Lemons to Dole Whip...what?

I know what you're thinking...I've gone ahead and lost it.  There are lots of tradition and also new and creative ways to use the "When life gives you lemons..." piece of wisdom.  But I'm going to be honest, there are times when you just have to make it your own!  Hence the dole whip.  Now, I could go into detail about why I chose a dole whip...1) clearly it's from Disneyland which was my first true passion #disneylife 2) you get a cherry on top, which doesn't that always make things better (unless you don't like cherries - oops sorry) 3) the umbrella on top indicating that you need to kick back and put your feet up.  However, I am going to take this dole whip and use it a little more metaphorically speaking.  So lets take a look at these 3 reasons I chose I dole whip to represent life...in addition to being an all around wonderful treat.  

Attribution: https://goo.gl/zXVR9B

When life throws you lemons, a curve ball, things unexpected and/or a variety of things that you did not anticipate...keep in mind, what is happening does matter but how you are handling it that matters more.  

Dole Whip Metaphor Number 1: 

I eat Dole whips at Disneyland. Disneyland is a place to escape the realities of #adulting. It's a place to be a kid again! Perhaps this feeling of my childhood makes me hold onto Disneyland so much harder the older I get. Or perhaps it's the feeling of magic. That anything can happen...like a miracle. 

Change doesn't always feel like magic when it happen, but take a moment to soak in the real life magic around you. What are the random series of events that lead to this moment?!  What are the random series of events that will lead to the next change? Life is change...be excited. Take it as challenge and run with it like a kid who doesn't have a care in the world.

Dole Whip Metaphor Number 2: 

So life gives you challenges and that's ok. TAKE. THE. RISK.  Be creative in how you approach your challenge and possibly change what and how you were doing before.  Like a dole whip.  Really it's pineapple ice cream, not that impressive.  But they made it into soft serve and put a cherry on top and added an umbrella?! It's a whole new dessert!!  And people (myself included) LOVE IT!  

Dole Whip Metaphor Number 3:

Do not fight it. I am sorry to say but change happens. It happens TO you. Don't fight it. Embrace it. In fact, take some time to sit back and process it. Sit in the sun, put your feet up, enjoy a Dole whip and think. What lead to this/these changes? How can be the best ME in the face of these changes? Is there anything I can do to set another set of changes into effect? Do I even want to? Am I giving this change a fair chance? What are the possible positives that could happen? Is this change a good thing in my life? 

You won't have answers in one round of Dole whips. But maybe taking the time to reflect will help you feel a little more prepared for all your unanswered questions.  

Good luck to you and wish me luck in mine.  

EDL 680 Module 5 Discussion Post - EBGTech 7 Survival Skills

What are YOUR 7 essential survival skills for the 21st Century? (you can use Wagner’s 7, create your own, or a mashup of the two.) Define the skills as you understand them.

What could incorporating these skills look like in your class or school?

What can you commit to in your classroom/school this year?

How will you measure your success?

When looking at this week’s discussion post, I was unsure if my 7 essential survival skills were supposed to be for myself or my students.  After a little bit of reflection, I realized that it didn’t matter. As a lifelong learning, the skills I need to instill in my students are the ones I need in order to be successful myself.  And the ones that I use to be successful can be translated for my students, I just have to teach and instill in them what has been taught and instill in me.  Here are my 7 skills for survival in no particular order.  Some of them have been repeated from Wagner’s and some are my own.  I feel like Wagner discussed high school students almost exclusively, but I teach K-8 students.  Some of the skills that he discussed need a foundational level before the students can achieve success in a different skill.  

Wagner’s Original 7 Survival Skills: (2008, p. 67).

1. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
2. Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by Influence
3. Agility and Adaptability
4. Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
5. Effective Written and Oral Communication
6. Accessing and Analyzing Information
7. Curiosity and Imagination

Erin Kiger’s Original 7 Survival Skills (and an explanation):

1. 

