Relationships Matter pt. 3: Acting with Conscious

Seeing when students respond to learning, have epiphanies, dive into deeper understanding is an adrenaline rush. If you've ever won a big game or tournament, gotten that first publication, accepted to prestegious organization, or hired some place special, then you know the emotions.
"Yes, yes, yes!!!" Metaphoric pumping of the fists.

There is no better experience than that moment when teaching skills reap fruit...

These experiences most often happen when teacher and student understand each other, which is to say, when we invest in understanding our students to a depth beyond academic skill level. The message: I understand where you come from, and the challenges you face that weigh more heavily on you than anything I assign. Now let me guide you to see the strengths inside you"

There is no better experience than that moment when teaching skills reap fruit--

Except for that same moment when the student makes important learning connections.

Yawp!


Dangerous Minds - Choice

Relationships matter pt 2: "Listening to Voices"

Each year we are responsible for the learning success of a group of students. Whether they are on your attendance roster, or someone whose facial features is a silent cry for help, our calling as educators draws us to help. Yet this instinctive desire is often buried by the numerous tasks and pressures that compete in loud voices demanding attention.

Sometimes, as we scan students, noting with our instincts needs for support, we need to pause, mute everything else that shout demands, and

listen to the student.

In this video, what does the student struggle to communicate...in scene one,...two,...the rest of the video...

Clarinet Scene - Mr. Holland's Opus

Think back on a student or students you're recently noticed concerns---a need to listen. Check in with that student, pause, mute external demands, listen...

What do you hear?

Relationships Matter pt. 1 - Layers of a student

One year nears an exit and a new year--on the horizon--waits it's turn. It's a time for midyear reflection during a 2 week bubble that gives educators opportunity to recharge and retool. What will follow in the next couple of blog entries including images and/or videos to capture our thinking on what's best for all learners.

Thank you for your consideration...

New Boy is the winner of Best Narrative Short at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. It's about a boy's first day in a new school, and for the boy, a vastly different place. Consider the students new to your class after school starts, when culture is established. Consider how the boy's life story is a treasure chest that could enrich the lives of the boy, the other students, and the teacher--if you were her.

New Boy


Pause reading. How did the boy or other characters make you feel?

Tell yourself about an epiphany or affirmation you got about the importance of knowing students...


Every student has a back story. It can be the key needed to help them succeed where once they believed only laid failure, achieve where they didn't know there was more to uncover, and learn new talents and interests where they didn't know they had.

Learning about backstory is work that's worthwhile to student learning and liberates educators in uncovering more options for instructional support.

What matters is Achievement

Act 1: Scene 1

Mr. Stevens carried a stack of papers to the front of the classroom. “These are your final exam results,” he said while walking up the first row of desks, and handing a stapled packet to each sophomore. “You’ll recall that this test covered all the work we did this semester. The grade reflects your level of knowledge and skills acquired.” He walked down the next row, passing out more papers.

Paper crackled and slapped the desk as students looked through the pages. A few students raised a hand. The teacher headed up the next row of seats. “There are two grades. The first is the exam grade. The second, which is circled, is your grade for the course.” Hands dropped, except for one.

“If you have any questions, see me after class.”

“Mr. Stevens, how can I have an A on my exam and a D for the course?” Tony asked, while keeping his hand in the air. The sounds of rustling paper ceased.

The teacher continued his measured steps, turning down the final row. “As I’ve already stated, I’ll answer questions at the end of class.”

“Sir, I got an A on the exam. You just said that it covered the entire semester work. An A means I know a lot about this course. So how come you gave me a D?” Tony was short of breath.

Mr. Stevens exhaled. All eyes watched and waited for his response. “Alright, since you insist. You’ve turned in few homework assignments and you’ve participated little in class discussions. Calculating those grades, the A’s and B’s on tests, and the Final exam results in a D.”

“Sir-“

"That’s the real world Tony. Apply yourself better next time."

Act 1: Scene 2

Ms. Stevens carried envelopes to the front of the conference room. “These are the 6 month commissions,” she said while walking around one side of the table of sales reps and corporate executives, and handing an envelope to each person. “Based on your quota for sales and contracts negotiated, your commission represent how much you made for the company. Checks will arrive this coming Friday.”

