The Role of the Teacher in the Web 2.0 World

Whether or not we educators have embraced it, Web 2.0 is here. Not only is it here, but it has the potential to fundamentally change the landscape of learning in our schools...if we allow it to happen. In previous posts, I have referenced Clayton Christensen, who argued that technology will be the "disruptive technology" that causes a paradigm shift in teaching and learning in our schools. He also posited that if public schools do not embrace this "disruptive technology" then our consumers will look outside of our system for the services they are demanding.

Such discussions are understandably uncomfortable for those of us in public education. We wonder what our role will be in this new paradigm? If kids have access to the information we used to teach them, then what will they need us for? How can we successfully teach using Web 2.0 tools when the kids know more about them than we do? How can I use Web 2.0 tools in my classroom when my administrator doesn't see the value? How can I justify the use of these technology tools to parents who want their kids taught as they were? All of these questions make us justifiably uncomfortable. However, as I recently read, "If you aren't uncomfortable in education right now, you aren't paying attention."

One of the blogs I follow is Dangerously Irrelevant, which focuses on issues surrounding technology, leadership, and the future of our schools. One of his recent posts was a summary of three sessions spent at a conference where Will Richardson was one of the featured speaker. Will Richardson is a well-known presenter who focuses on 21st century learning skills and how they are impacting student learning. In perusing the author's notes from this presentation, I discovered a YouTube video that Richardson used to illustrate how Web 2.0 is changing education and the role of teachers.

In this video, there is a twelve year old boy who has unsuccessfully been trying to make a bow drill set. He decides to make a YouTube video asking for help. In his video, he shows how he is trying to accomplish this, and then openly asks for people to identify what he is doing wrong. As Will Richardson stated, here is what this twelve year old understands.

• He assumes there is an audience and they will respond.
• He's comfortable asking for help.
• He views YouTube as a learning tool.
• After only 101 views, he had 10 comments giving specific idea/suggestions to help.
• He knows that YouTube gives him the ability to send his question out to 1.7 billion people.

What is the learning opportunity for we educators? First and foremost, it is becoming apparent that we no longer hold the magic key to knowledge. When our students need answers, we no longer have a monopoly on the information, because they can use any number of Web 2.0 tools to find whatever they need. As Daniel Pink said in his book, A Whole New Mind, “an English speaking thirteen year old in Zaire with internet connection can find out the current temperature in Brussels, or closing price of IBM stock or name of Winston Churchill’s second finance minister as quickly as the head librarian in Cambridge university." This may cause some to worry about job security. However, I would argue that if we are willing to embrace the technology, our role will be more necessary and dynamic than ever.

Because we no longer need to be the disseminators of information, we can focus on the development of application, synthesis and evaluation skills with our students. We can work alongside them in inquiry and problem-based learning opportunities. We can assist them in learning to evaluate and categorize the vast information available to them. We can help them to make global connections via Web 2.0 to enhance and reinforce their learning opportunities. We can facilitate their use of Web 2.0 to collaborate meaningfully with their fellow students outside the four walls of the classroom. The possibilities are endless...if we are open to our role changing. Instead of delivering information, educators can become invaluable in our new role as facilitators of learning.

As always, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this subject.

Coaching vs. Mentoring

When I became the Superintendent of District #1, one of my first priorities was to develop a formalized teacher mentoring program. I had read the disturbing statistics showing that up to half of new teachers quit the profession within the first five years. As a building principal, I had also witnessed the trials and tribulations of first year teachers, and most importantly, I remember the feelings I had as a first year teacher. Therefore, I believe strongly in the value of providing these new teachers with a mentor.

Mentoring provides new teachers with an immediate relationship with a colleague who is considered to be an expert in his or her field. This usually means the mentor is older and more experienced than the mentee, and during the process, the mentor bestows their knowledge and wisdom to the mentee. In return, the mentee usually looks up to the mentor and seeks his or her guidance and advice during difficult times. The desired result of this relationship is that the mentee has the necessary support to successfully transition into the teaching profession. In our District, I have personally seen the positive effect this relationship has had on our new teachers.

Although I am happy with the success of our mentoring program, I am always searching for opportunities for continuous improvement. Recently, I have been participating in a training that has me questioning if there may be a better way. The Illinois Association of School Administrators is sponsoring an intensive training on "coaching". Prior to the training, I was really unsure of what coaching was. However, the more I learn, the more excited I am becoming about the possibilities coaching has for the teaching profession.

As stated earlier, the mentoring relationship is based on the assumption that the mentor has the knowledge and must impart it upon the mentee. The coaching relationship is much different, because there is not necessarily a higher or lower relationship between the coachee and coach. In fact, the coaching relationship is more of a partnership where the coach walks side by side with the coachee. The coach supports the coachee in drawing on his or her own wisdom and following their inner guidance. In short, the coach does not necessarily have all the answers. Instead, they have the questions that lead to the coachee finding his or her own answers.

Why does this coaching relationship excite me? I think it is because it's goal is to create a coachee who becomes an independent thinker confident in his or her abilities. The mentor relationship works under the assumption that if you just do what I do, then you will be successful. The coaching relationship assumes that you already have the ability to be successful, and the coaches job is to assist you in discovering your personal pathway to success, which might be very different from the path taken by the coach. In short, the coaching relationship allows the coachee to find his or her own answers.

How could this type of relationship be helpful for new teachers? I can give you a personal example. My wife is a high school teacher, and we met during my first year as a teacher at Reed-Custer High School. Her classroom style is "entertainment" and she gets wonderful academic results. She has a great sense of humor, and her kids thrive on her energy, creativity and fun. When I saw how successful she was, I attempted to mimic her style. However, as a new teacher, I quickly realized that I lacked the proper character traits to successfully emulate her teaching style. Had I continued trying to do so, I would have failed miserably, and probably would have been one of those who quit teaching within the first five years.

I was assigned a mentor teacher, but the purpose was focused more on procedures than pedagogy. Therefore, I had to find my own style that was congruent with my personal strengths and character. Fortunately, I had wonderful colleagues who supported me in this professional endeavor, but it took about three years before it clicked and I discovered a style unique to me. I can't help but wonder if a formal coaching relationship would have helped me to discover my own style more quickly.

As previously mentioned, I am still a proponent of the mentoring process, but as I learn more, I believe the coaching relationship has real possibilities for enhancing the teaching profession. If you are interested in learning more about coaching, I would highly recommend "Co-Active Coaching" by Whitworth, et al.

21st Century Learning and the Future of Public Schools

As you know, I have become very passionate about the impact of technology and the skills our students will need to be successful in the global economy of the 21st century. The September edition of Educational Leadership magazine devoted their entire issue to exploring "Teaching for the 21st Century".

The "Partnership for 21st Century Skills" has been one of the leaders in advocating for the incorporation of 21st century skills into our public education system. They have developed a "Framework for 21st Century Learning" which identifies the skills and knowledge students will need to be contributors in the global economy of the 21st century. There are four components that describe these skills and knowledge:

1. Core subjects and 21st century themes
--such as language arts, science, math, global awareness, and financial literacy
2. Learning and innovation skills
--such as creativity, innovation, critical thinking, and problem solving
3. Information, media and technology skills
4. Life and career skills
--such as initiative and self-direction

In one of the articles, Peter W. Cookson Jr. stated that to meet these needs, "we must think outside the box of conventional schooling." He follows this with a very powerful paragraph about school reform.

"To start, we must overhaul and redesign the current school system. We face this great transition with both hands tied behind our collective backs if we continue to pour money, time, and effort into an outdated system of education. Mass education belongs in the era of massive armies, massive industrial complexes, and massive attempts at social control. We have lost much talent since the 18th century by enforcing stifling education routines in the name of efficiency. Current high school dropout rates clearly indicate that our standardized testing regime and outdated curriculums are wasting the potential of our youth."

He goes on to state,

"If we stop thinking of schools as buildings and start thinking of learning as occuring in many different places, we will free ourselves from the conventional education model that still dominates our thinking. Socrates did not teach in a conventional classroom; his classroom was wherever he and his students found themselves."

