PLC vs PLN?

This past weekend, I participated in a Twitter chat called #satchat. In my opinion, it is one of the best run edchats out there right now. Though it takes place at 7:30 in the morning, I try my hardest to participate each week, as I am always learning something new from the amazing people who also participate. It's a HUGE component of my PLN. The topic was centered around the concept of ensuring students are learning in an environment that will help them to succeed in a world that is growing smaller by the day thanks to advances in technology. During the chat, educational best practices were discussed, including the use of the PLC (Professional Learning Community) framework to drive instruction. One of the chat participants brought up a very interesting question - is there a difference between an PLC and a PLN (Personal Learning Network)?

I've spent the past couple of days seeing what other people say about this. 

Lorraine Boulos shares the following in her blog, Making Shift Happen. It seems to me the "PLC" has become synonymous with Professional Development and often, it is the principal, consultant, coach, or whomever the "Instructional Leader" is in the building, that decides what everyone needs to learn about.  How and why does this happen?  These instructional leaders are not just being arbitrary. They are looking at student results, looking at the gaps, and then they are using professional resources to determine what is the best strategy to meet the needs to close those gaps.

Furthermore, Russell Munkler put together a great slide presentation to help explain the difference between the two: http://www.slideshare.net/rmunkler/developing-your-pln

From what I can best gather, a PLC is goal and data driven - within the field of education, that goal is usually student academic success. A PLC is basically designed to function for the good of the group. A PLN, however, is designed by the individual, and its purpose doesn't necessarily have to be aligned to that of your school or organization. A PLN is broad, and it doesn't share the constraints of time or location usually placed upon a PLC. In addition, the "P" in the PLN appears to be interchangeable. While in most cases, the "P" stands for "personal", I've also seen it stand for "professional". 

If you read back to my other posts, you'll find I am a BIG fan of the PLC framework. I've witnessed AMAZING things happen as the result of educators buying into and working as a PLC. That being said, I am beginning to wonder if we shouldn't shift our thinking. Is the PLC too constraining? Can you still have a common goal working through a PLN? If we are asking our teachers to prepare students to be successful in a global society, I think it is something worth looking into! 

Thoughts??? 

Holidays Aren't Always Happy

I remember working with a student who was having behavioral difficulties, and was often falling asleep in class. Getting to know him and his mom, I learned that they lived in a motel room off the highway. Mom worked in a fast food restaurant. Most of the time, she worked the closing shift, meaning she did not get home until close to midnight. This meant her son was alone in a motel room in a sketchy part of town from the time he arrived home from school until mom got home from work. This also meant he had to wait until close to midnight to get supper. Supper by the way, was the leftovers from the fast food restaurant.

Each year around this time, I wonder what ever happened to them. I wonder how happy their holiday season was. I wonder how that child felt when winter break began for him? He wouldn't be getting school breakfast or lunch, just whatever mom would be bringing home from work late at night? I wonder what that stuff tasted like the next day? I can only imagine what it was like being in a drafty motel room day in and day out for two weeks while mom worked. Were there presents? Was there a proper Christmas dinner? I know they had no other family, and that must have been lonely. The student eventually ended up living in a home for boys somewhere in the southwestern part of the state, and mom vacated the hotel room. I'm not exactly sure where she ended up.

I bring this up because it is important for us as educators to remember that the holiday season is different for everyone. While I'm happily bounding out the door on the day winter break begins, I know there are others who aren't looking forward to these coming weeks. Do they get to go home to heat, light, good food, and a safe place to call home? Not always.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in our own lives this season, whether we are thriving or surviving. In the coming weeks, be mindful of those you work with. While these can be times of joy, excitement, and wonder; they can also be times of stress, sadness and despair. Even those of us with a roof over our heads and plenty to eat can feel down this time of year. This may be due to the recent loss of a loved one, or financial stress from a recent layoff or pay cuts so easy to get wrapped up in our own. In your actions and conversations, keep in mind the reason for the season. Be sure to model and celebrate those things we call can learn and grow from: compassion, kindness, and, thankfulness.

Ten People To Follow

A New Year's resolution of mine this past year was to see what all of the buzz was about on Twitter. That one thought was a complete game changer for me. Using Twitter has opened up a whole new world of professional development possibilities for me. 

In addition, those possibilities are not limited to the field of education. Several people I have followed are passionate about leadership in general, and I've learned so much from them because of their passion for leadership an what they have accomplished as a result of that passion. 

Below are ten individuals I have followed this past year. They are only 10 out of over 700, but they are 10 who have helped to put my own thoughts on leadership and education into perspective. I also chose these people for three key reasons: They are passionate about their craft, are willing to share, and follow some pretty amazing people themselves! By the way, this list is in NO particular order. 

Scott McLeod @mcleod - This is the guy who writes the Dangerously Irrelevant blog. He is a regular on several Twitter education chats. He promotes innovation and change in education, and has some great ideas on how to make that change happen. He's actually one of the first people I followed. 

Rick Wormelli @RickWormelli - Rick Wormelli's thoughts on standards-based learning really helped me to explain the process of sandards-based learning and standards-based grading to the staff I worked alongside last year as we were all wrapping our heads around this SUPER IMPORTANT concept. In my opinion, his thoughts can be an absolute game changer for any school or school system that is willing to adopt them. 

