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.