December 23, 2018: Communicating Your Ideas

I am trying my best to be an innovative educator, and I think I am getting better all the time. Not to sound like a broken record, but I also don’t in settling on what you’ve already done, but striving to always do better. It is major part of who I am and why I am pursuing my Master’s Degree. I want my students and my two children at home to adopt that mindset as well, so as much as I’ve talked about it on the discussion boards, there are some young people close to me that hear this 3 times a day.

I know I am not changing the world with my ideas, but I feel like I’ve got to do something to make it better. I’ve tried lots of different activities in class that haven’t worked, but failure has helped me evolve my process and it’s worth the risk to find something meaningful to share with my students. The biggest missteps and blunders I’ve been architect of, failed because I hadn’t prepared students for an activity and went it with the mindset of “Let’s just see what they can do.” It’s this reason that the success of my proposal relies heavily on providing structure and support for creative endeavors.

One of the most important things I’ve learned in 2018 is the importance of feedback. Previously, I operated under the model in which I didn’t provide feedback to my students until their grade was on the paper. This is an obsolete way of teaching, and I believe that if you really want kids to do their best, you have to talk to them early and often to make sure they are the right track. I think the COVA model allows students some flexibility to explore their creativity, but as facilitators we have to provide the opportunities for feedback so they can build confidence in their work or correct where they’ve gone wrong with enough time left on the clock for them to do something meaningful about it.

John Kotter is right about using technology to explore every avenue of communication. It’s also not just enough to give a speech or send a memo. We have to be active in our interactions to sell our goals and to be supportive, seeking out individuals or addressing details that need more explanation. In my experience, the important questions often go unanswered because students are intimidated. We have to create learning environments that break down those walls and encourage them to ask relevant questions. Then we need to share that information with the group, because someone else is sitting in the corner wondering the same thing, but too afraid to ask.

December 9, 2018: Why Innovate?

When I teach innovation and technology to 7th and 8th graders, they have a hard time classifying it as anything other than a device that has a screen and requires wifi. Yet in reality, technology is anything that makes our lives easier. We’re spoiled, and even as adults we fall into this trap sometimes as well. We have to able to recognize valuable innovation when we see it, even if it’s change in thinking, rather than a change in doing. The most impactful ideas I helped develop as social studies teacher involved unpacking TEKS to align common assessment verbiage to state standards, and creating tactile manipulatives for classification of key terms, people, and places. It wasn’t fancy, but it worked

There is a shift towards utilizing classroom technology for instruction, creation, and assessment that is gaining popularity as it becomes more affordable and readily available for schools. However, anyone who’s taught in public school over the last decade can attest to how difficult it is to undertake a new educational program, especially those that involve new technology, because it intimidates us or we’re unsure how to use it. Many times these new endeavors miss their mark because we simply don’t know how to make it fit our classrooms. We all know that one teacher who’s negativity towards technology is so cantankerous we silently pose the question “Why are you even still here?”

We we talk about disruptive innovation in the classroom, I think we do have to be deliberate in our approach, foresee obstacles, and plan to develop meaningful activities. The kids I teach have only been exposed to devices as a means of consumption, so flipping the process and having them create can, at times, be a challenge. A good place to start is by taking an activity that they are familiar with and going digital with it. As an instructional leader, you have to have the same approach with teachers on your campus. I think it’s ineffective and wasteful of resources to provide staff development for one “great new idea” if we aren’t prepared to present multiple ways to use it and then continuing to develop new ideas with teachers as we implement.

I also teach my students that necessity is the mother of innovation. We either have to find a better way because our success depends on it, or we can see a better way that would greatly impact our success, need or not. More than anything though, innovation is an attitude. It’s the opposite of complacency and it’s perpetual. There is no staying the same, only getting better or getting left behind. If we are honest with ourselves, the decision to innovate has to come from “what is best for our students” and not “what is easiest for me.” If you are making important choices in the classroom based on the latter, “Why are you even still here?”

November 25, 2018: Disruptive Innovation

The way that information is is distributed from place to place has evolved exponentially over the last 150 years. It’s hard for students to imagine what life was like 20 years ago before smartphones, much less 600 years ago before books. But it was the invention of the printing press that shook things up in the 15 century by making it possible to print books cheaper and faster, thus making information more readily available to the masses. It was a truly disruptive innovation that had a huge impact on the world because while cultures had expanded, clashed, and combined since the dawn of time, their knowledge and language grew at a relatively slow pace.