   Experimentation Leading to Mastery: The questions I get most from students in class has to do with their grade.  They don’t want to do something that will take points off or what’s the minimum they had to do to get all the points.  Students are not “trying for the sake of learning” they are trying for the grade.  I completely agree with education blogger and teacher Krista Penrod (2017), who shares that “We want (students) to feel comfortable making mistakes within the walls of our classrooms, knowing they have our support and direction to make right choices” (para. 14).  I want them to feel confident and safe that they can take an assignment I give and tweak it, elaborate on it, and/or change it.  Use the assignment to meet their learning needs.  Then try to complete the assignment.  If it doesn’t meet their needs, if it doesn’t show their learning (my needs) then change it and do it again.  You won’t be “punished” with a “bad grade”, you will only receive a score when you and I are satisfied.  
2. Asking Questions: This skill is twofold.  The first part has to do with knowing when not to ask a question.  All too often, directions are given in class and then a handful of students will need the directions repeated.  To tackle this in my class, I verbally give the directions, they are written in our LMS, and I (usually) provide a step by step video on how to accomplish the task.  At this point, do not ask me what to do.  Students need to know when NOT ask a question because the resources are in front of you to find the answer.  The second part has to do with literally asking questions, ask as many as they would like, if they do NOT have the resources to find the answer.  This open question forum can come when there need to be clarifications made, when students want to try something different, if students need adult support (academically or not), etc. These are questions that cannot be found by using Google or referring to any source of directions.  Another key point that I would like to state is that the questions do not always have to be asked of the teacher.  Learning to rely on your peers and which peers to rely on is itself a very important skill.  
3. Self Reflection and Feedback: Our society does not opening encourage self reflection.  We are too busy.  The same can be said in our classrooms.  In order for students to be successful, they must be provided opportunities to evaluate their learning and their work, not only at the end, but also THROUGHOUT the process.  It is incredibly frustrating to put in time and effort into something to find out everything you did was completely wrong.  If a student needs to make adjustments, they need that opportunity early on.  This is where feedback comes into play.  Education blogger and teacher, Melissa Chouinard-Jahant (2017), says that “In order for feedback to truly be meaningful, purposeful and have an impact on learning...it needs to be honest and sometimes critical because our students will not grow as learners if they do not feel a push to progress, urgency to reflect and the ability to provide feedback to others as well, especially the teacher” (para. 4).  Feedback, especially constructive feedback, can sometimes be hard to handle.  We work so hard to praise and provide positive feedback, that giving information that asks for students to do work differently or again can be difficult.  If we build the relationship with students, if they understand why the feedback is important, and if they feel safe that the reflection and feedback are two-sided, then hopefully that skill will grow and they will learn to be more comfortable both giving and receiving feedback.    
4. Curiosity and Imagination: Curiosity and imagination at an elementary level are one of the most critical skills, not that we need to instill, but that we need to continue to develop.  With guidance from us, students should be able to transition from imaginative play to imaginative solutions.  (I like “imaginative work”, but the word “work” has such a negative sound that is almost equated to taking imagination out.)  Students should be encouraged to ask “Why?” questions about the world and encouraged to find answers, not just accept the status quo.  Even more important than finding answers, students should be encouraged to make the changes!
5. Collaborative Partner and Team Work: At an elementary level, many teachers are working with students to develop the skills needed to work collaboratively.  However, I have noticed that as the students leave elementary and begin working in middle school, those skills are disregarded, sometimes by teachers and often times by students.  It is easier for one or two people to do all the work then to worry about the person who may do nothing, or may do it wrong.  These skills need to be continued to develop throughout students’ school careers. Students should also be exposed to ways to handle a peer who is not working collaboratively. What would we do in a professional setting?  What can our students do, besides just do it for them?
6. Internet Skills: This skill doesn’t need much of an explanation.  The internet is constantly changing and the amount of unknown vs the known is dramatically different.  Not only do our students need the skills to navigate the internet for information, they must also have the skills to do so safely.  And yes, when I talk about the “internet”, I also mean apps, games, music, etc.  
7. Play the Game: Teachers, like students, are all different.  Teachers must learn how to adjust themselves to suit the needs of many different students in one class, moment to moment.  As adults, we also adjust ourselves to interact with different adults of different personalities.  This is easy when we are with our friends.  This is not so easy when we are with someone that we may not like or respect.  However, to avoid conflict and at times, to get the job done, you “hold your tongue” and behave respectfully, despite the behaviors of someone else.  This is what I call, playing the game.  Students, don’t always know that life is a game.  Teaching students to “play the game” or “put on your game face” will get them through situations that may not be the most wonderful, but it will not be like that forever. School is just like an athletic game or a video game.  Sometimes, we just have to do what the coach tells you or beat the level the game gives you, even if you don’t like it.  Once it’s over, you can move on to things you enjoy more or spending time with people you enjoy more.

