An Open Stance to Learning

I've heard this phrase more often in the past year or so and it often makes me think....

What stance to learning am I exhibiting each day?

In the past few years I have become more willing to tell students that "I don't know" or that they should "google it." Often, it's not that I truly don't know or that I can't fathom an answer to the question that I'm being asked; rather, I have committed myself to demonstrating that I might not have all the answers. More importantly, I have been trying to model this for my students as much as possible - so that they understand that the process of learning is never-ending and lifelong in its scope.

Lately, I've been saying to students who approach me with a question (that I know they could google or find out an answer using their own device): "I'm a teacher - not a teller. My job isn't to tell you the answers but to teach you the best way to get to the answers." Sounds cliche, I know, but it has slowly begun to take shape in the mindset of my class.

When we have an open stance to learning, it is important that we truly appreciate the value of this lens. When we are open to the questions of others - it often allows us to consolidate our own views or alter them in some way. Through discourse and reasoning, educators are sometimes even able to open the eyes of colleagues who hadn't considered certain ideas before.

Physically, an open stance to learning, is leaning forward in our chair during a discussion. It is making eye contact and nodding your head to the speaker. When we show positive body language and ask clarifying questions, we emanate interest and intrigue. These are the same behaviours that excite us when our students show them during class discussions and lessons. We certainly want to see engagement and activated thinking in our class - but can struggle to buy in to the same ideas when conversing with colleagues during professional learning activities.

Be open to the ideas of others - both the tall and the small. Learning is a loop but each new pass offers new views and fresh perspectives. Be bold enough to notice the changes and identify the possibilities.

"Be More Dog"

It takes a great deal of courage to 'put yourself out there.' It takes a growth mindset - to view your life (and learning) as a work-in-progress. It is a profound moment when you can honestly say that reflection has truly affected your own next steps.

We all have a voice. 

Whether you are an educator or not, what you think and how you view the world, indeed, matters. We are all trying to do our best to navigate our lives and forge pathways. 

Whether you blog, tweet or simply have conversations with people - share your ideas and reflect on your experiences. The world will be a richer place with your voice in it. 

As Donna Fry (@fryed) and Mark Carbone (@markwcarbone) reminded me just 10 minutes ago (with a terrific video clip) - "Be More Dog" (shout-out to http://ossemooc.wordpress.com)

Carpe Diem!

What a terrific day for learning here at #Connect2014. So many voices make inspiring conversations! Thanks for your voice and your thoughts today, Ann, Andrew and Anita:) Now - to keep this momentum going and plan for action!

How Neckties Prevent Disease

In university, I remember one of my professors sharing an anecdote about a trip to Sierra Leone. He explained that the villagers (from one local area he visited), believed that neckties protected people from disease. Strange - yes; but the conclusion that they had formed derived from the fact that all the agency workers, professionals and outside visitors (most of whom wore a tie) were never sick or impacted by the diseases to which they were often succumb. None of the local villagers wore neckties, and therefore, it must be the lack of neckties which caused there succeptability. In turn, ties were associated with health, prosperity and safety.

What I think we need to take away from this interesting anecdote, as educators, is the importance of drawing appropriate (and rational) conclusions. Especially, when it is those same beliefs that drive our programming, instruction and assessment decisions.

What the villagers had come to believe makes sense when you look at the surface evidence. Yet, when we add in the other factors and forces at play in this situation - there is certainly more to it than meets the eye.

In terms of the learning that occurs in your classroom - what assumptions are you making and how are using those assumptions to plan and assess for student learning going forward?

What "ties" are you focused on as indicators of student learning and appropriate assessment strategies?

Through what lenses can you observe, track, assess and provide feedback - in order to program for future learning opportunities?


Ultimately, what key issues do we need to shine a more critical eye on, in order to support student well-being and success?

Who Speaks for Our Students?

All caring adults do. We empathize with their emotions and advise them on their actions.

All parents do. We understand them - profoundly - in innate ways that cannot be measured or described.

All educators do. We plan, teach and assess in a way that supports who they are, what they care about and how best they can demonstrate the learning.

All communities do. We make decisions in meetings to plan for their future and support their present in our facilities and our programs.

All society does. We cultivate a future pathway that is promising and desired by talking of responsible citizenship and promising tomorrows.

But, what about students? 

Do we let them, truly, speak for themselves? If we stopped and took the time to LISTEN TO THEM – we would, finally, be able to imagine their insights and realize their dreams. Students have much to say, and with our listening silence, comes an opportunity to change our pathway and support their ambitions.

Let's allow them to speak for themselves.

