tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85792452082283040852024-02-07T14:26:25.365-08:00The Learning CornerAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-26467687753905457862017-02-02T13:04:00.002-08:002017-02-02T13:04:19.172-08:00My Letter to Senator ToomeySenator Toomey:<br />
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I am writing to you not only as a concerned constituent, but also as an educator and a parent. I currently serve as a high school principal in our state and have two daughters who attend our public school system. Each day, I strive to serve each and every student who comes through our doors to ensure that they receive an education they have been promised and an education they deserve. Each day, I stand before a staff of 100 educators who work tirelessly to meet the needs of each of our learners. Each day, I work with students, many of whom our building is the best opportunity of hope for a better future, to build an understanding of the importance of advocacy and education.<br />
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Since the announcement of Betsy DeVos to serve as our Secretary of Education, I have been overwhelmed by the fear, apprehension, and destruction of morale resulting in our learning community. I feel it important to state that this fear is not a fear of change. It is the demoralization of the very profession that we all have been called to serve. Each year I interview individuals who are seeking to answer a call to teach. The interview is rigorous because I know that my decision could influence the lives of many students each year for years to come. When I reflect on Mrs. DeVos' qualifications and her responses in committee, it is appalling to think that someone who would not even qualify to teach in our schools is being considered to lead them. You have had your chance to interview Mrs. DeVos; now it is time to think of how many students she could impact for years to come.<br />
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Given her responses, I am saddened to think that the United States Senate is on the verge of "hiring" an individual who does not understand the basic philosophical debate in measuring student achievement, fails to comprehend the importance of protecting some of our most vulnerable students through IDEA, and consistently misstates information because she believes no one will verify it.<br />
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My firm belief is that if Mrs. DeVos were a sitting nominee from the opposing party, she would be viewed by Senate Republicans as the least qualified education nominee in our history. Unfortunately, I believe this because she is the least qualified education nominee in our nation's history. A simple question is - how can someone who has never worked in or been served by a public school be qualified to lead our nation's public schools? If you cannot answer this question unequivocally than your answer on her vote should be even simpler.<br />
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Education is the greatest investment that we can make in the sustainability of our nation. Our future is only as bright as the sparks we continue to ignite in our students each and every day and as strong as the professionals who give each ounce of themselves for "their" children. As a constituent, an educator, and a father, I ask that you stand not for party loyalty but for our children and our schools. I ask that you come to the realization that this simple vote could have a long-standing and disastrous impact on our very foundation as a nation. I ask that you vote in opposition of Mrs. Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. Our schools, our teachers, and our students deserve better.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
Jared C. WastlerAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-39012169913643004852015-12-22T07:03:00.001-08:002015-12-22T07:03:01.448-08:00The Case for Shared LeadershipOver the past several weeks I have engaged in a period of reflection on leadership. This reflection resulted from my own desire to refocus for the second half of the school year as well as conversations with people about my own leadership beliefs. Many of these conversations centered around a core leadership debate - should we dictate or facilitate? <div>
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In truth, there is probably no "correct" answer. There are moments where each style of leadership has its merits. I can make a strong case that dictated leadership is necessary in our schools. In a crisis we must be decisive with little time to spare. In the case of a personnel issue we must make decisions based on policy and procedure. However appropriate, these are very specific moments. They are the moments that define our ability to lead but do not define our school. </div>
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So...what is the right leadership for our school?</div>
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I believe leadership that facilitates is essential for our schools. <b><i>Too often we forget that the smartest people we have to solve the issues facing our school are already in our school.</i></b> Our role as building leaders is to locate those who can provide perspective and help move us forward. The goal is not to stand tall at the end of the day and declare "I solved that." Our goal at the end of the day is to know that we moved forward and will do so again tomorrow and the day after that. </div>
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How do we keep moving forward?</div>
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It starts with building the capacity of others. The long term success of a school (or any institution for that matter) is the ability of its people to continually grow in their professional practice. Dictating responses does little to improve others as leaders - rather, it serves to weaken our ability to build shared leadership and capacity. As leaders we must facilitate opportunities for others to lead so that they may grow. We must find opportunities for teachers to be instructional leaders. We must find opportunities for staff members to lead school-based teams. We must find opportunities for parents to be active and engaged voices in our processes. We must find opportunities of students to take a leadership role not just within the student body but the school as a whole. <b><i>We must be willing to cede control so that others can shape the path forward.</i></b></div>
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As a leader I strongly believe that we must seek out the best in others to better ourselves and our institutions. Schools only improve when we welcome the leadership of all. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-16191301545984221242015-04-30T06:25:00.000-07:002015-04-30T06:30:19.140-07:00Why I LeadRecently I have started a rigorous self-reflection on my own leadership. Shouldn't we be doing this at all times? Yes. However, I believe that often leaders fail to take the time necessary to <i>rigorously</i> self-reflect. I am defining rigorous self-reflection as a piece by piece, long-term look at my own professional capacities and deliberately planning actions to address the deficiencies that I identify. In order to do this I needed a starting point, a place where I could center the reflection. I decided that I wanted to look through the lens of questions rather than ratings. Fortunately, Principal Baruti Kafele just released his newest book, <u>The Principal 50</u>. This book poses 50 essential questions for school-based leaders centered on leadership - the real leadership paradigm, not just management. Using Principal Kafele's book I am now embarking on a self-reflective journey. I firmly believe that for my self-reflection to be meaningful I need for parts of it to be public. Writing a series of posts that address core issues not only allows me to reflect but also to share my own growth. The post that comes below is the first in that series.<br />
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<b>WHY I LEAD</b><br />