Donalyn Miller @donalynbooks - This woman knows kids, and she knows reading. I wish I had enough money to have her come visit my school for a month. I am truly fearful that fewer and fewer students are avid readers. Donalyn Miller is passionate about reading, and is equally passionate about getting kids to love reading. She is the reason why I ask in an an interview, "What are you reading?".

Wade Stanford @wadestanford - Wade is one of the reasons I took such an interest in Twitter to begin with. Not only does he have some great ideas, but he follows some pretty fabulous people as well!

John Michel @JohnEMichel - USAF, and a good solid mindset on how modern leadership should look. He has some wonderful thoughts, and shares some pretty awesome articles and pictures, too. I've shred some of his articles with my fellow staff members.

Pam Moran @pammoran - You should always follow educational leaders within your region. I enjoy Pam because she is someone I aspire to be. One can tell that she always thinks with the best interests of kids in mind.

Wicked Decent Learning @wickeddecent - OK, I know I said I was featuring individuals, but this dynamic duo are fellow New Englanders, have a great point of view on the purpose of developing a PLN, and also post some great infographics.

Dan Forbes @DanVForbes - This guy is the reason I stepped outside the educational boundary of Twitter, and began to explore thoughts from leaders outside the field of education. He is also the founder of one of my favorite chats, #LeadWithGiants, what takes place every Monday night at 7:00 Eastern time. It is really fast-paced - 10 questions in an hour!

Tiawana Giles @TiawanaG - Tiawana is the founder of #TheTitleOneChat. She is an incredibly passionate leader and learner. She has a lot of great thoughts on building relationships within the school community.

Daniel Buhr @Cybuhr - Daniel Buhr is not an educator. He is, however, passionate about the realm of leadership, and has a lot of relevant thoughts on the topic. In addition, if you are lucky enough, he will respond to one of your tweets during a discussion with a follow-up question that really makes you think!

As I said before. This is definitely not the be-all and end-all of people to follow on Twitter. However they are people I have enjoyed following, and if you are of a similar mindset, should enjoy following as well. If you have any thoughts on other people I should follow, please comment!

By the way, you can follow me at @JaimeStacy T

The Grass Isn't Greener

So, the school I currently serve has a completely different structure regarding exceptional education students than I'm used to. I've always been fortunate to work with an individual who is in charge of all things exceptional education. It is all they do. That person, known as a coordinator for special education would review IEPs, host eligibility and triennial meetings, and would also be the individual who one could rely on as the expert on all things exceptional education.

Here, I work with a department chair for exceptional education, but otherwise, I'm it... I've had seven years supervising exceptional education departments in middle schools, but there has always been someone to monitor all things exceptional education, and they did a good job of it! I felt comfortable making decisions with them to guide me. Now, if I have a question, my answers are a phone call away, but its just not the same.

Something I've learned about transitioning from one school system to another is that the grass isn't greener on the other side...its just a different variety of grass, and that's OK.

I have accumulated quite a few stories like this over the past few weeks. Does that make me any less happy that I made the decision to work in a different school system? DEFINITELY NOT!!! I now have the opportunity to gain a whole new skillset; which is exactly why I decided to go for a position like this to begin with.

That being said, make sure your expectations regarding a new position are aligned with what your desires truly are. Because there will be other "unintended consequences" you will face as a result of your decision. Bottom line,  make sure you enter a new position with an open mind, and a desire to learn!

New Day, New building, New Perspective

For the first time in 16 years, I travelled to a different school system to go to work this week. To say it was surreal would be an understatement.

Day one was a whirlwind of new names, faces, procedures, routines, and expectations. I really put my "Lifelong Learner" persona to the test! There were meetings, introductions, trainings, and lunch duty...yes, lunch duty!  I'm so glad I took the time to get my office set up during the weekend. I'm also grateful for the staff members who took the time to make sure I felt at home!

What a Welcome!!! :-)

On day two, things calmed down a little...well, about as calm as a middle school gets. I got to visit classes on an absolutely amazing day. It was peer observation day. Like the school I just left, my new school also provides students with a 1:1 learning environment. Teachers who had something really cool to share with their peers placed a green card outside their door. I had an opportunity to visit some of these "green card" classrooms in the afternoon, and it was AMAZING! I saw collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and infusion of technology at its finest.

On day three, before teachers and students came in, I had time to sit in m office for a minute and assess my surroundings. With my new office, I got half of my wish. I got a window! After nearly ten yeas of working in an office without a window, I finally have one. I'll admit I was a little disappointed that the window didn't have an outside view. However, it does gives me a GREAT view of the 8th grade hallway. What it also allows me to see is the reflection of a beautiful golden sunrise streaming in from the HUGE windows in the main stairway. It allows me to see the teachers arriving every morning, and I can say hi to the kids who walk by my office throughout the day.

While I haven't gotten everything I wanted yet (an outside view, for example), I have gained a new perspective on things, which is exactly what I was hoping for in this endeavor. Is this new journey going to be easy? No way! Is it going to be worth it? It already is.