Our modern society is built upon how fast we can find, share, and utilize information. Through the progression of books, telegraphs, telephones, radio, television, and the internet, we can see huge leaps in the advancement of society because that valuable information was made available to the men and women that could make the most of it. Wars have been won by leaders who could efficiently analyze incoming data and make informed decisions with it. (Wheeler, 2006) We’ve now reached the point where innovation happens so rapidly, it often outpaces the needs of the consumer. (Christensen, 2014) I often explain to the students in my career technology class that big big companies have learned how to pace themselves with innovation to keep you coming back for more. It’s the model both Apple and Samsung use to release new and marginally better smartphones every year.

When I think of the term “disruptive innovation” as it relates to education, I immediately recall the oft cited quote by John Dewey “If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.” In my experience as a veteran teacher who started in the field as what we consider modern technology was just being rolled out, true innovation in the classroom has been slower than anticipated. This is partly because there are those within our state education system and school houses that rely heavily on, and commit substantial financial resources to the purchase of textbooks and technologies that are rapidly becoming obsolete. (Matthews, 2012) While they can be a part of a successful instructional model, classroom teachers know that every year these old methods become less effective in meeting the needs of 21st century learners. There are several outdated education models that could be replaced or “flipped” according to Michael Horn, and in large part it’s new communication technology that makes this possible. (Horn, 2014)

However, computers and tablets are not the solution to the problem, but just like textbooks, they can be part of it if we learn and train others how to utilize them effectively. We live in a world now where resourcefulness is as equally important as intelligence. If you don’t know the answer, how quickly can you find it? If you don’t know how to do something, how quickly can we learn it? We can’t expect that of our students if we are not willing to model it as teachers. We have to adopt the mindset that we might be part of the outdated method and that in the future, our value will be derived from how well we can use the technology available to us in order to help our students excel. I think that the most important innovations we can work into our classrooms is taking a step back and allowing the students to and find their own footing in terms of resourcefulness. There are a number of ways to provide structure for learning, but allow them some freedom in pacing, personal investigation, and creativity.

I am a big fan of modular learning and pathways to discovery when it comes to instruction, but I am also growing more and more fond of the maker movement and the effectiveness of learning by/to create. I know how I would approach it my classroom because I have the flexibility provided by nonlinear content. I also plan on exploring the restrictions of implementing a new model within the context of a history classroom where the story plays a role in the natural progression of the content.

Disruptive innovation and our ability to harness it plays a huge role in our continuous improvement, and we have to instill into our students that as lifelong learners, both what we are learning and how are learning it will keep our knowledge and skills relevant for a changing society.

View the complete Disruptive Technology Proposal for my classroom.

Christensen, C. Disruptive Innovation. Retrieved on 11/23/2018 from http://www.claytonchristensen.com/key-concepts/

Horn, M. (2014). Disrupting Class Part 4 -- Blended Learning [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TGmqeWprqM

Matthews, J. (2012) Why textbooks don’t work and hurt schools. The Washington Post. Retrieved on 11/22/2018 from https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/class-struggle/post/why-our-textbooks-dont-work/2012/02/25/gIQAvI16ZR_blog.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.52f4d333a6e1

Wheeler, T. (2006) How the telegraph helped Lincoln win the civil war. The Washington Post. Retrieved on 11/23/2018 from https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/30860

October 31, 2018: Do We Own Our E-Portfolios?

While ownership of the e-portfolio is scholastically debated online because authenticity can be questioned when the nature of its creation is for the fulfillment of class credit, it’s a fairly straightforward answer for me in regards to mine and the others in this cohort. These are our creations, reflections, and growth, so we own what we put on our pages. My reasoning is rooted on the notion that an e-portfolio, like the constitution, is a living document. It will change with the owner over time to best serve their needs. The circumstances surrounding the inception of the e-portfolio matter much less than what it will evolve into. It is true, there are assignments we’ve created for the specific purpose of posting to our e-portfolios to be submitted for grading. But a few things stand out to me as why that does not disqualify us from ownership of that information.

The first is that these projects were assigned with the COVA model in mind and my classmates and I were given uninhibited creative license to complete the tasks as we saw fit. I had little to know idea of what our professors expected on the Growth Mindset and Learning Manifesto assignments outside of a very vague rubric and a few examples. The first thing that came to my mind when I saw those was “okay...don’t do exactly that.” I figured they were expecting to see submissions that mirrored the examples in some capacity, but I wanted to go “outside the box.” I compare it to participating in the educational equivalent of "Chopped," the Food Network show. We were given a few a few ingredients that we knew we had to include, then tasked to make something unique and fantastic without a lot of input. Yes, we still have to impress the judges, but what we create is entirely our own.

What we accomplished in completing those assignments was very authentic and true to each’s own individuality, but what further sets apart our e-portfolios from traditional graded assignments are those items we have added beyond course requirements. There are some outstanding teachers in my share group, and they have all exceeded the minimum by adding meaningful content to their websites. While the projects I have completed for this course and others offer a great deal of insight to who I am as a teacher and what I’ve learned as part of my coursework, they represent just one of eight navigation pages on my site. It holds true for me already, but I believe that we will all create far more for ourselves in the e-portfolios than we will for Lamar University. Most of us will achieve that before graduation and keep updating it long after.

