Message Info
Reads: 4432
Responses: 0

The final day of the Journey for this year

Today, July 1, marks the beginning of summer for us in the Miracle Grow School District. As we begin to make plans for a few weeks of rest and relaxation, we reflect upon the steps we have taken to reach the point we are at  today.

Through the collaboration between Miracle Grow and Dedicated to Discovery, we realize the strength in and the power of change. When we began our journey, we were two districts working independently. We have since realized the power of teamwork in the change process. 

Our districts have focused on the development of six specific areas: the six engines of change. While each of us have the same vision in mind, we have each dedicated ourselves to an area of change. Throughout this process, our main objective was to share with you where we began. Through our blog entries, we have provided you with what we have accomplished. Please (CLICK HERE) to visit the engines of change each of us have developed over the year. Now, we will give you a glimpse of where we are going.

Building citizenship

After deciding upon our focus for our engine of change, we asked ourselves the following questions:

How can we use discipline to develop citizenship?

How can students gain an appreciation for behaviors that are appropriate in a democratic society?

How  can we measure positive and negative behavior in school?

How can we promote correct behaviors within the school community?

Once these questions were compiled, we decided where we could find information to assit us in finding the answers to these questions. We wanted to include the school and the extended community and therefore decided that next year, we will devote the first few months to using interviews of students, parents, principals and teachers, surveys given to community members, various policies and procedures from other districts and statistics found through research. Once we have collected the data, we will present it in graphs, reports from surveys and analysis of internal data. We will share our results with the community in an information session where parents, community members, teachers, students and administrators can meet and discuss steps for future action. We look forward to continuing in the process of change with your feedback and your suggestions. Thank you for your patience and support as we venture into the change process and together look to make the students of today our leaders of tomorrow.

Journal #9

Building a Foundation of Trust:

Deborah Meier, a modern education philosopher, has written extensively on the topic of building trust in our schools.  In fact, in her book In Schools We Trust, Meier devotes several chapters on the issue of trust.  My personal philosophy is closely aligned with many of the ideas that surface in this insightful book.  Schools are institutions which are based on relationships. Relationships between the students and teachers, the teachers and parents, the teachers and the principal, and the school community and the outside community, are the most obvious relationships that exist in schools. The quality of these relationships is directly related to a school's success.

The basic foundation of any positive relationship is trust.  Without trust a relationship is at best superficial. Parents who drop their children off at school for the majority of the day must have trust in the teacher who is teaching and caring for their child. When a parent trusts their child's teacher, they will believe in the teacher's decisions and are more likely to participate in a collaborative effort.  If the relationship between the teacher and the parent is right, they can create a learning environment that extends beyond the walls of the classroom. 

Trust between teachers and their principal is also vital to a school's success.  Teachers need to feel that they are trusted to make responsible, professional decisions.  If the teacher does not feel trust, they will teach exclusively what is prescribed, and nothing more.  Ultimately, the distrust between the teacher and the principal will affect the quality of education the students receive. 

Perhaps the most important relationship in the school setting is the one between the teachers and the students.  When a student doesn't trust their teacher, they will not take risks in their learning. Without trust, students will not question what the teacher teaches.  This type of learning atmosphere inhibits the students from truely thinking deeply. Students who learn to distrust teachers may never learn how to appropriately question ideas. How are these students supposed to contribute to a democratic society if they are never given the opportunity to practice? This can grow to be a very dangerous situation. 

Journal #8 June 22, 2004

Learning and Working With Adult Mentors:

Long ago, when American communities were more reliant on rural industries, most children were only expected to receive formal schooling during their primary years.  As soon as they were old enough, they would begin working alongside adults in an apprentice type role.  As an apprentice, young people would receive authentic, hands-on training experiences.  They would also get the opportunity to observe experts performing tasks several times.  Before they were expected to take on more intense responsibilities, they would have time to practice their skills and perfect their craft. Most importantly, they would have observed many expert models from which they could reference.

Today, unfortunately, students do not receive these types of authentic experiences. Most often, students are not exposed to "real life" until after they graduate from college and begin their first job.  Anyone who has experienced college life for four years knows that these years rarely reflect the experiences that they have when they enter the adult world. In the "adult world", new members are expected to find a good job, secure a place to live, get a form of transportation...etc.  These responsibilities can seem overwhelming for someone who has little prior experience to draw from.  If they are lucky enough to have had positive adult role models (parents or teachers), they are likely to succeed, but what if they haven't? Should schools provide more experiences where students and adults work more closely so that all students are exposed to an adult expert?

Many people suggest that a cure for "senioritis" is to provide apprentice type experiences for high school seniors to participate in.  This year of schooling, which is often unproductive, is a great opportunity to introduce some of these real life, mentor experiences.  Working closely with adult experts in areas of their choice may help students clarify their interests, while exposing them to the "adult world" before they are harshly thrusted into it. 