Making a Transition

At this point, most of my colleagues know that I am about to make a transition. I am moving from an 11-month position to a 12-month position. I'm also moving to another school system. I'll admit that I'm both excited and nervous at the same time. While I have worked in three schools prior to my move, they have all been in the same school system. In the weeks to come, I will be putting my "lifelong learner" mindset to the test. While adjusting to a new organizational structure will take a little time, I know that my time in the coming weeks will be best spent learning as much about the culture and norms of the school community that I possibly can. I can't wait to see the kids!

I start my new position tomorrow. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to get into the building during the weekend and get my office set up. I spent time moving around furniture, hanging pictures, and unpacking boxes. I wanted that space to be a welcoming environment for anyone who visits my office from day one. I also wanted to make a statement: I'm here to stay. What does your work space say about you?

When I interviewed for this position, I told the panel that I felt I had a lot to offer. I also said that I had a lot to learn. I'm looking forward to putting that statement to the test!

Who Inspires You?

From http://edutopia.com

On Twitter, you have a little bit of space to say something about yourself on your homepage. Mine reads "Always a teacher first". There is so much I owe to the profession of teaching and learning. Teachers helped to make me who I am.

Edutopia has had some FABULOUS stuff on Pinterest recently. Last week's "pin of the week" really spoke to me. When I think about hiring teachers, I look beyond their academic skillset. I look for their passion, their creativity, their ability to inspire.

Once a teacher is hired, it is important to remind them why they got the job. It wasn't just because they were knowledgable of their content area. There was something in that interview that made them stand out from those around them. There was a spark. I am also of firm belief that it is our responsibility to tell our new hires that there are some within the building who unfortunately, are not going to be great role models for them. Those who are more seasoned will likely pick up on those toxic personalities, and stay away from them. Others may get sucked into that toxicity...misery loves company, remember? Keep in mind that it is not at all inappropriate to introduce your new hires to those on your staff who you think they could learn the most from.

I love this quote by Robert John Meehan because I truly believe that its simply not good enough to just be a lifelong learner. I've always considered myself to be a lifelong learner; but as I climb higher in my career, I have discovered the importance of surrounding myself with people who are uplifting and inspiring. Though I am kind of an introvert, I consider myself to be so fortunate to have an amazing group of friends, family, and colleagues who support and inspire me. They have helped me to become who I am. As time has gone on, I have become more cognizant of the fact that it is my responsibility to help those in the same way that others have helped me. It is my responsibility to be an uplifting presence in my building; no matter what I may be feeling inside.

The next time you are having a crummy day, be sure to remember that there are others in your building who are looking up to you. Though you are just one person, you matter a whole lot to those you work alongside. Don't let them down.

Brushing Up On Some SAMR

image from ipadforschools.org

Every year, our school division requires teachers to attend a technology-driven staff development day a couple of weeks before teacher work week begins. With all of our middle school students getting Chromebooks, much of the workshop was centered around ensuring students received the best possible blended learning experience.

Teachers were shown how to navigate curriculum based websites, how to enter information into the new electronic gradebook, and were also given a mini lesson on the SAMR model.


As an FYI, Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything has some GREAT SAMR resources for teachers who are just getting their feet wet in SAMR land!

SAMR is an acronym for the following:

• Substitution,
• Augmentation,
• Modification, and
• Redefinition

Basically the premise is that the use of technology in education can be categorized into one of the above four methods. Let's take for example, the act of note taking.

In substitution, the technology is simply taking the place of a more traditional method - like using a word processor instead of a typewriter, or a piece of lined paper.
Through augmentation, the technology is basically a slight improvement on the traditional tool. For example, spell check and formatting tools make the process of note taking easier.  
The modification stage is where the real fun begins. The traditional notes become interactive. Students use the Internet to enrich their notes. Hyperlinks to interesting sites or video may be added. Images are added to the page. Students can utilize Google docs for sharing and peer editing.
Redefinition - The notebook turns into a blog that is published and shared with not only their classmates, but experts in the field. Questions and comments can be posted, leading to a deeper thought process. Students have an audience beyond their classroom.

As I observe classes this year, I would like to give some feedback based on the SAMR model. I want to ask teachers how they would rate their lesson. Would the lesson be more of an S, or more of an R?

I chose the topic of SAMR note taking because there is a debate in our school system right now. Even though students are going to be given Chromebooks, teachers want to be able to continue using paper notebooks because students retain more if they can cut and paste something into a notebook. Even as an administrator, I have found the best way to get my point across is by modeling my expectations. As I think about what this could look like, the idea of an "Interactive PLC Agenda" comes to mind. The agenda with videos, links, and pictures posted on our PLC site teachers can comment on and share. It's worth a shot. I'll let you know how it goes!

What is Your Most Productive Time of Day?

As long as I can remember, I have been a morning person. Sincerely, I can't remember many mornings when I have slept particularly late.

Sleeping late has rarely been an option for me. I took a job as soon as I could - age 11 or 12 delivering the Boston Globe before school. Later on, I worked at a bakery. The morning shift began at 5:30 for me on weekends and during the summer when I wasn't in school. This may have something to do with being an introvert. I energize by taking some time to myself. I may as well be productive during this time!

I was really glad that I was a morning person when it came time for me to attend college. One of the techniques for weeding out those who aren't particularly serious about becoming music majors is to make sure all required music classes begin at 8:00 a.m.

