tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39275164234871485892024-03-13T20:09:03.575-07:00Brain Vibe for EducatorsA place for educators to connect and reflect on the latest issues and trends in education.Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-80048110041203109992016-07-19T21:12:00.003-07:002016-07-19T21:13:05.999-07:00Perception is reality. (The objective is to make them the same.)<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">I’ve often said that the five people who influence me the most and on a daily basis… I’ve never met. I’ve never met Lyn Hilt, a distinguished connected educator who blogs at <a href="http://lynhilt.com/" style="box-sizing: inherit; word-wrap: break-word;">Learning in Technicolor</a>. I have been reading Lyn’s tweets since June of 2011. When she was a principal, I was fascinated and impressed with all the innovative learning experiences that seemed to permeate throughout her entire school. Then one day during a Google Hangout she said, “Shawn, I used to think the same as you. Just because you see it on social media doesn’t mean it’s the culture of the school. I have pockets of innovation happening at my school and this is what I choose to share. You will not see the poor classrooms.”</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Many times the same is true when I speak with teachers.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">“Teachers self-promote. In that, we’re no different than everyone else: proudly framing our breakthroughs, hiding our blunders in locked drawers, forever perfecting our oral résumés. This isn’t all bad. My colleagues probably have more to learn from my good habits (like the way I use pair work) than my bad ones (like my sloppy system of homework corrections), so I might as well share what’s useful. In an often-frustrating profession, we’re nourished by tales of triumph.” – Ben Orlin</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">If we truly want to offer value to those around us, we must create conditions so that teachers trust one another to share the most honest stories that we can tell. If we only reveal the good and disguise the bad and the ugly, we take the risk of maintaining a gap between perception and reality. More importantly, we take the risk of becoming comfortable, complacent, and stagnant. Let’s teach 25 years, not one year 25 times.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Something to think about.</span></div>
Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-26650018117963697632016-07-19T21:09:00.003-07:002016-07-19T21:09:56.576-07:00The quality of a school cannot exceed the quality of its teachers.<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Effective principals work relentlessly to create a strong climate for quality instruction and to define in detail what their pedagogical expectations look, sound, and feel like in the classroom. To do this, principals must become intimately familiar with what is required to improve the quality of teaching and learning. In other words, knowing what you don’t want instructionally has very little impact on student learning. On the contrary, having a strong understanding of what you do want to see in every classroom can make change become a reality. How else can a principal model, implement, support, monitor, and communicate effectively?</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Keep in mind, it’s unreasonable to ask a professional to change much more than ten percent a year, but it’s unprofessional to change by much less than ten percent a year. Great educators take responsibility for their own learning rather than waiting for their school district to tell them when and what to learn. As a principal, we must lead this effort. Otherwise, it will be difficult to assist teachers and to engage in relevant conversations<i style="box-sizing: inherit;">.</i></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Something to think about.</span></div>
Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-54949922994897137092016-07-19T21:07:00.001-07:002016-07-19T21:07:46.165-07:00"Every Day"<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">What you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a while. Review your goals and expectations. Add “every day” to the end of the statement and do it. Doing something <strong style="box-sizing: inherit;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">every day</em></strong> versus <strong style="box-sizing: inherit;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">every once in a while</em></strong> is the difference between good and great.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">If your goal is to get into teacher's classrooms, then do it every day. If your goal is to provide specific feedback at the time of the teaching, then do it every day. Choose to be great because it's contagious. </span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Something to think about.</span></div>
Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-65998217940271991872016-07-19T20:55:00.000-07:002016-07-19T20:57:16.003-07:00Zeros Teach Responsibility<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: merriweather, georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; box-sizing: inherit; color: white;">When I was in school many years ago, I remember a few students who frequently were given zeros for incomplete assignments throughout their elementary, middle school, and high school career. Twenty years later, these same students grew up to become adults who cannot hold a job; who are unorganized; and who are extremely irresponsible. According to some educators, these people should now be the most responsible people in the world.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: merriweather, georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; box-sizing: inherit; color: white;">Great teachers focus on mastery and a zero just isn't going to cut it. In many cases, a zero reflects two people who failed in the classroom.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: merriweather, georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Something to think about.</span></span></div>
Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-50178409082387566802014-01-03T17:41:00.001-08:002014-01-03T17:41:57.217-08:00A Window Into the Classroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V6yzjKHInDA/UsdmlNUr-1I/AAAAAAAAArs/Vwvk6BzNnio/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-01-01+at+5.23.24+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V6yzjKHInDA/UsdmlNUr-1I/AAAAAAAAArs/Vwvk6BzNnio/s320/Screen+Shot+2014-01-01+at+5.23.24+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;"></span><br />
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">
Many times, grading papers and student projects is something a teacher does in isolation. In other words, no one other than the teacher sees the student’s work. What if analyzing student work became a collaborative process in your school? How would looking at student work provide a clear window into the classroom? As we transition to more rigorous standards in my state, we have been collecting student outcomes to analyze the quality of lessons and units intended to address these new standards and expectations.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">
After our first semester of collecting and analyzing student outcomes, I have come to the following conclusions:</div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">Teachers are spending more time planning and preparing each lesson.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">Teachers are hoping to learn about the effectiveness of their own instruction.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">Teachers are gaining a better understanding of how students learn.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">Teachers are developing more effective assessment types that also measure application and conceptual understanding.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">Teachers who assign the highest quality work get it from their students.</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">The amount of trust is increasing among teachers and school leaders.</li>