The reality is I don’t know exactly how this will look in my class yet because I am completely changing my class.  My vision for this year is to teach a technology skill the first week in which we implement it into a class project that reflects some aspect of Catholic Identity.  For example, using the 10 Commandments/Beatitudes/Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy to teach the Apostles about the Digital Citizenship components. After that class project is completed, students will have a menu of choices that they can complete dealing with Digital Citizenship.  They can complete as many or as few as they would like in order to achieve a certain amount of points.  Points are given based on the ease of the task and how many classes it takes the student to complete the task.  So where will the survival skills fit in that?  I don’t know.  everywhere?

This year I am trying to completely change my approach to technology in the classroom.  It is one of my goals to provide students more choice and integrate more Catholic identity.  With those changes already in mind, I know that some of the survival skills I laid out will be addressed.  For example, Experimentation Leading to Mastery, Asking Questions, and Curiosity and Imagination fit nicely into my idea to allow students to have a menu of items to show mastery of a technology skill or concept. Additionally, as the technology teach, Internet Skills is a critical component of my curriculum.

September is our first full month of school so we will be covering the various components of Digital Citizenship.  As I said before, my goal is to provide students with a menu of projects they can choose and complete to show they truly understand the importance of internet safety.  My last goal for this year, after having written my survival skills is to provide my students, and myself, with a structured opportunity for feedback.  When I see 500 different students in a week, it becomes a little overwhelming, so I’m not exactly sure how I will implement the structure without getting lost in the process myself and become inconsistent with providing my students opportunities for reflection and feedback.  

The way that I will measure my success is stated above.  If I can work with my students and provide a foundation for the skills that are needed, without becoming inconsistent, then I know I will have been successful.  I know myself as a teacher, and as a person, well enough, to know that I become inconsistent, when I have become too overwhelmed with everything on my plate and have essentially given up on an idea.  My hope is to use the skills to guide my instruction and use the reflection and the feedback to prevent inconsistency.  I can take the information and adjust as needed.  

Chouinard-Jahant, M.(2017). You Can't Break a Stick in a Bundle: Having Difficult Conversations with Students. iTeacher iMother, Number 315.  Retrieved from

https://iteacherimother.blogspot.com/2017/06/you-cant-break-stick-in-bundle-having.html.

Penrod, K. (2017). How Do You Deal With Splashing and Shouting? Love Learning, Love Life, Number 2. Retrieved from

https://lovelearninglovelife.wordpress.com/2017/06/16/how-do-you-deal-with-splashing-and-shouting/.

Wagner, T. (2008). The Global Achievement Gap. New York, NY: Basic Books.

EDL 680: Module 4 Discussion Post

How do the different perspectives from the additional readings impact your view on Tony Wagner’s suggestions for changing education?

I will admit that I am struggling with this week’s post.  I don’t believe that any of the additional readings impacted my view on Wagner’s suggestions.  I could say that none of the reading swayed my belief that Wagner is correct in the fact that we need to change education, in fact all of them reaffirmed this belief.  However, none of them were trying to dissuade any reader of that fact.  They were all, Wagner included, trying to share how THEY have seen and/or experienced a change in education for the benefit of the students.  Their posts or videos or books were all about their own individual experiences and opinions.  That being said, I believe that they are all correct and that nothing any of them said, could possibly take away from or make anything else that was said “incorrect”.   

We know that ALL children, all humans, are different and need different things.  So why would varying approaches to improving education be any different?  There need to be different types and styles of schools to meet the needs of all the different students.  Is it even possible, that there should be some traditional, lecture based schools with textbooks still in place (with a few tweaks) because some students learn really well that way?  