When I entered, the workforce, I quickly realized that not everyone is a morning person, and I used it to my advantage. Getting up at 5:30 in the morning allowed me to get at work earlier than most; and I got so much accomplished during those "wee hours" of the morning. People who arrived at work at the same time I did had a similar mindset. They were there to get stuff done.

I remember interviewing for a position, and the "time management" question came up. I responded by saying that as far as I'm concerned, time during the school day is not my own. It should be used to work directly with teachers, parents and students. Since my brain is basically fried at the end of the day, I actually put a daily task on the calendar that I refer to as "stuff" between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. This block of time is when I am at my best; and I save the most complex tasks for this time. Depending on the time of year, I may even come to work earlier. I rarely stay past 5:00 in the evening unless there is an evening event. That doesn't mean I don't pull out my computer to answer some emails or take a look at a project I'm working on.

As you begin this new school year, take a moment and consider how you manage your time. Are you taking advantage of your most productive time of day? If not, I recommend you do so. It could mean the difference from being good at your job, and being great at it!

People Are Buzzing About Grit

What is grit? Well, if you went to dictionary.com  you would get this definition:

• Abrasive particles
• A coarse-grained rock with sharp edges
• Firmness of character, pluck

The concept of grit in education is being tossed around a lot lately. I"m pretty sure people aren't having discussions about rocks or particles, unless of course they are talking about something in the realm of science. Instead these discussions are centered around character, determination, perseverance. Is the concept of grit something that can be taught? That in itself is another topic being batted around. I had recently shown this TED talk given by Angela Lee Duckworth on this very same topic.

The purpose of showing the presentation to my students actually had nothing to do with the topic itself. I selected it because my students were getting ready to give oral presentations, and her TED talk is a great example of a good presentation. Really good. Dr. Duckworth gets her point across. She convinces her audience that this is a topic that definitely warrants further exploration!

If you Google Angela Lee Duckworth, you will actually find she has begun work on answering this question. You can even find out how much grit you have by taking an online quiz. By the way, I scored a 4.38 out a possible 5; meaning I have a fair amount of grit.

As you interact with students in the upcoming school year, ask yourself this question: "Are the students I am working with or observing being provided with opportunities to determine if they do have an amount of grit?" Are they being exposed to authentic and rigorous learning experiences on a daily basis? While we continue to debate whether or not this concept can be taught, we can most certainly continue to develop and implement lessons and programs that strengthen students' problem solving skills, their character, and their ability to persevere. Keep your eyes open. You just may be teaching grit without even knowing it! 

I'm So Glad I Teach

Since I finished my doctorate, I was given the opportunity to fulfill one of my lifetime dreams: to teach at the college level. After spending eight years away from working as a classroom teacher, it felt good to get back in to it. What I didn't realize at the time was just how good this experience was for me. Besides the fact that I am so humbled to be working with while simultaneously learning from  such AMAZING students, I've become more reflective on my position as a building administrator. Having the ability to work as a teacher while serving as a building administrator has caused me to look at what I do from a completely different lens. Am I giving it my absolute best? Since it is summer, I think my reflections have been deeper than normal.

What Is My Purpose? 
I remember having a really bad day during my first year as an administrator. I was standing in my office, staring at the HUGE pile of stuff on my desk, and shifting my glance to my computer screen where 20 new "urgent" emails had popped up. While I was staring in disbelief at my computer, I could hear my name being called on the radio attached to my hip because the parent of the kid I had just suspended had arrived. By the way, I had missed my classroom observation because I was dealing with the kid I had to suspend. In addition, they really didn't need to call me because I could hear both mother and daughter arguing at the top of their lungs just outside my office.

In that moment, I asked myself, "Why on earth am I subjecting myself to this? I thought I was supposed to be an educational leader!" As quickly as I had those thoughts, I thought about the kids and the teachers. I was here because I wanted the very best for kids and teachers. I took a deep breath, straightened the pile on my desk, turned off the computer monitor, and went to greet the parent. I also made a mental note to apologize to the teacher and accepted the fact I would be staying late to address the pile on my desk and the mail in my in-box.

How Can I Improve? 
I think of that day as a turning point. I was kind of a know-it-all. I had a master's degree that told me as much, right? WRONG! I had never felt so overwhelmed in my position as I had that day. I made the mistake of making the series of unfortunate events all about me, and paid the price. Since then, I made my focus on improving upon myself so that I can give others my absolute best. Whenever I'm having a rough day, I take a moment to remember my purpose: to do whatever it takes to help students and teachers be successful. While it may not solve all my problems, it certainly puts things into perspective.

So, What Does This Have To Do With Teaching, You Say?
Working in education is a humbling experience for me. While I feel I have a lot to offer, there is also so much about this profession of teaching and learning that I still need to learn. Working with students of my own has provided me with a snapshot of what teachers are dealing with. In order to help students succeed, we all need to be able to rely on one another's talents to be successful in this rapidly changing profession.

Speaking of rapidly changing, if you think that education is changing now, just wait and see. Keep learning! It's the only way you will be able to thrive in this world we live in. Besides, we owe it to those we work with!

How Creative Have You Been Lately?

I haven't blogged in awhile. I have several drafts with some really good content, but I've had some serious trouble bringing any of it to fruition...until now.

