Innovation, Authenticity, & Results

I want to be the kind of principal who empowers teachers to find innovative and authentic ways to make their students better learners.  The most prudent way I can ensure that happens is for myself to pursue innovative and varied means to allow my teachers and students to thrive.  When I make suggestions or share observations/philosophies with members of the team, I must be able to offer alternatives or to provide an outlet to reflect in a meaningful way what is currently being done.  Without a personal experience with experimentation and risk taking, I will not be an optimal agent of change or growth.  As expectations naturally evolve as business and politics change, schools must be ensuring that students are learning timeless lessons in modern and relevant ways, and the principal is the obvious point person to facilitate these diversifications.

Not all 21st century innovation is exclusive to technology.  The ideas of research, the scientific method, and communicative skills are as timeless as ideas get, but taking an innovative approach and allowing extreme amounts of creative license promotes an evolution of the assignment that keeps it fresh and relevant to the students.  If access to technology is an issue in a given school, that cannot be the excuse that prevents the creation of a 21st century learning environment.  

Also not to be ignored is the importance of inviting community leaders to share in the experiences of our students.  Effective networking and presentation skills are paramount modern traits, and a school leader must actively create opportunities for students to showcase their abilities in front of and in collaboration with successful  local businessmen, politicians, and residents.  Meaningful student performance is about creating authentic situations for them to succeed in.  A relevant project utilizing 21st century resources with an authentic and knowledgeable audience combines all the necessary ingredients for fantastic student results.

Actions are Louder

Case studies from history provide aspiring and current leaders alike the opportunity to reflect on what works and what does not when attempting to gain the trust of those whose following one seeks.  Examining the presidential election of 1976 and Gerald Ford's unique situation shows any "leader" that actions and decisions communicate values and competency a lot more effectively than words. Below is an excerpt from an essay I wrote for a Master's program in American History...

Gerald Ford faced remarkably difficult circumstances in running for President in 1976.  His assumption to the presidency under unfortunate and unique circumstances following Agnew’s and Nixon’s resignations combined with controversial domestic and foreign policy decisions provided numerous obstacles, as did his poor relationship with Congress.[1]  But, what especially plagued Ford’s hopes of being elected President was the public’s lack of faith in his ability as the chief executive of the United States.  From his handling of the economy to his golf game, there was general skepticism about his ability to be presidential.[2]  Ironically chosen to replace Spiro Agnew because of his lack of assumed presidential ability, Ford began his campaign to be elected to a position he already held on the defense.[3

On the eve of the February 24, 1976 primary contest in New Hampshire, New York Magazine’s Richard Reeves details Ford’s first official campaign event and echoes the description of Ford’s unusual situation provided by James Patterson.  Reeves cites a February 8 poll in the Boston Globe in which only twenty two percent of 849 Republican or Republican leaning respondents described Ford as “very intelligent, smart,” and makes a point to use quotation marks every time he describes Ford as presidential.[4] He notes that while most people at the event seemed to like “Jerry,” he was not sure that many of them actually thought that he should be president.  When writing about Ford’s conversations and demeanor on the campaign trail, Reeves’ analysis is that Ford was trying to prove competence and an ability to handle the job that he already had.[5] Even when giving Ford credit for having strong individual performances, Reeves is extremely critical of Ford’s staff, giving Dick Cheney and the rest of Ford’s team credit for a combined thirty minutes of national campaign experience. 

             The reflections on Ford’s campaign as it was happening mirror Patterson’s assessment that Ford was likable and “meant well.”[6]  He wished his legacy would be that of a healer, and Reeves notes his conciliatory demeanor while campaigning in 1976.[7]  However, Reeves also reflects Patterson’s note that the individual decisions, such as pardoning Richard Nixon, of the Ford administration combined with a general doubt that he should be president left his presidential aspirations a long shot.[8]

            Consulting primary sources such as this provides valuable insights into the media coverage and portrayal of President Ford.  While Patterson surveys the period with depth and analysis, Reeves confirms and expands of the precise concerns Americans had when deciding to grant him a term of his own.  Primary sources such as this allow researchers to catch a glimpse into a given era without the barrier of someone else’s interpretations or bias clouding the situation.  Reading articles such as the piece written by Richard Reeves brings the history to life and allows the researcher to experience the campaign as it was happening.

