I enjoyed reading this book as I felt that it grounded me at various points. While the book was about leading a school, it was also about leading people like us-- teachers who have visions and want their voice heard. It reminded me at many points that leading a school is a very difficult thing, and as Evans points out at the end of his book, it is about the "journey and not the destination."
I had a very hard time finding a specific quote or passage to cite as one that really struck me, but after searching through all of my annotations, I found on page 73, "They [savvy school leaders] set an example of perseverance, but not of perfectionism... they do for teachers what the best teachers do for students: they make it safe to try; they honor effort; and they celebrate meaningful growth, small and large, whenever it occurs." This passage reminded me of a message I heard a lot when I was a resident assistant in college, and it was that as leaders, you live in a fishbowl. People can see everything that you do, and they watch everything that you do. While you are in that fishbowl, you are expected to do everything perfectly, and when you make a mistake, it is magnified by your position (or the water and glass around you). One of the other aspects of the fishbowl, is that you are often in it yourself, surrounded by some inanimate objects and not much to guard you from the outside world and those looking at you through the distorted glass and water. As teachers, we are in a fishbowl, but as a school leader, we are in an even larger fishbowl. Evans reminded me to not expect to be perfect, persevere towards your goals and recognize that the journey is more important than the destination.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Week 2 QQC-- Student Voice on A High School Decisionmaking Team and Explorer
The last few days of my senior elective has led me to recognize the value of every year, with a new group of students, you must work to create a classroom environment that values the voices of all and works to engage all students to recognize the values of listening and respect for each other. At the beginning of the year, when I looked at my classroom roster, I recognized many of the names of students that I have had in the past and have had a relationship with. I thought that as they entered my class this fall, they would not have forgotten my values and the classroom values that we had in our courses last year. Today in class, I had a moment when I realized that they were not listening to each other and were disrespecting each other's ideas. While I value and appreciate the dialogue and discussion that takes place in this course, it had quickly turned to debate and they were beginning to attack each other instead of discussing each other's ideas. I stopped the class, addressed my concerns, and then ended class early.
The reason I include this event in my response this week is because while completing the readings on Friday night, I realized that I failed in class today. I realized that I made some mistakes and some assumptions at the beginning of the year and did not work as hard to establish the caring classroom climate with my seniors that we had last year as juniors. There was a passage in the "Student Voice" chapter that forced me to question my decisions over the last few weeks. In the article, Evans presents his ideas about management and shares that, "... just because we live in what many refer to as the greatest democracy in the world, it does not mean we are born with the skills required to be active and engaged participants," (p. 174). This forced me to ask if I just assumed that my students would remember the "skills" they learned last year and remember the expectations we had established over the course of a year together. Also, in looking at the articles this week, I was inspired by the "mindful practices" that Explorer Elementary includes in its school culture. A part that spoke to me was, "Our challenge to ourselves was to draw out the implicit habits of mind that we valued in our daily practice..." I forgot to explicitly work with my seniors on making sure they knew the habits that would make for a positive classroom culture, and I do not think I will ever forget to do it again. Even if I want to spend more time reading and discussing and thinking about these challenging topics, I will not forget to spend time building this culture.
The reason I include this event in my response this week is because while completing the readings on Friday night, I realized that I failed in class today. I realized that I made some mistakes and some assumptions at the beginning of the year and did not work as hard to establish the caring classroom climate with my seniors that we had last year as juniors. There was a passage in the "Student Voice" chapter that forced me to question my decisions over the last few weeks. In the article, Evans presents his ideas about management and shares that, "... just because we live in what many refer to as the greatest democracy in the world, it does not mean we are born with the skills required to be active and engaged participants," (p. 174). This forced me to ask if I just assumed that my students would remember the "skills" they learned last year and remember the expectations we had established over the course of a year together. Also, in looking at the articles this week, I was inspired by the "mindful practices" that Explorer Elementary includes in its school culture. A part that spoke to me was, "Our challenge to ourselves was to draw out the implicit habits of mind that we valued in our daily practice..." I forgot to explicitly work with my seniors on making sure they knew the habits that would make for a positive classroom culture, and I do not think I will ever forget to do it again. Even if I want to spend more time reading and discussing and thinking about these challenging topics, I will not forget to spend time building this culture.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
QQC-Cushman's Fires in the Mind
There were many sections of this book that spoke to me as an educator, but one that I believe directly connects to my practice was the criteria for a first-rate project on page 144. At High Tech High we talk a great deal about the six a's of project planning. While I like to keep those in my mind when creating a project, I believe that this list should be added to every person's checklist when crafting a project.