I was actually looking for some examples of journal article citations to share with my students when I came across an article on the concept of creativity. In the article, Sligte, deDreu, and Nijstad (2011) discuss power, hierarchy and creativity. The authors even go on to say that power and creativity can be closely related to stability in life.

I think about how unstable educators' lives are in the final weeks of the school year. Gone is the structure of the school day. At the end of the year, regular bell schedules and class periods give way to standardized testing, modified schedules, field days, yearbook signing parties, and awards assemblies. In addition, time must be spent on completing professional growth goals and performance evaluations.

The toll these final weeks take are not limited to the educator's state of mind. Laundry piles up, grocery lists get longer and longer, and weekends become extensions of the workweek. An even larger part of our existence gets engulfed by the profession we are so passionate about. At the end of the twelve, thirteen, or fourteen-hour frenzied days, there is very little room for creativity. Ironically, this tends to be the time of year we often ask teachers to be the most creative in their teaching and learning. 

Have you ever looked at Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs" pyramid? Simply Psychology has a article which discusses Maslow in more detail in case you aren't familiar with the pyramid. There is even a picture of the pyramid. Basically, the concept of Maslow's Hierarchy is that you need to satisfy certain basic needs before you are able to even think about more complex things. By the way, according to the picture on the website, and to Sligte, deDreu, and Nijstad (2011), creativity is at the top of the pyramid. No wonder I haven't had the creative juices to blog! I haven't done a great job of meeting my own basic needs recently. 

This is the first evening in a LONG while when I have been able to sit down in my favorite chair with my cat in my lap, and write about something that I am passionate about. So, the next time you find yourself discouraged about the work your teachers or students are producing, take a moment to put yourself in their shoes. Are they truly in a position to be creative? If not, how can you foster that creativity that is so essential to promote good teaching and learning? 

Reference:
Sligte, D. (2011). Power, stability of power, and creativity. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, (5), 891-897.

Another Fabulous Day!

A couple of months ago, I posted a blog titled "Best PLC Meeting Ever". Well, on Friday, some of the PLC members I work with gave me one of the BEST DAYS ever!

Friday was the last day of the marking period. The Success students I work with were working fast and furious catching up on any missing assignments, and my amazing teachers were right there with us helping them get caught up on anything they were missing.

A couple weeks prior to this, the Success students created 3-slide presentations they could show someone who would serve as a potential mentor for them. The presentations allowed the students to share a little about themselves...their likes, dislikes, and what exactly they needed help on. I took each of those presentations and added a fourth slide to them. That fourth slide had their grade from the first semester, and from the last marking period (the period they spent the success class in). I then took all of the presentations and loaded them onto a Google site that our teachers could access. The teachers were able to flip through the presentations, and if they felt so inclined, could use a Google form to select a student they wanted to mentor for the fourth marking period.

On Friday, the mentors came and visited their students. To say that these students were excited to find out that someone picked them would be an understatement. The teachers were also sincerely excited to meet these students who had come so far. They made plans to meet on a regular basis, and then left to allow the students to finish up their work for the marking period with the teachers who were helping them out. After the mentors had left, I took a minute to sit down with the students and told them to open up the presentation they created, and to take a look at the fourth slide I created for them. I had kids grinning from ear to ear, jumping up and down, and yelling "YES" when they saw the progress they had made. In some cases we weren't just talking about moving from an F to a D. Some of the students moved from a F to a C+. One moved from an F to a B! All were on the right track to passing the grade.

Now the really hard work begins for these students and their mentors. They are going to have to maintain these grades by applying the skills they used in the Success class. My job will be to make sure these students are beng monitored, and that they continue to receive the supports and materials they need to continue to be successful.

When all is said and done, there really isn't any secret formula to this program. It all comes down to establishing and maintaining relationships, and making sure they have everything they need to be successful. Does it take time and effort? Sure! It takes tons of time and effort. Is it worth it? Definately.

Teacher Concerns About 1:1 Learning

So...the school system I work in is going to be giving every middle school student a Chromebook this fall. What's really interesting about this whole thing is that the adults working with these students aren't being given Chromebooks too. As an administrator, I was lucky enough to get one to play with for two weeks. The teachers got to play with them in a "petting zoo" environment hosted by our technology integrator. I made it a point to make sure I did a LOT of classroom observations on it (we currently use Observation 360) and showcased it to the teachers during each post-observation conference. Thankfully, our school system has been very proactive in providing teachers with several experiences to learn more about how Google Drive works.

Since I've found out that students are getting Chromebooks, I've been asking the following question during post-observation conferences:

"How will this lesson look different when every student in your class has a Chromebook in front of them?"

This one question sparked a LOT of conversation. Language arts teachers talked about using Google docs for peer editing. Social studies teachers brought up the ability to research current events, attend virtual field trips, and create presentations without having to book lab time. Virtual labs were the center of conversation among science teachers, and math teachers were excited about using videos like Kahn academy as part of the spiral review process. Teachers have even started administering student assessments through Edmodo and Google Forms.

There were also some very genuine concerns:

• Will I receive additional training to teach in this new way? 
• Will students be able to take their state assessments on a Chromebook? (while laptops are OK for testing purposes, Chromebooks are still being decided upon.)
• What happens when a student breaks/misplaces their Chromebook? 
• Will there be a schoolwide procedure for keeping students' Google Drive folders organized? 
• How much "hacking" can be done to a Chromebook? 
• Will I be expected to teach everything using the Chromebook? 

