Principals Are People 2

One of the clearest memories I have of undergraduate school as an education major was someone along the line telling us that when we had our own class, we should not let the children see us smile until December - at the earliest! If they saw us smile, they could see "cracks" in our armor and would quickly take advantage of them and all order would be lost and anarchy would unfold (ok - those weren't the exact words but you get the idea). Well, I am thrilled to share that I barely made it through an hour on the morning of day one and I couldn't contain my joy, enthusiasm and excitement - they saw me smile day one. And you know what? There was no anarchy; there was no lack of control; there was some chaos but it was the best kind and in the end, I had an amazing eight years as a classroom teacher filled with joy, happiness and awesome memories. I knew there was something about those words of advice that did not sit well with me!

Fast forward to my days as a graduate student in an educational leadership program and I have another pretty strong memory. That memory revolves around the words of one of my professors; the words went something like this... No one can ever see the principal sweat or get frazzled or show much emotion - everyone is looking to the principal to decide how to react. Really? So the principal is supposed to be a robot that lacks some of the essential qualities of a human being? How could that really work?

Based on how well the whole "DONT SMILE TILL DECEMBER..." thing worked out for me you can imagine how the no sweating, no getting frazzled and no emotion thing played out in my time as a principal. To be honest though, during my first two years as a principal, I tried hard to abide by those words of advice - I walked around with a smile on my face most days, put out everyone else's fires before I even ate or used the bathroom and always stayed organized and tried to be calm. While that might have worked in the building, I went home and cried about four nights a week about how stressed, overwhelmed and defeated I was feeling by the job. It was killing me because I was trying so hard to maintain this facade that I was slowing dying inside - fleeting was the joy, passion and fun that I experienced each day as a teacher.

Needless to say I knew something had to change - either I wasn't cut out to be a principal (still a very likely possibility) or I needed a fresh start where I could show emotion, where being frazzled might be a possibility and sweating wouldn't be frowned upon. Before giving up on the profession (quitting doesn't come easily for me) I decided that maybe starting over again at a new school would be worth the try. Well, here I am, six years later as the Lead Learner of #Cantiague Elementary School and I can honestly say that this change has reignited my passion and excitement because I threw those words of advice from educational leadership school out the window before day one and I decided to be me - the whole package - the good and the bad - the pretty (ok - there isn't much of that) and the ugly - the teacher and the learner - I decided to be Tony, the person!  

You see, the thing is, principals are people too. Sure, we are technically the leaders of the organization (although from my vantage point the students, teachers and staff all assume leadership in some way, shape or form but that's a whole other post) but the bottom line is, we are people with emotions and lives inside and outside of the school that impact our work each day. We get speeding tickets when we're running late (at least I do); we forget to respond to an email every once in a while (even though my email shows up on my phone); we have to choose between work and family on many occasions (this one is so tough); we forget to eat lunch or use the bathroom (I think at one point I went almost two days without doing either); we get happy, sad, excited, angry, etc. - you name it, we feel it! That's right - principals are people too. And you know what I have learned from my experience at #Cantiague as the Lead Learner? That because I try being transparent with those around me as often as possible, they have come to appreciate me as Tony the person... not just Tony the principal! Yes, they know what I stand for and believe in as an educator but they also know that I cry because my son has to have surgery every six months and that I love to drink Mountain Dew on a somewhat regular basis and that my heart bleeds blue and orange for the Mets and that I am prone to pulling into the parking lot at school most mornings with the windows down and music blasting! You see, they don't only know me as Tony the principal but they have come to care about me as Tony the person too.   

So, if you are a #Cantiague community member and you are reading this post - thank you for supporting me and for accepting Tony the person! 

If you are a teacher who might have raised your eyebrow or snickered at some point when your principal spoke or did something that seemed ridiculous, try and give them the benefit of the doubt and remember that at the core, they are people too (even though we may seem unemotional and robotic at times). 

And if you are a principal reading this post remember to be real - be transparent and honest with your community! Be a learner first! Remember to always keep kids at the center! Don't be afraid to openly reflect on your failures as often as you celebrate the successes! Be a person first and principal second because I believe it will serve you well!

