Giving Kids What They Need

The following post is a personal reflection about the world of public education, with consideration given to our special education students, based on powerful conversations I recently had in one of my doctoral courses that challenged my thinking...

          The public education system in our country should be anchored in one shared belief – every child who attends a public school will get what they need to meet with success when they enter the world as adults. That echelon of success will look different for every child but at a minimum, every child should be functionally literate (critical readers and problem solvers) at a twelfth grade level. Furthermore, the expectation is that our public schools will help our children assimilate, culturally and linguistically, so that when they enter society they will successfully integrate and contribute to the common good, fulfill societal needs and function as democratic citizens. It is imperative that our children understand these expectations and that they are exposed to various curricular modules and learning experiences that equip them with the skill sets they need to meet with success in society and become fully integrated (working, caring for themselves, etc.).

Being that all children come to school with different needs, abilities, background experiences, medical histories and readiness levels, it is imperative that the public school system is prepared to meet each child at their point of entry and move them forward. Does that mean that one group of children may get more than another group based on specific needs over a period of time? Yes! It may mean more materials or more staffing or more resources but regardless of the what, each child will get what they need to begin the assimilation process for an eventual successful integration into society. As the parent of a child with special needs, who has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), I have the benefit of seeing things through this "atypical" lens. As a result of being born with a condition known as arthrogryposis and also being afflicted with congenital scoliosis, my son requires physical therapy, occupational therapy and a health aide by his side throughout the school day. Clearly, the majority of special education students, including my son, need more (resources, materials, funds, etc.) than most other children in their schools just so they can meet with some level of success and so they can have access to a level playing field. Although this does not necessarily mean that there is an equal distribution of resources among all the children in our schools, it does mean that we are giving these special needs students what they need. I view this blatant inequitable distribution of resources as the right thing to do because it represents a fair and appropriate distribution of those said resources. In the end, it is in our best interest, as a country, to spend more money during the schooling years on our special needs children so that we can increase their chances of being self-sufficient, functional and contributing members of society. If we don’t invest these extra resources at a young age, we may be forced to spend more money to support these students throughout adulthood and into their senior years when they may not be able to care for themselves because of a lack of skills.

Another reason I feel so strongly that it is our responsibility to inequitably support specific groups of students at any given time during their schooling years is that the roots of my educational philosophy are loosely planted in some of the ideas espoused by Thomas Jefferson. My loose interpretation of Jefferson’s belief is that the main purpose of schooling was to “rake the gems from among the rubbish” so that real talent could be identified and pushed ahead to the benefit of our country. This idea of identifying the specific talents of the children within our schools and then fostering and nurturing these talents makes so much sense. By cultivating these God-given talents and helping our children harness their power and impact, we are ensuring the success of our country within the global landscape especially in regards to economic competitiveness. It should be noted that my belief does differ from Jefferson’s in at least one significant way - it is my belief that every child is talented and gifted in some way and that it is our school’s responsibility to identify and develop these talents. From the time when humans are born and are developing in their primary years, I don’t believe that rubbish exists. Instead, I believe all of our children are gems and that by structuring the learning experiences within our schools in specific ways, we can identify each gem and help them develop and maximize their potential. Unfortunately, the identification process is not always easy. Yes, some of our children come to school where their natural talents are instantly visible but many of our students require more resources, materials, support, etc. in order to unearth their talents and begin harnessing their power.

With that in mind, it is clear that it is our responsibility, as a nation, to make sure that our public schools stand by the notion that fair is not always equal in our tireless efforts to give every child what they need to be productive members of American society.

Treatment Plan

Several years ago in a random (and rather embarrassing) accident, I tore a ligament in my knee. Upon initially being injured, I was pretty certain that it was nothing serious and that if I stretched my knee and walked around I would be fine. Well, what I didn't realize was that I was making the situation much worse and eventually, I could not straighten my leg so I eventually went to the doctor. Upon a quick examination of my knee, the doctor was pretty certain that all I needed was some physical therapy and my knee should be fine. Of course, he wasn't satisfied with making a diagnosis and laying out a treatment plan solely based on his quick examination and his history with similar injuries. Instead, I was sent for an X-Ray, which showed nothing was broken, and then an MRI, which showed a significant tear in my meniscus that would require surgery immediately. Upon reviewing the results, consulting with another doctor in the practice about what type of surgery would make the most sense and speaking with a physical therapist about an appropriate post-op therapy plan, my doctor successfully repaired and treated my knee so that it was back to full strength within a few months.

Well my fellow educators, herein lies the problem in the world of public education today. Certain people (educators with limited or no classroom experience, politicians, business men/women, non-educators, etc.) are laying out quick-fix "treatment plans" for how we can repair all the problems in the world of public education today. Unfortunately, these "treatment plans" are being laid out without close examination, without all the facts (facts that come from both hard and soft data), without consulting the people who are currently meeting with success in the field and without thinking about the people who are most important in the world of education - our children - and what they need! "Treatment plans" are being laid out based on the results of standardized test scores; "treatment plans" are being laid out to help facilitate the implementation of new standards; "treatment plans" are being laid out by a bunch of politicians, commissioners of education and other professionals who are sitting in a room discussing the problems and how they could be fixed; "treatment plans" are being developed in a vacuum; and most disturbing, "treatment plans" are being developed to address what BAD educators aren't doing instead of looking at what GREAT educators are doing (and how we can recreate those practices across the country)!

Are there some problems in the world of public education today? YES! Do we need to enhance practices being implemented in our classrooms? YES! Do we need to prepare our children to successfully function in today's world? YES! Can we address these issues by implementing new national standards (which I do believe have some merit) and examining the results of standardized test scores where our kids are answering endless multiple choice questions? NO! In my professional opinion, in order to address the issues in public education today, we need to tap into the resources in our amazing schools - we need to talk to the incredibly dedicated classroom teachers and specialists to find out whats going on and whats working; we need to talk to our passionate instructional leaders who understand that educating the whole child is our daily goal and that standardized test scores are merely a moment in time; we need to talk to our students' parents to find out what things they see working and what areas they would like to see enhanced; we need to talk to our kids and see things through their eyes - they can share such amazing insight into many things; and most importantly, we need to visit the many classrooms where incredible things are happening - instruction is being flipped or teachers are differentiating and personalizing instruction based on various data points or kids are having fun learning without realizing they are doing any work! This is how WE diagnose and treat a problem - examine it carefully, look at it from different angles, consult the experts and make decisions in the best interest of everyone involved. This is what WE need to do; the WE who live for the success of public education (or any education); the WE who have devoted our lives to doing what is best for children; the WE who get excited when we walk into a classroom; the WE who are passionate about learning and teaching; the WE who are GREAT educators who are using relevant and cutting edge practices, materials and techniques!

