tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87148776039021699062024-02-19T21:08:01.267-08:00Panda PrincipalThoughts from the principal of Poe GT/AIG Basics Magnet Elementary SchoolAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-7535579396820599022018-07-05T08:11:00.000-07:002018-07-05T08:11:47.869-07:00Hello, Google!I've toyed with the idea of getting my <a href="https://teachercenter.withgoogle.com/certification">Google for Education certification</a> for a while, but finally sat still long enough to work on it this week. Initially, I wasn't sure how it would benefit me, but now that I've completed the first level of the certification, I can highly recommend it for colleagues. <div>
As someone who is fairly experienced with most of the tools in Google for Education, completing the certification course was a low investment of time that helped me learn tips and tricks I had not discovered on my own. The Fundamentals course consists of 13 units that typically include three to five lessons and "Unit Test" at the end. The lessons include text, visual, and video content, and have several quiz questions in a "Lesson Check." Rather than completing each lesson, I used the Lesson Checks to test my knowledge, then reviewed the lessons as needed to fill in gaps. After completing the Lesson Checks for each unit, I took the Unit Tests. The great thing about both assessment tools is that they offered immediate feedback.</div>
<div>
While the Fundamentals course was structured to allow experienced Google for Education users to move through quickly, the content was also robust enough to provide support for novice users. The biggest challenge will be making the time available to experience all available content. The format is user-friendly, and lesson format provides natural stopping points where users will be able to save their progress and return later. </div>
<div>
After completing the free course (I presume it is an included benefit of my district's Google for Education access), all that was left was to register for the exam. Registration was easy and economical ($10), but may require up to 48 hours of waiting to receive the information needed to complete the exam. I can't give you any additional details, because certification requires committing to a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Just trust me when I state it was thorough.</div>
<div>
If you decide to take Google for Education certification plunge, I wish you all the best!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-777407953670769152017-09-18T21:07:00.003-07:002017-09-18T21:08:49.389-07:00Let's Get DigitalWhile I haven't been telling you about it here, I have been learning. If you follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/AHW_EdD">Twitter</a>, you've had the opportunity see a bit of what I've been thinking about over the last 13 months while I've been blog silent. As I often do, I've undertaken a massive learning challenge, so I thought I'd invite readers along for the journey.<br />
This year, I am participating in <a href="https://place.fi.ncsu.edu/local/catalog/course.php?id=16&ref=2">North Carolina Leadership in Personalized and Digital Learning</a> through the Friday Institute. This course includes five days of face-to-face learning, as well as independent work. My school has acquired lots of technology hardware in the last couple of years, and I want to provide leadership to teachers in designing instruction that incorporates technology to enhance learning, rather than as a stand-alone or add-on.<br />
Just when I was starting to question my sanity for taking on an optional professional development that may be somewhat time-consuming, I learned that NC educators who renew their teaching or administrative licenses in or after 2019 will need <a href="http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/licensure/update/">continuing education credits</a> in Digital Learning Competencies. Follow my progress here or on Twitter as I get a head start on these credits!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-79267346610917140982016-08-17T06:41:00.002-07:002016-08-17T06:41:25.187-07:00Information OverloadLast summer, I read <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/21st-century-pd-retention-reflection-redistribution-bob-dillon?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow%20&utm_campaign=RSS">this post </a>by <a href="https://www.edutopia.org/users/bob-dillon">Bob Dillon</a> (not <a href="http://bobdylan.com/">him</a>) about how educators can avoid information overload in professional learning. I saved the link as a draft post to remind me to respond it at a later time. Now that it's August again, I've opened it at least a half-dozen times without writing anything. I was thinking this morning about all the learning I've done this summer, and how I really needed to get some blog posts going to help me process it all before school starts and reflection opportunities become a lot harder to find. When I opened my blog, I remembered and reread Dr. Dillon's post. He has some great tips for managing the potentially overwhelming volume of content available. He suggests that by shifting how we retain, reflect upon, and redistribute information, educators can move beyond comfort zones and implement "fresh practices."<br />
One strategy I've used to help me retain information is is tweeting content I find meaningful from professional learning. Dillon talks about "taking the right notes" as a strategy to support retention of new information. I've found that trying craft important ideas into fewer than 140 characters really helps me understand it a little more deeply. I use this strategy during face-to-face sessions, as well as within book chats and twitter chats. Using Twitter as a format for professional reflection makes me more likely to focus on the most important or most easily implemented ideas, rather than feeling I need to attempt to master something massive or unrealistic.<br />
Dillon offers three actions for reflecting upon information, including "have a quality space for synthesizing ideas." I am woefully inadequate in this area, as I've probably stopped and started this blog post 20 time. I have quality space, but often fail to carve out quality time. As I mentioned <a href="http://drannicewilliams.blogspot.com/2016/05/reality-check.html">here</a>, I'm better with structure for reflection, so I tend synthesize ideas in my quality space once I have an externally accountable structure.<br />