For example, Lisa Nielsen talks about how students plan and produce a business concept in front of business leaders who assess the students and their plan.  She debates against Wagner that this is NOT innovative because we need to “stop treating youth like people who are always in state of preparation for life rather than a state of living life. We need to stop wasting time "preparing" kids to do stuff and instead let them do stuff” (2012).  Now let me explain my thought process as I was reading this post.  

First, this post was five years old and therefore, more schools COULD be following either her or Wagner’s lead on being innovative, regardless of the exact definition.  However, from my own experience exclusively, schools are NOT doing anything close to what Wagner and Nielsen are talking about.  With that said, YES, what High Tech High is doing is innovative.  There is always room for growth, but to take steps to helps students prepare for their next steps in the real world, by pulling in the real world, is innovative.  

That leads me to my next point, why should we stop “wasting time” preparing kids to do stuff? Why do you believe it is “wasting time”?  Students are children.  They are in the process of learning.  To allow them to practice and learn and fail and success, we are “preparing” them to do stuff.  Sometimes, they are able to take that “stuff” and run with it.  No adult or school (at least the ones we are looking at) would tell the student no because they are just kids.  However, if their projects are not everything that they should be, having that opportunity to revise and improve with guidance and mentors is what provides students with the learning they need to then be successful.  Additionally, Wagner shares that “at High Tech High (students) complete a ten-week internship with a local company or nonprofit organization in their junior year as a mandatory part of their academic program” (2008, p. 225).  This internship is not a just preparing students, it is expecting them to perform in the real world.  However, it has provided them time and exposure to a variety of options so they can make a choice of internship that will prepare them for college or life or whatever next step they are going to take.  

Adults are not successful at everything, all the time.  We are still learning and our “stuff” that we do, doesn’t always come out the way we hoped.  However, with maturity, wisdom, and the guidance of our mentors and peers, we can make the changes necessary.  We are modeling exactly what they are asking of students.  How is that not innovative again?  

Twitter Chats - CAUTION long post...I'm twitter pated

via GIPHY

Where to begin...a long, long time ago...just kidding.

I did my very first Twitter chat in 2014.  I know random how I know that right?  But here's the thing...it had THAT big of an impact on me.  It was spring...and I had been in my new job for almost a whole school year.  One of the things I was determined to figure out was Twitter and why/how it should be used in education.  Little did I know, that chat would set me on a path that I never imagined!

From there, I was on chats a couple of nights a week.  Learning so much from so many!  I don't remember their names...none of them are my friends...but I still found them all to be SO valuable!  I started finding my own personal rock stars that I could go to their feed when I needed tips or tricks or even just pick me ups.

Fast forward through the summer...I went to #ISTE14, tweeted about that, followed the very first #edcampVegas through twitter (injured ankle made it hard to walk), and continued my regular chats.  I decided that Las Vegas was no longer the place for me and started looking for jobs in Ohio...it's not as random as it seems in this brief history.  Anyway, I searched #ohedchat.  Low and behold, OSU, THE Ohio State University...is hiring for a job that I CAN DO!  So I tweet the original tweeter...and set the ball in motion.  That was in October and by November I was moved to Ohio.

And it all started with a Tweet!

Anyway...jump forward a few years.  I am back in Vegas...miss OSU terribly...but have a whole new adventure as a technology teacher in a K-8 school.  I'm disengaged.  I love the teachers I work with, and I love "coaching" them, but I am frustrated by how my classroom position goes.  At the end of this school year, I know that I have to make some changes.

I'm also started a MA in Admin program and the more I dive into that the more I feel called to work with teachers directly and with students indirectly.  However...I know that isn't an option.  It's not an option Erin.  You need to be a technology teacher.  I also need to recognize that I'm learning how to teach middle schoolers, I'm learning how to teach technology, I'm learning how to teach in a Catholic school again, I'm learning...and that is OK.

Now...let's jump to tonight.  Monday, June 12th.  I saw @ryan7read post about a #tlap chat.  I know that I'll have to participate in a chat soon for one of my assignments, so I decided I would join in.  I put it on my calendar.  (Cause you can't do anything if it's not on your calendar right?)  It just so happens that I was on Twitter an hour before and was able to join in the #edtechchat as well.