Two things help ease these concerns:

1. Keep the Lines of Communication Open - Having conversations with teachers regarding their anticipations and concerns over this initiative helps in a couple of different ways. First, acknowledging an individual's concern can greatly help decrease the anxiety that person may be feeling in any situation. Also these conversations are wonderful opportunities to find out what any common fears may be. That qualitative data can then be used to put together professional development sessions that are relevant to the needs of your staff members. 
2. Understand that it's OK to say "I Don't Know" - Depending on how your school division manages its resources and implements its programs, you may not necessarily know how everything is going to work. If someone asks you a question, and you don't know the answer, say "I don't know. Can you give me some time to find out the answer for you?" Your staff members will appreciate your honesty for doing that. Just make sure you do get that answer for them!

This is going to be an exciting time for both our teachers and students. I think it will be a year during which the teachers will learn as much as our students do, and I'm glad to be part of the process! 

Increasing Teacher Comfort With Google Drive

Since every middle school student in the division that employs me is getting a Chromebook next year, I am doing my absolute best job to embrace everything that is Chrome; especially since there is currently no plan to give Chromebooks to the adults who work directly with these middle school students.

Thankfully, anything that can be done on a Chromebook can be done on a computer with the Chrome browser installed. I can still completely understand why teachers would like to have their own Chromebook on hand, though. It's all about increasing the comfort level. While our school system has done a fairly good job of providing opportunities for teachers to learn how to use Google Drive, (through workshops and online modules) it's really up to administrators to make sure they have plenty of opportunities to practice. Of course, we all know that the best way to practice any newly acquired skill is being able to apply that skill to real-life situations.

Here are some things people in our building have put in place which basically ensure teachers get to use Google Drive on a regular basis.

Lab Schedules - We have an amazing technology integrator who visits us a couple of days a week to share with teachers all that is cool and fabulous with technology. He worked with our library staff to create a Google Spreadsheet teachers could access to sign up for computer lab time. The revision history makes sure someone doesn't go in and erase someone's time and puts their own name in their place.

PLC Meetings - PLC Agendas are drafted in Google Docs. The link to the agenda is shared 24 hours before the meeting, and teachers are able to add items to the agenda. On the day of the meeting, one person types notes directly into the agenda creating instant minutes. The minutes are then stored on a Google site created just for the grade level so teachers don't have to go searching through their email if they were unable to make a meeting. The site also stores other important bits of information like meeting schedules, bus duty rosters, and links to state and division resources. In addition, I used tinyurl.com to create a shortened link that is easy for teachers to remember.

The School Calendar - Our office staff are responsible for keeping the calendar up to date. Now they put all events on a School-Use Google Calendar that is share with all staff members. I have gone a step beyond to place that very same calendar on the home page of the PLC site I mentioned above for easy reference.

Lesson Plans - I teach a class every other day for a small group of students who are in danger of failing the grade level. My plans for the class are stored as a Google spreadsheet that teachers can access to see what I'm doing. I've given editing rights so they can also list any missing or make-up work Some teachers in my building have started using Google docs to store their own lesson plans. One teacher recently commented to me that it is actually easier to store plans on Google Drive because she can simply share the plans with other members of her PLC.

I could go on and on with examples, but the purpose of sharing these is to get your own mind thinking about things you can do in your own building if you end up in a similar circumstance. It is my ultimate hope that teachers will be able to take the skills they learned and use them to assist their students when they get their Chromebooks next fall!

Uplifting Thoughts for the Second Semester

This past week marked the beginning of the second semester in my school system. It was actually delayed a week because we have had quite a few snow days. Now when I talk snow, its nothing like the weather I experienced growing up in Massachusetts; but I also have to remember they just aren't as equipped to handle the winter down here in Virginia.

With the week delay, and the promise of more winter on the way, came the realization that there is now even less time to do everything that we need to do to help our students. In addition, the release of mid-year assessment results (not great) caused feelings of depression, panic, and uncertainty among our staff members. It was a wake up call that we needed to reexamine what we were doing and make adjustments accordingly. While I appreciate the sense of urgency among many of our staff members to make these adjustments, I worry about two groups:

• Those who are not doing a good job and are not particularly worried about it, and
• Those who are doing a good job and are getting so stressed out that I fear for their health.

From someecards.com

As a school leader, I feel accountable for both groups of teachers. Ironically, I feel that its easier to work with the first group. I can sit down with them, show them the data, and start conversations to help them shift the conversation from blaming the students to helping the students. 

For the other group, I feel the need to lift their spirits. I write thank you notes on gold star cutouts and place them in their mailboxes, include them in shout-outs during PLC meetings, bake cookies, surprise them with pizza, and most importantly, listen to their frustrations and concerns. I also keep a bank of quotes, pictures, and websites to share with them. Here are a few that I use:

For quotes:

• 20 Awe-Inspiring Quotes for Teachers and Parents
• Quotes for Teachers - Love this because they can be used in presentation slides
• Quotes About Teaching - Goodreads actually lets you search for all sorts of quotes

For Pictures: (By the way - I typically use pictures for humor. I may throw one into the middle of a presentation or email a random picture to a teacher who is having a bad day. I'm also into memes right now, but they are mostly of funny cats...)