That accountability for reflection for me is most often spurred on by my efforts to redistribute information. I love chatting in person or online about new learning. Dillon's suggestions for this element of 21st-Century professional development all speak to being intentional about sharing. When I focus on systematically sharing new learning with peers, I consistently end up with even more content and questions.<br />
Stay tuned to see if I apply Dillon's strategies to my summer learning from <a href="http://www.pz.harvard.edu/">Project Zero</a>, <a href="http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/Engaging-Students-with-Poverty-in-Mind.aspx">this book</a>, <a href="http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/Learning-in-the-Fast-Lane.aspx">this book</a>, and the leadership conference in my district, as well as <a href="https://www.edx.org/course/introduction-family-engagement-education-harvardx-gse4x">the course</a> I just began.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-11284075105123387872016-06-30T10:01:00.000-07:002016-06-30T10:01:44.882-07:00Student and Teacher EngagementThis has a been a big week of learning for me! Last night, I finished my five-week Twitter book chat on <a href="http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/Engaging-Students-with-Poverty-in-Mind.aspx">Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind: Practical Strategies for Raising Achievement</a> by Eric Jensen, and the day before, I completed a day-long study on Fostering Teacher Engagement through the <a href="http://www.bbtleadershipinstitute.com/">BB&T Leadership Institute</a>. (If you want to check out the conversation on the book, search #CCLRPLN on Twitter.)<br />
Research indicates that increased student engagement correlates to increased student achievement. (If you want to read it for yourself, see Jensen's reference list.) There has also been a positive correlation established between <a href="http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ729020">teacher engagement and student engagement</a>. Teacher engagement also <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/180455/lack-teacher-engagement-linked-million-missed-workdays.aspx">supports teacher attendance</a>, which <a href="http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/06/03/report-teacher-absenteeism-can-hurt-student-achievement">supports student achievement</a>.<br />
One resource I'm still digesting from the teacher engagement study is a detailed set of survey data regarding engagement drivers. Prior to my session, the 35 professional members of my staff were invited to complete a survey about my work and interaction with them. Despite the request coming during the very busy time of the last three weeks of school, 24 people completed it, which is wonderful. (Thanks, Team Poe!) During the Institute, I had the opportunity to reflect on the feedback from my faculty, and to begin to plan how I might use it, but I'm not finished.<br />
I'm excited to move forward in my own professional learning to sustain and cultivate the higher-than-average level (per the data) of teacher engagement. By making my efforts at growth transparent, I hope to be an encouragement to teachers who seek to increase engagement for their students.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-53421175443279895122016-05-29T18:02:00.001-07:002016-05-29T18:02:11.723-07:00Reality Check A few months ago, I shared my thoughts on <a href="http://www.danpink.com/books/drive/">Drive</a>, a book I read as part of my participation in a Leadership Roundtable provided by <a href="http://www.ccresa.net/">CCRESA</a>, a professional organization that provides a variety of supports and resources to school districts in my region. Since then I have participated in another session, this time on <a href="http://gladwell.com/the-tipping-point/">The Tipping Point</a>, but that post probably will not appear until this summer. (When the number of days in the school year gets to single digits, time for blogging is even harder to find.)<div>
My experience with The Tipping Point clarified something I've known, but to which I had not responded strategically, which is that despite being an avid and extremely fast reader, I'm much more likely to read professional books if I have an external structure for reflection. During our discussion of that book, my colleagues and I suggested many resources to each other, including a book I received in August, and have had in my car for at least two months. For some reason, I was struck during that conversation by the number of other books I've read since receiving <a href="http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/Engaging-Students-with-Poverty-in-Mind.aspx">Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind: Practical Strategies for Raising Achievement</a> last summer, even though I have been very interested in the subject matter.</div>
<div>
Now that I have come to terms with my need for structure to support my professional reading, I gave myself the intervention I needed, which was to organize a <a href="https://twitter.com/AHW_EdD/status/737054662747164672">Twitter chat</a> for the book I need to read. This week, I will be trying my hand at moderating a fast-paced conversation about the first couple of chapters. I'm excited to finally be reading this terrific book, and I'm looking forward to using this format in the future to keep me focused on other professional reading. If you're interested in hearing more about the <a href="http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Books/Overview/Engaging-Students-with-Poverty-in-Mind.aspx">Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind</a>, join us for the next five weeks!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-9242744448132421192016-02-28T19:50:00.001-08:002016-02-28T19:51:16.432-08:00Thinking About MathI haven't posting recently, but I've been thinking about plenty. One topic is the development of number concepts. Principals are provided an abundance of professional reading material, and one of my recent acquisitions was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Children-Learn-Number-Concepts/dp/0984838198/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456716501&sr=1-7&keywords=kathy+richardson">How Children Learn Number Concepts: A Guide to the Critical Learning Phases</a> by Kathy Richardson. If you're not familiar with her, she's the <a href="http://www.mathperspectives.com/about_kr.html">reigning queen of math instruction</a>.<br />