Let me preface...I've done an #edtechchat before, numerous times...and they have always been fantastic!  Tonight...I wasn't feeling it.  I was glad when it was over.  The questions were good, thought-provoking questions...but the conversation wasn't there.

I think I need the additional feedback and conversation to see what others are thinking to expand my thought process.  I already know what I think...I want more...I want to know what you think.  Are we on the same track?  Are you going to give me some insight that never dawned on me?  Are you going to reaffirm what I'm thinking?  Are we going to continue to learn from each other?

I know that #edtechchat does those things...but for me, tonight, it didn't.  I was fully ready to close my laptop and just call it a night on Twitter.  But I decided to search #tlap anyway and see what happened.  The reality is, I could leave and nobody would know if it wasn't what I needed at that moment.  So I saw @daveburgess initial introduce yourself tweet and did.  Then as I saw everyone else tweeting their names and sharing bits of who they were...I was getting some likes on my name alone.  That may not mean very much...but the reality is...in the Twitter world to me...it says "Welcome, we are glad you are here".  And well so I shared my next bit that it was my first #tlap chat and my notifications expanded about how great the chats were and how many connections I'll make and how wonderful it will all be.  Now you've welcomed me AND you are making me excited about learning from you!  I'm "hooked" (haha pun intended...get it Capt. Hook...pirate.  hahah I make myself laugh).

From there on...the questions came rolling in and the answers didn't roll out.  I loved that I could take a few minutes and be contemplative.  I could answer a question and had time to go back and review and like and comment and question and ENGAGE!  There were conversations and side conversations and it was all so positive and interesting!  I learned that a fellow teacher snorts when she laughs and that it creates a beautiful effect where the students then laugh and it's ok to be that happy and unguarded!  I learned how to address hot button topics with middle school students so parents don't get angry...send home a letter.  Duh Erin.  There was lots of talk about blogging.  We all have such a powerful voice inside us.  You won't reach everyone, but you will reach someone...share your voice. Reach that someone.  And I got a couple of blogs that I will have to share here so that if you read this...read theirs.

Mr. T's Jibber Jabber by Scott Titmas: https://mrtjibberjabber.wordpress.com/
Fearless Educators by Shawn Ford: http://fearlesseducators.com/
Love Learning. Love Life. by Krista Pedrod: https://lovelearninglovelife.wordpress.com/

At the end...I feel excited, I feel connected, I feel rejuvenated.  I can do this...I will do this...I will make mistakes and get yelled at (and then cry)...but I know that I do ALL of this because I care about the kids.  And I want to be the absolute best teacher I can be.  And on top of all that...there are educators around the world that feel the same way...whether you cry or not...and we are connected.

So thank you.

Summer Time

It's summer!  What are your plans?

Most of us use the summer to try to readjust and improve things that didn't go so well or brainstorm new and exciting ideas for next year.  A lot of us are going to conferences and PD sessions to improve ourselves and our craft.

These are all fantastic!!

But...what else are you doing this summer?

Are you a crafter that is going to do some DIY projects?

Are you a reader that will spend days upon end reading straight through a good book...for FUN?!

Are you a traveler with your sights set on some new adventures?

All of these or any of these or none of these and a multitude of other things.  Be those.

Don't forget (preaching to the choir I know) to take some time and take care of you.  Summer vacation...any vacation...was not given to teachers for no reason.  It is provided so that your brain and your body can have a break.

I am going to Ohio to see my family and friends that we haven't seen in just about a year.  My husband is from Ohio and it's been difficult to be that far from the other half of our family.  Especially since we have a new niece to celebrate!  Then it's off to Tennessee to see my friend that I've known since we were in the 3rd grade!  You can't be that close to Tennessee and then skip a visit.  Especially because we have another new addition to that wonderful family as well!

These are how my brain and my body will rejuvenate themselves.  This is how I will be prepared both mentally and emotionally to come back next year.

via GIPHY

EDL 600: Module 3 Discussion Post

California has an increasing percentage of students representing ethnic minorities.  What implications does this fact have for California school finance?

According to Townley and Schmieder-Ramirez (2015), in 2013 “There are more than a million English learners, which represented 22% of the total enrollment in California public schools” (p. 35). In 2015, that number increased “English learners constitute 22.1 percent of the total enrollment in California public schools” (www.cde.ca.gov, CalEdFacts, Basic Facts).