Paper ripping filled the room as the people pulled out statements. Some chuckled or whispered. Several hands rose. Ms. Stevens rounded the table, passing out more envelopes. “There are two numbers listed. The first is the total amount you've earned for the company. The second number is a multiplier for your commission.”

People murmured.

Stacy, her had still raised holding her letter. “Ms. Stevens, I’ve attended every meeting and turned in all memos on time. I made sales quota exactly. Why do I have the minimum multiplier? Tony over there misses meetings and he’s chronically late on memos. Yet he’s got a huge multiplier.”

Ms. Stevens sighed. “Tony exceeds every sales and contract goal set. He keeps that up, he can miss some meetings and turn in memos when he’s not making a sale or closing a lucrative contract for the company."

"But-"

"That’s the real world. Apply yourself better next time."

***

Resources to explore

15 Fixes for Broken Grades by Ken O'Connor

Webinar - Book links 1st - 2nd - 3rd

Here's a link if the video does not show on this page.

Here's a link if the video does not show on this page.


Your thoughts...?

Why Leadership Matters...

A leader is a dealer in hope.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Wisdom is found sometimes in the unlikeliest of places. Napoleon may have been a dictator, and one who aspired to rule. A "dealer in hope" is part of what leadership can do. When put to good use, people are inspired to dream of possibilies.

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet.

Theodore M. Hesburgh

Another important facet of leadership is guiding people fulfill that vision. Sometimes it takes connecting with what's in the hearts of other, other times its sweetness, or cold facts of the new reality. People will follow that which is clear and shown to be in their best interests.

In education, schools, even districts, build and follow school improvement plans whose intent is to provide students a successful learning experience. This is done, in part, giving teachers the tools to do that job, and for guiding administrators with a road map for leading the adults towards success. Such accomplishment takes a lot of work and sacrifices by the adults. There are no short cuts. No free rides. In most cases, effective school improvement plans require a shift in thinking by educators as to the ways business is done must change.

What gets monitored, gets done. What is not monitored does not get done.

As schools strive to become more skillful, better at meeting student needs, success is about building buy-in among staff. Not everyone will be on board. Yet a persistent leader can bring along staff by staying the course of action. There are veterans who with each initiative will murmur, "This too shall pass." While seeming cynical, those teachers and administrators speak from experience not fantasy. Resistance is a form of conserving ones energy for the real work. Change for its on sake does not by nature take root.

Strong leadership is needed to have effective school improvement plans. Leaders need to involve staff in the planning, include them in the shaping of a plan, and hold them accountable to their commitments. A leader who pays lip service will see the school improvement plan become a paperweight rather than a vehicle for improving success by teachers teaching students, and learners learning. Sadly, too many well intentioned leaders get trapped in the day to day demands. Like parents of kids going away to college where they are out of sight and no longer guided, a swamped leader "hopes" the staff is following the plan and doing what's expected. Just like the leader, the staff also struggle to keep their heads afloat. Priority is survival. The first things cast overboard are the tools and expectations of the school improvement plan.

'Good directors, playwrights and leaders are enablers who make it possible for others to succeed by providing the means and opportunities for actions.' Anon

Leadership is passionate persistence about what's best for learners needs and ensuring that all staff strive to meet those identified needs.

Responses to Texted Questions

John McCarthy, Ed.S. – General Session on August 13, 2009

Participants texted questions they needed answered to move forward as edcuation leaders for re-imaginging Differentiated Instruction. The questions reflected the varioius needs for action from leading by example to facilitating professional growth and systemic change. Here are responses.

• Any books or websites available with examples of tiered lesson plans across the curriculum?

Fulfilling the Promise of a Differentiated Classroom by Carol Tomlinson (Tool box) Sample chapters list here.

http://www.doe.in.gov/exceptional/gt/tiered_curriculum/welcome.html
This site has several examples under Readiness. The interest and learning styles examples are not necessarily tiered focused, but may have ideas to look at.