Finally, I think that it’s purpose and audience that drives the content that you include on your e-portfolio. While ours were created with a letter grade in mind, that won’t always be the case. In the future, these sites will be valuable tools for connecting with collaborators and even potential employers. The projects we’ve created over the last 8 weeks were intended to be graded so that we could demonstrate mastery, but they can used to convey our understanding to others for much longer. I think the brilliant thing about the COVA approach is that they came from a neutral place and they don’t scream “this was for a class project.” So despite the fact they were indeed created for a very specific purpose, it doesn’t mean they won’t serve another down the road. I see direct correlation to how I use Google Slides to teach animation in my Technology class. Of course, that’s not what the program was intended for, but it serves me well nonetheless. Furthermore, I think that administrators looking to hire the next generation will expect us to have a firm understanding of both school leadership protocol and educational technology. They should be able to look at the e-portfolios of candidates and see mastery in both.

Moving forward, we may all decide that the things we’ve created here need to be rearranged or taken down for our e-portfolios to continue to serve us effectively. That’s okay too, because we will all continue to grow and learn long after we’ve moved on from these courses. Keeping an updated e-portfolio will remind you how we’ve risen to meet challenges or evolved in our educational philosophy, but also illustrate to others the kind of teacher or leader we are striving to be. And that’s really how I know that I own my e-portfolio site. Because anyone who ventures to check it out is interested in me and what I have to say.

Citations

Harapnuik, D. (2016) “Who owns the eportfolio?” Retrieved from http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6050

Rickard, A (2015) “Do I own my domain if you grade it?” Retrieved from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2015-08-10-do-i-own-my-domain-if-you-grade-it

Self-Expression- Sometimes I feel like the way we have been preparing students for high-stakes tests over the last 20 years is seriously depleting them of their ability to mature creatively. I use templates in my class for certain projects to tier assignments for students on different levels and build their personal style as we progress. Hopefully they begin to find their voice the more we do, and I think that if a e-portfolio is done the right way, you can see the evolution of both learning and creativity.

Reflection- Our choices and experiences shape who we are, but as John Dewey is quoted in the post “Why Reflect”we learn from reflecting on those experiences. I have only just recently started blogging, but as I reflect on nearly 12 years in education I cringe at the some of the choices I have made during that time. However, looking back allows us to find alternative solutions to problems we’ve encountered or build on our strengths and plan new ways to create or apply what we’ve learned.

Sharing-Posting our thoughts and creations to the e-portfolio opens the door to review and feedback from others.This can be a valuable tool in pursuing personal growth by helping you better assess what you’ve always done and start doing what’s going to make you better. Also, never underestimate the value of collaboration. If you are stuck on a particular obstacle, someone in your professional learning network may be able to help you overcome it. What we can accomplish alone pales in comparison to what we are capable of together.

Self-Improvement- I mentioned some thoughts on this in response to another discussion post from last week. I've been working on how to adequately word a blog post on continuous improvement. It is something I feel strongly about and unfortunately I know a good number of people who are trudging through an unfulfilling life because they’ve reached a point where they’ve settled for status quo and don’t want to pursue anything better. In every undertaking in life, if you stop pushing to get better, stop learning, or stop working hard you will not see any growth. The world will change around you will you're stuck in neutral. Because change comes fast and furious in both education and technology, continuous improvement is something that we will always have to be mindful of.

Making Your Mark- Your e-portfolio is the epicenter of your professional online presence. It tells those that collaborate with you or those seeking to employ you, “This Is me.” (I know...shameless Greatest Showman reference) I also think that at some point in the near future, e-portfolios will become as standard as paper resumes in the professional world. In the field of instructional technology, I'd be more surprised if an applicant didn't have an updated portfolio to showcase during the interview process.

Here is a list of recent articles advocating e-portfolios during the job search process.

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2018/10/03/five-job-hunting-tips-fresh-grads

https://www.td.org/insights/amp-up-your-career-with-a-new-e-learning-portfolio

https://archinect.com/jobs/entry/150087020/job-captain

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhorn/2018/03/15/why-integration-is-key-to-replace-resumes-with-digital-portfolios/#aa0cc8111e0f

Citations

Harapnuik, D. (2016) “Why use an eportfolio” Retrieved from http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6063

“Why Reflect” Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/reflection4learning/why-reflect

October 4, 2018: The Evolution of My Educational Leadership Philosophy (Part I)

There is an old African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” It implies that we are stronger and can accomplish more as a team, and it applies to many tasks within society, whether it be business, sports, or even community involvement. As a military officer, corporate CEO, or a junior high football coach, you become familiar with ideas and quotes like this one, and they shape your ideology and approach to leadership. You file them away, and pull them out when you need rouse or inspire your troops.