1. We clearly state the central question that our project addresses.
Without a central question, a project cannot succeed. Last year for our festival project, our students worked on an interdisciplinary biology and humanities project. When you go back and look at the project, we did not satisfy the six a's; however, I believe that the project was still a success because the students created their own central questions, completed their own research, and then displayed their learning. We had a clearly stated overarching question that each group had to answer, but then students created their own individual essential questions for their own work. They were motivated to answer their questions because they created them and decided what they wanted to learn about a topic.
2. We collaborate on planning and carrying out the project.
Every good project allows for student input in the different stages of a project. From the planning, the day-to-day of the project, and the reflection, students needs to have time to voice how they are doing with the project and their opinions of it. When we sit in our classrooms and create projects without asking students what they think about it, we forget one of our most important audiences.
3. We gather evidence from several primary and secondary sources, including at least one interview with an expert in the field.
As a student with a history background, I live and breathe primary and secondary sources. I always include them in my teaching because I think too often students are afraid of "really old" documents or language that they cannot understand. The sense of accomplishment that comes from analyzing and spending time with this material, questioning it and getting it wrong, then going back and finally understanding and mastering it is indescribable. I had a student who came to me with a question about James Baldwin's essay titled "Stranger in a Village." She stayed up a few hours past her bedtime not because the assignment was due the next day (because it wasn't) but because she did not want to go to bed until she had figured out what he was trying to say. In our discussion on the essay after school, she realized she had it all wrong, but was even more excited to go back and find out what she could from the piece and master it. This is why primary and secondary sources are important and not those dreaded textbooks.
4. We set deadlines for all project tasks and meet them.
I partly agree with this. For one project I had students complete all the deadlines themselves, and it worked. For another project, I created "check-ins" or "benchmarks" for students to follow. They did not have to, but many of them did, and it worked as well. As long as student choice in the deadlines is involved, whether they create them, or they can decide to meet them or not, then it will be successful.
5. We seek out critique along the way and revise our work as needed.
Yes.
6. We deliver a product or performance that throughly addresses the project's central question.
A student asked me in class the other day, "How do you know you have an impact on your students?" My response to him was that I don't know in the moment if I do, but I can see it when I look at interactions I have with my students. I can also see it when they bring their parent or friend to school and show them what they worked on. When they perform their product to their audience and they are excited about it. That is always when I know I have had an impact on my students.
7. We give evidence that our project had a positive impact.
One of my professional goals this year is to work on this component. This has always been a challenge for me because how do we measure whether this has happened or not. If one outsider experienced the project, is that enough? If a student has changed his/her ideas and has become a more knowledgeable citizen for it, is that enough? This is an area that I am still exploring and trying to figure out.
8. We reflect on our process and our product.
I think this piece is important especially when as a teacher we care more about the process and less about the product. I was working with a group of students and even with critique after critique and meetings with the instructors and others, they still had not produced a piece of beautiful work. It was not a piece of beautiful work in the eyes of the instructor, but also in the eyes of the students. They learned more from that experience than they would have if their piece had been exhibited. This is why the process of a project is important and figuring out ways to assess that process is something we as educators must continuously work on.
----
I am reminded of a comment a colleague of mine made years ago at a meeting with a group of students. He was referencing Plato's Allegory of the Cave and was making the claim to our students that they are all the light atop of a candlestick. If you walk too fast, you can easily be blown out. If you walk too slow, you won't be able to light up the room. You must find the pace for yourself in order to light up the world around you, and in doing so, you will ignite the fire in your mind. As educators, that is what we must to with and for our students.
1. We clearly state the central question that our project addresses.
Without a central question, a project cannot succeed. Last year for our festival project, our students worked on an interdisciplinary biology and humanities project. When you go back and look at the project, we did not satisfy the six a's; however, I believe that the project was still a success because the students created their own central questions, completed their own research, and then displayed their learning. We had a clearly stated overarching question that each group had to answer, but then students created their own individual essential questions for their own work. They were motivated to answer their questions because they created them and decided what they wanted to learn about a topic.
