LeaderTalk

HOW PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA SOLICITED MY INPUT ON PRIORITIES FOR THE NEW SECRETARY OF EDUCATION

Ok… so he didn’t really ask for my opinion on who should be Secretary of Education or what their priorities should be. Whether he chooses Linda Darling-Hammond or Joel Klein or Kennedy or Powell or Weingarten or Cornell West or Rhee or you or whomever– I know this... they will have a mountain to climb just like the president himself. And I thought about what their priorities should be. 

So from my perspective as a charter school principal... here are:

Ten Items on My Wish List For The Newly Appointed Secretary of Education to Address While We Work to Overcome Circumstances Created less by Pedagogy than by Public Policy:

1. Provide health care for all of my students so we can finally address the scourge of childhood obesity, diabetes, and poor nutrition;

2. Ensure that every child has access to comprehensive eye exams and appropriate interventions when they are struggling just to see let alone to read;

3. Ensure that every child has regular dental checkups and access to highly qualified dentists so that my students’ baby teeth aren’t rotting in their heads;

4. Provide the funding support and infrastructure so that all of my students can attend preschool like the affluent kids do;

5. Create a way for every child in America to have a laptop and access to the Internet so that poor children aren’t pushed further behind by the technology divide that favors their more affluent counterparts;

6. Divert the 10 billion dollars we are currently spending every month in Iraq and re-invest in the modernization and construction of state-of-the-art school buildings in every community in America;

7. Guarantee a college education of the highest quality for all children so they are motivated to apply themselves academically;

8. Eliminate unemployment so that the parents of my students can properly provide the basic necessities for their children-food, clothing shelter;

9. Significantly raise the minimum wage so that our parents are not forever struggling against the tide…fighting the unwinnable battle to stay ahead of a runaway economy and its stunning indifference to the working poor; and finally…

10. Eliminate politically motivated accountability systems like NCLB that primarily  test our students’ ability to take tests while ignoring all of their other assets: like their creativity and their critical thinking and problem solving and communication skills; or their  proficiency with technology or their  ability to speak in multiple languages or lead others or serve their community…

And just in case President-Elect Obama might actually be interested in my other ideas for the new leader at the Department of Education...  I also posted this at El Milagro Weblog. 

Working Towards Collaboration

I've been having conversations with both general ed and special ed teachers from different districts in my special education cooperative.  These conversations are part of the plan to help teachers think differently about students who receive special ed services.  Instead of sending students out of the gen ed classroom to get help from the special ed teacher and/or special ed teachers taking students for more services than what they qualify for, we need to work more collaboratively together.  We need to first look at how students can stay in the gen ed classroom with support being provided in the classroom, rather than out, when appropriate.  We also need to look at formative assessment data on a regular basis to determine what all students need and the best practice to provide those services. 

I'm in the beginning stages of what Dr. Terry Holiday talked about in his recent post.  In many areas of my cooperative, we don't have common formative assessments yet.  We are just talking about why we need to change what we have been doing and the reasons still aren't clear to some as to why we need to change.  When gen ed and special ed teachers work in their separate silos and don't collaborate and communicate effectively, then I firmly believe that we are not using our resources wisely, nor do I believe that we are meeting the needs of all students to the best of our ability. 

In one of my conversations with a group of general ed teachers, the topic of grading came up.  Many teachers were concerned about how to grade students who need accommodations or modifications to the general ed curriculum.  How can it be fair?  How do we communicate to parents that the letter grade their child receives is not the same as the other students in the classroom?  These are good questions that need to be discussed and I understand why teachers ask them.  Yet, I wish the passion and energy that is expressed for the topic of "fair" grading, was as strong for figuring out different ways to help kids learn the information that they need and enrichment activities for kids that already know what we want them to learn.

Whether it is Professional Learning Communities (PLC), Response to Intervention (RTI), or some other framework that a school/district can use to help teachers begin to work collaboratively and look at formative assessment data, I applaud any administrator's efforts to move in this direction.  I am challenged by the beginning discussions we are having.  It doesn't move as fast as I'd like, but changing behavior takes time.

