This blog post is inspired by this question, taken from #edchat: “If collaboration is high on everyone’s list as a needed skill; how do we work it into every aspect of our education system?”

Growing up in a small parochial school, we were taught the foundation of ourselves. Essentially, the sense of working together, honing the positives of each other, and teamwork were all values taught in our small village. Albeit those blue plaids, long socks, and strict rigor of no makeup or nail polish was annoying and embarrassing during the weekend out with your public school pals, however, I can truly say that our sense of community was strong. So strong, many of those same people today, I am sure, hold dear these memories as much as I.

Collaboration in any entity is necessary not merely for a better outcome, but for the sustanence of our society as a whole. Collaboration to me simply means working together to accomplish a shared goal. Though we often stray from traditions of the past, the basics always last. The old cliché of “…it takes a village…” will certainly foster the realities of life through and through. Take for example the old TV show – “Little House on the Prairie” – while it is undeniable, we will never, generally, as a society again live in this manner, it is safe to say a few of those values will never die.

1. Watch out for one another.
2. If you say you are going to do something, then do.
3. You do not have to agree to work together.

WATCH OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER.

I see you. Merely the vision of noticing your fellow man with a simple head nod, a gesture of affirmation, is necessary across most platforms. In education, all sectors from elementary, middle, high school, and the higher education years necessitates cultivation more than ever with strained resources. We all clearly are not delusional; Money will always be power.

The chains of communication in all sectors of these nonprofit areas of education are not consistently linked. Think of the intrinsic benefits reaped if there were a contact point available to make connections for each student and their families consistently at every educational stopping point. Not just connections, but unassuming ones knowing that no matter the student – gated community or ghetto, we all breathe and bleed; Notice the advantages of cross-educational communication? For example, a former local public school one of my children attended always held a career fair, same time every year for kids on the elementary level.

While this was done for PTA rights I later learned, how great this is, highlighting careers available, at least to spark interest in the world beyond nurses, lawyers, firefighters and the like. Not to say these careers are lesser, however, with today’s technology moving faster than the speed of light, it is crucial that we unearth to our children the positives of the world before the entertainment industry does.

What would be better to string this concept along would be to watch out for them and push them into Middle School, having that same career fair. These sessions could be onsite at a local company, possibly at a local higher education institution, local city/government facility. Then think, these would open windows, doors, even gates for internships and like opportunities. Networking people – Follow me here.

Family night that involves every member, from Uncle Spot to Cousin Dot – possibly sharing personal development opportunities that may in fact increase literacy in their household, trickling down into the community chords. Do you hear music? Involve the career counselors at each level with the high school counselor, communicating to them that hey, I have this family with these interests/advantages what can we do to help them. This alone is what networking is all about. Never lose touch, watching out for one another. It is all about planning. If we only watched out for each other, our education system would not be in such peril. I mean, the outcome is graduation right? I could be wrong.

IF YOU SAY YOU ARE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, DO IT.

Do it or zip it. The possibilities of the should have, could have never really mattered. In fact, it is essential to speak only of things that will push our educational sector along. Making false promises lets our children down on the lower educational totem pole and in higher education, drops the adults’ educational ball that is often deflated or non-existent. I mean, these will be your Pilots, Practitioners, and Palm Readers one day.

While we understand that no one is perfect, collaboration involves sharing – so if you make a commitment, it is pertinent to know that while your role may seem small to you, it is a rather large drop in our educational bucket. Every drop counts and if you promise a small one, even a millimeter, do it, or find someone that will. Think about it like this, collaboration with the local store allows the store to have a relationship with education, this small relationship allows both parties to rely on one another and goes back to my first point – WATCH OUT FOR EACH OTHER. Knowing your neighbor allows for simple collaboration (working together) and accountability (being responsible for another). Look at your community, the people around and beside you that you pass daily and have no clue who they are or what they do. This relationship does not mean schmooze city, it simply means, no [wo]man is an island.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO AGREE TO WORK TOGETHER.

Playground rules apply to adults too. Just because you don’t agree on who should be on which side of the see saw, know that you’re both going to get a chance to be up and down, and (I’ve found), most of the time equally. Collaboration across educational sectors, in even just the building you work in is pertinent. Holding even the smallest grudge when there is disagreement certainly means stale air. Who likes anything stale?

Even your best friend, you do not do everything just alike. She may enjoy warm colors, you cool. They may like adventure, you enjoy your toes touching the ground, whatever the case, and you still find a way to work together. All relationships, especially in education REQUIRE consistent collaboration. Every day.

Look at the classroom next to you. You are going through the same fight wouldn’t you say. You deal with a parent that annoys you. A kid who is lethargic daily. An administrator you would rather entomb than become supporters with. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, coming together works.

Look at it like this: if in elementary you realize there is the kid that will not shake what you are trying to break, know that that is probably their temperament. So why not pull out the best traits. Alert the middle school that hey, this kid will not stop playing video games, steer his career plan through that path. On the other hand, hey, this kid, in middle school, is ALWAYS talking – there is a career for that. While you may not agree with each other, there is a way to help each other, minus the eye rolling, water cooler gibberish, and PTA politics. In the end, it is not about the cupcakes, personality clashes, it is about the students – whether they are children or adults.

In summary:

1. Watch out for one another.
2. If you say you are going to do something, then do.
3. You do not have to agree to work together.