2. We collaborate on planning and carrying out the project.
Every good project allows for student input in the different stages of a project. From the planning, the day-to-day of the project, and the reflection, students needs to have time to voice how they are doing with the project and their opinions of it. When we sit in our classrooms and create projects without asking students what they think about it, we forget one of our most important audiences.
3. We gather evidence from several primary and secondary sources, including at least one interview with an expert in the field.
As a student with a history background, I live and breathe primary and secondary sources. I always include them in my teaching because I think too often students are afraid of "really old" documents or language that they cannot understand. The sense of accomplishment that comes from analyzing and spending time with this material, questioning it and getting it wrong, then going back and finally understanding and mastering it is indescribable. I had a student who came to me with a question about James Baldwin's essay titled "Stranger in a Village." She stayed up a few hours past her bedtime not because the assignment was due the next day (because it wasn't) but because she did not want to go to bed until she had figured out what he was trying to say. In our discussion on the essay after school, she realized she had it all wrong, but was even more excited to go back and find out what she could from the piece and master it. This is why primary and secondary sources are important and not those dreaded textbooks.
4. We set deadlines for all project tasks and meet them.
I partly agree with this. For one project I had students complete all the deadlines themselves, and it worked. For another project, I created "check-ins" or "benchmarks" for students to follow. They did not have to, but many of them did, and it worked as well. As long as student choice in the deadlines is involved, whether they create them, or they can decide to meet them or not, then it will be successful.
5. We seek out critique along the way and revise our work as needed.
Yes.
6. We deliver a product or performance that throughly addresses the project's central question.
A student asked me in class the other day, "How do you know you have an impact on your students?" My response to him was that I don't know in the moment if I do, but I can see it when I look at interactions I have with my students. I can also see it when they bring their parent or friend to school and show them what they worked on. When they perform their product to their audience and they are excited about it. That is always when I know I have had an impact on my students.
7. We give evidence that our project had a positive impact.
One of my professional goals this year is to work on this component. This has always been a challenge for me because how do we measure whether this has happened or not. If one outsider experienced the project, is that enough? If a student has changed his/her ideas and has become a more knowledgeable citizen for it, is that enough? This is an area that I am still exploring and trying to figure out.
8. We reflect on our process and our product.
I think this piece is important especially when as a teacher we care more about the process and less about the product. I was working with a group of students and even with critique after critique and meetings with the instructors and others, they still had not produced a piece of beautiful work. It was not a piece of beautiful work in the eyes of the instructor, but also in the eyes of the students. They learned more from that experience than they would have if their piece had been exhibited. This is why the process of a project is important and figuring out ways to assess that process is something we as educators must continuously work on.
----
I am reminded of a comment a colleague of mine made years ago at a meeting with a group of students. He was referencing Plato's Allegory of the Cave and was making the claim to our students that they are all the light atop of a candlestick. If you walk too fast, you can easily be blown out. If you walk too slow, you won't be able to light up the room. You must find the pace for yourself in order to light up the world around you, and in doing so, you will ignite the fire in your mind. As educators, that is what we must to with and for our students.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
QQC: Choices for Children
Choices for Children: Why and How to Let Students Decide by Alfie Kohn
In my sociology course right now we are discussing how schools are agents of socialization and the impact that education can have on an individual and our larger social group. I gave them a piece from Alfie Kohn and we have spent some time discussing what it means to be well-educated, what all students should know, what are the best practices teachers have, what are the not-so best practices that teachers have, etc. When I ask my students what makes a great teacher, they often do not mention knowing your content, but instead say these common things:
1. Treat us with respect
2. Be laid back and fun, but strict when needed (my favorite one)
3. Be fair
4. Prepare us for the SAT, senior year, college, etc.
The reason I bring these ideas up after reading this article is because much of what Kohn is saying is what my students say to me at the beginning of every year. I believe that if I live up to the four expectations my students set up for me, I can easily bring in more student choice to my classroom.