</ul>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">
Principals play a critical role in setting the expectation and must monitor the process and most importantly, recognize a successful student outcome when they see it. The questions you must prepare yourself to address include:</div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">How often do you expect these teams of teachers to collaboratively plan and examine evidence of student learning?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">What do you want the end product(s) to look like? How do you communicate this to teachers?</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">How can teachers demonstrate that they have used this information to make the kinds of instructional decisions that would result in improved student achievement?</li>
</ul>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">
Viewing teacher lesson plans provide teacher intentions, however, analyzing student work will unveil what was actually learned. This is one of the first steps in shifting the focus from teaching to a focus on learning.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">
<em style="box-sizing: border-box; word-wrap: break-word;">We are using the <a href="http://www.engageny.org/resource/tri-state-quality-review-rubric-and-rating-process" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3d97c2; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Tri-State/EQuIP Rubric </a>to evaluate the quality of lessons and units intended to address the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and ELA/Literacy.</em></div>
Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-70858112177577411212013-06-20T16:50:00.000-07:002013-06-20T17:32:15.980-07:00Invoke Behavior<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>214</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1220</o:Characters>
<o:Company>PSD</o:Company>
<o:Lines>10</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>2</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>1432</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qqPMsVhepUk/UcOe3jqhC7I/AAAAAAAAAbA/3oqh-XioEMI/s1600/IMG_3623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qqPMsVhepUk/UcOe3jqhC7I/AAAAAAAAAbA/3oqh-XioEMI/s200/IMG_3623.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When it comes to
change, which happens first…… a change in behavior or a change in belief?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is an important question if you’re on a
quest to see new ideas become reality in every classroom. In my experience,
those who believe a change in belief comes first, end up talking about the same
ideas year after year. On the contrary, those leaders who work to change
behaviors end up opening the minds of their teachers resulting in a culture
that sparkles with innovation, creativity, and a passion for learning.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Recently during
a twitter chat, the following question came about: If you’ve been a part of an innovative
school, what caused it to be innovative?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I responded:<i><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XQh29ERWuXc/UcM_S5x6RKI/AAAAAAAAAaw/avi2OzmWHOs/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-06-20+at+11.00.31+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XQh29ERWuXc/UcM_S5x6RKI/AAAAAAAAAaw/avi2OzmWHOs/s400/Screen+Shot+2013-06-20+at+11.00.31+AM.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">You see, the
leader within this particular building created a culture of innovation by answering the
relevant question… why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> For instance: Why technology integration is important. Why failure must be viewed as a success in learning. Why it's important for educators to take responsibility for their own learning. You get the idea. </span>The leader put
specific, timely action plans or SMART goals in place that resulted in all
teachers engaging in new behaviors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After experiencing the effectiveness of such behaviors, we
soon changed our belief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before long, we
were all closing the gap between what we knew and what we actually did.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For some reason,
almost intuitively, it seems like belief is a precondition to
action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, let’s invoke a change
in behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learning is useless if it
isn't applied. Reading a recipe book is not the same as picking up a utensil
and cooking. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s work to get others
cooking something new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Who knows.... they just might like it! </span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/34wJt3pRY0w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Are you the two boys talking about it or are you a Mikey and willing to take risks and try something new? Something to think about.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-33546731602668590502013-06-04T12:36:00.003-07:002013-06-04T12:38:09.044-07:00Learning Is A Consequence of Thinking<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d7Jsh32gmLI/Ua5BabDFhvI/AAAAAAAAAac/EHsazcmXgfE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-06-04+at+2.34.40+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="84" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d7Jsh32gmLI/Ua5BabDFhvI/AAAAAAAAAac/EHsazcmXgfE/s200/Screen+Shot+2013-06-04+at+2.34.40+PM.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do <em>YOU</em> take responsibility for your own learning? How do <em>YOU</em> continuously grow the gap between what you know and what you do? How often do <em>YOU</em> think about your own art of teaching? What do <em>YOU</em> do as a result of those thoughts? These are questions that I ask when interviewing and searching for the best of the best. Many candidates respond with a blank stare and struggle with recalling the last educational article, book, or video they’ve read or watched.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Great teachers take responsibility for their own learning and do not wait for their district to tell them when </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal;">and what to learn. Most school districts are limited to five professional development days throughout the school year and I believe to be the very best, critical, creative, and reflective thinking must happen daily. If learning is a consequence of thinking, then think. Our students are depending on you.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How would <em>YOU</em> respond to such questions? If you find it difficult, then it’s time to change the way<em>YOU</em> learn.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px;">
<em><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Change how you learn first. Once you change, you won’t be able to go back to teaching the same old way.” ~ Stephen Downes</span></b></em></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px;">
<em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></em></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please comment and list those connected educators who not only cause you to think daily, but many times differently. As summer approaches, it’s time we fortify and strengthen our own PLN.</span></div>
Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-10075975802555046842013-01-20T14:01:00.001-08:002013-02-23T21:03:31.121-08:00Fostering A Continuous Gap Between What We Know and What We Do<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>329</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1881</o:Characters>
<o:Company>PSD</o:Company>
<o:Lines>15</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>2206</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>329</o:Words>
<o:Characters>1881</o:Characters>
<o:Company>PSD</o:Company>
<o:Lines>15</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>4</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>2206</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dU2G51YiUXw/UPytbi5py4I/AAAAAAAAAWs/hdGIpEpFrSg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-01-20+at+3.01.12+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dU2G51YiUXw/UPytbi5py4I/AAAAAAAAAWs/hdGIpEpFrSg/s200/Screen+Shot+2013-01-20+at+3.01.12+PM.png" width="176" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;">As
we already know, a gap exists between what we know and what we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Successful educators work to narrow this gap
between new ideas and implementation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, I believe the size of this gap does not necessarily indicate
one’s success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some educators are
terrific at executing what all they know how.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The problem is, their pedagogy is out-of-date, irrelevant, and this gap
has been stagnant for many years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the
other hand, there are educators who engage in twitter, who subscribe to RSS
readers such as <a href="http://www.google.com/reader" target="_blank">Google Reader</a> and <a href="http://www.bloglines.com/" target="_blank">Bloglines</a>, who create personalized online
magazines through tools such as <a href="http://www.zite.com/" target="_blank">Zite</a> and <a href="http://flipboard.com/" target="_blank">Flipboard</a>, and who curate content
through platforms such as <a href="http://Scoop.it/">Scoop.it</a> and <a href="http://Paper.li/">Paper.li</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These educators have an enormous amount of growing
knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;">As
leaders, which educator do you desire for your building?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answer is easy but fostering such a gap
takes intentional purpose on the part of the leader.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><b>Fostering
Knowledge</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Recognize
what your teacher wants to learn, as well as, what they need to learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, spark their curiosity.</li>
<li>Assist
teachers in developing a strong PLN by introducing content specific educators
who are both like-minded as well as those with differing viewpoints.</li>
<li>Assist
teachers in curating content by creating an RSS reader and/or personalized
magazine.</li>
<li>Assist
teachers in subscribing to publications such as Education Week, Edutopia,
Teaching Channel, E-School News, etc…</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><b>Fostering Doing</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 3pt;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>Embed
time for teachers to develop new knowledge and on the job learning
opportunities.</li>
<li>Urge teachers to take the time to practice what
they learn. Knowledge is power only when we use it.</li>
<li>Commend good mistakes when risks are taken and
lessons are learned.</li>
<li>Invite regular
reflection. Encouraging teachers to establish a personal learning blog that documents
what they learn is one of the simplest but most rewarding and valuable
approaches.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">As
leaders, it is important to grow and maintain our own gap between what we know
and what we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, it will be
difficult to assist teachers and be the lead learner within your school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 21px; margin-bottom: 3pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">This
is a working document.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please share
other strategies to fostering this important gap to remaining relevant in the
classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Cross-posted at <a href="http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/7150" target="_blank">Connected Principals</a></span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<!--EndFragment-->Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-60534669782321666742012-11-22T06:07:00.001-08:002012-11-22T06:28:07.617-08:00Dear Principals,What if you were to ask your faculty and staff within your building this one question:<br />
<br />
Who do you view as the instructional leader in our building?<br />
<br />
Who do you think they would say?<br />
Better question, who do you know they would say?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Something to think about.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zwkl3Ixsdc8/UK42CHi-4oI/AAAAAAAAAUM/CE82bNKyoEg/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-11-22+at+8.25.07+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="61" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zwkl3Ixsdc8/UK42CHi-4oI/AAAAAAAAAUM/CE82bNKyoEg/s400/Screen+Shot+2012-11-22+at+8.25.07+AM.png" width="400" /></a>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-84879986893205185282012-07-06T17:33:00.001-07:002012-07-06T17:33:50.804-07:00Teaching Student Writing in a Digital Age<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HsilHQEFVs/T_d_EcKWMRI/AAAAAAAAAPg/6TV0ikcWaCc/s1600/Picture+22.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HsilHQEFVs/T_d_EcKWMRI/AAAAAAAAAPg/6TV0ikcWaCc/s200/Picture+22.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><em style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Guest post by Neven Jurkovic</em>.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Consistent
access to technology can enhance virtually any classroom, no matter
the subject or grade level. One subject that can be especially
impacted by the presence of technology is writing. This is because
writing done for online spaces and audiences is in many ways
fundamentally different than writing that has traditionally been done
in the classroom, on paper, for a small, captive audience. With the
help of technology, here are four key things teachers should do to
help students learn how to write for an online audience.
</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Hook
the reader, then keep it concise:</span> </b>Unlike
captive classroom audiences, digital audiences have virtually
infinite options of what to read. As a result, students must be
taught to hook the reader with a catchy headline, title, or opening
sentence. Once they’ve hooked the reader, the remainder of the
piece should be concise – even more so than when writing on paper.
Posting on Twitter, with its 140-character limit, is a great way for
secondary students to get good at making a point quickly.</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Mix
written text with links, audio, and video:</span> </b>Whereas
paper and pencil writing is limited to text alone, digital writing
can include hyperlinks to websites, links to an audio podcast,
videos, images, and more. Students must be taught to take advantage
of these options, when applicable, to make their writing even more
effective for an online audience.