We must start a revolution and do whatever possible to make sure that "treatment plans" and educational reform ideas are NOT being developed and implemented based on what BAD educators are not doing.    

Going Out On Top

Over the last four years I have had the privilege and honor of working with one of my educational idols, even though I didn't realize it until recently. Her name is Linda and she is a classroom teacher in our elementary school and after a phenomenal career, that spanned about 40 years, she has decided to take her journey in a different direction - she is retiring. The thing that impresses me most is that she is going out on top - she is basically the "Seinfeld" of teachers! She is still "getting the highest ratings" and her retirement is leaving people shaking their heads - why retire when you are still making such an incredible difference and having such a tremendous impact on the people around you? Just like Seinfeld impacted pop culture on various levels for many years, Linda has impacted the lives of children, parents and her colleagues on various levels for decades! Linda is one of my educational idols because she has changed me - she has made me a better father, husband, educator, leader, friend and person by allowing me the opportunity to be a small part of her journey.

During my 15 year career in the world of education, I have encountered many teachers/administrators/etc. who have decided that it was time to retire. The one thing that most of these retirees had in common was that retiring was really the best option for them - and everyone around them knew it too. They stopped taking risks in their learning and teaching; they felt that they had nothing new to learn because they had experienced it all; they started to see their administration, some colleagues and even students as roadblocks instead of vehicles. This is definitely not the case with Linda. She could easily teach for another 30 years because her passion for learning and teaching are stronger now than when she started her amazing career. Linda is a magnet for everyone in our community - students, colleagues, families, and administrators all want to be in Linda's presence because they know they will learn something and they will walk away in a better place. This is the reason for this post - people who don't know Linda need to know about her! Educators who are just starting out should use Linda as a model for what they should be striving for each day so they can have an amazing career that spans 40 years. Educators who are nearing the end of their journey should remember Linda when they start to feel a little stagnant.

So, what specifically can someone learn from Linda? Well, the list is endless, but these are some of the most important lessons that this educational idol has taught me...

1. Instead of saying NO, ask WHY NOT? Whether working with a student who wants to do something differently in the classroom or dealing with administration that is pushing the implementation of a new program instead of shutting it down right away, see the positive in it, find something you can support, give it a try and ask WHY NOT?!

2. Teach the WHOLE CHILD! Yes, the academics are important and they are the focus for most of the day but make time to allow for opportunities to help the whole child develop and grow. Have a class meeting to discuss issues that are important and relevant to the class; allow the students an opportunity to research a topic that is of personal interest to them and let them share their knowledge with the class; spend a little time with each individual child every day so you can connect with them and be their support system and advocate when necessary!

3. Thinking outside of the box should be more the norm than the exception! Take your students' learning beyond worksheets and textbooks - tap into their passions and creativity and use those as the vehicles for learning!

4. DIFFERENTIATE for EVERY CHILD in some way, shape or form! Whether letting students focus on topics of interest when appropriate or teaching to the various learning styles and readiness levels of your students, find a way to differentiate and personalize the learning experience each day for all of your students!

5. Make time to COLLABORATE with your colleagues! Some of the best teaching and learning may be happening in the classroom right next door to yours but you may never know if you don't open your door and share with the people around you. Why re-invent the wheel if someone already created it and all you have to do is tweak it and make it work for you and your kids? Why deal with the stresses and challenges of teaching alone when there are likely many other colleagues feeling the same way? Why not take the time to celebrate your successes and the ones of those around you? All of this, and much more, can be accomplished through collaboration!

6. Have FUN with your learning and teaching each and every day! Let your colleagues, administration, students and their families see how much you love to teach and learn - that love and passion for what you do will be infectious! And forget what you heard in your schools of education in college - it is ok to smile before December!

7. Don't let your fears or discomfort limit the learning opportunities for your students - figure out a way around them! Linda is somewhat of a self-diagnosed technophobe (we all have our flaws). Recently I introduced Prezi to our staff at a Faculty Meeting as an alternative to PowerPoint. Although Linda didn't necessarily feel comfortable with the tool herself, she did think her students would love it so, she came looking for me the next morning and asked that I share Prezi with her students. Linda did not allow her discomfort of technology impact her students in a negative way - she found a way around it - and in the end, Linda and her students were the first group to successfully use Prezi in our building.

8. Be the voice of REASON and HONESTY even when its not easy or popular. If you have a student who is struggling with something and their family doesn't realize the severity of the issue - don't shy away from being honest and sharing because in the end, you are trying to do what is best for children. Or, if a colleague is reacting to something from an emotional place, help them slow it down and reflect on the issue from a place of logic and reason. This is a difficult one to accomplish but so important!

9. Treat every single day as an opportunity to learn, grow, try something new and take a risk with your own learning and teaching!

10. LOVE and RESPECT ALL OF YOUR STUDENTS regardless of their backgrounds, issues, personalities or needs. Your students need you in their corner everyday and they will need you the most when they are most challenging and difficult!

Although this list could go on forever, I think the message is clear - Linda is an incredible educator who has gotten better each day and is truly going out on top! For all of us who have years of teaching and learning ahead of us, let Linda be one of our educational idols; one of our role models; one of our examples; one of our goals; let Linda be the reason we ask WHY NOT? instead of saying NO!
        

Evernote and Balanced Literacy

Two months ago, after reading a lot about it on Twitter, I decided to download the Evernote app onto my I-Phone and I-Pad. Initially, I wasn't exactly sure how I intended or wanted to use it but the idea of having a note taking app that could easily sync across multiple devices and computers so that the information could be accessed from anywhere seemed liberating (I know, others have known about the power of Evernote for years but cut me some slack, I only joined the Twitterverse in February and most of my recent learning starts there).