Growing up in that parochial school with my little beaver teeth, those little black & white bullet shoes, and that paddle constantly on my rump for talking taught me all about collaboration. We watched out for one another. We never let another get lost on the playground in that metal tunnel. We always made sure we were all in together. If we made a promise to one another to do something, we did it. If we did not do it, then we communicated with each other that you have messed up, what we could do to fix it. In addition, most of all, we worked together. If this month one person was not able to do something, we surely went to another person to get it done. I never remembered us not having a thing. Our educational system can surely start today collaborating. I’m excited about the possibilities.

About the author: An avid lover of all things creative, Okema Sandlin-McMillan is a native of Greensboro, NC with a substantial customer service background in the luxury goods and education industry. Pin with her on pinterest www.pinterest.com/iamokema or tweet about issues that affect business and education at www.twitter.com/iamokema.

As probably many veteran educators do, I dream of the perfect school — the precise balance between properly aligned curriculum to meet the needs of every child, parents who are supportive and involved, and a faculty properly resourced and always eager to challenge and ask “what if…?”

So, what does The Utopian School (herein called U.S.) look like?  I’ve arranged these rose-colored visions into the ABC’s of course.  Naturally — how else would a teacher organize her thoughts?

Academics, Books, Curriculum — Oh my:

Ah, the thoughts of old social studies books come to mind.  “Why do these books only show 13 stars on the flag, Ms. Teacher?”  Ok, I’m exaggerating, I know!   Our new U.S. will have all it desires to meet the needs of all students.  Our academics are structured around students’ interests with ties to real life and are not cookie-cutter in design.  (Think: online memberships for virtual fieldtrips, science experiments, nature walks, reading and writing cafés…) Textbooks will be available in multiple formats (online, audio, large print, etc.) and will also help students understand the value of the subject — not simply regurgitated information.  Students in today’s society need a clear understanding of why their learning is important and how this will help them be successful in life.  Students cannot compete as adults with explanations such as “because it’s in the curriculum.”  Children are inquisitive by nature and need to know why.

Discipline, Families, Guidance — Yes, please:

The U.S. will discipline students swiftly, fairly, and without regard to academic standing, parent complaints, or special needs (not related to behavior).  Discipline will also follow a strict matrix of increasing consequences so that students understand that their actions are not acceptable and it will not be tolerated.  We all know that, as great as our administration may be, there are certain students who are catered to… (Think: the squeaky wheel gets the grease).  Next up, parents will be REQUIRED to be involved in their child’s education.  Consequences and fines shall be in place for those who repeatedly bring their students to school tardy, promote truancy, and those who generally skip out on any school-to-parent contacts.  In addition, this U.S. will have guidance counselors who will, in fact, provide guidance.  I don’t mean the occasional personal hygiene story, but true lessons about respect, the importance of an education, and proper school conduct.

Money, Omniscience, Politics — Take away the “ugh” factor:

The U.S. will have the foresight to see where the budget can flex and advocate dollars where necessary.  Teacher supplies will flow from the district office like rain on a spring day.  Politics will not be an issue since everyone is FOR the greater good of students’ and teachers’ needs.  Those involved with the school board will have distinguished knowledge and a genuine interest in education and how the community can be further engaged — and not an interest in how to skim a buck or two at the cost of our students’ futures or how to further their campaign.

Resources, Special education, Technology — Absolutely:

The U.S. will provide ample resources for parents, teachers, and students.  Professional Development will be designed around teachers and administration working together to decide what is best for the school.  Afterwards, there will be workshops and communication with parents about these new school trainings and initiatives.  Special education students will be given access to support for continued success outside of school (Think: external academic support, coping strategies, behavior assessment and management tools, etc.)  All students and teachers will have access to current technology, including  student laptops, Smart Boards, smart phone app’s (Think: BYOD—“Bring Your Own Device” ), and other electronic devices that help engage students in the 21^st century.

UDL, Virtual, Worldly — Yes, and this too:

The U.S. focuses on the individual student, yet with a global approach.  Education at U.S. follows a Universal Design for Learning model (Think: one size does NOT fit all) and offers scaffolding and multiple levels of engagement along with online courses to better reach all learning styles.  There is a worldly feel at U.S. to help students understand life on a global level and to help students grow up appreciating and understanding what living in America means.

Zeal — Can’t leave this out:

With all The Utopian School has to offer, of course all of our students, parents, and school staff have a passion and drive to challenge and say “What’s next?”   The U.S. recognizes the need to strive for perfection in education to help our students become competing members in the world economy.  Finally, U.S. educators know that mediocrity in American schools is not the answer and to consistently raise the bar in academics for our future’s sake.

Hooray for Utopia!  How do YOU envision a perfect school?

About the author: Tracy Schutz is a veteran middle school educator currently transitioning from brick and mortar to online education and Social Media Management.  She is passionate about at-risk and online students, ed technology, and Social Media.  Chat with her here: http://dedication2education.com, Twitter, Facebook, or on LinkedIn.

Specifically: the importance of reading fiction.

You might think that I’m a big fan of reading because it makes you a better writer. Or that it allows you to explore parts of the shared human experience that may be difficult to explain in a non-fiction format. Both of those things are true. But they’re not the reasons why I’m such a big fan of fiction.

