Learning Along the Way

I have to admit this is the third post I have attempted to write in the past few weeks since we have been home due to COVID-19.

Wanting to write something meaningful, but going through the same struggles as many in adjusting to a new normal has given me pause.  I’ve had some wonderful moments having extra time with my family and connecting with others in new ways, but there have also been moments of feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and unsure of what my role is as a school leader.  Having never been through something like this I’m just trying to figure it all out as much as the next person.

In the spirit of newness and we’re all in this together, here are my greatest takeaways so far:

Start with simplicity and then build from there.

This is new for everyone.  Kids, parents, and educators need to learn and adjust to the new routine.  There will also be a learning curve for the tech piece for some.  Create a simple template that follows a pattern and uses some foundational technology that you plan on using throughout the time kids are learning at home.  Spend the first few days making sure that everyone can use the technology and provide assistance when needed. Creating or linking tutorial videos can also be helpful for avoiding some of the technology confusion.  Many educators I have spoken with have said that this is where most of the questions came in the first few days.

Once the routine is established, you can start to add in more new to what you have created.  If you are concerned that some students need more of a challenge at this time, add in some optional activities so that all kids can have their needs met.

Relationships are more important than ever.

One of the greatest losses that students are experiencing at this time is the sense of community.  Whether it’s a virtual meeting, a phone call, an email, or a handwritten note, reach out to students regularly to see how they are doing beyond academics.  At Jefferson, my teachers have used Zoom or Google Hangouts to get everyone together as a class.   Although not a live form of connection, they have also used Seesaw for communication and inviting students to share what they have been working on.  We want students to continue to learn during this time, but placing an emphasis on the relationship first will lead to a stronger ability for students to do that.

You can never communicate too much.

During times of uncertainty, people need communication more than ever.  Last week I started virtual daily announcements on our social media platforms for the purpose of keeping a routine and helping families to continue to feel connected to Jefferson.  Just like our in-school announcements, I recognized birthdays and shared important information about virtual activities for the day.  This will continue throughout our time at home as a vehicle for both daily connection and communication.  Our teachers will be sending out a communication to families at the beginning of each day letting them know important information for the day.  Additionally, families will continue to receive my weekly communication with both school and district information.

Beyond communicating about “all the things,” it’s also important to remember to let people know that we are all a team in this process.  Many of our families have two parents now working from home and maybe feeling overwhelmed at the thought of also now being a full-time teacher.   Reassure families that if they don’t know how to help their students in something they are working on that is okay.   Letting families know that we are here to help and providing communication channels for when they need help is also incredibly important.

Regular reflection to move forward.

Reflection is an important skill at any time, but during this unprecedented time in the world, taking time to reflect is more important than ever.  In the beginning, I spent a lot of time thinking about my role as a school leader at this time and what I could do to make my greatest contribution to our Jefferson community.   As a result, I have spent most of my days focusing on connection and communication.  Each day I reflect on the day’s process, what went well, and what I could have improved upon.

Additionally, I’ve thought a lot about this experience and what might we learn that we can bring back when we return to our regular school schedule. (whenever that may be)  What has really stood out to me so far is the home school connection and how much this has brought us all together.  I actually feel so much more in touch with our families as a result of this experience because I’m seeing or hearing about home life so much more.   I see possibilities for more creation of a shared vision and a greater partnership with the home when we return as a result.

I think about teaching practices as well.  Learning at this time has caused us to focus on what is essential, instead of trying to do it all.  We’ve focused more on relationships and connecting with one another.  We’re building on what we know works well with our students, but we’re also taking more risks.  We’ve incorporated more technology than ever.  How might that impact our planning and instruction when we return?

One Last Thought

We’re all trying to make meaning out of our new existence.  Do the best that you can.  When you are stuck, reach out to a friend or a colleague (hopefully both).  If you’re a parent, no teacher is out there judging you if you don’t get all of the math or Seesaw post 2 done.  If you are an educator, it’s okay to reach out to your principal and say, I’m overwhelmed, I need help.  If you need to spend a day just connecting with your own children that’s okay.  If you need to spend some time just doing something you love all by yourself, that’s okay too. (I mean, if you have kids, you might want to talk your partner about your plan to retreat to the basement to binge-watch Tiger King and eat a box of chocolate first so you don’t reappear with a live re-enactment of Lord of the Flies occurring in your living room.)  This is a time to give yourself grace, and also extend that courtesy to others.   