Since downloading Evernote in March and spending some time exploring its abilities and capabilities, I am officially hooked! I use Evernote at ever administrator's meeting that I attend to take notes and identify the things that I must take action on immediately and the things that can wait. I use Evernote to gather ideas for my blog and even start writing some of the posts there because they are so easy to transfer onto my blog. I use Evernote to take notes while I visit the classrooms in our school each day so I can document the many activities, lessons and learning experiences I observe during my daily walk-arounds. I can say that Evernote has replaced my writer's notebook, which is hard to admit because I never thought I would be able to go without my physical notebook; but, using Evernote means I can stop and write whenever I want about whatever I want without having to worry about whether or not I have my notebook.

Although this list could go on and on as I have become more aware of the power of Evernote, I recently started to think about when I could share Evernote with our staff so that it was useful and relevant for them on both personal and professional levels. The idea of sharing a note taking app that could be saved in the cloud was clearly powerful but I wasn't sure if it would hook the staff and convince them that Evernote could enhance their craft. In thinking about the fact that it replaced my writer's notebook, it finally dawned on me, using Evernote could really enhance our literacy instruction where we implement a Balanced Literacy model in the areas of reading and writing. YES - that was it! Evernote could make our reading and writing workshop models better than before, which is always the goal.

So, at our Faculty Meeting this past week, I hooked up my I-Pad to the projector (first time I tried that and it was awesome but that is a whole other post) and shared the following ideas about how we could use Evernote as part of our Balanced Literacy model...

1. Use it for conference notes when meeting with individual children - instead of trying to organize all the notes from the many individual reading and writing conferences on different clipboards, notebooks and binders, Evernote could streamline that process for any educator! A "notebook" (or note within a class "notebook") could be created for each child in the class and every time the teacher meets with that child there is a place to record what reading/writing strategies and skills the child is currently using, what things the child is doing well as a reader/writer and what goals should be established for the child so they could continue to grow as a reader/writer. By saving these conference notes to the cloud and being able to access them from anywhere, think about how it could take a parent phone call or a parent/teacher conference to a whole other level. Also, the teacher's conference notes are with them all the time so if they get an idea about a specific child or group of children, they could launch Evernote, make note and access it when they are back in the classroom with their children. (In my eyes, that is AWESOME!)

2. Use it to help organize guided reading/writing groups and strategy groups just by typing a key word in the search box! After an educator has completed one round of independent reading and writing conferences, they could use the data they have amassed to begin grouping children by level for guided reading/writing lessons or by need for strategy lessons. For example, if the teacher wanted to pull all of her strong Level G readers for a guided reading lesson to scaffold them for the transition to Level H books, she could launch Evernote, type Level G in the search box within her class "notebook" and the notes on each child from the independent reading conferences where she included "Level G" would pop up and viola, there are the names for her guided reading group(s). Or, if certain students are struggling with generating a strong lead sentence in their writing, a teacher could access notes in Evernote taken during various independent writing conferences and enter the phrase "lead sentence" in the search box and the notes about the children who either soared or struggled with lead sentences would pop up and BAM - there is a strategy group! I think this is something that has AWESOME possibilities especially considering how important it is to analyze various data points, use the data to differentiate instruction and deliver information in small groups and doses.

3. Use it to record children reading aloud! The Evernote app comes with a recording/microphone feature, which could be used in various ways. For example, while completing a running record/miscue analysis, a teacher could record the children reading an excerpt aloud and go back and listen to the reading again to ensure that all the notes taken during the running record were accurate. Additionally, listening to a child read aloud again could help when working with the parent of a struggling reader to figure out ways a parent can support the child at home. Finally, recording a child reading aloud can be very powerful for the student because they could hear themselves and listen in with the teacher to review what strategies and skills were being used by the reader. Having a child listen to themselves read aloud is also an excellent way to work on fluency and phrasing, which are critical skills as children get older and the texts become more complex.

4. Use it to plan various mini-lessons and small group reading and writing lessons. After reviewing all the above mentioned data and listening to the children read aloud (either in person or through an Evernote recording), a teacher can use this information to help plan out the various mini-lessons for a certain unit of study, period of time or possibly the entire year! Mini-lessons should address various expectations of a unit of study; mini-lessons should also address the CCS; and mini-lessons should meet the needs of the students as measured during various conferences, conversations and observations. Using Evernote will allow an educator to pool all these data points together and then map out the necessary next steps in regards to whole class mini-lessons.

5. Use it to clip and gather a bevy of resources from the web that could enhance the shared reading or writing experience. One of the best ways to expose our students to a variety of genres and text types is through the shared reading/writing experience. By supporting the children through a shared reading/writing experience, we are able to better scaffold them for independent success and support them as they analyze texts. Of course, finding or generating shared reading texts is not always easy but with Evernote, it definitely gets easier! For example, lets say a teacher comes across a great article on a specific child friendly website, the teacher would be able to "clip" that specific page with the desired text within Evernote and then BAM, because Evernote is also on the computer connected to the projector in the classroom (that is what could be happening), all the teacher has to do is launch Evernote and there is the shared reading text!

In addition to the above mentioned ways, Evernote also has many other uses that can empower every educator and instructional leader! Check out these links for other ways to use Evernote...

1. Time Management Ninja - check out this blog for ways that using Evernote can save time!

2. 10 Tips for Teachers - check out this blog posted by Michael Cruz on the uses of Evernote in school!

3. 100 Ways to use Evernote - check out this blog by Andrew Maxwell for a bevy of ideas!

So, as the school year comes to a close and you begin thinking about your reading and writing workshop units of study for next year, remember that Evernote can take the Balanced Literacy experience to a whole other level for you and your students!
    