Those are very powerful statements that should cause us to pause and critically reflect on our current practices. Specifically, it makes me ponder to what extent our current philosophies, practices and structures are preparing our students for the complex and challenging world they will face as they enter the global economy of the 21st century. However, it also raises some very difficult questions.

How do schools meet these challenges while under the thumb of NCLB requirements and standardized testing?

Can NCLB and teaching for the 21st century co-exist in a meaningful way?

How do we make legislators and parents understand that education does not have to look like it did when they were in school?

How and when do we provide opportunities for kids to experience "schooling" outside the four walls of the school building?

How do we make legislators and parents understand that the traditional agrarian calendar followed by public schools is antiquated and no longer meets the learning needs of students in today's information-rich society.

How do we provide Web 2.0 access for our students, while at the same time upholding our legal and moral responsibilities to ensure student safety?

How do we give teachers the tools, training and freedom to teach the 21st century skills of inquiry, innovation and critical thinking?

As Cookson stated in his article, "Just as the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the wall of conventional schooling is collapsing before our eyes." My hope is that instead of stubbornly clinging to the past, public education will react in a proactive manner so that we can participate in and help to create the structure within which we will meet these challenges. If not, I am worried these changes will be done "to us" as opposed to "with us".

YouTube and a 1925 Ford Model T?

In a previous post, I paid tribute to my grandfather who recently passed away at the age of 95. He had a very fine collection of vintage cars, and when he passed, many of them were scheduled to be sold at auction. He was particularly fond of his 1925 Ford Model T, because that was the same make and model that he drove to high school as a kid. Due to his affinity for this car, I did not want it to leave the family. Fortunately, I was able to buy the car at auction and keep this heirloom within the family. I look forward to the day when I can show my grandkids the car their great, great grandfather drove as a high school student.

Although I was euphoric that I was able to obtain the car, I soon realized that with this purchase came some interesting challenges. First, when I encounter engine trouble of any kind, I am one of those guys who opens the hood and looks inside even though I have absolutely no idea what I am looking at. If being mechanically challenged were a disability, I would be the poster child!

First, I didn't even know how to start the "Tin Lizzy". I turned the key, but nothing happened. Hmmmmm.

Furthermore, when you sit in a Model T, there are three very confusing pedals on the floor and two even more confusing controls on the steering wheel. I quickly found myself wishing that I had asked grandpa how to drive this thing!

So here I was with this beautiful antique car that we had pushed into my garage (because I couldn't drive it!), and I had absolutely no idea how to start it; let alone drive it. What to do? YouTube of course.

Excitedly, I went inside and began searching YouTube for videos. I quickly found a video explaining how to prepare the car for starting and how to work the unique crank start system. I watched the video and then went right out to my garage, and the car started like I actually knew what I was doing.

Then I watched another video showing how to work the various controls so I could actually pull the car out of my garage. I then watched another video just to make sure the two gave consistent instructions. After this, I was ready to put my new learning to work, and believe it or not, my daughter actually witnessed me drive it around the block.

After basking in the glory of my modest success, I starting thinking about the irony of using a Web 2.0 tool to learn to drive a car that is nearly 85 years old. It also reinforced much of what I have been reading regarding the value of YouTube as an instructional tool. With the vast array of information being posted on a daily basis to YouTube, we educators can find video to support nearly any classroom topic we discuss. Say you are looking for video to support your classroom study of "To Kill a Mockingbird", the Pythagorean Theorem, the Theory of Relativity, the Gettysburg Address, or the proper dead lifting technique, you can find it all on YouTube.

The plethora of free multimedia information available via Web 2.0 makes me believe that the classroom videos and DVD's we used to show will soon be considered ancient relics of the past. Instead, the multimedia we use in the classroom will be "just in time" via the web, which will provide a richer and more meaningful learning experience for our students.

Web 2.0 is rapidly changing the classroom as we remember it. Technology is quickly replacing the textbook as well as the support materials we have traditionally used. If I can learn to drive a 1925 Model T via YouTube, don't you think kids could benefit from this learning tool as well? The kids are ready for us to move to Web 2.0, because most of them are already there. The question is, will public education lead the way or follow?

The Making of a Prodigy...At What Cost?

I recently had a friend share a Nightline news clip with me which focused on a book titled "The Talent Code" by Daniel Coyle. The author of this book argues that talent is not innate, but rather is developed through intense practice, superb coaching, and intense concentration on the task at hand. As I watched the video clip, I found the arguments to be very similar to those made by Malcolm Gladwell in "Outliers", where he argued that talent is is not necessarily innate, but rather a result of opportunity. As I watched the video it caused me to reflect on the message being sent by both authors.

First and foremost, both authors advocate for the importance of the teacher. Whether a child is learning science, baseball, or the cello, outstanding coaching is the key element to success. Coyle found various places throughout the U.S. where an inordinate number of "prodigies" had been developed. He found a singing studio, a quarterback camp and a stringed instrument school where an inordinate number of students seemed to thrive. Each of these schools had the identical variable in common--one outstanding instructor. Interestingly, he also found that each of these instructors had the same characteristics. They were organized, perfectionists, and most importantly, they were not yellers and screamers. Instead, they were very matter-of-fact in their corrections, and always respectful of their students.

What does this teach us? It reinforces what educational researcher, Mike Schmoker, has been preaching for years. In his book, "Results Now", he stated that "the best teachers in a school have six times as much impact as the bottom third of teachers." School improvement is not some mysterious magic formula. The best way to ensure student success is to hire the very best teachers, provide the structure for their success, and support their continuous improvement.

However, the most salient message being sent by both Coyle and Gladwell is that childhood prodigies are not born, but rather made. They both send the message to parents that if you are willing to put in the necessary time, find the right teacher, and have a child who can intensely focus on the task at hand, you too can have a prodigy on your hands. However, what concerns me is the potential cost of this philosophy.

One of the goals of the K-12 school experience is to send out well-rounded graduates who have the ability to pursue a variety of career options. Over the past few years, I have become concerned that many of our students are missing the complete school experience. Immersion in both academics and co-curriculars is an integral part of this complete experience.

I went to a high school that only had about 125 kids in the entire school, and it doesn't even exist anymore. However, we had 83 kids in the marching band, 15 jrs. and srs. on the varsity athletic teams, a JV and varsity scholastic bowl team, an active FFA and many other activities. Many of those who participated in athletics also participated in the music and scholastic bowl programs. In short, we stayed active and experienced all that high school had to offer. However, that was 25 years ago, and things seemed to have changed dramatically today.

Now, public schools have kids who don't play basketball because they are playing club volleyball. They have elementary school kids who play baseball for eight months out of the year, so they can't go to basketball camp. They have kids who participate in wrestling clubs, so they can't go out for track or baseball. They have kids who lift weights for football, so they can't go out for wrestling. We see baseball and softball academies opening all over the state, so that in the four months kids aren't playing organized ball, they can still practice their skills. We see speed and agility clinics opening all over the state so our kids can get bigger, faster and stronger. With all of this scheduled time, how could a kid possibly be in athletics and also experience the joy of the fine arts? It's impossible.

In "Outliers", Gladwell stated that in order to have a chance at "prodigy" status, a person must practice a skill for 10,000 hours. That is nearly 417 full days. To reach this goal by the age of 18, a child starting at age five would have to practice their skill 769 hours per year! In reaching this goal, what is the child giving up? Is it worth it? By driving our kids this hard, are we helping or hurting their futures? Most importantly, whose goals are we trying to reach by driving our kids this hard: the kid's or their parents'?

Due to the rapidly rising expense of post-secondary education, I understand and appreciate the value of the college scholarship, but how do you put a price tag on the value of a well-rounded student? How many times have we heard stories about the child prodigy who became the maladjusted adult? What happens to the child prodigy-in-training when they don't succeed at their chosen skill? What skills do they have to fall back on?