• Teachers in our district want to know how to grade tiered lessons where students are working on different levels of activities?

Hold clear standards-based objectives for all students. The assessment can be common or differentiated based on the tiered focus. When different, it’s because the learning is at different stages of mastering the concepts. Eventually you want your students to have similar core level of understanding. Some may be above expectations, but all will share the essential knowledge and understandings. Rubrics can be helpful in this format.

• What is the name of the ASCD video series you showed this morning?

Instructional Strategies for the Differentiated Classroom, Part 1: Complex Instruction, chapter 2 (Sample video at this link)

• Where do you start using Differentiated Instruction?

Begin where you feel most comfortable, preferably in a content area you feel confident in. Two books to consider for guidance are by Carol Tomlinson:
How to Differentiate Instruction in a Mixed Ability Classroom
--Great primer for where to start and common vocabulary
Fulfilling the Promise of Differentiated Instruction
--Deeper book for instructional practice and curriculum. Great resource for strategies.

• High school teachers will ask you about time! How do we fit DI into our short periods and still cover all the hsce’s?

The challenge of short periods exists at all grade levels. Elementary teachers deal with the daily challenge of instruction being broken up by specials and other important needs. Having taught in a 40 minute period, I feel your pain regarding teaching and learning in general, much less “coverage.” Addressing the HSCE’s is not a challenge with regards to DI. We differentiate because it’s what students need in order to achieve. To not differentiate virtually guarantees that students will fail. The pressures for teaching HSCE’s and GLCE’s are real, and should not be ignored. A path for meeting that need is addressed by Concept-Based Instruction. This approach is championed by Wiggins and McTighe in Understanding by Design, Lynn Erickson (Concept-Based Instruction), and the Buck Institute (Standards-Focused Project-Based Instruction), just to name some. Their approach is about “uncoverage” of essential learning.

• What is Compacting?

“A 3-step process that (1) assesses what a student knows about material to be studied and what the student still needs to master, (2) plans for learning what is not known and excuses student from what is known, and (3) plans for freed-up time to be spent in enriched or accelerated study.”
Carol Tomlinson. How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed Ability Classrooms. 2nd Edition, p. 98. (Book preview)

• What’s a good article on Standards-Based Grading?

ASCD’s Education Leadership has an excellent article for why schools should transition from traditional grading practices to a Standards-Based grading approach. In the issue, Expecting Excellence, read Seven Reasons for Standards-Based Grading by Patricia L. Scriffiny, Pages 70-74, October 2008 | Volume 66 | Number 2

A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades by Ken O’Connor is a great resource, and What’s Fair Isn’t Always Equal by Rick Wormelli is an effective way to start the conversation that leads to real change in grading practices. Here's a sneak preview.

• Can we get the Math video?

Ma and Pa Kettle doing multiplication is a YouTube video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfq5kju627c

MI ASCD Conference on DI: Day 2

Day 2 opened with a general session to "Re-Imagine Differentiated Instructruction." In the course of the morning session participants explored the need for integrating Differentiated Instruction as part of effective models for student learning, beginning with the reflective question: Will you take responsibility for the learning success of your students? The learning time generated quite a productive conversation that spilled into the break as well as the entirity of the session.

Exploration included looking at how "Teachers respond" from Carol Tomlinson's work on the 3 cogs for differentiation (Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, ASCD. p. 28.) Read the sample chapter. 3 Dimensional Instruction (John McCarthy, 2008):

1. Identify the objective(s)
2. Develop the assessment
3. Brainstorm 8-15 3D processing activities to teach the concept(s)
4. Build lesson steps with 3D processing activities

We looked at 4 Quadrants for instruction and learning by International Center for Leadership in Education, and Project-Based Learning (Buck Institute and support by www.leading pbl.org)

In this busy morning, participants texted questions, some of which were addressed during the session, while a compilation was answered in a post at MI ASCD. Here is the transcript.

The afternoon was a big hit. Participants left with much information and take aways to begin implementing in their schools. Thank you all who attended. The conference existed to support the critical need to help all students achieve.

Now the planning starts for next year and adding additional strands that go deeper and more complex.

Have a great school year!!!