I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately about School 2.0, Professional Development, Meaningful Integration of Technology, School Improvement, etc. I feel like Education in the United States is like The Long Tail that Chris Anderson wrote about where 80% of educators are tapping into 20% of children’s potential. Is there blame? Sure, but does that solve anything no! So lets look for solutions instead of examining the problems.
How can we shift teaching and more teachers so that we reach more of a child’s potential? Barry Bachenheimer talks about how we should look at professional development, 21st century skills and change. His conclusion is that everything you know is wrong but seriously read his post because there are a lot of great points. Clay Burell talks about getting back to teaching and making a true impact on students instead of teaching towards accountability (gradebooks, tests, homework, static curriculum, etc).
Clay’s thought got me thinking. If we could employ the Google mentality of the Power of 20% then we’re getting back to teachers teaching and students learning. The Power of 20% is the theory where Google employees are encouraged to take 20% of their work week where they can work on a project that they are passionate about even if it has nothing to do with their current caseload. Imagine if teachers were given the freedom to spend up to 1 day a week to teach something meaningful or constructive that might not be in the “curriculum”. Chances are this is an administrator’s nightmare because of the “accountability of NCLB and making AYP!”
At some point someone has got to be willing to break the mode and do something different (even if it means falling flat on your face). If continue to follow the heard are we ever going to be inventive and transforming? I think not! Isn’t it nice to be reflective at the end of the year?
tags technorati : school2.0 clayburrel barrybachenheimer
5 responses so far ↓
Mike,
We must be sharing a brain lately, as I have been thinking similarly about refocusing our efforts. We are teaching at point A, and our students are learning at point B. How do we align them?
Barry notes that we spend so much time and money on professional development that doesn’t really add up in terms of effective learning. I love the idea of adding a requirement to any professional development done out of your district: teach it to the rest of us. Running workshops after and before school over the last few years has taught me that teachers learn best from one another (sound familiar?) and that no amount of PD or money spent on PD will equate to teachers sharing information and best practices.
Radical change, like what you advocate in your last paragraph, is essential; however, how ready is your staff for you to come in next month and announce that they must all be blogging with their students or using wikis or podcasting by February? Mine would skewer me without the proper scaffolding, and rightly so. Having your A+ teachers, your early adopters, spread the message about the benefits would prime the pump, so to speak, for that overall change to occur.
At least that’s where I am going to start.
Is the other 20% tapping into more or less student potential?
Like most other educators, I’m not a big fan of mandates, but my district (and, I fear, many others) will make no significant changes unless compelled to do so…particularly if the outcome of the change does not immediately translate into measurable improvement on test scores.
Even one day a month of self-directed PD during the “work day” would be a wonderful gift. I spend my summer and “free” time exploring on my own. This impacts my students, at least indirectly, but draws no praise from my principals or superintendent comparable to that lavished on 4th grade teachers who manage to achieve respectable results on NYS ELA (English Language Arts) and Math standardized testing.
I’m certainly not in this for the glory, but I would like to feel that my efforts are noted and supported!
Patrick,
Thanks for the comment. I’m a big fan of your blog! I agree that my staff is not ready to all of the sudden use Read/Write Tools but I was getting at the idea that it would be nice to have teachers have the ability to decide a project/theme/topic that is outside of the curriculum that is based on needs or desires from the students. I’m trying to get my A+ teachers to help spread the gospel but at times lack the administrative support to give them what they need to help influence the next layer of teachers. I take it one battle at a time.
Diane,
I think the other 20% tap into more student potential because they can consolidate, collaborate, connect, engage, and inspire within their classrooms.
Your district is no different than most (mine included) when it comes to making changes.
I applaud your growth on your time. The most meaningful PD I’ve had in the last two years is through the personal learning network I have in place (blogging, RSS, podcasts, twitter, etc.). I’ve learned that if you make learning experiences within your classroom public you’ll see how your efforts are noted and supported. Your blog map shows the result of your work. Keep up the good fight.
I marched in the late 60s, early 70s, for a cause I believed in.
We “fight” when and where we can.
diane
Mike-
Great post. As a person who worked his way up throught the system, I believe all change has to come from within the system.
Public education is an interesting animal with many embeded pieces that conflict– “life long learning”…but in a 180 day year. Collaboration between professionals…but an ever-present union. Visions started by good intentioned principals, who leave after 3 or 4 years when change can just start to be measured. Tough stuff.
In my opinion, the best change comes from within each teacher. A fostered desire to understand the teaching learning process and use whatever tools and innovation they have at their disposal to help kids. When you combine and have people such as this collaborate, great things happen.
Barry
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