The Best Plans...

I had it all figured out. Take the kids to daycare. Then, go work on cleaning up email. Post the new questions for the summer book studies. Write a blog post. Maybe even get through a Google module for certification.

It was all going so well until...the phone call from daycare. Argh! Who is sick? What happened? I answered apprehensively, because those phone calls are never good. My oldest has a spot on his forehead and it needs to be looked at. Bummer. I saw it this morning, but didn’t think much about it.

Grrr….So, I raced to daycare, raced to the mobile clinic. He was fine, just a little infection. Got medication, took him back to daycare, and went right back to work. 90 minutes gone. The best laid plans went awry.

Whether it is a personal plan, a lesson plan, or just a plan for the school day, the best plans will not always go as planned. We are pretty used to this kind of scenario. I create my list to do every day, with all of the great intentions in the world to complete all the tasks. However, in one small moment, that list heads straight out the window, and my attention and heart needs to attend to another situation. It is no one’s fault. It is simply life. Not everything can go as planned. And quite honestly, that would be boring!

I’ve been reading the inspiring book, Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess. He shares a wonderful concept called “reframing”. We may not get excited by everything we do or teach, but we can reframe our thinking, pulling in our passions to excite our students.

Today was a perfect case for “reframing”. While I was quite annoyed at first by this phone call, I simply reframed the circumstance as this: I have the wonderful opportunity to see my son one-one-one! And along with that, I have the opportunity to reflect and write about this exact circumstance, something I wasn’t planning on writing about in the first place.

Flexibility is an essential skill. But along with flexibility comes reframing. We can change our plans, but we must also reframe how we think of that change in plans. In education, we have to be very flexible in our plans, as we never know what may happen next or how our students may react to what we teach. However, our mindset with that change is just as, or even more important. We must reframe how we think about it. We can stomp around and complain about the change. (This is what I started to do this morning.) Or, we can reframe how we look at the situation, changing our outlook of the change.

Reframing. This is a word I am going to put on my desk. On my computer. Everywhere around me. One word reminds me that I have the power to look at every situation differently. I have the power to change my outlook when something doesn’t go exactly as I had planned. And I have the power to help others change their frame of mind as well by modeling reframing, the positivity essential to carrying out a positive outlook in life.

Image credit: http://i.stack.imgur.com/POMLq.gif

Technology is NOT an Add-On: Revisited

It was one year ago that I wrote this post, and I had to return to it, reflecting on my own thoughts, finding them still incredibly relevant today. As devices in our schools have increased, it is imperative we remained focused on WHY those devices are there. It is not about the device. It IS about building skills of creativity, collaboration, and thinking, along with being good digital citizens, using many different tools. The tools are constantly changing. And so, it is the instruction that matters. It is the pedagogy that matters. It is the skill-building that matters. 

This is one of my favorite posts. My return to it continues to clarify what I do and WHY I continue to strive to grow & learn to better meet the needs of my students and staff.

Technology is NOT an add-on. Technology IS a means by which we attain 21st century instruction and skills in our schools.

Recently, I've been reading Digital Leadership by Eric Sheninger and attended a keynote address delivered by him as well.  His insight on essential skills instruction and technology integration is spot-on! I am continually reflecting on what I read, on the words from the educators I follow.  Often times, it stirs with me for a while, coming into focus to drive me, refuel my passion and vision.  My recent reading has brought this to the forefront for me.  We have been approaching technology as tools and devices instead of working on shifting our pedagogy.  

We have been driven by adding tools and devices to our schools, instead of REALLY thinking about WHY we use these tools and devices.  Too often, we buy the devices, train teachers on the tools, but fail to determine and establish the vision behind it all - the development of 21st century essential skills and instruction, thus changing our instructional techniques for the students we have in our classrooms today.  “Technology is not just a shiny tool that can increase engagement, but a conduit to endless possibilities that can enhance every facet of what we do in education” (Sheninger, 2013).  Too often we create and attend professional development opportunities focused on particular devices and cool Web 2.0 tools to use in the classroom, but never give the WHY we use it in our instruction.

Let me give an example.  

During this past year, I have worked to shift from a Twitter lurker to a Twitter user.  This propelled me to share this technology tool with my staff.  I created a PD Roundtable for my staff, invited them to fill out a Google Form to give insight on their comfort level with Twitter, and then sat around a table and showed them how I use Twitter to develop professionally and learn from other great educators around the globe.  Pretty standard delivery.  I told staff about a cool tech tool I use to grow.  

Now think of this.  What if I had posed in that Google Form this question?

