10 questions every teacher should ask themselves: #edchat #ntchat

1). What percent of your students are going beyond just compliance and are actually cognitively engaged in deep self-driven and relevant learning?

2). How often are students in your class offered the opportunity to move around and get 'the blood' flowing with some type of physical activity?

3). How often are kids in your class able to work in teams and work collaboratively on some type of group learning activity?

4). When was the last time you read a professional book or article and you tried something new as a result of what you read in the book/article?

5). If you had to describe the perfect and ideal classroom, what would be your top three most important characteristics?

6). How confident are you that your students could tell someone who doesn't teach what you teach specifically where they are struggling and where they are succeeding in regard to their learning?

7). Let's assume audio was recorded for an entire week in your classroom. Of all the voices that are heard during that time, whose voice do you believe would be heard the most?

8). If you eliminated all the grades in your classroom, do you think students would still actively participate and continue learning?

9). If a group of teachers from another school district who taught a similar content/grade came and observed your classroom, what do you think they would say in their post-conversation?

10). If you were the principal for the week and you got to observe every classroom in your building, what would you want to see in all the classrooms?

BONUS: What's the ratio of consumption to creation in your classroom when it comes to the work students are doing?

There's no such thing as 'just' a teacher...

You all know that child who doesn't have someone advocating for them. As a teacher, you are in a position to advocate for and fight for what is best for that child. Wow... what an awesome responsibility.

Where else in the world do you get to work with so many different personalities, egos, and varied life experiences all in the course of one day. If as a teacher you can't find something to learn from your students, then you aren't looking hard enough.

In what other profession can you literally witness the growth and development of a child on a daily basis? You are in a position to see first-hand the progress and growth that takes place every single day in classrooms around the world. You are able to take a student who possibly knows very little about his/her interests, and then help them discover and explore those interests while simultaneously watching them change before your eyes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ksten/

How many other professions can say they are a punching bag for the media and the sole reason for all the problems in society (joking here)? Educators seem to be getting all the attention... how cool is that to always be in the limelight! On a serious note, if what you were doing wasn't important, then people wouldn't notice and people wouldn't care.

Some of your students will get to know you better than anyone else in their lives. You will spend more time with some of your students than even their own family members. You will get to experience all the highs and the lows right alongside your students. Being this much a part of the lives of your students definitely makes this an awesome job.

In what other profession can you continue to learn and grow in the areas you are passionate about and say that it's a part of your job. Then on top of that, you get to share your passion and interests with others while getting paid to do it. Sounds like a win-win to me!

Research is quite clear in that a great teacher has a tremendous impact on the life of a child. This is not just related to academic achievement, but to all facets of their life. When you think something you might do or might not do doesn't matter, remember this research and keep it fresh in your mind.

You get to be an entertainer, actor/actress, and a Gumby-like person almost every day! I know the 'edutainment' mindset is not the most popular at times, but aren't you first trying to sell yourself? If the kids aren't buying into 'you,' then they will never buy into what you are trying to accomplish in the classroom. Take full advantage of this wonderful opportunity!

So, please remember, there's no such thing as 'just' a teacher...

Learning time loss: Why bell-to-bell learning matters

Imagine this scenario: You teach at least 5 classes or 5 hours a day (this accounts for both elementary and secondary teachers). Each 1 hour block takes about 5 minutes to get started and ends about 5 minutes early. 

This means that roughly 10 minutes out of every 60 minutes are underutilized. Over the course of the day, this means that roughly 50 minutes out of every 300 minutes are not focused on learning.

Over the course of a typical 5 day week there will be 250 minutes not spent on learning out of a total 1,500 potential learning minutes.

Over the course of a typical school year of 174 school days there will be 8,700 minutes not utilized for learning.

Now, let's be realistic and cut that number in half because we all know there are assemblies and other events that cut into learning time throughout the school year. That leaves us with 4,350 minutes of time not spent learning.

4,350 total underutilized minutes divided by a typical 300 minute school day = 14.5 days per school year are slipping through our fingers. 

Does every minute need to focused on learning, of course not. Are there times when kids and educators need a few moments to simply 'breathe,' of course there are. 

It's unrealistic to think every minute can be focused on learning.

However, even with conservative numbers, almost three weeks of school each year are being lost. In other words, 8.3% of a student's year in a 36 week school year. And, there's one thing all educators can agree with... time is precious and we always need more of it. 

Let's really focus on making sure we are maximizing the time we have.