I recently read a blog posting entitled "The Death of the Three Sport Athlete", which alludes to the dangers of this single-minded focus parents have for their kids. I hope the idea of the well-rounded student has not been lost forever, because I believe society will miss the creativity and leadership these students have historically provided.

I would enjoy hearing your thoughts on this issue.

The Dilemma of Internet Safety

In District #1, we have a group of community and school representatives who make up the "Learning Leadership Team". This morning marked the opening meeting for the 2009-2010 school year. At each meeting, our facilitators organize some "new learning" for the group, and today's presenter was the Grundy County State's Attorney, Sheldon Sobol. Mr. Sobol spoke to our group about the importance of Internet safety. His office has provided numerous parental trainings on this issue throughout Grundy County.

He provided many examples of situations involving Internet predators in Grundy and surrounding counties. He also gave some information for parents to discuss with their children when talking about Internet safety. Overall, he did a very good job of opening our eyes to an important issue. In fact, many of the safety precautions he advocated are similar to those found on an FBI website of the same topic.

During his discussion, I couldn't quit thinking about the quandary school districts are in. On the one hand, we have the ultimate responsibility of keeping our kids safe. No matter what the topic, our first consideration is, and must always be, student safety. In today's litigious society, there are moments we may even go overboard in assuring our students are safe, but that is just a sign of the times in which we live. Therefore, we have to make sure our students are provided with all of the safety precautions necessary to assure they do not access web sites deemed inappropriate or become victims of online predators. Our school district takes these responsibilities very seriously, and as Mr. Sobol reinforced, it is vitally important.

However, Mr. Sobol also made another very important statement. He reminded us that completely sheltering our students from the Internet is not the answer either. If we shut our students off from these opportunities, we are withholding from them a necessary "life skill" they will need for success in the global economy of the 21st century. Instead, we have to educate our students, and their parents, on using the vast amount of information on the Internet in appropriate and meaningful ways. The question then becomes, "How does society accomplish this, and what role should schools play in the process?"

I believe that schools will have to become the primary player in this learning process. However, I would advocate for the incorporation of these skills into our existing curriculum as opposed to the development of new classes. Within our existing curriculum, we have to provide meaningful learning opportunities for our students that encourage their use of Web 2.0 tools. We must also take the time to teach them how to use these tools in a responsible manner. For example, where our instruction for a research paper used to focus on "how to find" the necessary information, now we must focus on "how to evaluate" the content of the plethora of information that is available via the web. The entire notion of a "primary resource" has changed. Video-conferencing and social networking have muddied the waters, and we must provide opportunities to teach our students how to evaluate a creditable source from a phony. It is a complex issue and a difficult challenge, but one that we must begin to deal with in our public schools.

How would you go about providing the necessary Web 2.0 opportunities for our students while at the same time protecting the school district from liability?

Seeing Her Eyes Dance

Over the Labor Day weekend, I got the chance to enjoy one of my few diversions from work--golf. Although I am by no means an accomplished linkster, and at times I find the game challenges my patience, I still enjoy the open air and relaxation I feel when on the course. Many weekends, I go out either early in the morning or late in the evening and play alone. Although my wife thinks it sounds like the most boring of all recreational activities, I actually treasure the solitude. It gives me an opportunity to reflect on the day, collect my thoughts, and no matter how high the score, I always come home rejuvenated.

Although I do enjoy the time alone, I have spent the past couple of years trying to persuade my 10 and 8 year old daughters to take up the game. I thought it would be a great opportunity for us to spend some quality time together, and besides, golf is becoming a necessary skill in today's business world.

I have tried on numerous occasions to take the girls with me to play a few holes, and when they couldn't think of anything better to do, they would come along for the ride...literally! I mean, the only thing they were really interested in was driving the cart. Oh, they might swing a couple of times on the first hole, and maybe try a putt or two on the second hole, but by the third hole it was all about which of them would get to sit on dad's lap and drive the cart.

This weekend, I summoned all my parenting skills and decided to divide and conquer. I took my 8 year old on Sunday and my 10 year old on Monday. My youngest and I had a great time, and she did last for about four holes before deciding that trying to give dad whiplash was much more fun than trying to hit a 7 iron out of the rough.

On Labor Day, my oldest and I went out to play. She is competitive and can become frustrated when she can't do something well, which is why she has never had the patience for golf. After a few swings and misses, she is usually ready to battle her sister for that treasured seat on dad's lap to drive. However, today was different.

When she was warming up on the first hole, I saw something in her swing. We spent the next five minutes taking practice swings and concentrating on fixing that flaw. We then pulled out a couple of practice whiffle balls and she took a few swings. She was so excited that I didn't even get to tee off before we headed to the women's tee. She then teed it up; took a couple of practice swings; then proceeded to drive it about 125 yards right down the middle.

I will never forget the look in her eyes as she turned to me with her mouth agape. I swear that her eyes literally danced. Although she didn't hit every shot that well, she played all nine holes with a newfound energy and confidence. Upon completion of the round, her first question was when we could play again.

After we got home, and the kids went to bed, I realized that I was probably as excited and fulfilled as she was. Not because I think she is going to be golf prodigy...I know better. Rather, I was excited because I knew I had played a part in "making her eyes dance". I played a part in her having an "a-ha moment". I played a part in her learning something new.

By this time, you are probably wondering how this relates to education?

At the beginning of the school year, I talked to the faculty and staff about the immense power and influence teachers have on the lives of their students. Teachers have the ability to "make their eyes dance" each and every day. As an administrator, that is the part of education I desperately miss. I miss seeing the looks on my students' faces when they finally get it. I miss working with struggling students after school to help them have their "a-ha" moments. I miss watching their self-confidence grow each and every day they are in class. In short, I miss "seeing their eyes dance."

Our challenge as educators is to create as many opportunities as possible to "see their eyes dance", and to never grow tired of watching it happen. I can't think of any other profession as vital and fulfilling as that of our teachers.

Spotlight on Tech in District #1

Unit District #1 has had a tremendous start to the 09-10 school year. At our beginning of the year inservice, I gave a presentation to staff on various Web 2.0 tools that have potential for classroom use. I have been amazed at the response from our teachers, and would like to take a moment to highlight some of the incredible things our teachers are doing with these tools in the classroom. I know there are many more teachers using these tools, but these are the ones that have been communicated to me thus far. If you are using Web 2.0 tools in your classroom, I would enjoy hearing about your experience.

A site that can be used to easily build classroom webpages is www.weebly.com. It is very intuitive to use and has tremendous potential as a communication tool for classroom use. Mr. Sinkular, high school social science teacher, has built a page at http://sink.weebly.com/index.html He is placing many resources on the site which can either be linked to or downloaded. I know his students are really starting to utilize it as the "homebase" for his class.

We have other teachers who are experimenting with Ning, which is a tool to create social networks for their classrooms. I know that Ms. Sikkema (HS English), Mr. Baer (HS Social Science), and Ms. Martinez (HS Foreign Language) have developed social networks for their classes.

We have many teachers who are utilizing our own website to build their pages. An excellent example is what Mr. Leman (HS Math) has done with his site. He has turned his website into a tremendous resource for students and their parents. Ms. Morris (MS Band) has also done an excellent job of using our website to build a very informative page for her students.

We also have teachers beginning to experiment with classroom blogs. Mr. Dooley (HS Band) has created a blog which he uses to communicate a variety of important information to his students and their parents. He is using Blogger as his platform, which is the same tool I used to create this blog. It is very user-friendly and allows one to create a blog in a matter of minutes.

I have also entered District #1 into the world of "tweeting". You can follow us at www.twitter.com/unitdistrict1. This platform provides a quick and easy way to stay up to date on the latest District news. We are slowly building a following, but I expect it to catch on quickly once the word spreads. Next to Facebook, Twitter is the fastest growing social networking site on the web.

I know there are other teachers using Web 2.0 tools in innovative ways, but these are a few examples that have been brought to my attention since the start of the school year. As I stated earlier, I would enjoy learning about other exemplary uses of these valuable technology tools in the classroom.