What are some ways we can learn and grow from others in education?  How do you collaborate and share?  Come to the PD Roundtable to share!

Then, Twitter is just ONE way, not the only way.  Then, it is not about the tool, it is about the purpose and outcome of the many possible tools.  

Maybe our shifts in education are happening slowly because we are approaching the tools and devices instead of the pedagogy behind it all.  We are buying the devices, showing teachers the cool tools out there and how they work, instead of first thinking about WHY we use technology in the classroom.  It is not about the devices and tools, it is WHAT we do with it to build skills with our students and how we communicate with those in our school community.  Maybe we need to shift HOW we change education so it is NOT about the technology, but about the 21st century pedagogical shifts and communication.  No more technology conferences.  We need more 21st century essential skills conferences with technology as a way to reach the outcomes we want for our students and our schools.

Let's ask this:

What do we want our students to know and be able to do? This is our ultimate question. This is why we do what we do every day.

Here is my answer to that question.

• I want my students to be able to collaborate and learn from others.
• I want my students to be able to create with the skills they have learned, not just recreate, but really create something new.
• I want my students to know how to find information and then do something with it.
• I want my students to be able to think about problems and find new solutions.
• I want my students to ask questions and then find the answers to those questions.
• I want my students to love learning, reading, writing, art, music, anything that interests them.
• I want my students to be responsible citizens, capable of contributing to a community in their own productive way.

Never once did I say I want students to know how to use a particular device.

Never once did I say I want students to learn a particular tech tool.

Our infusement of technology into our instruction needs to be secondary to the shift that needs to happen in our actual instruction.  We need to start approaching our instructional models, creating environments where questions, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving are the norm. Think about the outcomes we want for our students.  Integrating technology has made these outcomes easier and more readily available, but it is not the device or tool that makes 21st century skills instruction possible, it is the framework for 21st century learning established before even introducing the device or tool that creates success for our students.  It is not the device or the tool, because those will constantly be changing.  What we keep constant is our continual efforts to build 21st century essential skills within our students so they can apply those skills to anything they choose to do.

My mantra is this: technology is not an add-on. These devices and tools are just a means by which we attain the student outcomes we wish to see in our children.  We need to change HOW we think about technology in schools and how we professionally develop educators.  We need to focus on the instructional techniques.  

My next conference: I will attend the sessions where we talk about instructional techniques, 21st century essential skills in schools, and the philosophy shifts that must take place for our students to be successful.  Tech tools are always cool to learn and are necessary to achieve these skills.  But, if we approach our professional development in this regard, I know we will begin to make the massive paradigm shifts in instruction that need to occur so our children are successful entrepreneurs of the future.  

This has become my focus and my vision in our schools. Shift our instruction. Model its use and share this vision with others so that it becomes so embedded into the culture that there is no other way to reach kids than with the technology.  “As a leader, this is the type of teaching and learning culture that we should want to foster and cultivate, one where creativity flourishes, students find relevancy and meaning in their learning, and teachers are given the support and autonomy to be innovative.” (Sheninger, 2013) Then the technological integration will happen, not be the add-on it seems to be in so many schools and classrooms now.

Image credit: http://deterding740.wikispaces.com/Chapter+12+Technologies,+Digital+Media,+and+Reading+Instruction

The Coach

Day 1

It was Memorial Day, a windy day, and one that my kids were beginning to drive each other crazy. After dinner, I told them to go outside to play, hoping this would top off a wonderful weekend of family time. What I didn’t realize was that my kids would once again orchestrate a beautiful moment, one of which I am still in awe.

My husband and I were cleaning up dinner, when he saw it. “Amy, you have to come here.”  As I looked outside the window, I saw Gus (my middle son) holding on to Atticus (my youngest son) and the little Spider-Man bike without training wheels. While I couldn't hear a sound, I could imagine the conversation as Gus coached Atticus on the ins and outs of riding a bike without training wheels. I have to remember that it was only about a month ago that Gus mastered this same feat. Since then, Gus has been determined to help his little brother learn how to ride his bike, but I never imagined he would be Atticus's coach. The moment struck me so profoundly, that I grabbed my phone and started recording. Here is the video.

After this point, Travis and I walked outside to greet the boys and "find out" what was going on. We encountered such positivity that it was absolutely contagious. Gus was jumping around, cheering on Atticus, and despite the falls and a few tears, Atticus met every one of Gus's demands, listening, taking it all in. We took a couple more tries then went in for the night, with enough adrenaline to keep us going for days.

