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Control or Ownership

Posted by Unknown Minggu, 02 Februari 2014 0 komentar

For over a century, the industrial model of education did a fantastic job of preparing students for careers. Those careers are no longer relevant in today's rapidly changing world. With obvious remnants of this system still in place, new changes are being pushed through under the guise of education reform. Instead of preparing students for an industrialized world the education system is now being tasked with preparing all learners to be college and career ready in order to compete globally with their peers.

Image credit: http://neatoday.org/2011/05/19/beware-pro-charter-parent-groups/

The education system is still not changing at all and is totally based on control and compliance. The failed legacy of NCLB should provide a stark reminder that pummeling students with standardized tests will not achieve the desired outcome. So again our education system is in a pickle consisting of an outdated model and the pressure to prepare students for an absurd amount of testing days throughout the school year. The world does not rest on standardized tests. Success now lies in one's ability to create solutions to problems, collaborate with peers to meet a goal, communicate effectively, and develop unique ideas that can change things for the better.

Unfortunately the powers that be are ultimately stripping the autonomy away from educators and schools, something that has defined our country for decades. Even with an outdated model, we have still found ways to provide innovative pathways to unleash a passion for learning among our students. Control, as bad as it is in our system, has been a challenge that some have chosen to overcome. In the face of adversity, educators have strived to overcome it to benefit our most precious resource - students. However, the current rhetoric and testing blitz that is upon us seeks to not only undermine what makes education special, but to control us to a point that will break the morale of many if it hasn't already. This control will be the demise of our education system.

Up to this point I have ranted about control at the federal and state level and the dramatic impact it has, and will continue to have, on education if we don't change course. There is another type of control that we need to acknowledge that is prevalent in virtually every school in the world. This is the control fostered by administration and teachers as to how learning should, and will, be structured. This hits home for me on many fronts, as I was guilty of this years ago. We are often our own worst enemies as we work hard to control what students can do in school or classrooms. This stems from the fact that we don't want to give up control. Compliancy has worked for so long, and quite frankly we don't trust students or even our own teachers. What we don't know and understand we fear. So we react by trying to control every facet of school structure, function, and learning. This was me for many years, but thankfully I changed and I think my school bas benefited.

Image credit: http://whatedsaid.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/10-questions-learners-shouldnt-ask/

The motivation from this post came from a recent presentation I did on digital learning. The whole premise behind this concept it to provide relevancy, meaning, and authenticity in the teaching and learning process. It hinges upon our ability to provide an environment and activities that unleash our students' passion for learning and allows them to create artifacts of learning with the tools of their choice to demonstrate conceptual mastery. Additionally, it relies on a bold vision to grant students and educators the autonomy to take risks, learn from failure, and then adapt as needed. This is where we have seen a significant shift from a control to ownership of learning. Students are now able to demonstrate learning transparently for an authentic audience, allowing them to have a choice as to the device and/or tool to demonstrate and apply what they have learned. Teachers are being empowered and embracing digital learning methodologies to improve professional practice. Meaningful change will only happen if we begin to give up control and establish a culture built on trust and respect.

In the end students have taken ownership of their learning. As we continue to see the positive impacts of the changes we have willingly made, I wonder if those who are not in schools will take a second and truly reflect upon what their reform decisions are doing to schools, educators, and kids. I also hope that those who block social media, ban students’ devices, and mandate Common Core scripts understand that these decisions are destroying a love for learning. Digital learning in its many forms could be one such catalyst to put education on a better path. If we truly want to prepare the next generation of thinkers, doers, inventors, and change agents we must give up control, trust students and educators, and work to develop a better system that will produce desired outcomes.

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Be Present

Posted by Unknown Rabu, 18 Desember 2013 0 komentar

There is no better way to get the pulse of a school as a leader than to be in classrooms. I have never considered myself one to be tied to a desk and/or office, but the managerial aspects of the position and ridiculous amounts of paperwork catch up to you at some point. This year educators in NJ, like many other states across the nation, are still adjusting to new mandates related to teacher evaluation and tenure changes. Here we call it Achieve NJ. The toll that all of these new directives - from SGO’s, to SGP’s to PDP’s - has taken on administrators and teachers has been quite dramatic. In my case, none more than the never-ending time sap dedicated to paperwork and meetings. This is our new reality.

Image credit: http://algetler.com/executive-presence-is-a-leadership-skill/

One of the mandates in particular has resulted in an increase in observations of tenured staff members. This is probably the one area of directed and mandated change that I have come to appreciate. Why might you ask? It has resulted in my administrative team and I being in classrooms more often and regularly. Now, the beginning of the year was extremely rough as over six of the seven hours that my students were in school were spent conducting pre-conferences, observations, write-ups, and post-conferences. After only a few months, the four of us that comprise the NMHS Administrative team have conducted co-observations, developed a common language and look fors, and have mastered the McREL tool that we use to observe staff. Working together we are not only getting into more classrooms, but we have also developed a streamlined process using shared documents in Google Drive.