The internet has made readers out of many, many people that almost never pick up a book in their entire lives. They read blogs, they read the news, and they read pithy little status updates from their friends. It may not be heavy duty stuff, but it is reading.

Without the kind of brain that sorts through the incredible amount of information we take in every day (174 newspapers worth, apparently) and makes connections between the relevant bits, we’d be no smarter on Tuesday than we were on Monday. And we would be getting quickly left behind by our friends, our family, and (most important, job-wise) our colleagues.

The ability to build mental bridges between all the random things we read and organize it all into a coherent network is a skill that is vital to a knowledge worker — and we’re all knowledge workers to some extent. This is what allows us to learn a lesson in one context and apply it broadly to other aspects of our life.

Nowhere is that kind of a talent development more naturally and organically than through fiction.

When a child reads the Chronicles of Narnia, for example, he is learning about the importance of exploration, of honesty, and of virtues like courage and forgiveness. He isn’t reading a pamphlet that spells it all out in bullet points. It’s not a blog post or a self-help book, but it is something that has the potential to stick with him for the rest of his life. And it’s a foundation upon which many of lessons can be based.

The more fiction we read — and the more great English teachers we have — the more we see that these works of fiction are more than simple stories or diversions. And we begin to connect the lessons we learn in one book with those we learn in another. We draw parallels, create connections, and build mental bridges.

The better we get at that, the more suited we are to dive into our modern world, where more information is created every year than the year before it. Understanding how to make sense of it all is not just a nice bonus. It is an essential element to being employable and staying relevant.

Sure, we can create high-level college courses to teach kids how to connect seemingly unrelated thoughts and build functional databases in their brain. We can call it “Mental Data Filing 101″ or something, and claim it’s a new science.

Or we can give them some great books to read as kids and they’ll start doing it on their own.

Don’t let an obsession with The Test strip fiction from our curriculum. There are cheap, online flashcards to help with test prep. (Did I mention we make those?) And there are excellent tutors out there to fill in the gaps. Teachers have skills that go far beyond preparing students to take a test. Let’s make use of them.

Earlier this week, I had some time to catch up on current happenings in the business sector while waiting for an appointment to begin. From time to time, I find some really good links between the so-called “Real-World” and the one that is currently the standard for education.

While reading, I came across a great article entitled: Netflix’s Unlimited Employee Vacation Policy: Why It Works and was pretty impressed with what I saw! Looking at major business models, perks to employees, and keeping productivity and responsibility high, Netflix went to UNLIMITED VACATION!

Yes, you read right….UNLIMITED! Meaning….um…..no limits on the amount of time that one can take “off” from work. As I read the article, it became apparent that with strong guidelines and staff responsibility, Netflix, (along with some other companies that are pushing the limits on workplace expectations) are taking more of a cavalier approach to how the employees are responsible for their actions.

I got to thinking about this, and as an effective practice, it makes sense! Give your employees freedom and the ability to be motivated and self-directed, and they will get the job done. Heck, with an unlimited vacation policy, I would imagine with the personal responsibility factor that some employees continue to work, (albeit in short spans) while on vacation to make sure they are pulling their own weight.

So, the question is…..why not the classroom? Why do we force kids, (especially at the high school level) to sit in a classroom, at a desk for ninety minutes at a time, moving from class to class and calling that education? What would happen if we, as educators said, “Here is the expectation…..I will be here to assist you in this if needed…” and then allowed for students to rise to the level of expectation, personal responsibility, or rigor?

Some states, (New Hampshire for example) has done away with seat time and moved to a competency based model. Students prove proficiency in their education and can, within reason, pace their education according to strengths and weaknesses. And, in this transition, we have seen some good, bad, and ugly results.

For the positives, it can be clean cut and a high motivator for students. When they are responsible for their own education and have a “choice and voice” in what they do, more often than not, there is authentic learning that occurs; both structured and implied lessons alike, as failure can be just as strong if not a stronger influence on education than success.

We do see some issues emerge as well. One is that there is ALWAYS a learning curve to any action. It is part of human nature to want to manipulate and our environment for gain, and students are no different. What we found is that with teacher consensus, organization, and careful implementation, the change can alleviate some of the transitional pain if the bar is set and understood.

As for the “ugly,” there may be instances where the old system is so ingrained into the community that the scrapping of seat time is seen as a “dumbing down” of education… which then, in turn, can be used against the teachers. Also, with terms/semesters/quarters still the “go-to” for assessment practices, what do we do with those that complete the work in half the time? How about a quarter? Theoretically, we could have 30 different students in 30 different locations….a NIGHTMARE for any educator.

Either way, if planned out and supported….we may be onto something that can benefit students. What are your thoughts on possible successes and pitfalls?

About the author: Justin Ballou is a high-school Social Studies teacher in New Hampshire. Besides teaching, he is active running an education startup called EduTech and enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife. With edtech and authentic learning as his go-to topics, you can reach him at jballouteaches@gmail.com to ask questions or leave comments and follow him on twitter (@nhjbteach).

One of the tell-tale signs that spring has arrived here in New England is the beginning of baseball season. The idea of Spring Training, the warm nights that are on their way, and the games at your local stadium really define (at least for New England) the great warm months of the year.

