How is Your Master Schedule Looking?

Spring...a time in the realm of public school education that is better known as the roller coaster ride. It's a wild ride after spring break! In the midst of year-end assessments, award assemblies, and IEP meetings looms something that keeps many school administrators up at night...the master schedule!

For some, it is a spreadsheet. For others, it's a series of sticky notes on a white board. For me, it's a board filled with magnets of different colors. I'm kind of crazy that way. I sincerely enjoy working to solve the very intricate puzzle/house of cards that makes up the schedule in our building. Someday, I'm going to teach a class on master schedule construction. Regardless of what your method of master schedule instruction looks like, here are a few points to consider as you construct the schedule for your own building. 

Does your schedule line up with your school improvement plan? 

• What are your building's goals? Does the current structure of the schedule support those goals, or does it hinder them? For example: If you want to promote the effective use of the PLC framework, do your teachers have opportunities to plan together during the school day? Do your exceptional education teachers get to plan with teachers they collaborate with? 

Does your schedule accommodate your exceptional students? 

• When thinking about exceptional students, don't forget to take into consideration those students who are in gifted or honors-level classes. Is a student enrolled in Algebra 1 also able to take Earth Science if they want to? On the flip side, is a student able to take self-contained english and collaborative social studies while being able to get their first-choice elective? I'm not saying you should be able to honor every student's course request, but you should construct a schedule which would enable you to accommodate most of them. 

Does your schedule make your teachers' lives easier? 

• When I first started creating a master schedule for this school year, I was pretty proud of myself that things were coming together so easily. Then I started to take a closer look. While the schedule looked like it was going to work, things were going to be difficult for the teachers; especially for those teaching more than one subject/level. The way the schedule was originally set up would have required teachers to teach multiple sections on any given day. By moving around some sections, I was able to construct schedules which more or less had teachers teaching the same course back-to-back, or one section on one day, and another section on another day. 
• On another note, don't leave your teachers in the dark about the scheduling process. Talk with them about the process. Answer their questions. Get their opinion on possible scheduling scenarios. It's likely in this day and age the teachers in your building have been there longer than you have, and have seen things done several different ways. 

In the end, make sure your master schedule is what's best for kids. If it doesn't work for your students, it won't matter how pretty it looks. It's simply not going to work in the long run. That being said, don't be afraid to get creative as you construct your schedule. Just remember to be transparent about your process. 

What's More Important...Computers or Skills?

I can honestly say these past two years have been an incredible learning curve for me. I had an opportunity to change jobs, not once but twice, and took both of them! The first was a lateral move from one school to another in the same division. The building itself was the same exact floorplan of my former school. They even underwent renovations at the same time. The layout was where the similarities ended. Each school had its own distinguishable heartbeat. The students, staff, parents and community members made both buildings amazing in their own unique ways.

Just when I felt as if I had my bearings about me in my new environment, opportunity once again arose. Timing however, was lousy. The position had posted at the end of August, and I was excited about starting the school year where I was. We were scheduled to get Chromebooks for every student, and were anxious to see how this would change how teaching and learning would take place. Regardless, the position was an advancement that was too good to turn down. Needless to say, I got the job!

For the third time in my career, I was starting a new position in a leadership role after the school year had already started. While it seemed really inconvenient at first, I ended up being really glad things happened the way they did. I got to see a school full of students and teachers experience 1:1 learning for the very first time. A week and a half later, I was in a completely different school system working with students and teachers who have known 1:1 learning for over a decade. 

Looking back on the experience, I learned something pretty valuable. Just because you have given every student in your building or division a laptop, tablet, or Chromebook; it doesn't mean you have done anything innovative. How that tool is applied to the instructional process determines innovation. We live in an age during which the majority of our students in the US have access to some form of mobile technology in their daily life. Kids are walking into school expecting to have access to technology to complete their schoolwork, record assignments, and work on projects. Collaborating and sharing online are second nature to them. 

