Citizenship in the Digital Age

Citizenship has always been a part of classroom evaluation.  In that traditional classroom citizenship was based on treating others with respect in both your words and your actions.  Grades were distributed on a scale of (S)atisfactory - Needs (I)mprovement - and (U)nsatisfactory.  It was generally pretty easy to get a good grade in citizenship.  Although, I grew up in a small town and I had 14 aunts and uncles, two grandmothers and a couple of great-aunts that lived nearby.  If I wasn't a good citizen at school or in our community my mother usually knew about it before I got home.

Today, we live in a digital age where defining citizenship may be a little more challenging.  I think the expectations can be very similar.  That is, treat others with respect in both your words and your actions.  In the digital age the classroom and community has expanded to include areas never considered before.  Words and actions take on a whole new powerful meaning.  In the digital age students are communicating with the world through internet blogs, e-mail, social networking, cell phones, texting, and websites.  Educators still recognize the need for their students to practice good citizenship in the classroom and these values are taught everyday.  However, it is easy to overlook how these same values apply to the digital world.  This new age technology has given us freedom from cords and cables but not from good citizenship!  Why do people behave badly when it comes to these new age tools.  I believe it's because they don't know any better.  Schools have failed to embrace the technology and therefore failed to teach our kids the appropriate use of these tools

My challenge here today is for educators to address citizenship in the digital realm.  The following constitute a list of areas in the digital world that need to be addressed immediately.

Cell phones - talking when others are speaking or talking on the phone while talking with someone else.  This has probably provided the most opportunities for poor citizenship to both adults and children.  "Don't talk when others are speaking."  How many times have you seen someone walk up to a fast food counter and order food while talking to someone on a cell phone.  I have been in a meeting where the facilitator asked a question. A participant at the meeting was answering the posed question when the facilitator's phone rang.  He answered the phone a had a 5 minute conversation in the middle of the meeting.  I don't believe in either of these examples the people involved meant to be disrespectful.  Bystanders all recognized it as bad behavior.  Why didn't the cell phone users?

Texting - texting while driving, while in class, texting non-stop!  I've included this video from ATT because it involves real people from my home state of Missouri and because in the end we see how meaningless most text messages are that we have to read right now!



I have sat in a restaurant with my kids and had to tell them no texting, put your phone away, take your headphones out, unplug from the electronic world for 30 minutes and plug in to the human world for that time and chat live with your family.


Social Network Sites/Email

       Twitter - don't tweet when you are supposed to be listening to someone else speak.  It's just not polite and is a terrible form of listening.  I will admit in the twitterverse some speakers encourage    twittering during presentation and even provide quotable tweets during their presentation.  In situations like that twittering is not only o.k. but it is part of the learning activity.
    
       Facebook - Same as sending notes when we were kids.  Don't write it down unless you are willing to own it and in the internet world if you write you own it forever!  Sarcasm in online communication is really risky business.  Sarcasm is generally not good in face to face communication but in online communication you can't read body language, facial expressions or tone.  The potential for misunderstandings is huge when you use sarcasm online. "Don't air your dirty laundry in public."  No one wants to read line after line of hateful obscene language while two friends have it out online in front of the world.  If you have a beef with someone, go meet them and speak in person or at least pick up your cell phone and call them.
  
       E-Mail -  I'll be honest there are a lot of emails people send me asking questions or wanting clarification on policies and such.  I just won't answer them.  Most of the time I'll call and talk on the phone or go by and visit face to face.  It's probably more poor writing ability.  I look at it this way: I have already written something that has created confusion about an issue.  Can I write my out of the confusion or will I just add another layer of muck on top of it?  Exactly, that's why I call. As stated earlier, don't write it if you don't mean it and aren't willing to own it.  If it's a business email account then make sure the message is about business.


Digital Photography/Digital Movies & You Tube Videos - Photo shop is not for creating new embarrassing photos of your soon to be enemies.  It was meant to enhance photography.  Many friendships have been lost over photo pranks that were meant to be funny but instead were viewed as harassing and hurtful.  Nude images require a signed release from a model that is at least 18 years of age.  Otherwise it's not called photography its called kiddy porn! And it is against the law to have it on your computer or your phone.  You should always have permission of the participants before you publish a video to the internet.  Just because it might be legal doesn't mean that it demonstrates good citizenship.

