End Passive PD!! The Building Blocks to Professional Growth

 In the end of the year rush, many of us fail to take a breath and be present in the moment.  I am admittedly horrible at slowing down.  I get caught up in all the stress and rush of year end.  To help with the stress (and ensure our marriage makes it to year 20 in 2014) my husband and I rented a little cabin in the woods to rejuvenate and reconnect this past weekend.  Of course, we still talked about our academic administration lives (he is chair of a university Communications and English department)… but somehow the conversation outside the school walls always seems more reflective.

As a college type, he has a hard time with our K-12 theory of “Professional Development”.  The idea that a teacher just sits and passively waits for development to fall from the Sky of the PD Office is very foreign to the PhD.  The things we call innovative – Personal Learning Networks, Personal Curation and Research – he calls standard Day 1 PhD lessons of the Professional Growth Model.  I’ve said it before and am saying again, we in K-12 have to get over the idea that PD equals Training. 

Training: the process of bringing a person, etc., to an agreed standard of proficiency, etc., by practice and instruction

Just what I always wanted when I was a child… training to a standard of proficiency.  Bliss!

What if we took a hint from Fleet and Patterson

Rather than conceptualizing professional development as either enabling participation in formal upgrading of qualifications (an approach that might be seen as ticking off the boxes involved in getting a piece of paper) or as providing steps towards acquiring a recommended change in practice (perhaps a mandated curriculum document), other possibilities may be more useful. For example, the recognition of staff as owners of personal professional knowledge, with intellectual and emotional investment in possible contributions to their own development…

(emphasis mine)

So how to move away from Training to Professional Growth?  Here are my thoughts on the Building Blocks of Professional Growth…

Personal Learning Networks (or as university types call them – colleagues)

Teaching and learning does not happen in a void.  Social learning theory (Bandura) allows that we really learn through observation and modeling.  At it’s simplest, we learn by watching others… ideally by interacting with others on a common experience/topic we can build off their experiences innovating and moving the profession, our classrooms, our personal lives forward. 

Methods to build a PLN

• Twitter – find a #Chat and start learning. The good people at Edudemic have created an excellent list of educational hashtags here.  Not sure how to get started with Twitter?  There are several decent tutorials on YouTube, including this one from Paul Hill. 
• Attend a Conference – particularly one for your content area or school’s teaching paradigm
• Eat in the faculty/staff lounge – get out of the classroom and interact with some in-house colleagues. 

Curating Scholarship (seriously it’s called READING)

For whatever reason, many of us stop reading professionally once we obtain the last required piece of paper for certification (another sign of how we’ve internalized the training model… but I digress).  With today’s resources (i.e. the Interwebs), there is no excuse for not keeping up on current educational theory and practices.  It’s just a matter of setting a reasonable goal (say one article per month) and actually doing it.  I use the term curate because this pillar is more than just reading – we need to “select, organize and present … using professional or expert knowledge”

Resources for curation

• Web-based tool such as Pearltrees, Diigo or Evernote work well for web curation.  Find a great article online? Hit the browser-based extension and bookmark according to category.
• Peruse Amazon.com or your favorite publishers (I like University of Chicago Press and Oxford University Press for the hard academics) for upcoming books in education.
• Find a blog you enjoy and actually subscribe to it! This way, each time the brilliant blogger writes a post you will receive notification. 
• Ask your school librarian – trust me, they love to help find articles and research!  If the topic interests you, it probably will interest them as well (we are a bunch of information collectors as a breed).

Sharing Scholarship

It’s really not enough to sit and hoard information… we have to share it!   Get active and present at conferences you attend. Jump into the conversation during a Twitter chat.  I have said it before, we are our own best resources.

Resources for Sharing

• Recently I started using Scoop.IT! for sharing/curating my web surfing.  Paper.li does a similar thing.  Think self-curated magazine on a topic.
• Link your Curation tool mentioned above to your Twitter of Facebook account.  Then your colleagues can see what you are reading – and your family will think you are really smart.

Creating Scholarship

The final pillar is creation - what we ask our students to do every day!  Think high level Blooms here – analysis and synthesize what you’ve learned from colleagues, conferences, research and reflection.  Write an article, a blog, a book chapter (seriously… Routledge published JD Ferries-Rowe and I … anything is possible).  Promotion and tenure at university requires some creation of knowledge for the future … why should we in K-12 sell ourselves short?  We have a lot to say down here in the trenches. 

Resources for Creation

• Many free blogging sites are available… Blogger, Edublogs, Wordpress
• Respond to a call for papers!  Seriously, it’s how we connected with the editors of The Handbook for Mobile Learning.
• Take all those notes and ramblings from your blog and write a book!  Heck, self-publish… iAuthor or Amazon have tools for self-publishing… who knows, you may change the world J

#BYOTchat #TeachTweet - Another Method of Professional Development

Last week I had the honor of moderating #BYOTchat in the Twitterverse.  We followed the #TeachTweet model developed by our colleagues across the Atlantic, #ukedchat.