Some quotes like,” We are only as strong as our weakest link,” put the onus on individuals to pull their weight for the greater good of the team. While others like “This team will only go as far as you can lead them,” place the responsibility for success on leadership amongst the group. The clichés are too numerous to count, but they all speak to same simple notion, that when people work together in unison they stand a greater chance of achieving success.

Having worked in public education for over a decade as a teacher and a coach, I have heard these phrases in both faculty meetings and professional in-services, and I have employed them in my classroom and team practices. They are a tool often used by those in a leadership role to remind us of our purpose and foster unity in the group. In doing so, they help to define what leadership is to me; the act of empowering others toward the accomplishment of a shared goal.

October 8, 2018: The Evolution of My Educational Leadership Philosophy (Part II)

Leadership style depends a great deal on two key components of that definition. Who are the others that I am leading? And what is the goal I want to accomplish? In the realm of educational leadership, the transformational model best mirrors my personal philosophy because by definition, equal value is placed on the well-being of those being led, and the process by which success is attained. Success of the unit is most effectively achieved by realizing the potential of the team members. Ultimately, the leader must find a way to maximize the effort and performance of his team in order to meet the goal. (Cherry, 2014)

In order to flesh out a clear picture of my leadership style in regards to education, it is imperative to consider the structure of the organization or body you are leading. While traditionally leadership has been hierarchical in nature, modern leadership theory has adapted to suit the needs of complex networks of communication and feedback. (Avolio, Walumbwa, & Weber, 2009) Just like in the military or business world, you have to understand your place on the chain of command, but leadership is not restricted to those hierarchical constraints. You have be able to communicate in both directions of the chain, convey the shared vision of the organization, and ensure those in your leadership buy in to that vision. Your style will be shaped by aligning your goals with the bigger picture of the organization, and taking the best course of action to utilize the strengths of you team to achieve both.

October 12, 2018: The Evolution of My Educational Leadership Philosophy (Part III)

As a teacher, I was responsible for the students in my classroom. If our goal was to learn a particular set of facts or achieve a specific score on a state assessment, I could employ a number of strategies to encourage effort and participation. I could model desired behavior, processes, or results. I could even analyze performance data to pinpoint areas that needed improvement, provide feedback, and guide remediation. The ultimate challenge was for them to assume ownership of their studies, having them be responsible for what they invested into learning, so that they could claim the triumph in their achievements.

However, my role as a leader in the classroom ended with their summative performance. Of course, “adding value” to the students was part of our mission statement as an institution, and we could assign a certain value to improvements made, but they were being judged on their performance, and so was I. This model is difficult to function within at times, because you can do your best to prepare them for a task, but you can’t execute for them. Like being a coach, you will get credit for victories without ever taking the field, but you have to be willing to assume blame for defeat. If you don’t achieve success by traditional standards, it can be disheartening.

Being so close to the proverbial “tip of the spear” affected how I motivated, managed, and communicated with my players and students. In this role, my management style often failed my leadership responsibilities, because I became more focused on efficiency and results. I often found myself neglecting my obligation to nurture and inspire. (Murray, 2010) This was a misstep on my behalf, considering modern changes to the nature of organizational hierarchy and the importance of growing individuals.

October 15, 2018: The Evolution of My Educational Leadership Philosophy (Part IV)

It is important that leadership and management style work in conjunction with one another. The two must be symbiotic in order to recognize the value of each individual team member, encourage the development of their talents, and take advantage of their strengths. (Murray, 2010) In the classroom, my students’ performance has a direct effect on our campus and team goals, so my level of involvement as a manager has to reflect the emphasis placed on their performance, but my leadership did not always help them realize their potential and develop their talents for us to have success a group. While this is a philosophy that I completely buy into, it can difficult to find the right complementary balance of managing things and leading people. (Kruse, 2013)

Since leadership is not a function or responsibility based solely on title or pay grade, it will require an approach dependent on my ability to influence others rather than rely on authority or power. (Kruse, 2013) Communication is paramount, as you are responsible for relaying ideas and a shared vision both up and down the change of command. Though traditional hierarchical structure still exists, value should be given to both supervisors and subordinates alike to model effective communication.

As a school leader, you are no longer simply empowering students to achieve success, but by empowering other staff members, creating new leaders. This is a critical undertaking and the most important role of a principal in my opinion. It requires reflection and holding yourself to high standards in decision making. IN order to set an example for your team, you must act ethically and hold others to those standards. IN the future, my style of leadership will reflect what I value as an administrator and what we prioritize as a campus. In order to meet our goal, I will have to delegate responsibilities by identifying and utilizing the strengths of those around me. I will have to observe, assess, and recognize areas where improvement is needed, then commit to train staff that will positively impact their teaching. Ultimately, I will prepare and entrust them to be leaders in their own classrooms, and it’s the aspect of leadership that I will have to develop the most in assuming the title of an administrator.