This image was created by graphic artists by using the insights and beliefs of Ontario’s students on what they imagined the future of Ontario’s education should look like. Take a look and see for yourself what our students want their educational world to look like.

Image: Ontario Ministry of Education

What is Leadership to You?

I have been having a philosophical discussion about leadership (with myself) for a while now. Weird, sure; but, meaning is often made only when things get weird – and real. Here’s where I am right now…

Being a leader is about knowing how to step aside and trust your instincts. Leadership has nothing to do with me. It is about the idea and the movement. Those of us that aspire to be leaders; should make sure that we are fully aware of what we are striving towards. Building school cultures, affecting positive change and improving student well-being and achievement – these are what matters. If your sights are set on leadership – and you don’t know this by now – listen up. This message is for you.

I have come to believe that it is the means that earn our attention – not just the ends. Learning is messy. It better be. Without the mess, the inner-struggle and the self-reflection – there can be no lasting change or learning. Experience should be the goal. Living the idea and trying the next approach are what we should be asking of our educators, students and parents alike.

I used to think that my own professional image would be crafted through successful projects and key networks that I could form. I believed that my pathway to leadership sat idle on the shoulders of others who may vouch for me and spread the word about my potential. I have come to understand that it is the work that needs the spotlight. Doing the work ensures that not only can you connect to what’s important – you can also understand why the ‘how’ is important.  We are curious by nature, indeed, but it is not until we step into a growth mindset and build a new way of ‘being’ for ourselves that we can truly model learning and growth for others to emulate.

Our students are the work. Make no mistake about it. In spite of some of their teachers, the classroom approaches to learning and the things they will experience, within our school walls – they will grow, develop and affect change for themselves and others in some way. Our charge is to guide the process. It is to teach essential learning practices, key ideas and critical thinking processes – so that they can discover their own journey – and be successful on their chosen pathways.

Leadership is scary. How can anyone step forward and declare that their goal is to make themselves obsolete by building the successes of others (thereby suppressing individual glory)? It takes a truly altruistic act to recognize just how inconsequential the day-to-day actions of the ship’s ‘captain’ are; if the ship is running efficiently and purposefully – and that is the goal all along.

Be a leader. Facilitate the learning of others. You might phase-out yourself – but you will ignite all the leadership dreams and potential of others in a way that illuminates your own growth journey.

What is leadership to you? Am I way off? I would love to hear about your leadership journey in the comment space below. Thanks!

Curious Questions to Open Professional Practice

One of the greatest obstacles to overcome in the context of change management and instructional development is the perception of everlasting change. As a teacher, one of the most difficult ideas to come to grips with is that your practice is in need of changing. As a result, many educators opt to be stagnant and keep quiet – and only do what they have to do.

We need to become better at selling change.

A conversation grounded in the need for change will often do nothing to invoke a real change. Instead, use “curious” questions to get to the real heart of the matter when it comes to examining professional practice:

• How does this benefit students?
• How will this method reach your classroom audience?
• How does this activity improve student learning?
• How will we be able to see the gains in student achievement?
• How does this teaching style capitalize on your teaching strengths and abilities?
• How does this approach take into account multiple entry points for learning and student preferred learning styles?

Beneath the murky waters of driving school improvement – there lies a truth…

We are all in the business of doing what’s best for students. Check your ego at the door and open your mind to the possibility that your own personal growth and development rests on your ability to become pliable and receptive to professional change and improvement.

The path of educational progress lies ahead…

My Evolving Educational Philosophy

What guts and confidence does it take to open ourselves up and expose our most personal views and insights for all the world to see. Education demands that we peer inside ourselves, first, and plan for learning, second. As teachers, self-assessment of what we truly hold important and that which we frame all programming and delivery decisions needs to be authentic, timely and specific; indeed, if it is to evoke needed re-tooling, re-framing and re-imaging exactly why it was that we stepped forward as our generation's "teachers."

Here is my journey so far. For me, my own education, classroom teacher experiences, professional development and life experiences have all culminated into what I can now confirm is an ever-changing journey of my own life and learning.  

THE BEGINNING: THROUGH A "TRADITIONAL" TEACHER LENS (2001)

(TEACHER'S COLLEGE)

Through my experiences as a student, I have developed an insatiable thirst for knowledge that can only grow through my future experiences as a teacher. My best teachers shared an ability to carry themselves and the material in a certain way directly to their students. I cannot wait to join the 'club' of teachers. I foresee myself placing an emphasis on critical thinking, especially on key world issues, so that my students will be able to 'decode' today's world into terms that relate to themselves and their experiences. I cannot wait to be given the opportunity to directly facilitate personal intellectual growth in the classroom through lessons, films, activities and exercises. I feel that today is an exciting time to be a teacher as resources such as the internet and personal computers have become key partners in the learning process.

