ISTE Take 1: The Bigger Picture

So I have only been in Philadelphia for two days for the ISTE Annual Conference, and my mind is already bursting from what has been shared. There is much diversity in the kinds of sessions that are offered, the topics that are covered, the delivery or mode of presentation, etcetera. And in spite of the great diversity there are a number of common themes. Here are a few...

1. Connected Education: Being a connected educator is a game changer. Being connected globally changes your frame of reference. Being connected exposes you to ideas, opportunities and innovative practice that you would not likely encounter otherwise.
2. Relationships: The importance of the relationships we cultivate in our classrooms, schools, districts, and communities (online too) cannot be underestimated. Relationships are the underpinning of what we do.
3. Reflection: Reflecting on what we do, and  why we do it is critical to our growth. Much the same as it is for our students.
4. Question: Question everything. Challenge the status quo. Be brave. 
5. Learn: Be open to learn. No one expects us to be experts in everything, and there is much we can learn from one another if only we remain open to it.

But, Christina I thought this was a tech conference, and you hardly talked about tech at all! That's true. The tools are awesome, they can allow for amazing things to happen, but they are just things. It's what we do with them, and why we do it that matters. That's why these 5 themes are so important!

Inspiration

Where does your inspiration come from?

Occasionally people ask me why I do what I do. Or rather, given the present climate in public education, why I continue to do what I do? There are a number of reasons, and here are a sampling in no particular order:

1. I have two children of my own. I want the best for them. That includes having access to amazing public schools and educators that will inspire them, challenge them and empower them. My two children strengthen my resolve, and determination for fighting for a system of education that honors, and respects the whole child. Our children need passionate, dedicated and innovative teachers in their classrooms. They may need us now, more than ever.
2. I believe that I can make a difference. I believe that I can positively impact the lives of children and families.
3. This is my vocation. Not just on the days when the days are easy and the load is light, but on those difficult and trying days as well.
4. I'm inspired by my students. Their curiosity, their wonder, their creativity, their struggles and their triumphs.
5. My PLN. Colleagues in my district, neighboring districts, across the country and around the world that challenge me and empower me daily.

So who, and what inspires you?

Instructional Leaders

So what makes an instructional leader...

Peter DeWitt recently created a Facebook group dedicated to Instructional Leadership. Within the group he posed the question, "what makes a leader an instructional leader?" I spent the drive into work today contemplating how instructional leadership compares and contrasts with other forms of leadership, and here are a some things that came to mind. The list is not exhaustive; indeed it probably just scratches the surface. Hopefully some of you will read it and then add to it.

Instructional Leaders...

• While historically the administrator has been considered the instructional leader in a school, it has become clear that the role of instructional leadership is not solely theirs. There are many teacher leaders that take on the role of instructional leader in their buildings and in their districts. Regardless of title or position, the instructional leader affects positive change by putting the needs of the student at the center, and creates the conditions necessary for learning to thrive.
• Understand the importance of building trusting relationships with students and colleagues. 
• Spend time in classrooms. Observing, learning, reflecting, questioning, challenging, modeling and empowering.
• They research instructional strategies and techniques, and mindfully plan for the implementation of those that seem most promising. They don't just jump on the latest fads. 
• They encourage collaboration. To quote George Couros, "the smartest person in the room, is the room." Instructional leaders know that they, themselves do not have to be an expert in every instructional strategy, but they need to be able to tap into, develop and facilitate the expertise in others. 
• They need to be connected, and encourage connectivity so that their faculty and colleagues can benefit from the wealth of expertise that exists as a collective.

How do you define instructional leadership? What might you add to this list? Look forward to others sharing their thinking on this! Please add your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks!

Worthwhile

Love my work!

The role of an educator is multidimensional.  It requires a deep understanding of pedagogy and a thorough content knowledge. An understanding of human development and what motivates learners is essential. It requires patience and humility. This work is not for the faint of heart. 

I think maybe it was the Peace Corps that had the tag line, "the toughest job you'll ever love." I never worked in the Peace Corps, but there are days that I believe that tag line perfectly defines teaching. The week that just passed was one of those weeks. It seemed like a hundred different things, and a number of students were vying for, and demanding my attention. No two ways about it, it was a tough week. I know that I handled some parts of it better than others. In spite of the difficulties, the frustrations, and the tears that came easily, I love my life's work. It isn't easy, but it is worthwhile.