This book is a sourcebook for elementary educators (and perhaps really motivated lay people) to use to recognize and respond to the math understandings children demonstrate. Richardson describes in detail what we might see a child doing and what it tells us about what that child understands about numbers at that phase. I began reading the book thinking I would learn lots of helpful tips to support teachers in math instruction, but it is really designed for teachers to experience directly. Richardson is so detailed in her approach to the phases that I would expect teachers to have it in hand when analyzing student data or even assessing students. Unless you're Kathy Richardson, it would not be reasonable to expect to remember each aspect of every phase. I could see a teacher noticing a pattern in a student's performance on a math task, needing support to identify how to help the child next, and turning to this book to gain a clearer understanding of what that child's work indicates about his or her understanding at that time.<br />
If you read this book and have other ideas for the best ways to use it, let me know!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-35448872466122191832016-01-08T17:42:00.000-08:002016-01-09T06:02:06.930-08:00Motivation<div>
Raise your hand if you have used or seen any of the following in school: sticker chart, prize box, honor roll, attendance award, awards ceremony, grades, extra computer time, extra recess, lunch with a preferred adult, or popcorn/ice cream/pizza party. I'm sure you've interacted with a few, if not all, of these common school elements. If asked to explain why any of them are in place, you probably wouldn't get past the first couple of sentences without mentioning "motivation."</div>
Today, I participated in a wonderful book study provided by <a href="http://www.ccresa.net/">CCRESA</a>, a professional organization that provides a variety of supports and resources to school districts in my region. In preparation for our time together, we read the book <u><a href="http://www.danpink.com/drive/">Drive</a></u> by Daniel Pink. (Do we still underline book titles on the Internet? Maybe I'm showing my age.) This book describes and analyzes research around motivation, summarizing the three elements of it: autonomy, mastery, and purpose. You may view a 10-minute animation <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc&feature=youtu.be">here</a> if you want to gain some familiarity with Pink's premise without reading the whole book.<br />
<div>
While I was not familiar with some of the specific examples and research referenced in the book, the concepts presented made tremendous sense to me and challenged me to think critically about the strategies we use to try to cultivate student motivation. We all experience rewards, incentives, prohibitions, and punishments in many areas of our lives, but even a brief moment of reflection will allow us to call to mind multiple instances in which we made decisions or behaved in ways that would not be predicted by the external reinforcements in place.</div>
<div>
One way this plays out in my life is in the area of running. I started running consistently just over four years ago because I had a goal to run a half-marathon. After I achieved that goal, I felt accomplished and wanted to continue running, which I hadn't anticipated. Since then, I've set and achieved a variety of running goals, including running a marathon, and completing a 200-mile endurance relay on a team of twelve. Occasionally, friends ask me why I invest so much time, money, and effort into this hobby. Within the framework put forward by Pink, I would say I am absolutely motivated by mastery. I haven't "mastered" running by being anything close to fast, but I have achieved the various goals I've set, and now have a new one - to run 1000 miles this year. For me, mastering each of my goals keeps me motivated, and no one has to offer me money or threaten me or mark on my sticker chart to get me to do it. In contrast, there are other activities friends and family have invested themselves in mastering that don't interest me. (I won't name them, so as not to alienate anyone by not sharing their passion.)</div>
<div>
Turning back to the schoolhouse, if we consider these research-based elements of motivation, we have some hard questions to ask ourselves about how we can create environments and content that give students a feeling of autonomy, a desire for mastery, and sense of purpose. Most public schools have state and local standards and requirements that would make it impossible to give students complete freedom to decide how they use their time like they do <a href="http://www.sudval.com/01_abou_01.html">at this school</a>, but we all have spaces of control and autonomy in which we could be as intentional as possible about designing instruction that provides some possibility of addressing the identified human needs that create motivation.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-65284598267340092382015-11-25T12:53:00.000-08:002015-11-25T12:53:07.409-08:00Working (or not) MemoryI mentioned in <a href="http://drannicewilliams.blogspot.com/2015/10/my-current-course-of-study.html" target="_blank">this post</a> that I was immersing myself in many learning opportunities at once. While it sounded like fun at the time, working and reading multiple books and taking a course and going out of the country briefly and doing my other activities was not a recipe for 100% success in all areas. The piece that fell by the wayside (in addition to consistently blogging) was the one with the most flexible schedule - my participation in a MOOC-Ed. Now that I've finished my three books and book clubs, I'm attempting to catch up on my work in my Learning Differences course before it closes in mid-December, which also happens to be around the time I begin <a href="http://www.bbtleadershipinstitute.com/programs.php" target="_blank">my next professional development opportunity</a>.<br />
The component I'm currently studying is about working memory, defined in <a href="http://www.york.ac.uk/res/wml/Classroom%20guide.pdf" target="_blank">this document</a> as "the ability we have to hold in mind and mentally manipulate information over short periods of<br />