THE MIDDLE: THROUGH A LEADERSHIP LENS (2010)

My Philosophy of Educational Leadership

Values and Guiding Principles

Education needs leadership. It craves direction and begs for insight. Teachers need to feel that they matter and are part of a bigger picture in the lives of their students. Without strong educational leadership, no teacher can teach to their true potential. Leaders find purpose and value in any action; whether it is a positive or negative experience. Visionary leadership is the ability to make connections that are not even there yet, and to offer possibilities that no one has thought of. However, it is the social connections that leaders make with their educational teams and staff that cultivates the audience for your school ambitions and goals as a leader.

My own personal philosophy of education is that people, intrinsically, want to better themselves. Learning and interacting are two important ways to accomplish this, and both are available through the vehicle of education.

The classroom environment is as important to a student as a home to a family member. Within these walls, students must feel safe, appreciated and welcome. Whether through the seating plan, wall posters or classroom routines; your decisions must consistently demonstrate fairness - not necessarily equality. The same is true for a staff. Fairness must emanate from your choices and actions. Your decisions must be transparent and predictable, that is how teachers become comfortable with your vision for the school and its direction as it pertains to their daily work.

Effects of my Philosophy on my Interactions

My educational philosophy guides and influences the majority of what I do and say. It is through my beliefs towards education that I foster positive relationships with colleagues and community, in an attempt to get closer to the promised land of self-fulfillment and attainment of my personal goals. Functioning as a valuable team member on a school staff is only possible through the use of the same differentiation instruction techniques we use when instructing students. Depending on the person we speak to, it is important to change our tone, change our words, or even to change our overall approach to the conversation. Our methods of reaching students are the same. No one style can reach all learners. No one approach can be successful with all colleagues.

Contemporary Issues/Theories in Education

I think that, as teachers, we find ourselves in interesting times. The current educational system in this province – and even beyond our provincial boundaries – is in disarray. Funding formulas seem unsustainable. Student enrollment is declining. Data-driven goals are placing heightened pressures on administrators and teachers alike. Caught in the middle of a technological revolution, schools find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to reaching students and motivating learners. Many teachers are learning how to implement new technologies and incorporate fresh ideas in their classroom practice, but curriculum constraints and increasing accountability to a vocal (and aware) public inhibit true change in many teachers today.

Whole shifts in the way we approach learning in a 21st century school are needed. Previous ideologies and values are being eroded and compromised by a student population that has been raised to believe, “that which they do not like, they re-write.” Online social media and web 2.0 tools have placed new perspectives on learning and the sharing of knowledge. Raising digital citizenship in our classrooms and surviving this educational crisis is only achieved through visionary and bold leadership decisions.

My Motivation to Become an Educational Leader

I want to be at the forefront of this exciting educational transition. Possibilities and perspectives emerging in academic and social discussions offer truly unique ideas in the organization and administration of schools. Having experiences as an overseas teacher, French teacher, Special Education teacher, and Junior/Intermediate teacher, have equipped me with a fused view of teaching from many different perspectives. Through my involvement with the Federation (as a collective bargaining rep and steward), I have been able to experience first-hand the overriding principles of our collective agreement and regulations and the practice of their implementation at the school level. This administrative step is the next phase of my educational journey in being a part of the new process of reaching 21st century students and teachers. It is only through direct involvement in these matters that I will satisfy my ambitions and pedagogy in the field of education.

THE NOW - THROUGH A SELF-DIRECTED/INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING LENS (JUNE 2013)

My Philosophy of Education

Students are the key. Whether it is designed authentic, learning experiences based on student need and interest; or engaging in purposeful conversations to uncover who they are and what they hold important – we need to know our audience.

Through inquiry-based learning, collaborative planning, feedback and sharing sessions, we are able to create the conditions for learning that will raise student engagement and improve student achievement.

Redefining teaching practice and constructing student-centered learning requires bold reflection and brave risk-taking. We need to expose ourselves as the life-long learners we truly are. We need to put our practice on display for ourselves and others to experience, discuss and reflect upon – if we are actually going to make the necessary changes to meet the needs of an ever-changing world.

The keys to facilitating learning for today’s students rests on our own ability to treat the daily experience as a work in progress and not a well-rehearsed presentation that we have perfected over the years.

