I just read an article "The Culture Builder" by Roland S. Barth (Educational Leadership May 2002, Vol. 59, Number 8) with a group of highly motivated, inspired (inspirational) school leaders who are establishing new school programs where new culture is being built around what is best for students. More on that later.
A topic that rose was grading practices. Roland Barth states a message by schools is "Learn or we will hurt you." He states, "Educators have taken learning--a wonderful, spontaneous capacity of all human beings--and coupled it with punitive measures. We have developed an arsenal of sanctions and punishments that we inextricably link with learning experiences."
Ken O'Conner, Rick Wormelli and others look at grading practices and how it can be done to emphasize learning over gradebook keeping. I've made comments on this before, and was asked to share a powerpoint where I took these educator thinkers work and explored the ramifications. Below is a powerpoint that I've used to support teachers and administrators in reflecting on efficient ways to assess and grade. Comments welcome.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Results-Only Learning Environment
Much of the focus of the Education world for achievement is on what the adult stakeholders can or should do to improve the system. There are some innovative ideas generated, tested, and implemented. How can we help students be successful. How do we hold accountability to standards based on practice that is evidenced-based. What will schools of the future look like?
These are only some of the challenges that educators grapple with in seeking what is best for students. Through all of the work that's done, few include a missing element. One that may, in its simplicity, be the most difficult and critical element for success...
Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships are touted as critical to education. Yet few school cultures incorporate students as an equal member, much less the driving member of the learning team. Students can best determine the what and how of learning. For proof, look at adults regarding our learning. Give me the deadline and learning targets, and I will take the pathways that works for me. Reading, talking to others, watching videos...varying location from walks, cafes, desk, floor...with music or silence depending on "my" mood. It doesn't matter how or what I do, so long as the deadlines are met and the outcome produce is of high quality.
Shouldn't that be what's best for students?
Coach students on how to work in this format. Believe that they are capable if given the opportunity and guidance. Trust that they can succeed. When they fail, it's the best opportunity for them to learn and grow. It's our responsibility to teach them how to learn from mistakes.
Shouldn't that be what's best for students?
These are only some of the challenges that educators grapple with in seeking what is best for students. Through all of the work that's done, few include a missing element. One that may, in its simplicity, be the most difficult and critical element for success...
Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships are touted as critical to education. Yet few school cultures incorporate students as an equal member, much less the driving member of the learning team. Students can best determine the what and how of learning. For proof, look at adults regarding our learning. Give me the deadline and learning targets, and I will take the pathways that works for me. Reading, talking to others, watching videos...varying location from walks, cafes, desk, floor...with music or silence depending on "my" mood. It doesn't matter how or what I do, so long as the deadlines are met and the outcome produce is of high quality.
Shouldn't that be what's best for students?
Coach students on how to work in this format. Believe that they are capable if given the opportunity and guidance. Trust that they can succeed. When they fail, it's the best opportunity for them to learn and grow. It's our responsibility to teach them how to learn from mistakes.
Shouldn't that be what's best for students?
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Bears’ Greg Olsen kicked off field at Stevenson High - Chicago Sun-Times
Bears’ Greg Olsen kicked off field at Stevenson High - Chicago Sun-Times
I'm a Bears fan, and even I would have stopped Greg Olsen from going on to the Stevenson High School football field. Hey I like him as a player, tried to trade for him on to my championship Fantasy Football team. I would not have sent him away feeling unwelcomed. Here's someone who lives in the community, who is a quality professional in his work place. I'd give him the star treatment, as if he were a CEO, scientist, elected official, business owner, a chef, a parent or an educator--because Greg Olsen is a potential contributor of time and networking power.
He want's to use the facilities at the school, fine, here's the paperwork holding harmless the district and employees. "Mr. Olsen, can I get you some coffee, water, or Gatorade, while the paperwork is faxed or delivered by the Superintendent's office? What would you like for a snack or lunch from our cafeteria (or the cafe down the street)? Can we get some pictures with you as one of our . successful members of the community...signed?"
Accommodate this professional. But also have him do the background check (not too difficult given he's a public figure) done with anyone who will be on school grounds when minors are present. Work out an arrangement for the NFL starting tight end to practice on the field. Include in the plan that he give some of his time to mentor players and other students about perseverance, dedication, and long term planning. As the relationship builds, have Mr. Olsen connect the school leadership team with other professionals, ranging from the businesses whose products he endorses to say...the management of the Chicago Bears (after the lockout ends of course).
Safety and insurance coverage is necessary in today's society. Opportunities for partnerships that would benefit students' learning experiences should not be squandered by a public show of aloofness and cold rejection.
Notes:
Adlai E. Stevenson High School has won numerous awards for excellence, including the prestigious U.S. Department of Ed. Blue Ribbon Award for 1987, 1991, 1998, and 2002. It's the birthplace of the Professional Learning Communities (2nd site) concept by Richard DuFour (bio) that went viral in the United States. The school gets visitors, including me, from across the country and internationally to see their structure for success. With such experience with dealing with attention in their own right, it makes this publicity and missed opportunity more surprising.
