An “AHA!” moment

Posted on July 6, 2009 by Caldwell

Learning and Working in the Collaborative Age

This powerful video supplied by Edutopia is really an AHA moment for me.

Some of the most important parts to me include the fact that he relates the rules of Improv to the rules of collaboration.  Rule 1- Accept every offer.  I knew this in acting, but it makes so much sense in collaboration.  We tend to shut down ideas– we are critical by nature– rather than accept them and run with them.  Remember the alternative is deadend.  Rule 2- Make your partner look good.  Why do we have to be competitive and worry all the time who is looking better than someone else.  If we are always concerned about making our partner look good, it is win/win.

Second, I really loved the idea that collaboration is NOT a synonym for cooperation.  The illustration was that an assembly line is a series of individual tasks.  If needed, one person could walk down that line and do each task independently.  Collaboration relies on interconnectivity and amplification of other’s ideas and tasks.  I love that.

Awesome video!


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Give me relationship

Posted on June 25, 2009 by Caldwell

I found this fascinating quote today:

It is so hard for research studies to isolate the effect of technology because it is so unbelievably hard to isolate for the effect of the teacher. Often, technology may actually improve a classroom due to the research study because of the feeling of the classroom and teacher because they have been paid attention to — they are important.  Attitude, emotion, relationship — these are things that are important in teaching.Cool Cat Teacher Online, Cool Cat Teacher Blog: PreK Secret to Success: Give me relationship, Jun 2009

You should read the whole article.

I think it is so relevant not only to the buzzwords of RIGOR, RELEVANCE, AND RELATIONSHIP; but it also resonates to the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of technology in the classroom.  Some teachers turn on a Powerpoint full of notes or pop in a video and think “Boy am I using technology!”.  In reality they are creating a virtual babysitter.  The relationship is severed and the student feels disengaged.  Technology and the teaching that should be enhanced by it is no good.  I challenge all of us to find ways to be good teachers that care.  Once we seek to know our students then make our curriculum and methodology decisions based on that, we will finally reach the kids and be effective.

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How do you get buy in?

Posted on May 31, 2009 by Caldwell

We are in a school district that is going through growing pains.  We have a forward-thinking superintendant ready to bring our schools into the 21st century.  The problem is that we have many rural communities and seasoned teachers who do not see a need for change.  To sum up a quote from a community member in a local newspaper article… these schools have been teaching agriculture classes the same for years and it has been good, why should we change it now?

“That good is the enemy of great is not just a business problem. It is a human problem.”

Jim Collins : Gaia Explorer

Source: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t, Page: 16
How do you get the buy-in necessary to achieve greatness?  How do you get the right people on the bus and more importantly the wrong people off?
Frustrating but necessary questions

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You can’t teach an old dog…

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Caldwell

After reading a great blog entry from one of my favorite sites, The Principals Page, I have to say I agree with his creative take on professional development.  The post talks about his new dog that seems to own the place.  Buddy, the dog, use to be a show dog and now has to be “untrained” so he does some new tricks– like go to the bathroom when his owner takes him for a walk.  Just read the entry- it is great.  The main point is this.  We as teachers really struggle with untraining our minds to new and innovative practices. Change is hard and we are resistant to it!

I tell folks that often a room of high school teachers and administrators are a worse and less receptive audience than kindergarten kids after cupcakes. I can speak from experience.  For 12 years I have been a part of that audience!! First, many teachers don’t want to be there because they have “so many other better things to do with their time”. Second, many feel that their methods are good enough, so why fix it (especially in high school where we love our content!). Speaking as a high school English teacher who is leaving the classroom to do Professional Development full time. I have been in worthless PD workshops. My goal is to make the “Buddy’s” of the school world see two things- Change is good (and inevitable) AND The new classroom/student involves learning together and not teachers being the only keepers of information. Heck if the kids can Google the answer on their Smartphone, what do we have to offer.

Most professions require training and recertification procedures.  Teachers only have to recertify every 10 years.  Should we really wait that long to do meaningful restructuring of our practice?  Considering how different today’s student is from even 5 years ago, shouldn’t we be a little different too?

Retrain, untrain, be flexible… it will save you lots of head ache with the digital learners!

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Why should students come to class?

Posted on April 26, 2009 by Caldwell

In a great blog post called “Why Should Students Come to Class?” Ben Wilkoff on his Learning is Change blog  writes this:

If my students can do the majority of their work with writing and reading online…
If my students can receive all of their assignments online…
If my students can maintain constant contact with their friends, classmates, and teachers online…
If my students can create spaces to come together or work alone online…

What should we do in the classroom?