Avoiding Auto Pilot

Have you ever gotten behind the steering wheel of your car and ended up somewhere without recalling much about the journey except where you started and ended? Do you ever go through a specific routine or experience (i.e. - getting ready for work in the morning) and before you know it you're done and ready to move on to the next thing without being able to recall everything you've done? I don't know about you, but that happens to me on a regular basis. I have a 25 minute ride to work that involves using some side streets and two major highways but on most mornings as I pull into the parking lot at school, I don't remember much about the journey (luckily I haven't ended up totally lost and I only went to the wrong school once when I ended up at my old school). Fortunately, it seems that my brain has committed this whole morning journey to memory so that while I am consumed by thousands of thoughts, ideas and questions, I am subconsciously getting to work. I think I can confidently say that in this instance, being on auto pilot is my savior and a critical part to my success on any given day!

With that being said, there are times when we need to avoid being on auto pilot because auto pilot mode often means that we get too comfortable, too complacent, too stagnant and our opportunities for growth diminish. From my perspective it seems that auto pilot can be negative in certain relationships (friendships, work colleagues and even marriages), situations and work settings - especially in the world of education! As educators our whole world is about teaching and learning; learning and teaching. This constant cycle of learning and teaching means that educators are always growing, changing, evolving and rarely kicking it into auto pilot; except, when it doesn't.

We can all close our eyes and recall that teacher, principal, central office administrator or college professor who had clearly engaged the auto pilot feature and forgot to turn it off and re-enter the cycle of learning and teaching. That educator whose notes for the day were written on faded yellow lined paper (paper that started out white decades ago) and were found in a binder that hadn't been updated in years. Or that educator who gives the same lecture in the same class year after year completely neglecting new and relevant information that has surfaced since they started teaching the course 8,000 years ago (the one that still refers to U.S.S.R. as a place that exists today). Or that educator who believes that children's minds are like sponges and that they will absorb everything they hear so their only instructional approach is direct instruction where they function as the "sage on the stage" as opposed to the "guide on the side." The examples are endless and I am confident that each of us has come across an auto pilot educator at some point during our lives or careers (in fact, some of us are probably working with an auto pilot educator as we speak).

Please understand that I am not saying that the auto pilot educator is a bad educator or person at the core and sometimes being on auto pilot is necessary - but only for a short time! The full-time auto pilot educator has decided that they don't need to learn anything new because what they do works "just fine." In my mind though, "just fine" is not good enough and being an auto pilot educator is not in the best interest of children. With every new group of children, students, teachers or administrators we encounter, the dynamic, complexion and readiness levels vary, which means that our approaches towards teaching and learning must change, even if the change is minor and potentially unnoticeable. As educators we have many goals but one of the most important is tailoring what we do to meet the specific needs of our current group of learners to whom we are responsible. In my humble opinion, I don't think an auto pilot educator can accomplish this goal because they have exited the cycle of learning and teaching.

Recently, I felt myself engaging the auto pilot mode in regards to my own personal learning and growth because everything seemed to be "just fine" and I didn't think anyone around me was necessarily being impacted in a negative way. Then, after a Faculty Meeting this past January, I walked to my office and realized that I hadn't provided my staff anything new or current that they could potentially use in their own classrooms or spaces because I was starting to engage in the dreaded auto pilot mode. The meeting, like many of the recent meetings, was all about administrative odds and ends, which were important on some level but there wasn't much learning or growing happening at our meetings. That is when I decided to push myself and engage in something new - I joined Twitter! Well, over the last three and a half months, my whole professional and personal world has changed simply because I disengaged the auto pilot feature and tried something new. I have learned about things that have changed the way I work like using Google docs, Evernote, Diigo or Dropbox; I have learned about blogging, which has provided me with an outlet for my thoughts and opinions as they relate to the world of education (before I used to drive just my wife, colleagues and friends nuts but now I can drive all of you nuts too); I have been introduced to things like Prezi, the "Flipped Classroom" and Visual.ly, which have changed the way I do things and the way I view things (literally and figuratively). The list can go on and on thanks to my PLN and the information I have been exposed to on Twitter but the point is that by trying something new (just ONE new thing), I was able to stay in the cycle of learning and teaching and I avoided auto pilot!

So, do you think you might have lost your way in the cycle of learning and teaching? Has it been a long time since you tried something new in your classroom or school? Has it been a while since you reflected on a specific lesson or activity to really analyze what went well and what you would like to do differently the next time? Has it been a while since you tailored your instruction to meet the needs of a specific group or learner? Well, if you have answered yes to any or all of these questions, then you probably have engaged the auto pilot mode; but, don't fear because all you have to do is TRY ONE NEW THING or APPROACH and you can successfully avoid auto pilot!    

Assess and Coach NOT Test and Judge

Over the last several weeks, in light of all the standardized testing taking place in the state of New York, I have been doing a lot of thinking about the ideas of assessment and testing and how important they are in the world of public education. In New York State we have reached a point where our children are sitting for at least 6 days of standardized testing in grades 3, 4 and 5 in the areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics. As if that weren't enough, the results from these tests will serve as the proverbial rock thrown into the middle of a placid lake on a beautiful spring day. We all know what happens next because we've seen it - the pond fills with ripples and the rock disappears. These ripples represent our children, their families, our classroom teachers, fellow building principals, schools as a whole and our communities at large. Everyone, at least in the state of New York, will be impacted and judged based on the results of these various standardized tests.

Well, I say the time has come to stand up and say NO to testing for the purposes of passing judgement! Say NO to being judged by non-educators who are taking the results of a test, which only represent one moment time, to make sweeping statements about our schools, teachers and children. A recent study (Moon, Brighton, Jarvis and Hall in 2007) found that standardized tests led to teachers and students feeling a tremendous amount of pressure to perform well. Additionally, teachers felt a significant amount of pressure to rely on drill and practice instruction techniques as opposed to maintaining a child centered classroom where children are encouraged to create, construct and apply understandings. Although it will be difficult, we must find ways to protect our children and instruction so that we do not succumb to these pressures and compromise the quality of our daily instruction and leadership.