Conclusion

There are many theories on how one comes about the ability to lead. It has been debated that the capacity to lead is inherent, as summarized in the Great Man Theory, and that there are certain traits that all great leaders share. You are either born with them or not. Others believe that it can be cultivated, and that you can learn leadership through the observation of others. (Cherry, 2014) I find myself believing that there’s no absolute truth, and it’s likely a little from column A, and a little from column B. As I continue in working toward my master’s degree, I believe that my approach to leadership will further evolve and take on some aspects of all the major theories. There are many things that I have learned on the subject that I will implement in my classroom during the mean time to help me grow as an educator. Because after all, leadership is as a skill that, like any other, can be refined and improved through practice.

References

Avolio, B.,Walumbwa, F., & Weber, T. (2009). Leadership: Current Theories, Research, and Future Directions. Annual Review of Psychology, 60, pp. 421-449. Doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163621

Cherry, K. (2014). The Eight Major Leadership Theories, retrieved from https://www.verywell.com/leadership-theories-2795323

Kruse, Kevin (2013). What is Leadership? Forbes Online, retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/04/09/what-is-leadership/#75a2a1bf5b90

Murray, Alan (2010). What is the Difference Between Management and Leadership? Adapted from The Wall Street Journal Guide to Management, retrieved from http://guides.wsj.com/management/developing-a-leadership-style/what-is-the-difference-between-management-and-leadership/

September 14, 2018 : Learning Manifesto

(This is the transcript of my video project, which you can view here.)

Space: The final frontier. When Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek over 50 years ago our society was obsessed with space. The US was locked in a heated race to the moon with the Soviet Union and astronauts were hailed as national heroes. To boys and girls sitting in classrooms in the 1960’s, Star Trek was the the ultimate fantasy. Thanks to innovative minds inspired by the pursuit of that frontier, we’ve advanced leaps and bounds in technology, and nowhere is that more evident that the field of communication. The phones we hold in your hands now have more power than the room sized IBM computers that calculated launch trajectories for the Apollo Space Program. We have a world of information available at our fingertips and the power to create has never been greater. Those classrooms have come a long way as well.

Here in the 21st century, learners in the digital age have evolved within a complex symbiosis created by the expanding knowledge that new technology provides, and their dependency on it. Our students have never known a world without smartphones, wifi, social media, and instant connectivity. This has altered learning in ways we couldn’t have imagined just 20 years ago when I was in school. The challenge for modern teachers is to be help cultivate the use of technology to develop a deeper understanding of content or apply it to creative expression in conjunction with learning. We are no longer limited to textbooks or worksheets for instruction and assessment, and we are not bound to the arts & crafts bin for the construction of meaningful projects. In order to survive and thrive, we as educators have to evolve too. We must learn to embrace technology as an enhancement rather than a distraction so that we can prepare our students to function in society with the same view.

I’m a firm believer in the old adage, “They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Building relationships is still the foundation of effective teaching, but If we embrace the use of technology in the classroom, it can be used in in addition to the strategies that we know work. We can still teach using a growth mindset and help develop it in our students, using technology to facilitate and provide structure for new and exciting challenges while keeping students engaged in their growth. We can use computer software to gamify our classes, designing activities that require strategy, cooperation, and the application of information. There’s also no limit to the things our students can create by puting digital tools in their hands and giving new meaning to “Learn By Doing.”

We have also never been better equipped to connect with students, parents and each other. With the introduction of learning management systems like blackboard and canvas, we not only have the ability to instruct online, but also have revolutionary platforms to discuss, offer meaningful feedback, and a space to reflect. Even social networks like twitter and pinterest have given global reach to our ability to collaborate as Professional Learning Communities.

But how do we manage all of the changes. How do we continue to ensure that our kids are in a better place in May than they were in September? We can’t lower our expectations of what they learn, but we will have to alter our approach to how they learn. For most of us age 35 or older, it’s going to require some compromise on finding a way to reach them where they are at. That’s where I find myself: old enough to remember the way it was and young enough to embrace the way it will be. I try as often as possible to innovate where I can, and rely on tried and true best practices when I can’t. I let my passion and a whole lot of pop culture references do the rest.

Leading learners in the information age is no different than it has been in the past, but there are some modern updates. We have to be proactive with our communication of expectations and establish norms for etiquette in the classroom. My campus has adopted the use of a cell phone holder in every classroom to minimize the temptation of cellular distraction while we teach personal responsibility and reinforce the positive behaviors we want our students to exhibit. It’s also the role of all teachers to model healthy digital citizenship across all subject areas while encouraging both academic and personal maturity in our hallways.