Awakening Possibilities

This past week I had the distinct pleasure of being part of a cadre of presenters in our local Manitoba Association of Computing Educators (ManACE) "Awakening Possibilities" event.

The event was set up following the theme "5 Minutes to Make A Difference" and each presenter was asked to present in a 5 minute span, a difficult task when you look at the knowledge and expertise of my fellow presenters.

Along with the 30 or so attendees at the event another 40 plus joined us via the live broadcast on USTREAM.TV and the back channel chat that went on was very active.Each presentation was recorded and archived so anyone who missed it can catch the presentations at a later time.

The moving force behind this event and last year's MBEdubloggercon was ManACE president Andy McKiel. This was a very forward thinking event and Andy deserves a great deal of credit for pulling it all together. In my Twitter discussions with Andy since the event he has told me there is a great deal of buzz about the event and plans are all ready in the works for something in the new year proving to me a lot can happen as a result of just 5 minutes worth of discussion.

One key theme  was apparent though out the night and was captured beautifully in the last slide of  Alec Couros' presentation   It's not about the technology.  

It was about how these can be applied to help our students improve their learning capacities.  It's always about the pedagogy and improving the learning opportunities for the students.

The world as we see it?

Recently, I challenged my staff to consider how they view the world and how that impacts their teaching. I told them I was surprised to find a picture of my house on google street view. If you asked me prior that disquieting moment if I thought someone would be allowed to drive by my house, take a picture, and post it on the internet, I would have so no, it is an invasion of my privacy. Clearly, what I think of the world is sometimes at odds with reality. As print newspapers continue to abandon paper in favor of digital, we as educators must continue to consider what we must abandon in our teaching because how we see the world may not be our students' reality. You can still see my house on street view, but hopefully, my lawn is mowed and my truck is washed.

Happy Politically Correct Thanksgiving

Did you catch yesterday’s headline in the Los Angeles Times, “Police called over Thanksgiving dispute at Claremont school”?

According to the article,

Protesters descended Tuesday on Condit Elementary School in Claremont, tersely arguing over the construction-paper pilgrim and Native American costumes worn by kindergartners at a decades-old Thanksgiving tradition. Police were called to the school when tensions rose.

The article also says that the police

officers were monitoring the Claremont Unified Superintendent David Cash’s home after he received hate mail and told police that he feared for his safety.

All of this in response to the district’s attempts to bring politically correctness and  respect for all.

It reminded me of my district’s move toward a politically correct Halloween.  We haven’t taken as strong of a stance on Thanksgiving.  At my school we had a traditional Thanksgiving feast in our kindergarten classrooms yesterday.   After reading this article and reflecting on my own practice I'd like your perspective on this issue.  How should we respond to these adaptive challenges?

I'd love to hear and learn from Condit Elementary School principal Tim Northrop or superintendent David Cash on this topic.

How does your school handle Halloween or Thanksgiving? 

Is it politically correct?

Status Quo Has Got To Go, AKA More Thoughts on the Moral and Ethical Imperative for Educational Change

"We must come to see with the distinguished jurist of yesterday
 that 'justice too long delayed is justice denied.'"

"I guess it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, 'Wait.'"

Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The crisis of disengagement plaguing many American schools is driving districts across the country to reconsider the work of K-12 educators. The call for change in America's schools is nothing new. Fullan, DuFour, Kozol, and countless others urge us to rethink American education systems and provide meaningful services to larger percentages of students who are often under served. I believe this crisis bears some similarities to the challenge Dr. King spoke of roughly 45 years ago. Justice for large numbers of students has been denied, and it is very difficult for educators, individuals who have navigated the system repeatedly, to fully understand this challenge with the required urgency. Now more than ever, it is critical that educators and concerned citizens commit with great purpose to address the issues of student disengagement and apathy in ways that will challenge and nourish the next generation of American children.