Journal #7 June 21, 2004 Exposing the Hidden Curriculum:

I thought of this blog topic one afternoon while my students were lining up for music class. Twenty out of twenty-one of my students were waiting patiently by the door, while one student was still at his desk finishing up something he had been working on. He saw us all waiting, he heard me tell him (several times) that it was time to line up for music, however, he decided to ignore our attempts to get his attention. After about a minute, and a more forceful reminder, he joined the line. His actions really bothered me.

When my students returned from Music, I decided to gather them in a circle for a little meeting. I wanted to talk to them about consideration and respect for other people's time. As I write about it, it sounds harsh, however, it was actually one of the more meaningful lessons that I taught. The particular child was not singled out, but everyone seemed to identify with the message. Many of the students shared personal experiences when a they were forced to wait for someone unnecessarily, and the feelings that were attached to the experience. What I learned was that most of the students were not aware that that simply making someone wait could offend and annoy them. The students tried to remember what we talked about, and I saw a lot of improvements as the year progressed.

The point of this piece is to address the "hidden" curriculum that exists in schools. Many teachers find "teachable moments" during the day that inspire unexpected and unplanned lessons. Most often it's these lessons that are the most meaningful. The problem is that with all of the mandated curriculum, a teacher is less likely to seize these moments in order to safe valuable time that is needed to "cover" everything. It would be wonderful if teachers were granted flexibility and trusted to make professional decisions about the best use of their classroom time. Unfortunately, I think teachers will have to continue to shut their doors and close their blinds when these situations arise. This hidden curriculum may continue to be, just that, hidden.

Journal #6 June 21, 2004

Engines of Change: Which Change Issue Should Be the Focus?

There are several change issues that have demanded the attention of the education sector within recent years.  "Buzz" words, representing these issues, have been identified.  Phrases such as; authentic assessment, collegiality, community involvement, and relavant, real-life curriculum have been frequently used when discussing current change themes.  These terms are very frequently used, however, they are rather ambiguous and vaguely defined. What do they really mean, and is one issue more important than another? Before a school initiates change, an extensive needs assessment should take place.

Identifying a school's needs may sound easier than it really is. Many schools rely heavily upon the persceptions of the school leader (principal) to decide what issues need to be changed. This narrow perspective can lead to very superficial changes and may cause feelings of resentment from those who a expected to enact the changes. Instead, the school leader should gather input from a variety of stakeholder to identify the area that they feel needs improvement. It is unlikely that everyone will agree on one specific issue, but it is likely that a consensous will be reached.

 After the change issue has been identified and most stakeholders believe in the movement toward change, a plan of action should be created. Once again, teachers, parents, students, and other community members should be encouraged to participate in the planning phase. All stakeholders will be more willing to participate in the change efforts if they feel that their needs are also considered and addressed. Too often, schools attempt to tackle issues as a response to the latest "buzz" words. Overall, if the change issue to be addressed matches the culture of the school, and represents the needs of all those involved, meaningful change is more likely to occur.

Journal Entry #5  June 14, 2004

Teaching Respect: Experiences that Foster Ownership

Can you remember a teacher or principal ever asking a student something like this, "Would you treat your mother's furniture that way?" I don't think I truely understood these types of questions until I became a teacher, and realized that classroom materials don't grow on trees. I began to cringe when my students forgot to put the caps on our markers, or when the glue was left open. From my point of view, these actions showed the lack of respect the students had for our school resources. How do you teach someone to have respect for property? Talking about how important it is to take care of school property is barely a beginning and does not give students a meaningful reason to do so.

Students need to feel a sense of pride and ownership for their school environment before they can begin to respect and take care of it. In Japanese schools, it is the responsibility of the students to carry out many of the custodial tasks in their buildings. They do everything from mopping the floors to serving the lunches, to cleaning the toilets. My guess is that these Japanese students are less inclined to clog the toilets with toilet paper if they know that they are responsible for the clean up. If these types of tasks were given to American students to perform, I'm sure there would be several parent complaints.

This may be the type of change that would result in negative reactions from community stakeholders. They may feel that these changes would conflict with the current culture and climate of their schools. I wonder, though, how they might feel if they were informed of the reasons and objectives of this type of change, if they would be more willing to consider it. It would be interesting to see if these meaningful experiences could foster a higher level of respect for school property.

Journal Entry #4,  June 13, 2004

Changing Discipline Procedures in Schools: Authentic Disciplinary Actions

Discipline procedures and policies in schools today are very much like the policies that were used in the schools of long ago.  Of course, discipline through physical punishments is no longer accepted or tolerated, however, schools still use discipline procedures that are based on negative punishments.  In the elementary schools, students who break rules are often faced with consequences that are exclusive, such as; eating their lunch in the principal's office, sitting out at recess or staying after school for detention.  In the middle schools and high schools, consequences are more severe, and even more exclusive.  Very often, expension is used as a consequence for misbehavior.  I wonder, as do others I'm sure, if this type of punishment is actually effective.  In fact, I suspect that some high school students might even enjoy having a little "vacation" from school.