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Why do I lead? On the surface a pretty simple question, but once one starts to dig into the roots of his/her own leadership it can get rather lengthy. Let's take a stab at it. I lead to...<br />
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<li>Help students learn</li>
<li>Help teachers learn</li>
<li>Connect communities and their schools</li>
<li>Promote equity and fairness</li>
<li>Foster learning as a process, not a product</li>
<li>Facilitate professional learning for ALL</li>
<li>Support parents in their role</li>
<li>Celebrate the positives, redirect the negatives, and soothe the hurt</li>
<li>Work to make sure that EVERY student, educator, and parent feels valued</li>
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See? This list is just a starting point. It sounds more like a sermon than a list. So I find myself looking to summarize my leadership purpose. After several weeks of reflecting on this single question I have come a simple conclusion. </div>
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<b><i>Why do I lead? I lead to build schools for them, by them.</i></b></div>
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In his book <u>Rules of the Red Rubber Ball</u>, Kevin Carroll, suggests that inside each of us is a passion statement - a driving force in what we do. The above statement is my passion statement (my red rubber ball). I lead because I believe that I have an opportunity to enact positive change. I lead because I want to empower "them," staff, students, parents, community members, to be better. I want to empower them to be their own leaders. I want to empower them to improve their school and their community. I want to empower them to build the school that serves them, not me. I want to empower them so that they can pass it on an empower others and change the world. That is why I lead. The school I serve is not about me. The school I serve is about them. I lead to make sure it starts with them and ends with them. This is my purpose for leading. </div>
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As I continue on my reflective journey my purpose for leading will be the center of my reflection. It is a chance to ensure that I continue to grow and stay true to the leader within. I hope that along the way some of you may jump in and join my journey. Together we are stronger, and your voice makes me better. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-88692566402267711032015-03-23T09:57:00.001-07:002015-03-23T09:57:21.566-07:00Feel Good and Learn Well<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: Mom Blogs</span></td></tr>
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In education we learn early that the ability to borrow great ideas from other educators is what makes ourselves and our schools better. Unlike the business world, in education borrowing good ideas is encouraged. Last week one of those moments came to fruition in my own school.<br />
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Two weeks ago I was engaged in a professional conversation with some colleagues from other high schools in the district. One of the participants mentioned "Feel Good Friday," a weekly occurrence at her school. On Feel Good Friday the administration plays one or two songs over the school's speakers in order to create a more positive atmosphere. I opted to take it a step (or two) further - we played music before school, at every hall change, and after school during dismissal. The reality is that the actions to pull this off were minimal, but the impact was immense.<br />
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Throughout the day I received emails from teachers asking for specific songs. Students stopped me in the hallway to ask if this was just something special or something that could happen every Friday. Several staff members informed me that impromptu dance parties were breaking out during hall changes and in classrooms before the mod started. The best response from a staff member came in towards the end of the day and summed it all up: "This is the best idea ever. I have not seen students so positive in a long time and the learning as a result is incredible." After school I stopped by several practices and the talent show rehearsal and the response was the same - can we please do this every Friday?<br />
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Success.<br />
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When I say success I am not referring simply to the positive comments that came back from students and staff. I am not even claiming success because there was such a positive feeling to the day. I am claiming success because it had a noticeable impact on students and staff in the classroom. Teachers came out of their shells a little bit more on Feel Good Friday and the authenticity led to better classroom teaching and learning. Students started off class on a positive note and that translated into positive learning experiences. Success in this instance comes from knowing what we did changed the atmosphere for learning in our building. It was a subtle shift with a minimal activity, but the impact was noticeable.<br />
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It got me thinking, why don't we have this feeling everyday in our classrooms? When I taught I used to play music as students entered the room. Students were able to program the playlist as a reward or I matched it to the learning goals for the day (teaching US History makes this easy...Economics not so much). I took the idea from watching presenters who played music before they began. I had noticed that those who played music had a different vibe in the room than those who did not. My classroom culture evolved because of this subtle change. Learning was more vibrant, students more positive, and engagement more evident.<br />
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So here is my takeaway and challenge - we need to find ways to integrate this into each of our classrooms each day. Our goal should be to make the classroom as inviting and positive as we can. Students come to school with baggage that is often unseen but weighs them down beyond measure. Playing music is a simple strategy and more many students it is their release. After all, Feel Good Friday is great, but school and learning should feel that way everyday.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-83561494152286123342015-02-23T10:05:00.000-08:002015-02-23T10:07:44.468-08:00What I Learned in San Diego (Besides a Love of Mole Sauce)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyX1eGMl5VyYKxg-GdiDQnscAPXhiK8pm4xh-rSrFXN-RS7byJ3PoxyezXgEeyYcOvcyD-1irtRoyzLh3eeEI_XMWWbWa-XrWr6hhlXnT0xvgubaUCZSijmM7Rt_KzeJYlITqkqlLLAc/s1600/B-ZtkwrCMAA2u0D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtyX1eGMl5VyYKxg-GdiDQnscAPXhiK8pm4xh-rSrFXN-RS7byJ3PoxyezXgEeyYcOvcyD-1irtRoyzLh3eeEI_XMWWbWa-XrWr6hhlXnT0xvgubaUCZSijmM7Rt_KzeJYlITqkqlLLAc/s1600/B-ZtkwrCMAA2u0D.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>There are moments in our professional year that annually produce an opportunity to refocus, reflect, and reengage. In my professional life, the NASSP Ignite Conference is an (if not <i>the</i>) annual professional event that most recharges my professional battery. This year's offering in San Diego was no different. I walked away feeling renewed in the mission of serving the school community, focusing on learning, building lasting environments for creation and collaboration, and connecting our community of learners. In the next several paragraphs I am going to attempt to summarize my learning takeaways.<br />
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<u>Takeaway #1: Learning Does Not Always Happen in 75 Minute Blocks</u></div>
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I chose to start with this takeaway because it comes with a mea culpa of sorts - I failed to attend more than one complete session during the conference. Two reasons: 1) I was very busy with my own presentation schedule and found it difficult to balance; and 2) the EdCamp model of moving between sessions has become a part of my learning culture. However, I don't leave San Diego feeling as if I missed out on something or failed to learn. Instead, I leave San Diego with a clear belief that professional learning does not fit neatly into scheduled blocks. There was plenty of learning that took place outside the scheduled windows of sessions. Informal conversations, Twitter exchanges, dinner discussions, and hallway introductions produced a number of opportunities to engage other leaders and to learn.<br />
