It started with a shared sense of curiosity about every iPad user in the room... what apps do they have? Then it went to Twitter with David VanHorn (@dlvanhorn) asking a simple question about what would an app for the Iowa Core look like. Then David moved forward and invited responding tweeters to a meeting.
When asked to share my thoughts about what type of app could move the Iowa Core forward, my wheels started spinning; our small team assembled from Twitter land started dreaming. Could there be a walk-through template for districts to use and tweak as they look for the characteristics of effective instruction in the classroom? Could teachers use an app to plan and also reflect on their instruction? Could students provide feedback on how they engaged with the learning, how rigorous they felt it was, how relevant they thought it was? Could collaborative teams share in the data and help each teammate improve on their practice?
It's coming people. This fall, we will have tools for districts to use and tweak so they can have and improve those deep, data-informed discussions about teaching and learning.
It amazes me how things are coming together in our state, and this meeting to brainstorm an app for the Iowa Core is just one example of it. We may be hearing that the work is being cut, but what I am seeing invigorates me.
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Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Iowa Core Speech to Legislature
I thought I'd share the speech that I delivered to the House and Senate members hearing public comment on House File 45. This file would eliminate the Iowa Core. Thank you for everyone's comment on the google doc that helped me generate these ideas. I focused on making sure the legislators knew that the Iowa Core was the "how" and "what" to teach based on the feedback you provided.
Good evening,
I am the Director of Teaching and Learning for Van Meter Schools, a K-12 district of 630 students just 20 miles west of this capitol. We are a 1:1 district where each of our students in grades 6-12 have a laptop computer. Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you regarding the work of the Iowa Core.
The Iowa Core is often mistaken to be only the "what" to teach. Some see it only as a broad set of skills we want for the students of Iowa. Many don't know the "momentum, excitement and energy" (Dr. Brad Buck, Waukee Schools) starting to grow in our state around the significant pieces of the Core that deal with "how" to improve instruction for students.
Think about your profession, business fields and backgrounds. Was there a process for continual improvement in your industry? That's in the Iowa Core. The outcomes of implementing the work of the Iowa Core are focused on the continual improvement of schools around leadership, community, curriculum, collaboration and professional development. "It’s not just about making changes to what happens inside the walls of our schools, but also about reaching out to the community and getting their involvement in education. It’s a valuable piece of the Core that we have only begun to tap into." (Alynn Coppock, Newell-Fonda Schools).
As you consider the skills that make you a successful legislator, do you need to be creative? Communicate in a variety of ways to a variety of audiences? Do you need to be flexible? Critical thinkers? Those skills are in the Iowa Core. They are called the Universal Constructs. These are the 21st Century skills through which our students learn content (Lynn McCartney, AEA11)
As you first came into your position as a legislator, and I'm sure even now, you probably sought out information on how to be the most effective representative you could be. The Iowa Core has that too. For the first time in our state, educators have a common language to reflect upon the most effective strategies for learners and improve upon our practice.
Standards that over 40 other states have adopted are embedded into the curriculum of the Iowa Core as well. Determining "what" we will teach is an important part of the work that is being done in our state. The Iowa Core puts us well “ahead” of many other states because of this initiatives unique ability to tie the “what” and “how” together. (Matt Townsley, Solon Schools)
As we envision the future of education in our state, we recognize that our state has financial issues to consider and priorities to establish. If the Iowa Core goes away, it will be a clear message to every teacher in our state that our legislature believes nothing needs to change in the way we educate all of Iowa's children. I respectfully ask the legislature to help our state continue the work of the Iowa Core and make it a priority as you consider House File 45. There is always room for improvement. That is the work of the Iowa Core, and it must go on.
Good evening,
I am the Director of Teaching and Learning for Van Meter Schools, a K-12 district of 630 students just 20 miles west of this capitol. We are a 1:1 district where each of our students in grades 6-12 have a laptop computer. Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you regarding the work of the Iowa Core.
The Iowa Core is often mistaken to be only the "what" to teach. Some see it only as a broad set of skills we want for the students of Iowa. Many don't know the "momentum, excitement and energy" (Dr. Brad Buck, Waukee Schools) starting to grow in our state around the significant pieces of the Core that deal with "how" to improve instruction for students.