Laptops/Ipads/Tablets - Just because I own a hammer doesn't mean that I will walk into your classroom and begin banging on the desktops.  Likewise, use your office tools where it is appropriate to use them.  If you are sitting at a choral concert, enjoy the live music.  You can catch up on your Google reader later.


IPODS/MP3's - Get the buds out of your ears.  You won't believe the conversations you are missing.  It's just not polite to have a conversation with someone with buds in your ears.  It's like saying: "I need to talk with you but I can't bear to listen to your voice without the soothing tones of ANTHRAX blasting in my ears."  Just because headphones are the size of rosebuds and when you are wearing them you don't look like a pilot getting ready to take a heading down runway one-niner in a Boeing 747 doesn't mean it's o.k. to tune everyone out.

In education we have a responsibility to embrace technology, even the annoying technologies that make us uncomfortable.  By embracing technology we get the opportunity to demonstrate the proper use of these tools and to teach our kids to be good digital citizens.  My old shop teacher "L.G." taught me a lot about using a hammer and a screwdriver.  If I was in his class today I think he'd be teaching about how to use my electronic tools.

SAGE ON THE STAGE or GUIDE FROM THE SIDE

I recently had a power-lunch with about ten teachers to talk about education.  Our PD comitteeman @justintarte selected a few videos for us to watch and serve as a springboard for discussion.  One of the videos (very humorous) - "Teach Different," featured various men and women with rather ironic statements about their future vocation in education.

They made statements like:  "when I become a teacher I want to sit in the teacher's lounge and complain ...," "when I become a teacher I want to lecture all day long ...".  But the statement that stood out to me the most was the woman that said, "when I become a teacher I want to be the sage on the stage."  At some point in our careers, in some narcissistic kind of way, we probably all have wanted to be the sage on the stage.  A Yoda kind of character that everyone focuses on for all the answers.  It's kind of a high that comes from being valued and recognized.  The sages reality is that the high is short-lived or never comes at all.  The irony is that the high, the value and recognition comes by playing exactly the opposite role.  Being the "guide from the side" or that person that leads others to discover their own truths and watching as the students around you each find that "ah huh" moment.  That is what creates the greatest high and reward in education.

When I became a teacher I wanted to be the guide from the side that let my students define their world and everything in it.  At times, I was better at this than others.  As a principal, my purpose hasn't changed a whole lot. I still work to be a guide from the side only now my students include teachers, students, custodians, cooks, aides, librarians, and other administrators.  Sometimes I'm better at this than others.  Sometimes I witness that "ah huh" moment.  The high that comes from sharing in that moment never wains and always brings a sense of pride.  This is really about giving the students and staff that you work with a voice and choice in their learning and professional development.  Mandates and directives will influence the charted course but the learner is the one steering the boat.

Shared Leadership:Essentials to Success

Shared leadership is an important part of any successful organization.  Economics has squeezed budgets and staffs down to bare minimums leaving everyone stretched to their limits.  At the same time expectations, mandates, and needs continue to grow.  How does a leader create a culture of shared leadership?  It requires a commitment to staff development, modeling, and risk taking.  It is an investment in the people of the organization that yields success on a grand scale.


Common Purpose:  The successful implementation of shared leadership requires a common purpose.  Everyone within the organization must share the mission, vision, and goals of the organization.  It means they must be defined and not just on paper.  They must be defined by the actions and words of the stakeholders.  Everyone should place value on the same things and direction is defined by the groups action.  This is an essential beginning, but often it is given lip service rather than voice.  Taking time with this step limits the risks for the leader.  We are all acting within the same parameters.


Equality: Shared leadership requires that everyone has equal importance to the organization.  Decisions are made through collaboration and there is a sense of shared responsibility as well.  Tasks and accountability become team responsibilities.  Each member has a voice and choice in determining their role and tasks.  There's not one artist with one brush on the canvas, there are multiple artists with multiple brushes.  The final painting may be subtly or even greatly different than the individual leaders.  But, with common purpose the canvas will bring forth a masterpiece none-the-less.  This is a scary piece of shared leadership.  Administrators tend to be "A" type control freaks that want to have all the answers.  The truth is, the more a leader thinks that they have all the answers, the less they really know about the organization.  The organization really controls what is the truth and action.