What I greatly appreciated about Kohn's article was that he mentioned you do not always have to involve student choice. Choice can rotate from the teacher, to an individual student, to a small learning group and it can still work and help be a productive part of your course. One of the points that I found really solidified his argument to me was not only how this help to engage students in their learning, but he hit home at my pedagogy. On page nine he says "School is about more than intellectual development; it is about learning to become a responsible, caring person who can make good choices and solve problems effectively. Thus educators must think about ways of helping students to take an active part in decisions that are only indirectly related to academics." When asked to write our philosophy of education in college, I turned most to the book that I thought I would least reference. I remember seeing Nel Nodding's book about ethics and teaching caring in school. I remember being a young undergraduate thinking that this book was a "fluff" education book that would not lead me to any "real" learning. After finishing the book and reflecting on my best teachers and the adults in my life that have had the greatest impact, I realized that Nodding's ideas about education would become the cornerstone of my pedagogy. Teaching students to respect and have responsibility for each other (Thomas Lickona) will ultimately lead you to helping your students learn to care for one another. If our students can respect and care for one another, they can ultimately develop the sense of responsibility not only to themselves, but to others around them and to our greater society.
Another part of this text that I greatly appreciated was the solutions and questions that Kohn presents teachers to use in their classroom. On page ten he says, "What do you think we can do about this?" Whenever a student asks a question in class that I think can lead us to a greater depth of learning, regardless of it is directly connected with what we are discussing in class, I ask "What do you think about that?" This allows students to think out loud and share their thoughts with the class. Often times I will have students question each other's ideas and point out the areas where their argument does not work. Kohn's question "What do you think we can do about this?" has led me to some great projects that engaged every one of my students. At the end of last year, I ran out of time and did not create the project expectations and guidelines sheet, so I walked into class, worked with my students, and we created it together. I had my expectations, they had theirs, and we met somewhere in the middle (quiet honestly, more towards their side) and I saw some of the best products from them. This can work! It is hard to do, and challenging to give up the control, but our students can create their own guidelines, deadlines, and expectations. Not only will they meet those expectations, but they will far exceed them.
In my sociology course right now we are discussing how schools are agents of socialization and the impact that education can have on an individual and our larger social group. I gave them a piece from Alfie Kohn and we have spent some time discussing what it means to be well-educated, what all students should know, what are the best practices teachers have, what are the not-so best practices that teachers have, etc. When I ask my students what makes a great teacher, they often do not mention knowing your content, but instead say these common things:
1. Treat us with respect
2. Be laid back and fun, but strict when needed (my favorite one)
3. Be fair
4. Prepare us for the SAT, senior year, college, etc.
The reason I bring these ideas up after reading this article is because much of what Kohn is saying is what my students say to me at the beginning of every year. I believe that if I live up to the four expectations my students set up for me, I can easily bring in more student choice to my classroom.
What I greatly appreciated about Kohn's article was that he mentioned you do not always have to involve student choice. Choice can rotate from the teacher, to an individual student, to a small learning group and it can still work and help be a productive part of your course. One of the points that I found really solidified his argument to me was not only how this help to engage students in their learning, but he hit home at my pedagogy. On page nine he says "School is about more than intellectual development; it is about learning to become a responsible, caring person who can make good choices and solve problems effectively. Thus educators must think about ways of helping students to take an active part in decisions that are only indirectly related to academics." When asked to write our philosophy of education in college, I turned most to the book that I thought I would least reference. I remember seeing Nel Nodding's book about ethics and teaching caring in school. I remember being a young undergraduate thinking that this book was a "fluff" education book that would not lead me to any "real" learning. After finishing the book and reflecting on my best teachers and the adults in my life that have had the greatest impact, I realized that Nodding's ideas about education would become the cornerstone of my pedagogy. Teaching students to respect and have responsibility for each other (Thomas Lickona) will ultimately lead you to helping your students learn to care for one another. If our students can respect and care for one another, they can ultimately develop the sense of responsibility not only to themselves, but to others around them and to our greater society.
Another part of this text that I greatly appreciated was the solutions and questions that Kohn presents teachers to use in their classroom. On page ten he says, "What do you think we can do about this?" Whenever a student asks a question in class that I think can lead us to a greater depth of learning, regardless of it is directly connected with what we are discussing in class, I ask "What do you think about that?" This allows students to think out loud and share their thoughts with the class. Often times I will have students question each other's ideas and point out the areas where their argument does not work. Kohn's question "What do you think we can do about this?" has led me to some great projects that engaged every one of my students. At the end of last year, I ran out of time and did not create the project expectations and guidelines sheet, so I walked into class, worked with my students, and we created it together. I had my expectations, they had theirs, and we met somewhere in the middle (quiet honestly, more towards their side) and I saw some of the best products from them. This can work! It is hard to do, and challenging to give up the control, but our students can create their own guidelines, deadlines, and expectations. Not only will they meet those expectations, but they will far exceed them.
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