Finally, a special shout out to some very near and dear friends of mine who joined me on this blogging challenge and posted their own takes on the idea that Principals are People Too. Check out their posts here...

Jessica Johnson

Curt Rees      

Jay Posick

Tom Whitford

Amber Teamann

Leah Whitford

Tim Lauer

Joe Sanfelippo     

What Is Your Vision?

From fideles.net 

As educators, especially those of us in leadership positions, one of the first things we are asked to consider is the Vision Statement for our school. You know what I am talking about... that bulleted list of generic phrases and words trying to capture what the schooling experience will be like for children. Here is an example in case it's been a while since you looked at your own vision statement...

Our vision is that children leave school with: 

A set of values -- being honesty, being determined and being considerate of others. 

A set of basic skills -- literacy, mathematical, scientific, artistic and social. 

Strong self-esteem and developed self-confidence. 

Tolerance and respect for others. 

We value the partnership which exists between school, families and our community in realizing this vision. 

WOW... those all sound like some pretty wonderful and important aspects in the development of a child. But, I have a bunch of questions and concerns...

• Is there anything in that vision statement that makes identifiable to a specific school? (Sounds pretty generic)

• What exactly does all the stuff described in the vision statement look like? 

• What does being determined look like? 

• How do we teach children about their levels of self-confidence? 

• What role do the students play in this vision aside from being on the receiving end? 

• Is this vision happening to kids and the community or are all constituent groups actively part of the process? 

The list of questions could go on and on but you get the idea - what is the point of this vision statement and what does it really mean for a school community? This is something I had been struggling with for years at our school because I wasn't quite sure about the best way to capture and represent our vision statement. There was one in place when I arrived six years and I made a decision to leave that one alone until I was in the school long enough to develop solid connections with every member of the community and to significantly impact and shape the tone and culture of the building. Well, at the start of this year, my sixth year at Cantiague, I decided this was the year to tackle the dreaded vision statement because I think we had finally achieved a group understanding of our vision and the direction we wanted to go with our vision!

from likeateam

So, at the start of the year, our Shared Decision Making Team was charged with this important task... re-write and re-create the Cantiague Elementary School Vision Statement. Our Shared Decision Making Team is comprised of six staff members, four parents, two students and me. We started by listing words that we felt best described Cantiague and the Cantiague experience. Generating that list (ended up being about 100 words and phrases) and then narrowing it down was quite a process that involved surveys, discussions, more surveys and follow-up discussion. It literally took us months to decide which words and phrases best captured the Cantiague experience for kids. After deciding on the words that best fit Cantiague (the students on the team really helped refine the list from their vantage point) we then shifted the conversation to what our vision statement should actually look like... will we generate that bulleted list? Maybe write it in a different way? Or go in a completely different direction and create a Wordle that would permanently be visible on our website. Although it was a great discussion, we had a tough time coming to a conclusion!

After a month of discussion on this topic, the team kept coming back to the power of our Cantiague Video Updates (check out the latest one here). The feeling was that a video might best capture the Cantiague experience and would allow us to actually show, with images, what the vision statement looks like in school. Well, thanks to the hard work of three team members - Katie, Casey, Lisa and the rest of the Shared Decision Making Team - the Cantiague Vision Statement went from an idea to a video reality. Check it out and please leave a comment below letting us know what you think about our vision and ask yourself, What is your vision?    

Passionate Learners: A Humble Review

After reading Pernille Ripp's book, Passionate Learners: Giving Our Classrooms Back To Our Students, there are three words that immediately jump to the forefront of my mind... passion, control and voice. Are those necessarily original words when it comes to books directed at educators? Probably not but what makes this book different is that the ideas of passion, control and voice are directed at both the educators and students in our classrooms today. Pernille stresses the importance of passion, control (not in the way most of you are probably thinking) and voice for every person in the classroom because these concepts should be central to the educational experience; these concepts should guide the educational experience; these concepts should inspire and empower both the learners and teachers in the room... and by the way, both the educators and students should be learners and teachers each day. From my vantage point, these are the themes and concepts that are central to this excellent book.