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<u>Takeaway #3: The EdCamp Model Rocks!</u><br />
I am a dedicated EdCamper having taken part in over 15 as of this week. There is a reason I keep going back...it works for how I learn. What added affirmation of the power of the EdCamp model was the organic growth that was witnessed at EdCamp NASSP. We started with roughly 80 registered participants. By the end of the day we were WAY beyond that. During Session 1 the Twitter feed was on fire with EdCampers sharing resources, posting reflections, and sharing the wisdom of each room. As the Twitter stream caught fire there was a visible growth in the participant group. People were leaving their original agendas and heading to EdCamp for the remaining sessions. The learning was too strong to ignore and the organic nature of the event made everyone an active learner.<br />
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<u>Takeaway #3: Connection Makes Learning Stronger</u><br />
I have long credited my growth and fortune as a leader on my level of connectedness. The NASSP Conference is made up of amazing school leaders and I am fortunate to call many of the rockstars my friends. Connection has introduced me to these rockstar leaders and their willingness to share their wisdom to benefit my students and school never ceases to amaze me. I had the privilege of reconnecting with some of my closest connected colleagues in Dwight Carter, Daisy Dyer Duerr, Jimmy Casas, Jason Markey, Joe Mazza, Eric Sheninger, Derek McCoy, and Dan Kelley as well as connecting for the first time personally with leaders like Dennis Schug, Dan McCabe, Erik Buckholtz, Bill Ziegler, and John Bernia. Together, we not only improve each other's capacity as leaders; we also improve the capacity of the schools we serve.<br />
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<u>Takeaway #4: Remind is a GREAT Company</u><br />
This shoutout may not be a traditional takeaway, but Remind deserves their own space. They not only provided some great swag for EdCamp but also did an amazing job of engaging the leaders they met in San Diego in conversations centered on learning. Often in education companies are focused on profit (hi, Pearson) or brand; Remind is focused on learning and that is why they are rockstars!<br />
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<u>Takeaway #5: Leaders See the Need for Meaningful Digital Leadership</u><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldux6Xn6V9RsOUKMLPSki2p0lshKUX3gbRZ7poSbcaYwqm_pQU53rTHUwnJNF4ezglW3eNZJYUDKBvMDxgL_NgNT5iEPyWCNJZfMrRh28RaY22brvIzbaaivt-acrOfq8TvbJrhmsRco/s1600/B-Yqf9YCEAApDkw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldux6Xn6V9RsOUKMLPSki2p0lshKUX3gbRZ7poSbcaYwqm_pQU53rTHUwnJNF4ezglW3eNZJYUDKBvMDxgL_NgNT5iEPyWCNJZfMrRh28RaY22brvIzbaaivt-acrOfq8TvbJrhmsRco/s1600/B-Yqf9YCEAApDkw.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>In my travels between sessions I stopped by a number of session rooms to see where the people were. Attendance in sessions often tells the story of the learning culture of a conference. In past years I noticed that many session were equally filled. This year was different. The session focused on digital leadership were PACKED! Sessions in the Tech Studio and Learning Labs focused on digital learning were standing room only. The message was clear in San Diego - today's leaders recognize the need to be active and effective digital leaders in their schools.<br />
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<u>Takeaway #6: All Conferences Should Be in San Diego</u><br />
I am just going to leave a few photos for this one...<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-37624336222461201672015-01-22T12:09:00.002-08:002015-01-22T18:10:14.450-08:00Walking the Walk and Owning It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you have ever attended a presentation of mine, heard my keynote, or spent more than 5 minutes discussing education with me you know my stance on risk and failure. I believe it is essential in the learning process. As learners, doing or getting it right the first time is not always the best indication of learning. Real learning takes effort, patience, reflection, and perseverance. Failure IS an option, as long as it does not result in giving up or moving on. It needs to result in reflection, retooling, and renewal to the task at hand.<br>
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Over the past several months I have been on a professional journey. I was raised in a home where my parents have both worked for their current employers for 25+ years (my father is 60 years old and just completed his 44th year with the same company). There have been other opportunities for them, but they are from a generation where employer loyalty is a cornerstone. Growing up in a house with that structure has embedded the belief in me as well. As such, I struggle with the idea of leaving the current school system I serve. They gave a non-certified teacher a chance to start his career, provided me opportunities to grow and lead, and trusted me to serve as a leader within the district. Over the past two years I have been blessed beyond measure professionally. During that time I have also had a good number of voices telling me to move on, market myself, and step out to a larger role. I struggled with that decision because I come from the "wait your turn" mentality (hard for anyone that knows me to believe but it's true).<br>
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So...earlier this month I made a difficult decision. I informed my supervisors that I intended to look outside our school district to grow professionally. I felt I was in need of a new challenge. I strongly believe I have a lot to offer a school and I want to see what I can do in a larger role to promote student voice, teacher leadership, and community empowerment. With that in mind I submitted my first application outside of my district. In this case it was to the district that I grew up in from Kindergarten to graduation. My parents still live there. My daughter plays hockey there. My family still spends half our free time there. It is and always will be home for me. I spent a good deal of time on the process and clicked "submit." I had taken a leap, one that I encourage in my student's daily.<br>
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Last evening I received the following response:<br>
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"We have received a number of applications from qualified candidates. Unfortunately, you were not selected for an interview at this time."<br>
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There are two directions this can go: 1) Anger and rejection; or 2) Opportunity and Renewal. The initial human response internally is response 1; I admit...I started there. I struggle to look at my qualifications, accomplishments, and accolades and see where a clear deficiency exists. I struggle to look at the work I have done in my school to bring learning opportunities to our students, staff, and community and see where I am short of "being ready." I struggle because this is "home." I struggle because I do not want to view myself as better than others. <i><b>I struggle because this attitude is not what I teach my students</b></i>.<br>
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I teach my students to see moments like this as an opportunity to reflect, recharge, improve, and forge ahead. I teach my students that just because a door doesn't open doesn't mean we recoil. I teach my students that moments like this are what make us stronger. I teach my students to stand up and go forward.<br>