time." Each section of the course includes lots of resources on a topic, so I have viewed many videos and read many posts to get a sense of different theorists' and educators' perspectives on the role of working memory in learning and education. <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080227205111.htm" target="_blank">This journal</a> suggests that poor performance in school may be more a function of limited working memory than low intelligence. <a href="http://akomblog.org/2010/07/06/summer-blog-series-post-2-the-role-of-memory-in-reading-comprehension/" target="_blank">This blog post</a> attributes much of the complexity of reading to the memory demands of the process.<br />
One element of this course component was a working memory test. I did not perform well on the test, even though I have not noticed problems with holding information in my head long enough to use it. The task of the assessment was to recall five random word after responding to a series of questions, some of which required mental math calculations. For me, working memory requires a context. If the information connects with a schema I already have in place, or I have a task to complete with the information, it feels easy to hold it in my head. If I have to remember for the sake of remembering without a purpose, that feels a lot tougher. The test was a reminder to me that having a greater awareness of working memory does not mean that I will automatically be able to help every struggling learner by applying a strategy.<br />
I've enjoyed scouring the working memory resources, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with colleagues as we work to collaboratively problem-solve for individual students.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-30341035219056397642015-10-13T10:47:00.001-07:002015-10-13T10:47:02.188-07:00My Current Course of StudyI've been doing quite a bit of professional learning lately, but haven't taken time to pull my reflections together in a blog post. Over the last few weeks, I've read books, participated in book clubs (online and face-to-face), and started a MOOC-Ed. I'll use this post to give you a snapshot of each effort, so you may check them out for yourself, and if life allows, I'll circle back around to share more thoughts on them in future posts.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lostatschool.org/" target="_blank">Lost at School</a><br />
I'm reading this book with several colleagues and discussing it in a weekly group at school. I referenced the author, Dr. Ross Greene, in <a href="http://drannicewilliams.blogspot.com/2015/07/rethinking-discipline.html" target="_blank">this post</a> over the summer, and was delighted when one of our coaches suggested reading it. We've definitely had to grapple with keeping the response to behavior challenges focused on problem solving, rather than consequences. Spoiler alert: Consequences don't work.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://heathbrothers.com/books/decisive/" target="_blank">Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work</a><br />
This book was offered to me through a <a href="http://www.ccresa.net/" target="_blank">professional organization</a> in my state. I read the book on my own, and attended a one-day "Leadership Roundtable" to reflect on it with other principals. The Heath brothers use lots of easy-to-understand anecdotes to expose the biases and flawed thinking that undermines effective decision-making. I've already been able to apply some of the principles of their WRAP model to some of my recent decisions, and it has heightened my awareness of pitfalls to avoid.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://theinnovationteacher.com/" target="_blank">Pure Genius</a><br />
I participated in my first Twitter book study with the <a href="https://twitter.com/PISDbkclub" target="_blank">Plano ISD Book Club</a>. I loved it! <a href="http://theinnovationteacher.com/don-wettrick/#.Vhwfh_lViko" target="_blank">Don Wettrick's</a> book is a great resource for anyone seeking to incorporate <a href="http://www.geniushour.com/" target="_blank">genius hour</a> into a classroom or school. The Twitter chat is a great format for keeping a busy person on track with reading and reflecting on a text. The accountability of the group kept me reading, and condensing my thoughts into 140 characters really helped me focus my ideas and responses. The conversation between colleagues was rich, and and added bonus was that Don participated.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://place.fi.ncsu.edu/course/view.php?id=14" target="_blank">Learning Differences MOOC-Ed</a><br />
When I attended <a href="http://edcampqc.weebly.com/" target="_blank">EdCamp QC</a>, a colleague referenced this course as very helpful to her in strategizing to meet the needs of students who struggled with behavior or academics. Since I wasn't quite busy enough running a school and reading the books above, I signed up. This is third week, and I'm still completing the work from the second week, but I have already encountered some valuable resources I intend to share with teachers, like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eBmyttcfU4" target="_blank">this video</a>.<br />
<br />
What do you think I should study next?<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-66602899512961907862015-09-24T14:34:00.002-07:002015-09-24T14:34:50.606-07:00Endangered Childhood Movement?<br />
Recently, I've been thinking about about the impact of movement on children's brains. I stumbled upon <a href="http://www.balancedandbarefoot.com/blog/the-real-reason-why-children-fidget" target="_blank">this post</a> by Angela Hanscom and have been chewing on the idea of an underdeveloped balance (vestibular) system contributing to a child's difficulty remaining still during times of focus. I often hear teachers reference movement breaks as a strategy for helping children "get their wiggles out" so they can focus on instruction. As I read more, it seems to me that brief breaks don't have much chance of helping overcome the movement deficit many children may be experiencing.<br />