            The bias of the primary source must be taken into account when using it to make determinations regarding any historical situation, and Reeves clearly had bias against Ford.  Patterson specifically names Reeves when discussing reporters who wrote negatively of Ford, highlighting an instance where Reeves portrayed him as a clown in 1974.[9]  It must also be noted that Reeves wrote for New York Magazine, a city where Ford faced certain unpopularity after the troubles surrounding a financial bail-out of the city.[10]  Relying solely on pieces written by Reeves would obviously paint a very negative picture of Ford, and researchers conducting more extensive studies of the election of 1976 would be advised to utilize a greater balance of sources.  Just as we must analyze the bias of secondary sources and current media outlets, the primary sources we consult must be scrutinized equally.

            Despite the bias, the chosen primary document correlates nicely with Patterson’s analysis of Ford’s campaign.  The same decisions and doubts iterated by Patterson as key obstacles in Ford’s election bid were clearly reiterated when reading Reeves.  Both men note that Gerald Ford, while likable and, at times, on the mark, was never able to convince America that he was qualified to hold the office he was already in.

Bibliography

Patterson, James T. Restless Giant: The United States From Watergate to Bush v

Gore, New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. 

Reeves, Richard, “Ford in New Hampshire (He was Good, and Nobody Noticed,) New

York Magazine, February 23, 1976, http://books.google.com/books?id=c-MCAAAAMBAJ&q=gerald+ford#v=snippet&q=gerald%20ford&f=false, (Accessed December 20, 2011)

---

[1] James T. Patterson, Restless Giant: The United States from Watergate to Bush V. Gore (New York, 2005), 96

[2] Ibid, 98

[3] Ibid, 104

[4] Richard Reeves, “Ford in New Hampshire (He was Good, and Nobody Noticed),” New York, Feb. 23, 1975, 32-33

[5] Ibid, 32

[6] Patterson, 92

[7] Ibid, 94

[8] Ibid, 106

[9] Ibid, 93

[10] Ibid, 98

Reflections & Highlights

The following are snapshots taken from various parts of my culminating Capstone project for my Educational Leadership program. I thought I would share some interesting observations and commentary:


On Communication:

In a high stakes environment such as educational leadership, one does not have the luxury of being able to afford a mixed or unclear message going out to any stakeholder.  Whether it’s sharing student successes with community, introducing a new initiative or technique to the staff, or developing a novice or struggling teacher,  the Principal's ability to effectively and efficiently communicate through a variety of mediums will go a long way in determining the impact the message has.  Whether its an email, newsletter, blog, written report, meeting, conference, presentation, speech, interview, class, etc, the modern administrator must be comfortable and effective communicating a consistent and well articulated message under all circumstances.

On Supervision and Evaluation:

It is not a coincidence that the best coaches always have the best players, and school principals must actively and intently prioritize what goes into building and nurturing a highly effective and highly motivated team.  Beyond hiring new talent, the leadership team must be diligent in their promotion of and attention to the needs and growth of veteran staff.  Creating a culture of perpetual improvement and an endless quest toward perfection will keep older staff feeling young and younger staff feeling empowered. The principal has the ability to model and stimulate this kind of professional learning environment.

On Innovation & Risk Taking:

There has never been a better time to learn than right now, and we have never had access to so many ground breaking tools as we do today.  As the next big thing become old and outdated within a matter months, it’s extremely important for school leaders to remain on the cutting edge of new trends and theories.  A school leader who vigilantly remains in the know about these new trends will be able to differentiate between the latest fad and the next great educational practice.  A school leader who themselves are actively trying new methods and professionally growing will create an environment where students and teachers do the same.  A school leader who is able to honestly and openly reflect on what works and what does not will empower his learning community to evaluate their own work.  Simply telling folks that risk taking is promoted does not send the same message as showcasing and discussing the risks you are currently taking.  

Vision & Mission

Part of the profressional standards for school administrators is to articulate vision and mission. I turned this in for an assignment earlier this year, and thought I would up the ante with a wider audience...

1. A clear and commonly accepted vision/mission will drive school culture. I recently heard victory defined as the accomplishment of a specific task. Too often, I find there is an inability to define what we as educators are trying to accomplish. If we as a school community can create a universally accepted vision of the school, we can work together to achieve it. If we go into each day as fifty individuals somewhat working toward an ambiguous goal, achievement becomes blurry. I firmly believe that strong interpersonal leadership at the administrative level can harness the energy and organization needed to bring all stakeholders together to create this common mission.