So, I have never written a book review before but I am going to give it my best shot. The book is well written and filled with voice - as I was reading it, I felt like I could hear Pernille talking to me. Her passion, conviction and voice permeate the book - it is clear to me this book comes from her heart and soul. The book is easy to read and structured in a way that includes the theory behind her thinking, tips on how things might look in the classroom and links to some amazing resources that would be useful to every educator! 

As I see it, the book is her take on what teaching is for her (her own manifesto of sorts)! Now let's be clear, Pernille's take on teaching is not necessarily what it should be or will be for everyone else but it is her "guide" to teaching; her vision of school; and her suggestions on how things might look in any given classroom. Fortunately, on many levels, her take on schooling and life in a classroom is somewhat unconventional and goes against what many of us learned during our education classes and ultimately, I think that is what I love most about this book. She pushes back on homework, offers a unique take on rewards and consequences and even tackles the Common Core standards through a different lens than most educators today and honestly, that is what I found so refreshing and inspiring about this book... a classroom handbook of sorts. 

Did I agree with everything in the book? No. For example, as a building principal, I do think about the teachers who send students to my office the most (Pernille suggests that principals don't keep tabs on that but I do in a very informal way) because once a student comes to my office as a consequence, the control has been shifted from the teacher to me and I don't think that is a great thing. The way I see it, from the moment a student is sent to the Principal's office for a consequence, the teacher has relinquished control and the relationship between that teacher and student will forever be different. Again, this is just my take on that idea. Additionally, Pernille points out the flaws with reward systems but the truth is, I have seen reward systems and behavior plans make a world of difference for some of our most involved students. There are students who benefit from a structured behavior and reward plan that reinforces the positive behavior they need to be successful and safe. Does every kid need that type of plan? No. Should we be "bribing" kids to do their "job" (aka - being a learner)? No. But does a black and white reward system work for certain children? Yes. Even though I did not necessarily agree with Pernille on these points, I love that she gave me a different way to look at them and consider them - she has helped broaden my lens!

Now, back to the three words that jumped into my mind when I was done reading the book... passion, control and voice! You see, each person in the classroom needs a dose of all three of these things to be successful. Everyone should have an opportunity to follow their passions - especially the students! Everyone should share control of the learning process as it unfolds in the classroom - especially the students! Everyone should have voice in the way teaching and learning looks in the classroom - especially the students! Although earlier I qualified this book as a "handbook" of sorts for educators, the focus is really on the students (hence the title). The focus is on creating a truly student-centered classroom where students are empowered to use their voice to take control of the learning and pursue their passions. 

We need to see students as partners in the teaching and learning processes - not just receivers of information. We need to learn from our students and let them direct us at times. We need to invest in genuine relationships with our kids - our children need to feel valued, respected and appreciated. Our children need to be reminded that making mistakes is often critical to learning and is a positive thing. Our children need to know that everyone might show what they know and understand in a different way and that is acceptable - one size does NOT fit all. Our children need to know that school is a partnership and that the classroom is their space to explore, learn and grow.... to take risks and push their thinking... to fail on the journey to success... to laugh, talk and engage on their terms. Our children and educators need to remember that our classrooms belong to our students and we are there to support, encourage and empower them because only then will we be able to give our classrooms back to our kids! 

Thank you Pernille for sharing your book with me... you have changed my thinking and helped make me a better educator and leader. With that in mind, I strongly suggest that every educator read this book whether they agree or not because ultimately, we are all motivated by doing what is in the best interest of children, right?    
    

From The Mouths of Babes

I recently had the pleasure of spending a quiet evening with my son Paul. We did some homework, had dinner and chatted for a while. During one of our conversations in the early part of the night Paul paused while reading and said, "Dad, school could be so much better if only a few things were different but I don't think it really matters because no one cares what kids have to say about school. We are just supposed to listen!"

Needless to say, I was both intrigued and horrified by Paul's comment. My initial question was one of genuine interest... how can we make school better? Please tell me Paul! I was excited and interested. Within moments though, I was consumed by sadness and concern because I couldn't help but think that all our children may feel like their voices are meaningless within the school experience. 