Like it or not, the way we communicate in the global economy of the 21st century is changing, and Web 2.0 tools are at the forefront of this change. Our District website receives between 13,000 and 17,000 hits per month! It has become the preferred method of communication by many of our stakeholders. It is imperative that we embrace this paradigm shift and recognize its potential power for enhancing how we communicate with those we serve.

More Online Education Talk

Ever since reading Clayton Christensen's "Disrupting Class", I have become increasingly interested in the impact the online education movement will have on the future of public education. I recently came across this article which summarizes a study completed by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). The article emphasizes some important findings, which I think supports the need for K-12 public schools to embrace, rather than resist, the online education movement.

... last year iNACOL estimates there were more than one million students enrolled in online courses. More than 30 states have state-led online programs, and more than half of the school districts in the U.S. offer online courses and services

However, even though online learning is growing at the rate of 30 percent annually, access to online schools and courses is not keeping pace with the demand from students and parents. iNACOL estimates that more than 40 percent of middle and high school students want to enroll in online courses--more than 20 million students.

"Today, every student can access a world-class education with online courses taught by talented, qualified teachers at any location," said Susan Patrick, president of iNACOL. "The barriers to entry are outdated policies restricting student registrations, funding policies that limit choice, and seat-time requirements."

Clayton Christensen argued that online education will be the "disruptive innovation" that causes public schools to fundamentally change their existing structures. He believed that as students and parents (our customers!) began to demand more access to quality online courses, public schools would either have to provide them, or their competition (private entities) would. The iNACOL study seems to reinforce that the demand for online educational opportunities is growing at a rapid rate, and as Christensen predicted, public schools are not keeping up to meet that demand. The question is why?

According to the study, the raison d'etre lies in outdated and unreasonable school policies that do not reflect the current needs of society and fail to take into account how today's students learn. Currently, most school policies focus on how to keep students from bringing their cell phones, ipods, and personal laptops to school. Instead, we should be focused on developing school policies that encourage students to utilize these learning tools in an appropriate and safe manner. We should be focused on policies that don't discourage student collaboration, but rather encourage appropriate collaboration. We should focus on altering antiquated school policies that involve required hours of seat time and limit the number of courses that can be taken outside the walls of the school building. We should focus on the development of policies that provide students with access to Web 2.0 tools that will prepare them for the rigors of today's global economy.

In short, we need to develop policies that will allow our public schools to meet the educational demands that business, parents and students are requiring in the 21st century. If we don't embrace this "disruptive technology", public schools will face serious competition from private sources who will surely react to the basic economics of supply and demand. I, for one, would like our public schools to beat them to the punch.

The Legacy of My Grandfather

At our opening day inservice on Monday, the focus of my speech to all faculty and staff was on "Building Your Legacy." I tried to reinforce the amazing power each and every teacher holds in the palm of her hand to influence her students for better or worse. I discussed how each and every student in a teacher's class will remember her forever...for better or worse. There is no other profession that has this incredible power right in the palm of their hands on a daily basis. It is an amazing responsibility that can sometimes be a little scary.

On the same day I delivered this message to my staff, I also found out that my nearly 95 year old grandfather had just passed away. He was an important part of my life from a young age, so his loss was very difficult for me. I grew up only five miles from his house, and as a child, it felt like I was at my grandparents house nearly everyday for something. He also had a camping lot on Lake Taylorville, and every holiday and summer memory with my family seems to have taken place there. He was also an avid old car collector, with anywhere between 10 and 13 vintage cars at any one time. His favorite was his 1925 Ford Model T, which is the same model he used to drive to high school. He salvaged most of them and spent years fixing them up so he could drive them. He didn't believe in having an antique car that you couldn't drive. As a result, my grandpa driving his old cars was a common site in my hometown of Assumption, IL. Now that I have survived both the wake and his funeral, I have had a chance to reflect on how the life he led is so similar to the message I shared with teachers on opening day.

At his funeral, I was asked to speak on behalf of the family. In celebrating his life, I focused on three salient characteristics that I believe accurately depicted his persona. First, he was a kind and gentle man. I don't remember him ever saying anything derogatory about anyone. In fact, I don't ever remember him raising his voice out of anger. Even as he got older and couldn't physically do the things he once could, he never once complained. He did not want to be a burden to him family, even though any of us would have done anything for him.

Secondly, he was generous. When most people think of generosity, they think of it in monetary terms. Although grandpa was generous in that way too, more importantly, he was generous with his time. He always had time for others, and especially for his family. I could call him on any summer afternoon or weekend to go water skiing at the lake, and I new he would come driving over in his Galaxy 500 to pick me up. He not only taught his grandkids to water ski, but he taught many of my high school friends as well. He understood that his time was a gift he should share with others.

Finally, he understood the importance of maintaining balance in his life. He knew when it was time to work, and he worked very hard. He also knew when it was time to play, and he played hard as well. However, no matter whether he was working or playing, he always strived to do everything with excellence. When he farmed as a young man, he wanted to be the best. Later in life when he turned the farm over to my dad, he started an insurance agency, and made it a thriving success. When he collected old cars, he worked to make his cars the envy of other collectors. When he spent time with family, he always made sure we felt loved and secure. No matter what he did, he did it with dignity, humility and excellence.

So how does all this relate to my opening day message to staff about "Building Your Legacy". My grandfather understood that it's not what you make that makes someone important. The true measure of a person is the difference he makes to others. My grandpa was able to make a difference to those he touched, which was obvious from the outpouring of support at his wake. However, although he lived until nearly 95, his chosen professions limited the number of lives he could touch. As educators, we have the ability to "Build Our Legacies" by touching the lives of hundreds and hundreds of students during our careers. If we could all remember my grandfather's lessons of kindness, generosity and excellence, think of the lives we could touch and the legacy we could build.

Rest in peace grandpa.

The Legacy of a Teacher

Monday marked the opening day of school with a teacher institute. I always use this opportunity with faculty and staff to celebrate the successes of the past year and set forth the goals and challenges for the upcoming school year.

This year, the focus of my talk was on "Building Your Legacy". I think people sometimes forget the incredible influence that educators have on each and every student in their classrooms. Each student will be profoundly influenced by their teachers, and that carries with it an awesome amount of power and responsibility.

Every day that a teacher goes to work, they are "building their legacy" in either a positive or negative way. The challenge for us is to always remember this in our daily interactions with our students. During Monday's presentation, I planned on showing a video which exemplifies the influence teachers have on their students, but I ran out of time. I hope you get a chance to watch it and think about the difference you are making with your students.

Everyday teachers are in the classroom, they are building their legacies. When your students come back for their 20 year class reunion, how will you be remembered?

High School Addition

During registration, many parents had questions regarding the progress of the addition to Coal City High School. The main concern was in regards to the completion of the student parking lot.

Although the unusually wet and cold summer has slowed us down, we are still on schedule to have half of the student parking lot completed prior to August 19th, which is the first day of student attendance. This will provide 313 parking spaces for our students, which is more than enough to handle our student traffic at the beginning of the school year. The remainder of the parking lot is scheduled to be completed prior to the first home football game on September 4.

Students driving to school should enter via the Carbon Hill Road entrance. Parents who are dropping students off should enter off Rt. 113 and drop off in the north parking lot in front of the school. Staff parking will be in the East and North lots.

Should you have questions regarding parking, please contact the high school office at 815-634-2396.

I encourage anyone to watch the progress of our high school addition project via webcam on our District website. There will be many more updates throughout the year, so keep an eye on our website and on our Business Manager's blog.

Graduation Thoughts

Last Sunday afternoon, District #1 graduated over 150 seniors. We endured torrential rainfall earlier in the week, and spent the next few days fretting over whether or not the football field would be dry enough to hold the event outside. However, on Sunday morning, the clouds parted and the sun appeared making for an absolutely perfect day.

I always enjoy commencement, as it is a time to celebrate the many accomplishments of our graduates and the hopes they hold for the future. However, each year as I sit on the stage, listen to the speeches and shake the hands of all the graduates just after receiving their diplomas, I always have the same thought--Did I do everything I could to prepare each of these students for success?