If you want to join in the conversation of your own evolving educational philosophy and how you can make sense of it, use #engagedinmyed on Twitter. Thanks, Neil!

Transforming Student Learning: Mapping the Curriculum

Classrooms are changing. They are vibrant and filled with the noise of student engagement and learning - driven by personal goals and interests - not just scheduled curriculum plans. One of the first ways that you can join in on this refreshing style of education is to "Map the Curriculum" with your students. Giving them control of their learning by choosing the learning vehicle, product, success criteria, and level of support will boost self-confidence and intensify interest - in what you need to teach them anyway. This approach would especially benefit students in Junior, Intermediate, and Senior divisions.


*You can find a downloadable Microsoft Word copy of this "Curriculum Mapping Template" on my "Teaching Resources and Ideas" website here. It is yours to alter and use as you see fit in your classroom. This copy has an area beside each numbered question for groups to fill in as their plan while in their "think tanks."


*This is a link to a "Multiple Intelligences Product Grid" (source: Dr. T. Roger Taylor, 2002) that should be attached to the back of the Group Planning Sheet for students to consult when considering the "vehicle" choices for their projects.


First, divide your students into groups that will function as "think tanks" to determine the way that the subject is best taught given the needs and interests of the groups discussing.
Guiding Questions for Groups to Discuss and Plan:


*Hand them a copy of the curriculum "Specific Expectations" for the subject chosen (e.g., language, math, science, geography, history, arts, physical education)


1. How can we learn the information needed for each topic?
*textbook, library books, movies, internet, personal interviews, what else?


2. What environments could we use to learn in?
*classroom, library, around the school, other classes (class pairing/tutoring), in the schoolyard, in the community, at home/outside of school hours, field trips, what else?


3. How should we accomplish the learning?
*whole class lesson, small group instruction (guided), individual learning/discovery, peer/paired learning, what else?


4. What products or created-activities will demonstrate the learning to others?
*use of multiple choice intelligence grid, consideration of preferred learning styles (auditory, visual, kinesthetic), consideration of individual student learning needs (from special education plans, parent communications, student conferencing), what else?


5. How will we share our learning of the material?
*written projects, oral presentations (to teacher, to whole class, in small groups), demonstrations (computer presentations, working models, puppet shows, physical activities/games), what else?


6. How will we assess our learning? What checkpoints and processes should we follow before, during and after the learning process?


*Schedule key dates for checkpoints (what often should students "check in" to measure progress and get feedback on how project is coming along?)


*What kinds of self, peer, group, parent, and teacher formative (or "assessment as learning") options to support the learning process should we use?


*What "success criteria" have we created for this project that can be used to clearly measure our success in the learning goals? What will you know when your project has been successful in its completion?


**After each "think tank" session has finished, schedule time for the groups to each share and/or present their discussions and plans for moving forward. This should help spur new ideas for future sessions on other subjects targeted.


**Choose 1 lesson a day in the first few weeks of school (or any other time) to cover a number of different subjects using this approach.


Under these conditions, the learning has shifted from your complete direction to their discovery and an increasing accountability. This is a starting point in "flipping the classroom" from one ruled by you at the blackboard to one facilitated by you and driven by student needs, interests and motivations.


Do you already hand over the planning and "curriculum reins" to the students in your classroom? If so, what strategies do you use to increase both student engagement and accountability in their learning decisions?

Making a Case for Education

This blog is in defense of my profession. This post attempts to draw you in and hold your attention. These words should summon memories and feelings about schools and education. This is a call to educators, and society, to recognize what matters.

Reading media headlines such as "Schools Under Attack," and "More Cuts to Education Funding" should be a canary. These stories suggest that schools are places to be drained, minimized and altered. Society, and the global economy, is in tough right now. There is a battle playing out in our newspapers and on our television screens that wages war on public services like education and health care - in an attempt to 'balance' budgets or secure a better economic position.

To me, little more than education and health care matters. Society should be driven and improved through its public sector. We can debate about whether today's schools are successful in their endeavors of preparing students for the future; we can argue about whether hospitals and medical staff are performing their jobs in an efficient manner - but, we should not be having a conversation about whether these services are anything but vital.

The world economy did not crash and "re-adjust" itself on the actions of educators. Our current economic situation is not the result of cushy salaries or generous sick-bank programs. Capitalism, at its very nature, is an ebb-and-flow. Money needs to be lost in order to be made. Jobs depend on many things - some of which are needless and obsolete. Our system was not working and it finally caught up with us. But let's focus on what matters now. Through education we can prevent the inefficiencies and traditional economic model from working in a cyclical way. Our students have the potential to design a new system and plan - one that is sustainable and addresses our global needs.