Determined to stay focused on the positive, I asked Paul to explain to me what, from his perspective, would make school a better place for all kids and here is what Paul came up with...

• Eliminate homework or at least keep it to a minimum each night. Kids work hard in school all day so when they get home, they need time to play, relax, be with their families and even just think about their day and reflect on what happened! Kids should not be doing hours of homework, especially if no on actually checks it at school. If kids are expected to spend their time outside of school doing homework, then teachers should check it. If homework is a must, then don't give too much of it - that just stresses everyone out at home!

• Give kids more time to work together in school. School work and learning is always so much better when we get to work in partnerships or small groups. I love working with a partner because it makes learning more fun and gives me a space to share my ideas. Also, when I work with a partner, I never feel embarrassed to ask a question about what we are doing, especially if I am confused.

• Let me do research about the things that I am most interested in! For example, I am really interested in Marvel and DC characters (especially the villains) so maybe I could research their histories and do a presentation using some form of technology or I could create my own comic book. Whatever the topic, I think us kids can figure out a way to connect it back to the different subjects in school. 

• I had no interest in studying the Sugar Act for social studies but it was assigned to me so I had no choice. This is often a problem for us kids because no one really asks us what we want to do and why we want to do it. Things could be so much better if schools and teachers let students have a choice in some of the things they have to learn about in school! Who doesn't like to have choices? 

• School needs to be fun because when we are having fun and laughing together we feel better about ourselves and we could do anything. For example, let me bring my iTouch to school to help me learn - not only will that be fun for me but it will also help me learn. I think this is the most important one - school needs to be fun for everyone!

As I listened to Paul and took notes on what he shared, I found myself shaking my head along in agreement. You see, as a doctoral student, I saw ways that my school experience could be improved by implementing some of Paul's suggestions. I also started to think about myself as the Lead Learner of Cantiague Elementary - how could Paul's suggestions help us at Cantiague? I am not quite sure of the answers but one thing I am certain of is that I want our children, starting with Paul, to always feel like their voices are heard and valued - that, in itself, can make school a better place. So, moving forward, don't forget to hear the things emanating from the mouths of babes because the suggestions our kids make can most definitely improve the school experience for everyone!        

Now What?

Through my many connections on Twitter, the relationships I have established with other educators in NYS and the friendships I have nurtured with my classmates at Penn, there is one common thread that connects them all... most of us agree that the current landscape of public education is not a pretty one and things don't seem to be improving any time soon. The question that always follows is... what are we going to do about it?

from sandiegofreepress

I had breakfast with a friend, a fellow educator, the other day and we discussed the many challenges and issues facing public education today. Our list included (but was not limited to)... 

• high stakes testing with little positive impact, if any, on kids; 

collinhinds.blogpost 

• poor implementation of the Common Core State Standards (are the standards the issue or the way they are being implemented?); 

• the current push to reform educator evaluation models and establish a direct link between educator's evaluations and the way students perform on one high stakes test; 

• the standardization of instruction, which is unfolding in many schools behind the thin veil known as the Common Core State Standards (do standards mean we must standardize the way we teach?); 

• issues like poverty and class that impacting many of our schools in this country - will the Common Core close that "gap" for kids?; 

from rayoflighcambodia 

• the ineffectiveness of some educators who are either in classrooms or leading schools/districts today - they are not the majority but they are in our schools and they are impacting our children in a negative way!

• the fact that non-educators are making decisions about teaching and learning... people who have never taught a day in their lives nor have they spent a moment of time in a public school today... yet they have more voice than those of us who dedicate our lives to this world!

• are we actually preparing our children for their futures? Have we correctly qualified what it means to be college and career ready? What should education look like for our children today?

Of course, the list above could go on and on (please feel free to add to the list in the comments section) but the question still remains... Now What? If there are thousands of us, and I will go a step further and say probably even hundreds of thousands of us, who agree that the issues outlined above are just the tip of the iceberg plaguing our schools today, what are we going to do about it? How are we going to change things? What will we do to advocate for the needs of our children? What will we do to change the landscape of public education?