EDCAMP US DOED Reflections

 EDCAMP US DOED Reflections from the Day

EDCAMP US DOED Session 1: We Need to Stop Pretending in EDU

I have been blessed this school year by a number of amazing professional learning opportunities, one of them took place over the course of a couple of days in our nation's capital - EDCAMP US DOED. You can click on the link to learn more about the nuts and bolts of the experience, read session notes, and learn about the edcampers, whom collectively represented many aspects of education, from across the United States. To read some of the takeaways from this EdCamp, and to connect with the edcampers check out the hashtag #edcampusa on Twitter (I will warn you that at points during the day we were trending, so be wary of the posts by some trolls.)

There are so many things that I could write about from these two days, but I have chosen to focus on the critical elements of people, relationships, connection, and conversation.

People. Relationships. Connection. Conversation.

• Edcamps are about people. People that are passionate about learning; their learning, and that of their students and colleagues. People that are lead learners in every sense (regardless of their official position or title).
• The people that come to an Edcamp drive the learning of the day. There are no prearranged topics, presentations or expensive keynote speakers. It is an opportunity for individuals to drive their learning, to actively participate in meaningful discussions focused around the critical work that we do. Edcamp US DOED had topics such as: What We Need to Stop Pretending in EDU, Gamification and Badging, Bringing Edcamp to the Classroom and Equity and Social Justice. The session board represented the desires, the questions, the expertise, and learning objectives of the larger group.
• There are many folks that can attest to the fact that at larger conferences some of the most meaningful learning doesn't take place in the formal sessions at all, but out in the hallway between the sessions, and while sharing a meal together. This can certainly be true of Edcamp as well, though I would argue to a lesser degree because sessions at Edcamps are highly interactive and discussion driven. And while some of the most amazing conversations we have are the more intimate ones, without the larger conference (the reason to get together) many of those opportunities for more intimate conversations would not exist. And in the case of Edcamp US DOED, some of the pre-edcamp conversations on train rides, shared cab rides, trips up the elevator and over dinner, led to session proposals for "the board" and an opportunity to engage in an even more diverse and nuanced conversation.
• Edcamps connect people and ideas. As a result of Edcamp US DOED I was able to meet for the first time many of the folks that I engage with regularly on Social Media. It was an opportunity to tell these people, in person, how much their friendship and leadership has meant for me both professionally and personally. It was also a way to expand my PLN. I am now connected to individuals involved in education from Wisconsin to Florida, from rural schools to the Department of Education. For me the connection to people, the building of relationships and sharing of experiences is one of the most important aspects of Edcamp.
• Edcamps are a grassroots driver for change.  They are a beginning, and not an end. People from different backgrounds, locations, with varied experiences will go back to their home districts, schools, institutions for higher ed, and communities inspired, challenged and inspired.

This day would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Kristen Swanson and Hadley Ferguson of the Edcamp Foundation, and their team working behind the scenes. It also would not have been possible if it weren't for the support of the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan and the Director of the Office of Educational Technology, Richard Culatta. 

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for this amazing opportunity to connect, to learn, and to engage.

Photo Courtesy of USDOED

 

5 Things We Have to Stop Pretending

I was challenged by my friend, and fellow educator, Scott Bedley to add to the growing number of posts dedicated to the 5 things that need to change in education. You can find links to the thinking of others by researching the hashtag #makeschooldifferent and you can read Scott's post here. Trying to narrow my own list down to just 5 things that need to change in education was challenging; here are the 5 that I came up with, in no particular order.

1. That one size fits all (or even most) learners. 

• This goes equally for the students in our classrooms, as it does for our colleagues in professional learning environments.

2. That education will cure all of society's ills.

• It would be awesome if having access to high quality education alone would cure many of the issues we currently face, but education alone is not the answer. In many ways we have forgotten that we belong to one another, and that we are bound to one another. We have forgotten about the common good.

3. That quiet compliance is an accurate measure of engagement.

• When we are actively engaged we wrestle with ideas, we challenge current thought, and engage in discourse. Learning is often noisy, and messy.