• Some E-Cards - Humor teachers can relate to
• Pinterest - Good collection of teacher humor

It doesn't really matter what you do to provide your teachers with uplifting experiences. After all, we all have different personalities, and share humor in different ways. What's important is that you share humor in a way that is comfortable to you, and appropriate for the occasion. What may be acceptable for some people and venues, may not be acceptable for others. A good rule of thumb is to keep it G-Rated! 

Best PLC Meeting Ever!

Image From - www.bn.com

I am a firm believer that the Professional Learning Community (PLC) model is one of the best tools we canpublications provide strategies that are easy to implement and can produce results quickly.
utilize to support teaching and learning for our students, and for one another. This purpose of this post is not to describe what a PLC is, or how to establish one in your building. If you want to start using PLCs with fidelity start by reading up on the Dufour's work on the subject. Their

The purpose of this post will hopefully paint a picture of why PLCs can ROCK!

Our grade level PLC meets every other week to discuss student performance, upcoming events, and discuss any issues among the grade level or the building. A couple of days before, our admin team meets to draw up a broad agenda, and I send it out to the grade level so that they know what to expect. I send it out as a Google doc so that they can add items if they need to. The really nice thing about using a Google doc is that the agenda transforms into the meeting minutes when our note taker types notes under each agenda item. I also have all agendas stored under a single shared folder.

On this past agenda, I added a line titled academics, and put this underneath:

• Language Arts
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies

I asked teachers to share with one another what was going on within their content area. The results were pure magic! The language arts teachers shared that they were working on the concept of comparing and contrasting. While they were discussing their strategies, the math teachers jumped in and said they easily integrate the vocabulary and strategies when they talk about graphing. Social studies and science teachers began to ask questions about reading strategies and non-fiction passages, and wanted to learn how they could help. I was soooo proud of my teachers! The teachers left feeling energized and ready to work. I really thought it was one of our best meetings so far. 

I've said before that I am new to this building this year, and the first thing I did was implement PLC procedures and protocols. I've also made the commitment to never miss a meeting unless I'm out of the building. Though these norms are revisited often, we still get off track from time to time, but bringing the team back to task gets easier; and when they are on task, there is nothing they can't accomplish! 

Three iPad Apps I Use Everyday

I can't believe it's been three years since the school system I work in gave every administrator an iPad. It was an eye-opening experience. We were required to attend a professional development session during which our instructional technology staff walked us through setting up our devices. I remember one person celebrating when she realized her iPad still worked after she spilled coffee on it. I also remember one person in tears when she dropped her iPad in the parking lot (the screen cracked, by the way) as we were leaving the session.

My iPad and I have had a GREAT working relationship. When I first got it, I tried to do everything on it. As time went on, though, I figured out what tasks were appropriate for iPads and what tasks should be left to the computer. I'm pretty fortunate to have a laptop with a docking station in my office. So as the title indicates, I want to share the three iPad apps I use every day.

#1 - Observation 360 
Our school system requires us to enter all teacher observations in a program called Observation 360. It's part of the PD360 family. While one is able to use Observation 360 on any computer, I really do find it less imposing if I sit in the back of the room typing away on my iPad. What I really like about Observation 360 is that I can sit in a classroom, perform an observation, and send a copy of it to the teacher as soon as I finish. In most cases, I try to send the observation to the teacher before I leave their classroom. In addition, I also send them a calendar invite for their follow-up conference at the same time!

#2 - Notability
I have tried several note-taking apps, and keep going back to Notability. I find it very versatile and easy to navigate. If I'm in a PLC meeting or PD session, I can open a note page and just start typing away. If during that session I see something I want to take a picture of, I can take a pitcure with my iPad camera and upload it to that note. I can then use my stylus to write notes on that picture. I can even embed hyperlinks to cool websites shared during that session. Later, I can share my notes with my colleagues with the click of a button!

#3 - Twitter
I'm quickly beginning to realize why people become addicted to Twitter. If I have a second during the day, I'll take a quick glance at my feed. I will say that I've been a lot more methodical about setting up my Twitter account than I have my Facebook account. Facebook is for fun. Its where I stay connected with my out-of-state fans and post funny cat pictures. Twitter is for work. I follow all my favorites including @RickWormelli, @SirKenRobinson, @RichardBranson, and @ArneDuncan. I also follow CNN, the Huffington Post and ASCD just to name a few. It's amazing the ideas that can be generated from reading 120 characters of text.

I know there are other apps I use on a daily basis, but the ones I mentioned above are the ones that get opened for one reason or another every day. I would love to know what you may use to help support your own professional growth and development if you care to comment.

Supporting Teacher Leaders

In professional learning communities, I am a firm believer that they should be able to run effectively whether or not I (the school administrator) am present. A few years ago, I worked with a phenomenal teacher who I convinced to become my grade level PLC facilitator, and she did an amazing job making sure our grade level functioned as a well-oiled and completely child-centered machine.

After working alongside her for awhile, I asked her if she ever thought of going into administration. "Not on your life!" was her response. She went on to tell me that while she enjoyed the contributions to her fellow staff members and school, she was happiest working with the students.