Day 2

The boys were pumped to get home from school on Tuesday. After dinner, they were back outside again, ready to go. Atticus was not as apprehensive, because there was his coach, Coach Gus, already giving him a pep talk before his shoes were on. Coach Gus grabbed the bike and off they went. With Gus's words of encouragement and a lot of excited jumping, here is video of Day 2.

I'm still in awe, a little giddy, and so proud.

Kids have an innate desire to learn. And they want to inspire others around them to learn as well. What I witnessed was kid-centered and kid-driven. It was empowerment and positivity. Leadership and problem-solving. If I intervened, it would have absolutely ruined the moment, the momentum, and the desire. Gus ran the show, he had the stage, and he believed so whole-heartedly in his quest that nothing was going to stop him. And Atticus believed and trusted his older brother to guide him and be there for him. It still takes my breath away.

It is so hard to take a back seat and let those moments happen. We are trained to guide and be there for our children at all moments.  We are trained as educators to be the conductors and create the experiences for our students. But when those moments happen, they are magical. Allowing these moments is a gift and this gift should be treasured more often. Giving our students this freedom to delve into their passions and interests along with teaching each other is more important today than ever before. We need more moments like this to stretch our kids thinking and their creativity. We need more moments like this to instill problem-solving and leadership skills. We need moments where students are self-guided, self-motivated, self-directed, and in charge of their learning.

The videos speak for themselves, the power of empowerment and using passion to drive learning. Our kids can teach each other so many wonderful skills and feed those ideas. I can't wait to discover what they have discovered next!

Swim Team

In my PLN, I am a part of the #leadupchat Voxer group. It is an amazing group of people who have truly pushed my thinking and my leadership ability. Last week, a deep thinking question was posted about the continuum of growth and leading, relating it to toe-dipping, wading, or diving in the water. As a leader, when was a time when we made our way through this continuum and how did it unfold, relating to just dipping our toes in the water versus diving right in, even riding the wave as a surfer takes charge? I’ve since thought about the question and how we all fall on this continuum at any given point in time, as in leadership we sometimes need to wade through the water, or dive in, or ride the wave, or just dip our toes in the water, all depending on the circumstances at hand, the relationships with our staff, or a number of other factors. This question came right at the time I was headed to swim practice.

My son, Alex, has recently joined the youth swim team in our town. I enjoy watching him during practices, working hard to figure it all out, learning the strokes and breathing techniques that will make him a better swimmer.  Last week, as I sat back and watched him swim, I took a step even farther back as I sat on the top set of bleachers. It was amazing to watch this unfold in front of me, giving me a new insight to leadership and learning. It took the #leadupchat question to a new level.

At swim practice, there are typically two coaches. They are either at the side of the pool coaching or in the water, depending on the day or the swimmers’ needs at that time. The swimmers swim back and forth, trying out the technique, the skill, listening to and applying the instruction given. And then I saw something I hadn’t quite noticed before. There were a few of the older swimmers in the water with the younger swimmers, swimming alongside them, giving support and encouragement. I stepped back and watched all of this in motion simultaneously. It was remarkable! And not that this concept is new or even rare at practices, it was that I took a step back and noticed, soaking in the moment of all different pieces of instruction coming together at one time.

The swim team practice is much like our schools and classrooms. The coach, or lead learner, principal, teacher, is monitoring it all in motion, giving instruction, direction to meet the students’ needs. At any point in the time, that coach jumps in the water to assist on a deeper level, but he/she is willing to do what it takes to help, just like any leader is willing to do for the betterment of his/her school. But what makes a strong team is those “hidden leaders”, those leaders in the water, empowered by the coaches, to help others.

How often do we take a step back to see the learning? How often do we take a look from “the outside” to ensure the structures of leading and learning are intact, maximizing its effect on the overall purpose of our schools?

Our leading and learning continuum hinges on our ability to take a step back and see what is in front of us. We cannot know whether to dive in, wade, or just toe-dip in our leadership efforts if we cannot sit atop the bleachers and see it all in action. Often times, we become transfixed on one piece, but it is the big picture that can move us forward. Whether you are in the classroom or a leader in a school, we must look and listen to this big picture in order to know what kind of step we need to take next. We need to understand the levels in front of us, see those “hidden” leaders to utilize their impact, and empower them to come to the forefront as leaders in our buildings.

It is easy to get caught in the drill, the day-to-day tasks at hand. However, at the end of this school year, take a step back and see the learning and leading in action. It is then we know our next steps, and how deep to jump into the water next.

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/84806883@N00/7947062618">SAM_4570</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/">(license)</a>

Get Back on the Bike!