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So, after my initial internal response I know I am better from the journey. Maybe going home is not the destination I am supposed to seek. I believe there is a place out there that can benefit from my leadership. I believe there is a school that has the pieces in place to move from good to great and I am the leader to help build those pieces into the bigger picture. I believe that there are great educators who can benefit from my leadership to help facilitate a new vision for empowered learning in their school. I believe that this is one small step in the path forward. <b><i>I believe this is not failure, it is opportunity.</i></b><br>
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I choose response 2.<br>
<br>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-61745897290927327372014-12-16T07:42:00.000-08:002014-12-16T07:42:31.852-08:00The 12 Days of EduleadersAs 2014 draws to a close and the holidays are in full swing, it seems appropriate to stop and recognize 12 "individuals" who are changing education. These people are making a difference in their own schools as well as the school buildings of others. In the spirit of the season, I am going to filter this around a theme of 12 days, but for the sake of time and efficiency I am going to simply name the 12 in one post (it may be cheating but I am going with it).<br />
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<u>Tom Murray</u><br />
Tom is on a mission; a mission to connect all schools and use connectivity to empower learners at all levels. There are a good number of people on this mission, but there are few individuals with the tenacity to lead this movement to fruition. Tom now works in the policy realm and is leading the charge to create Future Ready Schools and increase connection opportunities. He has also played a large role in helping redefine professional learning in my own school. His work in the Quakertown School District helped to shape the direction we have taken professional learning in our building by empowering teachers to direct, collaborate on, and reflect upon individualized professional learning.<br />
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<u>Jimmy Casas</u><br />
I (like many others) could thank Jimmy Casas for increasing my professional connectivity exponentially. In 2012 I met Jimmy at the NASSP Ignite Conference and he immediately introduced me to individuals who have had a vast impact on my own professional learning. Jimmy is also one of the strongest advocates for student voice you will ever meet. His RSVP program at Bettendorf HS inspired our own RSVP program at LHS and is a model for providing students a meaningful and impactful voice in schools.<br />
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<u>Dwight Carter</u><br />
I met Dwight this past year at Ignite in Dallas. He is a model for servant leadership in schools and has been a great friend in helping me to wade through some of the murky professional waters that come with building leadership. He is also a model for stepping outside your comfort zone and finding a new challenge. This past year he left a school he had led faithfully to take on a new challenge in school leadership. He was open with his community as to why he was making the move and can say in all sincerity that Gahanna-Lincoln is better because he served it as a leader.<br />
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<u>Jenna Shaw</u><br />
Jenna is my Maryland edu-sister. She is a rockstar teacher and a fearless advocate for technology as a tool to empower her students. If there is a person who comes to mind when we discuss meaningful technology integration for learning and tireless advocacy it is Jenna.<br />
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<u>The #SatChat Team (Billy, Brad, and Scott)</u><br />
There are a LOT of Twitter chats for educators, but few have the impact of #SatChat. From its humble beginnings the chat has grown to coastal, international, and live versions. If you attend a conference in the Northeast that touts connectivity (and means it) you can bet a live #SatChat is probably happening. The conversations stemming from this chat are connecting educators globally and changing professional practice for the better.<br />
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<u>Tom Whitby</u><br />
I am going to refer to Tom as the Godfather of Edu-Blogging. Tom is not afraid to challenge the status quo or the popular trend when he doesn't see a benefit for students. His work blogging has produced numerous other edu-bloggers and his work with #EdChat is where the foundation for Twitter professional learning finds its roots. He is also a great person to engage in conversation (just be prepared to walk away thinking differently).<br />
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<u>Joe Mazza</u><br />
Joe is a model connected educator. His connectivity has led to colleges seeing connectivity as a meaningful and necessary professional practice rather than an unfortunate evil of the digital age. Today he is building the next generation of digital leaders and educators through UPenn and continues to be an advocate for increasing parent voice in our schools.<br />
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<u>Eric Sheninger</u><br />
Eric is the quintessential rockstar. His story of initially rejecting technology to building a learning model where it is a cornerstone summarizes the journey of many connected educators. Eric's book is the foundational work for digital leadership and he has shepherding countless educators on their connected journey. I am fortunate to have Eric in my PLN and more so as someone who I know will give me an honest take when I need one.<br />
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<u>George Couros</u><br />
George has used technology to not only empower students but also to connect leaders globally through the School Admin Virtual Mentors Program (#SAVMP). He is a dynamic speaker who has encouraged countless educators to connect and tell their own story.<br />
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<u>Barry Saide</u><br />
If you need to find a guy with passion for professional learning Barry is your guy. He is constantly working on growing professionally and is helping to develop others through his work with ASCD and ETEC. Spend just a few minutes with Barry and you will see his authenticity in becoming a better professional not for himself but for his students.<br />
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<u>Professional Organizations that Get It</u><br />
I know...not an individual. If you ask the federal government corporations are people so in my world, professional organizations count here. There are numerous professional organizations but there are few that "get" connectivity. ASCD has done a remarkable job this year in building connectivity with its members and leveraging this to empower professional growth. They are continuing to build upon this avenue through Edge and Twitter chats. NASSP gets my vote for an organization that got connectivity from the beginning. From recognizing connected leaders to building a conference off the connected model, NASSP has done incredible work in promoting connected and collective professional learning.<br />
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<u>Todd Nesloney</u><br />
Todd is the most passionate educator I have ever met. He is an individual who in his classroom understood the importance of connecting classrooms and students and as a principal continues to connect his school. As an administrator I admire that Todd, even in his new role, is still in classrooms teaching students on a regular basis and serves as a relentless champion for his staff and students.<br />