The journey thus far has not been easy, but there now is a silver lining. Once we became comfortable with the new mandates and how each impacted our professional practice we were able to lay out a vision for a renewed focus on the work we do that truly matters. The only way to accomplish this was to become even more present by developing protocols to ensure we are in classrooms each day. Even with the seemingly endless burden imposed by state mandates, we developed a walk-through procedure in order to not only know what is going on in our building, but to also better engage teachers and students in learning conversations.

Our walks over the past two weeks have reaffirmed our belief in the innovative work taking place here at New Milford High School. More importantly, they have been a catalyst for positive dialogue on what we can do as a school community to improve and celebrate our collective accomplishments. These rich conversations were just not taking place due to the pressure-filled environment that has been created as a result of education reform in this state. Post-conferences have focused on how one can “prove” that he/she is meeting the criteria contained in a standards-based rubric, especially with uploaded artifacts. On the other hand, our walks have reinvigorated our belief in public education and the amazing authentic and meaningful work teachers and students do each day. Here is just a snippet of what I have seen or experienced in the past week:

An English teacher having every student in her Film Studies class share their presentation with me on Google Drive minutes after I attended a class.
Engineering students showing off the bridge they had just collaboratively created.
A pedagogically sound BYOD lesson in English where an equitable environment was created using both student and school-owned technology.
A History teacher having students use Socrative on Chromebooks.
Document Based Questions (DBQ’s) being administered in a history class.
Digital photography students working on editing the photos they just took on a recent trip to Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and Bryant Park in NYC.
A Math teacher using Poll Everywhere in AP Statistics to check for understanding.
A math teacher diligently working with students as they participated in a cooperative learning activity.
Students in our new Makerspace constantly tinkering, hacking, inventing, and creating.
Numerous teachers assessing learning in both summative and formative formats.

Picture from recent walk: BYOD and equity (student + school owned tech)

I think you get the point. Being present in our classrooms and other learning areas of our buildings cannot be overstated. Even in the face of relentless pressures and mandates that don’t make much sense, it is our duty to be instructional leaders, cheerleaders, guides, mentors, and change agents. This can only happen if we know what is going on in our schools, connect with both teachers and students alike, and provide positive as well as constructive feedback on what we see. Most importantly however is the mere fact that our presence will reaffirm what we do in the most important profession. The work that I am seeing from my staff and students serves as an inspiration. When I go into classrooms I am eagerly anticipating what I will see next. Don’t succumb to the myriad of excuses that education reform provides each of us today not to be in classrooms. Be present!

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Testing For What?

Posted by Unknown Senin, 05 Agustus 2013 0 komentar

Cross-posted at the Huffington Post.

NJ Spotlight is a fantastic resource for me. They are unbiased in their approach to educate citizens on numerous topics, with education being one of them. I recently came across an opinion piece titled Putting New Jersey's High School Diplomas to the Test. The article focused on NJ's relentless push to increase standardized testing and institute end of course exams that students would have to pass in order to graduate. It really got me thinking about the direction we are headed in and the negative consequences that it will ultimately have on our learners.

Image credit: http://dhayeseng100fall2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/standardized-testing-comic3.jpg

It is safe to say that the situation in NJ is no different than many states across the country. For many misguided and misinformed reasons, politicians think that the education system in the United States is not up to par. As a result, marching orders have been sent down to each state’s DOE to hold teachers and schools more accountable. New laws have been passed and mandates implemented with little or no input from educators. To make matters worse, schools and educators are being asked to quickly adhere to these mandates with inadequate training, preparation, and field testing. I am a firm believer in accountability measures that are backed by research, but less so in those that line the pockets of special interest groups.

So when and how did all of this school failure rhetoric begin? The NJ Spotlight piece points this out with a little history lesson in NCLB:

"NCLB was a dismal failure in raising academic performance or narrowing gaps in opportunity and outcomes. But its over-reliance on mandated testing did succeed in creating a narrative of school failure that undermined support for public education and led to a decade of bad policy in the name of reform."

The ultimate goal should be to develop a love for learning amongst our students and prepare them to be successful in any college and/or career they choose. Achievement is great and what we should strive for, but actual learning and growth is much more important. The centerpiece of the majority of education reform efforts is standardized testing. Students will NEVER come to school excited to take one of these tests. They yearn for true authentic, relevant, meaningful learning experiences that inspire inquiry and the desire to learn more. This is the key to college and career readiness in my mind.

Are we really testing students to determine if they are college and career ready? Like many others I am a bit skeptical of this. Here is an excerpt from the NJ Spotlight piece:

"In fact there is little evidence that an exit testing policy leads to better prepared graduates, improved college participation or completion rates, or benefits to a state’s economy. Less than half the states have high stakes graduation exams, and several that did recently ended them. A recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that “challenging standards-based exams reduce graduation and increase incarceration rates.” The study found no corresponding positive effects on employment or earnings."