Ownership:  Equality leads to ownership.  Staff members that take ownership in the mission of the organization are engaged.  You don't have to tell them to get to work.  You have to tell them to take a break. You don't need to schedule a meeting to plan, because an engaged staff will be planning continuously.  You can't require or make expectations high enough for the staff member that has taken ownership of the organization.  There is an intrinsic value on the success of the organization.  This staff member will not let the organization fail.  You can't pay someone to feel this way.  It's about what you give them in terms of destiny.  Some leaders fail to recognize the need to allow someone to do it their own way.  I was a social studies teacher in the late 80's and early 90's.  I believe for that time, I was a pretty good teacher.  My kid's success was most important.  Today, I supervise social studies teachers.  It's hard to allow people to do things their own way, especially when you believe that the task is something that you were pretty good at and they aren't doing it the way you did.  But everyone has to have the opportunity to use the brush and paint the canvas as they see the picture in the organization's vision.


Success:  Success comes to the organization through shared leadership by creating a deeper understanding of the challenges faced in accomplishing the goals.  There is a broad base of followers working to accomplish the goals and they are looking forward to prepare for future challenges.  There is a lasting impact of the change that has taken place.  Understanding the challenges creates the opportunity for divergent solutions and allows people in the organization to use their unique skills to accomplish the goals.  Ownership leads to a broad base of followers.  This broader base includes a larger variety of talent and creates a culture of change within the organization.  People that own the change will hold on to that change even after a leader leaves.  Lasting change isn't about the leader, it's about the common vision.


Twenty years ago, I thought leadership was about proving what I could do when given a task.  I've discovered that leadership is really like working at a marina.  I simply untie the ropes and point the ship in the right direction.  Shared leadership is really about turning followers into new leaders.

3-D Student Evaluations: Testing, Assessments, and Learning Goals

This is a difficult time for educators to embrace the vocation of teaching.  It's not difficult because there is a lack of passion or desire among the professionals working in the field.  The challenge is the result of shifting paradigms that move like the sands of the Sahara searching for some anchor to attach and expectations that bounce around like an onside kicked football in a political arena that looks only to blame someone for the shortcomings of an entire system.  Assessment has become a dirty word to many professionals in education.  It suggests for some, a means to separate wheat from shaft, winners from losers,  the good from the bad. Testing is a bad thing used by the politicians and administrators to tell us how bad our teachers perform, and how poor our schools compare to the rest of the world.   Learning Goals and Backwards design imply the stifling of creativity and is a paradigm that can only be accomplished in lecture halls by disengaged students.

A recent professional development survey of my staff revealed that of 100 teachers not a single one indicated that assessment was their number 1 interest for future professional development.  ZERO!  It's important to note that the survey asked about assessment not testing.  My teacher's know it's important but who needs another reminder about the big high stakes event at the end of the year. We work hard to focus on the results as opportunities for curriculum evaluation rather than good teacher/bad teacher.  But, for many educators working in this high stakes testing environment, I'm afraid that assessment has become synonymous with testing.  Testing has become a BAD thing.  What I have learned about testing and assessment is that both are critical to effective education.  The problem is when either of these tools are used inappropriately or are used without balance they are ineffective and misleading. 

Assessment is broad term that can take many forms in a classroom.  It might be the observation of a students  creative designs posted on a webpage about a particular area of study. A puzzled look offers one assessment, while another comes from an essay. It could be the evaluation of a students interaction during a classroom discussion or even the evaluation of a students performance on a quiz.  It's an evaluation or quantification of a students progress towards a goal.  It doesn't stifle creativity, it doesn't demoralize a students self-esteem, and it doesn't create unmotivated students.  It's OK to have learning goals and to work towards achieving them.

These formal and informal assessments or evaluations serve the purpose of providing feedback to both the student and the teacher in terms of progress towards the learning goals.  This feedback should be used to provide and prescribe alternate experiences for the student, if needed, to meet the goals.  Using assessments in this manner means recognizing that some kids will get to the end on a completely different highway of thought.  But, in the the end, they will have accomplished the goal.  These evaluations are taking place all the time during instruction.  The great teacher uses them in combining the art and science of teaching.