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So...there it is. I could go on about even more folks but 12 is a definate number! These people are changing education but so are countless others. If you are changing education for the better keep doing the good work. If you are reluctant to jump in that is OK. Look to these folks or others for inspiration. In the end it comes back to my closing statement for every #APChat and #MDEdChat: Be better every day in every way; out students deserve it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-21298349078636433882014-08-10T18:39:00.001-07:002014-08-10T18:39:16.271-07:00Why Connection MattersFirst a confession: this blog post is currently in its 8th incarnation and is 3 weeks in the making. Not that it makes a difference but I share this because this blog has evolved as events have evolved along with it. What started as a reflection on the impact of one individual has been morphed by two varied conference experiences. In the end there is a commonality: connection matters.<div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdVCmau6WI1K2eRrLGnJQZnL4kKYvoVpNIsfhSVdxrSh9ePryXV8fCG7iFMuaPJ7Eskw1nIEMNRdMHLaXP8aLei8nbhcwokkcABRSAlchwFPkkXYVgtjG3vvDSFOcIdTUH1gCmmeuGj8/s1600/elgroup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdVCmau6WI1K2eRrLGnJQZnL4kKYvoVpNIsfhSVdxrSh9ePryXV8fCG7iFMuaPJ7Eskw1nIEMNRdMHLaXP8aLei8nbhcwokkcABRSAlchwFPkkXYVgtjG3vvDSFOcIdTUH1gCmmeuGj8/s1600/elgroup.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ASCD Emerging Leader Class of 2014</td></tr>
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The journey starts a little over two weeks ago. Back in April I was notified by ASCD that I had been selected as an Emerging Leader for 2014; with this recognition came the opportunity to attend the Leader to Leader (L2L) Conference in DC in July. The L2L Conference is unique in that it is invitation only. In order to put this into perspective ASCD has over 135,000 members worldwide and L2L has about 150 attendees - talk about feeling a little struck by enormity of influence. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Lwd1JrD4Vl69VDgPqnltxs2bh6_S_aLo5OOpIoH_gzzRFFplteb6zyQ2d2PB9Rs-TJYKG8L1sl3DGgKCPygmoJwRrC8qKkNpZOsuiMf8XpVSMs4KAO4LyUdrR4Zegjl8XgBjNXqBGDE/s1600/ntsquared.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Lwd1JrD4Vl69VDgPqnltxs2bh6_S_aLo5OOpIoH_gzzRFFplteb6zyQ2d2PB9Rs-TJYKG8L1sl3DGgKCPygmoJwRrC8qKkNpZOsuiMf8XpVSMs4KAO4LyUdrR4Zegjl8XgBjNXqBGDE/s1600/ntsquared.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of Team NTSquared</td></tr>
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As the weekend moved on we were tasked with self-reflection exercises and the development of a group project to benefit the members (or potential members) of ASCD. It would have been easy to fall into a pattern of churning out a project to meet our goal and riding out the weekend. Instead, our team became passionate about our project and its intentions (for clarity we created the Novice Educator Resource Portal). The members of our group, even when told we had no access to tech - not easy when you construct a website - believed so deeply in our goal that we adapted, collaborated, and connected to strengthen our end result. On Saturday I traveled home and since that time I have never left the L2L Conference. The people I connected with formed a Voxer chat group where we greet each other everyday with "Good Morning Everybody," share our local weather, highlight our daily agenda, and discuss educational issues. It is not the topicality that matters, <b>it is the connection</b>.</div>
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Shoutout to Brad Currie, Billy Krakower, Fred Ende, Eric Bernstein, Allison Hogan, Alina Davis, Meghan Everette, Matt Mingle, Amanda Britt, Aubrie Rojee, Chris Yuknis, Jill Thompson, Timonius Downing, Dahlia Constantine, Emily Davis, Michelle Sencibaugh, and countless others for proving the power of connection.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsN0JyQ5BwjrvVMhCbCeq-faR99AXhYi2rfZiZLmBsepjGE1qacX8ElZ6TwZErBqf_Q3D6dlpRxwCu6D1ONdH5eIZwdmiepKg-ROxuLbL9bW5p5jVjaiKHKzwGqzFVl3Zwi8RbLl3ZcXg/s1600/BuMyaE_IAAA542n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsN0JyQ5BwjrvVMhCbCeq-faR99AXhYi2rfZiZLmBsepjGE1qacX8ElZ6TwZErBqf_Q3D6dlpRxwCu6D1ONdH5eIZwdmiepKg-ROxuLbL9bW5p5jVjaiKHKzwGqzFVl3Zwi8RbLl3ZcXg/s1600/BuMyaE_IAAA542n.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glenn Robbins and I facilitating a session</td></tr>
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A week later I traveled to EdCamp Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. I admit it - I LOVE EdCamp! I have never left an EdCamp without feeling stronger as an educator and a leader. I was able to re-connect with some great friends from around the country who had traveled in to take part in the learning and had the chance to finally meet some PLN connections that I had not yet met face-to-face. My first 30 minutes at EdCamp included catching up with Aaron Becker (Iowa) and Jeff Zoul (Illinois) as well as engaging in a conversation with Tom Whitby (New York) regarding the isolation many connected educators feel in their own districts/schools. I am passionate about professional learning and decided to lead a session on it. I was fortunate to have Glenn Robbins join me to help facilitate the conversation. The result was a conversation that covered professional learning, connected leadership, and remembering the pressures on educators. I also was able to attend a session on connectedness and a conversation about personalized learning for educators. As I made the 3 hour drive home I was struck by the power of connection and its ability to bring so many powerful voices into my own development and how much my school, students, and community benefit from their expertise. Again, <b>it was all about connection</b>.</div>
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Shoutout to Jimmy Casas, Aaron Becker, Joe Sanfelippo, Joe Mazza, Tom Murray, Tom Whitford, Tom Whitby, Brad Currie, Jeff Zoul, Reed Gillespie, Melissa Finkel, Sharon Lepage Plante, Tony Sinansis, and of course, Glenn Robbins.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiK_TOcgEL6-RmybCfGTZAR1-ioNUip_n_5oSIwyz92zVvLVHjaL4jsDqSgnVydjoTSbHkDIhdUOa77rGt1RrAKHKht3P_CB_QJCRgJAStOsqlIVTkLVrPAfpCvOs8ps4fxPgoSHvjEY/s1600/dinnerdallas.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqiK_TOcgEL6-RmybCfGTZAR1-ioNUip_n_5oSIwyz92zVvLVHjaL4jsDqSgnVydjoTSbHkDIhdUOa77rGt1RrAKHKht3P_CB_QJCRgJAStOsqlIVTkLVrPAfpCvOs8ps4fxPgoSHvjEY/s1600/dinnerdallas.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connected Leaders bonding at NASSP in Dallas</td></tr>
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The final piece is where this post started. The week I headed to L2L Eric Sheninger announced he was leaving New Milford High School to join the International Center for Leadership in Education. During that weekend I had a conversation with Brad Currie, someone I met through Eric and who I consider the epitome of connection. We were discussing Eric's move and we got hung up on one question: how many people is Eric responsible for getting connected? Many people know Eric from his book <i>Digital Leadership</i>; I am honored to say I got to know him before that time. I only say that because Eric is the reason I decided to join Twitter. He is the reason when I was told to leave Twitter behind I continued to connect. He is the reason why I have fought to not only make Twitter a component in our school but also to open up every other school in our district to engage and connect. When there were questions in our Central Office about OpenCourseware and BYOD in our school and district he agreed to meet with them via GHO and answer their questions with experience and class. Thanks to these efforts my students have the opportunity to take OCW courses and this year our district goes BYOD. Summing it up in a simple sentence: Eric Sheninger made my school better. I am not alone in my story. It is not an understatement to say that Eric Sheninger has had more positive impact on schools in the last 5 years than any other individual. His insistence on pushing forward when someone said no but he knew it was right for his students is a spirit we all hope to embody. He has connected more people than we can count and in his new role will be better able to be a boot of the ground to connect the unconnected. If there is one lesson I have learned from Eric and the countless others that I have met through the connected world it is not the technology or the opportunity - <b>it is the connection that matters.</b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-13629544401820784352014-03-21T06:43:00.001-07:002014-03-21T06:43:14.052-07:00What PD Can Learn from TV<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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Study the picture to the left for a moment. Anything stand out? Maybe not...so let's look at it from a different perspective. Study the picture to the left for a moment with a thought to how it resembles traditional professional development. Any difference in analysis? The image to the left is a visualization of professional learning as many schools and districts know it. Individuals gathered around a central screen with some potentially not particularly drawn by the content. Let me elaborate the metaphor.<div>