I have to agree with many points in this blog and the comments that follow.  Several thoughts come to mind.  First, in the ideal world technology access would make our students more efficient and more connected in the virtual way… but what about so many of my rural students that don’t have computers at home or have little time to go to the lab at school?  Second, I would argue that so many of my students have a limited knowledge of how to do academic work, research, or collaboration because their online time is spent in a strictly social sense.

Digital Natives, as we call them, may be twitching along with all their might, but what I am seeing so often with teens is that they only know how to forge shallow anonymous relationships and resent being asked to anything with technology that might require thought and depth.  It really becomes the true test of a teacher to not only be willing to learn him/herself about social networking, 21st century literacy, online collaboration, and other academic technological endeavors; but to truly model those behaviors and show the students the way.  I think many times we resent our own children and our students because they live in a generation that has found more “efficient” ways of getting information and answers.  Our task now becomes acknowledging that we are no longer the keepers of the information but the “Gandalf” or the sage/guide of the wisdom itself.

So many students lack worth ethic, value systems, and the ability to differentiate between truth and fiction.  It is not always that they are just sorry kids and don’t want to do those things… so many times it is that nobody actually modeled this behavior and explained its significance in life, education, and the work place.  Yes, and even after we do this as teachers… many will still go about with their shallow online life and snuff at your “nerdy” use of the computer; but at least they will know HOW to do it when they finally realize the significance of this wisdom.

I remember programming the VCR for my mother when I was younger.  She was amazed at the technology and how the TV knew what to do.  Now kids just program the TIVO with a push of a button.  Darn them skirting around the hard work of dealing with the blinking numbers on the VCR and dealing with all those tapes!  Bunch of cheaters!!

Don’t resent the quick way of doing things, but teach them that the kinds of activities they do and the information they seek needs to matter (the social part and the fun that can be a by product of using technology to do such things is a bonus- not the whole task).

So what should should we do in the classroom?  Model and guide… if we don’t they are SURFING THE WEB WEARING A BLINDFOLD.

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Technology Surveys

Posted on April 5, 2009 by Caldwell

I would love to poll our faculties and find out two different bits of information.  First, it is important to establish what each teacher’s technology competency is.  According to this self assessment developed by the state of Massachusetts for their teachers,  the levels of competency are early, developing, proficient, and advanced.  It is important for our teachers and those training them to know where they are starting.  Second, it is important to establish the comfort level of each teacher with using technology in the classroom and with the students.  I really like this Florida Matrix that helps to evaluate that with teachers.  I wondered if anyone else has developed any surveys that can be used online or with a CRS.  I would be interested in any successes or data collected.

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National Boards

Posted on March 31, 2009 by Caldwell

As I mentored two candidates through the process, I learned so much about myself.  I think that is ultimately what mentoring should be about.  One should teach, share, learn, collaborate, and create.  Both teachers (Ginger and Sara- I love you guys) were middle school teachers.  One did the Generalist certificate and the other did the English one.  Working with these ladies made me appreciate how different our age groups are.  It also made me appreciate the challenges they have as they transition many times during their day.  What was really rewarding was to be able to offer help and ideas as well as get the ideas.  I was impressed by their creativity and with how open they were to the feedback.

National Boards is a difficult process and not for everyone.  These ladies had stressful moments and successful moments.  They agree with me that it is a growing process and meaningful professional development.  To me, this is what PD should be.  It should be embedded into what teachers do, it should be relevant to his/her content area, it should involve critical friends, it should involve reflection and change.

I am proud to be an NBCT and hope to help rally around those that are brave enough to enter the process!

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Technology in a rural school district

Posted on March 23, 2009 by Caldwell

I know that all schools and districts have challenges.  I believe that a rural school district has the biggest challenge.  In a rural area, many times it is hard to convince the clientele that technology is an important entity in the the students’ hands.  Many people want to see concrete substantial things such as buildings, books, and uniforms as proof that their tax dollars are working.  Also, our particular district has a very low tax base.  This is tough enough in a booming economy, but is particularly hard now.  What tips and tricks can anyone give for those of us trying to keep teachers positive about tech integration when it is very low on the priority list for teachers and parents?

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Diigo Links on Lead By Example 03/23/2009

Posted on March 23, 2009 by Caldwell

Posted from Diigo. The rest of educators group favorite links are here.

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Diigo Links on Lead By Example 03/21/2009

Posted on March 21, 2009 by Caldwell

Posted from Diigo. The rest of educators group favorite links are here.

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