• Good PD looks alot like good teaching.

9.  Extent & Complexity of change

• The more extensive the change you are asking, the more extensive the PD must be.
• Teaching is an intervention

10.  Follow-up & improvements?

• The most vital dimension of effective PD
• The most neglected
• Principal can have a vital role
• Structured opportunities will be imperative to the success of any professional learning experience

So what WILL make PD Effective?

1. Always begin with a clear focus on learners and learning.

• If you plan well, evaluation takes care of itself.
• If I start by saying my outcomes, I have a basic framework of my evaluation.

There must be clear goals along with assessment procedures to document progress.

• Ralph Tyler-basic principals of learning
• Decide what you want them to learn, decide what evidence there will be to tell you verify that they learned.
• The most valuable criteria of education is student learning
• Teaching and learning is absolutely linked.
• 3 step planning:  1.  How does the activity relate to the school mission; 2.  What are the intended student learning outcomes?; 3.  What evidence best reflects those outcomes?

Clear goals help moilize everyone and keep efforts on task.

goals prevent distraction by peripheral issues that wast crucial time and divert energy.

2.  Engage in rigorous self analysis.

• Requires the courage to ask tough questions
• The skill to find honest answers
• Whether it works is defined by what learning takes place, not what we do…or our experience in teaching it.
• Look at what went well, and what didn’t go well and then change your practice or method.
• Need structured opportunities for collaboration–you get quality support and guidance on how to improve

Researching your goals requires a clear sense of where you are.

• And where you are is determined by where your students are as determined weekly
• All the time….
• Ask who is not learning, why, and what can we do about it?

3.  Recognize change is an individual and organizational process.

Remember the stages of concern

• 1.  personal
• 2. management
• 3. impact

motivation–kids are motivated by success. research shows.  

• Think of the video games….what is the purpose of pacman?  gobble up dots…..what is interesting about this or relevant?  you get to improve your score

how do you get the personal concerns–needs survey:  Here Dr. Guskey was referring to the fact that all a needs survey is is a way to identify personal concerns.  But we can tell lots from those personal concerns.  And we need to consider those when we are considering planning for PD.  Sort of the Question behind the Question .  What is it that REALLY will help the issue.  What is the REAL need?

Consider the order of change

• Teacher attitudes and beliefs
• Teaching practices
• student learning

which comes first?  practices first, student learning then attitudes. (Huge aha for me)

Experiences shape the attitudes and beliefs.

Don’t try to change the attitudes and beliefs.  Try to change the practices and then the student learning will come.  Then possibly their attitudes will come.  As student learning happens:  small change, small change in attitudes.  large change in student learning, large change in attitude.

Most vital element in the professional learning is the follow up.  We need to look for evidence and come back to it during the year.  

How soon can you see results?  2 weeks.  If you don’t see results in this time, teachers will give up on the change.  They will not want to waste time.   

This same order of change holds for students as well.  If students’ experiences change, their attitudes will follow.  (Remember the Titans movie:  Denzil Washington’s character insisted on a certain type and level of behavior.  The team saw results and started to win.   The attitudes and respect for one another came later).  Change the experience, the attitudes and beliefs will follow.  From the district level, this is another huge aha for me.  I believe that as I move into next year, and shape and plan my professional development activities and experiences for teachers, I will REALLY focus on quality and modeling of this type of pedagogy.   The better quality of instruction and experiences, the more likely I will be able to move teachers in the direction of technology/curriculum-infused classrooms.  

4.  Think BIG, but start SMALL

• Do a measured process.  not in the first year is everything going to be accomplished.  
• Start small in one subject.  build up.  
• Annual pd plans do not work.  you must have a vision.  3-5 years out.  year one-trial.  year 2, practice and year 3 implementation……
• Use a systematic set of steps.  support must be systematic
• Change is dynamic and large scale but always will be implemented through a series of smaller steps.
• Have a grand idea but with small steps.
• We must balance the urgency for improvement with the need to validate effectiveness. FORMATIVE.

5.  Ensure the procedures are ongoing and professionally embedded.  

• Change and embed with the procedures.
• Look at what is the current structure and then what will fit within that structure
• Allow kids to get better and do better.  Allow them to learn from their mistakes and let them do better.  
• Why do we not let students fix their mistakes?  They must engage in it.

Change is a natural and recurring process that is essential to all learning environments.  Change is essential to the teaching process.  