Should all classrooms be like kindergarten classrooms?

If you've never had the opportunity to visit a Kindergarten classroom, you should find time to do so.

To be frank, they are really amazing places.

Typically, there are 20-25 students and one teacher. That in itself isn't that big of a deal, but add in the fact that some of these students have never been away from their parents. Some of the students have never been in an environment where there is structure and organization. Some of the students have never had to walk in a line and some have never been in a public restroom without the assistance of their parents and/or guardians.

In spite of the before-mentioned dynamics, Kindergarten classrooms are really magical places where kids are able to collaboratively and independently create and design. Kids move like a well-oiled machine from one center to the next with very little if any teacher direction. These students, most of whom have never been a part of such madness, are able to find structure and are able to be trusted to do the right thing.

Students are able to 'playfully work together and learn about the creative process: how to imagine new ideas, try them out, test the boundaries, experiment with alternatives, get feedback from others, and generate new ideas based on their experiences.'

Kindergarten classrooms are a hotbed for makers and the maker movement. Kindergarten classrooms are spilling over with exploration and discovery. Kindergarten classrooms beam with pride as kids put their best efforts forward to please their teachers and expand their knowledge of the world.

Kindergarten classrooms are indeed a magical place.

So, what can other classrooms at other grade levels learn from Kindergarten classrooms?

What if 'instead of making kindergarten more like the rest of school, we make the rest of school - indeed, the rest of life - more like kindergarten?'

'We live in a world that is changing more rapidly than ever before. Today’s children will face a continual stream of new issues and challenges in the future. Things that they learn today will be obsolete tomorrow. To thrive, they must learn to design innovative solutions to unexpected problems. Their success and satisfaction will be based on their ability to think and act creatively. Knowledge alone is not enough; they must learn how to use their knowledge creatively.'

So, what if all classrooms were like Kindergarten classrooms?


Ideas and several lines in this blog post came from this article titled, 'Lifelong Kindergarten:' 

10 unique and creative classroom designs:

@bball_tracyj's 5 grade classroom at Clark Vitt Elementary

Library video production room at @umswildcats

@jkelley7222's classroom at Beaufort Elementary

Kim Bruno's 4th grade classroom at Clark Vitt Elementary

@erobbins2ndgrade's classroom at Central Elementary

The reading tree in @misshinsonin3rd's classroom at Central Elementary

Continued from above...

@megangerling's kindergarten 'think table' at Beaufort Elementary

@jhalltech's video production room at Union High School

'Readbox' Image via @crestviewmiddle

Each student has their own mobile space for materials in @bobblehead99's 5th grade classroom

Continued from above...

@bobblehead99's 5th grade classroom at Beaufort Elementary

10 reasons it's a great time to be in #education

As many of us start up or get ready to start up another school year, we have much to look forward to and much to be excited about. Here are 10 reasons why I believe it's a great time to be in education:

1) - Global competition is increasing and the pool for career opportunities is becoming more fierce. As the world seems to get smaller, students are being forced to compete with an even larger pool of applicants for colleges, for jobs, and for life in general. It's my belief that through this increase in competition, both schools and students will rise to the occasion to ensure all kids are prepared to be successful regardless of what path they choose in life.

2) - Everyone thinks they know what is best for education. Now, some would argue this is a bad thing, but the reality is, everyone and their mom (I love you mom) seem to think they are an expert in education. On the positive side, this has brought education to the forefront as of the most important and pressing issues facing society. The fact that everyone has a past education experience means education will always remain a top priority.

3) - Technology is changing the way the world does business. Technology is enabling things to happen that were never before possible. This has huge implications for education as a whole. Education systems are no longer limited to what they can or can't do; they are limited to their creativity and their ability to think innovatively.

4) - Students are bringing more and more knowledge and experience into the educational setting than ever before. When in history have students been able to teach the teachers and be an instrumental part to the educational process as much as they are now? This shift has continued to push the mindset that educators are no longer simply dispensers of knowledge; but rather are facilitators and instigators of self-directed learning by students. In this environment, educators can learn just as much from their students as the students can learn from them.

5) - College education programs are getting better and better. Now, I'm not saying we can't continue to improve here, but I believe college education programs are doing a better job of preparing young teachers to be successful in an education career. This includes moving education programs away from just theory and approach to actual hands-on learning alongside mentor teachers. More college education programs are getting future teachers into classrooms earlier on and pairing them with more experienced mentors. Not perfect yet, but definitely getting better.