</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Edit
and collaborate more effectively:</span> </b>One
of the best parts of writing on the computer is the ease in which
students can edit their work – a few clicks can replace the
previously painstaking use of erasers, editing marks, and
proofreading marks. Students can also collaborate on writing more
effectively: instead of being limited to an in-class peer editing
session, virtually any number of students can work together to create
and edit their writing in real time using Google Docs accounts.</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Expect
an audience:</span> </b>As
mentioned above, students in the past expected their written work to
be read or heard by their teacher and perhaps some classmates.
Writing that is posted online, however, can reach a potentially
global audience – but that audience must be earned. Students must
be taught not only how to hook that potential audience but also to be
thoughtful about what they choose to post online in light of that
audience. Teaching students to be digital citizens who carefully
consider the digital footprint they are creating is essential.</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> Digital
writing is truly a separate skill that must be taught to students,
distinct from offline writing. Students must be given frequent
access to technology as well as specific digital writing instruction
to ensure that they become proficient in writing for online
audiences.</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="color: orange; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>About
the Author: Neven Jurkovic</b></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Neven
Jurkovic’s interest in teaching mathematics with technology
developed while pursuing a Master of Science degree at Southwest
Texas State University. Apart from publishing a number of papers on
the application of artificial intelligence in elementary mathematics
problem solving, Neven is the creator of <i>Algebrator</i>,
a widely used math tutoring software. Currently, he lives in San
Antonio, TX and is the CEO of Softmath: <u><a class="western" href="http://softmath.com/">http://softmath.com/</a></u></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">
</span>
</div>
<br />
<br />Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-76660038549875788742012-06-30T20:06:00.000-07:002012-07-01T16:46:56.779-07:00In The End, What Matters Most?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sUj6yn4X--8/T--YriyQDWI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/Gs491g_Jid0/s1600/Empty+Office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sUj6yn4X--8/T--YriyQDWI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/Gs491g_Jid0/s400/Empty+Office.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
On June 29, 2012, I completed my final day as principal at Dibble Middle School. As I packed the last book (<i>What Great Principals Do differently: 15 Things That Matter Most</i> by Dr. Todd Whitaker - It's always the first book on and the last book off my bookcase) I took out my phone for one last pic of my empty office. I then embedded the pic in a tweet to my connected staff. I immediately received many sincere and somewhat lugubrious responses. As I walked out the door for the last time, I wondered to myself: Did I make a big enough difference? Will everything we worked so hard to put into place continue and improve? <br />
<br />
At exactly 11:25 p.m., I received a tweet from one of my teachers, <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsBeck25" target="_blank">@MrsBeck25</a>, who had altered and enhanced the picture that I had previously tweeted out. To me, this picture says it all. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
This photo will now be framed and represent the 16th thing that matters most: </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Instilling In Others, A Passion To Progress Forward</span></div>
<br />
Thank you Mrs. Beck<br />
<br />Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-15198377904360708802012-06-22T13:00:00.001-07:002012-06-22T13:22:06.208-07:00Assisted Learning<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MkfbjvXA91w/T-TOPiWirJI/AAAAAAAAAOk/aEsZ7rZUHMo/s1600/Picture+13.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MkfbjvXA91w/T-TOPiWirJI/AAAAAAAAAOk/aEsZ7rZUHMo/s1600/Picture+13.png" /></a></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Times; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Recently, Tom Whitby wrote a provocative article called </span></span><a href="http://tomwhitby.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/hypocrisy-in-the-profession-of-education"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">Hypocrisy in the Profession of Education</span></u></span></a><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">. I ask that you take the time and read and share this article. In fact, if you are short on time, stop reading my thoughts and </span></span><a href="http://tomwhitby.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/hypocrisy-in-the-profession-of-education"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">click here</span></u></span></a><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Times; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“<i>The biggest hypocrisy of the Education Profession is that the educators too often have become poor learners unwilling to leave their comfort zones to improve their learning. They are not “bad teachers” they are however victims of bad practices of a complacent education system. To be better educators, we first need to be better learners.” - Tom Whitby</i></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe that educators do the best they know how. In other words, they can only do what they know. How can we as leaders assist teachers in increasing their knowledge and know-how? I believe it starts with the leader. Only when the school leader is the lead learner, can we effectively assist teachers in eliminating bad practices due to complacency.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>As leaders, we should...</b></span></span></div>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<ul style="font-family: Times; line-height: normal;">
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Work to recognize what our teachers want to learn, as well as, what they need to learn. Then, make an effort to spark their curiosity. Keep teachers in their uncomfort zone. Ask the right questions and want to hear their answers. </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Assist</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> by asking “How” and “why” and “what if” questions to stretch the boundaries of their minds.</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: Times; line-height: normal;">
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">If a teacher has an iPad or iPhone, introduce the personalized magazine App, Zite. </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Assist</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> the teacher in choosing topics of interest such as Education, Professional Development, etc. This is a great way to stay abreast of the latest issues and trends in education.</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: Times; line-height: normal;">