Student disengagement as evidenced by school dropouts and student apathy has pushed many states and districts to redesign schools and programs to enhance relationships and diminish anonymity. While some national dropout statistics trend downward the last 30 years, high school educators and parents can attest to the opportunity that exists in our schools to create more meaningful learning environments. Results from the 2006 High School Survey of Student Engagement indicate that while 72% of students agree that they are engaged in school, only 55% of students agree that they are an important part of their high school community. We can do better. While some segments of our students have seen improved participation and achievement, the challenges for many students remain in significant ways that can lead to poor performance, lower self-esteem, and a lifetime of what ifs. Students without the necessary 21st century skills cannot compete for living wage jobs nor engage in meaningful civic discourse.With appropriate interventions and options for a wider range of students, many of these needs can be met and the cycle of student disengagement disrupted.

How must we address this crisis? With thoughtful urgency and purposeful action, leaders at the classroom, school, and community level can most immediately improve the learning environment. Classroom teachers can use learning styles inventories to determine student needs and develop lessons accordingly. School leaders can nurture engaging teaching and provide professional development tailored to the individual needs and passions of each teacher, counselor, and support staff. Schools can also be reorganized to accommodate small learning communities focused on such areas as expeditionary learning, international studies, technology, and community service. Community leaders can build partnerships that will address the social and emotional needs of students that often lead to disengagement and apathy. Combined and coordinated efforts at these levels hold the greatest hope for addressing this challenge.

It is clear that a moral and ethical imperative exists. As informed leaders with the power to deliver change, we can no longer accept the status quo. Failure to meet this challenge in a world that is ever more connected socially and economically will only further the injustice lived by so many of our under served students. The life changing opportunities available to engaged students can no longer be denied to students simply because they are not well prepared by a traditional school model. Educational leaders at all levels must embrace the transformational processes that will address the root causes of this crisis and provide engaging learning environments for all students.

Professional Learning Communities That Work

Our school system is often asked to present on how we implemented professional learning communities. Recently, we have had a number of visitors come to look at our work with PLCs and we are engaged with the American Productivity Quality Council in a benchmark study of PLCs. This blog may help those of you who are starting on this journey. Our key finding is that you have to change behaviors before you will change beliefs. So.. if you have the authority to implement a high impact strategy, then my advice is to get about the job of doing it and requiring products.

 

In ISS, our work in professional learning communities has been founded on the work of Rick and Rebecca DuFour. One of the key components of their work is the use of common formative assessments. In ISS, our teamwork matrix requires teachers to serve on one professional learning community that has the same curriculum and the teachers are required to develop common formative assessments every four weeks. The research  base supporting common formative assessments is immense and very convincing. The DuFour’s offer a number of reasons why teachers should utilize common formative assessments.

• Common formative assessments are more efficient in that teachers can share the work load and teachers who have more content knowledge on particular objectives can help other teachers develop good assessment items.
• Common formative assessments help to bridge the inequity among classrooms taught by teachers of differing abilities. Teachers agree on essential learning objectives, analyze best instructional strategies and then analyze the results of the assessments to determine if the strategies are working.
• Common formative assessments allow teachers to identify which students are mastering the learning objectives and which students are not mastering the objectives. Teachers can then provide interventions and enrichment for all students.
• Through the common formative assessments, teachers and students are monitoring learning on a frequent basis rather than waiting until the end of the year (summative) assessments when interventions would be too late.
• The assessments help teachers improve their instructional strategies. In combination with classroom PDSA cycles, teachers can engage students in action research to determine if certain instructional strategies work better than others.
• Finally, common formative assessments help teacher teams achieve at higher levels than teachers could achieve if working in isolation. Business has long known that teams can provide the synergy for higher levels of performance than individual workers working in isolation.

 

One issue that has arisen with regard to common formative assessments relates to grading practices. Some argue that CFA’s should not be part of grading if they are truly formative and others argue that in order to make certain students provide their best efforts the CFA’s need to have some connection to grading. The following are identified as best practice for use of CFA’s;

• CFA’s should be used to identify students who are experiencing difficulty with learning and identify those students who have already mastered the material
• A system of intervention and enrichment must be in place to provide additional time and enrichment for the full continuum of student achievement – only through teams can the resources be utilized to meet the needs of such a continuum
• Students must be provided with additional opportunities to demonstrate mastery and not be penalized for needing more time and support to master the learning objective

 

As a superintendent, I realize that grading practices are the ultimate domain of teachers and principals; however, I encourage all of our professional learning communities to review the research on common formative assessment, grading practices, and professional learning communities. The research is strong and professional organizations unanimously support these ideas and practices. Bottom line – implementing these practices with fidelity will improve student learning.