One way I think we can make this happen is by shifting the focus from testing and judging to assessing and coaching (a special thank you to the amazing #educoach chat on Twitter on Wednesdays that reminds me on a weekly basis how important it is for me, as an instructional leader, to continuously be coaching). As a building principal one of my favorite parts of the job is spending time in the classrooms where I get a better sense of my teachers and children. By visiting the classrooms, and spending time watching, doing and listening, I am able to informally assess the staff and students to get a sense of what is currently happening and what we should be planning for in the future. I always remember how important it is to use these informal assessment opportunities (quasi-formative assessment) not for the purposes of judgement but instead, as an opportunity to develop collective goals for the building and to begin thinking about ways to coach the staff, and children, in their efforts to enhance their craft and skills and move the building forward at the same time.

The idea of coaching is one that is very near and dear to my heart because as a fourth grade teacher, I will never forget the year where I had a coach pushing into my classroom on a weekly basis. I grew so much that year because of the coach and his ability to see things in me that I never knew possible. He would watch me teach (another type of formative assessment) and then would offer me feedback and suggestions on ways that I could do things differently (he never said BETTER just DIFFERENTLY but in the end, his suggestions were always better). There were also times when I would get to watch him teach, which also helped me grow exponentially because I got to see the subtle things he did that made a tremendous difference in the levels of student engagement and performance. Working with the coach also challenged me to think about how I could change my approach to teaching so that I served more as a coach to the children and not just a source of information (sage on the stage versus guide on the side).

As educators I think it is imperative that we view ourselves as coaches (instructional leaders coaching staff and teachers coaching children) who could work collaboratively to enhance practice, assess skills and establish goals for growth and development. Being a successful coach is not easy to accomplish but it is definitely worth the effort if we remember a few important ideas...

1. A successful coach spends a tremendous amount of time observing, listening, supporting and building trust; without trust, there will be no risk taking, honestly or growth; without trust there can be no meaningful coaching;

2. A successful coach spends time getting to know the readiness levels of those around them so that a plan of action can be developed; this allows the coach an opportunity to build on the expertise that already exists; (I am fortunate enough to work with an amazing literacy coach at our school who has really been able to accomplish this goal; connect with Lisa on Twitter - @LeedeeLitCoach)

3. A successful coach is able to serve as a model teacher who can show others how to assess the strengths and needs of their students and thoroughly plan with that data to effectively reach every learner and push them to the next level;

4. A successful coach is able to coach from the side when someone is willing to take a risk or needs a gentle push; the "side-by coach" doesn't sit back and judge; instead, the "side-by coach" takes notes, reflects, offers suggestions and presents a different perspective to the teacher when a lesson or activity is completed;

5. A successful coach is a fountain of knowledge and information for any staff member or student seeking it; the coach is a resource so that when a staff member has an idea for a lesson or unit of study but is having difficulty executing, the coach is there to offer support, to share ideas and to suggest materials that might help the lesson/activity come to fruition; the coach also helps the children realize their ideas and plans during a project or activity;

6. A successful coach is always using opportunities in the classroom with teachers and students to formatively assess the activities, decisions, performance and outcomes; using formative assessment allows the coach an opportunity to offer constructive feedback, inform instruction and help staff members or children change things in the moment or near future;

7. A successful coach works with the staff or children either one-on-one, in small "guided" groups or as a whole group to further build capacity, help foster a Professional Learning Community (among the staff) and nurture a free flowing share of information, ideas and resources;

8. A successful coach plans with the staff and students on a regular basis; the coach will listen to what units of study the teachers want to implement and helps the teachers see how they can align their units and individual lessons to the standards and district curricular expectations; or the coach will listen to what the children want to accomplish during a unit and will help scaffold them to attain that goal;

9. A successful coach helps move the staff or children beyond their comfort zone; the successful coach knows just how far to push the staff or children so that they meet with some amount of success because a feeling of success will be empowering and encourage people to go a step further the next time;

10. A successful coach exudes passion, confidence and never makes anyone feel like they are going to be judged based on their actions! A successful coach never uses a test to measure someone's growth, knowledge or abilities!

If you are passionate about coaching or interested in learning more about how you can be a coach to your children or staff, check out these sites...

• Choice Literacy 

• Literacy Coaches Roles and Responsibilities

• Literacy Coaching Resources

Although there are many more characteristics, qualities and traits of a successful coach (whether coaching students or teachers), the basic idea is that a successful coach is someone who can assess the current state of things and collaborate with key players to problem solve, execute and grow. Coaching staff members and students, based on data amassed from various formative assessments, encourages risk taking, collaboration and growth, which are the things we should be concerned about when evaluating teachers and students. The scores from standardized tests will not show us if our children can collaborate to work through a problem and apply various skills across content areas. Pencil and paper standardized tests will not allow us to formatively assess our students and immediately use the data to guide instruction and help our children grow. Instead, the tests are more about judging than they are about informing teaching and learning. So, lets say NO to testing and judging and YES to assessing and coaching!            

Test? Assessment? Neither!

This past week the children in grades 3, 4 and 5 in our school participated in the New York State English Language Arts Tests. These tests spanned a three day period and lasted somewhere between 90 and 180 minutes each day depending on the individual child and their specific needs. The tests, which have been administered in some way, shape or form for over a decade in NY state (Grade 4 students have been taking these tests since the late '90s), are given to assess how our students are doing in the areas of reading and writing - or at least that is what the state tells us. The state also tells us that these tests can help us see how much our children are learning and how effectively our teachers are teaching. Unfortunately, after administering these tests to two students on different grade levels, and informally taking each part of the test myself, I don't agree with what the state is telling us.     


A test is defined by Google as a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use.


An assessment is defined by Google as the evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something.


Based on the definitions above, I don't think the New York State English Language Arts tests from this past week qualify as either a test or an assessment. In specifically looking at the definition of an assessment, I don't think the ELAs really tell us anything about the nature, quality or ability of our students or teachers (even though we are going to start connecting teacher evaluations to how the students perform here - don't get me started on that one). Furthermore, I don't think the NYS ELAs qualify as a test either because they don't accurately establish the quality, performance or reliability of instruction in the areas of reading and writing. From my vantage point, the product here is flawed and the only ones being impacted negatively are our children and their educational communities.