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The nature of learning has changed. Learners today, even adult learners in a professional session, are no longer drawn to a central, shared screen. The nature of viewership has changed.</div>
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In the 1950s options for television were slim. The most channels available at any point in the decade was 4...that's right, 4. Now let's think about the 2010s and television. Today you have a seemingly endless stream of channels to choose from, but that's not the most important part. The most important part is the shift to on demand content. As a majority viewers no longer sit to view a program from start to finish when it is first aired. Many DVR to watch when they are able, stream through the commercials and content that is not of use to them, and even more are viewing on-demand services. So what does this mean for professional learning? <b>It means that we need to move away from the model of professional learning that resembles 1950s television</b>.</div>
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No longer is it acceptable to offer professional learning that centers on a singular, sit-and-get moment. No longer is it acceptable to offer professional learning that is void of true choice. No longer is it acceptable to offer professional learning that fails to facilitate personalization. </div>
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We need to find ways to mirror our professional learning system to the viewership habits of our learners. As society shifts to one where we are on-demand consumers then it is time to offer professional learning that meets an on-demand world. We have an obligation as educators, leaders, and professionals to develop professional learning models and opportunities where our educational professionals are provided an on-demand model for their own learning. We must stop making excuses about policies, mandates, and requirements and begin to redesign our professional learning models. As we make this redesign a reality we will begin to model learning strategies to extend to our students and classrooms. This redesign is not about revolution it is about <i style="font-weight: bold;">evolution</i>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-68369142827640849312014-03-08T19:14:00.000-08:002014-03-08T19:14:07.324-08:00A Testament to Servant LeadershipOver the past several years of my career I have been fortunate enough to be engaged in a number of conversations centered on leadership. Opinions, perspectives, and thoughts tend to follow the normal stream: leaders are people who others want to follow and who have a sense of direction. On the surface, I agree. However, as my conversations have manifested with others I am found myself a stronger proponent of leaders who build others' capacity, be followers themselves, and can stand outside the spotlight and be proud in handing the "reigns of power" over to others. Admittedly, these are not easy for most leaders. After all, there is a sense of directional authority and purpose as well as an engrained compass of control that manifests itself in many leaders.<br />
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This week I am proud to say that I reached a new destination in my journey to becoming a better servant leader. Over the past two years I have instituted a number of new programs within my school, many of which are designed to promote creativity, innovation, and enhanced student/professional learning. Late last week one of these programs was prominently featured in our local paper.<br />
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Last Spring I began the process of recruiting a core group of teachers to serve as pilot classrooms in a flipped classroom program. I looked for teachers with skills not that dissimilar to those identified in effective leaders: risk takers; collaborative; forward-thinking; data-driven; and positive. A year ago this week was my first meeting with a teacher who I believed would be a good catalyst for the program. She was tentative about the methodology and required several conversations on how it could benefit her professional practice and her ability to facilitate student learning. During the coming months we met with the other pilot teachers and developed an understanding of the program and the methodologies. We met with Todd Nesloney (@TechNinjaTodd) virtually in a GHO to get his perspective as an experienced flipped classroom teacher, watched teacher videos and discussed our takeaways, and designed the first videos. This past Fall I met with each class within the program and explained the method of learning and their responsibilities. Then I backed off...I let the teachers take the reigns and served in a support role as necessary. Fast forward to February 2014 and the teachers who piloted the program are now training other teachers and expanding their own class programs.<br />
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<b><i>Now back to the feature story...</i></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn75-r_pzvtcdGzhSDaZZCxXjvVTAy5ZpvBqXphUImlymd3LD9j8YKZog5Iq3g97zdfHfOw6N3yQkqkIPjCBC6Lygt7ULtNBEk47JTGL0cRPf4bShOMgDOuvENs9JmCt7yCwSOZR99jDM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-08+at+9.28.04+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn75-r_pzvtcdGzhSDaZZCxXjvVTAy5ZpvBqXphUImlymd3LD9j8YKZog5Iq3g97zdfHfOw6N3yQkqkIPjCBC6Lygt7ULtNBEk47JTGL0cRPf4bShOMgDOuvENs9JmCt7yCwSOZR99jDM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-03-08+at+9.28.04+PM.png" height="308" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/liberty-promotes-digital-learning-with-flipped-classrooms-online-independent-study/article_d3ae3e2a-0506-5f52-ad6c-ab25324fab44.html" target="_blank">Carroll County Times</a></td></tr>
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When I informed our first flipped teacher that there was going to be an article on the program she assumed I would be a large chunk of the story. In all honesty, I felt that I should prepare for my portion of the interview by providing a detailed description of the program. <b>I am glad I didn't.</b> The reporter who visited the room didn't need my help; the teacher had such a command of the process that it spoke for itself. I watched her handing the reigns of the learning process over to her students and standing back facilitating when the students needed it. When she was asked by the reporter who to speak with she proudly replied, "any of them...they are all awesome!"<br />
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This is where my proud father story begins. When the article appeared she and the students were the featured stars. Sure, there were pieces of me explaining resources and supports, but the article starts and ends with the students and the teacher. Then came Monday of this week; I was made aware that the article was picked up by the Associated Press and sent across the AP Wire. As a result the article appeared in media in over 280 unique locations, including 2 other continents. I shared this with our teacher and her students and they were shocked. Their classroom was no longer just theirs, it was also the world's. They were teaching others through their actions. They were truly a global classroom!<br />
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As a leader I have to admit that this is has been one of my proudest moments. Sure, something that I started has grown faster than our expectations but more importantly, the program is no longer mine. I have witnessed others taking the program and making it their own. I have witnessed a teacher coming into her own and becoming a more visible leader herself. I have witnessed students taking ownership and control of their own learning. In summary, I have witnessed my leadership not in terms of direction and edict but instead in terms of building capacity and leadership for others.<br />