6) - More and more districts are collaborating with local businesses. This is a very exciting aspect of education now. Local businesses and the overall business industry have a vested interest in seeing kids who are prepared and are ready for the work force. The more partnerships that are formed between school districts and the business industry, the better prepared our kids will be upon entering the job market.

7) - We are learning that money is not the single determining factor for student success. It's easy to believe and often misleading when people say that money is the most important factor when determining overall student success. First off, we need to discuss what 'student success' means, but secondly, there are countless examples of schools and districts that are finding success who would not be characterized as 'wealthy' schools or districts. Of course, money does help, but don't assume if you don't have money you can't find success. Success may not be easy to find, but I assure you it comes in more forms than just the green type.

8) - Schools are once again becoming the center and hub of the community. Too often there is a disconnect between the schools and the community in which they serve. This is slowly but surely changing. Our schools in our districts are becoming centralized hubs of not only student learning, but also learning for parents and people within the community. If schools aren't there to serve the community, then how could we ever say we are truly serving our students?

9) - Innovation and creativity are all around us. Keep your eyes and ears open because there are a lot of great things happening in education. As schools and districts continue to do a better job of telling their stories, the positives of education are becoming more and more prevalent. What once was a story dominated by all the negatives, is slowly shifting toward a story that emphasizes the positives and the opportunities around us.

10) - Every single day educators get to impact, influence, encourage, support, guide and help students become the best they can be. If this doesn't make you feel that it's a great time to be in education, then perhaps it's best you make room for someone who does...

The importance of student-teacher relationships: From the mind of a 6th grader...

At our all staff district kick-off event, our superintendent asked a 6th grade student from one of our elementary schools to speak on the critically important topic of student-teacher relationships.

Imagine how nervous this student was to speak in front of 400+ adults on what it means to have positive relationships between students and teachers.

Though scared and nervous... I think he nailed it!


Here are Tanner's top tips for good relationships between students and teachers:

1). Good relationships with students increase their focus because if you like your teacher, you're going to pay attention to her/him.

2). Relationships decide what type of attitude your classroom has. If you have good relationships with your students, you will probably have less 'I don't want to learn attitudes.'

3). Relationships decide a student's attitude toward school and affect their self-esteem. A good relationship between a teacher and a student helps their self-esteem because the student knows you care about them and they want to think good about themselves.

4). Your relationship with your students mostly decides how much respect you get.

What a powerful message from a 6th grade student! Thank you for sharing this important message with our staff Tanner!

The ONLY question we should be asking ourselves...

Don't give up on sharing that idea...

You know that idea you shared with your colleagues...

You were so excited to share the idea and you spent plenty of time trying to figure out the best way to get this information out to your colleagues. You tried to put yourself in their shoes so you could make this idea relevant and applicable to what they were doing. You even found a couple additional resources to complement the idea you were enthusiastic about sharing. You envisioned their response and knew they would be greatly appreciative of your time and effort to share an idea you think would benefit their practice, and most importantly, their students.

Unfortunately, the way it played out in your head isn't exactly the way it played out in real life...

If you are new in your position or new in your district, or if you are just trying some new things and new approaches, you most likely know what it feels like to share something with such passion and enthusiasm only to feel as if your words were falling on the proverbial deaf ears.

It's not a good feeling, and after getting that feeling several times, it's easy to see how some educators decide to work in isolation and simply focus on doing "their thing" rather than the collaborative and open-communication approach we would all benefit from.

It may be tough not to, but the easy thing to do is to give up on sharing new ideas. New ideas cause people to feel uncomfortable because it is the unknown, and it's human nature to fear what we don't understand. Additionally, it's easy for the person who is sharing these new ideas to be ostracized and cast aside as someone who is "pushing" their own agenda.

What you might not realize is that even though it appears these new ideas are going unnoticed and that people are ignoring anything and everything you say, I can almost guarantee that a few people are taking notice. Even more so, I would be willing to bet they are secretly having conversations about these ideas and possibly even trying them out in their classrooms. 

This won't be evident (at first), but after a while a few pockets of "initiators" will begin to form. People who didn't hear the idea first hand will begin talking about this new approach because they are hearing it second hand from others. You might even get a nice email thanking you for taking the time to share. You might... 

You might also never hear anything. You might never know how this idea or how the time you spent talking about it affected those around you. Even though you might not ever know, is not an excuse to stop doing what you do...