As an educator, as someone who values education, I recognize the importance of a quality education for all children. I also recognize that when there is such a large percentage of the student population that are not only learning content, but also the language that the content is delivered in, that quality education may need to be approached differently and on a larger scale. Of course, we also know that when those kind of large changes are made, there is a financial impact. There is always a financial impact.

In 1998, Proposition 227 was voted into effect. Essentially, this proposition took bilingual classes out of schools and instead “limited English proficient (LEP) students (were) placed in English immersion classes and then mainstreamed into regular classes” (Townley & Schmieder-Ramirez, 2015, p. 22). Proposition 227 was favored because voters felt that this would better prepare students to not only learn English, but also be able to learn content that was taught in English. The financial aspect of this particular proposition was that the state was required “to provide $50 million every year for ten years for English classes for adults who promise to tutor LEP students” (ballotpedia.org, California Proposition 227).

It was a long time ago, but from my own personal experience, I think the state should have saved their money and put it to better use. I was in the 2nd grade (I told you it was a long time ago) bilingual classroom. I lived in Perris, CA and my school had a high number of hispanic students, many of whom were my friends. In my classroom were both English and Spanish books, notes on the board were in both English and Spanish, the newsletter was sent home in English and Spanish, directions were spoken in English and in Spanish. I learned so much more Spanish that year by accident, than I did when I took Spanish for 2 years in high school. I remember sitting in the classroom library looking at a Spanish book and not understanding anything. I told a friend how hard it was and she read the book with me. It was benefitted the Spanish speaking students, but it benefitted the English speaking students as well. More students were being positively impacted than placing ONLY non-English speaking students in an immersion class.  

Townley and Schmieder-Ramirez mentioned “the possibility of a new proposition being placed on the California ballot in 2016 that (would) change the restrictions of Proposition 227” (2015, p. 22). I did investigate the new proposition and found out about Proposition 58, which was voted for in 2016. Proposition 58 repealed some of the provisions put into place by Proposition 227. Based on the website Ballotpedia, “Proposition 58 no longer required English-only education for English learners. It allowed schools to utilize multiple programs, including bilingual education” (California Proposition 58, Initiative design). We are past the ten year mark in which the state was having to provide $50 million, so assuming that money was no longer being paid out, Proposition 227 was not requiring any extra funding above paying additional teachers as enrollment increases. In reviewing Proposition 58, it appears that “No notable fiscal effect on school districts or state government” (Ballotpedia, California Proposition 58, Fiscal impact).

Ballotpedia (2016). California Proposition 227, the "English in Public Schools" Initiative (1998).  Retrieved from https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_227,_the_%22English_in_Public_Schools%22_Initiative_(1998).

Ballotpedia (2016). California Proposition 58, Non-English Languages Allowed in Public Education (2016).  Retrieved from https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_58,_Non-English_Languages_Allowed_in_Public_Education_(2016).

California Department of Education. (2016). Facts about English Learners in California - CalEdFacts. Retrieved from http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sd/cb/cefelfacts.asp.

Townley, A & Schmieder-Ramirez, J. (2015). School Finance. Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.

EDL 680: Module 3 Discussion Post

1. Discuss your previous experience with Instructional Rounds - could be your own experience or what you’ve heard about this strategy for improving instruction.

I have had some experience with Instructional Rounds, though it was limited.  

It was the end of my first year teaching 1st grade (my 5th year teaching) and the principal decided she wanted to implement instructional rounds.  I am certain that it wasn’t solely her idea.  That year our school was being visited and observed by MANY people from central office and was highly scrutinized because we were not meeting AYP or making the necessary gains in order to meet AYP in the near future.  

The climate of our school was not positive to begin with and having so many critical eyes rotating through our school did not improve anyone’s attitude.  When the idea of instructional rounds was announced, it was pitched as a way for us to see what everyone in our grade level was doing.  One member of the leadership team would cover a class period and another member of the leadership team would walk around with the teacher during that 50 or so minutes, to the other classrooms in their grade level.  We were all reassured that it was non-evaluative but there was a checklist so that there would be points to discuss at the debrief meeting.  Each grade level was doing these instructional rounds at the same time in their grade level.  

