LeaderTalk

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?

Second Life?

I am curious if anyone has any experience in conducting any sort of course using Second Life? I haven't formally used Second Life, but have been interested to read some folks who have presented at virtual conferences in Second Life.

I am teaching an online course this semester and have thought it might be interesting to conduct the class using that kind of medium.

Thoughts? Experiences? Where do you see this kind of technology being integrated in schools in the coming years?

David Walsh article

Our Superintendent, Dr. Kelly Smith, posted (with permission) a document written by Dr. David Walsh that is timely.

http://principalblogs.typepad.com/kellysmith/2008/09/september-10-20.html

It is worth checking out.

How will you "be the change?"

Our school year in Minnesota begins in earnest this week with most schools welcoming back faculty and staff for another academic year. Students follow next week. As usual, I am brimming with excitement. I love what I do and the opportunities I have been afforded to make a difference in our community.

Our school year kick-off coincides with the end of the Olympics and the beginning of the political conventions. An interesting pair of bookends, I must say. The Olympic experience embodies so much of what happens in education - athletes who came from "nowhere" to stun the world, medal hopefuls who fell short of the glory they have worked so hard for, successful teams like the US Men's 4x400 relay team that whipped the competition, and unsuccessful teams where the importance of teamwork (or a breakdown in it) was again clearly demonstrated on the world stage. Each of these scenarios can be paralleled with educational experiences and an opportunity for continued learning.

The political conventions will be dripping with vision. I have to admit that I am a political junkie. I love policy. I love good debates. I look forward to the actual races this fall and will be glued to CSPAN most nights trying to see the non-media polished approach of candidates across the country. Over the next two weeks, we will hear discussion about education and our woes. Most of the speaking will be done from the heart - deeply held beliefs about what is best for American students. I won't question the sincerity of these beliefs since I have not had a chance to visit with any of the political superstars who will be headlining the conventions. These folks, on both sides of the aisle, will be talking about change in many aspects of American life, including education. I am happy they will be. However, they aren't the change they profess. We are.

I work with incredible and smart people who are committed to children and the evolution of curriculum, pedagogy, and school policy. They are committed to our students and their families. They do their absolute best to construct knowledge and inspiration. They are the ones who can make the change we all desire in our schools.

How will you inspire those in your school to be better than ever this year? How will you pick those up who have stumbled? How will you encourage those rising stars, both students and teachers, to continue their excellence and avoid complacency?

We are at the beginning of another ride. Whether it will be incredible or not is up to us. I challenge all of you - parents, students, teachers, and administrators - to make this the best educational campaign yet. I challenge you to  give an "Olympic" effort, in the words of Ian Jukes: "to prepare students for their future, not our past."

Getting the word out...

When was the last time you did a real public relations effort in your community? I'm not talking about web sites, fliers, or parent nights. I'm talking about personally spreading the news about what we do for kids and our families to folks who might not typically cross paths with school personnel.

Our High School Principal addressed our local Rotary club, of which I am a member, this week. I had asked him to come and talk about our concurrent enrollment program with a regional State University, our articulation agreements with regional technical colleges, and our cooperative's vocational programming. He discussed recent test scores, curriculum requirements, and what he has seen contribute to student success. The Rotarians were captivated. These are important, well-respected members of our community. Many are interested in education and knowledgeable about our school system. However, they hadn't previously been exposed to the nitty gritty of our High School's requirements. They had excellent questions and were very positive with their comments after the program.

This was public relations at its finest. School personnel talking directly with community leaders who are influential and will spread the good news that was shared with them. This personal contact is immeasurable.

Groups like Rotary, Kiwanis, and the Lions Club are just a few examples of civic organizations where individuals committed to our communities gather and talk. These are great organizations to engage. What are some public relations efforts you have used to spread the good word in your community?