Don't give up on sharing that next idea.

We can't afford for you to give up. Our kids can't afford for you to give up...

8 things every student deserves...

One of the things I miss most about my job is the connection and relationship with students. For me to speak and work with students, I really have to go out of my way and to make it happen. Unfortunately this doesn't happen nearly as often as I would like, but my recognition of that is incentive enough to make it a priority; a renewed priority this school year...

What's clear to me is that our students deserve and need a lot from us:

1). Every student deserves to have someone who won't give up on them; someone who will encourage them, support them, and reassure them that there are those who believe in them. #youmatter

2). Every student deserves to have the appropriate tools and resources available to them that will allow them to find success. We are rightfully obligated to provide the necessary tools for our students, and this must be a part of the bigger picture when it comes to available resources and personnel.

3). Every student deserves to have similar and equal opportunities that others may have; the opportunity gap we have in education is broadening the gap between the 'educated' and the 'non-educated.' We can't continue to allow this to happen when we are talking about access to learning.

4). Every student deserves the benefit of the doubt. Far too often we assume students are doing something wrong and not doing what they are supposed to be doing. When we assume, we tend to be incorrect.

5). Every student deserves a teacher who believes that what's been done in the past is NOT the only factor when determining what to do in the present and what to do in the future. The choices we make affect our students... we can't hold them back because we are scared to do something we aren't comfortable with.

6). Every student deserves the opportunity to design, create, and explore. We must create a safe environment for our students to feel comfortable with doing things they have never done before. This level of comfort and trust makes everything else possible.

7). Every student deserves to have the best teacher. Far too often we put our newest and least experienced teachers with our most challenging and most at-risk students. Shouldn't we have the best teachers and most experienced teachers working with our students who can most benefit from their skills?

8). Every student deserves a teacher who is willing to take a risk and take a chance. Sometimes it's appropriate to play it safe, while other times it's necessary to take a chance and step outside the box. Students all need someone who is willing to be different and someone who is willing to travel this journey with them...

Dear Principal: A few things I'd like you to know...

Dear Principal,

I'm sure you are just as excited as I am for the upcoming school year. The summer has been full of learning for me and I am definitely recharged and ready to do this!

There are however some things I'd like you to know and some things I will need from you this school year. Please don't take this as me telling you how to do your job, as your job is very difficult and encompasses much that I probably don't understand. Please read this with an open-mind and remember that I love my job and I aim to do what's best for our students.

1). I'm planning to try some new things this year that I've learned this summer as well as just wasn't able to fit in last year.

I need you to understand that when I try these new things they may not go over well. There may be confusion in my classroom and it might just be a total disaster. But, I do promise to learn and improve from what I'm trying. Having said that, if you come in to do an observation and I'm trying something new, I need you to understand I'm taking a risk. And, just as we tell our students, it's OK to fail sometimes because that's an important part of the learning process.

2). If we are going to be gathered for a staff meeting, please do everything in your power to keep it positive and constructive. 

I know the hot trend now is to empower building staff and to allow them to run and control meetings in an effort to get buy-in and to get ownership in the process. I completely agree with this approach, but at the end of the day, you're our leader and I assume you were put in this position because you have a specific skill-set and expertise that allows you to move our building to consensus. Sometimes when teachers lead the meeting, not all voices are heard and the meeting can become disconnected and confrontational. We need you to be present and we need you to ensure this doesn't happen. Most people don't enjoy confrontation, so the idea that we will 'police' ourselves isn't always sound. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing a meeting high-jacked by a personal agenda while building administration sits by and does nothing.

3). If I make a mistake, please let me know. If someone else makes a mistake, please let them know and not me.

There's an epidemic in leadership that undermines the integrity of leaders all around the world. It's simple... don't reprimand and lecture everyone about a problem that you are having with only a few people. As Todd Whitaker would say, don't use the 'blanket monkey' to avoid dealing with those few individuals who are causing the problem. When you speak to the entire group about an issue, we all start to second guess ourselves and worry if you are talking to us. Do everyone a favor and increase the chances of eliminating the problem by going directly to the source. Your entire staff will appreciate this, I promise you.

4). Push me in my thinking and help me grow as an educator.

This is difficult for some people, but it comes with your job, so hopefully you can handle it. I need you to push back on my ideas and some of things I'm doing in my class. I need you to help me grow and develop as an educator. I need you to be an instructional leader in our building. Now, I'm not saying I want to be completely torn and ripped apart when I share an idea, but push me and question me and make me squirm just a little bit to justify my idea and approach. This will help flush out my true goals and objective and create clarity in what I'm trying to achieve. I might not like you at the moment, but I will respect you in the end.