If that wasn't eye-opening enough here is another piece from the article that I found as a compelling argument against graduation tests, or any standardized exam for that matter, that will be linked to a student graduating:

"Current graduation tests don’t reliably measure what they pretend to measure (“intelligence,” “academic ability,” “college readiness”), and they don’t measure at all qualities all high school graduates should have (responsibility, resilience, critical thinking ability, empathy). The new tests are not likely to be much better. They must be given over computer networks many schools don’t have and will still mainly consist of multiple choice questions that assess a narrow range of skills and curricula."

Please take a look at the entire NJ Spotlight article for more insightful information about the road ahead. So what are we really testing students for? I have my opinions please share yours. Maybe this dialogue will resonate with policy and decision makers so that they can right the ship before it crashes.

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The Runaway Train

Posted by Unknown Kamis, 11 April 2013 0 komentar

As the end of the school year draws near, the education reform rhetoric is heating up. This means states like New Jersey and New York are closer to implementing new teacher evaluation systems as a result of Race to the Top, NCLB waivers, and other mandates adopted through recent legislation. It seems like we are now at a crossroads between what the reformers think is best for elevating education in our country and the opinions of actual educators who work with students day in and day out. One thing is for certain, it is going to be extremely difficult to initiate meaningful change as the divide between these stakeholder groups continues to widen.

Image credit: http://theragblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/barack-obama-stop-runaway-train.html

I am all for meaningful change that will benefit our students, but I continue to scratch my head as I watch what is happening in the state I live in (NY) and the one where I work (NJ). The last time I checked both states have consistently been at the top in terms of student achievement and graduation rates. In both cases, the respective Department of Education is moving at a feverish pace to implement the Common Core State Standards, new teacher evaluation systems, and adopt standardized tests produced by PARCC. Can we do better? Of course we can, but the solution is not testing the living daylights out of children thereby destroying their love for learning, demoralizing teachers, or evaluating principals on how well they implement new teacher evaluation systems instead of actual leadership.

I live and work by one simple rule, do one thing exceptionally well as opposed the many things average. Unfortunately common sense has not, at the moment, prevailed in this case. What I see is a mad rush to the finish line and for what? To appease politicians and others so disconnected from classrooms and learning that reform deadlines are met no matter how ridiculous they appear to be? We are moving much too fast with all these initiatives and it has nothing to do with providing the best education for students. Instead, it seems like it has everything to do with money and lining the pockets of companies in the areas of testing, teacher evaluation, and Common Core alignment. If this runaway train is not stopped, I fear that the consequences will have a devastating impact on our education system for years to come.

The key to reform is not directives, mandates, and threats. It is consensually figuring out the best course of action to improve education by making what we do better. What I have learned during my tenure in education is that forcing people to do something builds resentment and animosity, especially if a body of research and valid field-testing does not back it. I often ask myself how we have gotten to this point in time. Education as a profession used to be revered; now no one in his or her right mind wants to pursue this career. This is what happens when success is reduced to a hollow standardized test score or rating that is influenced by so many factors beyond the control of teachers and administrators. Only people who have worked, or are working, in schools get this.

It is apparent that we have lost our way, but I would like to think that there is still hope. To begin, we must slow down this runaway train before it is too late and make sure that what is being implemented is actually better that what is to be replaced. If so, then we might be on to something. Instead of pumping money into testing and evaluation systems why not use those funds to elevate the profession by attracting the best and brightest? Another common sense approach in my book is that we must remove all of the red tape that prevents schools from easily removing ineffective teachers and administrators, not some algorithm that makes no sense or can’t be explained. Finally, we must look to the past in order to plan for the future. Our country’s education system has led the world in producing some of the greatest creative minds ever known yet we are still made to think and feel like we are failures. My hope is that we can slow down this train before it is too late.

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Standardization Will Destroy Our Education System, If It Hasn't Already

Posted by Unknown Kamis, 26 Juli 2012 0 komentar

Cross-posted at the Huffington Post.

This summer I have made a commitment to reading more and have chosen books that I think will help me become a better leader. A few weeks ago I finished Drive by Daniel Pink and am now halfway through with Linchpin bySeth Godin. I highly recommend both of these book at any educators who is interested about the science behind motivation or overcoming resistance to become and indispensable component of an educational organization.

Through my reading of both books it has become painfully clear that many of our current politicians and so-called educational reformers have it completely wrong when it comes to standardization. Now I have always thought this was the case, but these two books have not only reaffirmed my views, but also given me a great deal of concern as we inch closer to an educational system that focuses on test scores as the number one determinant of achievement.