6.  Work in teams to maintain suppport.

• Teams need to be mixed up.  not just grade levels or groups.  be sure to include resource teachers and gifted and talented students.  Midwest publications are great.  games magazine.  
• Apt initials.  take the famous person, and describe them using adjectives with the first letters of the person’s name. egg bearer= easter bunny
• Take your initials and come up a phrase that describes you.
• Find about these and more by using collaborative teams.

7. Use available resources

• Use your curriculum resources and guides that have been developed.  don’t let hem sit on the shelf.  keep them living documents.
• Teachers typically plan in terms of materials and activities.
• Show how the activities can blend with the plan

Major models of pd

1. training
2. observation  / assessment
3. involvement in a development / improvement process
4. studygroups
5. inquiry/action research
6. individually guided activities
7. mentoring

8.  Include procedures for feedback on results

• Most effetive feedback is the aha moment on the kids.  you must build feedback from students.  immediate, short, directly tied to where you can see iprovements.  
• As coach or mentor, you must make them see that what they are doing key to success

9. Provide continued followup support and pressure

• Implementation dip-sometimes the effectiveness suffers and there should be a perfect marriage of support and pressure.
• Support with pressure.  you can do this, but you must do this. (serve and volley tennis game vs. the base line game.)

At each level we must consider 
a.  What questions are addresed?
B.  How will information be gathered?
C.  What is measured or assessed?
D.  How will the information be used?

1.  Participat’s reactions

• did they like it?
• was their time well spent
• did the material make sense
• wil it be useful
• was the leader knowaledgable & helpful
• were the refreshments fresh and tasty
• was the room for the right temperature
• were the chairs comfortable?

B.  How will information be gathered?

• questionnnaires and sureveys adminisstered at the end of the sessions

C.  What is measured?  

• Initial satisfaction with the experience

D.  How will the information be used?

• To improve program planning, design and delivery

2.  Participant’s learning

A.   What questions are addressed?

• did participants acquire the intended knowledge and skills?

B.  How will information be gathered?  

• paper and pencil instruments
• performance assesments/tasks
• simulations-pretend and role play–adapted to the goals you set up
• demonstrations
• participant reflections
• participant portfolios

C.  What is measured or assessed?

• New knowledge and skills of participants

D. How will the information be used?

• to improve the content, format and organization of the program

3.  Organization support and change

A. Questions:

• was implementation advocated, supported and facilitated
• was the support public and overt
• were problems addressed quickly and efficiently
• were sufficient resources made available
• were successes recognized and shared–think “stickers”
• what was the impact on the organization
• did it affect organizational climate and procedures?

B.  How will information be gathered?

• district and school records
• minutes from follow-up meetings
• questionnaires / surveys—once per month–structured, directed, short
• interviews with participants or administrators–even little visits-impromptu
• participant reflections/portfolios

C. What is measured or assessed?

• The organization’s advocacy, support, accommodation, facilitation & recognition.

D.  How will the information be used?

• to document and improve organizational support
• to inform future change effort
• you must plan backward.

4.  Participants use of New knowledge and skills–rubrics–this is what effective implementations looks like and this is what I’ll see when I know it is implemented.

A.  Questions

• Did participants effectively apply or implement the new knowledge & skills

B.  How will information be gathered?

Observe only 4-6 pieces of evidence–any more are too many

• questionnaires/surveys
• interviews with participants and their supervisors
• participant reflections
• direct observations
• video or audio tapes

C.  What is measured or assessed?

• Degree and quality of implementation
• you must look at both of those dimensions.  mutual adaptation…….teachers must adapt any innovation in their context.  

D.  How will the information be used?

• To document and improve the implementation of program content

5.  RESULTS:  Student Learning Outcomes

A.  What questions are addressed

• what was the impact on students
• did it affect student performance or achievements
• did it influence students’ attitudes dispositions or behaviors?
• are students more confidant as learners
• is student attendance improving–first unit taught needs to be the easiest and most achievable unit so that all students achieve.
• are dropouts decreasing?

B.  How will information be gatherd

• school records
• school records
• questionnaires/surveys
• interviews with students, parents, teachers, and administrators
• participant portfolios

C.  What is measured or assessed?

• Cognitive (performance & achievement
• Affective (attitudes & Dispositions)
• psychomotor (skills & behavior)

D.  How will the information be used?

• to focus and improve all aspects of program design, implementation, and follow-up
• to demonstrate the ultimate impact of professional development.

There is a difference between evidence and proof.  Managers know how to do things right.  Leaders know the right things to do.

We need to know the right things to do.  We need to take a stand.  Be courageous and take a stand.  Take a stand based on what you believe in—-you know the right things to do.  If it doesn’t make a different for the kids don’t do it.