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The next time I am engaged in one of those discussions about leadership you can be sure this will be one of the examples I pull from. I am proud to say that I have become better as a servant leader.<br />
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<a href="http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/liberty-promotes-digital-learning-with-flipped-classrooms-online-independent-study/article_d3ae3e2a-0506-5f52-ad6c-ab25324fab44.html" target="_blank">Carroll County Times Story</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-87792395022050946132014-02-08T04:26:00.001-08:002014-02-08T04:26:30.658-08:00Scarce Resources? Information Isn't One of Them (NASSP Ignite14 Day 1)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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I would be lying if I said that finding a topic to speak about from day 1 of the NASSP Ignite14 Conference was easy. At many conferences I have found one session or one statement that stands out - that's not the case here in Dallas. Instead, I find myself full of inspiration and motivation after the first day of the conference. From dynamic speakers to my PLN there is so much that leaves me inspired to return to my school and make a positive impact.<br />
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<b>Information was once scarce</b><br />
Thursday saw the opening Thought Leader Session with renowned psychologist Carol Dweck (Author of <i>Mindset</i>) and Educator/Speaker Daniel Wong (Author of <i>The Happy Student</i>). During the panel discussion Mr. Wong was asked about the state of public education; his response was extremely profound and is sure to be a topic for many Twitter chats in the near future. His response was simple: "the problem with public education is that is built on a foundational idea that information is scarce...that idea is no longer true." BAM! There is the underlying theme of every discussion about educational change in the digital age. When I went to school (not that long ago) my sources of information were found only at school and the public library. The access limitations of these two mediums meant that learning was largely driven by the information made available to me in school. I had things I wanted to learn but the only way to gain that knowledge was to ask an educator for the resources and hope they didn't filter my knowledge source. How far we have come from this!<br />
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<b>Information is no longer scarce for the learner</b><br />
Today, our students have the ability to not only find any piece of information at the tap of a finger on a screen, but individuals also have access to the collective knowledge base and learning tools of the world at the click of a mouse. MOOCs and OpenCourseware programs allow an individual to take courses from our highest institutes of learning anytime, anywhere, for FREE! Connectivity allows us to find information quickly and in varied forms. Need an answer? Google it and explore. No longer does someone have to find an educator as the conduit for personal learning; <b><i>technology has made us our own conduits of learning. </i></b><br />
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<b>Information is no longer scarce for educators</b><br />
Students are not alone in this shift - educators (students in their own right) are also at an informational buffet. Let's look at Twitter. Twitter has changed not only my professional life but also my school. I firmly believe that connected educators are at a distinct advantage in enacting positive change within their schools and communities. Years ago an educator's access to colleagues and information was limited to those individuals directly around them. Today, social media allows educators from across the country to connect and learn together anytime, anywhere, for FREE! (Sound familiar) When I come to an NASSP Conference I arrive knowing I am going to connect with friends from across the country. However, 20 years ago this was my one opportunity to truly connect; today, these colleagues feel like educators down the hall from my classroom/office.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5npXLub6ZESfhyNgfyhyphenhyphenQcQPxth5GWnpEyONXl6DifcLBNpcZGO4YrcDD-fxsFw5145jPvjKgpVnCsJSMWCdwhLC0JA8yIUYJs7moRgqwfLBdhpLRMAC8p5VF3ERV0ZwH7hNPGfldQnY/s1600/dinnerdallas.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5npXLub6ZESfhyNgfyhyphenhyphenQcQPxth5GWnpEyONXl6DifcLBNpcZGO4YrcDD-fxsFw5145jPvjKgpVnCsJSMWCdwhLC0JA8yIUYJs7moRgqwfLBdhpLRMAC8p5VF3ERV0ZwH7hNPGfldQnY/s1600/dinnerdallas.JPG" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
A quick look at the collective knowledge of my PLN in Dallas makes it clear that information is no longer scarce. The picture to the left is from dinner Thursday night. In that group are three renowned speakers and authors, five Digital Principals of the Year, a National Principal of the Year, a state AP of the Year, and two state Principals of the Year. How did these people form a bond? Twitter. We met, connected, and now grow together daily. That bond formed is centered on the principle that we can make our schools better. As educators we can make a difference. As educators we can collaborate and break down the walls of informational barricades.<br />
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<b>Conference Connections</b><br />
So how is this connected to Ignite14? Simple - MINDSET! The educators I have had the privilege to connect with are growth mindset individuals. They do not see challenge as the barrier to making our schools better. Instead they see challenges and seek creative ways to solve them. Some examples? Dwight Carter identified an issue with space and mindset in his school and collaboratively he was able to launch Clark Hall, an interactive and collaborative space for students to come together and learn. Jason Markey identified an issue with launching a large-scale 1:1 initiative and worked to develop a student-run technology support program that not only solves the basic issue but also empowers students. Eric Sheninger identified a desire for change but a limited resource pool and worked to develop partnerships so that his students have access to cutting edge technology at no cost to the school.<br />
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<b>Concluding Thought</b><br />
Information is no longer scarce and it is time that we start admitting that and working to open the informational doors for our students. At the conference I have heard several questions that were focused on why an idea won't work in their district, mostly out of their control. In the spirit of the growth mindset I would challenge those people to stop looking at these issues as barriers and start seeing them as opportunities to connect and grow. Reach out and find a colleague who has made it work. Reach out and ask questions to build your knowledge base. After all, information is not all that scarce.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-60273326825927856112014-01-13T17:49:00.000-08:002014-01-13T17:49:36.024-08:00Getting Beyond The Big Red Light <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-1Lwl9_24Q1q3VAqaZ5HdF_grJD_znTwPKdAaFQGvrqBtUGwZOk3JaMLiQ-Qrp_42RLoKEJAqJIzCuXlrCKnSXDSO9hFqEr-HUqZ7SOq2jJO6DMOfSBW5MpePBlHQrtlMJCOrzclqPo/s1600/jacques-plante(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-1Lwl9_24Q1q3VAqaZ5HdF_grJD_znTwPKdAaFQGvrqBtUGwZOk3JaMLiQ-Qrp_42RLoKEJAqJIzCuXlrCKnSXDSO9hFqEr-HUqZ7SOq2jJO6DMOfSBW5MpePBlHQrtlMJCOrzclqPo/s320/jacques-plante(2).jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacques Plante<br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.sikids.com/photos/29025/scary-goalie-masks/1</span></td></tr>
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<b>"How would you like a job where, every time you make a mistake, a big red light goes on and 18,000 people boo?" (Jacques Plante)</b><br />