2. Curriculum and instruction must be perpetually improved and updated. As our clientele evolves, so to must our approach to teaching and working with them. School cannot be the place associated with outdated technology and expectations. A student should not think of school as the the only other place besides Grandma's that still has and uses VCR's. We must work tirelessly to find cost effective and logistically efficient ways to modernize our delivery of education. If we don't, then we will render ourselves irrelevant in our own students' lives. Today's student has influences coming at them 24/7 from a variety of sources. Schools need to plug themselves into this network to compete with all the forces that exist. We're not going to get there by sticking to nostalgic notions of the way "things ought/used to be done."

3. Leadership is about building relationships with all stakeholders. Leaders who don't build those interpersonal relationships probably aren't leading anyone. Like coaches, we need to get to know our players as people if we expect them to grow under our watch. By reaching out to students, parents, residents, and other staff members to build these relationships, we will achieve a level of collegiality and collaboration that will foster the results we are looking for. If we don't have the partnerships, results will stagnate.

4. Education and self-improvement are life-long endeavors. Complacency produces mediocrity. We as educators should always be working on something new. Whether its reading a new book, mastering a new technology for implementation in the classroom, or sprucing up a unit that has never been one of our stronger ones, the pursuit of constant growth will always keep us fresh and current. And by living the life long learner mission, we will model the behaviors and traits we hope to bequeath our students.

If the entire school community remains in constant pursuit of an agreed upon vision by employing cutting edge methods and techniques delivered by a connected staff universally engaged in self improvement, student learning will skyrocket. With the right leadership, this can happen.

Google Docs in the Classroom

As I began utilizing online collaboration tools for my teaching and learning last year, one of the first sites I immediately grew fond of was Google Docs. As soon as I began using it in the middle of the year in my AP US History class, I saw its value in assessment of writing, studying for exams, and preparing outlines in an interactive and reflective way. It immediately led to increased writing about the material we were covering, which directly led to improved performance on formal essays. It was also extremely effective as an organizing tool for a staff committee I chaired.  We were able to discuss differences and outline thoughts leading up to each meeting, which led to seamless and productive face to face gatherings. It eliminated many of the physical restraints such as time and other commitments that can plague staff committees.

The one frustration that came with using Google Docs was confusion and messiness that multiple editors can bring to an existing document. At times, clauses were accidentally deleted, or answers were misplaced or spaced in awkward ways. My AP class this year can attest to that from their summer assignment.  However, the new comment feature on the site seems to alleviate the only negative I saw.  It maintains all the collaborative benefits multiple sets of eyes on the same document can bring, but allows for the document itself to remain intact.  I was excited to use it in the classroom to analyze war quotes to begin a unit on morality and WWII earlier this week with my America & the World classes with juniors and seniors.

Allowing the students to comment on the document rather than edit opened up many new possibilities for classroom application of Google Docs.  The document remained clean, which allowed the students read the quotes without distraction and focus on what they want to say about each one.  The way they were able to discuss and dissect what they were reading while informally improving their ability to articulate their thoughts after reading with their writing was exactly what I was hoping for.  Being in the computer lab together allowed for the students to follow up written thoughts with conversation.  It was a rare occurrence where we were working on our reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills all at the same time.

I envision us using this tool in the future as a way to model the great reading strategies championed in Mike Schmoker's, Focus, as it allows me to show the students exactly what I would highlight through a difficult reading.  Comments provide readers the opportunity to essentially write in the margins, like one would do on paper.  Students that may be unsure of what to highlight and comment on in text would immediately benefit from seeing in real time what others are choosing to note.  Peer editing becomes cleaner, and I now have the ability to discuss writing samples with students in a more direct and efficient manner. I continue to be impressed with Google Docs, and the way it allows me to promote good reading habits and analytical writing in innovative and modern ways.

Edmodo Reflections Day 1

Achieving a 100% active class participation rate in a given session is a great feat.  Even on my best of performances as a teacher, universal participation in a given outing eludes me more often than not.  I've always had luck with engaging students and enticing them to want to participate in discussions, but there always seems to be someone who abstains from the conversation.  As rare as 100% active participation in a class period is, seeing it in two different gatherings on the same day rivals Haley's Comet in frequency.