Thanksgiving Musings

Thanksgiving is one of those points in the school year that is a milepost. We can never discuss the things we are thankful for in our chosen vocation enough. While this may seem a bit cliché, I believe thankfulness is the gateway to happiness. A few things I am thankful for in my professional life:

• The excitement on children's faces to arrive at our elementary school. Their smiles are infectious!
• Colleagues who are positive, supportive, and dedicated to making our students futures limitless!
• Colleagues who are willing to disagree without being disagreeable. We need to have honest communication. That doesn't mean it can't be tactful.
• Custodians, cooks, and paraprofessionals. We can't run the place without these folks and we don't thank them nearly enough.
• The impact technology has made on schools. I look forward to its transformative power rehaping the landscape of American education.
• People who force us to analyze what we are doing, help set the vision for where we should be going, and the practical advice to get us there. Scott McLeod and Doug Johnson come to mind for me in this instance.
• A wonderful network of professional educators who are willing to share their experiences and problem solve via forums such as this.

What are you thankful for in your professional life?

Recommendations for the Obama Cabinet: Secretary of Education and Secretary of the BCS

I have already made plans to attend the presidential inauguration on January 20, 2009. I booked a hotel room at 11:01p on election night. Just as soon as Obama was declared the winner on CNN (note that Fox projected Obama before 11p, but I stuck with the conservative projections of CNN) I was online looking for hotel rooms. Of course everything in DC was booked. However, I found a hotel 30 miles outside of town. Finding ticket for our crew (my wife and three young boys) is next on the list of “to dos”; I am on the waiting list for tickets (whatever that means—I think outgoing Senator Dole’s peeps are just appeasing me).

Last week I watched the president-elect discuss on 60 Minutes his plans to “push his weight around” the issue of the college football post season (This was the second time he had made such a reference. On the eve of the election Obama was interviewed at halftime of the Monday Night Football broadcast and made a similar declaration). For those of you unfamiliar with how the NCAA handles the post-season here is a brief primer. Unlike all other NCAA sports—or for all organized sports for that matter (check that, even unorganized street corner sports)—there is not a playoff system for college football. Rather, there is an antiquated, Good Ole Boy (university presidents, TV network executives, and corporate sponsors) system of Bowl selections. Historically, the selection process was not unlike the varsity football team’s selection of the homecoming queen in the locker room. More recently, the Good Ole Boys modified the system to make it more fair and equitable—enter the BCS, the Bowl Championship Series. Essentially we have the same, lame system, but now have a combination of human AND computer error to justify the selections to Bowl games.

[Aside: I should note that the public rationale the “Boys” use for not installing a playoff system in academics. That is, they do not want to see football players miss any more school then necessary. As I write this there are a number of NCAA basketball teams playing in Puerto Rico, Alaska, and Hawaii (BTW, they have a playoff system that is incredibly lucrative). Such tournaments take place at semesters end, a great time for student-athletes to miss classes AND exams. On the other hand, football games are played on weekend nights with the team usually traveling to game site a day or two prior to the game.]

So why do I bring all this drama to the table—because over the next few weeks “No Drama” Obama will be making important cabinet appointments. As a lifelong educator and as a father to three public school children I am deeply invested in Obama’s selection of Secretary of Education. Before I make my pitch for who this person should be, let me try to get good seats to the inauguration by cementing a post in his cabinet—as the Secretary of the BCS.

Let me make my case.

Point #1:     Supposition: The current BCS system is flawed (see primer above).

Point #2:     Vision: I want a playoff system (see Obama’s comments on 60 minutes and MNF—that's Monday Night Football for you football luddites).