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/03/29/why-kids-are-getting-more-aggressive-on-the-playground/" target="_blank">This article</a> by the same author struck me because I recognize the examples of students playing too roughly on the playground, for example, trying to chase and catch a friend, but instead tackling and knocking the friend down. I can't count the number of students referred to my office for rough playground behavior they explained with "I didn't do it that hard" or "I didn't mean to." The children perceive that they are just playing, with no intent to hurt their friends, yet outcome of the behavior is aggressive and at times, injurious.<br />
I'm not sure how schools can build in opportunities for all students to safely experience heavy work or tumbling on a regular basis to build students' proprioceptive sense. A start might be to take a close look at the activities of recess to ensure that children are at least <u>active</u>. I often see students on the playground sitting, standing, or walking slowly, which I imagine does nothing to develop the vestibular system as Ms. Hanscom recommends. I'll have to keep searching for next steps!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-84247198591317011202015-09-21T10:55:00.000-07:002015-09-21T10:55:23.420-07:00#edcampqcOver the weekend, I attended my first <a href="http://www.edcamp.org/" target="_blank">Edcamp</a> in <a href="http://edcampqc.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Charlotte, NC</a>. I loved it, as I knew I would. The <a href="http://edcampqc.weebly.com/what-is-an-edcamp.html" target="_blank">"unconference" model</a> allows tremendous flexibility and autonomy over one's professional learning. The "open source" approach requires all participants to be involved in the development of the content as topics are selected and shared.<br />
It's hard for me to imagine a learner who would not benefit from this type of event. When I experience an ineffective professional development, my usual complaints are that the information presented did not match my current needs as a learner, and/or that the presenter did not take into account my needs as a learner. These potential problems are eliminated by the Edcamp structure. All participants have the opportunity to suggest and vote on content, so learners have a high likelihood of having a conversation available that meets a perceived need. Learners are expected to actively participate in each session by sharing their ideas and resources, but are also expected to leave sessions for other choices if the conversation is not meeting their needs. Participants also take collaborative notes, which are then available for everyone to benefit from learning they did not get to experience firsthand.<br />
By the end of the event Saturday, I had learned about:<br />
-three apps I plan to share with teachers (<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/green-screen-by-do-ink/id730091131?mt=8" target="_blank">Green Screen</a>, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chatterpix-by-duck-duck-moose/id734038526?mt=8" target="_blank">Chatterpix</a>, and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/book-creator-for-ipad-create/id442378070?mt=8" target="_blank">Book Creator</a>),<br />
-an <a href="https://place.fi.ncsu.edu/course/view.php?id=14" target="_blank">online course</a> I may take and recommend for some teachers seeking strategies for students demonstrating persistent and problematic behaviors,<br />
-an <a href="http://sengifted.org/" target="_blank">organization</a> for supporting gifted learners, and<br />
-lots of other tips and tricks.<br />
Additionally, I added a few people to my professional network and ate a great BBQ lunch. Other than the BBQ, I expect that every participant in an Edcamp reaps the same type of benefits. If you haven't attended one, I urge you to find one. (Local friends, <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/edcamp-wake-tickets-18517928623" target="_blank">here's one</a> for you.) If you're not near one, find out how to create one. I'm looking forward to my next Edcamp!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzVqWq8LOJQPI1OFQ05cLDVcZLWGh-RmqJhuHQFWcHHTCstsuaZLMOSwuM_JnG55CHRoWZwIcjZj3unh4kYfRibxBPq_Ay8jXwen1ZZ7Jd41B4gFrzH1G_3S10BAaopgtc0tGG94RMCum/s1600/edcampqc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQzVqWq8LOJQPI1OFQ05cLDVcZLWGh-RmqJhuHQFWcHHTCstsuaZLMOSwuM_JnG55CHRoWZwIcjZj3unh4kYfRibxBPq_Ay8jXwen1ZZ7Jd41B4gFrzH1G_3S10BAaopgtc0tGG94RMCum/s320/edcampqc.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rules for Edcamp success</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-43926821781207960502015-09-10T08:48:00.002-07:002015-09-10T08:50:56.442-07:00Overexcitability?This year, our school is participating in a professional development on educating gifted students, particularly those identified as Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG). Last week in our first session, we talked about several perspectives on giftedness. One I found fascinating was Kazimierz Dabrowski's Theory of Emotional Development and the concept of overexcitabilities (OEs). (<a href="http://sengifted.org/archives/articles/overexcitability-and-the-gifted" target="_blank">Here's a post</a> that summarizes the theory if it's also new to you.) Basically, this framework characterizes giftedness as a higher than average responsiveness to stimuli that makes concrete stimuli more complex with greater emotional content, essentially amplifying every experience (Ackerman, 2009). <br />
As an administrator, I often encounter students who are demonstrating what could be characterized as one or more of the five types of OEs - psychomotor, sensual, imaginational, intellectual, or emotional - because their significant and/or dramatic responses to events, environment, or peers create disruptions to the classroom activities. Prior to learning of Dabrowski's theory, I never thought of the behaviors in those moments as evidence of giftedness. While I don't want to rush my next classroom disruption, I am curious to see how my teachers and I may respond in such a situation, armed with this new learning. We cannot and will not allow students to interfere in the learning of their peers, however, as we deal with individuals in need of support, perhaps our strategies can reflect a response to potential giftedness.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Reference</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ackerman, C. M. (2009). The Essential Elements of Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration and How They are Connected. <i>Roeper Review</i>. 31 (2). 81-9</span>5.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-58150454842419463672015-08-26T21:17:00.000-07:002015-08-27T05:27:01.944-07:00Supporting Failure<br />