Think about your profession, business fields and backgrounds. Was there a process for continual improvement in your industry? That's in the Iowa Core. The outcomes of implementing the work of the Iowa Core are focused on the continual improvement of schools around leadership, community, curriculum, collaboration and professional development. "It’s not just about making changes to what happens inside the walls of our schools, but also about reaching out to the community and getting their involvement in education. It’s a valuable piece of the Core that we have only begun to tap into." (Alynn Coppock, Newell-Fonda Schools).
As you consider the skills that make you a successful legislator, do you need to be creative? Communicate in a variety of ways to a variety of audiences? Do you need to be flexible? Critical thinkers? Those skills are in the Iowa Core. They are called the Universal Constructs. These are the 21st Century skills through which our students learn content (Lynn McCartney, AEA11)
As you first came into your position as a legislator, and I'm sure even now, you probably sought out information on how to be the most effective representative you could be. The Iowa Core has that too. For the first time in our state, educators have a common language to reflect upon the most effective strategies for learners and improve upon our practice.
Standards that over 40 other states have adopted are embedded into the curriculum of the Iowa Core as well. Determining "what" we will teach is an important part of the work that is being done in our state. The Iowa Core puts us well “ahead” of many other states because of this initiatives unique ability to tie the “what” and “how” together. (Matt Townsley, Solon Schools)
As we envision the future of education in our state, we recognize that our state has financial issues to consider and priorities to establish. If the Iowa Core goes away, it will be a clear message to every teacher in our state that our legislature believes nothing needs to change in the way we educate all of Iowa's children. I respectfully ask the legislature to help our state continue the work of the Iowa Core and make it a priority as you consider House File 45. There is always room for improvement. That is the work of the Iowa Core, and it must go on.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Why is "Change" such a bad word?
Questions about change are floating around in my mind after a teacher study group meeting. When I was listening to one of the teacher teams in our district, I heard remarks about the perception of change. We talk of change and reform quite a bit here in Van Meter, and this group offered suggestions for "changing" the word to something else.
Instead of change, let's call it enhancing our craft.
Instead of change, let's call it improving.
Instead of change, let's call it reflecting.
Instead of change, let's call it...
and then the conversation went on to say something like this:
"Why is change a bad word? Shouldn't we always be reflecting on what we've done to try and improve our practice? Don't you try new things in your classroom and analyze why it worked for one class and was less effective for another class? We want our students to problem solve and learn from failure. How are we so different from them? Don't teachers want that feedback just like kids about whether or not we are "doing it right?" Doesn't this feedback help us improve, enhance, and change our practice? We don't need to be flashy, we need to do what works."
Does it matter what we call it? This group ended up agreeing that it doesn't matter. What do other teacher's think? Is change a bad word? Does it always have a negative connotation? Why might some think so? As leaders, how can we communicate change as part of the vision and continual improvement efforts of our district, so it doesn't seem like change is done for change's sake? How do we make sure we are on the front-end side of change so that change doesn't become "done to us"?
I appreciate the conversations that teachers are having as we study professional learning communities. I believe the change in Van Meter professional development that has moved toward teacher-led collaborative groups in the PLC model is the right move for our district. Increasing the time for professional development by more than 50 hours this year was the right thing. Because teachers were clamoring for more collaboration time, I don't think this change was seen as much of a "change" at all. Makes me wonder... Is change a bad word only when we don't like what we are being asked to change?
Instead of change, let's call it enhancing our craft.
Instead of change, let's call it improving.
Instead of change, let's call it reflecting.
Instead of change, let's call it...
and then the conversation went on to say something like this:
"Why is change a bad word? Shouldn't we always be reflecting on what we've done to try and improve our practice? Don't you try new things in your classroom and analyze why it worked for one class and was less effective for another class? We want our students to problem solve and learn from failure. How are we so different from them? Don't teachers want that feedback just like kids about whether or not we are "doing it right?" Doesn't this feedback help us improve, enhance, and change our practice? We don't need to be flashy, we need to do what works."
