Go Slow to Go Fast

Our district professional learning season has begun, with the over-arching theme of "Facing the Same Direction."   Around here, thanks to Margie, we have a saying: "go slow in order to go fast."  Professional learning needs to be planned, coordinated, and linked together in a meaningful way, over time, so that ultimately teachers soar and students achieve.  

For the first time in memory, we already have a professional learning calendar for the upcoming year, with dates, hours, purpose, and areas of focus.  Any staff member can view it, and see the plan.  Our big, new piece is the implementation of the Art and Science of Teaching instructional framework and iObservation (Marzano Teacher Evaluation Model).  We have a three-year plan for the roll-out, and our primary focus for 2013-14 is on Domain 1 - Classroom Strategies and Behaviors. 

In addition, we will continue to work on individual school improvement plans.  It is hard sometimes to wrap one's head around how seemingly different "messages" all support the same theme.  Too often in education, we feel that we are being asked to simultaneously implement policies, programs, or projects that are not coordinated. As we participated  in our first two days of Marzano training last week, it was very helpful to think of the tie between our pieces:

• Each building has a School Improvement Plan, with goals, for student growth and achievement
• Each grade level or department should formulate its own goal(s) for student growth and achievement, based on available data and tied to the building goals
• Teachers within grade levels or departments should identify one or more elements in Domain 1 that tie to goals and ask administrators to focus teacher evaluations and professional growth in that area

Taking a methodical, strategic approach to professional learning requires patience, hard work, on-going evaluation, and lots of planning.  But the long-term reward is effective and efficient instructional practices, which translate into student growth and achievement.

As we face the same direction this year, focusing on learning, collaborative culture, and results, we will purposefully go slow, so that we can go fast in the years to come.

Submitted by JWalton

Reflect, Refresh, Recharge

In the last two days, I've read two different pieces on the value and use of vacation or downtime.  The first, "Summertime Listening for Leaders" (http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/leadership_360/2013/06/summertime_listening_for_leaders.html), discusses how educational leaders can use the summer months to their advantage.  The second, "Vacation days" (http://discoversantosha.com/2013/06/26/vacation-days/), is a more circumspect look at surrendering to slowing down.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I will admit that the second piece was written by my sister Jill, who is a wellness coach/trainer.

Both pieces helped me reflect on how I am using my time this summer.  Ironically, I type this as I am sitting in the Instructional Coaches "office" (for those of you who have seen it, you know why I can only loosely use that term) working on a couple of projects.  But coming in this afternoon was my choice.  Frankly, I spent the morning in my pajamas, in bed, reading the scotusblog and texting with my friend Karen as the Supreme Court handed down two important decisions on equality.  Making my own schedule today was refreshing.

I was originally scheduled to be in Ann Arbor June 27-30 to attend some really cool professional learning.  But after having been gone from home almost two weeks already this month, I decided to decline and give someone else the opportunity to attend.  Being at home with my kids and hanging out with friends is definitely a way to recharge my inner self.  While I do love to do professional learning in the summer, I realized that I needed to step back right now for myself.

So, what will you do this summer to reflect, refresh, and recharge?

"The answer is in the room"

The last four months as an Instructional Coach have produced more "a-ha" moments than I can count.  Whenever one occurs (as it did late last night), it is usually because of the simplistic brilliance of someone I work with.

In a meeting yesterday, our Director of Instructional Services made the statement, "the answer is in the room."  This was the second time I heard it from her -- I believe the first was in a comment to an earlier blog post about common assessments.  In any case, like many things, you have to hear it multiple times before the "a-ha" hits you.  Even though she said it in late afternoon evening, it did not really strike me until hours later.

As educators, we struggle with many weighty issues because we care so deeply about kids.  At times, we even feel like Sisyphus, rolling the rock to the top of the mountain over and over again, only to have it roll back down to its original starting point.  Over time, it can make one feel helpless and even hopeless.

But here's the good news.  The answer is in the room.  When we sit down together and collaborate on issues, we need to remember that we are the experts.  We're professionals.  The answer is in the room.  Sometimes one person in the room has the answer, but more often than not, each person in the room has a piece of the answer, and it just takes collaboration to pull it all together.

The answer is in the room.

Legislation Hesitation

Currently, the government here in Michigan is rethinking or slowing down on two important pieces in the education world -- the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards.  Yesterday, I spent the day at the Kellogg Center for an "introduction" to the NGSS -- originally supposed to be the roll-out until Michigan put on the brakes.

All politics aside, like many of the attendees, I was frustrated by our lack of not knowing what the state will do.  However, one of the speakers yesterday really challenged me to think of it in a bigger way.  In essence, her message was that regardless of the action taken by the state, teachers should always strive to use best practices.  Thus, if the research behind the NGSS shows that this is the best way to teach science K-12, we should use it notwithstanding state decisions.

That makes perfect sense to me.  I flipped my classroom without any mandate from the state or my district because I knew it was best for kids.  Another teachers I know is "resuscitating" her high school students' lost love for reading by taking them to the media center and - gasp - letting them choose any book to read.  No tests, no quizzes, just a letter to the teacher as to the student's thoughts as they wend their way through the book.  Early results?  KIDS LOVE IT and are looking forward to reading each day!