4. That the homework most of us assign is meaningful.

• It's not. The students that complete it without difficulty probably don't need it. The students that need it often need more structured, and directed reteaching opportunities. Children are naturally curious, and have a desire to learn, but I fear we squash that with redundant and meaningless tasks that are assigned as homework.

5.  That improved test scores are indicative of improvements in learning and opportunity.

• Test scores are a single snapshot, and tend to focus on things that are easily measured. Yet, the skills and capacities that institutions for higher education and employers claim to be looking for are those that are not as easily measured. 

In keeping with the pattern of these posts I'm supposed to challenge 5 other educators to share their lists of things. Well, I'm not going to tag 5 educators, partly because I have lost track of those in my PLN who have already responded, and partly because I just want to read a wide range of responses. So if you have a list of 5 things of your own, pop a link to your post in the comment section, so we can continue the conversation. 

Annual Professional Performance Review

Background

Observations of teacher practice, measures of student growth tied to standardized testing, and locally selected measures of student growth currently play a role in the teacher evaluation system in place in New York State. With the passage of Governor Cuomo's recent budget, and the education "reforms" tied to it, a new teacher evaluation system is on the horizon. The proposed changes make an already horrendous evaluation system even worse. We move to a system in which 50% of a teacher's overall evaluation is based on student performance on standardized tests. As I understand it, in grades 3-8 these would be the much contested Common Core assessments, and at the remaining grade levels the tests would be either created by NYSED, or selected from tests provided by vendors on the NYSED approved list. The other 50% of a teacher's evaluation would be based on two, possibly three observations. One observation would be completed by the teacher's administrator and the other by an independent evaluator from outside the building in which the teacher teaches. With the high-stakes involved it is critical for all of us to question the methodology proposed by the Governor.

Let me make something very clear at the outset; I believe in an Annual Professional Performance Review. I really do. I believe that professionals must reflect on their practices, and evaluate areas of both weakness and strength. Teachers should set goals for professional learning and growth. Sadly, the narrow and punitive evaluation system proposed does not encourage, nor support what we know about professional learning, growth or best practice.

"Value Added Measures"

The use of Value Added Measures (VAM) is highly suspect. A teacher's VAM can change significantly from year to year, and rarely, if ever have to do with an increase or decrease in the competence of the teacher. Value Added Measures assume that student learning is measured well by the given test, and that the teacher alone influences student performance on the test. I am not opposed to using student growth as a component of a teacher's evaluation, but to base a child's growth solely on a standardized test is utterly ridiculous.

Observations

Evidence based observations are critical to improving the education system. They provide opportunities for the teacher and their administrator to have meaningful conversations about teacher practice, student learning, and the dynamic relationships that exist in the classroom. These observations give us the opportunity to reflect on the learning of all stakeholders, particularly when a number of observations (formal, informal or a combination) are used to collect data. Using a rubric such as the Danielson rubric, can help focus these conversations, and assist a teacher in setting professional learning goals. But when vital performance characteristics are translated into a numerical score, the result can lead to invalid inferences regarding a teacher's overall performance. It remains unclear how the use of outside evaluators, with no connection to the teacher or the students, will impact this process. It is hard to imagine that there will be opportunities for the outside evaluators to conduct pre and post conferences (as they are an unfunded mandate), thus neglecting the major benefits of evidence based observations.

In Conclusion

Annual Professional Performance Reviews are indeed important for professional growth. An effective annual review of professional practice should include measures of student growth, and evidence based observations. However they should also include things such as an educator's commitment to professional growth, their dedication to their students, their involvement and connection with their school community, reflections from students and families, and this is just a start. In short, a review of annual performance should encompass and reflect all of what a teacher does each day. The present, and proposed system is far too narrow, and unbalanced. I fear that it will lead to greater numbers of teachers teaching to the test, and ignoring the wider range of skills that are so greatly needed. Our children deserve better.

Links to resources that you may find useful in further researching this topic:
http://programs.governor.ny.gov/puttingstudentsfirst
http://www.nysed.gov/
http://dianeravitch.net/2014/04/12/breaking-news-american-statistical-association-issues-caution-on-use-of-vam/
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2015/02/04/nate-silver-explains-the-problem-with-vam-teacher-accountability-without-talking-about-it/