Do disciplinary actions that are exclusionary provide learning experiences for students?  Do these types of consequences prevent similar situations from happening again?  I believe that the answer to both of these questions is no.  The movement toward authentic learning experiences in the classrooms should also apply to disciplinary experiences.  These experiences can be a great opportunity for schools to teach students valuable lessons that will help make them better citizens.  

For example, if a few high school students are caught smoking in the school bathrooms, perhaps they should spend some time as a group painting those very same bathrooms.  This experience may cause them to view public property in a different light, and they may even take pride in the place that they helped to improve.  This feeling of pride may prevent them from smoking in that bathroom again.  Of course, I can't be certain that these outcomes would actually occur, however, I am certain that they definitely would not occur if their punishment was suspension.

Journal Entry #3, June 7, 2004

Less is More: Preventing Curriculum Overload

In a school community, June is a month unlike any other. As the closing process begins, so does the season of the end-of-the-year assessments. Final exams are given, portfolios are examined, and grade averages are calculated. This is also the time when teachers realize if they were able to "cover" the entire curriculum or if they have to scramble to cover remaining units before time is up. Unfortunately, the latter seems to be all too common. In their desire to kept up with changing times, many school districts hastily add the newest, hottest educational programs to their already packed curriculums. I see nothing wrong with wanting to stay current, to avoid becoming stagnant and complacent, however, this alone cannot be the driving force of change. Before major additions are made to a curriculum, a thorough needs assessment should be conducted.

A committee of various skateholders, including teachers, parents and students, should be created to examine the problems and identify strengthens and weaknesses of the current program in question. If it is determined that the current program has become obsolete, then it is time to investigate alternatives that would mesh with existing programs and could be successful within the school's unique climate. Determining whether or not a program is right for your school, is probably the most important consideration before implementing it. It can be very hard to resist getting caught up in data that shows how successful a program has been for a particular district. The ways in which programs are marketed can be very powerful and enticing. Success in one district does not always guarantee the same success will be experienced in another. After all of the essential preliminary steps are taken, there is still another, very important factor that should be examined closely, and that is time.

Districts often add programs to their curriculum without taking away any of the other requirements, however, the day doesn't get any longer and the school year continues to last only ten months. As a result, teachers wind up condensing lessons so that they can simply "cover" all of the material. Students often receive a superficial learning experience that sticks with them just long enough to pass the unit exam (that's if they're good at memorizing). Learning experiences can be more meaningful and long-lasting if students are given time to practice what they learn through a variety of experiences. It is more valuable to study something well and in depth rather than to spread the curriculum so thin that real learning rarely takes place.

Journal Entry #2, June 4, 2004

Communication and Collaboration

The recent experiences that I have had while developing and maintaining my own web page have been both exciting and frightening. It has really opened my eyes to the enormous potential that this form of communication possesses. With virtually the click of a button, my thoughts and ideas can be accessed by a huge audience. I mentioned earlier, this brings about feelings of power and apprehension. As I gain experience, I realize that this powerful medium is grossly underused. This medium has the potential to infinitely improve the lines of communication within school communities.

While I was viewing some school community sites that have already begun to use technology as a key communication tool, I came across the Davidson County School District's site. I was impressed by the emphasis they placed on improving communication among their schools and their community. Their site clearly outlines their vision to improve communication and collaboration. In addition to the vision, they have also posted a detailed timeline that seems to serve as a plan to work toward their ultimate goals. They have also planned for a variety of community stakeholders to participate. This district's vision and their detailed plan of action, was clear evidence that they have committed to change.

I believe that many school communities feel that communication is a priority and improvements should be made, however, recognizing the need for change is only a starting point. Real meaningful change takes a lot more hard work and commitment. Getting community members on board, researching current situations, developing a detailed, focused plan of action and implementing the plan are steps toward actual change. I found this site to be both interesting and inspiring. I suggest you visit it so that you can draw your own conclusions. http://www.davidson.k12.nc.us/technology/comcol.htm

Journal Entry #1:

Education Change: Entering the Information Age

Advances in technology have sparked enormous changes in our society. These advances have affected just about anything you can think of; from the way we pay our bills, to the ways we communicate with our friends and families. As a society, we have been forced to adapt and change with these exciting new experiences. Some, more than others, have been able to quickly embrace change, and view these experiences as positive ones. Most of us have had no choice. In fact, many businesses have had to reestablish and reorganize the way they conduct their operations, possibly several times, in the last decade. Unfortunately, the education sector has been slow to adapt.

Of course, many schools have added several computers and even computer labs in an attempt to enter the information age. I can also assume that most teachers have received some form of technology support and training. These minor attempts to keep up with the major societal changes that we have experienced are merely baby steps. Schools have to be willing to commit to and work toward achieving real, meaningful changes. We have to begin working towards creating a learning environment that will prepare students to succeed in a society that is in the state of constant change, due mostly to technological advancements and rapid increases in available information.

In order to create meaningful changes that will propel education into the information age, schools must consider a variety of factors. Community involvement, extensive, ongoing teacher training, funding and resources, research and a needs assessment, are only a few of the concerns. However, the first, most basic factor that must occur before a school embarks on this quest for meaningful change is a strong commitment to making it happen.