Although I am very proud of our school district, and believe we have tremendous teachers who do tremendous things for kids, I always sit on that stage thinking of what else we could have done. This year, my thoughts came back to two questions.

1. Did our system allow us to meet the individual needs of the graduates, allowing them every opportunity to reach their full potential?
2. Did our system adequately prepare them for the challenges they will face in the global economy they will experience upon graduation.

Taking the initial question first, many educational reformers are beginning to seriously question the "batch" form of instruction that is prevalent in most public schools. They are calling for a more individualized approach which fosters enhanced engagement and therefore, higher achievement. The Response to Intervention (RtI) model is a move in this direction, as it essentially calls for the development of an individualized education plan for any struggling student, and not just those with identified special needs. Clayton Christensen also advocates for this model of differentiation, which he believes will be accomplished through the use of technology, and specifically on-line education. Many charter schools are based on the idea of individualizing the educational opportunities for their students. Secretary of Education Duncan is advocating for creative and innovative solutions to improve public education, and furthering the individualization of instruction would definitely fit well with his articulated vision.

As our school district continues down the path of continuous improvement, moving towards furthering the individualization of instruction is a collaborative discussion in which our learning organization needs to participate.

I have blogged extensively on the second question of preparing our students to compete in the global economy of the 21st century. Therefore, I will not spend more time reiterating these concerns. However, I will recount the importance of public educators keeping this issue in mind as classroom curriculum, assessments, and experiences are developed. We have to remember that we are no longer preparing students to be obedient factory workers. Instead, we are preparing them for a dynamic economy in which they will change jobs multiple times, and most likely hold a job that today doesn't exist.

Preparation for success in this type of economy calls for a very different set of skills than what have traditionally been the norm in public schools. Our students must be able to not only regurgitate information, but also create information. They must not only be able to sit quietly and listen, but also be an active participate within a dynamic work group. They must not only learn the information we present to them in class, but be instilled with the skills to be lifelong learners. They must not only be receivers of information, but wise consumers of information. They must not only be expected to learn facts and theories, but have the ability to apply their learning to the dynamic, globally connected world in which they live.

The class of 2009 is full of fantastic young people who will definitely have a positive impact on our world. That is a testament to the fine faculty and staff who have poured their hearts and souls into educating these students. I am so proud of everyone's efforts. However, we owe it to ourselves, our students, and the communities we serve to continue to investigate how we can improve our already outstanding educational system. Two ways we can work towards this goal are to hold future collaborative discussions on furthering the individualization of instruction and preparing students for the educational demands of the global economy.

As Douglas Reeves stated, "You are so valuable and worthy, our mission is so vital, and the future lives of our students are so precious, that we have a joint responsibility to one another to be the best we can be."

As always, I would enjoy hearing your thoughts, and engaging in conversation, on the contents of this post.

The Purpose of Assessment?

The end of the school year is always synonomous with assessments. Whether we give unit, quarter or semester exams, this always seems to be the culminating event of most classes. Since this is usually the norm, I think it is appropriate to have some philosophical discussion about assessment. Specifically, what is the purpose of assessment and how do we use assessment results?

As our school district has aggressively moved forward in the development of a standards based curriculum and assessment model, I have become very interested in the various forms of assessment and how we use this information in our school system. Specifically, I have studied the work of researchers such as Thomas Guskey, Grant Wiggins and Richard Stiggins and become infatuated with their study of "assessment for learning".

In most classrooms, "assessment of learning" is the norm. This type of assessment is usually consists of a summative test given at the end of a unit or semester, which is used to provide a letter grade so the student's knowledge can be compared against a standard, or against other students. Typically, this type of assessment is handed back to the student; the student sees the grade; the teacher then moves on to the next unit of instruction.

I like to call this approach "the autopsy method of assessment", because this type of assessment is conducted after all instruction and learning has taken place. If there is no analysis of assessment results and subsequently no reteaching of nonmastered material, then what was the point of the assessment other than to give a grade to the student? This type of assessment does not enhance student learning. In fact, it could be argued that it has just the opposite effect.

What researchers like Wiggins, Guskey and Stiggins advocate for is "assessment for learning". This type of assessment is more formative in nature and takes place starting with the beginning of the course all the way to the culminating assessment. This type of assessment takes place multiple times daily in class, and the students are provided with frequent feedback on their progress. Most importantly, the teacher utilizes the data from this feedback to alter instructional methods in order to meet the needs of the students. This type of assessment can take many forms other than the traditional multiple choice test, such as portfolios, teacher observation, classroom discussion, and journals. However, no matter what the form, the key component is frequent feedback coupled with adjustments to instruction to meet the individual needs of the students.

When I was a young classroom teacher (many years ago!), I was caught in the trap of blaming poor assessment scores on the kids. I would use phrases like "They obviously didn't study," or "I don't know why they didn't learn it, because I taught it to them." However, I now realize that my responses were based on the fact that I was simply assessing the learning of my students. Had I been utilizing the philosophy of "assessment for learning", I would have been asking questions such as these.

"40% of the students did not understand what I taught today. How can I reteach that tomorrow in a way that those students will master the objective?"

"60% of my class missed this question on today's quiz. I wonder if it could have been a poorly written question?"

"From watching my class today, it was obvious they were confused. Mrs. Jones' students always do so well on this topic. I wonder how she teaches this? I think I will talk with her tomorrow."

"Stephanie usually does so well, but today she did very poorly on the assessment. I wonder if everything is okay with her? I think I will contact her parents to see if everything is okay."

As you prepare for your end of the year, think about the purpose of your assessments. Are you conducting "assessment of learning" or "assessment for learning"?

As always, I am anxious to hear your thoughts on these ideas.

Web 2.0: The Promise and the Challenge

Those who have read some of my previous posts know that I have become quite passionate about 21st century learning skills, the challenges of the global economy, and the promise Web 2.0 tools have to assist us in preparing students to meet those challenges. I recently read an article which I believe accurately reveals why we seem to be at a standstill in integrating Web 2.0 tools into the public school learning experience.

The Consortium for School Networking recently completed a study where school administrators where surveyed on policy issues related to the adoption of Web 2.0 technologies. Not surprisingly, "administrators were overwhelmingly positive about the ways in which Web 2.0 can be of benefit to students in their academic endeavors." In fact, as I talk to other administrators, I generally find this to be the case. Most understand that for our students to become competitive players in the global economy of the 21st century, we must alter their learning envirnoments and provide opportunities for the authentic use of technology in and out of the traditional classroom setting.

As Connie Yowell, Director of Education at the MacArthur Foundation stated, "We've come to believe that kids are learning in significanty different ways because of digital media, because of the ways they can participate, they can produce, the ways that they can share information, and the ways that they can create new information."

If there is general agreement amongst school administrators regarding the value of Web 2.0 as instructional tools, then why the disconnect between philosophy and reality?

When school administrators were surveyed regarding actual implementation of Web 2.0 tools in their schools, they were much less enthusiastic. Most were concerned about providing unfettered access due to issues with student safety and school district liability. Others stated that their own lack of familiarity with these technology tools made them ineffective at facilitating their use amongst teachers. Further, others were concerned that their teachers were too unfamiliar with the tools to be able to understand them, let alone redesign their teaching methods around them.

In summary, the issue of integrating Web 2.0 tools into schools is a microcosm of the frustrations many have with change initiatives in public education. The professional literature, and most educators, have wide agreement on many things that are good for kids (like the integration of web 2.0 tools; looping; differentiated instruction; authentic assessments; etc.), but yet we struggle to integrate these things into our learning organizations. Why? Maybe we can no longer afford to wait for these ideas to bubble up and transform education?

I would be interested to know your position on the integration of Web 2.0 tools in education. I would also enjoy reading your thoughts on the issue of "change" in public schools.