Now, I am a big of a baseball fan, but one thing I do is keep up with the Red Sox. Where I’m from, it is almost an act of blasphemy to not be paying attention to the hometown favorite as they begin their march towards October. In this focus, Spring training and the buildup of opening day allows us to reflect on Americas past time. And hidden….deep down in the pits of the fundamentals of sports and events like these….are the life lessons that we must appreciate to make progress. So…I began to think….

Taking the pitcher for example, how many of the pitches that they make the week before opening day do we have counted for or against them on game day? Do we look at the rating of the pitcher based upon the 275 throws in the past 3 days, or the 7 fantastic, (or poor) innings on game day? Other sports like football, (with a quarterback rating…) golf, (with the final score on the match), etc….all of them are based upon the ability to be assessed only at the proper time.

Transfer this to the professional world, and we see a pattern emerge that is older than the organization of traditional formal education itself. Are surgeons bad surgeons if they make a mistake on the operating table? Or, do they have the ability to make mistakes, learn, and re-apply knowledge and skills until they have shown mastery in order to get their license? How about the pilot? Or even something as universally accepted in the United States as a driver’s license?

And lastly, at the end of the feedback loop process…. Do those surgeons, pilots, and drivers get a credential that limit what they can do because of how long it took or how many times we had to reapply?

Education should be no different. Students all learn at different levels and with different methods…..but our system, (which has not really adapted in the last 100 years or so) still does the same thing. Students walk out of a class and are given a grade….not on what they know or are able to do….but on every small step of the way. So, in actuality, a student could have mastered EVERY concept, and can perform ALL tasks at the end of a semester. But, due to an antiquated method of ensuring mastery, could technically be turned away from the next step because of the number that is besides their name. This number is not always accurate. And it is this number presently, which has some of the strongest influence on their future. Pretty scary, huh?

So what do we do? We need to start taking a look at how we grade and what the purpose of the grade actually is. As teachers, parents, and self-advocating students, do we not want an educational system that can verify the skills, knowledge, and abilities of the student population? And if a student has proven they can perform the tasks put forth, should they not get ALL of the credit they deserve, rather than an outdated and lacking average that often serves to misrepresent the true student?

What are your thoughts? Would love to hear them!

About the author: Justin Ballou is a high-school Social Studies teacher in New Hampshire. Besides teaching, he is active running an education startup called EduTech and enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife. With edtech and authentic learning as his go-to topics, you can reach him at jballouteaches@gmail.com to ask questions or leave comments and follow him on twitter (@nhjbteach).

Topic: What should a good Administrator look like & how can we get there from here?

Great discussion this week. I could barely keep up with all the comments that were flying around, and I did my absolute best to collect my favorite tweets. Still, I know that I missed some good ones while I was responding to @mentions or copying a particular gem over to MS Word. So be sure to check the archive when it’s up!

I don’t have many of my own thoughts to add to this one (again: I’m not a teacher), so I’ll keep the introduction very brief and instead dive right into the main themes, of which there are many  this week. Enjoy!

Main themes from the discussion:

• This is subjective. In any discussion of “the good,” we need to keep in mind that it is a very subjective concept. It will be differently defined by different people at different times. Still, there are some general qualities that “good” administrators should have, and this week’s discussion talked about most of them.
• Administrators are torn between two worlds. To be an administrator sort of means to serve two masters (at least!). They must feel a responsibility to the teachers, hopefully because they rose from their ranks. But at the same time they are now answering to school boards and politics. This often entails knowledge that is not available to all teachers, and will at times necessitate some difficult, non-optimal decisions. Teachers need to keep this in mind before criticizing administrators.
• We place a lot of demands on administrators. One thing that was very obvious this week was that we ask a lot of our administrators. We want them to be many things, often at the same time. But we also want them to be able to change gears seamlessly and intuitively. This is no easy feat. We need to keep that in mind during any discussion of what would make a “good” administrator.
• Good administrators were once (and possibly still are) teachers. This is a big one. Not only should administrators come from the ranks of teachers (that experience is essential), but there was some talk about how principals should still teach. A few people mentioned working with teacher-principals, and the experience seemed to be positive. It is a common complaint among employees that their boss doesn’t remember what it was like to do their job. I can see how that would get more frustrating (and more important) in the education world. The question is: do principals have the time? And, if not, how can we make room for it?
• Good administrators are leaders, which means they need autonomy. Teachers want their administrators to be leaders, not just paper-pushers and middle-managers. They want them to have a real vision for improving the school and helping students learn. And, of course, they want them to act on it. This means that we need to entrust our administrators with at least some amount of autonomy and security. Just like how teachers need to be trusted to “think outside the box” from time to time, we need to let our administrators take risks.
• Conflict mediation and communication are key. One of the main jobs of an administrator is to bridge the gaps between all the various interested parties in a school. That entails a lot of communication and some good mediator skills. It also means that logistics and other qualifications can sometimes come second in importance. We can’t ignore the “human” side of school administration – just like you wouldn’t want a teacher that ignored the unique personalities of their students.
• It is important to keep your focus; your priorities. Bottom line: the number one job of an administrator is to help improve the school so that students learn better (and want to learn more). This particular job is quite broad and quite difficult. But that’s the most important bit of an administrator’s job. And it’s important they never lose sight of it, despite all the distractions that assail them each day.