What is a #TeachTweet you ask?  It's a series of video experiences on a topic - with reflections related to what you saw, heard or learned discussed through social media (in this case Twitter).  A common experience can generate a discourse community (see my last post) and the 5 videos we viewed together definitely generated some discourse!  The video format allowed us all to walk the halls of schools incorporating Bring Your Own Technology/Device... hearing from actual, real life students, faculty, administrators.  We then used Twitter to discuss, share, reflect and build on our common experience.

To see the whole chat - check out the #BYOTchat webpage.  Posts linking to videos are in red - helps to point out those Tweets in the midst of all the conversation!  Since this is my personal blog, I will shamelessly promote my less that professional video "Faculty Introduce Bring Your Own Tech at Brebeuf Jesuit" (yes, a long way before I get nominated for a Webby... but a gal has to start somewhere).

The Value of Shared Experiences

As I tried to write this post originally, I was interrupted by an 8 year old screaming “There’s a RAT in the bean bag!”  Apparently our cat had killed a mouse and hid his trophy in the kid’s bean bag…an offering of affection as it were.  End writing process and begin mom process of community dialogue on a shared experience... 

• What is the difference between a mouse and a rat? 
• Why would the cat put a dead mouse in the bean bag? 
• Why can't we touch dead animals?
• What are you going to do with the body?

Humans do not live in a community of one.  We live in relationship with others: our families, our friends, our co-workers, and strangers on the street.   We create discourse communities based on shared experiences – like dead rodents in bean bags.  This dialogue helps all of us reflect on the experience, taking new knowledge forward into our lives.  Knowledge accessed via a void, with no dialogue or reflection, at best lives in short term memory, leaving us at a loss when faced with the need to access that knowledge later in life.

I have recently read about The School of One and the concept of personalized learning.  My concern with the focus on personalize learning to the extreme is the loss of dialogue in shared experiences.  Creating a discourse community is still relevant in education today.  Learners in a void do not have the opportunity to engage others in shared discourse.  This hinders the reflective elements of learning, which encourage new or innovative articulations of thought.   I would argue without this opportunity for reflection, for the creation of a discourse community, we are hobbling our students. 

In her book, “Reality is Broken”, author Jane McGonigal writes of the importance of social connection as element of satisfaction and experience of success.  We as humans build “intrinsic rewards, positive emotions, personal strengths by social connections that we build by engaging intensely with the world around us.” (45) Personalized learning privileges the one over the many.  While in some cases this may be temporarily successful, the danger of isolation is very real… holding the learner from others with whom valuable reflection and collaboration could enrich the learning experience.

Practically applied, this means creating opportunities in our classrooms for learning as community.  As educators we can encourage dialogue based on the shared experience of new content (Mitosis to Shakespeare), events (Prom is on the horizon) or skills (Ultimate Frisbee anyone?).  Offering our students time to engage each other, working through experiences together, creating communities of discourse is what we do as professional educators.  

Because that cat is only a year old... and there will be more mice in house thanks to our large wooded lot... retaining this new knowledge is going to be critical.

Toast the Rodent Hunter

Lessons Learned in 1:1 : We're Going to Need a Bigger Library

What's that you say?  A bigger library?  We thought all those electronic books and database thingys didn't take up as much room?  BTW, isn't print dead with the students and their electronic wizbangs?

A library is more than a collection of books... consider the Library of Alexandria circa 145 BCE...

 "...the library comprised a Peripatos walk, gardens, a room for shared dining, a reading room, meeting rooms and lecture halls." (from Wikipedia entry) 

Guess, what... scholars, whether they be 13 or 31 or 85, still need spaces to read, meet, discuss, collaborate and sit in quiet reflection.  The modern view of the library as Information Commons, or even better Learning Commons, requires space and investment.

Over at Confessions of a Jesuit School CIO, +JD Ferries-Rowe has been discussing the redesign of classroom space in a 1:1 BYOT learning environment.  Consider this the sister post - Redesign the Library.  Taking ideas from Susan McMullen (US Academic Libraries: Today's Learning Commons Model) and Dr. Paul Mihailidis (Media Literacy and the Learning Commons in the Digital Age) among others, design discussions revolve around the need for spaces to promote:

• Collaboration
• Reflection
• Research
• and yes, Reading

In our current space (picture to the right) we've tried some band-aid approaches.  But as you can see... we are nowhere near providing the spaces our students need.  In recent surveys, students responded they wanted both quiet and collaborative spaces.  Students reported enjoying the quieter atmosphere of the library as compared to the louder social spaces of the cafeteria or student commons.  Surprisingly to me, the highest ranked "favorite thing about the library" was the good ole study carrel.  The highest ranked "suggested changes or additions" was group tables.  Followed by "more space"...  