Does it matter what we call it? This group ended up agreeing that it doesn't matter. What do other teacher's think? Is change a bad word? Does it always have a negative connotation? Why might some think so? As leaders, how can we communicate change as part of the vision and continual improvement efforts of our district, so it doesn't seem like change is done for change's sake? How do we make sure we are on the front-end side of change so that change doesn't become "done to us"?
I appreciate the conversations that teachers are having as we study professional learning communities. I believe the change in Van Meter professional development that has moved toward teacher-led collaborative groups in the PLC model is the right move for our district. Increasing the time for professional development by more than 50 hours this year was the right thing. Because teachers were clamoring for more collaboration time, I don't think this change was seen as much of a "change" at all. Makes me wonder... Is change a bad word only when we don't like what we are being asked to change?
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Standards-Based Professional Development
This year our district is implementing professional learning communities (PLC's) as a process to use for our ongoing, job-embedded professional learning. We are using a book study for the first semester, On Common Ground, to lay the foundation for our work. Book study teams are made up of 5-7 people and each has an administrator as a support person. Each team must keep a running log of group reflections and discussions, and each team is expected to meet twice a week from 7:30 - 8:15am. The intent of our PD is to provide more structured learning at the beginning and tapper off as the year progresses, so teachers are confidently operating as collaborative teams in the PLC model by the end of the school year (focus on learning, focus on results, collaborative culture).
From this initial teaming, a piece of our vision has emerged. Teachers are clamoring for individualized learning. Teams are in different parts of the continuum regarding professional learning communities and collaboration and some are ready to move beyond the book. Without using the terms, what did they ask for within a month of school starting? They want a standards-based approach to professional development.
We have created the standards for professional development that all teachers will demonstrate before the end of the year (see below). We are starting to prepare for the supplemental and intensive professional development (should it be needed) that those who have not met the standards will be part of starting in January. No one will fail to meet the standards. All teachers will succeed. Some will meet them with little help from me or other administrators. Some will get to know me well over the course of standard-specific help sessions. Some will wish we could go back to the old way of "learning" where we didn't look at whether a teacher (or student) learned as long as the information was taught.
Honestly though, I don't think there will be one teacher in our district that will want to go back to the old way of sit-and-get PD where no one cared if you could demonstrate anything back in your classroom. I am convinced that teachers are learners not dissimilar from their students. They want to know what the target is; they want to know if they are hitting the target; they want to know they are held accountable for their learning, because that means it's important to learn. If we want this for students, we have to want this for our teachers. We are going to walk the walk for personalized learning starting with our teachers.
Standards for Van Meter Professional Development 2010-2011
Knowledge
Describe the difference between a focus on teaching and a focus on learning
Explain the purpose of a collaborative team including reciting the 4 DuFour guiding questions
Offer suggestions of ways to deal with negative behavior in a group
Describe ways groups can build consensus
Explain the role of discourse and conflict in a collaborative team’s success
Describe the big shifts in professional development in PLC model from PD of the past (traditional model)
Skills
Write SMART goals focused on student learning that should be considered for future work
Maintain focused, on-task discussion
Hold the group accountable for established norms
Give descriptive versus evaluative feedback
Application
Give examples of discussions appropriate for Van Meter collaborative teams
Share examples of data you would use to discuss learning
Share thoughts on how collaborative teams will improve student learning in Van Meter
Defend a priority for common formative assessment development in your content area, grade level, or cross-curricular team
From this initial teaming, a piece of our vision has emerged. Teachers are clamoring for individualized learning. Teams are in different parts of the continuum regarding professional learning communities and collaboration and some are ready to move beyond the book. Without using the terms, what did they ask for within a month of school starting? They want a standards-based approach to professional development.
We have created the standards for professional development that all teachers will demonstrate before the end of the year (see below). We are starting to prepare for the supplemental and intensive professional development (should it be needed) that those who have not met the standards will be part of starting in January. No one will fail to meet the standards. All teachers will succeed. Some will meet them with little help from me or other administrators. Some will get to know me well over the course of standard-specific help sessions. Some will wish we could go back to the old way of "learning" where we didn't look at whether a teacher (or student) learned as long as the information was taught.