To think that a multiple choice test, which doesn't really give children an opportunity to show their skills as readers but instead tests their stamina and ability to answer tricky questions, is a meaningful reading and writing test is somewhat concerning. Basically, we are boiling it down to reading a short, sometimes out of context, piece and asking our students to find the best multiple choice answer based on other people's thinking (the people making up the test) -not the thinking of the children, which is what we are supposedly assessing. Over the years, I have watched some of the best readers and writers in our school perform in the average range on these assessments because they couldn't really show their thinking or skill set on this type of assessment. Where else do we assess reading or writing skills in this fashion? How can we claim that this type of test is the best one we can come up with to assess our students' abilities in the areas of reading and writing when we know there are better alternatives? In order to authentically assess children and teachers, I think its imperative that the state (and the powers that be) look at alternative types of assessment...

1. Possibly a writing continuum where children write across different genres for different purposes and audiences; (check out this link for some information about a narrative writing continuum - Teacher's College)

2. Possibly a portfolio that is amassed over the course of the year where children can track their thinking as readers based on the different texts they experience during the year. This type of portfolio would also avail itself to allowing the children to self-reflect; (check out this link for some information about portfolio assessments - TeacherVision) 

3. Possibly a better constructed standardized assessment that challenges our children to use critical thinking and allows them to show off their literacy skills. (By the way, I do think the structure of the Day 2 & 3 portions of the ELAs have the potential to become this better standardized assessment as there are a reasonable amount of reading passages and the children are posed with some good open ended responses but work needs to be done) 

Whatever the case, I think there are better options out there for our children and our schools in general. Options that will provide us with meaningful and accurate results. Options that will allow our children an opportunity to show what they have learned without becoming frustrated and exhausted. Options that will provide us with rich and useful data to guide future instruction!


Understand that I am not against testing (standardized or other) because I do think its important that we assess our children so we can gather more data to help guide our instruction and help our children continue to grow as learners. Unfortunately, I don't think the NYS ELA tests accomplished this goal because they will not provide us with this type of meaningful data in a reasonable amount of time so that instruction can be targeted to best meet the needs of individual students. Don't get me wrong - I think the NYS ELA tests accomplished a lot... they exhausted our children for about an average of ninety minutes a day; they made many teachers feel compelled to increase the amount of meaningless test preparation they did on a daily basis leading up to the test; they frustrated children and teachers with tricky questions that seemingly had multiple answers; they forced us to halt instruction for almost a week because after the tests were completed, the children weren't in the frame of mind to embrace new concepts or ideas; they deflated teachers and students who felt "mediocre" after completing the tests. So, did the NYS ELA accomplish a bunch of things? Yes, as you can see from the list above, but I don't think any of these were intended goals. 


Call me quixotic but I like to believe that every educator in the state of New York is in the business of teaching and learning for the purposes of impacting children in a positive way. I know I became a teacher in a public school in NYC because I thought I could make a difference in the lives of children and I believed in the public school system. We send our son to a local NYC public school because we believe in the public school system and we know that he is in the hands of dedicated and knowledgeable educators. I am now the principal of a public school in a suburb of NYC because I believe in the public school system and on a daily basis, I witness how much a child can learn and grow as a result of working with a group of dedicated educators. In the end, I believe in public education in New York State and my hope is that by accessing the awesome amount of expertise that permeates many of the classrooms in our state, an authentic and amazing assessment/test can be developed that will accurately show us how much our children have grown as readers and writers. An assessment/test that will provide us with data to help enrich and support based on the individual child. And hopefully, an assessment/test that will fuel the children's love of reading and writing - not extinguish the flame!              

Changing Education One Tweet at a Time

This evening I had the pleasure of participating in the weekly #PTChat facilitated by Joe Mazza (@Joe_Mazza). What does PTChat stand for? Where did this chat take place? How long did the chat last? What was discussed? Well, the answer is simple... everything took place in my own Twitterverse while sitting on my couch! The power of Twitter can best be described in one word - AWESOME! This social media/micro blogging site helps me to connect with like-minded educators to share ideas, discuss different "hot" topics, answer various questions, share problem solving techniques and even facilitate book talks/chats! This list doesn't even begin to cover everything that one can accomplish via Twitter but one thing is for certain - Twitter is changing the world of education one tweet at a time!

For someone who is relatively new to Twitter and hasn't necessarily contributed that much to his PLN yet, the hash tag has been my guide to connecting with some amazing educators. The Twitter hash tag (example - #Edchat) starts with the "#" symbol followed by words or abbreviated words that are focused on a specific topic or subject. For example, the #PTChat I mentioned earlier is an abbreviation for the Parent/Teacher Chat. So, every Wednesday at 9pm, Joe Mazza facilitates/moderates a chat about different topics or issues that are relevant to parents, teachers and the successful parent/teacher connection. Initially, all I did was sit back and watch the new Tweets as they popped up on my screen to see what people were discussing and thinking in regards to education as they related to parents and teachers. Eventually, I started sharing my thoughts and experiences because I felt comfortable and confident that I was in a "safe" place where my opinions, perspectives and insights would be respected as long as I respected those of others. In order to participate in these chats and sharing of ideas, I realized that I needed to include the following "#PTChat" somewhere in my tweet. By including the hash tag in my tweet, I was able to share my tweets with people who weren't necessarily following me, nor I them, but because we were all participating in the same chat, what we tweeted was seen by all. Well, needless to say, participating in a chat of this nature by simply adding a hash tag to my tweet exposed me to hundreds (if not thousands) of people I would have never known! I started to come across familiar names and faces (pictures are important in your Twitter profile) and began cultivating and expanding my network of fellow educators who had a similar set of core beliefs. After a few weeks I realized that the power of the hash tag took the Twitter experience to a whole other level for me!

Fortunately, there are hash tags for almost any subject, topic, person, etc. so finding hash tags that are of interest will be easy. Now, mind you, not every hash tag is necessarily associated with a formal or regularly scheduled chat, but nonetheless, by using the hash tag in your tweets you are sharing your tweets with all the other people who are interested in that subject and are using that hash tag regardless of whether or not you are following them. In my short time on Twitter, I have found five hash tags that I use often that I think are worth sharing...