We can no longer close the doors to our schools or classrooms and do what we want in isolation (even if we are doing some awesome things for kids); we can no longer just complain about the problem or merely acknowledge its existence; we can no longer allow others, in many cases people who are not practitioners working in schools everyday, to make decisions that impact learning, instruction and best practice in OUR schools. NO! 

We must figure out a way to regain control of our schools... our classrooms... our collective voices in an effort to do what is best for children! The time has come and we must work together to answer the question... Now What? 

Car Ride

After an almost five hour car ride, I am finally in my hotel room getting ready for a presentation I am giving at a conference tomorrow, which I am really psyched about doing. Don't get me wrong, it is great to unwind, unpack and get comfortable but the car ride was pretty awesome. You see, I was fortunate enough to have an amazing driver for this road trip through NJ, Pennsylvania and NY. You might know him - his name is Eric Sheninger (@NMHS_Principal) and he is one of the most passionate educators and nicest guys I have had the pleasure of getting to know over the last two years. 

So Eric is the reason I joined Twitter two years (I wrote about it here). After reading about Eric and his use of Twitter as it related to the world of education, I was hooked. Well, here we are nearly two years later and I don't know what I would do without Twitter, my PLN and the friendships I have developed on this socially connected network- they have changed my entire professional world! Today, and the five hour car ride with Eric, was exactly what Twitter is about for me - learning through the human connections I have established with other like-minded and passionate educators who are trying to do what is best for kids (I know this is not true of everyone but I see it in most of the people in my PLN). That is Eric in a nutshell - he is a dedicated and enthusiastic leader who is always looking for innovative and forward thinking ways to enhance the learning experiences of his kids and staff at New Milford.

That's not all though - Eric shared a lot more than his professional world. During this five hour car ride, I was able to pick Eric's brain on a bevy of topics from book writing to keynote speeches to creating MakerSpaces and his willingness to share, offer his perspectives and be an advisor/mentor blew me away - he shared so much to help me enhance my craft. I never would have imagined that a five hour car ride with one of my mentors who specializes in Digital Leadership (check out his book) would have been such a game changer but it came at the perfect time - thanks Eric. 

With that being said, the thing is, I could have been in the car with any number of people from my PLN (although Eric did introduce me to the best hot dogs on the planet) and the experience likely would have been similar. We talked, exchanged ideas, pushed our thinking and laughed - a LOT! In the end, that is what Twitter is all about for me... the amazing people who I have connected with (and even met in real life) who have willingly shared their expertise, passions, knowledge and experiences with no expectations. Thanks to Twitter, I have access to the best of the best who help me be a better educator and Lead Learner and these connections don't only benefit me, but they directly benefit our entire school community because I cannot wait to share what I have learned with those at Cantiague! Twitter is so much more than a digital platform... it is about connections... it is about social interactions... it is about relationships... it is about friendships... it is about the people behind the avatar... Twitter is a platform that allows for a free flow of ideas between people who make a choice to participate in this space; people who want to share; people who want to learn; people who are passionate about the world of education and want to do what is in the best interest of children.

So, the next time someone asks me about THE TWITTER and why I do it, I will tell them its about the car rides/conferences/text messages/voxes and everything else I share based on the human relationships I have established!      

40 Things I Know About Education

This month I turn 40... that's right - the BIG 4-0! I am not quite sure where the last 40 years have gone (I still think I am 28 somewhere in the back of my mind) but what I do know is that I have learned a LOT in my 40 years. I have learned a lot about myself, a lot about the people around me, a lot about what matters in life and a lot about the world of education. I have been an educator for almost half my life and during that 17 year stretch, my philosophy of education, which I see as a living entity, has been shaped and refined continuously! In honor of my 40th birthday, aside from the white hairs growing abundantly on my head and the back pains that seem to increase in frequency, I would like to share 40 things I know about education...