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There is no lonelier position in hockey than the goalie. They stand alone, often spending inordinate amounts of time doing, well, nothing. A shot takes approximately 3 seconds to occur from setup to contact to release to save (or goal). A typical night in goal means facing 30 shots; extrapolate that out and you get 90 seconds a night that the goalie matters. A hockey game has 3600 seconds in regulation which means the goalie is active for 2.5% of every game. The numbers tell a false tale...the goalie only matters for 2.5% of the game but in most games that 2.5% means everything. <b><i>Are administrators all that different?</i></b><br />
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Everyday in schools the bulk of the action happens outside the direct realm of an administrator. In classrooms, lunchrooms, hallways, and corridors students and staff interact and engage away from the goal crease. The plays develop throughout the school and 2.5% of the time an administrator is called upon to make the big save. These saves come in the form of deescalating conflicts, mediating parent, student, and staff concerns, and providing support in times of crisis and need. How we respond in these "save moments" can determine the fate of our ability to govern and manage a successful school. In other words..<b><i>.the way we respond when the big red light goes on can make all the difference to our students, staff, and community.</i></b><br />
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I share my own personal game experience from this week. In less than 24 hours this week (so far) I successfully helped a colleague navigate the waters of progressive discipline, facilitated successful transitions for struggling students, helped staff members address grading concerns, and waded the waters (literally) of water line breaks. All saves! I only point these out to make a singular point - the big red light stayed off, the goal stayed empty, and no one cheered...and it didn't bother me one bit! My job is making saves; it is what administrators do. <b><i>What about when the shutout gets broken?</i></b><br />
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I don't always make the saves. I have made mistakes. I misjudged a direction the "puck" was going to take, didn't see the deflection, or got screened and missed the play entirely. For the 2.5% of the time I was of my game for 0.5%, but that time mattered. The big red light went on, the crowd booed, and I did what a good goalie shouldn't do...I let it show. My job is when the big red light goes on and the boos start is to put it together, reflect on why I missed, pull the mask down tight, and get right back in goal. <b><i>How do I get it back together?</i></b><br />
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I remind myself that 2.5% is a false number<i style="font-weight: bold;">.</i> The goalie is much more than just saves. The goalie is responsible for calling out defensive sets, managing the clock, watching the penalty box on power play, and assisting the offense in organizing the rush. In math terms, the goalie is responsible for pretty much the entire game. When these aspects break down there is no big red light, no horn, no crowd. However, a good goalie knows his responsibility and takes ownership. They relish their leadership in times when others get praise and recognition because they internalize their successes. They stand tall when their team is riding high and they stand firm when their team needs support. They take the blame when others fail because they have the fortitude to get through it, pull the mask back down, and do it all over again. <b>Being an administrator is a lot like being the goalie.</b><br />
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We protect our team, we live in isolation, yet we live for the passion of what we do. The old adage in hockey is that you find the craziest guy in the locker room, the guy with no fear, with a passion that is almost unexplainable and you put him between the pipes. Are we, as administrators, all that different? I close with a simple question to ask ourselves before, during, and after "the game" every day...<b>How do you respond when the big red light goes on?</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8579245208228304085.post-43921609424672497982013-12-17T07:19:00.003-08:002013-12-17T07:19:40.610-08:00Finding Our Creative Spark<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiK9NGq4lvkr_1tuSlLOhwpGaJjC1uYOMDJ2RoC0mXB79vlPgU87K4PnTz_r5k2ItNlRU-Ez8tzmfASFdJADrSzae5AZXlVuc4KnnM1tKJHQWQG3ZX3AasTxygmDRQbp9H2QyfGYAOsQ/s1600/creativity.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJiK9NGq4lvkr_1tuSlLOhwpGaJjC1uYOMDJ2RoC0mXB79vlPgU87K4PnTz_r5k2ItNlRU-Ez8tzmfASFdJADrSzae5AZXlVuc4KnnM1tKJHQWQG3ZX3AasTxygmDRQbp9H2QyfGYAOsQ/s1600/creativity.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #2c2a25; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Creativity and innovation are words often thrown around in education. People talk about how creative something was or how we are instilling a sense of innovation in our students. The reality is that very few of these moments are truly innovative. Instead, they are moments where we tried something new simply for the sake of trying something new rather than making something better in the cause of advancement. In fairness, I was just as guilty for throwing these words around as the next guy. However, I strongly believe these words, when used correctly, can speak volumes to so much more. In my own experience, our Media Center has led me towards this understanding through the creation of our MakerSpace.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2c2a25; font-family: open sans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Back in September our Media Specialist (@jpilgrimmayo) pulled me aside and asked if we could reallocate some space in our Media Center for a MakerSpace. In all honesty, I had heard only pieces about makerspaces in passing but anytime you lead a conversation with "I want a place for students to play, create, and learn" you have got me hooked. After some discussions we went upon the task of setting up our MakerSpace. The Media Center found economical ways to get students involved in the basic process of creating and learning, both individually and collaboratively. Since its inception students have been invited to create sculptures from paperclips, to color, to write Haiku poems using Haikubes, and to create anything they wish using Lego blocks. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Legos in Motion</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoQ820ij6UgjxvQ4UwGskTXmKHYhMhX-JDvwyPsPBS-8eIJar4majxnEGoG4T1jCfeLAPZh3TOSoWbr87Q2YaQKVeelzCqU2bPZ-WBVOGcdgehjfBaWG0FAhecsCfEmf6uh_QRVvEF1c/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoQ820ij6UgjxvQ4UwGskTXmKHYhMhX-JDvwyPsPBS-8eIJar4majxnEGoG4T1jCfeLAPZh3TOSoWbr87Q2YaQKVeelzCqU2bPZ-WBVOGcdgehjfBaWG0FAhecsCfEmf6uh_QRVvEF1c/s320/Capture.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haikubes</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #2c2a25; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Beginning in November our students and staff have undertaken the task of collaborating on the newest project: the Book Igloo. Students and staff members are working to build an igloo entirely out of books. The project requires participants to plan, collaborate, build, adjust, and reflect for a successful build to occur. Currently the igloo is on its third attempt, which may actually be the best part of the project. Our students and staff are learning that it is OK to fail; in fact, we are encouraging it! For true creativity and innovation to occur we know that the endeavor will have setbacks. The innovation will come not from the first, second, or maybe even third build, but rather from the attempts and the learning that occur. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Collaboration Board</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book Igloo Attempt #3 (Mid-Construction)</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #2c2a25; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17266349548499264360noreply@blogger.com0