Point #3:     Interest: I love football (contact my wife about detailed accounts of my watching football on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays… see also shoe box full of game stub receipts).

Point #4:     Experience: I played football in high school (see also middle school coaching experience while teaching and pee-wee coaching for son #1).

Point #5:     Expertise: See points #1-4 above.

Say no more. I am qualified and have the desire to take this on. Is this not the typical process for Cabinet selection? Oh, perhaps I forgot political implications (I think I represent two important constituents (1) I am Hispanic and (2) Soy gordo).

The reason I am making a play for this yet to exist Cabinet position is my hope that Obama’s selection of Secretary of Education is NOT based on similar notions I outline above. That is, interests, style, and political points should not be the best metrics to score knowledge, skills, and dispositions on the rubric. If they were perhaps I could shoot for an even more prominent office (perhaps the Republican VP position in four years-- oops that already happened this year).

No, we should be seeking substance in our next educational leader.  Recently, the former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Colin Powell has been publicized as a leading candidate to become Secretary of Education. But I wonder how he would be rated on the rubric above. And, how does the General stack up against the other notable candidates?

I would like to revisit the rubric using two of the leading contenders for the position: Powell and Obama’s chief educational advisor during his campaign, Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond from Stanford University. I believe that the selection of the next Secretary should begin with the following supposition:

Our educational system is broken. While we have highly qualified and extremely dedicated teachers and leaders, our educational system is not living up to its ambitious and righteous charge of ensuring learning for all children.

Then, using my rubric we should come to understand each candidates:

Vision, Interest, Experience, and Expertise.

To complete this task I would encourage readers to investigate the record of each candidate (here is a link for Powell and here is one for Darling-Hammond). Score each candidate with or without the rubric I provide. I believe you will find that the General and I have similar qualifications for our respective positions. We both have passion and interest, but limited experience and expertise. However, we each may make some political sense. Should we select such Cabinet positions on passion, interest, and politics? What about intellectual merit? What about the advancement of thoughtful and meaningful ideas? What about the accomplishments one has made in her field?

The ideals of our educational system set us apart from other countries because of our quest to allow education to be a ladder of opportunity for all people, regardless of birth right, gender, ethnicity, etc. If we are to find tonics to what ails our educational system we will need the right people in the right places. I believe Dr. Darling-Hammond is this person who will strive to make fundamental changes for both equity and excellence, for both democratic citizenry and market-based markets, and for both social efficiency and social mobility.

What do you think? Who is your candidate for Secretary of Education?

If Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond meets your criteria then sign this on-line petition to encourage President-Elect Obama to select Dr. Darling-Hammond. 

And, if you think I should be elected Secretary of the BCS... well you'll need to contain your passion until I gain more of the necessary experience and expertise.

Back At It

For the past year and a half, I've been working as an assistant superintendent, having taken that job after serving in the district as the high school principal. I've never stopped missing building level administration, not one day. Don't get me wrong, the assistant superintendent position is a great one, many administrators would probably find it to be a dream job, but not me. I miss the day to day action, the decision making and the problem solving. I know, I know what you're thinking, "we've been hearing you complain about this for a year and a half Kim!"

Which explains why I'm extremely excited to become a school superintendent for the Randolph Central School District. I attended a BOE meeting there last week, even though my start date isn't until December 22. The BOE president invited me to come to meet the new teachers. When I got home, my husband gave me the obligatory, "how was the meeting?" and I answered with, "that was so much fun!" I'm fairly certain most people don't usually call BOE meetings "fun". What was fun about it? The action, the problem solving, the decision making--that's where it's at for me. I cannot wait to get there, to learn more about the issues within the district and the community, to research what's happening, to hear what everyone thinks, to weigh and to analyze, and to problem solve and to make decisions. As a leader, sometimes you just have to run your own show.

I can't wait to help make RCS the district that I know it's just sitting there waiting to become. With an invested community and Board, terrific faculty and staff, FANTASTIC students, and strong leadership, maybe we can actually do all of the things we know we should be doing in schools to change and to prepare our students for today's world, not yesterday's world.