1. It is all about the kids... they come first, second, third and last. They are the beginning, middle and end! Every decision we make must be in the best interest of kids - even if it is a difficult decision!
2. Educators can let the kids see them smile before December! In fact, heck, let them see you smile from day one... smiles and laughter have a positive physiological impact on people.
3. If you are going to be successful as an educator you must lead with your heart and mind... because teaching and learning without heart is like Fountas without Pinnell!
4. It is never about the resources/stuff/materials... it is always about the educators in the school!
5. Differentiation of instruction needs to be at the foundation of all good instruction!
6. Our schools/classrooms/districts need to be a safe haven for kids... and staff!
7. We must embrace the idea that failure is a critical part of learning and growing!
8. Homework has NO value unless it is checked and is potentially used as a type of formative assessment!
9. Don't just do something because it is the way it has always been done!
10. Embrace innovation and disruption... push kids (and yourself) out of your comfort zone by taking risks through disruptive innovation!
11. Faculty Meetings should not just be a review of things that can be covered in an email!
12. Kids need recess... don't take it away unless it is a consequence for something they did during recess!
13. The Arts are a critical part of any educational organization... it is a way to hook many kids who aren't hooked by math, reading or writing!
14. High stakes testing is useless because we cannot do anything with the data!
15. Students and teachers should NOT be reduced to a number as a result of a score on a standardized assessment!
16. NCLB, Common Core, RTTT, etc. have not addressed the systemic issues plaguing the landscape of public education in this country!
17. One bad year in school can set a kid back for years!
18. Kids need to read EVERY SINGLE DAY if they are to become stronger readers and THINKERS!
19. Collaboration is critical to the success of all members of the organization!
20. Being flexible is underrated!
21. Don't use sarcasm with your students.
22. Don't embarrass your students in front of each other.
23. Spend time creating a community of learners in your classroom - it can go a long way!
24. If kids can show their understanding in 4 or 5 math problems, don't give them a sheet with 20 or more!
25. Kids should have a voice in their learning and assessment!
26. Effective classroom management is rooted in trust, respect and empathy!
27. Telling kids what they are going to learn at the start of a lesson is a great way to hook them and gives them a context for what is to come!
28. Field trips are really important - they bring the curriculum to life.
29. Giving kids a second chance can go a long way.
30. We must focus on the issues... not the people... don't take things personally!
31. Healthy and positive relationships are at the core of any successful school!
32. Positivity goes a long way.
33. There are many policies and mandates that we must follow but how they manifest themselves in our space is up to us!
34. Feedback is a wonderful thing that can be transformative... don't get defensive around feedback!
35. We must listen more than we talk.
36. "Covering" the curriculum should not be our goal.
37. We are all learners first!
38. Don't ask if you taught it... figure out what was actually learned!
39. Create an environment where taking risks (and likely failing) is the norm!
40. Kids come FIRST!

Clearly the list could go on and on but in the end, I think these 40 points are critical to the success of any educator, student and learning organization. 

What do you think should be the next thing on this list? Please leave a comment below!

My Problems with Twitter

That's right, I said it... there are some potential problems with Twitter. Some huge problems that could impact the benefit of this socially connected network that brings educators from across the globe together. Regardless of gender, race, class or geographical location, Twitter allows like-minded (or completely not like-minded) individuals to connect, collaborate, curate, engage, deliberate, discuss and learn for free... 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Need a link to an article, video or blog post? Hit up your PLN (Personal/Professional Learning Network)! Need an idea for how to invigorate a staff meeting? Tweet out the question to your PLN! Want to introduce an app into your 1:1 school to support reading instruction? Type the question in 140 characters or less and your PLN will be there to help!

Yes, the potential power of Twitter is only beginning to be understood by many in the world of education. But, as we know, with anything good thing comes some potential issues, challenges and drawbacks and this is true of Twitter. There are some problems with Twitter, at least from my perspective and I need to put them out there for myself... so I can be aware of them as I continue my journey as a connected educator. What are these problems you ask? Well, here are the ones that I see...