Learning how to ride a bike without training wheels is pretty intense. I remember my experience, taking off at the top of a hill, and running straight into a lilac bush. Obviously, I remember it well. My dad ran to help me, brushed me off, and said, “Well, let’s try that again. This time, you need to steer away from this lilac bush.” And I did.

My husband and I have tried to teach our oldest son, Alex, how to ride his bike without training wheels for a while now, without success. I have struggled to explain the technique on how to do it, and it has always boiled down to the “feeling” on what to do. “If you feel like you are leaning this way, then move the bars that way. Keep pedaling. Do you feel how you are balanced?” I hold on to his seat as long as I can before I fall because I can’t keep up! And by the time all is said and done, we are all frustrated.  I have video from last summer, and Alex almost had it, then fell and he hadn’t tried to ride that bike since.

For a while, I simply couldn’t figure out why neither of us, both educators, could not teach our son how to ride a bike. I was perplexed. What are we doing wrong? Do we need to watch a YouTube video on how to teach your child how to ride a bike? Why is this so difficult?

It has been fear that has prevented this milestone, not his know-how. A fear of failing, a fear of falling down was the biggest obstacle to overcome. The more we pushed, the more he resisted. Alex needed to do this in his own time. We just needed to keep encouraging him.

Well, this past weekend, we were not giving up on this task, and we overcame it!  It all started with his younger brother, the more daring of the two, giving it a try. Within a short time, Gus was riding the bike everywhere. Clapping ensued, words of praise shouted, and Alex was intrigued. He couldn’t let his younger brother ride a bike before him! So, outside he went, on a mission to tackle this. I could see in his face that he was still fearful, but persistent. He got on the bike, and there he went! He could do it! No practice required! More clapping and praise was shouted from the rooftop.

The day didn’t go without some turmoil and the fear creeping back in. However, every time it hit, we were there, urging him to keep trying, to keep facing it, to keep getting back on the bike. “We are here to help you succeed.”

Resilience. Persistence. Perseverance. The “never give up” attitude. Fear of any unknown can overwhelm a person. However, with persistence and encouragement, anything is possible. Is it always going to be perfect? No. Are we always going to learn something the first time we try? No. But we are resilient, and we will persevere, because we know that is how we learn.

Do we see this resilience in the classroom? This persistence to keep trying no matter how hard the task? The ability to keep getting “on the bike” after we have fallen so we can keep trying again? The encouragement and structures in place to reward the persistent attitude? The flexibility to accomplish the task when it works for each student? The reward when the task is accomplished? 

YES, WE DO!!! And we see it EVERY DAY in our classrooms!!!

Our teachers and students are resilient, persistent, encouraging, and positive through it all. There are tough tasks, tough situations, but teachers and students meet these obstacles head-on, with a positive attitude. Our teachers are NOT afraid to fall off the bike and get back on to try it again. We need to celebrate every step it takes, every accomplishment, every single one. Because resilience is built through persistence, and these are skills necessary to be successful in any venture.

We embody these attributes daily in our schools. Celebrate them!

I applaud every educator, every parent, and every student for their perseverance through the tough tasks, and their uncanny spirit to jump back on that bike and keep trying until the task is accomplished!

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/30451996@N00/4505318710">20100409 - Bike Wheel</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)</a>

So Honored...

I woke up Thursday, and it was a typical day. I ran around to get myself and the boys ready for school, made lunches, ate breakfast in the car, and got to school in time to get ready for a 7:30 meeting with teachers. After the meeting, greeting kids in the lobby, and making announcements, I went about my usual routine, starting on my list to do and the post-its that surround it. My plan was to knock out a few things right away, take a break and walk around to all classrooms, doing a few 10-minute walkthroughs along the way.

Then, the Internet went down. It was down throughout the area, not just the school. My phone started ringing, and I went into action, checking on classrooms and other things around the school. It was lunch time and discipline kicked up a bit, with a couple meetings sprinkled in between. By the time it had settled a bit, it was 1:30 and I was ready to eat lunch.

The Internet was finally up and running again, and so I jumped to check my email while eating a few bites to get me through the rest of the day. Then, I saw it. I read this email at least 10 times and truly couldn’t believe what I was reading. I clicked on the link in the email, and it led me here.

Bammy Nominee Page

I have read about the Bammy Awards for the past couple years, and I follow all the amazing educators who are honored each year. It is a very impressive group of educators! I read about the work they do for kids, the passion and dedication they display, and have learned so much by following them through social media. To be nominated among this group is truly an honor. I am humbled and only through this post can I say my thoughts, as I am speechless.