Day 1 of introducing and utilizing Edmodo in two classes produced universal participation both times, and I cannot wait to do this with my three remaining classes tomorrow.  Students appreciated the simplicity of signing up and entering the Group.  They were very fond of and comfortable with the interface,  commenting repeatedly on the similarities with Facebook.  Students easily unpacked the features, such as the library, and already seemed more comfortable with it than me in certain regards.  Finally, and most importantly, the discussion we had regarding Just War Theory and concept of a Good & Bad war produced articulation, depth, and resource sharing at levels I have certainly never seen before during the first week of school.  I am excited to continue to explore the possibilities of Edmodo with all of my classes this year, and very much look forward to further great collaborative discussions with my students using various modules. 

Effective Leaders...

The last chapter of DuFour and Marzano's Leaders of Learning provides several distinct differentiations between effective and mediocre leadership at the school level and beyond. As I read, I found myself highlighting, underlining, and making notes several times per page. These 10 notes stand out to me as key points to consider for any leader at any position:

Effective leaders know the first step in leadership is convincing someone to follow. (193)

Effective leaders know they alone are not the solution. (197)

Effective leaders are busy doing what mediocre leaders are talking about. (198)

Effective leaders accept the responsibility for solving the existing problems and the possible blame for those problems going unresolved. (199)

Effective leaders know they do not have the luxury of letting personal motives and ideologoies stand in the way of the collective desires and visions of the school. (201)

Effective leaders build a staff filled with other leaders. (204)

Effective leaders aren’t afraid to share and even move out of the spotlight. (204)

Effective leaders aim to build a team that won’t need a central leader to improve and succeed. (207)

Effective leaders know that it’s not about them. (207)

Effective leaders do what others merely intend. (208)

I look forward to discussing these points and others during our #edfocus discussion of the second half of the book on Wednesday at 9:30p (eastern time)

Bad Advice for Teachers

I received two terrible pieces of advice during my student teaching and first years in the classroom that I've found are very common.  They may be the two most prominent pieces of advice given in Teacher Education Programs.  Once I was distanced from both of these schools of thought, my ability to teach and conduct a class improved considerably. Avoid both of the following:
1a. Be Yourself- Terrible advice. Be the most noble, inspirational, principled, organized, strong minded, confident, and creative version of yourself you can concoct. Eventually, your real self will catch up to your teacher self, but do not simply be yourself. A young new teacher being them self will probably come off as unsure, a little overwhelmed, and doubting their career move, and an older new teacher will probably come off as unsure, a little overwhelmed, and doubting their career move, but in a completely different way. Identify your audience, determine what it will take to hook them, and get yourself there. Stand tall, act like you own the place, and nobody will doubt you. Being yourself is not advisable.
1b. Find What Works and Stick With It- More terrible advice. Complacency leads to mediocrity, and you don't want to get boring. Find what works, make it better, and then find other things that work too. You want an arsenal of effective strategies an methods at your disposal. Always have a new project going. Whether its tech integration, or picking out your weakest area of the content and making it your strongest, a great teacher is always working on making something better. It's the only way to stay fresh and current.

Utilizing Social Media

Why aren’t districts vigorously promoting active use of online resources for Professional Development? Although school ended over a week ago my learning and pd has not slowed. Thanks to my social media and networking feeds I found ways to realize visions for next year, and received valuable feedback on a class presentation. Thanks to my Twitter feed I was acquainted with mrthread.com for student chats, set up a customized edmodo site for my AP class, and favorited articles on research tips for students in the fall.
I had fantastic discussion with educators from around the country on topics ranging from cross curricular instruction to using data to create professional development plans that led to better performance in my graduate class. I’m excited this week to start a book club via Twitter and look forward to sharing my thoughts. In the first two weeks of vacation I’ve had more PD than in all other summers combined, and it hasn’t cost me or my district a penny. No room in the budget for PD? No problem…

Jump Onboard

School is in a constant battle with countless other mediums over the attention of our students. In order for us to win we need to be in all of those competing outlets. We need to be in their smartphone! We need to be in their Twitter feed, Facebook wall, RSS, tumble roll, etc or else school will see its relevance in the lives of the students shrink each year. Learning can be a year round thing with modern communication and its time schools jump on board. Let’s embrace some of the outlets we’ve been pushing away.

Classical Innovation

Reblogged from my Tumblr, "Leading to Learn."