There was only one 1st grade teacher that made the rounds.  It was the end of the year and we all know how chaotic that time of year is, so that was the reasoning for not continuing the rest of the rounds.  My theory revolved around the teachers that had been selected to kick off the initial round. They were all incredibly vocal and negative and contributed largely to the stagnant climate that had settled on our school.  Let’s just say, I wouldn’t have wanted to be in the debriefing meeting with those teachers.  

This year at my current school, completely different dynamic...completely different everything, the idea of a Pineapple Chart was presented at the Sunshine Committee meeting.  Jennifer Gonzalez, author of Cult of Pedagogy blog, (2016) explains “a Pineapple Chart is a system that allows teachers to invite one another into their classrooms for informal observation”.  Although some of us on the team loved the idea of allowing fellow teachers in the room to observe, others were VERY against it. Wagner (2008) describes education as a profession as a craftsman trade, there is a “craftsman’s regularity and repetitiveness in that they often teach the same lesson two or three times a day and the same courses for years, with little or no change”.  The teachers were against the Pineapple chart because they fear anyone coming in and asking them to change something.  Whether they think they are doing everything perfect (doubtful) or they just don’t feel like they have the time to invest to change anything.  

I suppose it just blows my mind that teachers, regardless of the school and the atmosphere, don’t want people coming into their classrooms.  That feedback is so valuable! I am willing to admit though, that a lot of it comes from experience and whether than experience was positive or negative.    

2. Discuss how these additional resources connect to the ideas Wagner puts forth about improving instruction.  

There are some distinct similarities and differences between the Instructional Rounds and Wagner’s Learning Walks.  The basic idea is the same; taking some time to get a glimpse of what teachers and students are doing in their classrooms, non-evaluative, and time to debrief.  All of these are critical components for growth of the observer.  I think the biggest difference is the audience and the purpose.  Wagner’s Learning Walks focuses on getting an overall picture of what is happening in classrooms for school and district administrators.  These positions are not in the classroom daily so they may not know exactly what instruction looks like, let alone what they want instruction to look like.  The ultimate purpose with these walks is for the leaders to figure out how to better support the teachers as instructional leaders in the classroom.

3. Thinking about your own leadership, how would you bring this strategy to a school you lead? Think about being a new leader and how you would roll out this new plan, keeping in mind the differences in learners/teachers, and the structure of this school’s PD strategies already in place.  

Without going too in depth, I do have a couple of ideas of what I would do if I were to try and roll this type of PD strategy at my current school.  First, I would love to model that “open to feedback” mindset.  I would like to invite teachers to join in components of my job as an administrator and ask for their feedback; be it regarding planning a staff meeting or lunch duty or really anything that isn’t confidential.  I think the next step would be to ask a handful of teachers that are looked up at the school to open their classrooms.  There is at least one teacher in each pod, that are always happy to have teachers in their room.  Depending on the comfort of the observing teachers, we can start by going in just to watch one of the teachers of their choice.  After the first observation, the same teachers that observed would do a second round. I’d like to include a focus, the “problem of practice” as described by Wager (2008) and the Classroom Observation Strategies: Instructional Rounds video (2015) and a short debrief session that really only asks the observers to describe what they saw in regards to the problem of practice.  This will also hopefully cause them to reflect on their own practices.  Then I would like to have a third round where we include each of the phases that were shown in the Classroom Observation Strategies: Instructional Rounds video (2015).  Additionally, I would like to invite the teachers that opened their classrooms to the debriefing meetings so they are able to see what is being discussed and see what they would like to contribute.  These teachers are big on growth mindset so I’m confident they would model what it looks like to say, “How can I do this better?” or “How can I meet the needs of my students better?”

My hope is that by scaffolding with teachers and teacher leaders, the school would be more accepting of the opening of classrooms and learning from one another. I recognize that it will take awhile to onboard everyone using this approach. However, my personal belief is to take as much time as we need to do it WELL and do it ONCE. Of course, with the exception of new teachers, but if new teachers come into the school where that climate and expectation are set, it will be much easier for them to become a part of it.