 

 

 

What Is My Principal Really Looking for in my Summative?

It’s that time of year where many educators (myself included) are preparing to meet with their administrator for the glorious summative meeting.  Throughout my career, I’ve experienced a wide variety of these that have been anything from a short five-minute conversation to an hour-long meeting where I was required to bring a binder of evidence and plan to talk about my data for at least half of it.

Even when I received a lot of direction for what to prepare for, I never really felt like I knew what I’d be walking into other than some sort of rating at the end along with information on whether I’d be hired back for the following year.  Now that I’m on the other side of the fence so to speak I thought I’d help out my fellow educators and tell a little bit about what many administrators are looking for when we meet to talk with you  at your summative.

A Reflective Conversation

One of the most important qualities an educator can have is being highly reflective.  At this meeting, we want to hear your thoughts on your teaching for the year, both positive and areas for growth.  My assistant principal and I ask our teachers to come prepared to talk about examples of their strengths as well as areas for growth, favorite lessons this year, a student who has grown the most, a student who continues to be a concern, and progress towards the goals they set at the beginning of the year.  We don’t expect a portfolio, but we do want to have an in-depth conversation about the reasons why our teachers chose the examples they brought.  This allows us to see how they reflect on their practice as well as gives us an opportunity to talk about ways we can support them if they need it.  (p.s. Tying in the examples you give to the school goals or vision is an excellent strategy!)

A Celebration

A summative meeting is definitely a place for a celebration!  Even though the meetings typically take place 2/3 of the year through, there are plenty of examples of great things happening in classrooms.  To prepare for the meeting, my assistant principal and I write a narrative with specific examples from each domain.  At the meeting we share this with our teachers in a more casual conversational format.  Be prepared to smile as your administrator shares all of the good stuff with you! It’s wonderful being able to share specific examples of things our teachers do really well. 

An Opportunity to Grow

In addition to celebrating you, expect some feedback from your administrator regarding your practice.  When I asked my school leadership team what they wanted in the summative meeting, the most common trend was that applicable and actionable feedback was most important to them.  Because of this feedback, as I prepare for the meeting I always have the Danielson components in front of me as well as notes from my visits to my teachers’ classrooms throughout the year.  I then write up a few specific ideas for the teacher that will elevate the work they are already doing.  Your administrator will probably want to know your thoughts on their ideas so think about how you might implement their idea or questions you have regarding their feedback.  The feedback portion is another way to demonstrate that you are a reflective educator who considers growth an important part of teaching.  

Feedback for Me

I view this meeting as an opportunity for my own growth as well so I always end the meeting with an opportunity for my teachers to give feedback and ask questions.  This helps me to get better at my job as well as understand the needs of the building that I might not have considered.  Even if your administrator does not directly ask for it, I recommend coming to your meeting prepared to share ideas you have.  

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I know that many people worry about the summative meeting because it’s where educators receive their rating and if untenured, communication about whether they’ll be back next year.   This definitely is a component of the meeting, but for my admin team at least, it’s not the focus.  Our greatest goal is to get to know our teachers and students best.  As much as we try to be in classrooms, we don’t always catch some of the things in the highlight reel or things that we could help with.  Summative meetings are an opportunity for us to see more of the good and the work being done in classrooms as well as continue to grow through reflection.  

If you are currently preparing for a summative meeting, please remember, it’s all about being able to brag a little, reflect a little and impact the culture of the building through your feedback.  Walk in proud, prepared to share all of the amazing stuff you’ve been doing!  Your administrator is looking forward to getting to celebrate with you!

 

  

Who’s Doing the Thinking?

It’s no secret.  Education is a “mile-wide, inch-deep” endeavor with new ideas about what’s best cropping up in district initiatives all over the nation.  Some people attribute this to caring deeply about students and wanting what’s best for kids.  Others say the world is changing quickly and it is our responsibility to keep up.  Whatever the reason it seems like anywhere between two and ten new things are being added into initiative soup each year.  