Traditional focus doesn't have to be boring or archaic. In reading Mike Schmoker's, Focus, I cannot help but to come to the conclusion that he is not calling for a rejection of modern technology and its integration in our schools, but rather the commitment to use of these technologies to foster the necessary characteristics of good teaching and good citizenry that have stood for over 2,000 years.  The fact that the mediums are more flashy doesn't change the fact that people with superior reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills are far more equipped to be successful and active citizens than those without.  While much has been made of Focus equating to a shunning of much of the modern technology that exists in classrooms, I do not think it has to be one or the other.  Our most effective use of 21st century technology happens when its used to strengthen our instruction of the four pillars of language mastery that Schmoker insists we must focus on. For reading skills, we can use Livebinder, Diigo, Dropbox, Colornote, etc to enhance and organize the bookmarking and notetaking process for students.  We can use Google Docs, Blogging, MrThread, and other online chat forums to allow students to articulate themselves exclusively in writing during class with immediate feedback from peers and the instructor.  We have Flip cameras and Voice Thread to allow students to self assess their own speaking and presenting skills, and Skype presents incredible opportunities for students to academically and professionally interact with other students in sister classes.  Teachers can use textthemob and Twitter to enhance that critical interaction between student and teacher good classes have had since the days of Socrates.  Focusing on literacy the way Schmoker suggests does not mean abandoning the integration of technology in the classroom. It means using it in the best possible way to achieve our objectives.

Aspiring Educational Leader Reading List

Reposted from my Tumblr blog...

I have found these books particularly helpful in my preparation to shift my role as an educator from classroom teacher to administrator.  Myself an aspiring secondary instructional leader who has yet to serve in the role, these works make me feel ready to thrive in that new position when the time comes. I recommend these reads to any teacher thinking of moving into any kind of leadership position within the school community, and offer a brief note on each.

Harvey Alvy & Pam Robbins, Learning From Lincoln, 2010-As an inexperienced president, Lincoln relied on two things: His values/judgment & the team around him. New leaders in any position can benefit from the lesson from Lincoln.

Alan M. Blankstein, Failure is Not an Option, 2004- If Bank of America is too big to fail, why aren't schools? Why is that not our mentality?

ed. Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Curriculum 21, 2010- Great collection of essays on where education is heading. I particularly liked, "A Classroom as Wide as the World."

Thomas Hoerr, The Art of School Leadership, 2005- Examines types of leadership styles, and is filled with teacher anecdotes about what they look for in a leader.

Robert Marzano, Timothy Waters, & Brian McNulty, School Leadership that Works, 2005- Great stuff as always from Marzano. The title says it all.

William J. Reese, America’s Public Schools, 2005- Provides a general history of pubic schools in the United States from the early republic to No Child Left Behind. I found the chapter about LBJ's Great Society very interesting, which spawned a different research project specifically about the ed reforms of the 1960s.

Jon Saphier, How to Make Supervision & Evaluation Really Work, 1993- A real useful and growth centered way to learn about teacher evaluations and supervision. Even if I do not become an administrator this upcoming year, the material in this book made me a better classroom teacher as well. It allowed me to see my own teaching from the perspective of an evaluator.

Mike Schmoker, Focus, 2011- Even with all of the new technologies and fads out there, the four pillars of language remain the ability to read, write, speak, and listen effectively. Schmoker reminds us that as leaders its important to avoid jumping on every new trend until we first identify how it will improve literacy.

Marilyn Tallerico, Supporting & Sustaining Teachers’ Professional Development, 2005- Great stuff on adult learning theory in here. Transitioning from classroom to administration also means a shift in who we are primarily working with. Adults are different than children, obviously, which means a need for a different way of working.

Tony Wagner, The Global Achievement Gap, 2008- Discusses similar issues as Curriculum 21, but still a great and very quick read.

Anne Wescott Dodd & Jean L. Konzal, How Communities Build Stronger Schools, 2002-Community relations are paramount to the success of practically all public enterprises, and schools are certainly no exception. Many anecdotes provide clear lessons in both good and bad PR from various schools in this book.

Todd Whitaker, Leading School Change, 2010- Whitaker is a fantastic resource for all educators, and I recommend any of his books.  He offers practical solutions to some of the most basic interpersonal problems that occur in schools and plague leadership posts. I enjoyed this book thoroughly.

Todd Whitaker, What Great Principals Do Differently, 2003- The title says it all. See above.