1) #PTChat - see above

2) #CPChat - Connected Principals Chat

3) #Edchat - Education Chat, which takes places twice on Tuesdays - in the early afternoon and evening; this is a tag I use often and has connected me to some AMAZING people who I learn from all the time such as Tom Whitby (@tomwhitby), Steven Anderson (@web20classroom), Dr. Justin Tarte (@justintarte), Josh Stumpenhorst (@stumpteacher) and Tom Whitford (@twhitford) just to name a few (there are literally thousands of people so check out this hash tag)!

4) #Educoach - Education Coach, which is associated with a chat that takes place on Wednesdays at 10PM (EST) and is facilitated/moderated by Jessica Johnson (@PrincipalJ), Shira Leibowitz Ph. D (@shiraleibowitz) and Kathy Perret (@kathyperret). The weekly conversations here are amazing because they inspire me to hold on to what I know is right in terms of being an instructional leader and teacher of teachers!

5) #Elemchat - Elementary Chat, which takes place on Saturdays at 6pm. By using this hash tag, I have connected with other amazing elementary level educators who are dedicated to doing whatever necessary to meet the needs of their students! Some of the people I have learned from by using this hash tag include Bruce Arcurio (@PrincipalArc), Peter DeWitt (@PeterMDeWitt), and Lyn Hilt (@L_Hilt) just to name some of the amazing educators who willingly share their passions and knowledge on Twitter!

Although my list of hash tags could go on for quite a while, and there are many more I don't even know about yet, I think the above mentioned are a great place to start. Also, if you are interested in more, check out Jerry Blumengarten's site (@cybraryman1) for an amazingly robust and comprehensive list of the education hash tags and chats that are currently functioning. And, just one more thing, if you decide to join a hash tag chat, which I hope you are more inclined to do after reading this post, I highly suggest using TweetChat.com, while participating in the chat because it automatically updates tweets quickly and keeps everything flowing beautifully (thanks to Joe Mazza for sharing that one).

To all my fellow educators, I say, the time has come to enter the Twitterverse, explore some hash tags, connect with some people and join some chats because together we are literally changing the educational landscape one tweet at a time!

Accountability Gone Wild

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a group interview process as part of a doctoral program I was considering. The experience was interesting and challenged us on various levels (that's a whole other post) in thinking about the decisions we make as educational leaders. After getting situated in the group interview room, the process was kicked off with the following question (I don't remember the exact wording of the question because it's been almost two months)... Should educational leaders be held accountable if their former students do not contribute positively to society after their schooling experience? Again, the wording provided here isn't verbatim what was asked on that day but the challenge that lay before us was to think about the idea of accountability and what amount of accountability was considered reasonable.

We were given a piece of paper, a pen and were told that we had 15 minutes to generate a response to the question. Although I had a million ideas floating around in my head, I couldn't get started because I was completely frustrated by the question! Don't get me wrong, I am all about accountability and I feel very strongly that while a student is a member of our learning institution the entire educational community is responsible for educating the child; for making sure the individual needs of the child are being addressed each and every day; and for equipping the child with the skills that they will need to be successful in the future. As an elementary level administrator, I take this responsibility very seriously because I see our role in elementary school as that of laying and solidifying the foundation as the child grows and evolves. I also feel strongly that it is our responsibility to continue to support our children as they move forward in their academic careers (MS, HS and even college). For example, recently one of our former students was struggling at the MS and several members of our team collaborated with the MS team to brainstorm about different ways to support this child and address the needs based on what had worked in the past. This child needed our support and there was no doubt we would offer it! Another example was the former student who was in college at the time studying to be a teacher and wanted to return to our school to complete her student teaching hours because she had such a positive experience as a student. This former student needed our support and there was no doubt we would offer it! Finally, there was my former 5th grader who finished college but was uncertain about a career path so he wanted to come meet with me in the hopes that I would offer some good advice (In the end, I told him he had to find the thing that he loved to do where he could support himself). This young man needed my support and there was no doubt I would offer it!

This is why I became an educator - to teach, learn, support and nurture my children in their many journeys and explorations. Teach, learn, support and nurture my children - not be held accountable for their actions in adulthood. Should I potentially lose my job if one of my former students makes poor choices in their life? No - I don't think so because that would be an example of accountability gone wild! At some point it becomes about choices... the choices people make based on their knowledge, experiences, skills and needs at any given moment in time. Those choices, and the ramifications of those choices, belong to the individual - no one else!

As I sat there thinking about how I wanted to answer the above mentioned interview question about accountability, one example came to mind that made the most sense to me. I have had dental issues my whole life - cavities, chipped teeth, root canals, etc. I am fortunate to have found an amazing dentist who has patiently supported me through correcting these issues and improving the situation. Recently, after putting in a temporary crown, my dentist told me that I should avoid chewing gum or eating anything sticky in the next couple of weeks until the permanent crown was put in place. Well, two days before returning to the dentist, I couldn't resist a piece of Dubble Bubble gum and guess what happened... thats right, my temporary crown got stuck to the gum and fell out! So, who was at fault for this problem? My dentist because he was the one treating me and he put in the temporary crown? Or me, because I disregarded his orders and chewed a piece of sticky, sugary gum anyway? In my mind, there is only one person to blame... the dentist! Ok, just kidding! The crown falling out was clearly my fault and my dentist should not be held accountable in any way shape or form.

In my mind, the same is true when looking at the idea of accountability in the world of education. Yes, I do believe educators should be held accountable for student performance and growth over the course of a school year (no - I still don't think its ok to connect teacher/principal evaluations to students' standardized test scores). I think there are many ways to assess student performance and growth - portfolios, project based learning, etc. - in connection with accountability but at some point, the educator comes off the accountability trail and the child/student assumes full responsibility. As an educator, I will do my best to equip my students/children with the skills and experiences they will need to be successful in life but whether or not they access those skills or experiences in the future is up to them - not me. Once we start holding educators responsible for the choices that former students make in their adult lives we have entered the world of accountability gone wild!    