We are three days into our new school year, and I'm thrilled to report that it has gone very well! I was particularly pleased to see some of my teachers stepping well outside their comfort zones on the first day by maximizing student engagement and relationship building rather than tying the children down with exhaustive lists of rules. As we move forward, I've been thinking a lot about cultivating risk-taking and questions in classrooms to sustain student engagement. I imagine almost all educators everywhere have seen <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity?language=en" target="_blank">Sir Ken Robinson's TED Talk</a>, but I often wonder how many have been able to change their schools or systems to nurture, rather than kill, student's natural creativity and curiosity. <br />
It can be overwhelming, or even terrifying, to consider upending everything we recognize in our educational system. While we may not yet be able to organize our schools by children's interests, rather than their ages, we can make them more student-driven by designing environments and instruction that <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/help-students-become-better-questioners-warren-berger" target="_blank">promote their natural curiosity</a>, make it <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/learning-from-failure-ainissa-ramirez" target="_blank">safe to take risks and fail</a>, and cultivate <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/avoiding-learned-helplessness-andrew-miller?utm_content=blog&utm_campaign=avoiding-learned-helplessness&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow&utm_term=link" target="_blank">self-direction</a>. I'm slowly checking out some of <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/film-festival-learning-from-failure-resilience" target="_blank">these videos</a> about embracing failure as prime opportunity for learning, so I can support my teachers in "failing forward," so they may do the same for our students.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Note: I didn't set out to lean so heavily on <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/" target="_blank">Edutopia</a>, but they just post a lot of content I enjoy.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-40333708765022171062015-08-19T16:51:00.000-07:002015-08-19T16:51:54.474-07:00Student PassionsLast year, our school implemented a Panda Portfolio, a student interest survey to give us additional information about children's preferred ways of learning. We wanted to incorporate their passions into our instruction in a meaningful way. This year, we are completing the Portfolios electronically to give us easier access to larger data sets for grade level or schoolwide program enhancements. We learned that student self-reporting of preferences about subjects, light/noise levels, ways of presentation, etc. could help us be more mindful of student learning styles, but that tapping into passions to significantly impact instruction was a little more complex.<br />
Reading <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/bringing-student-passions-to-learning" target="_blank">this post</a> gave me an "aha" about one of the potential challenges of designing instruction around student passions. The author's first suggestion addresses my primary concern when encouraging teachers to let student interests and ideas drive the direction of instruction - meeting standards. Her suggestion is ridiculously simple. She advocates sharing the standards with students up front. Many project-based learning resources guide teachers in selecting/creating projects to to address standards without directing teachers to make the standards explicit for students. Educators have to resist the false assumption that structure and direction exclude creativity and innovation. We must be reflective and intentional as we approach instructional design to create opportunities for student passions to flourish as standards are met.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-60051613483388092972015-08-12T12:14:00.002-07:002015-08-12T20:34:35.491-07:00Less is MoreMy staff will return to work in one week. This fact is 85% exciting, and 15% anxiety-producing. Even after 20+ years in the field, the first day of school still thrills me. I think it's the idea of so much potential that makes the first day of school magical, no matter how many of them I've experienced as a student, teacher, or administrator. As a principal, I get two first days - one with the staff, and one with the students.<br />
I've been thinking a lot about the first day for staff this year. This summer has been a time of great reflection for me, and I have many ideas for fostering a culture of collaboration. I want to open by modeling for my staff what I'd like to see them do for students. As I reflect on how to give staff control over their learning, I find myself wanting to keep the agenda minimal and flexible. What a relief to read<a href="http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/5471" target="_blank"> this post </a>and know that others are backing away from packed agendas of highly structured activities. I want my team to leave at the end of the first day with brimming with ideas from their peers, enthusiasm for future collaboration, and anxious to return on Day Two for more!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-66788986625934244282015-08-11T12:37:00.002-07:002015-08-11T12:38:13.436-07:00Mindfulness in the SchoolhouseOne activity I enjoy outside of school is Bikram Yoga, a series of 26 postures and two breathing exercises ideally practiced in a 104-degree room at 40% humidity. I find it to be relaxing, challenging, and a great opportunity to practice focusing my mind. The teachers encourage us to be "present" in the room, which sounds simple, but is extremely difficult, as I, like many people, live in a perpetual state of multitasking. Spending 90 minutes thinking only about my breath and my movement is an act of supreme discipline, as well as a gift.<br />