Teaching needs to change - and I will be the first person to, not only acknowledge this, but also to help achieve it. There are many things that we can try in education to better reach students that are not being done as we speak. There are countless strategies and new ideologies about the nature of learning that can be implemented in a way that brings about real change. Teachers, like anyone, fear change when it compromises their security, well-being and comfort. We need to find ways to better educate our teachers about the future of teaching - without attacking the economics of their livelihood and causing resentment.

Most of this lasting change should begin in the Faculty of Educations across our province. Many of these new educational lenses must be adopted by our leaders as exemplars. And above all else, our efforts should focus on improved learning for students. With so many obstacles and challenges in the classrooms of today (i.e. student behaviours, minimized support), many teachers are getting by and doing the job they can do - not the one they should be doing.

Whether we are 'flipping the classroom,' teaching through differentiated instruction, or delivering inquiry-based programming, we, teachers, will drive the change and shift the face of the classroom from us to them. Except, how many teachers are willing to shift their practice and experiment with their pedagogy when they feel their job is under attack?

Grassroots change - real change - will only be possible through visionary leadership and careful planning. The potential of transforming student learning into meaningful, relevant and powerful experiences is at our grasp. We must not stay the course, but rather, venture on the other paths to truly discover our profession and purpose. What an exciting time to be an educator.

The State of Teaching

First posted audio message

Watching my four-year-old son, Liam, sit at a computer and figure out how it works has opened my eyes to a whole new level of what digital natives really are. I was surprised by how quickly he learned commands to navigate programs just simply by clicking things and then trying to remember where those things went to last time.

He seems very comfortable with the mouse and using the buttons is certainly helped by his hand-eye coordination. Right now he's playing I Spy games on the computer and he finds it very interesting. The use of these games has furthered his computer skills before he even enters kindergarten in the fall.

Our students live (and think) in a world that acts and feels alien to the majority of us. They expect interaction and socialization and are typically underwhelmed by what they find in our classrooms.

While some argue that learning in a traditional model is good for them - it will help them to function in the "real world." What if our antiquated notion of the world is finally catching up with us? Most of what we strive to keep familiar is constantly under fire from improvements and technological developments. You would have a difficult time identifying something that has not been impacted by technology in one way or another in the past 30 years.

The bottom line is that teaching needs to shift in ways that most teachers will cringe at.

Students need control over how they learn. The curriculum will serve as the framework: the teacher as the learning guide. Expert teachers no longer need to be subject specialists - they should be dynamic, empowering movers of student will.

Amazing teachers will be those who cast aside their preconceived notions of what teaching is and bravely move towards what it needs to be. If students could vote and rate their teachers with pay scale and placement implications - this conversation would be far more pressing to those who need it.

Future teachers may as well be trained in a classroom setting with students as their advisors - who better to make the training relevant and efficient than those digital natives fully living in the 21st century world.

Teachers need to navigate, supervise, counsel, question, facilitate, guide and learn themselves - that is what teaching is and should be.

Any questions about how to begin and where to start should be directed at those that matter - the students you "teach."

___
Recorded on iPhone and posted with VR+ Lite.
http://vr.shapeservices.com

(The Response) Open Letter from a Student to a Teacher

There you are. Standing in front of us all for what seems an endless amount of time. How long will this go on for? Do you truly believe that this lesson is THE LESSON? What chance do I have in the real world if I choose to listen to your words? What opportunities will await me if I decide to buy in to what you are saying? What skills are you providing that will allow me to succeed in a 21st century world?

Each time you ask me to complete yet another meaningless task, I wonder: do you know that your teaching can be irrelevant? Does it scare you to think that you may not have much to offer me today? What things have you done to keep your practice current and engaging?

If I choose to speak out, you will reprimand me. If I choose to leave the work where it is untouched, you will penalize me. If I choose to complete what you assign, you will not notice me. I will need to determine how to play the game. My actions will be of my own design.

Perhaps I will decide to comment in discussions. Maybe I will try to improve on my work. In case there is a chance for me; it might make sense to listen to your advice. But if I take this on – if I take you on and your teaching – you had better not let me down. Bring your best because my attention is up for grabs.

And if when this year is over, you ask me what I’ve learned, I will respond with confidence: the things that matter. Some of those things are yours to give and others are my lessons to learn. In the end, you will teach me things. The content of them is up to you, but their impact on my future is solely my decision.