Image credit: http://www.noodle.org/noodlings/k-12/decoding-standardized-test-scores

Dan Pink reveals that the keys unlocking and sustaining intrinsic motivation are autonomy, mastery, and purpose. As a leader this is the type of teaching and learning culture that I want to foster and cultivate, one where creativity flourishes, students find relevancy and meaning in their learning, and teachers are given the support to be innovative. A teaching and learning culture powered by intrinsic motivation will achieve this.

Unfortunately we are being forced in the opposite directions. The current education movement is laden with "if-then" rewards and a carrots & sticks approach to motivation. If students score well on standardized tests they move on to the next grade level or graduate while their teachers receive favorable marks on evaluations. These are forms of extrinsic motivation and will work in short term, but performance will not be sustainable as those motivated intrinsically. The same can be said for merit pay. Pink has provided a compelling case as to why this will never work and this is supported by the research.

Students are not motivated by standardized tests, as they find no true meaning and value in them. Teachers are motivated for all the wrong reasons, of which includes job security or a financial incentive. A focus on standardization narrows the curriculum and creates a teaching culture where creativity, exploration, critical thinking are scarce or non-existent. It creates a culture that students do not want to be a part of and one that can only be sustained with the use of "if-then" rewards or carrots and sticks. Is this the direction we want to go in? Do we want schools to squash creativity and reinforce a model that worked will in the 20^th Century that will not prepare our students for their future?

Seth Godin describes linchpins as indispensable components of an organization that are artists in there own right. These individuals don’t follow a manual, but instead are guided by an urge to do what is right. In my opinion we want to create schools that allow teachers to become linchpins because in the end students benefit from their creativity, passion, and innovative mindset. However, standardization follows in the footsteps of a century-old education model focused on industrialization, which influences teachers and administrators in a way where the artist in each of them never evolves. This entrenched system produces students that lack creativity, are fearful of failure, work extremely hard to follow directions (homework, study for tests, not question authority), and are leaving schools with undesirable skills in a post-industrial society. Schools focus more on filling the minds of students with useless facts and knowledge as opposed to learning essential skills that can't be measured with a #2 pencil.

Godin continues to provide example after example of how education has it all wrong. Take the resume for example. Virtually every school has students craft one to go along with their college application materials. Students don't need resumes, they need to create artifacts of learning that provides detail as to what they can really do or know. Godin provides a compelling alternative to a traditional resume and hiring process. I have tweaked the business example he provided into an educational one. Instead of standardization, have students make a presentation of their resume and skills learned while in school. Have them defend, answer questions, and lead a discussion with a variety of stakeholders. Does this seem more meaningful and relevant? When analyzing the science of motivation presented to Drive I would certainly say so.

My only hope, and this is wishful thinking, is that research and common sense will ultimately prevail to save our education system from future demise if those with influence and power keep steering us in a failed direction. Let us learn from the past and create an educational system that instills a sense of intrinsic motivation and creates learners that are indispensable.

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Change Should Be a Reality, Not a Possibility

Posted by Unknown Kamis, 05 Juli 2012 0 komentar

Change in education seems to be as illusive as the Loch Ness Monster. Everyone seems to be talking about it, but little action leading to meaningful results seems to be the mainstay in many schools. Through my work over the years as a teacher, educational administrator, and learner through I have identified common roadblocks to the change process. If identified and addressed appropriately these roadblocks can be overcome.

Image credit: http://awce2020.blogspot.com/

1 - It is too hard: News flash, CHANGE IS NOT EASY! Please keep this in mind as I continue this post. There is more talk about change in the field of education than actual change. If it were easy we would see innovative programs, authentic learning experiences, successful integration of technology, and students yearning to arrive at school each day. The fact of the matter is that nothing in life comes easy, let alone transformation change in education. Educators must be willing to take risks, learn from mistakes, and put in the time. Realize going in that it is going to be a difficult process, but rewarding in the end.

2 - I do not have the time for this: Ah, the old time excuse. This is probably the most common excuse given when educators and the thought or sight of change come together. We are in a profession to make a difference in the life of a child, leave a lasting impact, motivate students to achieve, instill a sense of life-long learning, and prepare them for success once they leave our schools. If someone says they don't have time to work towards change that helps to achieve these goals then they should question why they are in the field of education. Dedicated educators make the time because it is their job! You ask any child who had a teacher that turned their life around and they will tell you that the time spent was priceless!

3- Lack of collaboration: The field of education has been moving from a profession that hoarded ideas, lessons, and successful strategies to one that is openly willing to share this bounty with as many passionate educators as possible. Innovation and change is a collective process and schools that get this concept have personnel who routinely collaborate amongst each other and with those outside of their schools. "Together we are better," is the motto that change agents abide by.