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Sit alongside a teacher and </span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>assist</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> in setting up a Twitter account. Do this at 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday so that at 11:00 a.m. you can introduce #edchat and participate together for the first time. Share a list of other chats that would be of interest to the individual teacher.</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: Times; line-height: normal;">
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>Assist</b></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> a teacher in setting-up an RSS feed. There are many different ways to do this such as Google Reader. Share specific blogs that would be of interest to the individual teacher. For instance, for 4</span></span><sup><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">th</span></span></sup><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> grade math and social studies, introduce Paula Naugle's </span></span><a href="http://pnaugle.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">classroom blog</span></u></span></a><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">. Here is a link to Cybrary Man's </span></span><a href="http://cybraryman.com/classblogs.html"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-weight: normal;">Class Blogs</span></u></span></a><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="font-family: Times; line-height: normal;">
<li><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Urge teachers to take the time to practice what they learn. Curiosity without initiative does not translate into results. Many times it takes a change in behavior to cause a change in belief. <b>Assist</b> teachers by providing them the time and resources they need to put new ideas into action. </span></span></div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I truly believe the more you learn, the more you will want to know. By assisting and distributing expertise throughout your staff, the level of what your teachers' know and are able to do will increase substantially. Before long, many teachers will be challenging you as the lead learner!</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div style="font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal;">A little assistance and a new way of learning can prepare educators to thrive in the ever changing environment that we face every day. Please add to the conversation. What are some effective ways school leaders can assist teachers in continuous learning?</span></span></div>
</div>
</div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-66112773591324550822012-06-15T09:48:00.000-07:002012-06-15T20:55:49.275-07:00Reflect, Adapt and Remain Relevant<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v6iv4Q9PZ1o/T9tmnahKb4I/AAAAAAAAAOU/iUtY6IU5UCo/s1600/Picture+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v6iv4Q9PZ1o/T9tmnahKb4I/AAAAAAAAAOU/iUtY6IU5UCo/s200/Picture+11.png" width="200" /></a>My favorite part about summer is having time to reflect and begin thinking about the possibilities of the upcoming school year. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Preparation is essential to a strong beginning especially if you plan to implement any fresh new ideas.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Preparing for requires reflecting upon what has worked and what hasn't in the classroom, despite how painful it can sometimes be. When I was a physical education instructor, I found ways to assess my own teaching. I would ask students to write me a letter after each unit simply answering two simple questions. What did you like most about this unit and what was something that you did not understand or would like to know more about during this unit? First of all, you must prepare yourself for very honest answers and most importantly, be willing to learn and make adjustments accordingly.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“There are three methods to gaining wisdom. The first is reflection, which is the highest. The second is limitation, which is the easiest. The third is experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucius</span></span></i><i></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
Without exerting genuine effort and real intention into your self-reflection, you are wasting your time. The unexamined teacher can lead to ineffective and outdated lessons year after year. Times change, technologies change, best practices change, and you must change in order to adapt and remain relevant in the ever-changing world of education.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tJZUaFcCsKw/Te7ieZaEJRI/AAAAAAAAACQ/PradAoBW_-Y/s1600/Question%2Bmark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tJZUaFcCsKw/Te7ieZaEJRI/AAAAAAAAACQ/PradAoBW_-Y/s200/Question%2Bmark.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>REFLECT ON WHAT?</i></span></span> Ask Yourself These Tough Questions - And Be Honest!</b></div>
<blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>What can I do to make my teaching more authentic while adding to my students' learning and enjoyment?</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>Which lessons or units am I only continuing to perform out of habit or laziness?</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>What changes can I make to my instructional delivery in order to directly increase my students' learning?</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>What assessment types am I utilizing with every student, every day, to make sure they have mastered the instructional goal? What are you doing with the results of your assessments to adjust instruction to ensure student learning? </i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>Are there any aspects of the profession that I am ignoring out of fear of change or lack of knowledge? (i.e. technology)</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>What can I do to be more proactive in my professional development?</i></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<i>How can I increase valuable parental involvement?</i></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<b>One of the best things about teaching is that every school year offers a fresh, new start. We owe it to our students to reflect, prepare, and make student learning inescapable!</b></div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-23360589453049231522012-05-23T15:38:00.001-07:002012-05-23T15:49:07.968-07:00Helping the Technophobic Teacher<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MzmIgCzyd6Q/T71mZ58dT-I/AAAAAAAAAN0/YwyuT1CsA8U/s1600/Picture+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MzmIgCzyd6Q/T71mZ58dT-I/AAAAAAAAAN0/YwyuT1CsA8U/s200/Picture+7.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The following guest post was written by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mrpullen.wordpress.com/about" target="_blank">Mark Pullen</a>, an elementary teacher in a 1:1 classroom in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. </span></i></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: left; widows: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The
infusion of technology into the classroom has the potential to be the
greatest change agent in K-12 education for the foreseeable future.