With so many options to choose from, I’ve found myself frequently wondering how do we know what to focus on?  

A visit to my school this week from education author and presenter, Eric Sheninger, helped to shine light on the answer to this question. Initially, we were told his purpose was to visit our schools to do a “tech audit” of how the staff is integrating technology in the classrooms.  He did come into our classrooms and give us feedback on this,  but shared that his real purpose was to look at the level of thinking that was occurring in students, technology or not.  Essentially, his driving question was, 

“Who’s doing the thinking?”

I love how simple this question is, and yet how impactful it can be on any lesson. It transcends ideology as well as level and gets to the heart of what we want students to do in a lesson, become independent.  If we are the ones constantly doing the thinking for students then how will this ever occur?  

With adults, it’s the same concept.  As an administrator or coach, if I’m the one who’s doing all of the talking during a coaching session or professional learning experience, how am I really empowering my staff to continue the work when I’m not there?  

I challenge you this week as you are planning to ask yourself, who is really doing most of the thinking in this work?  If it’s more you than them, I encourage you to shift what you are doing, or just don’t do the activity at all.

Some small shifts you can make to increase the thinking in your learners:

• Make sure that students know what the success criteria of the lesson and the work they are doing.  Have them evaluate themselves at the beginning of the lesson as well as at the end.  If you’re feeling really awesome develop the success criteria with the students.  This lessens the number of, “Did I do this right? Am I done?” questions.
• Incorporate more peer discussion where students have to defend their thinking in response to a question, prompt, or idea.  Have students share their ideas and invite the class to evaluate the validity of the ideas.
• Talk less.  Pause more.  Thinking takes time.  I know it can be insanely awkward to wait, but when we rescue students at the first sign of struggle we are giving them the message that they are not capable and need someone to rescue them.  Pre-plan questions that you might ask to students who you know might struggle with the work so that they get there on their own.  
•  Plan for activities that have multiple paths of success.  It is rare that I have ever seen a worksheet or graphic organizer do this.  I know that many curriculum come with these handy options and understand why they are frequently used, but if we are really examining the level of thinking it’s usually just filling in blanks and boxes to win the school game instead of deepening or extending learning.  
• Make kids the creators.  Some of the best learning I have seen is when a teacher asks students to design something on their own based on their understanding of the learning target.  

By focusing more on increasing the level of thinking in our learners, and less on perfecting the latest initiative, we create a system for success that will transcend any subject, learning style or mandate.  As Todd Whitaker says, it’s people, not programs that make the difference in education.

How Do We Change The Way Students Experience Learning?

Curious.

When you have a moment to yourself throughout the day, (driving in the car, running on the treadmill, when the sun is rising and you’re just waking up) what does your mind go to?  In the past, it’s been anything from how can I get ALL of my students excited about reading to imagining myself singing an epic (most likely 80’s) song on stage with a live band.

Lately though I’ve been reflecting a lot on my last post about the purpose of education.  A former instructional coach and now administrator, I’m always thinking about the practical end of my ideas.   The questions that seem to be recurring most are:

•  What is the core foundation of instructional practices in a school that values creating meaningful learning experiences that build on strengths and develop students’ passions?
• How do I actually go about making this vision of a learner-driven education a reality?  More specifically…
  • What structures need to be in place? (schedule, student grouping, learning spaces, etc)
  • What are the mindsets and values of the leaders and learners in this type of school and how can I help to develop them if they are not already there?
  • What shifts should be prioritized first?

So I was blown away when I started listening to a recent Modern Learners podcast (if you are not listening to this podcast you are seriously missing out) where the hosts, Will Richardson and Bruce Dixon, interviewed Megan Power, a teacher who had not only explored these questions and more, but had been part of designing and opening a PUBLIC school that was actually DOING all of these things.

Located in San Diego, Design39Campus, is part of the POWAY School District.  Its inception story is similar to many public schools around the country.  Because of the growing number of homes being built in the area, a new school was needed to help with overcrowding in other buildings.