1) We are susceptible to groupthink! That's right - I said it! Groupthink could totally rear its ugly head and I feel like I have seen it happen already. My take on groupthink is when within a group (usually like minded people) the desire for conformity and acceptance impact the decisions that are made by those within the group. Instead of critically evaluating and deliberating the ideas and points of view of others, we just accept others' ideas as our own to fit in or gain followers or be accepted or whatever! Should we be able to agree with those who think like us? YES... but let's not miss the opportunity to reframe a problem/issue/challenge and consider it from a different lens. For example, what if we didn't view the Common Core State Standards as the death of public education? What if we viewed them as an opportunity? Not saying that I feel one way or the other about CCSS but what I know is that it's one of those topics where we allow ourselves to feel victimized and jump on the bandwagon instead of flipping the table and taking a different stance. 

2) That brings me to my other concern... there are too many people potentially taking the position of "victim" on Twitter. Is the current landscape of public education concerning? Yes! Are there lots of things happening in our schools that are not in the best interest of children? Yes! Does the push for high stakes testing, privatization of public education and accountability stink? Yes! But, why focus on all that when you are in this socially connected network of people where you have access to incredible amounts of expertise and experience (Where else can you chat with Todd Whitaker, Daniel Pink and even the Pope??) that can help you reframe challenges and see them as opportunities for growth and learning. I am not saying we shouldn't complain about all that is wrong but let's not get mired in that when we have the chance to collaborate with other passionate and motivated educators. Like I used to say to my kids, "Don't perpetuate the problem... offer a solution!"

3) Let's not just use Twitter as a soapbox or a space to regurgitate quotes and cliches... NO! Let's use this platform as a think tank... as a space to nurture and cultivate solutions... as a place to exchange ideas, resources and perspectives that will help us be better in our own contexts! Yes, we all know that there are inequities in our schools; systemic issues that our plaguing our learning institutions; and gaps in the quality of education our children are receiving across this country but instead of commenting on these issues, let's use the collective power and knowledge in this space to make things better! Let's push initiatives like Genius Hour, Differentiated PD for educators and MakerSpaces... and the 100's of other ideas and approaches that can make learning more meaningful and engaging for our kids! 

4) Twitter is not about the number of followers you have (although the more you have, the greater your reach and access to resources and perspectives) but instead Twitter is about the human connections you establish. The connections that lead to an exchange of ideas; the connections that lead to deliberations from different points of view that help us broaden our lens; the connections that give us a boost or a push when we need it most; the connections that inspire us and ground us at the same time. Twitter is about the people we get to know, respect and value... much like what happens in a well-functioning classroom or school.   

5) We need to stop pushing Twitter on the disconnected educators because I don't think that is the right approach! When I used to talk about Twitter, I think people wondered how much of the Kool-Aid I had ingested and whether or not my tweeps and I were all in a cult! Well, what I started to realize is that the Twitter experience is a journey... it is not an experience that can simply be replicated for those who have yet to be connected. It looks different for every person and we have to respect that for some people, "lurking" (and never actually tweeting) is as far as they will get and that is ok. Twitter is about learning. Twitter is about getting access to some of the most amazing resources available to educators. Twitter is a personal journey whose trajectory is dictated by the individual... not the platform!

Ok... so there you have it... these are the problems with Twitter that I have identified during my two year journey. What do you think? Am I wrong? Have I missed any? Am I totally on point? Please help me see a different perspective... help me learn and grow... please push my thinking! 

Being Normal

Paul had his most recent surgery last week. It was a "routine" procedure involving the rods in his back needing to be extended to match his growing body. Fortunately everything went well and Paul is home resting and recovering from this latest experience. Aside from the physical pain and discomfort that Paul feels every six months when he has this "routine" surgery, there is also the emotional pain that creeps its way back into his heart and mind... 

"Why do I need to have back surgery every six months?" 

"Why was I born with this problem?" 

"I hate having surgery every six months!" 

"Why can't I just be normal like everyone else?" 

Needless to say, hearing these words hurt almost as much as the pain we feel when we wait for hours during Paul's surgeries. Granted, Paul is "normal" in so many other ways for a boy his age - he is obsessed with Minecraft, he loves eating chicken fingers, he thinks farting noises are funny, he hates doing homework, he can tell you the most random and obscure facts about Star Wars and Marvel (especially the villains - this kid LOVES all the bad guys) and he loves playing video games! Is he a "normal" nine year old? Yes but every six months or so, he is reminded about how different he is from most other nine year olds in his world and all he craves is a bit of normalcy.