As a result, I believe that one of the most important goals for
today’s principals must be helping their technophobic teachers to
learn to utilize technology more effectively. Here are four ways in
which principals can do just that:</span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Set
clear technology goals:</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> While this will be
important to all of your staff members, this will especially aid the
struggling teacher. Don’t be vague: “All students at Lincoln
Middle School will learn to become active digital creators and safe
web 2.0 citizens” may be fine language for your building’s
official tech plan, but to the technophobic teacher, it means little</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Find
in-house technology mentors:</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> Mentors aren’t
only for new teachers. Identify your best technology mentors and
pair them up with teachers who need extra help. Students can be used
to mentor other students as well; for example, in the elementary
grades, schools often designate “reading buddies” – older
students who pair up with younger students to read with them. For
elementary principals reading this, why not encourage the creation of
a “technology buddies” program where your older students pair up
with younger ones to help them learn some core technology skills? </span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Focus
on key proficiencies, not ever-changing sites and tools: </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">Help
your technophobe teachers to understand that the goal isn’t
necessarily to have students learn Prezi, Glogster, VoiceThread,
Animoto, and Adobe Premiere by the end of the semester; rather, it is
to have students become comfortable with presenting their learning in
a digital form. The specific sites and tools will change too quickly
for the technophobic teacher to ever feel confident in understanding
them, but the core student competencies needed will generally remain
more stable from year to year.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Create
differentiated professional development opportunities: </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">Your
technophobic teachers need to be met where they are and brought
forward from there. Too often, I’ve seen professional development
that is far too complex for some teachers and far too simple for
others. I’ve seen teachers that struggle to attach a file to an
email; if that’s where they’re at, professional development about
starting a classroom Ning network just won’t be helpful.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;">Our
mindset toward technophobic teachers should be similar to our mindset
toward struggling students: all teachers can learn, and we need to
intentionally provide those struggling teachers with instruction that
meets them where they are to help them increase their tech competence
and confidence.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>About
the Author:</b></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mark
Pullen has been an elementary teacher for 13 years, currently
teaching third grade in East Grand Rapids, MI. He’s an advocate for
classroom technology integration, and writes extensively on that
subject on behalf of </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><a class="western" href="http://www.worthavegroup.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Worth
Ave Group</span></span></a></u></span><span style="font-size: medium;">, a leading
provider of laptop, tablet computer, and iPad insurance for schools
and universities: </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><a class="western" href="http://www.worthavegroup.com/education"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">http://www.worthavegroup.com/education</span></span></a></u></span><span style="color: black; font-size: medium;">
</span></span></span>
</div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-28458840229328055532012-05-21T22:12:00.000-07:002012-11-16T17:54:14.328-08:00"Why?" Often Leads To Change or Trouble<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Every so often, I like to take a moment to share a few of my favorite tweets from the last few months and a brief explanation as to why.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NS5a-viBtZU/T7qo5ABvtiI/AAAAAAAAANA/1NqkKg-fAog/s1600/Picture+33.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NS5a-viBtZU/T7qo5ABvtiI/AAAAAAAAANA/1NqkKg-fAog/s400/Picture+33.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Bill Ferriter, a remarkable teacher in North Carolina and part of the <a href="http://brainvibeforeducators.blogspot.com/2011/11/courage-up-and-make-difference.html" target="_blank">2% within my PLN</a>, brings up the importance of the always relevant question "why?" and it's ability to bring about change. As school leaders, when a teacher asks "why," do you perceive this as a threat? As teachers, how many times do you perceive the "why guy" in class as the "wise guy?"<br />
<br />
These pair of tweets caused me to write one of my most popular posts found <a href="http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/5556" target="_blank">here</a>. It also sparked this <a href="http://mrsbeck25.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/by-chance-or-by-change-allowing-the-why" target="_blank">post</a> by a colleague, <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/MrsBeck25" target="_blank">Anne Beck</a>, who addresses the importance of embracing the "why guy" in the classroom. All of this because @plugusin, @L_Hilt, @Stumpteacher, and @johntspencer had a great conversation. It's time we begin embracing our valuable, critical colleagues and/or students.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GyDhITgR9p4/T7rGwURP_bI/AAAAAAAAANg/fZyAWkufsY8/s1600/Picture+34.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="57" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GyDhITgR9p4/T7rGwURP_bI/AAAAAAAAANg/fZyAWkufsY8/s400/Picture+34.png" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div>
Unless we CHOOSE to be! In this case, I believe we are limiting our students to what one teacher knows and is able to do. As Mimi suggests, it is time we break down classroom walls and go beyond the expertise of one teacher. <br />
<br />
Take a look at Paula Naugle's <a href="http://pnaugle.blogspot.com/2012/02/day-1-of-mardi-gras-skype-calls.html" target="_blank">blog post</a> and how her students became the "experts" who educated other classrooms around the country. We now have experts at our fingertips.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-706_zXKtWZw/T7qznb0i-0I/AAAAAAAAANM/zIQo_rn7Mgo/s1600/Picture+32.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="66" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-706_zXKtWZw/T7qznb0i-0I/AAAAAAAAANM/zIQo_rn7Mgo/s400/Picture+32.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Thanks Kelly for such a meaningful tweet. As educators, it's time we change how we perceive failure. I also believe it's time we change the way we look at success. Great teachers understand that failure is a success in learning. <br />
<br />