Things like presenting, organizing, problem solving, and working with others, however, are not necessarily second nature. I've seen plenty of people who know their way around a computer who don't have any of the other "21st Century" skills I mentioned above. 

This is a time of year during which many of us in education turn towards the planning process for the upcoming school year. Some of us may be tasked with preparing for a 1:1 initiative. My advice to you? Make sure your teachers and staff are comfortable with teaching 21st Century Skills, or those skills needed to be successful in the modern learning process. If they aren't, you are just going to end up with a lot of kids who know their way around a computer. We have plenty of those already. 

Stressed About Your Packed Calendar? Try Changing Its Colors!

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking at my Google Calendar, and feeling pretty stressed over the whole thing. Even though the school year hadn't begun, my personal and shared calendars were getting pretty packed with events. As I sat and stared at the calendar, I began to wonder what exactly was making me feel so agitated. It really wasn't any more jam packed than it had been in the past, but it was definitely irritating me.

Then I realized it wasn't the events that were stressing me out, it was actually the colors of the calendar that were stressful to me. Here is a snapshot of my calendar and shared calendars from this past week:

The colors used to represent everyone were hard on the eyes, and the colors didn't exactly scream serenity either. Because I really disliked my own color, I did some research on how to change it. You can find the directions for changing colors on the calendar by clicking here. 

I found a color I liked, but the color still didn't help enhance the scene. I then took a page right out of my art classes from middle school. I Googled hexadecimal color wheel images to determine colors which would compliment one another. After playing around a bit, I came up with a grouping of colors that was more pleasing to the eye:

These colors remind me of the flowers I have on my back deck in the fall; of calm, cool afternoons sitting outside with a good book. Perhaps when winter comes, I'll choose a different color palette. 

Could I have spent my time doing something else? Probably. However, I don't feel as stressed out when I look at my calendar anymore, and that makes a big difference in my perception of the day ahead. When I have a positive outlook on things, I'm more productive! A change in color can make all the difference in the world! 

Cool Videos to Show Teachers and Staff...And Maybe Students!

For as long as I could remember, the beginning of the school year has always been an exciting time. It seemed as if everyone returned to school with a renewed sense of energy and purpose. They were ready to be motivated and inspired.

When used properly, a motivational video can really work in your favor to emphasize a big idea, send a message, or put a grin on peoples' faces. While I've been exposed to quite a few of these over the years, here are some of the more recent ones you can use to enhance your next faculty, department or PLC Meting.

Be more dog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMzgl0nFj3s

• I LOVE this video for two reasons. First, I'm a lover of animals. Second, I LOVE the message. Some of us are unwilling to try new things because of our attitude or demeanor. This video shows what happens when a cat casts aside the stereotype of being a cat and tries being "more dog"! 

Socialnomics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV-3ZgLRnAc&feature=youtu.be

• Do you still have people on your staff who don't understand the impact of social media? Do you have people on your staff who completely understand the impact of social media. This video will certainly entertain and/or inform all staff members - no matter which end of the instructional technology curve they are on. 

Every Kid Needs a Champion: http://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion

• I came across this TED talk last year when I was researching information for our success class. Rita Pierson has been a teacher for over 40 years, and she has a very deep understanding of the importance of building relationships with students in order to help them succeed. 

My 12 Pairs of Legs - http://www.ted.com/talks/aimee_mullins_prosthetic_aesthetics?source=facebook#.U_knnrllW_l.facebook

• Aimee Mullins is an athlete and a runway model. She also had both of her legs amputated when she was a baby. Instead of portraying her disability, she portrays the opportunities and adventures she's encountered as the result of using prosthetic limbs. 

There are so many more videos out there: Ken Robinson's "Schools Kill Creativity" Video, The "Herding Cats" commercial, the "212 Degrees" video, Kid President's "Message to Teachers"...I could go on and on! However, my goal in this post was to give you a few new videos that you or your staff would find inspirational and informative in the coming weeks; some of the most important weeks of the school year. 

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!

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! 

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.