Notes:
Adlai E. Stevenson High School has won numerous awards for excellence, including the prestigious U.S. Department of Ed. Blue Ribbon Award for 1987, 1991, 1998, and 2002. It's the birthplace of the Professional Learning Communities (2nd site) concept by Richard DuFour (bio) that went viral in the United States. The school gets visitors, including me, from across the country and internationally to see their structure for success. With such experience with dealing with attention in their own right, it makes this publicity and missed opportunity more surprising.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Project Based Learning: Explained.
Why do Project Based Learning (PBL)? The connection to lives of teachers, students, and workplace is a needed understanding. This video by the Buck Institute for Education does a great job making that important connection.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Learning through Risk-taking
The iNet Conference has been more than inspiring, it provides thought-provoking ideas for where we need and can go if learning is the driving force. Examples shared from throughout the world, time and again, prove that success happens when students have an active role in unit design, curriculum feedback, ending technolog embargos, and how they develop and demonstrate "their" learning.
- Bethnal Green Technology College (London)
- Bay House School & 6th Form (Gosport)
- Ken Stimpson Community School (Peterborough)
- Al Asayel School (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
- Barry Island Primary School (Wales)
- The Way Program (United States)
- Asia Society (United States)
- New Tech Network Schools (United States)
- High Tech High Campuses (United States)
- Buck Institute for Education (United States)
"When you’re in the hardest time you invest the most in being innovative." Dr. William Skilling, Oxford Community Schools --quote from iNet Conference 2011.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
A Tale of 2 Views: What should education become
The morning had intriguing presentations, followed by Q&A, by Dr. Yong Zhao, Professor of Education at the University of Oregon, and Robert A. Compton, a venture capitalist who develops documentaries on such social issues as countries ranked high in student international tests--2 Million Minutes (trailer, pt.1 & pt.2) and The Finland Phenomenon.
Dr. Yong Zhao talked about "Student as Entrepreneur"(pdf). His premise is posing the question: how do we as a society maintain innovation and creativity by engaging students in such practices? Educators need to begin with the student's drive and build curricular (standards) experiences around their learning focus. Students are viewed as equal players in a collaborative journey for learning.
Some examples would be Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and Inquiry. Whatever the approach, Zhao's ideas resonated for me in what he emphasized as key components for learning experiences:- Identify Problem/Need
- Develop Solutions/Products
- Market Solutions/Products
Units that include these steps as a framework for how students learn and express understanding, then the "what" (ie. standards) will have greater meaning and therefore long laster retention.
Robert A. Compton talked about what top countries for education have in common: China, India, Finland, Korea. These countries are rated the highest based on international testing. Whatever you might think about standardized testing, Robert explored what do these countries have in common:
- Culture
- Curriculum
- Credentials in teachers
4 top countries
National View: Academic Achievement is greatly recognized
Local Communities: Scholars are stars, and are known by their local population
School focus: Learning is the purpose based on core curriculum
Family aspiration: Each generation excees previous
US
National View: Athletics, entertainment, education, college prep in this order are recognized
Local Communities: Scholars are barely noticed. Opening a local newspaper would reveal that athletics carry greater presence than the academic teams.
School focus: Sports, socializing, learning (perhaps grade-base not content), clubs, work, volunteering
Family aspiration: Mixed messages
Robert Compton presents much data to digest for their important implications. His solution is that the US needs to design a curriculum where the adults drive what students should learn, eliminating any input by students, because as students, what can they possibly contribute? Curriculum could be more focused (not tighter). Excluding students in the process has been in practice since the dawn of "modern" education (19th and 20th century educational system). This is the very system that Robert criticizes (and Yong). So to follow Robert's suggestion appears to continue using the same system, with small and/or big tweaks. This suggestion reminds me on Mike Schmoker's argument that education should roll back to the 1950s where education is 90% lecture and rhetoric.
Makes me think about the adage: What's the definition for insanity? Continue doing the same thing and expect a different result. Should we continue to mandate an industrial education system to a global-based society which is shown by many thinkers including Thomas Friedman, author of The World is Flat.
I don't want to diminish Compton's observations about what societies value. His observations needs to be critically reviewed as we take a hard look at our societies and ourselves in regards to education.
In the end, if we want a student, graduating from a K-12 career with 21st century skills that enable them to work independently and with others effectively, then how do ensure that those experiences are embedded into their learning career? The solutions may be somewhere in between these two viewpoints, and must include the involvement of the students.
Articles about school systems in other countries
Sunday, January 9, 2011
edReformer: Why Standards-Based Gradebooks & What Next?
edReformer: Why Standards-Based Gradebooks & What Next?
by Andrew Miller
Here's a thoughtful commentary about the benefits of Standards-Based Gradebook. Along with the insights, I'd add that standards-based assessments open up productive dialog among educators about learning targets, and how to provide instruction that helps students get there. That conversation can lead to one of Andrew Miller's cautions for preservation--Creativity and Innovative teaching and learning.
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