5). We are all busy and we all have a full plate. Help keep my plate full of what matters most.

Yes, there are things you will be told we need to do from the 'higher-ups.' Yes, there are things we need to do to stay in compliance and stay legal. Yes, there are pieces of information and data you need to help in your decision making process. But, let's not forget why we are here and what our primary focus should be. Help me and others in our building to keep the focus on student learning. Avoid as much as possible asking us for mundane paperwork and menial tasks that steer us away from what our ultimate focus should be. We will need your protection and coorperation here because it's very easy to say it will only take a few moments. Each time we say it will take just a few moments a small puppy somewhere cries because we all know that nothing takes just a few moments. Also, all these 'few moments' tasks seem to pile up quite quickly.

Thanks for taking time to listen and please know we are all looking forward to a great and wonderful school year!

Thank you,

Your favorite teacher...

An open letter to all educators...

I write this post for all those who call themselves educators.

I write this post for superintendents and the schools boards for whom they work.

I write this post for both central office and building level administrators.

And finally and perhaps most importantly, I write this post for teachers of all grade levels and all content areas.

There is a vicious epidemic that has been spreading and continues to spread unchecked across the globe. The achievement gap that is so often spoken of is merely a cover for what is really happening.

We don't have an achievement gap, we have an opportunity gap...

We have schools that are providing life-changing opportunities and experiences that others can't even fathom. We have kids who are doing work in their classes that is both impacting and affecting the world in which they live while other kids are doing worksheets from outdated textbooks about material and content they can't relate to.

There are kids who are being positioned to be game-changers in their respective parts of the world while others are being comfortably placed among the ranks of industry that is disappearing with skills that haven't been in demand in a decade.

The opportunity gap is widening at an accelerated pace during a time when technology and global connectedness are soaring.

Sure, it's easy to say that kids and their families have a choice as to which schools they attend. Families can move to different communities or choose to attend private or parochial schools that provide some of these wonderful before-mentioned opportunities.

But there's a reality that most know but seem to ignore.

Most families and students don't really have a choice as to where they reside and where they attend school. Communities are built around schools and more frequently than not, those schools who offer vast opportunities exist in communities that most can't afford. The 'haves' and 'have nots' legacy is deeply entrenched in education.

For educators, there are many variables that we can't control and as a result we must learn to work with and accept what we are presented.

This challenge can look very similar to an excuse and justification for why we can't or aren't able to do something.

I refuse to let what we can't control dictate what we can or can't do... and so should you.

When you go to school, fight for what our kids don't have. Fight for the opportunities our kids can only dream of. Fight for the opportunities our kids can't yet dream of. Fight to put an end to the opportunity gap and whatever you do, don't use it as an excuse.

Remember, the next time you hear about some school or district doing something amazing with their kids, keep in mind that the only thing preventing you from doing the same or preventing you from doing something better, is you...

10 things I'd like to see more often in our schools:

1). More of a focus on meeting the basic needs of each student before trying to meet their academic learning needs... hungry kids, stressed kids, tired kids, emotionally traumatized kids, and defeated kids are highly disadvantaged over their peers when it comes to their ability and resolve toward learning.

2). Less of a focus on what's wrong with kids and what they are lacking, and rather more of a focus on understanding what our kids have gone through and experienced so far in their short lives.

3). More involvement of students in educator professional development planning/implementation as well as more students involved in a 'research and development' capacity aimed at finding the best new tools and resources for learning.

4). Less of a focus on answers and more of a focus on asking deep rich questions that more times than not lack a clear defined answer.

5). More inclusion of our classified staff members (maintenance, custodians, nurses, food technicians, administrative assistants) aimed at creating more relevant and real-world learning scenarios that allow our kids to see these critically important team members in a different light.

6). More educator-to-educator accountability and the willingness of professional colleagues to not just hold each other to the high standards our kids so desperately deserve, but to exceed those high standards.

7). More teachers standing at their doors and in the hallways greeting their students with handshakes and good solid eye contact like in the Capturing Kids' Hearts program.

8). More support and assistance for our least experienced educators with a focus on helping them not just survive their first few years, but to help them thrive.

9). Less of a focus on teaching and the management of schools and more of a focus on student learning and the actions we take that yield the highest student learning return. 