Testing, whether the unit exam or the state standardized exam are both formal assessments.  They provide a sampling of the learning that has taken place.  It generally comes at the end of a learning activity and provides a sort of post mortem.  I say sort of because the formal assessment provides only a sampling of what has been learned and only single viewpoint.  It is difficult to evaluate a students performance of mastery based on this single perspective.  This is where testing begins to develop the bad rap.  The results, in recent years, have come to be viewed as a single measure of mastery.  I taught the lesson, Johnny failed the exam, therefore Johnny must not have learned the lesson... "F".  As educators we blame the politicians.  But we created this system and based our entire grading structure on it.  The politicians took an unauthentic assessment system that we created and used it to measure us, the way we have been measuring our kids. Testing has become viewed as the X-ray for what must be ailing schools.

An assessment system needs to use both formal and informal evaluations that are mixed into the learning process as both formative and summative assessments.  We need to embrace assessment as a tool for learning. Formal testing is only a tool to provide a partial measure of mastery, but alone it doesn't define mastery.  The current view of assessment is that of a tool all right.  It's an Axe at the end of the lesson to chop the hands off the students that didn't learn the lessons and stole valuable class time with divergent ideas and learning styles.  Testing is viewed as a single definitive measure that comes at the end.  I don't think educators believe this and I know that students don't believe it.  But it's easy.  That is where the challenge is for educators. We need to create an assessment system of measures and evaluations that provide three dimensional pictures of student learning.

Three dimensional systems of assessment would use data from informal observations, learning activities, class discussions, student questions, and yes, formal tests -even standardized tests.  All of these things combined would create an overall evaluation of a students mastery of learning outcomes.  Academia acknowledged a long time ago that quantitative research could not provide all the answers.  Qualitative research was developed to help provide a clearer picture to questions and inquiries that could not be accurately quantified with surveys and tests.  Like this, a three dimensional assessment system needs to be defined and implemented that provides answers to those inquiries about student learning that can not be quantified simply by testing.

Take me out to the ballgame or not, that is the question!

     What if students had the choice of attending class or not?  Would the kids still come to your class?  Would they attend some classes and not others?  What would cause them to choose some classes and not others?  What would happen to education?  These are questions that really should be part of every teacher's daily reflection.  I used to offer a day out of class for high performing students to attend a baseball game for free.  In St. Louis, not many events top a day game at Busch Stadium watching the Cardinal's play baseball.  But, every year there were students that chose not to go because they didn't want to miss this class or that class.  What was it about those classes and those teachers?  The kids chose to attend class rather than take a free day with the St. Louis Cardinals.  As  the principal, I was fortunate enough to observe these  teachers that had World Series quality classes and I can say that they all shared a number of particular qualities.World Series Qualities if you will.

     First, and I believe foremost, these World Series Championship teachers are passionate about kids.  They truly take interest in their students lives and they demonstrate their interest on a regular basis.  The kids know it too. These teachers attend events that their kids participate in outside of class.  They celebrate the events in their lives and take the time to build relationships.  These teachers make an effort to understand the challenges each one their students face and make efforts to help them see their own successes.  They also help their kids to believe in themselves and their power to control their destiny.  The kids turn to these teacher when they need help because they know they care.  Remember the old expression, kids don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.

     Secondly,  these World Series teachers have high expectations.  The kids understand that they are expected to master the lessons and that nothing less will be acceptable.  Everyday is business and class starts at the bell; Learning takes place until the bell rings to end class.  These teachers don't grade papers in class unless the purpose is review.  Above all,  students are not allowed to fail. They don't lower the standards.  They find ways to make it work.  The standard is high but these teachers will not  allow kids to give anything but their best effort.  John Wooden, in his book My Personal Best,  talked about not getting upset when his team, the UCLA Men's Basketball team lost a game, so long as they played their best.  However,  John never thought they lost a game when they played their best!  He was one of the most successful coaches in NCAA history and these have been some of my most successful teachers.