4- Directive approach: Ok, I have been guilty of this when trying to get my staff to utilize Skype. Thankfully I learned from this mistake and have found that change occurs through shared-decision making, consensus, collaboration (see #3), and modeling. As a leader, I had better be able to effectively model what I want my teachers to implement if I have any hopes of seeing the idea succeed and be sustainable. In education you can't just tell someone to do something because you are mesmerized by a piece of technology, read the latest book on innovative practices, or heard a great speaker discuss PLC's. You need to get each and every stakeholder involved in the process (see #3), properly model the strategy, and put the time forth to ensure successful implementation (see # 1 and 2).

5- Hierarchy in schools: The hierarchical structure in many schools is most often a deterrent to innovation and change. This results in #4 being prevalent and no chance of #3 because ideas have to go through so many layers and red tape to even be considered. Schools that have moved away from this structure support learning cultures that are innovative. Educators need to be placed in environments where flexibility and freedom to take risks and try out new ideas and initiatives without fear of repercussion are actively fostered.

6- Lack of support: As leaders how can we expect teachers to be innovative and move towards change if we don't support them 100% of the time? Support can come in many forms, such as release time, supplies/equipment, professional development opportunities, feedback, and just god old fashioned listening.

7- Fear of change: This is a given, so it had better be expected. If numbers 1-5 are addressed this will help to alleviate this feeling. Passion for helping kids succeed on the part of administrators and teachers will always work to one's advantage when trying to subdue the fear a group might experience when trying to initiate new ideas. Passion is what drives us! Use it to your advantage.

8- The naysayers, antagonists, and "self-proclaimed" experts: Well you should have known this was coming. Some people will never get on board with the change process for a variety of reasons (none of which we agree with). Then there are those individuals that do not even work in schools that think they have all the answers to everything and will immediately shoot down ideas that have the potential to enhance learning just because they personally don't like them. Those that embrace change and experience success should be celebrated, honored, and commended. This is the best way to motivate others and inspire them to willingly become part of the process. Ideas that work in one school might not work in another and that's OK.

9- Ineffective professional development: How many times have we sat through training sessions that were boring, meaningless, and didn't provide any practical implementation ideas? Professional development has to be relevant to educators, contain numerous choices, and be hands-on. More often than not this can be done with teacher leaders present in all buildings. If money is going to be spent make sure it is on a vetted, well-respected presenter where you will get your monies worth.

10 - Frivolous purchases: Money does not equate into innovation and change. Just because you purchase the latest technology doesn't mean everyone will use it correctly or productively. Professional development (see #9) is key.

Sustainable change leading to a cultural transformation does not have to be an illusive or long, drawn out process. Begin by identifying your own potential roadblocks that may or may not be mentioned above and focus on developing solutions instead of excuses through consensus with a variety of stakeholders. Be a transformational leader and take people where they need to be!

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Tapping Into Technology

Posted by Unknown Rabu, 13 Juni 2012 0 komentar

With the rise of mobile devices and tablets in the classroom, I’m finding so many examples of organizations that are capitalizing on these tools to create new resources for teachers and students. I was recently introduced to an education reform model called TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement that is making really great use of the tablet and mobile platforms to provide teachers with better access to teacher resources with an iPhone or iPad app.

Image credit: http://blog.bautomation.com/Portals/110740/images/taping-into-technology.jpg

Founded in 1999 by education philanthropist Lowell Milken, The TAP system is working in public schools across the country to provide teachers with greater means for professional development, more effective uses of student and teacher evaluation data, and creating career opportunities that enhance instruction and learning within their schools while remaining in the classroom by creating positions like mentor teachers and master teachers. These mentor and master teachers observe other teachers and lead reflective meetings about how to improve student performance based on data they’ve collected in evaluations. You can find more information about TAP here.

Recently the organization announced the creation of a TAP “app” called the tapObserver app. Teachers can download the app onto their iPhones or iPads and to access evaluation forms, rubrics, lesson tracking and several other forms specific to the program model. The app enhances the TAP system evaluation process by helping evaluators (principals, master and mentor teachers) more efficiently and accurately collect evidence during a classroom observation. It is a powerful tool for providing evaluation feedback and support more quickly and thoroughly to improve teacher practice.

Web-based tools like this are such a great addition to the classroom, giving teachers the ability to streamline their workload, gauge and adapt to student performance, and make the most out of every lesson. Hopefully we will see other education programs will develop similar apps like this. If you use any apps like this in your school, I'd love to hear about it.

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Khan Academy: Friend or Foe?

Posted by Unknown Senin, 23 April 2012 0 komentar

While attending the NSBA Annual Conference this past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend Sal Kahn’s keynote on Sunday. Khan is the creator of Khan Academy. He began his keynote by sharing a video montage of Khan Academy highlights and then presenting some impressive statistics on usage. To date, these statistics are: 140 million+ lessons delivered, 500 million+ exercises done, and 6+ million unique visits per month. It is obvious from these statistics that many stakeholders, including students, are finding some form of value from the service that Khan Academy provides.