10). More Legos.

We need more misfits in #education

We live in a culture where asking 'why' and asking for clarification can be looked at as overstepping ones boundaries. Additionally, a simple request for more information can turn some people into feeling they need to be on the defensive. We say we want collaboration and teamwork but yet our actions at times don't exactly match up.

We also live in a culture where there is a perception that playing it safe and maintaining the status quo are the necessary steps to getting ahead. I feel pretty confident that this 'play it safe' mindset may have worked in the past, but I just don't think it has the same effect as it once did. Some of the greatest inventions and discoveries were a result of not playing it safe and avoiding the status quo at all costs. 

Insert the misfits... 

Misfits don't see a problem with asking 'why' and asking for justification and misfits don't base their actions on what is safe and what is 'status quo.'

Think about it... we all know those misfits on our teams and in our buildings. Sometimes they are treated differently and viewed as outliers, however, their behavior (which isn't always valued) does and can serve a greater purpose.

Having said all that, don't take this too far. We don't need you or anyone else going off the deep end when it comes to pushing the envelope. Yes, in an ideal world asking for clarification and more information shouldn't be frowned upon, it should be encouraged. But as you all know, it doesn't always play out like that.

Likewise, we should be creating and supporting environments where we can try new things and explore what has yet to be explored. Misfits are great at taking what is and developing it into what can be.

But remember, there always needs to be a sense of control and pre-planned purpose. All misfits know when it's appropriate to question and when to push, but they also know when it's more appropriate to be patient and wait another day. Sometimes going with the flow is the best course of action when you're a misfit.

So, ask yourself, what kind of culture do you have in your building or your district? Are misfits allowed or are they banished to their own separate island?

What would your colleagues say about you?Are you a misfit... do you ask 'why' and question the status quo... do you look for what others haven't yet seen?

How do you respond when your colleagues or students act like misfits? Do you get defensive... do you judge them... do you try to control them and limit their 'misfitness?'

In closing, what are you doing to encourage more misfit like behavior in your school or district?

Cursive no longer deserves a seat at the table...

If you're a current practicing educator, you with almost certainty learned how to write cursive in school. And, I may be going out on a limb here, but you probably don't use cursive too often in your everyday life.

Nonetheless, we continue to teach cursive in schools all around the world and there are countless stories of schools trying to remove cursive from the curriculum that resulted in a community uproar.

You'll hear things like:

But how will kids ever be able to sign their name if they don't know how to write cursive? (is printing a name really that bad?)

How will they write a check if they can't write cursive? (do people still use checks?)

What about those older documents that were written in cursive... how will they ever be able to read them? (we should be teaching hieroglyphics too then...)

And many other reasons... many of which seem frivolous and really unnecessary.

But I ask why... what's our fixation on this outdated and no longer relevant skill?

I mean, even the Common Core State Standards don't include cursive, so obviously it can't be that valuable for our kids...

Sure, cursive offers benefits beyond simply being able to write cursive. Fine motor skills and spacial awareness are added benefits, but aren't there many other things kids could do that also assist in these other areas? We could instead have kids play Wii tennis and not only work on fine motor skills, but also the gross motor skills with the added benefits of physical movement. I don't know how well that would play out though...

The world continues to evolve and change and perhaps cursive deserves a small place in the future, but then again, perhaps not.

Either way, let's be intentional with our purpose if we do choose to include cursive, and if our intentions are more for our own preservation and tradition, then perhaps instead it's time to think more of what's best and needed for our kids.

Innovators vs. laggards

Diffusion of innovations is a theory that seeks to explain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures. Those this theory isn't specific to education per se, it's obviously got significant relevance and implications for how things develop and occur within the educational spectrum.

Here are the breakdowns of the five categories within the diffusion of innovations theory: (read the descriptors below)

Innovators: 2.5%

Early Adopters: 13.5%

Early Majority: 34%

Late Majority: 34%

Laggards: 16%

What would happen if educators in your school and/or district were asked to pick the category that they believe best describes them?

Then, once that activity is complete, what would happen if each educator was asked to pick the category they believe best describes their colleagues?

And then, all that information was shared with the entire staff in a group setting to openly discuss perceptions and realities of colleagues...

Is that the type of activity that would address the elephant in the room and get your school and/or district in a position to start making progress?

What we know vs. what we do...