Reflections on an American icon

I was glued to the television on Friday evening and over the weekend soaking up the coverage of Tim Russert's untimely death. I, like many, was looking forward to Mr. Russert's enthusiastic and generally non-partisan analysis of the upcoming fall election. Democracy has lost a tremendously valuable ally. As I reflected on what I heard about Tim Russert, I thought much of what he was lauded for applies to leducational leadership. A couple of musings:

• Preparation. All commentators discussed over and over again how well he prepared for minute details about his program. As an educational leader, how many times have you been as prepared as you should have been for a meeting? How much more influence could we have if we worked at preparing better - even for the minute and mundane management pieces of school administration? I feel like I am generally well-prepared but the reviews of Mr. Russert's efforts made me feel like a slacker.
• Asking everyone the tough questions. Mr. Russert held everyone to the same standards - "friend or foe." Do we do this every day? Can we ask the tough questions when needed in a professional and team-building way? Most felt Mr. Russert was extremely fair. Are you perceived that way?
• The American Dream. Commentators discussed how Mr. Russert never lost his marvel of what a kid from a blue-collar neighborhood could do in our country. He evidently shared his admiration for his third grade teacher with anyone who would listen. We often talk about making a difference in one child's life. At this time of the year it is important to reflect on those lives we already have made that difference. I think it is important to remember those who we made a visible difference with as we recharge for the Fall. How will you encourage that challenging student in the back of the room to reach their potential?

I am sure many LeaderTalk readers also enjoyed Mr. Russert's work. Any other thoughts connecting this American icon to leadership in our field?

Transparency?

My favorite blogger, Doug Johnson over at the Blue Skunk Blog, writes in a way that I almost always enjoy. He also has a knack for helping me reflect on personal and district practices. Recently, a post about his district's new elementary school got me to reflect about transparency. I believe transparency is mission critical for schools. It encourages community dialogue about education. Our district has made a strong effort to be transparent. Here are just some of our efforts:

• Our web site posts all of our School Board agendas and minutes
• Our Superintendent Kelly Smith writes a regular blog
• I write a regular blog
• We have a local newspaper that actively covers our schools
• Our web site has links to our State's "school report card" and other resources
• During past referenda, we have laid out as much information as possible and have included tools such as a tax impact calculator
• Several program areas have advisory councils (ECFE, Community Education, etc.)
• We have a plan to make School Board meeting videos available via the web this summer

Despite these efforts, we still get criticized for not being transparent enough. I realize this is always going to be the case with some folks. A segment of society will never trust public schools or any other governmental agency. I can live with that. However, as reasonable people, what level of transparency is expected? How is it achieved?

I am a positive and patient man. However, it burns me when I hear folks criticize our school district about transparency (they use a variety of vocabulary to express it - but it comes back to transparency.) The people who I work with are dedicated and honorable people who make many efforts to be transparent. I realize we will never satisfy everyone. However, I would like to have the personal satisfaction that we have a high level of transparency. What does school district transparency mean to you? How do you define it?

Photo Credit: http://research.microsoft.com/~dcr/art/architecture/glass_house/glass_house_03.jpg 

Some fun...what would you share?

One of the most enjoyable items in my career as an educator are the monthly Community Education courses my wife and I teach. We've done these sessions for nearly a decade. We started out with very basic Internet and computer courses. Ironically, those topics are still among the most heavily attended! Usually we focus on a piece of software like Word, PowerPoint, or Picasa. This month we shared our favorite web/free software with the group. Here are some of the things we highlighted:

• Some of the Google tool suite (Docs, News, Calendar)
• Jott.com
• Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, focusing on its ability to pronounce words for you
• snopes.com
• allrecipes.com
• The GameDay feature of mlb.com
• Quiddler's online word game
• Our local library system's site
• "Click for Mammograms"
• half.com
• Open Office

This is a simple list, but the folks in our Community Ed class were interested and even taking notes! As school administrators, we often talk about connecting with the community. Teaching courses like this allow us to connect with the community in a manner other than our daily roles. I encourage you to share your talents through a Community Education class - whether it is gardening, cooking, technology, or some other cool hobby. It is fun and allows us to teach again!

I know this might not be the standard "deep post" we're used to on LeaderTalk. However, I know I made some connections tonight that will serve our district well in the long run.

If you had taught our course tonight, what useful, simple techie stuff would you have shared? Anyone else teach a Community Ed course in your district? What did you learn from it?