When we do what's best for kids, we will always make the right decision, regardless of what decisions are being made on our state or national level.  Research shows us that when we actively engage kids in learning, based on the right balance of rigor, relevance, and relationships, they will soar.  Don't be paralyzed by "legislation hesitation" -- be proactive..

J Walton

Collaborative Culture

In their book Leaders of Learning, DuFour and Marzano write the following on p. 67: "The focus must shift from helping individuals to become more effective in their isolated classrooms and schools, to creating a new collaborative culture based on interdependence, shared responsibility, and mutual accountability."  I've been thinking about some of the different parts of that statement, specifically: 1) isolated classrooms; 2) collaborative culture; and 3) mutual accountability.

First, what do we mean by "isolated"? Is it location?  Is it a work habit?  Is it the way that teacher is treated by others in the building?  I'm confident that the authors meant that we needed to go from focusing on individual teachers to targeting collaborative communities.  But, teachers can still be and/or feel "isolated" even when part of a collaborative community, if the community is not committed to equal partnership. And, some teachers in a building teach stand-alone courses; thus, even if they are part of a larger department, teachers can feel isolated.

I think the answer lies in how the second term, "collaborative culture," is understood and implemented.  As the authors write on p. 69: "Educators...are asked to relate to colleagues and students in new ways."  In a sense, we must forget the past and work toward a new future.  Everyone has the capacity to grow and change, and we must provide them an opportunity to do so.  Just like we would not give up on a student in our classroom, we must never give up on a colleague.  Culture is how we operate; the "feel" to what we are doing.  A successful collaborative culture means that everyone is committed to the process, even when it is hard and long.

However, we must be accountable to each other in some way that is meaningful.  Who among us doesn't have a horror story about being part of a group working on a project when someone didn't pull their weight? As teachers, we know the value of group work for our students, so why don't we value the same among ourselves?  Is it a lack of trust?  Is it an issue of control?  Is it our past experiences with some of the people in our group?  Just as teachers must ensure accountability among group members in the classroom, I suggest that a principal or other building leader must ensure accountability among teacher members of a collaborative community.  Not as a "hammer," but more a measuring tape or guide of full support (maybe the sawhorse?  Never mind).  And, teachers need to acknowledge and own their mutual accountability to each other.

Instructional coaches can be very helpful in assisting principals to set up successful collaborative teams, and thus help foster a positive collaborative culture.  But ultimately, the teachers need to make it work.  I believe that given the right atmosphere, all teachers would want to collaborate (and not be isolated).  But the field of education hasn't always done a good job of creating that atmosphere.  Let's hope we've turned the corner.

JW

"The Art of Coaching"

I recently began reading Elena Aguilar's "The Art of Coaching."  She sets forth a new model, called "transformational coaching." Even though it is early in my reading, one piece, found on page 11, has already resonated with me:

"In addition, the potential of coaching cannot be realized if certain conditions are not in place.  Daniel Coyle, author of The Talent Code (2009), describes coaches as farmers who cultivate talent in others.  As someone who has long admired the patience, attentiveness, and groundedness of farmers, I love this analogy.  it is also apt when considering what needs to be in place for coaching to be effective: the land must be fertile, invasive weeds need to have been removed, and the seeds can't be old and moldy.  A farmer must be aware of local climate -- you can't plant pineapples in Alaska and expect them to thrive."

Michelle and I had a conversation this morning about the farmer metaphor.  Michelle's metaphor for coaching is one of a gardener, with some easy comparisons to the farmer, yet a lot of deeper meaning for her when she thinks of a garden instead of a field.  I'm not sure yet what my metaphor is -- not that it is required I have one -- but I do believe that metaphors help all of us see our vision more clearly.

I've often thought of teaching in terms of tossing pebbles into a pond.  We see immediate ripples on the surface, and watch them them slowly spread outward.  Even when we no longer see a disturbance on the surface, the impact of the pebbles is till being felt below the surface.  At this point, I suspect I see coaching through this lens as well, but as I read and learn each day, I choose to be open to other visions.

--JWalton

The Process of Learning

"We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn." Peter Drucker I am becoming very mindful of the importance of the "process" as it relates to learning, collaborating, and coaching.  Last week, we saw an interesting YouTube video about Process v. Event (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngHccKbSBl8).  It was a great reminder that while an "event" many attract a lot of attention and excite people, no vision or work can be carried into action without a well-thought out process that follows the event. Process takes time, and many people today feel that time is a dwindling resource in their professional and personal lives.  So, how do we "find" or "make" time to give process the respect it deserves?  I am still reminding myself each day to slow down by concentrating on the thought that the stronger the process, the stronger the result. Just as process takes time, so does learning -- especially when learning is part of the process.  I am fortunate that I have great teachers -- my fellow ICs, our Director of Instructional Services, and our Asst. Superintendent for Instruction -- who immediately surround me and teach me how to learn.  But there are many others in all of lives who teach us how to learn -- especially our kids (those in our classrooms and those in our house). And finally, change takes time, and this is a process that makes some very uncomfortable.  But think about it -- nothing in our lives ever really stays the same -- not the weather, not our job, not our relationships...you get the idea.  Each day something new comes our way, whether we're ready or not, and how we react to it shapes our mood.  A friend of mine has a sign in her classroom that reads "Embrace Confusion" -- a great reminder that we will never know it all, because it is, as Peter Drucker states, "a lifelong process." JWalton