      Learning is the focus in these classes.  Many teachers have a great deal of potential but their focus is all wrong.  They concentrate on how they they teach to evaluate their performance rather than what their students have learned.  Pedagogy, by definition, is the framework and methods to achieve the goal. The goal is for students to learn and reach a level of mastery.  World Series type teachers focus on student outcomes.  They only look at teaching methods if students aren't learning.  These teachers understand that lectures, power points, videos, projects and computers are only tools used to accomplish the goal which is students learning.  Kids know that each and every day these classes result in personal and academic growth.  A teacher evaluation that focuses on teaching rather than learning in class is like evaluating a fisherman based on how he casts rather than on how many fish caught, neither identifies the successful practitioners. Educators struggle with this but kids don't.  Ask them.  They will tell you where the learning takes place.

      World Series type teachers engage their students and because the students are engaged they don't want to miss class.  Engaged students have ownership in their learning.  They value every lesson because they are part of the learning process.  These teachers engage their students in a variety of ways.  The lessons are active and students interact with the teacher and fellow students.  Some of these teachers use technology to engage students and others use a variety of learning techniques like jigsaws, labs, and projects.  These classrooms are student centered.  It's clear that the teacher is a "guide from the side" rather than a "sage on the stage."  These kids have ownership in their learning and therefore missing class is a big sacrifice.
      Finally, World series classrooms are a  place that students feel safe with a sense of autonomy.  These teachers provide an environment where kids have a voice in their learning and every student in the room is valued.  They can express themselves without fear of ridicule and there is an atmosphere of respect between all the students and the teacher.  Bullying doesn't take place in these classrooms.  In fact, these classrooms create a system of support for academics, emotional well-being, and personal development.  At the end of the school year kids don't want to leave.  The have a strong relationship with the teacher and their classmates.

So, if attendance in class was not required, would the kids still show up in your room?  Do you have a World Series kind of a classroom?  I hope that you do.  The good news is this: It's never too late to create a class that kids won't want to miss!  Be passionate about your students and become a part of their life. Have high expectations for your kids, keep your focus on learning and engage your students in their learning and create a place where kids don't feel threatened to express themselves.  Make your classroom a World Series caliber classroom and I'll bet students will skip a day game at Busch Stadium to be in your room!

Neo-Classical Education?

     Today I was taken back by a YouTube video of a college student that dropped out of his university studies because it got in the way of his education.  I have to admit that the kid had a point.  However, what if modern education was more like classical education? I'm not suggesting a return to the Trivium and Quadrivium but perhaps the 18th century educational model still has lessons for us all to learn.  In this classical period a student would meet with an academic advisor that would provide recommended readings and poignant discussions about philosophies.  Students were expected to develop a love for learning and knowledge. An advisor might send a student to hear a lecture at a local symposium or attend a concert or read a book.  Any resources that were available would be employed to create a deeper understanding of life and the world in which we lived. Students became Renaissance-like thinkers.

     A new classical model of education might similarly challenge students and create thinkers with real understanding of the world in which we live.  What if students met with advisors instead of attending class.  Advisors would compile portfolios of work that would be based on an individuals needs and might just be stored on a server in an e-format.  Students would attend webinars with scholars from around the world and perhaps write reflections about their experiences in blogs and Wikis. Serious topics could be discussed with the students' tweeps.  Students could attend concerts and operas from their laptops listening to the finest musicians in digital dolby surround sound.  They could collaborate with other students around the world in project based learning and publish their findings to the world. They could study Chinese while Skyping classmates in Hong Kong.  Student assessments could be based on a masterpiece displayed in a portfolio that scholars and peers could evaluate in blogs.  Could a neo-classical model of education reflect 21st century  learning and skills? I know it would create kids with a love for learning and knowledge.