Isolation Island to Island of Instructional Leaders

The following post was intended to be the first on my blog and I wrote it on the day that I returned from the ASCD Conference a few weeks ago. I had been toying with the idea of starting a blog because it seemed like something I wanted to try but actually getting started was a whole other story. So, while charging my iPad at ASCD, I ran into Katrina (@KatrinaStevens1), who I had been following on Twitter for a while, and after sharing my blog struggles with her, she shared gave me some great advice and offered that push I needed to get started (thanks Katrina).  This is the result of that first attempt...

It was late January and our family was preparing for our son's upcoming surgery (that's a whole other type of Isolation Island). Being that there was ample stress permeating our lives, both my wife and I took the opportunity to unwind with some reading each night after tucking the little guy in. I was finally catching up on some professional reading when I came across an issue of Scholastic Administrator. I was immediately intrigued by the cover that featured a man holding a phone in front of his face and the Twitter "mascot" sitting atop the phone (I know many of you know the image I'm describing). I had heard a lot about Twitter but was extremely resistant to try it because I always associated it with celebrities (the Kanye Wests and Britney Spears of the world) sharing random thoughts and details about their lives that I had no interest in reading. There was also some talk about Twitter in our district a couple of years ago in regards to communicating with parents but once again I was resistant - mainly because I didn't know much about the tool. But, here was this guy, a fellow principal in New Jersey, on the cover of the magazine spotlighting how he used Twitter to enhance his craft. Being that I am always looking for ways to make myself a better instructional leader, educator and colleague, I dove into the article and soon found myself hooked and ready to create my own Twitter account!

The guy on the cover turned out to be Eric Sheninger (@NMHS_Principal) and he was using Twitter for the purposes of professional development and for connecting with other like-minded educators (I recently had a chance to hear Eric speak at ASCD and I left the workshop feeling empowered and even more knowledgable). As the principal of an elementary school, with no other administrator in the building, the leadership experience often leaves me feeling like I'm on my own little island - Isolation Island to be exact. Don't get me wrong, there is rarely a minute when I am actually alone while at school but the ability to dialogue, problem solve or collaborate with other administrators doesn't occur on a regular basis (even though I work with some dedicated educators). There is something so exciting and inspiring that happens when dialoguing with other instructional leaders and administrators about their experiences, successes, failures and passions. Although I have attended conferences in the past, the experiences didn't necessarily have a lasting impact on my professional development because the ability to brainstorm, expand and collaborate with others on next steps was still that missing link.

Well, I am happy to share that Twitter has changed all of that for me - BIG TIME! Since I joined Twitter at the beginning of February (less than 3 months ago) my whole professional world has been thrown on its head - and that's a great thing! I can honestly say that I have learned more about teaching, learning and instructional leadership in the last three months than I have learned in the last three years. Since joining Twitter, and learning the ropes (I still have a lot to learn) I feel like I jumped off of Isolation Island and made my way to the Island of Instructional Leaders (and Pioneers)! So, what have I learned since joining Twitter? How have I been impacted as a leader since joining Twitter? Here are just a few things that have happened for me since joining Twitter...

1. I have developed an amazing PLN (Personal/Professional Learning Network) filled with other passionate and knowledgeable educators who challenge me to think and push myself to new levels and in directions I never imagined! My PLN is made up of other principals, educators, central office administrators, life long learners - there are too many to name individually but I am grateful to each of them because I have gained something from them that has made me a better leader and educator!
2. I get to follow some of the people in education who I respect and admire - Todd Whitaker, Heidi Hayes Jacobs, Alfie Kohn, Kathy Schrock, and Fountas & Pinnell just to name a few! Not only do I get to read what they're thinking about or working on but I can reach out to them directly with a question or comment and can usually get a response!
3. I have learned the power of the HASHTAG and how using the right tag unlocks a whole other world of professional conversations and sharing of ideas! Whether its the #ptchat on Wednesday evening or the #edchat on Tuesdays, there are literally hundreds of people online sharing ideas about a specific question, topic or book and the flow of ideas is unreal!
4. I have learned about Zite, which has literally changed the way I start my day! I cannot begin getting ready for the day if I don't spend time reading through the blogs, posts and articles organized by Zite for me! (Eric taught me about this one at ASCD!!)
5. I have learned about Google Docs (and many other Google components) that have shown me different ways to harness and focus the power of collaboration - what an amazing (and FREE) resource!! I have already created an account and started checking things out!
6. I have learned about Evernote, which has literally changed my professional life! It is an incredible app that allows me to type up stuff, take pictures, etc. and access the material from any device where I have downloaded the app because of the way it syncs! So, while doing walkthroughs each day in the building, I walk around with my iPad and take notes using Evernote and then when I get home at night those notes are on my laptop, which makes my life so much easier when offering specific praise or feedback! I will definitely be using Evernote for my formal observations next year too!
7. I have learned about Diigo, which is such an amazing tool whose potential I haven't even fully realized yet! Basically, it allows me to visit different websites, read through them, make notes or highlight parts of the text and then bookmark it to my diigo account so I can access it later! And, I can access Diigo from any computer so all my bookmarks travel with me - AMAZING!
8. I was inspired to share the world of Twitter with my staff and colleagues through a voluntary training session where more than 40 people attended! It was great to see fellow educators get inspired and avail themselves to this new medium for professional development and for becoming a connected educator!
9. I have learned about some great online resources like mentimeter, yolasite, todaysmeet.com, typewith.me, twurdy, and socrative just to name a few! Check them out whenever you get a chance because they can change the way you do things in your classrooms and in your school!
10. I started my own blog (hopefully you're reading it now)! I use Blogger for my postings and I am loving every minute of blogging! I find Blogger to be user friendly and the steps for getting started and refining my blog straight forward and easy to follow. Blogging makes me feel empowered and has allowed me a whole other outlet for my ideas, successes, failures and passions as they relate to the world of education!

These are just a few of the things I have learned over the last few weeks since joining Twitter and sharing my Tweets with the world. Needless to say I have taken my professional development into my own hands and the experience has been liberating! Sometimes I feel like I am learning so much that I don't know where to begin but I have come up with a system for that too - I Diigo the things I want to hold on to and access them when I ready to learn something new. I can honestly say that not a day goes by where I don't learn something new ever since I made the move from Isolation Island to the Island of Instructional Leaders!