<a href="http://www.edutopia.org//blog/teach-mindfulness-invite-happiness?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow&utm_campaign=RSS" target="_blank">This post</a> about the possibilities of including mindfulness in classrooms highlights the value of the practice for reducing the stress, anxiety, and feelings of failure many students may experience in school. A key element is of mindfulness is that it rejects judgement. In my Bikram practice, one of the greatest lessons has been to use the mirror in the room for self-instruction, rather than self-judgement. Instead of viewing myself through a lens of imperfect performance, I adjust my form from the mirror's feedback and honor my progress toward full expression of the postures. Just as this judgement-free approach allows me to take risks by trying harder and possibly falling out of position in the Bikram classroom, mindfulness practice may make school classrooms safer for children to take risks in their learning.<br />
While exploring links in the post regarding mindfulness, I noticed <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/neurotoxic-impact-of-school-stress-judy-willis" target="_blank">this pos</a>t about negative brain changes from school stress, and strategies to mitigate it. All of this content is timely for me, as I recently participated in a Title I conference in my district, during which <a href="https://twitter.com/thpawloski" target="_blank">Dr. Tammy Pawloski</a>, Director of the <a href="http://www.fmucenterofexcellence.org/" target="_blank">Center for Excellence</a> at Francis Marion University, presented a keynote about brain research. Dr. Pawloski talked to us about the toxic impact of stress from poverty and other factors on brain chemistry and <a href="http://www.fmucenterofexcellence.org/images/stories/ppts/resources/052-pawloski-nafepa.pdf" target="_blank">strategies (slide 117 of link)</a> to counteract the effects. I plan to use these resources to support my teachers as they reflect on and continue to develop their repertoires of strategies to reduce students' stress and increase their achievement.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-8279812268827575262015-08-06T14:22:00.000-07:002015-08-06T14:22:22.014-07:00Teaching Grit and Other Hidden StandardsI recently read <a href="http://www.edutopia.org//blog/true-grit-measure-teach-success-vicki-davis?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow&utm_campaign=RSS" target="_blank">this post</a> about grit as a predictor of success in school and life and our imperative (at least according to this author) to teach it in school classrooms. My initial reaction was to wonder what that would look like in our district and state curriculum resources, but I realized that it is one of many "hidden standards" that may be incorporated into instruction. Practically every day, I hear about the constraints of limited instructional time for children and adult learners, so adding standards to our stated targets is not realistic for most of us. Through our selection of instructional resources that support the development of important <a href="http://character.org/key-topics/what-is-character-education/performance-values/" target="_blank">performance values</a> while core standards are being taught and 21st century skills are being cultivated, we can provide learners with coherent experiences, rather limited character lessons in isolation.<br />
When we choose resources for use during instruction, we focus on particular standards, skills, and/or strategies we intend to address, but the interaction between each learner and the content surfaces other ideas or concepts. Being open to and actively seeking the possibilities in each resource can help us maintain attention on "what else" is being taught as our instruction proceeds.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-43778179986836311452015-07-27T09:03:00.000-07:002015-07-27T10:42:41.058-07:00Staff Engagement...AgainApparently, principals everywhere spend July thinking about how to make maximum impact on the first staff day in August. I keep stumbling upon blog posts and articles about how to have the best kickoff meeting. A<a href="http://inservice.ascd.org/how-do-you-motivate-middle-school-students-by-inspiring-teachers-to-think-outside-the-box-on-the-first-day-of-school/?crlt_pid=camp.onBhIriAFhHN" target="_blank"> post I read today</a> makes perfect sense, yet challenged me. This middle school principal asked her teachers not to share any rules on the first day of school, and instead, to focus on preparing and teaching a lesson so engaging that students would lose track of time, and leave at the end of the day excited to return.<a href="http://theinnovationteacher.com/create-culture-first/" target="_blank"> Another blog </a>elaborates a bit more on how classroom and school culture can be shifted by focusing first on engagement. <br />
<div>
We all understand intuitively that the first day of school or teacher workdays is when you are most likely to have the attention and enthusiasm of students or staff, yet we often extinguish it as quickly as possible by boring them with a long list of limitations and constraints. We want teachers and students to innovate and "think outside the box," but our first order of business is to describe every technical specification of the box and all the best strategies for remaining inside. I'm still refining what my most engaging lesson of the year will look like, but I'm hopeful that I can break out of the box and inspire my staff to do the same.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-37012247541407357532015-07-24T08:39:00.000-07:002015-07-24T10:56:30.894-07:00Staff EngagementSince attending the DENSI Principal Summit earlier this month, I've been thinking a lot about how to ensure that professional development (PD) meets the needs of the learners. I've long had a focus on differentiated PD within the schools I've led, but like just about anything in life, there's always room for improvement. <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-engagement-stories-heather-wolpert-gawron?utm_content=blog&utm_campaign=student-engagement-stories&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow&utm_term=link" target="_blank">This post on Edutopia</a> references students, but the principles apply adult learners as well. I want to keep these elements in mind as I plan for and support the learning process for our school staff.<br />