In considering this idea of "normal," I think of the many children in our schools who just want to be normal - these children don't want to stand out; they don't want to be unique; and they don't want to be special but instead, they want to be normal. The child who is impacted by a reading disability and only craves to read the same books as his classmates but can barely navigate the first page. The child who has trouble fitting in socially and all she wants is to be accepted by certain peers who are so wrong for her. The child who is impacted by severe allergies and all he wants is to sit at the same lunch table as his classmates and enjoy the same meals. We know these kids because they are present in every one of our classrooms, schools, districts and lives. We also know these kids because we may have been them at one point in our own lives - just wanting to be normal! Wanting to fly under the radar and go unnoticed like every other normal person.  

So, how do we treat these kids who want to be normal? How do we respond to them when they are struggling and expressing their frustrations? I don't know about you, but I generally respond by pointing out what makes them special and spotlighting all their strengths. In school we might provide a student with intensive services in the area of need. Or we might have them spend time with the school psychologist or guidance counselor to work through their issues. Whatever the situation, we try hard to make things better - not necessarily normal though. 

Well, today, in talking to my son, I realized he didn't want to hear about all the things that make him perfect and special in my eyes. Instead, he just wanted to hear that it was ok to feel the way he feels and that being normal isn't such a bad thing. And you know what? He is right - there are plenty of times in my life where I just wished things could be normal and uneventful... maybe even somewhat boring. In the end, I realized how lucky we are that Paul verbalizes his feelings and expresses his desire to be normal. So, in the future, I will thank him for sharing his thoughts with me and instead of trying to make him feel special, I will acknowledge his need to be normal and do my best to treat him like every other "normal" person. 

I am not sure what this looks like in school... maybe we let that struggling reader tackle the grade level text if that is what makes him feel normal for a little while even though we know he may not comprehend the content. Maybe we let that young lady who wants to fit in sit with that clique at lunch if that makes her feel normal, even though we know she may get hurt in the end. Don't get me wrong - I know that every child is incredibly special in some way but I have come to realize that maybe sometimes letting them feel normal might be necessary. Maybe if we let our kids feel normal some of the times, they will come to realize for themselves what makes them unique and special and then they won't be so interested in being normal.        

Educon: Game Changer

Innovation… failure… risk taking… thinking outside of the box…not accepting the status quo… deliberation… collaboration… control over our learning spaces! Those are the ideas, concepts and goals that permeated my mind throughout the entire Educon experience last weekend (took me a while to process the experience because there were so many layers to it). 

So it seems to me that our kids come to school ready to innovate… willing to fail until they are successful… happy to go outside of the box because of a discovery they may uncover… not just being obedient receivers of information… not passively sitting back while things happen to them... Our kids are active thinkers who don’t accept no when passion and interest is driving their learning. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line, many schools end up squashing those qualities in our kids… we don't make them a priority... we don’t value them… we don’t assess them… we don’t see how they “fit” into the curriculum... we can't assign a number to creativity, innovation and disruption and so that means they don't fit in the current landscape of public education! 

Well, what I realized at Educon is that these qualities students enter school with should be at the center of everything we do in our learning orgnizations… whether through 1:1 implementation or a BYOD program or wearable technology or conversations about project/passion based learning as the anchor for all classrooms… we have the control to empower our kids and facilitate learning experiences in our schools that value innovation, disruption, failure, risk taking, collaboration and thinking outside of the box just to name a few. We, as educators who are there to advocate for our kids, have the power to shift the focus from teaching to LEARNING so the qualities our children enter school with are nurtured and fostered because that is how our students will be prepared to go into the world and change things for the better. 

This is what Educon meant to me. It gave me hope; it brought clarity to my vision for our school; and gave me access to like minded individuals who inspired me, stretched my thinking and pushed me further outside of the box! Thank you to Chris Lehman and the entire SLA family for hosting a most powerful learning experience!