The majority of schools have people like my fabulous PLC facilitator who serve as teacher leaders. In most cases these people go above and beyond without any extra compensation. There are, however several things we as school leaders can do to recognize and support these AMAZING individuals.

Get Them Some Leadership Training
When I pursued my degree in school administration, I learned that working with adults was going to be a lot different than working with children. Thankfully, I've been able to acquire some skills to work with them. Our teacher leaders are often expected to serve on committees, plan new initiatives, and provide coaching to their colleagues without any leadership training. If you are in a larger school system, work with your professional development department to establish a series of training or coaching sessions your teacher leaders can attend. In addition, many higher education institutions are also beginning to offer workshops and programs geared towards teacher leaders. For example, Virginia Commonwealth University (my alma-mater) offers several programs designed specifically for teacher leaders. Read more about it at http://www.ctl.vcu.edu/.

Lend Them Your Ear 
Including teachers in the decision making process is a key component of developing a strong professional learning community.  Your team leaders, department chairs, and grade level facilitators are great people to begin talking to, as they can also pass on information. When assessment data comes in, teach them how to interpret it, and get their opinion on what they notice about it. In addition, make sure they are playing an active role in the development of your school improvement plan. Teacher leaders often have a unique read on the pulse of the school, and can provide a different point of view how a new plan can affect the school on cultural and instructional levels.

Celebrate Their Accomplishments
While we may not be able to pay them what they deserve, we can certainly shower them with praise. These things should be done for all teachers who deserve it.

• Thank you notes - I have gold star cutouts that I write notes to teachers on. These are for the little things they do every day. I know they mean a lot to the teachers because they are hanging on doors and bulletin boards in classrooms all over the building! I also write more formal letters for larger accomplishments and put a copy in their personnel file. I will also share major accomplishments with our division leaders. 
• Performance reviews - I could write a whole post on performance reviews because they have changed dramatically in the past few years. When writing a summative evaluation, be sure to include the contributions the teacher has made. Sometimes we get focused on what happened during the classroom observation, and we all know there is so much more to this job. This will provide documentation that they have gone above and beyond their daily duties. 
• Opportunities - Your teacher leaders should be attending conferences (and presenting at them), serving on division level committees (so others may know how fabulous they are), and acting as mentors for new teachers. 

I can't fathom having to do my job without the support of these individuals who are willing to step up and support their colleagues, their community, and their profession as teacher leaders. It's only fair that I support them in return by making sure that they have the skillset to thrive as a leader, that they have a voice in the decision making process, and that they get the recognition they deserve. 

When Students Get Chromebooks

This fall, every middle school student in the school system I work for is going to receive a Chromebook. As a middle school administrator, I've been spending a fair amount of time researching Chromebooks in education, and even created a Pinterest board dedicated to the subject to share with colleagues. In my research, two major themes related to Chromebooks in education have surfaced:

• Implementing a Chromebook program within a school or school division
• Ideas on how to teach with Chromebooks

Ironically, there are very few sites dedicated to getting started with Chromebooks once they end up in the hands of the students. I am a firm believer that well-developed and implemented procedures and routines are one of the key components to a successfully run class. Effective teachers have procedures for practically everything: For handing out and collecting work, for whole-class and small group instruction, for keeping notebooks organized, for transitions...I could go on, but if you've been in a classroom, you probably get the idea. When students get these Chromebooks, they are going to potentially become their backpacks, lockers, textbooks, notebooks and libraries all rolled into one. 

 Picture From - http://www.eveningsun.com/

The interesting thing about the Chromebook versus the laptop is that all student work is stored in the cloud using Google Drive. I can still imagine students losing their homework, classwork or projects within their Google Drive if they haven't been properly instructed on setting up folders for each class, with homework, classwork, and project subfolders set up within the class folders. I can also imagine them getting off task while surfing the web if teachers aren't frequently checking in on students. It's my belief that there will need to be an established set of schoolwide procedures and routines in order for teachers and students to be successful with the Chromebooks. That being said, there will still be a group of students who will require some extra supervision. 

The teachers who are going shine brightest through this initiative are the ones who  realize there will be a need to rethink their teaching practices right down to the very procedures and routines they may have been using for many years. This is going to be a MAJOR culture shift. As school leaders, we can facilitate this process by doing the following: 

• "Walking the Talk" - We need to make these apps part of our everyday lives if we are expecting our teachers and students to do the same,
• Conversing with teachers regarding their apprehensions over an initiative so large,
• Providing short professional development mini-lessons to ease these apprehensions during faculty and PLC meetings; and enrichment sessions after school for those teachers who want to take the program a step further, 
• Asking teachers for their assistance in developing some general school-wide procedures and routines to help them get started,
• And carve out time during the instructional day for students to successfully set up their Chromebooks
• I understand I may get some pushback here, but taking some time at the beginning of the year to get everyone on the right page to begin with will make things go a lot more smoothly later on. 

While I anticipate some people getting frustrated and discouraged along the way, I also anticipate some wonderful success stories as well. Lending a sympathetic ear to those who become frustrated will be necessary. However, It will be equally important to celebrate successes, to provide opportunities for teachers and students to share what they have learned, and to keep student success at the forefront of everything we are doing.