Honestly though, I don't think there will be one teacher in our district that will want to go back to the old way of sit-and-get PD where no one cared if you could demonstrate anything back in your classroom. I am convinced that teachers are learners not dissimilar from their students. They want to know what the target is; they want to know if they are hitting the target; they want to know they are held accountable for their learning, because that means it's important to learn. If we want this for students, we have to want this for our teachers. We are going to walk the walk for personalized learning starting with our teachers.
Standards for Van Meter Professional Development 2010-2011
Knowledge
Describe the difference between a focus on teaching and a focus on learning
Explain the purpose of a collaborative team including reciting the 4 DuFour guiding questions
Offer suggestions of ways to deal with negative behavior in a group
Describe ways groups can build consensus
Explain the role of discourse and conflict in a collaborative team’s success
Describe the big shifts in professional development in PLC model from PD of the past (traditional model)
Skills
Write SMART goals focused on student learning that should be considered for future work
Maintain focused, on-task discussion
Hold the group accountable for established norms
Give descriptive versus evaluative feedback
Application
Give examples of discussions appropriate for Van Meter collaborative teams
Share examples of data you would use to discuss learning
Share thoughts on how collaborative teams will improve student learning in Van Meter
Defend a priority for common formative assessment development in your content area, grade level, or cross-curricular team
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Keeping Momentum Amidst Change
I have been attending School Administrators of Iowa (SAI) conference this week and I feel so pumped and positive for the upcoming school year. I heard great speakers like Alan November and David Warlick talk about changing education and I was nodding my head the whole time. How exciting! And I got to share this with other passionate administrators who are a part of my Personal Learning Network (PLN). I am excited; I am ready; I am wanting to make it happen... and then I think, how will I feel in a month's time when the start-of-the-year stress is at a high, or when there is the first of many hiccups in our planning, or when my thick skin is tested? How do I help others keep up the momentum and positive energy when real life hits us?
Here's one thing I am going to try: I am going to list the phrases and quotes that really mean something to me on a bulletin board in office. Nothing fancy, but big enough that I can see them and hold myself accountable for living them. Those on my list so far include:
"When do we lose the gumption to try and fail or to take risks and be wrong?" - Sir Ken Robinson
You can't lead anonymously
...so others may learn - Sarah Brown Wessling
Who owns the learning? In great schools, kids own it. - Alan November
It’s okay to be where you are, but it’s not okay to stay there.
Communication happens when what is said is what is heard and understood
Never waste a crisis - Michael Horn
Improving is work that is never done
We are all learners
So I reach out to you, my learning network, colleagues, and friends. How do you keep the momentum and stay positive amidst change?
Here's one thing I am going to try: I am going to list the phrases and quotes that really mean something to me on a bulletin board in office. Nothing fancy, but big enough that I can see them and hold myself accountable for living them. Those on my list so far include:
"When do we lose the gumption to try and fail or to take risks and be wrong?" - Sir Ken Robinson
You can't lead anonymously
...so others may learn - Sarah Brown Wessling
Who owns the learning? In great schools, kids own it. - Alan November
It’s okay to be where you are, but it’s not okay to stay there.
Communication happens when what is said is what is heard and understood
Never waste a crisis - Michael Horn
Improving is work that is never done
We are all learners
So I reach out to you, my learning network, colleagues, and friends. How do you keep the momentum and stay positive amidst change?
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Blame it on Compliance
Do you remember when your parents would tell you the reason to do or not do something was, "Because I said so!"? It would work, but it wasn't always the most effective way to get me to change my behavior (especially when my parents' back was turned).
I'm reminded of this as I was preparing for a panel discussion I am taking part in today at School Administrators of Iowa (SAI) conference. We are discussing how we are implementing the state mandated Iowa Core. One of the questions I've been encouraged to address is how we at Van Meter have dealt with the resistance to change. As I got thinking about this, I realized this is a big reality to deal with for some. So, my response will be short and sweet: We don't do it by saying, "Because the state said so." We connect it with our district vision and communicate why we are doing what we are doing. If we only did things for compliance, then our district would be in upheaval every election, every retirement at the Department of Education, and everytime the words "common core" were mentioned.