Open Letter from a Teacher to a Student

I can see you. Sitting in that chair staring at the clock – and sensing what awaits you on the other side. Knowing the choices that lie ahead of you and coming to terms with the fact that you are solely responsible for your own actions. It’s your decision. I can speak to you or at you, but inevitably it is your choice to hear what it is I am saying. You can pretend not to listen, but deep down I know that you want to.

You await words that ignite your thoughts. You await activities that incite you to grow. You wait for moments that inspire you to change. The things placed in front of you to complete; the words written on the board to consider; the notes left in the margins of the last piece of work you submitted – these things build to a climax. The product of your effort will be knowledge. The direction of your journey is upon you.

What do you have to lose? Even if everything I have to say is boring, you have developed your critical listening skills. Even if every activity I assign is meaningless, you have considered your interests and adhered to them. Even if every mark you receive is disappointing, you have created goals and evaluated them. And when the time comes for you to understand your centrality in the future, what will you accept? Is it easier to sit there and watch the clock or should this be the moment of your awakening?

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I need to know that you are there. Your criticism can be my most powerful tool. My job is to prepare you. My role is in front of you. You cannot change me, but I will grow. All those things I learned are subject to your approval after all. You are my audience and I want that call-back. While it may not seem like a song and dance up here; it really is the same. My path may start in front of yours, but I hope that one day you will still see it in your rear-view.

I have signed up for this battle. My tools are laid out in front of you to use. Choose your weapon and draw. We can do this for as long as it takes. I will not back down in my resilience for your potential. I have seen with my own eyes what I can do for a student and I will not accept any less. You do not intimidate me. Your personality (however challenging) is what brings me back and drives my plans for tomorrow. You are my student; I am your teacher. You cannot let me down.

The Single Greatest Job in the World

I truly believe that I have chosen the single greatest job in the world (as an educator), but the climate and nature of the beast, indeed, challenges a person’s resolve and drive to do, not just what’s best for kids, but rather, what’s best for the future of our society.

Grandiose visions of perfect staffs and perfect supervisors are not only false – they are unrealistic. Change in schools – real, positive and lasting change – is only made possible through struggle and conflict. Inside ourselves, with our colleagues, with our supervisors, with our priorities – this change will bring us to our knees at some point and force us to choose action in the face of distress and uncertainty. If we were not the best choice for this esteemed position (teaching the future of our society), we wouldn't be faced with these kinds of personally-defining decisions – because we would have walked away and chose to do something else with our lives before it got real hard.

Being a leader is a lot like being on sale: you’re always in demand, people seem to think you’re never around when you’re needed, and you have the power to make others feel proud of themselves – heck, you could even make a difference in someone else’s life.

The context of being a principal has morphed dramatically from the manager of a staff to the manager of all things school. It’s not enough to be nice – you have to be accountable. It’s not enough to be smart – you have to be a visionary. It’s not enough to be consistent – you have to be progressive.

The system is in need of bold and ambitious goals. Those of us who indeed “go forward” shouldn’t just be accepting a new position – we are accepting a challenge. The middle doesn’t need holding – the top needs to be uncovered. Our students and communities will demand our best and settle for nothing less.

Building Our Personal Capacity

“What you cannot see can be seen from a different part of the mountain”

Climbing down the mountain will reveal that the valley is your true mountain. It is not until we do uncomfortable and unplanned things that we can realize our purpose and true sense of fulfillment.

Our comfort zone has been carefully crafted and meticulously planned. To step outside that place is to journey into the darkness and experience the uncertain.

It takes time to understand what we think we need; it is not until we are forced to deal with an uneasy situation that we can appreciate what we actually needed.

Humans are selfish creatures. But, change is imminent and necessary to attest to our inner most desires and needs. We will learn to live with the change, and in time, it will become the thing that needs changing again.

The cycle begins and ends with you and your decision to live – instead of absolving yourself from life’s struggles and enjoying your comfort zone.

What change lies in front of you and how will you resolve it?

Hook, Pressure and Support: How to Help Teachers

The term "pressure and support" is seen as a leadership strategy and mantra for improving teaching practice and developing educational capacity. By applying pressure to teachers in a way that promotes change or development, there is a greater chance that this will take place. The support part of the process is to ensure that teachers feel like they are being helped on their pathway to 'betterment' and not simply thrown in the deep end to fend for themselves. I think, though, the "hook" is critical in beginning this process.

If teachers feel the pressure to change and develop, regardless of how much support they receive, they are experiencing the push from an external place (whether it be an administrator, coach, superintendent, board policy). Effective leaders need to find a way to 'hook' them into desiring the change. Teachers need to feel like they are driving the actions that will make them a more informed and effective educational influence.