We know extrinsic motivators and 'carrots' aren't the most effective means for long term and sustainable changes in behavior yet our schools are littered with rewards and 'if you do this, you get this' situations.

We know kids respond better when given opportunities to move and when physical activity is included all throughout the course of the school day yet most schooling experiences result in kids sitting most of the day.

We know strict and zero tolerance discipline policies aren't the most effective when working with our most challenging students yet many districts have policies that restrict educators and force them to assign ineffective, often damaging, and harmful punishments.

We know the value of reflection and simply getting the time to think yet we don't provide any time in the school day for kids to process and explore their thoughts.

We know the world is changing rapidly but yet far too often we cling to teaching to and focusing on outdated skills and information that are no longer the most vital and/or necessary.

We know relevance is a key component to student learning and student engagement but we keep missing out on opportunities for kids to positively influence and impact their local communities and serve the greater good by solving real problems affecting people around the world.

In closing, my challenge for all educators moving forward is to take some of the things we know are best for kids and ensure that our actions align...

You're not in the classroom, so you just don't understand...

Every administrator has probably heard this statement before.

It doesn't matter if it's a first year administrator or a 20 year veteran... this statement is hard to avoid.

We also all know the conversations, presentations, and perspectives that are immediately discredited simply because someone is no longer in the classroom. 

Of course, we all lose a sense of what it's like to be in the classroom when we aren't experiencing it every single day.

And yes, the kids we have today aren't the same kids as five years ago.

Also, the demands on today's classroom teacher seem to be increasing to levels never seen before.

But, we have to remember, every single administrator was a teacher before becoming an administrator. It's also worth noting that administrators are in different classrooms almost every single day, so they get to see quite a lot of classroom action.

Having said all that, what message are we sending to our colleagues when we make statements like this?

What message are we sending about teamwork and working collaboratively to help our students?

Do we believe those who currently aren't in the classroom really don't understand? Or perhaps can't understand...?

Better yet, is it possible for those who aren't in the classroom to understand, or are they banished to another world to forget entirely what it's like to be a teacher?

So, is it time to put this statement to rest, or is there merit and validity in making this statement?

Extend learning by NOT using grades

When a grade is given, the learning stops.

When specific feedback is provided and extending questions are asked, the learning goes deeper.

We've all heard statements like these before, and for the most part, many tend to agree with the basic premise behind these statements. However, our actions don't always align with our beliefs, and sometimes our beliefs don't always make it into the actual structures of our classrooms.

Imagine these three scenarios when it comes to grades and giving students feedback:

Scenario 1: Teacher hands back an assignment with just a grade.

Scenario 2: Teacher hands back an assignment with specific feedback and perhaps a couple extending questions WITH a grade.

Scenario 3: Teacher hands back an assignment with specific feedback and two extending questions WITHOUT a grade.

What tends to happen... in scenario 1, the student looks at the grade and then crumples up the assignment to work on his/her basketball career. In scenario 2, the same thing happens and more than likely, the student doesn't even acknowledge the feedback and questions. In scenario 3, the student is curious and the student wants to know more, thus the learning process remains alive and in most instances, strengthens.

More often than not though, scenario 1 is what we find in our schools.

But, we know based on research and based on overall student retention of information and development of skills, students perform far better in scenario 3.

So, I'd like to challenge all educators (in all positions within education, administrators included), to work on providing specific feedback with extending questions rather than simply a grade and/or quantitative evaluation.

This takes time and isn't always the most efficient, but in the long run, it surely will be the most effective...

The engaged student vs. the compliant student

The engaged student knows exactly why they are doing what they are doing while the compliant student is unable to connect the learning to anything meaningful.

The engaged student is asking questions while the compliant student is simply receiving instructions and direction from the teacher.

The engaged student is focused on learning while the compliant student wants to know how many points the activity is worth.

The engaged student is able to track, monitor, and self-evaluate their learning while the compliant student is reliant upon the teacher to know where he/she is with their learning.

The engaged student is making connections to the material and information beyond the four walls of the classroom while the compliant student is unable to see beyond the actual task itself.

The engaged student doesn't have time to misbehave or make poor choices while the compliant student is one turn of the back by the teacher away from making a poor decision.

The engaged student is empowered and is in control of their learning while the compliant student needs to wait for the teacher to know what he/she is to do next.

The engaged student is creating something new or thinking about something differently while the compliant student is merely consuming what has already been created or thinking about what has already been thought of.

Let's ensure our kids aren't just being compliant robots...