My favorite tweets from the discussion:

mbfxc Personally, I’ve always wanted my administrators to be the lead teachers in the school!

jrichardson30 Administrators should have one day where they don’t set foot in their office and put up a sign that says, “Out and about learning with my colleagues.”

davidwees I’ve noticed that the good administrators I have known focused on relationships first and the logistics second.

MsRossEnglish So frustrating! I have seen my admin maybe three times in my class this year. Busy dealing with “other” things.

PrincipalPC Great administrators lead with kids first and their job security second.

edunators Good administrators have to have conflict mediation skills for settling parent, student, and teacher conflicts.

davidwees One of the reasons we don’t have enough excellent administrators is that many excellent candidates want to remain teachers.

drdouggreen Good administrators encourage risks and always keep a slush fund to support good ideas when they show up.

mrsjjee I think it’s also easy to get swept up in an “we all need iPads” mentality. Administrators need to have the school’s immediate concerns first.

vpigreenie I have worked in 2 districts where administrators were required to teach one class per semester. Worked well. Kept them present.

RobertBorgersen Good administrators will do PD just like we do, not because they have to, but because they want to.

jricharson30 We must remember that it isn’t about test scores or “our school compared to theirs.” It’s about kids loving to learn.

betavt Looks like administrators, from all the tweets, need to be just about everything to everyone. Is that a realistic expectation?

cybraryman1 The key role of an administrator should be to ensure the best facilitation of learning for their students.

MertonTech My idea of a good administrator: Someone I can take a problem to and get it fixed.

JohnTSpencer Too often leaders are beaten into compliance in the name of liability management. They lose the fire and end up managing instead.

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To follow the complete discussion, look for the full archive here.  They’re usually posted up by the end of the week.

Looking to discuss #edtech in depth? Check out the LinkedIn group: Edutech Trends, Visions, Passions.

New to #EdChat?

If you have never participated in an #Edchat discussion, these take place twice a day every Tuesday on Twitter.  Over 400 educators participate in this discussion by just adding #edchat to their tweets. For tips on participating in the discussion, please check out these posts:

• Edchat: Join the Conversation
• Using TweetDeck for Hashtag Discussions

More Edchat

• If you would like to join others in transforming the discussion into action, please feel free to join the Edchat group on the Educator PLN ning.
• Jerry Swiatek does an incredible job of posting each archived transcript on the #edchat wiki created by Steve Johnson. This way you can look back at your favorites!
• Find previous summaries here on this blog – see #edchat category on right sidebar
• Follow other Edchatters and make sure you are on this Twitter list if you participate in #Edchat!
• Read summaries of the 7pm EST/1 am CET Edchat discussions.

Challenge:

If you’re new to hashtag discussions, then just show up on Twitter on any Tuesday and add just a few tweets on the topic with the hashtag #edchat.

What do you think? Leave a comment! We would love to hear from you.

I am a sucker for stupid comedies. There is something about 90 minutes of raw laughter that can just turn any day on its head. This past week, I was able to get in sections of a movie that some of you may (or may not have…) seen: Office Space.

If you haven’t seen this movie, I will give you a brief rundown of the premise…all without letting you know how it is going to end! Centering on the main character, Peter Gibbons, the movie paints a picture of a group of employees that resent their work and attempt to bring down the company and middle-management boss. Throughout the movie, we see the stereotypical office, lined with cubicles, desktop computers, and traditional office wear. The boss, walking around, touching base with his employees to make sure their monotonous, menial tasks get done. It’s an environment that drains the humanity out of the actions of real people in order to get the most physical production out of them as possible. Sound familiar?

Why do I bring up this movie in an educational blog?

Because presently, this is what we have in our educational landscape. Take a look at the stereotypical educational institution and you find the same, rigid setup spanning our landscape.

Bell rings. Class starts. Teacher gives info. Teacher gives reinforcement activity. Brief review. Bell Rings. Repeat.

The same repetition of pandering to the middle has created a cookie cutter institution that came about when we were a production-based society. But that is now passé. Our systems are COMPLETELY different now. And what do we have to show for the change in the times but the same system replicated? We’re just hoping to produce more and certify in the end that the students who walk across the stage are ready to tackle life’s great opportunities.

The question still remains, are we truly preparing them for those opportunities?

Look at the workplace now. With technology at the state it is in, we can conduct business, on the fly, 24 hours a day with teams spread across the globe. Businesses are attempting to create solutions to real world problems, as many of the tasks associated with menial work are being conducted using smart technologies and systems to free up valuable human capital to provide the commodities that the market needs.

Yet, we find our classrooms still preparing students for the jobs that are no longer in abundance. Just as in the movie where the employees get bored, unmotivated, and start to rebel a bit, students are becoming more and more disenfranchised by an old system that does not fit the present schema. They are pushing back. And doing so not because they are any worse than we were when in school….rather they have more possibilities in front of them and do not sense value in what they are doing.

Does this mean that we totally revamp what formal education looks like? YES!

Do I have the master plan? No.

But, if we do not prepare them with the skills and technologies they will need in the “real world” while they are being educated, we cannot expect them to exhibit those traits in the future. And, as the landscape has changed so very much in the recent past, if we do not create an environment that fosters the knowledge and skill-sets needed, we find ourselves in a more serious situation the longer we wait.