The catalyst for Khan Academy began some years ago with a Yahoo doodle Sal developed to help a family member with her struggles in math. In addition to using Yahoo doodle, he began writing quiz software in 2006. Dismissive at first, he then began to create video tutorials that were uploaded to YouTube. As Sal emphasized, his key finding during this exploratory process was that viewers could engage in the content when they were ready for, or needed, it and could learn at their own pace. Once on YouTube, the videos took on a life of their own and were widely watched and used by teachers, parents, and students.

He officially started Khan Academy in 2009 knowing that quality videos would withstand test of time. As the site increased in popularity it caught the eye of Bill Gates and Google with an end result being over 4 million in funding. The Khan Academy site now contains over 3000 videos mapped to the Common Core and associated assessments that allow learners to practice and reinforce skills acquired through the videos. Detailed statistics are provided to learners and coaches (i.e. teachers) to provide a snapshot of what has been learned. You can learn more details about other associated features here.

As students show mastery in one concept they move on to the next. Sal Khan says his system is out of sync with that of traditional education systems that have become indoctrinated over many years. He feels that his service increases valuable time for teachers to connect with students in class. As he stated, student teacher ratio isn't important - it is the student to valuable teacher time ratio that matters. Khan Academy’s new features provide powerful data on growth and achievement that teachers can utilize to modify instruction.

I must say Sal Kahn is a riveting storyteller. He had the audience laughing, cheering, and literally in awe with Khan Academy and it’s potential in schools. All one had to do was read the Twitter stream to deduce this. However, the Twitter back channel also revealed many skeptics in regards to the finances provided by certain champions for education reform,

Some tweets:

@mcpssuper: Why do I feel like I'm watching a really cool sales pitch for #khanacademy

@cascadingwaters: All of this #khanacademy bit works, right up until the kid gets stuck. And they do.

@MCSDrSpence: Implications of Khans work for closing achievement gap are enormous. Next challenge: we have to bridge the digital divide for kids

@irasocal: There are few bigger frauds in American than Sal Khan #NSBAconf

Khan Academy is not a silver bullet that will fix education and improve achievement as a stand-alone entity. It has its merits, as does the flipped learning approach that his videos are generally associate with, but more as an instructional supplement to enhance the teaching and learning process. The video resources and associated services provided for free by Khan Academy are powerful learning tools, if they can be accessed by populations (rural and urban) that need them the most. Khan Academy merely provides the content. Great teachers are the key to developing authentic tasks for students to apply what they have learned and assessing to provide feedback. As a tool Khan Academy will benefit educators, students, and parents in a quest for knowledge, practice, and reinforcement. It will not, however, be a game-changing reform agent as the private sector sees it.

With this being said, what are your thoughts on Khan Academy and it's implications on education?

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Children Stressed to the Breaking Point Due to Standardized Testing

Posted by Unknown Rabu, 07 Maret 2012 0 komentar

Recently New York City made public teacher evaluations based on student standardized test scores. This proceeded the state of New York's decision to change how educators are evaluated, in part by connecting the standardized test scores of students into final ratings. The following letter was shared with me by a friend whose daughter is in the New York City Public School System. She plans on sending this to officials in the NYC Department of Education to inform them of the potential that more standardized testing will have as a result of recent reform efforts.

Let me start off by saying that I have tried to draft this letter at least four times without the anger and the frustration that I am feeling. Unfortunately, I have come to the realization that it is an impossibility to do so. As my daughter is 12 years old, and already faces the stress and anxiety because of these standardized tests, I feel it necessary, as a mother, to voice my opinion.

Image credit: http://laeducationtruth.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/boy-taking-exam.jpg

I believe that it is an injustice to all of these children that their level of understanding and competency is judged by a test. As educators and as leaders of our society, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Who gives you the right to give my child and all the other children any undue stress and anxiety? Who gives you the right to tell me that my child will not go forward to the next grade even though she has an 85 to a 90 average? How on earth do you justify stressing out children to the point where they are actually getting themselves sick over the demands that you are placing on them?

As our children grow, they are also supposed to be learning. How can these kids learn anything in school when the way they are being taught is ludicrous? You expect all these children to learn at the same rate and expect them to comprehend on the same level. Every child is different in their own way, so how can you base their level of understanding on one end-of-year test? Not to mention that our children are spending so much time learning things that they will never, ever need to know in life. Do you really think it is appropriate that they spend 2 weeks on learning about rocks and minerals? Do you really think it is fair that they are given one day to learn new math and the next day go on to learn something new again? How do you justify this?

Yes, there are some children out there that are able to keep up with YOUR standards, the majority cannot. In my daughter’s school alone, many kids that were in ARISTA or Honor roll dropped, on the average, at least 4 points. They are now being enrolled in tutoring services or test prep classes which they never needed before.