The utilization of technology and digital learning doesn’t have to replace the traditional classroom, rather just become an extension of it. There are an infinite number of ways to use technology across content and grade level. From creating independent learning stations, to participating in online investigations or digital anchor activities, technology can enrich every aspect of learning, even providing updated models for positive social interaction between peers which remains a fundamental component to adolescent growth.

Although times are changing, kids are still kids. They are full of wonder and potential, and as educators, we must be good stewards of those qualities. We may not reach the stars in our lifetime, but we must ensure that it remains a possibility in theirs, even if that means boldly going where we we’ve never been before.

August 30, 2018: Selling Kids on Their Future

Have you ever seen a stock brokers that make a living cold calling people and convincing them to invest in the next big thing? The hard sell is always the same; the more they invest the more money there is to be made. Teaching is not much different than that. What we’re selling is the “yet” but it’s not always very alluring. If we want to reach kids, we have to convince them on the value of where they will be be at the end of the day, unit, or year. We have to persuade them to shed their doubts and buy in to the process that's going to get them to where they want to be. This model hasn’t changed in 2018, but in the digital age, our young learners want immediate satisfaction with minimal investment. With middle school age kids especially, belief, positivity, and effort are always in short supply. These things are the capital that we need to help grow them to their “yet,” so we’ve gotta up our game as salesmen. That initial investment is most often the hardest, and the key to unlocking all of it is the growth mindset.

The average American can only invest money in the stock market that he/she doesn’t need to survive. But that little extra is going to grow in ways money spent on necessities won’t. It’s the same in the classroom, as the effort you give to just get by doesn’t separate you from your peers at all or get you any closer to real success. It’s when we really apply ourselves to change that we experience the greatest amount of growth. I teach a career technology class, so I have the flexibility to talk about how what we do translates to the real world, and how life seldom rewards you for doing what you’re “supposed” to do. It is discouraging at times when dealing with kids that don’t see the value of effort or only want to work for an immediate reward. I try to convey to them just like a stock broker would, that the more they do to practice, the better they will get at it.

Not only do we have to get kids invested in what they’re learning, but we’ve got to keep them engaged. We can’t let failures or setbacks derail them from their yet, and we have to keep them believing they will get there. In my class I’ve used examples from #shareyourrejection on twitter to show my kids what they can accomplish if their belief in what they can accomplish is matched by their effort to go out and do it. One of my favorites is from Jim Lee, who was rejected as an comic artist a multitude of times before breaking into the business. He went on to create the biggest selling single issue in the history of comics, and is now the Chief Creative Officer for DC Entertainment. (https://twitter.com/JimLee/status/1030768242631954432)

I’ve always had the mindset that talent+effort=success. If you lacked talent, then you had to make up the rest in effort. Learning about the growth mindset a few years ago, I realized that with effort, talent can increase. It changed the way I thought about problem solving and my approach to teaching. I stopped assessing with the purpose of pointing out what was wrong, but rather where my students could make it better. Even today, I met with students on projects to offer feedback and allow them to make changes before they submit to me a finished version. I want them to have as many opportunities to be successful as possible, but throw in a window to fail while the stakes are low as well. In almost every case, discovering what doesn’t works is often as valuable as success. I know that I still haven’t reached my “yet” as a teacher, but as I grow, I’m reminded of a quote by legendary football coach Vince Lombardi. “Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.”

July 30, 2018: Teaching the Digital Learner

Learners in the digital age suffer from a complex symbiosis created by the expanding knowledge that new technology provides, and their dependency on it. The students in our classrooms right now have access to tools and information that enhance learning in ways we couldn’t have imagined just 20 years ago when I was in school. The challenge for modern teachers is to be help cultivate those skills to develop a deeper understanding of content or apply them to creative expression in conjunction with learning. We are no longer limited to the textbooks or worksheets for delivery and assessment, and we are not bound to the arts & crafts bin for the construction of meaningful projects.

Schools at the forefront of digital learning embrace these various new means of communication, both internally and externally. Whether it is via social media or the employment of a learning management system, the virtual classroom, and thus connectivity, is just a click away. Of course, the flip side of that coin is how well the students can effectively solve problems in the absence of the technology they have come to depend on. We as teachers have to be the biggest ambassadors and strategist when it comes to making this new paradigm work for us. We have to evolve to best serve them and above all else, stress that learning is a lifelong process regardless of the technology available.