Twitter in the Classroom

Many of my past blog postings have questioned whether public education is sufficiently preparing our students for the challenges they will face in the global economy of the 21st century. Specifically, I wonder if we are doing enough to provide students with opportunities for authentic use of technology in the classroom. As I continue to read and learn about both the technology our students use, and the ultra-competitive workplace they will face in today's "flat world," I am becoming further convinced that we have a responsibility to not only insure our students achieve our state standards, but to provide avenues for this learning to occur that allow for student use of Web 2.0 tools.

One way to begin providing these types of opportunities is through the use of social networking tools in the classroom. I'm sure most people have heard about Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Plurk, Ning, etc. Most of us use these social networks as a way to catch up with old classmates, or keep in touch with family and friends. However, there are some very innovative teachers who are finding ways to incorporate these web tools to provide authentic learning opportunities for their students.

I have read quite a few articles lately highlighting the use of Twitter as an instructional tool. One article I found particularly interesting was from a Latin teacher who used Twitter as an assessment tool. Another is from a professor at Marquette who has her students use Twitter to develop marketing campaigns for class. In both cases, the educators found Twitter to be an extraordinary tool to facilitate learning in a new and unique way. It also provided the students with an authentic learning opportunity using Web 2.0 tools, which will prove invaluable to them in today's global economy.

As educators, we often worry about getting involved in such sites due to our concern with inappropriate use. However, sheltering students from these opportunities does nothing to prepare them for future use in the workplace. In fact, there are many arguments to be made for the positives of educators taking an active role in the world of social networking. I recently read a post on the Tech & Learning Blog listing "Nine Reasons to Twitter in Schools." I encourage all educators to read this post, because it might just convince you that we can't afford not to take advantage of the opportunities provided by social networking.

I would be interested in hearing examples of using social networking in your classroom. If you haven't used these tools yet, how might you use them? What worries you about using social networking sites?

Problem Based Learning

I continue to see so many amazing instructional techniques as I visit classrooms throughout our school district. The variety of pedagogy, as well as the dedication and enthusiasm of our teachers, continues to impress me.

Last week Jackie Mark invited me to visit her 6th grade science class to observe the culminating activity of a "problem based learning" unit she had designed on plate tectonics. She had created a variety of problem based learning activities to allow the students to discover the salient learning on the subject. The students then presented their various activities in a "showcase" for parents and other visitors.

As I listened to the student presentations, there were three things that I consistently discovered from each and every student.

1. High levels of student engagement
2. Mastery of the subject matter
3. Consistent view of the teacher's role in the classroom

I would like to spend some time on each of these topics.

We often hear about the importance of engagement to student learning, but all educators have struggled from time to time to create engaging lessons. Often times, this is due to a lesson design where the students are passive participants in the learning process. However, the lesson that I witnessed was the culmination of a unit in which the students actively worked together to solve engaging problems. To a student, they expressed how much they enjoyed learning this way compared to the "sit and receive" method of instruction. Providing students a chance to discover the learning on their own can be a powerful way to create ownership over the learning and thus enhance engagement.

In previous posts, we have discussed the challenges of meeting both the requirements of 21st century learning and the standardized testing requirements of NCLB. I agree that this can be a difficult conundrum. However, I have argued that it does not have to be an "either, or" proposition. Instead, the two can coexist, and this problem based learning unit provides some evidence for this position. Being a former geography teacher, I am familiar with the tenets of plate tectonics, so I was able to ask the students many questions to test their mastery of the subject. I can vouch for the fact that these students knew this material at a mastery level. I am also convinced that they would be able to transfer their knowledge in a traditional standardized testing format. Engaging lessons that allow students to discover the learning through a variety of intelligences does not necessarily have to be sacrificed for the sake of success on standardized testing.

Finally, at the conclusion of each presentation, I asked the students about the role of the teacher during this problem based learning unit of instruction. Each student explained that Mrs. Mark was available to help them if needed; she guided them to potential resources; gave them ideas on how to improve their projects; and supported their efforts. In short, instead of serving as the provider of information, she became a facilitator for student learning. To give up control of the learning can be a difficult paradigm shift for a teacher, but in the classroom of the 21st century, most are predicting that the role of the teacher will change to that of facilitator. In this class, such a role proved very successful.

Problem based learning is just one of a multitude of tools that can be used to build student engagement, enhance learning, and begin to change the traditional role of the classroom teacher. I would like to hear your thoughts on, or experiences with, problem based learning. What other instructional methods could you use to allow students more autonomy over their own learning?

Social Networking: The Good, The Bad, and the Future?

As all of you know, social networking sites are exploding in popularity, bringing new challenges to public schools as well as private business. I have been reading many articles and blogs recently, which not only identify the potential pitfalls of social networking, but also identify how students can use this connectivity to their advantage.

Obviously, there are a plethora of new issues that social networking brings to public schools. We now not only deal with traditional bullying issues, but must be ready to address cyber-bullying--the ramifications of which often spill over into our schools. With most every student possessing a camera phone at all times, pictures can be taken in any situation and almost immediately dispersed widely via the web. I downloaded software to my own phone, which allows me to utilize it as a webcam. I can now video my daughters playing their piano recital songs and post it on the web in a matter of seconds for grandma and grandpa to see. It is easy to see how this technological capability could be used in a nefarious manner by those with less than noble intentions. It is also easy to see how students could use their own social networking pages in a way that could hurt them in the future.

I recently read an article in the Joliet Herald News, which really brought this issue back to the forefront of my thoughts. The author was discussing how job interviews have changed over the years. No longer do potential employers want to know your subject-matter knowledge and skills, because that can be taught. Instead, the interview process now focuses on the "soft skills" that employers cannot teach (i.e. character, timeliness, dedication, work ethic, etc.). One of the ways employers are finding out about potential employees is to conduct a Google search prior to the interview. If less than flattering things come up during this search, future employment chances are null. Also, one of the most common questions being posed during interviews is to ask if you have a Facebook or Myspace account. If the answer is yes, you are then asked to pull up the page so the employer can review your social networking page. Guess what happens if you have content that calls your character into question? So what are the implications of this for public schools?

All is not lost!!! Will Richardson uses the term "Googleable". He believes that students need to be taught two things. First, students must be taught how to utilize the Web as wise consumers. Many students seem to think their social networking sites are private, but it's called the "World Wide Web" for a reason!!! There is no such thing as privacy on the web. The easy thing to do is for teachers and parents to simply deny our young people access to these sites. However, is taking such action really doing these students a service? Richardson would say no. Rather, he would argue that through authentic classroom experiences, we must begin to teach students appropriate ways to use the power of the Web.

This brings me to the the second opportunity we must begin to offer our students. Because employers are routinely conducting Google searches on potential job candidates, it is important that our students' Google searches come up with positive hits. Everyone would agree that if a Google search comes up with hits that call character into question, that would hurt the chances of employment. However, in today's world of connectivity, what does it say about a student if the Google search comes up with nothing? It could be a signal to the employer that the candidate is not in tune with Web 2.0 tools and therefore does not understand global connectivity and the demands of competing in the 21st Century. Therefore, Richardson would argue that we must begin to offer opportunities in our schools for students to become "Googleable" in a positive way.

What does all this mean for our schools? The explosion of social networking sites is causing us to revisit and update many of our District policies. However, we also must begin to consider our responsibilities to our students as a result of Web 2.0 tools. We must not only teach our students the potential pitfalls of social networking, but we also must provide them with authentic learning opportunities so they can begin to build their "Googleability" (I just made that word up!!!). Richardson would argue that in today's global economy, denying access to these opportunities is paramount to putting our students at an economic disadvantage.

As always, I would enjoy hearing your thoughts on the positive and negative impacts of social networking on our school system.

Differentiation and Multiple Intelligence Theory

Over the past two weeks, I have had the privilege of being invited to numerous classrooms to watch many of the innovative pedagogies being used by our fantastic teachers. One lesson that I would like to highlight in this post was a review activity that I witnessed in Mrs. Cowherd's fourth grade class.

At the conclusion of a language arts unit on commas, linking verbs, etc., she developed a review activity which provided the opportunity for kids to review with an activity that was designed for their particular intelligence. She had previously untilized a tool to determine each student's dominant intelligence based upon the Multiple Intelligence Theory of Howard Gardner. She then provided various options for the review activity, which allowed each student to review in a manner aligned to his/her dominant intelligence.