Hmmm... I can take a hint.  We need a bigger library!  And by bigger, I mean more space and more flexible use of said space.

So what does the vision look like?  The new library should be about more than simple information transfer. We need to look at creation, communication and consumption of all information - electronic, print, image, auditory, touch and kinesthetic. A space like Alexandria where scholars come together to engage knowledge in all formats - especially the human interaction kind.  

Items on my list (still in idea phase so no pictures) include:

• Reclaimed space in existing footprint (we have a rabbit warren of offices, storage and even a hallway to nowhere in the existing space that can be reclaimed for student learning).
• A welcome desk/reference desk at the main point of entry
• Flexible furniture including tables, ottomans, chairs, benches to promote collaboration
• Small conference style rooms for presentation design and practice, tutoring or collaboration requiring a little more noise (and therefore soundproofing) 
• Study carrels and single, soft seating 
• Computer lab - with sliding glass wall to create teaching space when needed.
• IT and Library staff located together in the space for full information services.
• Taking a page from retail space design - louder, brighter attractive space at the front of the library.  As the learner moves through the space the more reflective and quiet the space becomes (think Macy's... the flashy seasonal sale items up front and the soft, quiet bedding in the back).

So if you think 1:1 will end the need for your library... stop.  Chances are you're going to need more space.  The library will become the hub of collaboration and integration.  It will become a key to your ed tech initiative's success.  Be ready...

Lessons Learned in 1:1: Stay on Mission

So students now have devices in their hands... now what?  

The temptation to begin random acts of technology looms.  Students and their families have spent time and money discerning the best device - we want them to use them.   But is a classroom full of students staring at computer screens really what we want?  No...24/7 constant computing was never part of the learning objective and we must push against the temptation to let the machine be teacher.  

In the day to day living, I must admit our learners (those over and under 18) do drift off into Temple Run, Facebook and yes, the occasional Shark versus Octopus video.  I have conversations about potential cost savings of open source and online content.  I still have conversations about "integrating technology" based on an online activity someone saw at a conference and thought it looked cool.  And in all cases (yes, even after the shark vs octopus video) I asked...

"What is your learning objective?"  

It's become a bit trite in my world.  So much so, my husband posted this blog post, "Who Needs Learning Objectives?" by Charles Jennings for The Training Zone, on my Facebook page.  

Jennings, who is not a fan of learning objectives, writes: 

"Remember, learning objectives may be useful to help you create a logical design, but that’s all they’re useful for."

Luckily for us, the learning objectives of access, evaluate and use were used to create logical design.   But we also had another framework to give our 1:1 initiative purpose: the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm.  

Insert short interlude on the Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm... you know... because you all are curious now that #Jesuit is like a major news story....

In brief, the IPP guides the learner much as the retreatant is guided through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola.  


By meeting the learner in their contextual environment, creating experiences with knowledge and offering time for reflection... Jesuit educators guide students through the learning process...  With the end goal of developing young people who are intellectually competent, open to growth, spiritual, loving and committed to social justice (affectionately known as The Graduate at Graduation).  

End Interlude and cue...

What are the implications for other 1:1 programs?  

Don't forget your objectives!  Why was 1:1 computing considered and implemented in your learning environment?   

Part of the lesson we've learned is staying in conversation with parents and students.  Distractions will happen.  Yes, access the Angry Birds was fun for the 10 minutes... but under closer evaluation/reflection... was that the best course of action?  Engaging the conversation can be one of the most powerful reflective practices our students will carry forward into their lives.  Learning how to balance the productive power with distraction capabilities is a crucial skill for academic and life success down the road.  Stay on mission... for us, that's developing the whole person.  Even the part going for the high score.

Part of the lesson learned we've learned is staying in conversation with faculty.  The temptations will be strong... online tutorials, virtual field trips, blogging... all which can be valid learning experiences if they are a part of the larger objective.  Otherwise, they can be distractions under the guise of learning.  Engaging online tutorials outside of context may keep students quiet for 20 minutes, but retention of content will be minimum. Virtual field trip experiences without clear (and actually articulated) outcomes are just as much a distraction as a round of Angry Birds... just ask any middle schooler who has recently been on such a journey.  Blogging can mirror the worksheet unless framed in creation and reflection.  Stay on mission...for us, that's ongoing dialogue/PD with faculty (most often in our Teacher Resource Center... over coffee...).

The shiny pretty is by its very nature a distraction. Fight the temptation of random acts of technology.  Stay on mission.  And enjoy those National Geographic videos...

