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.

The Sound of Music

It was such an honor to be at the opening night of "The Sound of Music" held in the CCHS auditorium. Due to the upcoming construction project, this will be the final musical held in this auditorium, but we are all anxiously awaiting our new 800 seat auditorium that will be ready for the 2011 musical performance.

At Friday night's performance, the high school staff had the foresight to recognize the cast of the 1977 performance of "The Sound of Music", which was the first musical in our auditorium. It was such an honor to have those alumni back for the this final performance in the current facility. They are the ones who paved the way for the wonderful experiences our students are having today.

I was amazed at the quality of Friday's performance. The students were absolutely incredible, and our staff did a tremendous job of preparing them. Participation in these types of events are such a valuable part of the total educational experience. As I said before, I was honored to have witnessed the event.

Technology and the Future of Public Education

On Wednesday, I attended a seminar on technology leadership in education. I was fascinated at all of the learning opportunities ranging from the power of Twitter to the communication possibilities of Skype and Ustream. I am still trudging my way through all of this technology, but as I continue to grow in the area of technology, what still intrigues me the most is trying to figure out what all this means for the future of public education.

I think all of us realize that our students are usually light years ahead of us in their use of technology. I recently heard from a "techie" that if you are still using email to communicate, you are in the dark ages. Now the communication tools of choice are text messaging, Twitter, Facebook, Skype, etc. For those of us who recently learned how to attach video files to an email, this can be a sobering thought. However, the challenge for we educators is to figure out how we can allow students to use their technology tools and still teach the necessary content required by the State of Illinois. My personal opinion is that the two ends can coexist. It is just a matter of our willingness to break out of our comfort zones and be creative enough to discover the necessary pedagogies to make this convergence happen.

One way to begin this process is for we educators to put ourselves in the position of a student in our classrooms. My ten year old daughter is constantly using my phone to text message. When she gets home, she can't wait to get online so she can communicate with her friends on Webkinz World. She emails her aunts in Connecticut and Kansas City. She conducts Google searches to complete many of her homework assignments. She loves to interact with her Nintendo DS (which Santa finally broke down and got her this year!) and her Wii. In short, these things are her preferred tools for communication and interaction. However, in school, how many opportunities do we give our students to use their preferred tools? And then we wonder why our students become bored and disengaged?

The world has changed to a global economy where competition exists in every corner of the earth. Our public schools are preparing our youngest students for jobs that don't even exist yet. Therefore, we must begin the conversation of what skills our students will need to compete in the global economy, and how do we provide those skills in a manner which is engaging to our students.

Curriculum Development In District #1

In a previous post, I discussed the dramatic improvements in standardized test scores made by District #1 over the past four years. During this time, one of the key improvements to our system has been the implementation of an aggressive process for developing a District-wide standards based curriculum and corresponding local assessments.

To date, the District has adopted formal curriculum and assessments in K-12 mathematics, reading, writing, science and social studies. Other areas such as physical education, health and special education have written curriculum and are scheduled to begin constructing assessments this summer. Our goal is to eventually have a formal written curriculum and corresponding local assessments for every subject taught in District #1. This has been a monumental task, but thanks to our Director of Curriculum (Tammy Elledge), our Department leaders, and our dedicated staff, we are well on our way.

The key component of this entire process is the data that results from our local assessments. This data, which our District did not have previously, is imperative to continuous improvement for two reasons. First, it allows teachers to specifically determine which aspects of the curriculum each students has mastered. This gives teachers the ability to differentiate instruction for individual students based on each student's needs as identified through the assessment results . Secondly, the assessment data provides a basis for meaningful collegial discussion about classroom teaching strategies and techniques. These discussions are a key component to our school improvement efforts.

I encourage you to visit our website at www.coalcity.k12.il.us where you can see our approved curricula for grades K-8 (9-12 will follow soon). It is important to note that this is an ongoing process. As teachers experience the curricula each year, they recommend revisions to take place over the summer. Therefore, be sure to check the website at the beginning of each school year to stay up to date on all curriculum revisions.

ISAT Testing

All of our students in grades 3-8 are currently taking the ISAT tests. These tests are mandated for all public schools in Illinois, and they are used to help determine if our school district achieves Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). In order to achieve AYP, we must have at least 70% of our students meet or exceed standards on the math and reading portions of this test.

Over the past four years, District #1 has seen dramatic improvement in our performance on the ISAT tests. Last year, we had 84% of our students meet or exceed state standards, which means that over 360 more of our students are now achieving standards compared to our scores just four years ago. This improvement is a testament to our students, their teachers, and the many organizational changes we have made over the past four years in an effort to improve the academic performance of our students.

In future posts, I will highlight some of these changes we have instituted, which have resulted in these dramatic academic gains for our students.

Dr. Bugg

High School Addition

Given the state of the economy, I have had some community members question why the school district is still moving forward with the addition to the high school. The Board feels strongly that although the national and local economy is down, for a number of salient reasons, this is the ideal time to be constructing this addition.

1. The HS Addition Does Not Increase the Tax Rate
The terms of our agreement with Exelon essentially cap our tax rate. Therefore, the construction of the addition will not increase the 2008 tax rate (which is the lowest in Grundy County, and one of the lowest K-12 rates in the State), nor will it be the cause of any increase in the tax rate for the next four years. We were able to accomplish this by stretching our debt out from twelve years to twenty years. The argument for this is that the high school addition will prepare us for future growth, and by stretching the debt out, those who move in and cause the need will help to pay for the cost of the addition.

2. Bidding is More Competitive Than Ever
Because so many of the trades are out of work, bidding for our construction project will be more competitive than ever before. Wilmington School District recently accepted bids for some remodeling projects they are completing, and they had over 75 companies participate in the bid process. The more competition there is for the bid, the better prices we will receive, which results in savings to our taxpayer.

3. Increasing Cost of Construction
Our construction management team continually reminds us that the cost of construction is increasing at about 10% per year. Our current HS addition project will cost about $27 million, which means that if we waited a year, the cost would be pushing $30 million, and the next year $33 million and so on. Everyone I have spoken with is in agreement that we will need an addition to the high school in the next five years. If that is the case, it does not make fiscal sense to wait.

4. Impact of Dresden
Currently, the Dresden Nuclear Power Station is responsible for paying 65 cents of every dollar we collect in tax revenues. This means that for at least the next four years, Exelon will pay 65% of our bond payment to pay for construction. We are hopeful that at the conclusion of this current agreement, we are able to negotiate another positive tax agreement for our school district. However, in the short term, it makes sense to have Exelon pay as much of the bill as possible.

5. Local Economic Stimulus
By putting $27 million of work into the economy, we are hopeful that many local tradespeople will be put back to work. In the construction of the ECC, even if a local company didn’t receive the bid, they still hired mostly local laborers for the workforce. These potential jobs should not only have a positive impact on the families of these workers, but should also provide a stimulus to our local economy as well.

It is for these reasons that the Board is still moving forward with this necessary project. We still hope to go out for bids in late March or early April with ground-breaking over the summer.

Dr. Bugg

Welcome to my blog!

My name is Kent Bugg and I am the Superintendent of Schools for Unit District #1. Our school district serves the communities of Carbon Hill, Coal City, Diamond and Goose Lake in southeastern Grundy County in Illinois. Our student population is 2100 Kindergarten through 12. This blog is intended to improve communications between myself and our school system stakeholders which includes not only parents and students, but also the community at large. Check back often or subscribe and follow this blog using the tools on the right side of this page. Thank you again for your time.