A Sunday Essay on Gaming

Our children have had the Nintendo DS handheld gaming system for a couple of years now. We know that many children spend too much time using video games consoles and they could probably spend more time outside. However, I have been quite impressed with many sophisticated titles available for the Nintendo DS, specifically those which promote higher order thinking skills. Our most recent find is Professor Layton and the Curious Village. Players (learners) attack challenging puzzles and brain teasers which give them clues to solve a particular mystery. These aren't your average trivia questions. Rather, they are logic puzzles which are pretty challenging. One question informed the player a particular germ divided once per minute and filled a "container" in one hour. The question asked how long it would take to fill the same "contained" if you started with two germs. While no one will pretend this is the equivalent of curing the common cold (which I wish someone would since I am suffering from one today!) it is one of many examples of how we can use the power of the video game to promote higher order thinking skills.

I had a chance to listen to Harvard's Chris Dede at Minneapolis' TIES Conference last December. Dr. Dede was talking about the power of online role playing games and how Harvard is trying to harness their power to promote higher order thinking skills. One of these efforts is the River City Project:

As visitors to River City, students travel back in time, bringing their 21st century skills and technology to address 19th century problems. Based on authentic historical, sociological, and geographical conditions, River City is a town besieged with health problems. Students work together in small research teams to help the town understand why residents are becoming ill. Students use technology to keep track of clues that hint at causes of illnesses, form and test hypotheses, develop controlled experiments to test their hypotheses, and make recommendations based on the data they collect, all in an online environment.

Even the "Ivory Towers" recognize the potential learning power associated with the simulation abilities of computerized gaming.

Our home has witnessed a benefit on another, maybe lower, but no less important level. My first grade daughter has professed her desire to be a veterinarian since she could speak. A well intentioned relative gave her a "Pet Vet" game for the Nintendo DS for her birthday last year. While my daughter has been always a little ahead of the curve academically, she wasn't quite ready for the reading requirements associated with "Pet Vet." She has blossomed into a voracious reader in the last few months and was excited she could start playing the "Pet Vet" game because she could decode the content. I am not trying to pretend "Pet Vet" is equivalent to Shakespeare or Rowling, but there is quite a bit of reading associated with it. This is another venue for my daughter to practice and expand her reading skills in an enjoyable manner.

This being said, we need to have balance. Kids need to be outside, exercising and developing traditional social skills with friends and neighbors. They need to play good, old fashioned board games with their family. They need to pursue athletic and fine arts interests. However, I am frustrated by what seems to be an absence of understanding balance. Kids like computerized-based gaming. We know they can learn a lot in this environment in ways that are challenging to do in a standard educational environment.

One of my old basketball coaches said it isn't always what offensive play you run, but rather how you run it. We know gaming can be a powerful educational tool when used within a meaningful, structured context.
Why do so many people feel this is a sure sign of the apocalypse?

Doug Johnson has blogged at length about this topic and I encourage you to read his (always interesting) thoughts. I wish more people had some of his good ol' fashioned horse sense when it comes to this topic.

Are there games you have played with your family that match the core of this post? Some that you think claim to address educational objectives but are a boondoggle?

Right around the corner: "I Love To Read" month

While I believe every month should be "I Love To Read" month, February is designated as such. Our primary (PreK-2) building has numerous classroom events planned to celebrate and a series of school-wide activities, including:

• Kick-off event with me reading a story to all of our students (I am thinking of using a video camera and connecting it to a projector to broadcast the image of each page in the gym.
• Weekly "Guest Readers" who will come into our classrooms to share their love of literature. Our AWESOME Superintendent Dr. Kelly Smith was the first volunteer.
• Weekly "Mystery Readers" who will read a nursery rhyme or poem over our loudspeaker. After they read, we'll play "Jeopardy" music to give kids a chance to guess in their classrooms - then we'll announce the "mystery reader."

We are working closely with our pre-school and early childhood programs and including them in our activities and are being included in their activities.

I am sure we are not doing anything "spectacular" but we are excited. What are you doing for "I Love To Read" month? Any unique activities worth sharing? Anyone using eBooks or the Kindle as part of your month's activities or reading program? Anyone using iPods or similar devices with pre-loaded audio that go along with your textbook?