Often, a carefully-crafted model or exemplar of something that is desirous and whose potential to transform pedagogy is evident is a good place to begin. It is typically when we experience something that we can envision ourselves performing it too. This is a stark contrast to an approach that begins with a memo and leads to expected participation.

If you want teachers to try new things - show them how great those new things can be. Don't expect them to take risks - if you, yourself, are unwilling to do so. Some of the greatest movements, indeed, begin with a simple idea, but it is through purposeful and powerful steps that these things drive action and inspire longevity.

We all want to be successful. If your comfort zone is exactly where you left it, eventually you will watch others find destinations that you have not dared to visit yourself. The process can be scary. The commitment can initially be daunting. The payoff, though, will be clear. Your students and colleagues will watch a transformation take place that breathes new life in your words and casts bold shadows on your movements. Your teaching will be born anew.

Whether it be incorporating more technology in your practice or co-teaching with a grade partner - change can be a wonderful thing to those who dare to try. Without it, we all become footnotes to our original dreams of educating others.

Knowledge Speaks, but Wisdom Listens

This is a quote by Jimi Hendrix that I think speaks volumes to the plight of teachers and administrators in a time-ruled world. Taking the time to listen to others, whether they be students, parents, or teachers, can make or break the effect you can have on a conversation and in a relationship.

In a school day that is governed by lesson blocks, break times, supervision minutes and planning times, it can be difficult for a teacher to consistently find the time to actually listen to your class and their ideas. I don’t mean that teachers are ignoring their students and pushing ahead with verbally-delivered lectures, but I do mean that the core things that matter to students (unless they directly relate to the lesson or activity) can often be shuffled into the background and not given a forum for discussion.

Wisdom would tell us to sit back and listen. What we are told by students matters. It needs to drive instruction and forge lasting relationships through the cultivation of a strong rapport. Teachers have all kinds of knowledge, but it is through their commitment to listening and absorbing knowledge from others that they can truly develop a sense of strength and purpose. Taking the pulse in your room is one of the most significant ways to guide a group and develop rapport.

As a leader, wisdom can elude us. It is a challenge to exude control and yet show the strength to listen and observe. We often feel the urgency in the room when conversation slips or becomes “off track.” Yet, in my experience the most meaningful and relevant comments can come out of those digressions and interpersonal experiences. It takes a confident leader to recognize and address those digressions to get to the heart of the matter and encourage meaningful discussions. By ignoring or re-directing those interactions we are alienating people from their own ideas and motivations to communicate what is important and valid to them.

Listen intently and wisdom will find you - comments that fall on deaf ears can often be the ones most in need of volume and advocacy.

Global Teacher Networking

There are so many opportunities out there to connect with fellow educators online and collaborate all across the world. As a teacher, we are often surrounded by colleagues that are terrific team members and committed to supporting each other. But sometimes the answers we seek and the ideas we need don't come from within our school walls. Online social networking sites offer teachers a chance to make connections with like-minded professionals, in order to further teaching practice and share resources.

There are many platforms out there to link with other teachers, it is simply a matter of choosing one (or several) and investing the time to learn about that site's features and possibilities. I am currently a member of LinkedIn, Curriculum 21, Facebook, and Twitter as an educator and I have contacts and an online profile that allows other educators to connect with me.

For the online writing component that I am currently undertaking, there are countless ways to network with people and build your "brand." Improving your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can be done with any number of strategies and tips including; keyword placement, subscribing blog directories, writing guest blogs and comments to the posts of others, and online discussion forums. As you can see from the badges down the sides of this blog site, I belong to a number of blog directories that have catalogued "Ignite. Incite. Inspire." as a blog that users can stumble across or have it suggested to them as 'like' another blog.

I am adding this "blogging" paragraph to this post, as I see huge potential in blogging with our students as class writing. Providing online feedback and increasing global readership from student-to-student is one of the current ways that we can hook reluctant writers and engage our classes in meaningful discussions with peers from around the globe. As soon as school districts are able to hammer down current, reflective and sound online privacy and digital citizenship policies, this forum for writing will explode on the scene as the next lined paper notes.

Overall, teachers are busy and time is always in demand. In order to facilitate discussions with global colleagues and seek out advice about pedagogy and teaching strategies, it will take time, and therefore, commitment. However, so far I have been able to connect with curriculum developers, private educational businesses, psychologists, former principals and superintendants, radio personalities, authors and of course, current teachers. This online networking experience has (and will continue to) allow me to seek out "cutting-edge" ideas and consider revolutionary practices that will help to further my own teaching or help to lead others in changing how we reach students and find that "carrot" that will drive their learning (a reference to one of my first blog posts "The Carrot."