Please learn about the Bammy Awards and vote for those amazing educators nominated. These awards showcase the awesome work of our fellow colleagues, as they are great contributors.

I do what I do for kids, my own children included, and don't think twice about it. I am not in education or in my role for myself. I am in this to better our schools, striving to make the best learning environment for our kids. It is a collaborative effort, as we are all a part of this team to enrich and engage our students with meaningful and relevant learning. I am always growing and learning, just as our students are doing, and I believe that we should continually model this growth mindset in all we do.

I am thrilled to learn from my ever-growing PLN. My reflections through my blog as well as my commentaries written for Fractus Learning have solidified my philosophy, but enhanced my leadership and professional growth. Now, as a moderator for the #INeLearn chat, I am continually finding new, passionate educators, who have so much to contribute to the field. It is a pleasure to be a part of my PLN.

And one person I don’t talk much of, but who is always influencing my beliefs in a positive way, is my husband. As an educator and leader himself, he is my sounding board. He is the one who pushed me to be the person I am today, and I am would not be here without his support.

I am so honored, so humbled, and so touched. I want to do so much more for our educational field and for education. I feel I am just getting started. And with the support of all of those around me, I will.

photo credit: <img src="http://www.bammyawards.org/bammybadge15b.png" border="0">

What We Want Our Kids to Be

As a parent, I want my children to be more and have more than I did and will in my lifetime. That mentality was instilled in me years ago by my parents, who dedicated themselves to making sure I went to college and got a good education so that I could truly follow my passions. I seek the same for my own children and the students who learn at my school. I have found this to be a common notion among parents; we naturally want what is best for our kids and we want them to be successful. But, I find myself intervening frequently, creating opportunities for them to find their passions and interests. However, this past week over break, after watching my boys play and have their occasional disagreements, I stopped in my tracks to ask a few questions.

What does their success really look like? What do we want our kids to be? How can we make this happen?

During our long car ride on our spring break trip, I carefully listened and watched my boys playing and conversing with each other. Typically, I tend to try to break up the fights before they get out of hand, but a couple of times I stopped in my tracks and let them “duke” it out. It was an interesting revelation. When I let them “duke” it out, the majority of the time, with a few mistakes and mishaps, the boys resolved the conflict and moved on. They didn’t need my intervention. They needed to figure it out for themselves. And when they did so, the happiness lasted longer and all boys were much more satisfied with the resolution.  

I want my kids to be independent. I want them to THINK and solve problems. I will not always be around to help them, and thus they need to figure out how to solve the issues themselves.

This goes into the classroom as well. We want our kids to be thinkers and problem-solvers. We want them to MAKE their learning. We want them to be EMPOWERED to seek answers and solve issues on their own. They should not be regurgitators, memorizers, or compliant doers in our classrooms. We want our kids to be inquirers and seekers of their own knowledge, making mistakes and fixing their own mistakes.

Trust me, I do not want my kids to fail. I don’t want any child to fail. But through failure and mistakes, we learn. We all do. I am not who I am today without the mistakes and failures of my past. They have made me a stronger person. It is hard to watch any child struggle, but through those struggles, children discover, and it is this discovery we need all classrooms.

Here is my point. Our classrooms today STILL look like they did when we were in school, even though we want better and more for our kids today. We have placed technology and other tools in the classroom, but are still doing the same things with them. And, as we all know, not all children learn the same way, react the same way to content, and are able to show their mastery in the same way. Yet, we expect every child to take the same test, fill out the same planner, and create a project in the same way. Mistakes are frowned upon throughout the system, and only “passing” or performing “at grade level” at that moment is deemed effective. Is this what we want for our children? Do we want the same for them as we had during our schooling?

In order for our system to change, we must do something differently. But, what does that look like? How can we change a system that we have no clue what it should look like and how it should function?

Our kids need to create it. We need to take a step back and let them take the reigns. We need to embrace the differences in how children learn and can show their learning, giving them the tools, time, and ability to demonstrate their uniqueness. We need to enable our students to transform the classroom, delivering personalized experiences to change the way they see school. I am discovering and learning more about the Maker Movement, and I am so excited to see the possibilities for our children. I want this at my school, and want to inspire all of my staff and students to take on this challenge.

In order for us to change our system, we need to work together collaboratively to make it happen. We must enter each other’s classrooms and schools to see these differences. And we need to include the students. Sit down and talk with them. What do they want their learning atmosphere to look like? What do they want to learn more about? Create?

To move forward in creating this better place for our kids, we must open our doors and our conversations. We need to embrace risk-taking and student-led discussions. If we want our kids to be innovative, we need to step aside and let it happen.