How to start? That’s a whole other blog post for another day. I do know that we need to begin the transition of revamping our schools to reflect the new “real world” sooner than later or we really are not fulfilling our obligations as teachers, parents, and communities of providing the foundations for students as they become productive members of society.

Have some ideas? I would love to hear them! Leave a comment!

About the author: Justin Ballou is a high-school Social Studies teacher in New Hampshire. Besides teaching, he is active running an education startup called EduTech and enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife. With edtech and authentic learning as his go-to topics, you can reach him at jballouteaches@gmail.com to ask questions or leave comments and follow him on twitter (@nhjbteach).

Topic: What are the possibilities that open to us if we change the observation model for teachers to a coaching model?

Wow. This week’s conversation was a doozy. Great topic, fast and frantic discussion, and plenty to learn. It’s weeks like this one that make me remember what drew me into #edchat so quickly. Truly, this is an amazing community.

As tends to happen when topics focus specifically on teacher-related issues (as opposed to education or edtech issues), I started off at a bit of a loss. Remember: I am not a teacher, so I don’t know what it’s like to have an administrator come in and observe me for twenty minutes and then hand me a sheet of paper with a bunch of comments on it.

But I can imagine that it doesn’t feel good. I don’t even like having one person look at what I’m typing when I’m on the computer at home. I just feel “judged.” And even if the onlooker has something useful to say (like: “You spelled your name wrong.”) I have a very hard time receiving it.

What’s interesting about this is that I actually have no problem taking constructive criticism. I took a couple writing classes in school, and a big part of any writing classes is peer review. For those unfamiliar with the process, it basically means you sit in a circle and a bunch of people tear your work apart. Some teachers allow you to defend yourself, but most don’t. It’s a hard few minutes, but most of us accept it as a necessary step towards getting better at something that we care deeply about.

Clearly, then, it is possible for someone who hates being observed to want to receive outside help on something as important and personal and teaching. The question is: what is the best way to do it? Does it depend on the situation? Or is coaching a step up from observation no matter how you slice it?

The consensus this week seemed to be that yes, indeed coaching is a step up. But, we will need to make a very concerted effort to actually separate coaching from the old observation process. It can’t just be a new buzzword attached to an old and ineffective practice. There needs to be a real shift from observation and criticism to collaboration and coaching.

Main themes from the discussion:

• Coaching is a conversation. Observation is merely critical. What most teachers disliked about the observation model (besides the fact that, most times, they were only observed for 20 minutes at a time), is that it’s not a conversation. It’s a one-way street. Administration rolls in, takes a few notes, and then tells you how to do your job. It’s way too hierarchical, way too judgmental, and not conducive to making change because teachers put their guard up almost immediately. Coaching, on the other hand, can be a conversation. Teachers can tell their coach what they think they need to focus on. They can initiate the process, and in doing so they will drop their guard. Then change becomes a possibility.
• Everybody can (and should) be coached, although not everyone will want to. One important thing, when making the switch from observation to coaching, is to stress the fact that everyone could use a coach (at least from time to time). Coaching does not imply deficiency. Rather, it simply signals that one is trying to improve. A good way to encourage this idea to take root is to stress that administrators are going to work with coaches as well. And if teachers are still hesitant to work with a coach? Allow them to talk with the coach beforehand about why they are hesitant. Remind them that they have some choice about the focus of the coaching – and that its purpose is not just to tell them how to do their job. It’s about helping them figure out how they can do their job even better.
• The goal should be more cooperation, collaboration, and continued improvement (lifelong learners). A very important aspect of the coaching model is the lifelong learner mindset. Teachers need to know that continuous improvement is something to strive for. They need to see that being modeled for them by those around them, and they need to see it being rewarded by administration. Many teachers might rail against being “coached” (at least, at first), but very few (if any) would say that they already know everything about teaching. The coaching process can be used to help cultivate and maintain the lifelong learner mindset among teachers – and to get them working together towards their goals.
• We should have multiple “specialty” coaches. We can sources these from the existing pool of experts at each school. Why spend the money shipping in “experts” with no first-hand knowledge of the school when there are experts in almost every conceivable subject and teaching style at almost every school? Sourcing a school’s coaches from the teacher/administration/staff population has two advantages: it’s cheap, and it promotes more camaraderie and collaboration. Of course, these teacher coaches may need some extra training and practice coaching other teachers. But everyone can learn together. The coaching model represents a shift from the judgmental observation model. It’s supposed to help teachers feel more connected with the people around them. What better way to start that feeling rolling than by working with teachers to develop the program?

My favorite tweets from the discussion:

tomwhitby The idea of coaching makes the observation more collegial and not as adversarial. That is good!

AHSTechTeacher Coaching is a nice word, but what good is it if people are not trained on how to effectively coach? Will it be different?

BarbLarochelle To me, the whole thought that I’m being ‘coached’ implies that I’m doing something wrong that needs to be fixed.

bjnichols Administration needs the same type of assistance. Coaching administrators is a big part of what I do. Can make a major impact.

Berryed1 When I coached, the objective was clearly to “beat” somebody at something and was very clearly measureable. Not for teaching.

johntspencer I like the blended approach: model lesson, observe lessons, co-observe another teacher, conference with reflective questions.

ShellTerrell In a learner model, teachers feel encouraged & supported not fear to experiment, make mistakes, etc.