That’s pretty much where the similarities stop.

Instead of building a school that mirrored the others in this high performing district, the superintendent took this as an opportunity to go beyond what they had done before.  With this in mind, he put together a team with a very specific challenge, how do we change the way we do school?  The team took this question a step further and asked…

“How do we change the way students experience learning?”

The result of a deep exploration of this one question is what has built the foundation of this incredible school:

“Learning experiences are designed with the individual learner in mind. As a collaborative community, we nurture creative confidence, practice design thinking, learn through inquiry, connect globally, use technology and real-world tools, and promote the courage and growth mindset necessary to change the world.”

This approach has not only impacted traditional academic metrics (Their 6th-8th grade students consistently outscore the other students in the district on standardized tests.), but the mindset of the students as well.  Instead of being excited when they have days off of school, parents are reporting that their students are actually upset not being able to attend.

Lessons Learned & Ideas to Emulate

Rather than rehash the entire episode, I’d rather focus on the big takeaways related to the questions I have been reflecting upon lately.

1.  Time & Design Thinking

The first thing that really stood out to me was the amount of time that Megan Power and the team took to think deeply and explore every possible avenue related to their big question.  Using a design thinking approach they “threw every piece of the education puzzle onto the floor” and reflected on each piece to see what worked and what they might want to change.  Because of a grant, the members of the team were had an entire year out of the classroom to focus solely on this endeavor.

It has been my experience that in education we have a bit of the “Squirrel!” mentality where we jump from one new idea to another without really delving in deeply to explore why we want to implement the initiative.  Even worse, we don’t take the time needed to explain the purpose and build the capacity of those who will be implementing said initiative.  This results in either shallow implementation confusion or overwhelmed colleagues which inevitably leads to push-back from many.

2.  Building a Shared Vision

One of the models of complex change that I continually come back to use in reflection is from Ambrose. 

In order for complex change to occur, the five elements above must be woven into the work.  If one is not present, then any of the five items on the right will occur.

One thing that the founders of Design39Campus did exceptionally well is build a shared vision and understanding among ALL of its stakeholders before even opening its doors.  This started with parents.

Instead of telling parents what Design39Campus was going to be all about they held community nights where they asked participants what they wanted for their students and for the school.  Attendees were asked to respond to the following:

• Imagine a place where students could…
• Then we need teachers who…
• Then we need leaders who…
• Then we need parents who…
• What skills do parents use in their jobs all the time?

They wanted this to be an open forum so, in addition to holding multiple events, they collected every single post-it response created, typed them up, and posted them online.  Their goal wasn’t to convince the community that they had all the answers, it was about getting their input so they could help decide what their school could be.

And it wasn’t just about getting their input in the beginning, the parents continue to be a partner in learning. They regularly hold workshops for parents and also share articles, videos and books aligned with the vision.  Parents are frequently asked for feedback and this feedback is incorporated into the workings of the school.  It is a continual collaboration between the community and the school.  On their website, there is a plethora of information including a genius glossary of all of the terms they use in their school that includes everything from instructional approaches to places in the building.

3.  Getting “The Right People on the Bus”

Because they were building a school from a design thinking perspective, the team knew that they needed the right type of educators to become a part of the team.  They wanted to hire teachers and leaders who were creators, innovators, and risk takers who would create deep learning experiences for students that would foster curiosity.  With this in mind, they changed the titles of teacher and administrator to Learning Experience Designer and Lead Designer.  I love how this small change already creates a different mindset of what each of these roles has traditionally meant.

If they were looking for a different type of educator, they realized that they needed to rethink their hiring process as well.  A three-part process, the goal was to really get to know the educators personally and see how they worked in a team dynamic.  The teachers would be meeting for an hour daily to reflect on practice and design learning experiences together so the ability to collaborate was critical to the success of the students and the school.

The first part of the hiring process they had teachers submit something called an E-Tell where could create anything they wanted to tell the school about themselves. In the next stage, selected applicants were asked to participate in a design challenge where they worked on a team to design a lesson.  The finalists from this stage were then invited back to participate in an interview with a group, but even this was more targeted at getting to know them as a person outside of the school setting rather than their curricular expertise.