I love that the last of the <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-engagement-stories-heather-wolpert-gawron?utm_content=blog&utm_campaign=student-engagement-stories&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow&utm_term=link" target="_blank">ten tips</a> is to be human and remember to have fun. When I consider how to create opportunities for fun while learning for staff, or even students, enjoying myself still takes a very low priority. While I take great pleasure in seeing others learn and grow, when I am functioning as the leader, I am often observing or managing the process(es) from the perimeter, rather than allowing myself to become fully immersed in the moment. I do think that incorporating more elements of an unconference format in our PD will actually provide me the opportunity be more in the moment and have fun.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-51980596797481867312015-07-17T09:16:00.001-07:002015-07-17T09:16:36.670-07:00Rules of Engagement?I have been adjusting to "silent observers" of social media, particularly when we interact in person. I have had several instances of encountering someone who referenced content I had posted, but had never responded in any way I could see. The first time this happened, I stumbled upon a person who was in a Facebook running group where I post lots of pictures and comments. As we talked, she repeatedly referenced different items I had posted, but when I asked if her profile name was different (because I didn't remember seeing any of her interactions with the content), she said, "Oh, I never say anything. I just watch." It makes sense to me that there are people who just watch others' conversations online, but I find it interesting that they later choose to "reveal" themselves and their viewing habits.<div>
As one who really likes to keep the "social" in social media, I engage with other users by commenting, replying to tweets, etc. For me, the interaction around content is of greater value than the content itself. I learn the most when I understand others' diverse interpretations and experiences of the same information I have received. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-2106592142708834242015-07-15T11:45:00.001-07:002015-10-12T12:51:59.873-07:00Rethinking DisciplineOf all the responsibilities I manage as a school leader, student discipline is one of the most challenging, but perhaps not for the reasons you might think. I've worked in a variety of schools and experienced some downright scary behavior incidents, but I have always felt good about the colleagues and families in my communities, and our ability to collaborate to implement processes and develop plans to minimize inappropriate behavior and promote positive behavior.<br />
The difficulty comes in balancing what I have been taught about student discipline, what I know about human behavior, and what it takes to create systems in schools. <a href="http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2015/05/schools-behavior-discipline-collaborative-proactive-solutions-ross-greene" target="_blank">This article</a> highlights the research and methods of Dr. Ross Greene. As far as I can tell (until I read his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ross-W.-Greene/e/B001I9OL3O" target="_blank">books</a>), his basic premise is that the focus of behavior management should be communication with the student to figure out the root cause of the inappropriate behavior and develop strategies to address the need(s). I imagine that many parents and educators agree, as do I. Once we put hundreds of young people, their needs, and their rights all together in one building, providing the time, personnel, patience (of others' loved ones) to consistently respond as Dr. Greene recommends becomes complicated.<br />
We have a wonderful (and soon, expanding) student services team that provides students with opportunities to share the causes of their behaviors, and supports them in developing coping strategies. We also have codes that describe citizenship in our classrooms, our school, and in our district. The codes include consequences, which those who abide by the code often want to see implemented for those who don't.<br />
This tension between the needs and rights of the one who is still learning to model citizenship and the needs and rights of the many provides students, parents, and educators great opportunities for collaboration, problem-solving, and growth. I'm fortunate to have the support of a great PLN (that includes you) to help me continue to reflect upon and refine my practices.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Note: Please don't expect (or maybe dread) daily posting. I just wanted to reflect on the article after reading.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8714877603902169906.post-61794129178674214912015-07-14T21:06:00.000-07:002015-07-14T21:06:16.549-07:00Always Learning<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/AVvXsEiubod2xLmTFPKjmbL4A0YNhoz97pPhjWL2CFc_xp8OKhFpdAXYLiHUiEjsHuXSmh5rJxnQ33p9NBGPizFbZMAC9A67aOVRCsMV1Q8btIs7SvfclfH4SR1_BCte5xKPvh0QT7NEXuRkS0Br/s1600/DENSI.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/AVvXsEiubod2xLmTFPKjmbL4A0YNhoz97pPhjWL2CFc_xp8OKhFpdAXYLiHUiEjsHuXSmh5rJxnQ33p9NBGPizFbZMAC9A67aOVRCsMV1Q8btIs7SvfclfH4SR1_BCte5xKPvh0QT7NEXuRkS0Br/s1600/DENSI.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having fun learning<br />
new ideas for supporting<br />
instruction at DENSI<br />
Principal Summit!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">Last week, I attended the DENSI Principal Summit in Washington, D.C. with a great group of colleagues. I learned so much, I was motivated try my hand at blogging. In the past, I haven't found blogging to be a sustainable effort, but I'm now ready and have the tools available to minimize the time needed.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">I'm beginning this blog because I have a super-simple platform and a great reason - expanding my school community and my own learning. My goal is to collaborate with Poe families and families who want to become a part of Poe, as well as educators around the world. I want to share with everyone how wonderful Poe is, locate ideas for making our instruction even more powerful, and most importantly, model for my students that we never stop learning.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;">Thanks for joining me on this journey!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11241426722641608436noreply@blogger.com0