June 27, 2018: Formative Assessment and PLCs

Since education is always evolving, the movement to utilize formative assessment as a teaching tool is growing. When used correctly, it can be used as a guide to move learning forward. By utilizing several quick assessment techniques, a teacher can identify the current level of learning of his or her students and providing valuable feedback to determine the next steps in helping those students reach the desired learning goal. (Heritage, 2007)

This shift is being implemented on campuses with the help of technology in many cases with the use of tools such as kahoot and quizlet, and the growth of learning management systems (LMS) like blackboard and canvas. With change also come opposition and the opportunity to help teachers grow as educators. In most instances, this involves professional development to geared at deepening content knowledge or introducing new instructional techniques. A key addition to this step is the cultivation of positive attitude towards change and the coaching of teachers through the process to ensure desired results. (Joyce & Showers, 2003)

While campus budgets don’t normally allow for the individual coaching of each teacher, the popularity of PLC or Professional Learning Communities has grown as method of facilitating these changes. In building based groups, teachers rely on each other’s expertise and feedback to develop and refine plans for classroom activities. By taking modeled examples into their respective classrooms, the PLC can meet and discussed what worked, what didn’t, and what changes need to be made to maximize the effectiveness of formative assessment. (William, 2007-08)

As an administrator, the use use of formative assessment is something that can be implemented to target growth in specific target areas. However, if it is something that will be high on your list of expectations for teachers, professional development should be provided so that they better understand the reasoning behind it. Also, modeling these techniques and giving educators an opportunity to observe their peers in action can coincide with the PLCs to help make this an effective addition to your campus action plan.

June 1, 2018: The Value of the Warm-Up

As I finish year number 11 in education, I am reflecting on what has changed over my time in the classroom. There is one example of how my personal teaching style has evolved that comes to mind immediately. After teaching history for 9 years, I made the switch to career and technology education August of 2016. I had always run my classroom in a very specific way, but because of the nature of my new role, I wasn’t sure much would translate. One of the constants in my class had always been the warm-up. I would have a few questions on the board when students came in at the beginning of class. They would need to read back in their notes to answer these questions, not only for retention, but to set the stage for next part of the story. It set the tone for class everyday.

Currently my students work at modular stations and while they work with a partner, I can have up 12 different pairs doing 12 different assignments at a time. It is hard to find common ground between the groups, and because of this, I discounted the need for a warm-up.

It only took about a month before I realized my students needed that structure, and the only thing they needed to know coming in was that learning was about to take place. I started incorporating math and science TEKS to problem solving, and visual brain teasers as a means to immediately get the gears in their minds turning. They all want to be the one to solve the problem, I’ve captured their attention for instruction, and they are improving critical thinking skills. It has made all the difference in the year since.

April 26, 2018: Let's Review

I have the luxury of teaching in a classroom designed to prepare students for the challenges of life ahead, and I task them to treat class like they would a job. Instead of the notion that everyone starts with a 100, and you lose points based on performance, I treat the report card like a paycheck. You must show up on time, be prepared, and complete your assignments with quality and in a timely manner. In short, they must earn what they get on their report card, and I find them far more motivated to succeed this way. I even have an “employee of the week’ board to recognize students going above and beyond.

However, for the majority of my career I taught 7th and 8th grade history. Motivation and success were hard to come by with a group of very disinterested 13 year-olds. During my tenure there, I found that when it comes to the commitment of knowledge to memory, you can never underestimate the value of competition to motivate students. A former colleague and myself would often present at district wide staff development on new and inventive games to play in class to review concepts. We would have classes compete as individuals, on teams, or as a whole group against another period. We found that in elimination games we played like Around the World, the kids that needed the most review were the first eliminated. They would disconnect from the activity and gained nothing from everyone else’s enthusiasm.

To tackle the problem, we created a game called Battle Ship, in which the class was divided into two teams. Instead of being eliminated for not knowing an answer, your team could sink a member of the other team with each question you answered correctly. This made the super star students the target of opposing teams and kept lower students engaged in the game longer. We eventually found that balance was needed between the two types of competition because some of our super star students needed a moment to shine, especially if they struggled in other subjects and history was their forte. You can find examples of some of these games in the presentation section of my web site.

March 28, 2018: Hitting the Mark with Effective Staff Development

I think most educational leaders would agree that time used to develop a staff is very valuable. The days that are built into any school calendar have to be utilized to maximize the abilities of the teachers, and that means making staff development useful and worthwhile. At the foundation of this, is the need for any development program to be data driven and meticulously implemented.

When I was a young teacher in a core subject, I hated data. I found it particularly boring and pointless, especially creating heat maps of our STAAR data. Over the years, I have evolved to see its value, not just to dictate instruction, but to pinpoint where we should be focusing our efforts for personal growth. Without it, we are just blindly throwing darts at the board, hoping to hit a bulls-eye and solve the problem. There are some wonderful opportunities for staff development out there every week, but if they don’t target a specific learning need on your campus, or a deficiency among your teachers, they are a waste of time.