KleinErin Coaching isn’t for those who ‘need’ it but rather for everyone. Once mindset is changed, the model will be more accepted.

jleous Coaching is the right term. As a HS hockey coach, I deal with players much better than I. I can still point out areas for growth.

Resources shared during the discussion:

cybraryman1 There is an outstanding #educoach chat Wednesdays at 10 pm EST http://t.co/tRLNU5tk

cybraryman1 I have seen more instructional coaches in school. My Instructional Coaching page: http://t.co/M1sJTNVd

davidwees Here’s something that I think would improve teaching: The apprenticeship model http://t.co/how4kz8U

jleous The Board just approved an “Instructional Coach” job description last night. The duties are well done. http://t.co/tbwKKqjl

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To follow the complete discussion, look for the full archive here.  They’re usually posted up by the end of the week.

Looking to discuss #edtech in depth? Check out the LinkedIn group: Edutech Trends, Visions, Passions.

New to #EdChat?

If you have never participated in an #Edchat discussion, these take place twice a day every Tuesday on Twitter.  Over 400 educators participate in this discussion by just adding #edchat to their tweets. For tips on participating in the discussion, please check out these posts:

• Edchat: Join the Conversation
• Using TweetDeck for Hashtag Discussions

More Edchat

• If you would like to join others in transforming the discussion into action, please feel free to join the Edchat group on the Educator PLN ning.
• Jerry Swiatek does an incredible job of posting each archived transcript on the #edchat wiki created by Steve Johnson. This way you can look back at your favorites!
• Find previous summaries here on this blog – see #edchat category on right sidebar
• Follow other Edchatters and make sure you are on this Twitter list if you participate in #Edchat!
• Read summaries of the 7pm EST/1 am CET Edchat discussions.

Challenge:

If you’re new to hashtag discussions, then just show up on Twitter on any Tuesday and add just a few tweets on the topic with the hashtag #edchat.

What do you think? Leave a comment! We would love to hear from you.

Many times, I have heard this sentiment (It’s not like that in the real world!) echoed about education, teachers, and the environment of school altogether. So, it is only fitting to begin this blog post in one manner…

Pop Quiz

Ok… grab a piece of paper, and pen or pencil and let me know when you are ready.

Ok?

Good. What I would like you to do is think of a profession that we have in the United States or abroad. Any profession that you little heart desires. Got one? Ok….write it down and underline it.

Now below it, I want you to write 3 things that are necessary to be successful in that profession. I will give you a sec…

Have three? Ok……Looking at your profession, we are going to assume that you have doctor, (or some iteration of the medical profession, because, frankly, it comes up 4 out of 5 times I do this little quiz).

Now, keeping in mind that list of things below the profession you chose, imagine that you are laying on the table of your surgeon and have just been administered anesthesia. As you slowly count down from 100, you feel your eyes getting heavy, and senses becoming distorted. As you hold on to the last bit of consciousness that you have, you hear the surgeon say something along the lines of….

“So, in medical school, I was really good at the whole cutting part of the operation….can identify the parts of the body….but when it comes to sewing, I BOMBED! But, it is quite alright nurse, you see, I received a passing average….so I was able to obtain my medical license!”

Is this how it works in the real world? No. Of course not. When a professional or individual has been certified in their respected field, they have shown that they are capable in ALL components of their education. This way, we know that the surgeon can cut, identify organs, locate the problems, analyze  the situation, provide a solution, and sew the patient back up.

Seems accurate when you think about it, huh?

Then why do we settle for anything less when assessing our students? Our traditional model of teaching and assessment provides a general score. One that relates individual abilities on a mean that really doesn’t paint a picture of either the knowledge or skills that a student has when they walk out of the classroom.

As both a teacher and a citizen, this idea that we will settle for a 75%, (average in the hypothetical world) which could boil down to a student that can memorize enough terms to get a 90 in knowledge, but can leave with poor communication skills or higher order thinking skills boggles my mind!

If we are preparing our student population to become positive members of society with knowledge, skills in the higher order cognitive realms, (such as organization, evaluation, analysis,) and the ability to research valuable and legitimate information to act as evidence to support ideas, we need to start assessing ALL areas in which we can identify student strengths and weaknesses. If they do not make the grade in just ONE of those things, we need to do the responsible, (but difficult) task of keeping them there until they can show competence in the major components of the ultimate goal. Only then can we truly ensure that those that leave our classrooms and educational institutions are ready, willing, and able to be the best that they can be for society in general.

Looking back at your own profession, would you want someone that is helping you out to be missing one of those abilities you have listed? Probably not. So, like in the real world, we need to start doing this in school so that we know that when those young adults do receive that hallowed document that reads “diploma,” that it means something; that we certify that the student is ready to tackle whatever it is that is coming next for him or her.

About the author: Justin Ballou is a high-school Social Studies teacher in New Hampshire. Besides teaching, he is active running an education startup called EduTech and enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife. With edtech and authentic learning as his go-to topics, you can reach him at jballouteaches@gmail.com to ask questions or leave comments and follow him on twitter (@nhjbteach).

Topic: As an educator, what are the best Twitter strategies you have discovered that help you use Twitter as a professional tool?

This week’s conversation sort of boiled down to a love-fest for Twitter, but perhaps it’s good to pay homage to that which makes it all possible once in a while. It’s not like educators wouldn’t have other options if Twitter didn’t exist, but since it does, and since it’s such a good sharing mechanism, why not sing its praises once in a while?