Failing also builds resilience. It's important that we teach our students not to dwell on their failures, and instead, acknowledge the situation, learn from their mistakes, and then adapt and move forward. As the Japanese proverb states, "Fall down seven times, get up eight."<br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cYwNkQY5_Io/T7rG7ptrnII/AAAAAAAAANo/KcTabCItnAk/s1600/Picture+29.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="62" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cYwNkQY5_Io/T7rG7ptrnII/AAAAAAAAANo/KcTabCItnAk/s400/Picture+29.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Thanks Becky for tweeting out your experience at NAESP12. I had the privilege of hearing Rafe Esquith speak about 7 or 8 years ago and the way he introduced Kohlberg's stages of moral development to his students resonated with me. Level 6 thinking is when an individual acts because it is right, and not because it is instrumental, expected, legal, or previously agreed upon. Take a look.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/77uRQeu_pUQ/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/77uRQeu_pUQ&fs=1&source=uds" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />
<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/77uRQeu_pUQ&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We have all watched the following movie clip from <i>The Shawshank Redemption</i>. Rafe Esquith uses this scene to demonstrate level 6 thinking.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/KtwXlIwozog?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you enjoyed this post, you might want to read earlier posts highlighting my favorite tweets <a href="http://brainvibeforeducators.blogspot.com/2011/12/adapt-or-become-irrelevant-my-5.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://brainvibeforeducators.blogspot.com/2011/08/if-you-thought-i-was-perfect-you-werent_03.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-25752237609426721342012-04-29T19:52:00.000-07:002012-05-18T17:38:37.670-07:00LESSONS LEARNED<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium; line-height: 24px;">As
I complete my thirteenth year as an educator, I would like to share
thirteen lessons learned throughout my time as a teacher and/or
principal.</span><br />
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RSg3R0rlf7w/T539M1G-PCI/AAAAAAAAAMA/lvSoa5JYWtE/s1600/Picture+49.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RSg3R0rlf7w/T539M1G-PCI/AAAAAAAAAMA/lvSoa5JYWtE/s200/Picture+49.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I've
come to realize great educators take responsibility for their own
learning rather than waiting for the school district to tell them
when and what to learn.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Great
educators take responsibility for student learning and believe
wholeheartedly that failure to reach mastery is not an option. By
the same token, they understand that failure is a success in
learning.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Great
educators continuously rethink the way in which they learn and are
comfortable with being uncomfortable. They work to remain
intellectually curious inside and outside the classroom.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Great
teachers never fail to plan and understand that 90% of
differentiation happens before the students ever enter the
classroom.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Talking
about great ideas and actually putting these ideas into action are
two very different things. Great educators let their actions speak
for themselves.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I've
experienced first hand that excellence doesn't happen by accident.
Great educators believe there are no 9 to 5 jobs in education, only
opportunities to make a difference.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>As
an educator, if you find yourself stuck between two decisions, I've
learned the one that requires more work is the best decision for
kids. </b></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>As
a school leader or teacher, "Because I said so" or
"Because its the way we have always done it" is never an
appropriate response to the relevant question "Why?"</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>No
news is good news” is no longer the case when it comes to parent communication. Effective educators
strive to establish partnerships with parents to support student
learning. Great teachers understand this relationship may be the
most important ingredient in a child's success.</b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Great
teachers refrain from grading students during formative assessments
and assist students in learning from their successes, failures,
mistakes and misconceptions.</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I've never heard of a student not doing his work; it's our work he's not
doing.” </b></span><b><u>If you give homework at
all</u>, it should be meaningful,
purposeful, efficient, personalized, doable, and inviting. Most
important, great teachers allow students to freely communicate when
they struggle with homework and can do so without penalty.</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Competition
can't beat collaboration! Great educators improve the curriculum
together. They not only share responsibility for the achievement of
all students but also admit other teachers contribute to their
success.</b></span></div>
</li>
</span></ol>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">
</span><br />
<ol start="13"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I
see the student as myself.” Great teachers move beyond the narrow
vision of content, skills, and knowledge and ensure that all of
their student's educational needs are met. They are committed to educating the whole child. </b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">What lessons have you learned? Please share.</span></div>
</li>
</span></ol>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;">
</span></div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-7621963895599245062012-03-14T21:00:00.002-07:002012-03-14T21:06:07.601-07:00“Why?” Can Make Change PossibleAs principals, we're not afraid to ask a lot of questions when we don't know how to do something. But what happens to the questions when we discover how to do it? They stop, don't they? If we think we already know the right way to do something, or worse, it's the way we've always done it, how open are we to learning a better way or even a different way? We aren't, are we?<br />
<br />
Think about the educators in your building. Do you have a “why” guy or gal? I'm not talking about the much dreaded “why”-ner whose questions often lead to - <b><i>Why is this more work for me?</i></b> I'm talking about that relentless teacher who consistently questions your educational philosophy, ideas, methods, programs, guidelines, and expectations by simply asking the relevant question, “Why?” How is this courageous teacher perceived by others? Does annoying, obnoxious, or a nuisance come to mind? A better question may be, how do you as the leader treat this change maker? <br />
<br />