As a parent, education is obviously one of the things we want our children to have, but just as high on the list of priorities are morals, discipline, and confidence. There are children out there who have some, or none, of these other values. My daughter, in particular, cannot find the confidence in herself because no matter how well she does in school, the end result is passing these standardized tests. A child like mine, who struggles with such high test anxiety, although she is receiving the help for this anxiety, still has trouble passing these tests. She has been in summer school the last three years just because of these tests, but has maintained an 87 average. Does this seem fair? She is a wonderful student, works hard, gets good grades, focuses, and does what needs to be done on a daily basis. But still, the Department of Education feels the need to push her confidence to the lowest level. I guess these other values that make our children well developed and a valuable part of society have no relevance. I am assuming you can find some sort of loophole to validate this fact as well.

There are children out there that are barely passing their classes, but just because they find themselves lucky enough to pass these tests, you, as educators, feel like you are doing your job. Well, my daughter surpasses what needs to be done on a daily basis, as do many other children; the message you are sending is that the school year does not matter, only your assessments and standardized tests do.

I hope you are aware that many other parents feel the way I do, and even your own teachers do not agree with your education process. This is a disgrace, as these are the people teaching our children. Please know that this letter, although it criticizes the education process, is also to help you understand what these children are going through on a daily basis.

With all of this being said, what are your thoughts on standardized testing, it's role in education, impact on students, and the data being used to evaluate educators? Is this the direction that educational reform should be headed in? As a parent of two young children my response is a resounding NO!

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Misguided Efforts in Educational Reform

Posted by Unknown Minggu, 26 Februari 2012 0 komentar

A few weeks back I passed along an Education Week article to administrators in my District that highlighted the many technology challenges that states anticipate with common tests. Below is a response to the article from Danielle Shanley, my Director of Curriculum and Instruction, as well as her sound synopsis of the misguided educational reform movement.

I think educational leaders (I have been making my voice heard in a few venues, most recently this morning) need to begin to challenge these assessments due to the issues of inequality for all children. We have moved from testing endurance to testing technological proficiency. When will the powers that be consider the best way to assess learning of content? And content exit exams are not the answer…　　

Image credit: http://hoosiered.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Question-Man.jpg

What I think we really need is to have a more realistic approach at the center of the argument. If what we need to do is better prepare our students for a 21st century workforce, we need to provide them with a 21st century education. That is one that does not espouse archaic Carnegie units for graduation and standardized assessments as measures of achievement. We need classrooms without walls; we need project based instruction and project based assessment; we need personalized learning plans for all students that appeal to their interests and their talents while they support their areas of need.　We need students who can read and write for a variety of purposes, make change and leave a tip without use of their cell phones. We need to have our students play and exercise more and take advantage of more authentic learning experiences and get them out of INDUSTRIAL age K-12 assembly line classrooms. We need to offer “Option Two” type programs to ALL students and forget about the way we are used to “doing” education in the country. We need to move towards a system, like Finland, where they have virtually NO standardized testing and very high international academic achievement.　

We aren’t preparing our students to work on farms and in factories any more. We aren’t preparing them to work in a suit and tie, in a bank, or in a shoe store for their entire lives.　The youngest billionaire in the world (Mark Zuckerberg) goes to work in cargo shorts and flip flops. Most work places offer creative outlets for game playing and relaxation.　 Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, and even the banking industry aren’t looking for “schooled followers.” They want creative leaders and problem solvers with original ideas! We are NOT preparing our students for an uncertain world five years from now.　What is the federal government doing to help us get the students where they need to be? Reauthorizing ESEA? Supporting National Standards and National assessments? It isn’t enough. What we need is a TRANSFORMATIONAL OVERHAUL in the way we “do” education in this country. And I’m frightened that the “powers that be” (including a whole host of non-educator politicians) think that common standards, national assessments, and holding teachers accountable for student achievement will get us there. They won’t!

We need to redefine the role of the teacher and the training of the teacher. We need to redefine the definitions of achievement, of learning and of preparation. We need to celebrate creativity, teach independent and collaborative work habits, demand ethical behavior, model service, foster leadership and promote a love of learning in our children. None of that can be assessed on a standardized test! We need to cut the crap, and do what is GOOD and RIGHT for all students. We need to embrace a new type of education in this country, and neither political party gives me much hope today.

I am all for improving education and student achievement. However, current reform efforts miss the mark, as the end result will be the transformation of schools into testing factories. Will this prepare our students for success in today's society? Is this what we want for our schools?

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Here's a Thought: Reform Driven by Passionate Educators

Posted by Unknown Selasa, 13 Desember 2011 0 komentar

Ask yourself why you or someone you know chose a profession in education for a living. Is it because of the paycheck? Do you like the hours? Do the working conditions suit you? Is it because you couldn’t decide on a major until halfway through your Bachelor’s Degree and figured that teaching would be your best option? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you are definitely in the wrong line of work. If you answered no and are committed to working tirelessly to ensure that all children learn and are successful at it then why do you not have a place at the education reform table?