I was slightly disappointed that this didn’t turn into a discussion of how teachers are using Twitter in their classroom with some examples from hands-on experience. But perhaps that’s because not many teachers are actually using it with their students during class time. I did see some folks discussing how to properly use hashtags to allow for discussion on classroom topics after the fact. That’s interesting to me, because it encourages kids to think when they’re not seated in front of someone telling them to do so. And I think that’s something we need to encourage.

Another big topic for today was how we need to get more educators using Twitter and participating in chats like #edchat (or the specific discussion for their discipline). That’s definitely something that has come up more than once in #edchat. Remember that these educators are the 1%. They’re the connected ones; the self-motivated ones. And they need to stop being such a rarity.

Well, if you want to volunteer to be a Twitter missionary to the other educators at your school, I think a good place to start would be the archive of this discussion. I’ve never seen so many excited comments singing the praises of Twitter for education as I did this week. Hopefully that’ll win you some converts.

Main themes from the discussion:

• Professional development is number one. Of course, the number one thing that everyone said in praise of Twitter was its incredible potential for professional development. That boils down to two elements…
  • Motivation. A good Twitter discussion with another committed educator (possibly from the other side of the planet) is a wonderful motivator. Teaching is a tough and sometimes thankless career, and getting a weekly or daily dose of motivation is very important.
  • Inspiration. If you aren’t getting out to conferences or keeping up with all the latest developments in education and edtech, it can be easy to keep doing things the same way you’ve always been doing them. Twitter is a fast (and sometimes frantic) way of learning about all of them right away. And knowing is half the battle!
• Most important element is engagement (not just broadcasting). A lot of folks dislike Twitter because they see it as merely a broadcast medium that limits you to 140 characters. It certainly can be. And perhaps most of the time it is. But to really unlock the potential of Twitter, you need to make good use of its engagement potential. You need to participate in chats, use @mentions and #hashtags, and encourage your students to do the same. It’s possible (and remarkably easy) to make some very valuable connections on Twitter. All you have to do is reach out.
• Following/participating in chats can point you towards great resources. This is something that I have experienced firsthand. I can’t tell you how much my Twitter experience changed (for the better!) once I took the plunge and got involved in #edchat. I’ve met some amazing educators, found some awesome resources, and gotten involved in a cause that I find absolutely fascinating. And it’s not like #edchat is the only chat out there. Find one that fits your niche and throw yourself into it! It can only lead to good things.

My favorite tweets from the discussion:

jlubinsky It goes without saying, but Twitter chats have been an invaluable resource for professional growth.

vpigreenie As professional tool, I find the links alone give me insights, resources and information on education.

RobertBorgersen I have used twitter to get ideas to ENGAGE my students. Engagement is probably the top thing I have learned.

mcfaddenkk Following great educators, trying new things that others share, and participating in twitter chats has changed everything I do in the class.

mattbergholt I have found that Twitter allows me to set up interactions between classrooms and enhance virtual collaboration.

MsDittmar Go to a conference and use Twitter. Admin was amazed at how I was able to gain so much from sessions I wasn’t in!

tomwhitby #Edchat, or any of the chat discussions are great places to discover thoughtful educators to follow on Twitter. Build from there.

DrThomasHo Biggest problem with those who don’t use social media for PD or learning is folks “don’t know what they don’t know.”

CTuckerEnglish Plus- if I’m on twitter & SM then I can teach my students how to get connected to cont. their learning.

Resources shared during the discussion:

daveandcori A-Z Dictionary of Educational Twitter hashtags http://t.co/ohwtPrY0

drdouggreen Check the Social Media in Education archives at http://t.co/DMYqOAZP for ideas on parent workshop.

davidwees Before we can teach teachers to use Twitter, we need to ensure that its purpose is clear. http://t.co/yeOU9tMP

cybraryman1 My teaching with Twitter links: http://t.co/LXq2A1mZ

cybraryman1 My PLN Stars page: http://t.co/uFhdpsfU

###

To follow the complete discussion, look for the full archive here.  They’re usually posted up by the end of the week.

Looking to discuss #edtech in depth? Check out the LinkedIn group: Edutech Trends, Visions, Passions.

New to #EdChat?

If you have never participated in an #Edchat discussion, these take place twice a day every Tuesday on Twitter.  Over 400 educators participate in this discussion by just adding #edchat to their tweets. For tips on participating in the discussion, please check out these posts:

• Edchat: Join the Conversation
• Using TweetDeck for Hashtag Discussions

More Edchat

• If you would like to join others in transforming the discussion into action, please feel free to join the Edchat group on the Educator PLN ning.
• Jerry Swiatek does an incredible job of posting each archived transcript on the #edchat wiki created by Steve Johnson. This way you can look back at your favorites!
• Find previous summaries here on this blog – see #edchat category on right sidebar
• Follow other Edchatters and make sure you are on this Twitter list if you participate in #Edchat!
• Read summaries of the 7pm EST/1 am CET Edchat discussions.

Challenge:

If you’re new to hashtag discussions, then just show up on Twitter on any Tuesday and add just a few tweets on the topic with the hashtag #edchat.

What do you think? Leave a comment! We would love to hear from you.