I would compare it to NASA in the 1960’s when they were developing the Saturn Rocket Program. The rockets became much more useful once they developed the math on how to aim them. They literally carried us to the Moon. And that's what data does for planning. It’s a high tech targeting system for meeting needs. It can mined from attendance, common assessments, benchmarks, state assessments, science fair participation, or what books are checked out most from the library. You just let it tell you where you should focus.

The other half of that coin is implementation. Most of us are used to new programs or areas of annual focus being rolled out in August during back to school in-service. This usually sets the stage for a year-long undertaking meant to target a need on campus (hopefully through data). While the training itself is important, it’s the follow-up that can be the linchpin to success. Educational leaders have to set high expectations for what they want to see in the classrooms, and if they want it to be successful, they have to model it, observe it, and offer feedback to help refine it.

It may not be possible for a head principal to demonstrate and discuss every single expectation, but there should be a training team that he/she can refer teachers to for more in-depth collaboration if needed. Also, the principal should be able to identify outstanding work or innovation through the framework of the staff development and recognize educators that are successfully implementing new strategies. In the perfect scenario, the principal would provide those teachers the opportunity to share their successes and insights with the rest of the staff. This could help encourage those that might be struggling with implementation and offer a different approach than they had attempted.

February 27, 2018: Cultivating Creativity

Right now my students are learning the basics of digital animation using both Google Slides and the Google Stop Motion Animation app, a chrome browser add-on. Watching them discover what is possible when you know how to manipulate an object and make it move on film has made for a rewarding few days in class. I’ve tried to make it easy on them by giving them a template to follow, but promising that they’d get to create their own later this week. If they can follow the directions of the module, they’ll only be limited by their imagination on the project.

I’m now halfway through handing out the rubric and explaining, for the next few class periods they will get to create an animation using any of the techniques we’ve learned over the last few days. Some greet this challenge with jubilee, and there’s no doubt that they will do great work once they fully embrace the criteria of the rubric. But there were an alarming number of students in my room that looked like they had just seen Pennywise giving Freddy Krueger a shoulder rub. They seemed mortified at the notion of expressing themselves creatively.

I think that most of my students have enjoyed the assignments of the last week, but they were learning the basics and creating a finished product within a more defined parameter. Having to come up with their own story and animate it really intimidated some. Several asked me directly, “What are we supposed to do?” I had this problem anytime I tried to get creative with the kids when I was teaching 7th and 8th grade history. I tried to explain projects and walk students through instructions as best I could, but I grew weary of creating examples because students would just copy them. I tried to employ different strategies over the course of my tenure as a teacher of a tested core subject. Sadly, I fell to the pressures of testing and pace of the curriculum, and every year, I abandoned those creatively charged activities for the sake of time. This was a mistake.

My thoughts on how the nature of high stakes testing has stunted the creativity growth of our children would take up multiple blog posts, but instead of pointing fingers at what caused the problem, let's talk about how to address it. Creativity is like many other parts of our personality, is naturally occuring. But just like LeBron James natural aptitude for basketball, creativity has to be cultivated. In order to see a change, we, as educators, have got to give the students opportunities to flex their creative muscles in the classroom.

If we want our kids to form stronger connections with the content, we’ve got to put the power to create in their hands. Then, they are not just learning. They are using what they’ve learned, and they’re doing. Which sees like the point of education in the first place. Luckily we are currently seeing the maker movement make a strong push into the realm of education. I am encouraged to see what inventive techniques that are being used at the elementary level to restore the balance between rote learning and creative thinking

It is a lofty goal, but you will need a plan to scaffold the different levels of creativity when you start. Remember that assistance and opportunity go hand in hand. Even Walt Disney had a room full of artists to bounce Ideas off of when he was starting out in the 1920s. I’m relearning that right now as I attempt new and more ambitious projects. I have very great mentors that have helped me develop plans and rubrics that give the kids the guidance they need to grow creatively. Some of my kids will need more than others, but with a little direction, they can all come to the same end result. Hopefully that's a smile on their face and a project they can be proud of.

February 12, 2018- TCEA

I just returned from my first TCEA conference in Austin, and I pumped to put what I've learned to good use. (Including how to build using Google Sites!) I was inspired by several of the presenters and a close colleague to get out there and do more in the field of Instructional Technology, so I'm using this space to organize my thoughts, videos, lessons, and more for the future.

Please click the link below the banner to follow me on Twitter. There you'll also find the link to my YouTube channel, where I post fun educational videos for my students, and my storefront on Teacher Pay Teacher. I have a decade worth of resources that I created for 7th Grade Texas History and 8th Grade U.S. History available there, and Ill be adding some technology resources soon.