It was amazing to watch how each and every student (and I mean every student!) was engaged in the activity. The students were so engaged because the activity was differentiated so that each student could realize success. Multiple Intelligence Theory provides a fantastic framework for differentiating instruction.

NCLB and the recent changes to IDEA, which mandates the RtI process, have resulted in an increased focus on differentiated instruction. Differentiated instruction allows the teacher to meet the various learning styles and levels of students within the same classroom. Such a concept is much different than the traditional "batch" instructional model that has traditionally been used in public schools. As we all struggle to adopt a more "student-centric" approach to educating today's youth, the revisiting of Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory could be a very useful tool.

I would be anxious to know what your thoughts are on Multiple Intelligence Theory and differentiated instruction. I would also be interested in what other methods you use to differentiate instruction in your classroom.

Online Learning and the Future of Education

I have used the previous two posts to summarize and discuss the implications of Clayton Christensen's book, "Disrupting Class." In the previous posts, I discussed his argument against the standardization of public education and the current "batch" system of instruction. I also summarized his position as to why public schools are so resistant to substantive change. He concluded that organizational change has to come from outside pressures, and because public schools have never faced competition, they have successfully resisted most change iniatives. This is why we still have virtually the same school structure that was designed during the Industrial Revolution to prepare students for success in the factory system of that time. However, Christensen argues that times have obviously changed, which means the necessary skills for students have changed, but educational structure has maintained the status quo. This has resulted in a disconnect between the skills kids need for the 21st century and the skills they are being provided in our public schools. He believes that schools need a catalyst in the form of competition to break out of their current structure, and that catalyst is presenting itself in the form of online education. This final post on this book will be dedicated to this subject.

Christensen posits that technology has transformed many areas of our lives, but in education, it has not transformed instruction. He claims that educators have "crammed" technology into the current structure to reinforce current practices.


"Whereas her mother did the research through reference books, Maria now does it online; whereas her mother typed out her project on a typewriter, Maria types it using a word processor. Why haven't computers brought about a transformation in schools the way they have in other areas of life?" (p. 72)



"Classrooms look largely the same as they did before the personal computer revolution, and the teaching and learning processes are similar to what they were in the days before computers...the billions schools have spent on computers have had little effect on how teachers teach and students learn--save possibly to increase costs and draw resources away from other school priorities." (pp.72-73)



"...schools use computers as a tool and a topic, not as a primary instructional mechanism that helps students learn in ways that are customized to their type of intelligence." (p. 81)

However, Christensen argues that all of that will change with the proliferation of online learning opportunities. Online learning opportunities will continue to increase as students and their parents demand learning opportunities that are available anytime and anywhere. He also believes that online learning will provide students with opportunities to learn in their dominant mode of intelligence as opposed to getting lost in the "batch" instructional model public schools currently offer.

Christensen believes there are four factors which will accelerate the expansion and popularity of online learning as an alternative to traditional school.

1. Computer based learning will keep improving and become even more engaging to reach different types of learners.


2. Parents will gravitate towards online learning opportunities because learning pathways will be offered that fit each type of learner (student-centric model).


3. Looming teacher shortage as a result of baby boomers retiring.


4. Costs of online learning will drop dramatically as the market scales up.
   

Christensen believes this proliferation of online learning will serve as the "disruptive innovation" that will serve as the competition causing public schools to adopt substantive change. He believes that if public schools do not begin to offer these types of online, student-centric opportunities for kids, then the consumer will start looking elsewhere for these services.

As usual, Christensen's argument results in many questions. Is the proliferation of online learning really going to take place? Will parents really begin looking to this option for their kids? What will happen to public schools if we don't prepare for this "disruptive technology"? Can online learning thrive in the current environment of standardization driven by NCLB? How will the teacher's role change in an environment dominated by online learning opportunities?

I would enjoy reading your thoughts on this posting.

Innovative Use of Technology in District #1

I wanted to take the opportunity to post about some of the innovative uses of technology that are taking place in District #1 classrooms. As I visit classrooms and watch what is getting posted on our District website, I get very excited about the learning opportunities being provided to our students.

I visited Mitch Hamman's high school Sports Marketing class today where I watched the students making audio and video podcasts using Garageband software. The students were all engaged in this 21st century learning opportunity. Once the podcasts are completed, Mr. Hamman will be posting them on our website. I can't wait to see the final product. Mr. Hamman is also using a classroom blog as a communication tool with his students.

Speaking of blogs, we also have some other teachers using classroom blogs as a communication tool with students and parents. Check out the following teachers' blog sites

Carrie Tinucci

Jamie Dooley

We also have classes using podcasts, such as this one from Ann Zafran's 3rd grade Readers' Theater presentation.

Many teachers in our District are using the website to post information for student and parental access. Here are just a few sites to view.

Josh Quigley
Jessica Prozialek
Tracie Waldron
Patricia Sikkema

These are just a few examples of the many teachers using our District website to communicate with parents and students.

We are currently getting between 13,000 and 17,000 hits on our website each month, and many are realizing the value this medium has as a communications tool with those we serve.

Online Education and the Student-Centric School

In my last post, I discussed how Clayton Christensen advocated for a move from standardized instruction to more "student-centric" instructional models. For public schools to move towards this type of organizational and instructional approach, he argues that it will take significant changes to the status quo. In this post, I will discuss why Christensen believes substantive change is so difficult to achieve in the public school system.

Christensen argues that the standardized model we have in education today, which categorizes students into grade levels and teaches them in large groups, was based upon the efficient factory system of the Industrial Revolution. Students were educated in this system because it was designed to ingrain the basic skills and attitudes necessary for students to thrive in the assembly lines prevalent during this time. Over 100 years later, we still employ the same "batch" instructional delivery system even though the desired outcomes for students have changed dramatically in the 21st century. So why haven't schools changed?

Christensen uses his theory of "Disruptive Innovation" to explain why schools have maintained their traditional structures and have been relatively impervious to change. He argues that it is very difficult, if not impossible, for any type of organization to change from the established norms on its own. When established organizations are confronted with change, they tend to take the change initiative and morph it into the existing system, thereby minimizing any impact on those within the organization. Therefore, most all changes in established organizations result from outside competition. He cites many examples of this disruption happening to various U.S. industries (i.e. Toyota disrupting U.S. auto industry, Canon disrupting Xerox, Sony disrupting RCA, etc.). The established company either responds to the challenge and thrives, or fights the change and eventually dies. However, public schools live in a very different environment than private business.

Historically, the public school system does not face competition for its services, and therefore, it has never been forced into substantive change due to the threat of outside competition. As a result, public schools respond to change in the same way any organization would when absent viable competition; morph the change into the existing structure, or reject the change all together.

However, Christensen argues that the playing field is about to change because competition is coming in the form of online education opportunities. He predicts this will be the "disruptive technology" that will be the catalyst for change in the public school system of the U.S. In the next post, I will discuss his analysis of online education and the predicted impact it will have on public schools.

In the mean time, once again, this discussion raises some interesting questions for discussion. What are the skills our students need for success in the 21st century, and how are these skills different from those deemed vital during the Industrial Revolution? Are there skills from the Industrial Revolution that are still important for our students today? Are there inherent advantages to the current standardized system of instruction in public schools? Is competition healthy or a hindrance to the public school system? I would enjoy hearing your thoughts and ideas.

Disruptive Technologies in Public Schools

Over spring break, I read "Disrupting Class" by Clayton Christensen. I found the book to be a fascinating read and full of insight regarding the future challenges that will be faced by public education. Over the next few blog postings, I will try to summarize the main tenets of the book as well as provide some commentary that I hope to be both relevant and thought-provoking.

Christensen did an excellent job of challenging the current structure of public schools, which he argued "mandates standardization". He posited that most all teachers would agree that different students learn in different ways. Yet, in our current structure, we seldom take these learning differences into account. Instead of customizing learning, we practice "batch learning." He summarized this on page 29 by stating

If we agree that we learn differently and that students need customized pathways and paces to learn, why do schools standardize the way they teach and the way they test?