Compliance is not the way to make change happen. Shared leadership. communication, focusing on learning, creating meaningful professional development, removing isolation and providing teachers time to collaborate are all parts of Van Meter's district instructional plan. For those of you in Iowa, you might recognize this as the Iowa Core.
I'm reminded of this as I was preparing for a panel discussion I am taking part in today at School Administrators of Iowa (SAI) conference. We are discussing how we are implementing the state mandated Iowa Core. One of the questions I've been encouraged to address is how we at Van Meter have dealt with the resistance to change. As I got thinking about this, I realized this is a big reality to deal with for some. So, my response will be short and sweet: We don't do it by saying, "Because the state said so." We connect it with our district vision and communicate why we are doing what we are doing. If we only did things for compliance, then our district would be in upheaval every election, every retirement at the Department of Education, and everytime the words "common core" were mentioned.
Compliance is not the way to make change happen. Shared leadership. communication, focusing on learning, creating meaningful professional development, removing isolation and providing teachers time to collaborate are all parts of Van Meter's district instructional plan. For those of you in Iowa, you might recognize this as the Iowa Core.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Digital Reading and Texts
I must preface this post with a personal note: I was a sophomore in college before I read any book front to back, word for word. It was a novel by Danielle Steele (I like to think of it as historical fiction rather than smut). I thought books were boring. I read 300 pages of Ivanhoe (a personal best up to that point) for English class until I realized it was on video. I got a "B+" on the test. I'll talk about the implications for finding a kid's passion and assessment practices at another time :-)
While on vacation, I picked up a book to read solely for pleasure. As I struggled to find time to read the novel admist pool time, family time, and time demanded by a 3 year-old and 7 month old, I came to the realization that I am much better at reading tweets, online articles and blog posts than I am novels. I read an article linked from a tweet about how reading is changing in the screen filled, digital world we live in. I thought immediately about how it connected with my day. I thought about how I read so much more than ever before, and I don't find it boring. I had to write.
An article in the Des Moines Register on Sunday, July 25 also talked about how reading is changing. It's much more interactive and takes more skills than just reading words from left to right. It's knowing what an advertisement looks like on a webpage; it's scrolling and skimming for information; it's gathering information from images and sounds as well as text. What's this mean for our teachers and classrooms? I just purchased textbooks for an algebra class and the ebooks we received have links to websites, video clips, and explanations through audio.
How will this change teaching? Do we teach reading in a manner that takes this into account? What's the impact to the first grade teacher as well as the high school teacher? Reading is still critically important... do we even define reading the same way anymore? My fear is that this won't impact teaching, that our teachers don't even know where to begin to teach all the skills for digital readers, that some teachers will continue to think this isn't their job. My fear is that the definition of literacy and reading for some hasn't changed since the use of 16mm film projector.
While on vacation, I picked up a book to read solely for pleasure. As I struggled to find time to read the novel admist pool time, family time, and time demanded by a 3 year-old and 7 month old, I came to the realization that I am much better at reading tweets, online articles and blog posts than I am novels. I read an article linked from a tweet about how reading is changing in the screen filled, digital world we live in. I thought immediately about how it connected with my day. I thought about how I read so much more than ever before, and I don't find it boring. I had to write.
An article in the Des Moines Register on Sunday, July 25 also talked about how reading is changing. It's much more interactive and takes more skills than just reading words from left to right. It's knowing what an advertisement looks like on a webpage; it's scrolling and skimming for information; it's gathering information from images and sounds as well as text. What's this mean for our teachers and classrooms? I just purchased textbooks for an algebra class and the ebooks we received have links to websites, video clips, and explanations through audio.
How will this change teaching? Do we teach reading in a manner that takes this into account? What's the impact to the first grade teacher as well as the high school teacher? Reading is still critically important... do we even define reading the same way anymore? My fear is that this won't impact teaching, that our teachers don't even know where to begin to teach all the skills for digital readers, that some teachers will continue to think this isn't their job. My fear is that the definition of literacy and reading for some hasn't changed since the use of 16mm film projector.
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