A Case for Character Education in Secondary Schools

     Our high school has been named by the Character Education Partnership (CEP) a "National School of Character."  Next week we will be in San Francisco to receive our award make a presentation on our programs at Seckman High School.  Our journey to this place has been a bumpy ride with several miscues, and various degrees of exploration, experimentation and shared leadership.  This feat took the efforts of our students, our parents, community leaders, our teachers, and the formal and informal leadership among students and staff within the school. This past year Seckman High School was also named the "Missouri Service Learning Leader School."  One school counselor was a key for us in making this happen with stacks and stacks of papers, reports, and assorted items for documentation.
     To most high school administrators and teachers the thought of implementing character education conjures up visions of kids with tiny pieces of yarn creating massive balls of peace and in the background people standing on hilltops while the choirs sing have a coke and a smile.  I think that I've dated myself with that last reference.  But character education has a very serious place among secondary schools.  In fact, it IS the place that it belongs.  The problem is in the delivery system.  Traditional methods of providing character education in schools fits well at the primary level and when teaching at the lower end of the cognitive spectrum.  However, these methods fall short when trying to implement lessons about character at the high school level.  This leaves high school staff bewildered while trying to find yarn to build a peace ball.
      After struggling to implement a program of character education, we did manage a few things.  First, we managed to identify some key values.  We created a student "Bill of Rights" and we provided training to both student leaders and staff -including administrators on character education.  The program thrived at the elementary school and middle school.  In fact, one middle was also named a "National School of Character" and another was named a "State School of Character."  We continued to struggle at the high school until we began looking at Service Learning as a delivery system for character education.
     Service Learning involves preparation, assessment, reflection, and celebration(PARC).  Service Learning involves two key pieces: Service and Learning.  This is not to overstate the obvious but many times service projects and service learning become confused.  Service Learning is real world applications of character values that are integrated into the curriculum.  It fits every academic area in the school.  It is hands on learning for students.  It is authentic, student centered and engaging in every step of its implementation.  Students experience total immersion in character values and walk away changed from the experience.  They begin to take ownership in their classwork and take value in their education.
     In our school we began service learning on a small scale.  We flooded the staff with service learning opportunities and prodded a few likely candidates with a canned -in the box, type program.  This was the "Books of Hope" program.  Our technology teacher and an English teacher teamed up to participate with their students.  The English teacher had students write books of poems during their unit on poetry and the technology teacher threw out the Microsoft books and taught her kids publisher by publishing the poetry books created by the English classes.  We also had a group that participated in Missouri's "Operation Clean Stream."  Now, this really was a service project rather than service learning.  But with a little bit of tweaking here and there it became a service learning project.  The biology classes substituted a text book lab on microscopes and micro-organisms for "Operation Clean Stream."  The Missouri department of Conservation came to the school and taught the classes how to take water samples from the stream behind the school.  The kids examined the water samples under the microscope and wrote up their findings to share with the community.  The culminating event involved cleaning debris from the stream on a Saturday morning.  From that point more and more staff wanted to be involved in that kind of authentic learning.  That year we received recognition from the St. Louis Cardinal Baseball organization, and from Character Plus as a "Champions of Character Service Learning School." 
     We certainly had that "peace ball" rolling.  The next year we decided to try a school-wide service learning project themed around poverty.  There were plenty of naysayers.  As the project developed, the teachers began hearing from students about the life changing experiences they were having.  More and more people began to buy into the process and chose to take ownership in Service Learning.  Our project that year involved a partnership with several local charities and food pantries.  We called it "Stuff the Bus" and the kids collected over 3000 jars of peanut butter, jelly, and spaghetti sauce, filled 2 full-sized buses, and 7 trucks with food, clothing, toys, books, school supplies, and assorted other items.  Fox News showed up and filmed the event bringing our results to the community.
     What about State Assessments?  What about performance?  These might be cause for concern.  We took a lot of time out of class to plan and complete these projects.  What if scores drop?  The kids will feel good about themselves but we'll all be unemployed.  This is the piece that quieted the last of the naysayers.  Over the five year period that service learning was implemented nearly all of our performance indicators went up.  Attendance, graduation rate, ACT scores, and even State Assessment Scores.  Suspension rates decreased, number of discipline incidents went down, all while enrollment rates increased.  I believe that these indicators were influenced by our kids experiences in authentic, hands-on, performance values based learning.
     Our character education program and service learning continues to grow and this year we have partnered with a local health camp.  I am excited and anxious to see the service learning activities that will take place.  More importantly,  I am excited and anxious to see the changes that occur with my staff and our students as they grow both personally and academically.  I became an educator because I want to have a positive impact on kid's lives.  Service learning has allowed me to see this happen in a real way.