He goes so far as to say

The students who succeed in schools do so largely because their intelligence happens to match the dominant paradigm in use in a particular classroom--or somehow they have found ways to adapt to it. (p. 35)

In other words, most mathematicians have strong logical-mathematical skills. Therefore, most math teachers, math classrooms and math textbooks (which are written by mathematicians) will be geared towards like learners. Such a design potentially leaves the other types of learners behind (i.e. linguistic, musical, kinesthetic, etc.).

In advocating for a different type of learning system, Christensen stated

...the current educational system--the way it trains teachers, the way it groups students, the way the curriculum is designed, and the way the school buildings are laid out--is designed for standardization. If the United States is serious about leaving no child behind, it cannot teach its students with standardized methods. Today's system was designed at a time when standardization was seen as a virtue...Schools need a new system (pp. 37-38).

This analysis by the author leads me to a variety of questions. How does District #1 go about meeting the individual needs of 2,200 students? What are the potential ramifications if we don't? Given limited resources, is such a system cost prohibitive? How does such a model fit into the standardized testing requirements of NCLB? How would parents respond to such a system which would look radically different from their own educational experience?

In future posts, I will discuss how Christensen addressed many of these questions through his plan for moving from our current system based upon standardization of instruction to a system that is "student-centric" in nature. In the meantime, I would be interested in your thoughts on this topic.

Preparing Students for the Future

I recently read the following at the Scientific American website

Sometime early in this century the intelligence of machines will exceed that of humans. Within a quarter of a century, machines will exhibit the full range of human intellect, emotions and skills, ranging from musical and other creative aptitudes to physical movement. They will claim to have feelings and, unlike today’s virtual personalities, will be very convincing when they tell us so. By around 2020 a $1,000 computer will at least match the processing power of the human brain. By 2029 the software for intelligence will have been largely mastered, and the average personal computer will be equivalent to 1,000 brains.

Although such advances in technology are both exciting and scary at the same time, this passage struck a nerve with me for a different reason. As an educator, it made me question how well we are doing in preparing our students to thrive in this type of environment. In the year 2020, our youngest students will be completing their educational careers in District #1, so it is not that far away. Have we started to think about the social and economic challenges these students will face upon graduation? Have we thought about what changes we need to make to curriculum and instructional pedagogy to prepare them for these challenges?

In short, are we teaching them the way we were taught, or are we teaching them for the world they will encounter upon graduation? I would be anxious to hear your thoughts on this challenging subject.

20/20 Highlights Impact of Economy on Students

I just finished watching this piece from 20/20 highlighting the impact the economy is having on students in the United States. What a powerful message to educators across our country!

When a high school teacher realized how many of his students' families were in financial trouble, he encouraged them to make a video presentation about their trials and tribulations. It is one of the most moving 8 1/2 minutes you will ever see. In fact, President Obama referenced the video in his recent speech on education.

There were two aspects of this class project that I found to be particularly thought provoking. The first was obviously, is our school system doing everything we can to help students in economic need? Are we being tenacious enough in identifying who these needy students are and diligent in assuring they receive the help they need? What is the role of the public school as a social service agency? These were all thought provoking questions that I struggled with while watching these students pour their hearts out on video.

However, I also found myself drawn to the teacher who cared enough about his students to allow them the opportunity to share their feelings with one another. He saw a learning opportunity and served as the classroom facilitator in completing this project. Not only did his creativity and caring allow these students to realize they shared a common bond, but they also got to meet President Obama! In the 20/20 video, the emotion these students showed towards their teacher was indeed powerful. His students knew that he cares about them, which is an essential bond in any successful classroom.

Vision for the 21st Century

I recently read a blog posting from LeaderTalk, which highlighted a quote from Peter Senge's, "The Fifth Discipline".

"The gap between vision and current reality is also a source of energy. If there were no gap, there would be no need for any action to move towards the vision. We call this gap creative tension."

During my graduate work, I remember reading this text and spending a class period discussing this quote. We talked about our vision for public schools, and the challenges we would face as leaders in trying to make that vision a reality.

Bringing a vision to reality is the never-ending challenge of school administration, but it is what has always kept me motivated and energized. When I took over as superintendent five years ago, I had a definite vision of excellence and continuous improvement that I wanted to instill in our organization. Over the past five years, thanks to a very dedicated faculty and staff, we have made amazing strides towards the achievement of this vision. However, that was five years ago, and now that we are further into the 21st century and competing in a global economy, I wonder if the means to achieve that vision need to change?

I would be anxious to hear what you believe the vision for District #1, or public education in general, should be and some ideas on how you think we can get there?

What Students Want From Their Teachers

I recently read this article by Alan Blankstein, who is the President of the HOPE Foundation. In this article, he discusses the importance of believing in the potential success of all students, and never giving up on even the most challenging student. However, what I found most interesting were the results of the various surveys and focus groups that have been conducted to find out what students really want from their teachers.

Based on these surveys and focus groups, here’s what students ask of their teachers:
1. Be prepared and organized. Even low-performing students don’t like to lose instructional time (Ferguson, 2002; Haycock, 2001). They like and need organization, as well as a high-demand/high-support environment.
2. Make teaching relevant. This is particularly true of students who don’t see college as their future. These students need the highest-caliber relationships with and level of instruction from teachers. These are the students who challenge us to the highest level of professionalism.
3. Show them how to do it. Students with greater needs require engaging curriculum, structures of support, and pedagogies that meet their specific needs. Assigning homework to students who have not yet mastered the knowledge on which the homework is based is unfair. Those students whose parents can crack the “homework mystery” will do fine, but the students who need support most will not.
4. Don’t give up! Too often, in the rush to cover material, teachers feel compelled to move on before all students understand it. This is like the bus driver who pulls into the station late, complaining that he would have been on time “if it weren’t for all those darn passengers.” Indeed, students are passengers not to be left behind.

Importance of the Fine Arts

I recently read this article summarizing a research study on the positive impact music study has on reading ability.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090316075843.htm

This study serves as another powerful reminder of the importance of the fine arts in the total educational experience of a child. In Friedman's "The World is Flat" he advocates for the importance of the fine arts because it allows kids to make the connections between the right and left sides of their brains. He argues that simply knowing facts or processes does not prepare a child to compete in the global economy. Rather, that child must be able to use those facts and/or processes to creatively come up with new ideas. Experiences in the fine arts help kids to develop and practice their creativity.

As schools continue to cut costs and work to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind, it is important that we continue to weigh the importance of the fine arts in the total educational experience.

Tecnology and the Classroom

The technological tools that are available to transform our classrooms into 21st century learning environments are becoming more plentiful and user friendly by the day. I recently came across this video on youtube which takes students on a 3d video tour of ancient Rome via Google Earth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqMXIRwQniA&feature=PlayList&p=F892E75A1A0A04CB&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=11

As a former geography teacher, I was enthralled with the possibilities this has as a classroom learning tool. Twenty years ago, I had students go to the library and research the architectural grandeur of ancient Rome, but now kids can actually interact with these structures via Google Earth. Think how much more powerful and engaging this type of learning experience would be for our kids.

In education, we hear a lot about the integration of technology into the curriculum, but what does that really mean? Does it mean using an Elmo or LCD to project our classroom notes as opposed to an overhead, or does it mean using that LCD projector hooked to the Internet as a tool for "just in time" learning? Does it mean having students complete a powerpoint presentation instead of a research paper on a country in Africa, or does it mean using Skype to actually communicate with students in that African country? Does it mean having students use the Internet to Google search websites on a particular topic, or does it mean using a wiki for them to create this resource in an interactive manner? Does it mean hanging teacher worksheets and assignments on a website for students to reference, or does it mean creating an interactive blog for students to communicate and ask questions of their teacher and other students in the class?

These are the questions we must begin to answer and the challenges public education faces as we try to prepare our students for the global economy of the 21st century.