Image credit: http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2009_12_23_archive.html

Being an educator means that you are a part of the noblest profession. Each day is a gift as it provides you with an opportunity to make a positive difference in the life of a child. Quite frankly it takes a special person to be an educator. You understand that your reward for a long days work is not money or bonuses, but instead the satisfaction of knowing that the lesson you spent a great deal of time preparing resulted in student learning. One of the greatest gifts you can ever receive is the acknowledgment from a past student thanking you for never giving up on him/her when others would have. You realize that the summer months are an opportunity to become better. As a result you use this time to engage in professional growth opportunities, read the latest research, and prepare innovative lessons. In your eyes the glass is always half full.

The educator that I just described is driven by passion. They love working with children, will do what it takes to do the job right, never fall victim to the bitterness that is found in all schools, and are committed to continual improvement. Educators driven by a passion to help children learn are the most important components of our society and should be treated as such. Those driven by passion:

Understand that all students can learn.
Are not afraid of failure because they realize that this is a means to improve their craft.
Are compassionate even when pushed to the brink.
Treat professional development as an opportunity as opposed to an annoyance.
Openly share their ideas, lessons, and opinions with others. Their mantra is “together we are better”.
Regularly communicate with parents regularly before and after the school day to keep them abreast of their child’s progress.
Consistently model life-long learning, especially during the summer months.
Regularly reflect in order to enhance teaching and learning.
Create and foster a student-centered learning culture.
View the evaluation process as a growth opportunity.
Realize that there will be some bad days, but these are far outnumbered by the great ones.
Serve as unofficial mentors to others that need support and feedback.
Embrace change that is in the best interests of the entire school community.
Are not afraid to admit when they are wrong.

Reform in education begins with passion. Educators, those who are in the trenches working tirelessly to help all children learn, should be in the driver's seat when it comes to reform. They have not only experienced success in terms of increasing achievement, by are driven by a passion to guide all students on a path to success. These are the change agents we need to reform education, not those individuals or groups that have no vested interest or experience working with students in a public school.

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The Noblest Profession

Posted by Unknown Selasa, 05 Juli 2011 0 komentar

Cross-posted at the Huffington Post: What is Wrong With This Picture?

All across the country, education is under attack on numerous fronts. No matter where you look, educators are to blame for the economic woes in many states. This is extremely puzzling to me, as it is well known that this downturn in our economy was a result of misguided, unregulated, or greedy practices of the private sector. Educators then became the scapegoats as a message of “shared sacrifice” swept the country.

How this makes sense to anyone is beyond me. Consider that the average starting teacher salary is $40,000 and may approach $85,000 after 25 years of service, nearing retirement. So now, as states cry foul about their unprecedented budget gaps, educators are made to look like kings and queens because of their pensions and health benefits. Isn’t it funny how everyone made fun of educators for choosing a profession that paid so little when the private sector was raking in the cash from the late 90’s through 2006? Like virtually every educator in our country, I didn’t go into this profession to become wealthy. I wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of students and hopefully inspire them, like so many of my teachers did me, to be life-long learners and pursuers of dreams.

Recently NJ was the latest state to pass landmark employee legislation curtailing the collective bargaining rights of state employees, including educators. It was an extremely sad day for me personally, as I saw my grandmother and parents, retired educators who dedicated themselves to helping all students learn, have their pensions targeted by politicians who have never stepped foot in a classroom. Is this how we now treat people that made one of the most important decisions of their lives to make less money in the field of education as opposed to more lucrative positions in other lines of work? How do we not value the work that these retirees did for our schools and children to help catapult our country to such an elite status?

What concerns me even more is how the work of educators is being devalued to the point that no one will want to pursue one of the most rewarding careers available. More than ever the field needs passionate individuals who have the drive, patience, and character to work with students that have diverse learning needs. As the seemingly relentless attacks continue, the incentive to become a part of the noblest profession decreases to a point that might be irreparable.

One might ask why I refer to education as the noblest profession. My answer stems from the fact that education is what makes all other professions possible. Take a minute and think about other career paths – doctors, lawyers, engineers, mechanics, scientists, politicians, entrepreneurs – and ask yourself if any level of education has had a impact on that person’s ability to perform and succeed in those jobs. I think your answer would be a resounding yes. It is time for the negative rhetoric, demonizing, and punishment of the education profession to stop. If anything, we need to work harder to establish education as one of the most esteemed career paths as other countries have done. We have to treat those people who are, or were, in the classrooms with respect and dignity. In my opinion, blaming teachers for economic turmoil caused by others will continue to have an adverse effect on the quality of those entering the profession as well as a domino effect on every other profession. I see something wrong with this picture, do you?

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