Lessons Learned in 1:1: Supporting Freshmen Transitions

In conversation with public and private school educators, after questions of how did you build your network (see @jdferries' series HERE)  and professional development for teachers... the next question inevitably is "What would you do differently?"  There are a couple of answers... which I'll cover in the next series of posts.  First and foremost, I have to say, we've learned a lot about freshman study skills and transitions.

No matter what variety of 1:1 (or other educational initiative for that matter) that will change the learning environment of your school, focusing all energies on the existing community (teachers, parents, upper classmen) fails to recognize the incoming members of the community.  For us, ground level conversations in the TRC about October began to illustrate our freshmen were struggling more than usual.  Concerns of low organizational skills and poor time management, a perennial issue, seemed more consistent and cause for concern.  Enough so that for our November Delayed Opening PD session, our principal had the faculty read the University of Chicago's report "Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners: The Role of Noncognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance" prior to meeting.  It's a long report - I'm not going to lie - but critical in analyzing those "soft skills" beyond intelligence that successful students use to navigate school and life.  The five categories include:

• Academic Behaviors
• Academic Perseverance
• Academic Mindsets
• Learning Strategies
• Social Skills

Brebeuf's 5 Day Rotation Schedule

Consider what an average transitioning freshman experiences...a new bell schedule; renegotiation and development of social groups and adult support networks; increased rigor in academic expectations and requirements.  And don't forget the basics... location of the bathroom, cafeteria and bus stop!   For our learning environment add in a Jesuit charism dramatically different from many of our sending schools.

And then we gave them the ultimate distraction... A personal computing device.

Our continuing students had already experienced a year or two of life at Brebeuf and had established themselves in the social and academic learning environment.  Their transaction to 1:1 was less of an upheaval as they only had to contend with one element.

So what will we do differently for the Class of 2017?

• Our Academic Counselors are creating an intentional Study Skills curriculum for our existing freshmen seminar program. Topics include relationship building with teachers, calendaring/note taking/organizational tools and tricks (virtual and physical), time management and stress.
• Revamp of our Freshmen and Parent Orientations to include more concrete elements of expectations and tools for success.
• Freshmen teachers are creating standards of expectations to hit especially hard the first 4 weeks of school to help students establish a routine 
• A summer skills Boot Camp for students interested in getting a jump start on their Brebeuf transition
• A possible peer mentoring program teaming freshmen with an upper class buddy

Notice technology is just a piece of this conversation.  Like many transitions, individuals face different challenges at different stages.  And dealing with adolescents... the range of challenges is tremendous.  By intentionally building in opportunities for relationship and support, we hope to make the experience a little smoother for the Class of 2017. 

Learning as Pilgrimage

Confession - I was supposed to be doing housework and I decided to kill some time on Twitter instead. A fabulous colleague @bhobbs63 posted a link to @StrategicMonk's blogpost "Our Pilgrimage is Not a Race".

"Our pilgrimage is not about gaining speed over a distance toward a goal. The point of our pilgrimage is to be aware on the journey....Pilgrimage is about learning, being open to the lessons of each step."

After reading the post, I took some time to reflect while I cleaned...

I had the privilege to go on a pilgrimage once with the Franciscans (we're a dual order household) to Assisi, Italy.  Our guides told us right away to not consider this experience a vacation.  A pilgrimage is not a vacation.  It is a journey with oneself and God - moving closer to unity - experiencing place in the present.

Not Assisi (those pics are on another computer), but pretty...

What if we thought about education in this light?

About now my public school readers are panicking, but never fear... this applies to you as well.  Image education as a journey with oneself and knowledge.  No destination test scores, no end goal spreadsheets full of SLO's, no race to fill the walls of a data room.  What if we knew each student - their gifts and weaknesses - journeying together to experience "school" in the present moment... unified by shared interest in content and open to the ...whatever... that might happen?

Does this mean I am advocating throwing goal setting and curriculum guides out the window?  Not at all.  I am all about setting goals and having a plan (strong J on Meiers-Briggs).  However, sitting in #FETC sessions this week, listening about PARCC and Smarter Balance testing I could not help but think we've gone too far.  We let ourselves focus on outcomes to the detriment of the individual.  The journey has become about an imaginary, norm-referenced finish line.

Yes, I am dreaming.  And yes, I may have inhaled too much bathroom cleaner. But here's the thing - down at #FETC this week, every conversation I had landed on the importance of personal relationships: between teacher and student; administrator and teacher; school and home... Being present in the moment with each other, unified in the journey of learning, was the topic on many minds - not destination items such as test scores and SLO's.  And we build these relationships when we let go of school as business and open ourselves to school as pilgrimage.  A journey of many little steps, unified by content and shared experiences in the present moment.

Learning happens everywhere!