4.  Deep Dives, Explorations & Integrated Learning Time

One of the trickiest dilemmas that I have reflected upon most often in this journey is how to balance building content knowledge and skills with fostering students’ passions and curiosities.  In addition, I have always wondered how do we help students to discover new passions in addition to the ones that they are currently interested in?  This delicate balance is an area that Design39Campus does incredibly well.

Design39Campus does not have a set curriculum that students must master at the same time each year, however, they do teach content.

“Yes, your children will learn phonics, write on lined paper, and learn how to read and do math. It is our plan to make those learning opportunities engaging and interesting for them so they never lose the joy of learning. Filling out stacks of homework packets is not what we are about.”

I can only imagine the conversations that inspired this quote. 🙂

The way they accomplish this is, instead of breaking up the day into subjects, which puts a focus on content areas, their school day is broken up into Deep Dives, Explorations and Integrated Learning Time.

Integrated Learning Time is when students learn content and build skills.  Just like it sounds, subjects are taught together as part of a broader question that the students explore.  This creates connected understanding and more greatly models the way the world works outside of school.  During Deep Dives students are able to explore a passion of their choosing in an academic setting.  Design39Campus has partnered with local businesses to create a wide variety of options.  Finally, students go to Explorations.  This is where they get to try new things that they might be interested in exploring more deeply later.

5.  Constant Learning

Everyone at Design39Campus views themselves as perpetual learners.  As Megan Power explained,  “they are going to be like a start-up forever.”  Because of this, they are constantly asking questions, reflecting and learning together.  Teachers observe one another’s practice.  They go and observe in other schools.  They even have time that they spend in local businesses to better understand the work that they are preparing students for.

With design thinking, you are focusing on solving a problem through the lens of the people that the solution will serve.  They spent the first institute day of this school year investigating the question, “What is learning?” demonstrating that, even though they have been doing this for five years, they know there are ideas to ponder and questions to explore that will even better the learning experiences for their students.  Although they have created an amazing model they know they can always improve.

A Step Further in Answering My Big Questions

This podcast was extremely helpful in coming up with some answers to the questions I have been exploring lately.  I especially love how a design thinking approach permeated the entire school from the start to current practice.  If you’re an administrator like me you’re probably wondering though, how could I come close to replicating this in a school that is already established?

Going back to the work of Ambrose, I believe it starts with creating a shared vision.  Because the founders of Design39Campus took the time to build a shared vision with all stakeholders, they created momentum for success for the future as well as greatly diminished a large push back to change.

It doesn’t just stop with vision though, a plan has to be created with specific ideas for not only actions to be taken, but knowledge to be gained by all stakeholders.  If it’s a vision similar to Design39Campus’, then part of the plan has to be building capacity in learning experience design.  When the majority of our educators went to college they were taught how to manage time, follow a curriculum and teach for understanding.  The type of learning experiences we are expecting teachers to create in this type of school involves asking big questions, giving powerful feedback and starting with the learner in mind as opposed to the curriculum.

We can’t just expect educators to make this shift overnight.  We have to build their capacity in a way that is meaningful and builds upon their strengths. We won’t be able to do any of this effectively if we don’t get to know the needs of those whom we serve first.

It may seem counterintuitive, but when I think about the structures that need to be in place I’m not sure that question can be answered prior to building vision and capacity first.  One thing that I think will definitely be a part of the plan if we are going to teach from a broader perspective is larger stretches of time for students to work as opposed to segmenting the day up into smaller chunks.  However, without building the common vision and understanding of why we need to do this the result will be a shallow change in instruction. Additionally, I would envision a large amount of push-back from parents and staff.

One of the most important takeaways from the entire podcast is that to truly do this well takes time.  Give yourself permission.

Explore.  Imagine.  Create.  Reflect.

Enjoy the journey.

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from their website:

“Because of what we do, our kids don’t just ask about the who, what, and where, but they ask about the why.”

What the educators at Design39Campus are truly empowering students to do is to be eternally curious learners.  And for me, that’s what makes all the difference.

Thanks for reading.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts.  Christina