Change....it's Coming.

Be an agent of change. Work tirelessly to improve your profession, your practice, your student's learning - yourself. It is difficult to cast aside what we know and work towards trying what we don't. It's the price of reform that also comes with a disclaimer that advertises "personal and professional benefits to all who self-reflect and self-improve."

Teaching is a dynamic profession. It requires people that are invested in equipping our youth with ideas, skills and the necessities of life. All too often, we can get bogged down by the policy and procedures without truly understanding the impact we can exert on our students. Students need direction; but they will only follow those directions that get them to where they want to be. If your practice is outdated; if your methods are outmoded; if your ambition has been outsourced - get out.

The world is changing. We are watching it unfold and become a reality. Our students will grow up in a system and society that has re-defined itself on the merits of technology (for better or worse). Our schools are a microcosm of society. If they are crying out for new ideas and new directions through escalating negative behaviours and poor attendance patterns - listen up. The students have things to offer us teachers that have not been printed on the School Improvement Plan or planned for on the Board Course of Study. They have needs and wants that are emerging as their day progresses, often in response to what they are being subjected to in our classrooms.

Just as we can often conceptualize our ideal version of something based on the negative experiences we have had, our students are envisioning a classroom that is the alternate reality of what they're used to. We deliver that vision, and we will deliver them into an effective 21st century education.

Educational Leadership

Education needs leadership. It craves direction and begs for insight. Teachers need to feel that they matter and are part of a bigger picture in the lives of their students. Without strong educational leadership, no teacher can teach to their true potential. Leaders find purpose and value in any action; whether it is a positive or negative experience. Visionary leadership is the ability to make connections that are not even there yet, and to offer possibilities that no one has thought of. However, it is the social connections that leaders make with their educational teams and staff that cultivates the audience for your school ambitions and goals as a leader.

My own personal philosophy of education is that people, intrinsically, want to better themselves. Learning and interacting are two important ways to accomplish this, and both are available through the vehicle of education. The classroom environment is as important to a student as a home to a family member. Within these walls, students must feel safe, appreciated and welcome. Whether through the seating plan, wall posters or classroom routines; your decisions must consistently demonstrate fairness - not necessarily equality.

The same is true for a staff. As a leader, fairness must emanate from your choices and actions. Your decisions must be transparent and predictable, that is how teachers become comfortable with your vision for the school and its direction as it pertains to their daily work. Without this, people do not buy in and are guarded in a self-preservation state for as long as it takes to survive.

If you have had the chance to work for a strong (or even visionary) leader, share some of the qualities they possessed or even an anecdote about them as a comment to this post. Thanks!

Getting Your Class Back

There are moments as a teacher when you feel that you have strayed from your plans for the class. Class conflicts, poor marks and brutal work habits are some of the ways that we recognize our struggle with how to move a class forward in their learning.

Specifically, teenagers are a difficult age to crack and maintain a good rapport with. And when you find yourself already off to a rocky start, hope it seems is your solitary comfort. In the past, when I have felt that I am losing a group, I would surprise them with an act of kindness...

Spend an entire class putting curriculum aside and find out what they're interested in. Ask them favorite movies, television shows, bands, video games, tech. devices. When they see that you are willing to put them ahead of the learning (even if just for a class period), you will gain respect as a person - not just someone doing their job.

Take what they tell you and find a way to turn it into an independent project, unit or at least a lesson focus. They will appreciate having input into their learning and want to engage more in the process of it - especially since it will be driven by THEM - not just your curriculum documents.

I hope anyone reading this (especially those who teach teenagers) find this helpful. I have a soft spot for teaching adolescents having taught them for 9 years. It is a daunting task, but so rewarding when you break through and cause meaningful change and guidance for them.

They put up walls that you don't expect, do everything in their power to hide the cracks from you, and yet, if you can find a way in, they will be awed by your interest and resilience. Teenager brains are wired to become unwired and unpredictable. They don't know why, but they crave and seek out conflict in a way that is hard not to take personally.

When all is said and done, teenagers are the most vulnerable and important age group some of us will ever teach. They need strong role models and purposeful guidance in making their life decisions - often far before they plan to or are prepared to. Be cautious, but don't show fear. They admire confidence and appreciate honesty. As such, your strength as an educator should be your best tool for success.

This post was inspired by a reader question from an article I wrote for suite101.com entitled, "Expert Teachers in the Classroom: Part 1 (The Knowledge).