As principals, it's time we embrace the “why” guy or gal. Every day, this teacher is asking “why?” and if you’re on a quest to lead a progressive school, you should keep asking it, too. Just as important as answering it for yourself is answering it for those you lead. It’s important to show your teachers the reasons you do what you do. In fact, I believe if you ever want to have any influence among your teachers, answering “why” is the most critical question you'll ever address. <br />
<br />
I truly believe as principals, it's our responsibility to build a strong partnership with the “why” guy or gal to challenge our assumptions about what we actually think we know. It's normal to find ourselves having a superficial understanding rather than the deep understanding we originally thought we had. This is the advantage of such a partnership. These teachers are constantly pointing us in the right direction. Beware, avoiding their questions can prevent learning and change. However, embracing their questions can make change possible.Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-42928619886350922022012-02-19T21:55:00.000-08:002012-02-20T08:14:13.421-08:00Minimum Wasted Effort Accomplished Without Great Difficulty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pXVX8KQcfaY/T0JxQAoKjPI/AAAAAAAAAHM/ZMvxKFk68y4/s1600/Picture%2B18.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="174" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pXVX8KQcfaY/T0JxQAoKjPI/AAAAAAAAAHM/ZMvxKFk68y4/s200/Picture%2B18.png" /></a></div><br />
Recently, I attended a conference in which the topic centered around teacher effectiveness accompanied with the three different evaluation models that each school district in my state must adopt by April 16th, 2012. I was excited to attend due to the fact that I have not only reviewed in depth each model, but have spent the past year piloting one of the approved models. The meeting consisted of seventeen superintendents and three principals within our network. Besides the fact that not one TEACHER and only three principals were in attendance, I was taken back by many, many comments coming from, what should be, the lead learners within a school system. The comment that was the toughest for me to swallow, especially because ninety-percent of the educators in the room began nodding agreeably, was this particular statement: <br />
<br />
<i>“As we begin to decide which model to recommend for our particular district, the most important question we must ask ourselves is, which model is most efficient and manageable for our principals?”</i><br />
<br />
Unbelievable! I could not disagree more. Wouldn't a much more important question be, which model is designed to help teachers systematically improve on their instructional practices by providing specific and meaningful feedback? Shouldn't a strong teacher evaluation model serve as a powerful (confidential) road-map for school wide, as well as, individual professional development?<br />
<br />
Maybe for this group of superintendents, taking evaluations seriously may be the most important point to consider. I would love for teachers to comment and provide your most important question involving an effective teacher evaluation model. Is your primary concern related to what is efficient and manageable for your principal? Before you comment, let's take a look at these two words.<br />
<br />
<i>Efficient: Achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense.<br />
Manageable: Able to be managed, controlled, or accomplished without great difficulty.</i><br />
<br />
I believe 'why' we perform these evaluations and 'how' they are developed are just as important in determining whether these efforts will be successful at accomplishing the ultimate goal - improving student achievement. If improving student achievement is linked directly to the quality of instruction students receive on a day-to-day basis, then it would seem that we would involve teachers on every aspect of the decision making. Instead, fifteen of the seventeen superintendents acknowledged at the end of a two hour meeting that they had made up their mind and were ready to recommend. Keep in mind, the rubrics were never presented other than the number of indicators accompanied with each model. <br />
<br />
Model X (76 indicators) <br />
Model Y (60 indicators) <br />
Model Z (20 indicators) <br />
<br />
Which model did the fifteen superintendents decide upon? You guessed it...... Model Z! <br />
Does 20 indicators sound efficient and manageable to you?<br />
<br />
Until our leaders and principals become educated in these efforts, I am afraid we will experience no significant change. I can guarantee that these rubrics will be as effective as the principal or instructional leader executing the process.Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-12949272536008088892011-12-27T13:09:00.000-08:002011-12-27T20:28:20.922-08:00Adapt or Become Irrelevant! My 5 Favorite Tweets of 2011<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would like to take a moment to thank all of the outstanding educators who are part of my PLN and invest in making me better each and every day. The 10 people who influence me the most and on a daily basis...... I have never met! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As this year comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to share my 5 favorite tweets of 2011 and a brief explanation as to why. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">#5</span> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Yo_yF_eQ_E/TvnskK8b59I/AAAAAAAAAGI/NqoGiSY2jSY/s1600/Picture+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Yo_yF_eQ_E/TvnskK8b59I/AAAAAAAAAGI/NqoGiSY2jSY/s1600/Picture+7.png" /></a></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Mary Beth Hertz offers some important advice when she tweeted, "Be patient but relentless in helping colleagues build connections!" Steve Wheeler recently wrote a blog post titled, <a href="http://steve-wheeler.blogspot.com/2011/11/connected-educators.html" target="_blank">Connected Educators</a> in which he shares, "It is abundantly clear to me that connectivity is one of the essentials in the 21st Century teacher toolkit. We are now learning more from each other than we could ever learn on our own."</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Tom Whitby shares some meaningful advice in his blog, My Island View, in which he defines </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://tomwhitby.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/what%E2%80%99s-a-connected-educator" target="_blank">What's A Connected Educator?</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> "Educators must get over all of the obstacles they are putting up about connectedness. It can be done slowly, one step at a time, but it must be done. We need educators to be connected." You are absolutely right Tom, it must be done!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">#4 </span> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U7750hKTzKY/TvnrjvjsyhI/AAAAAAAAAFw/nEV8aWhbtY8/s1600/Picture+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U7750hKTzKY/TvnrjvjsyhI/AAAAAAAAAFw/nEV8aWhbtY8/s1600/Picture+9.png" /></a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I could not agree more with Nancy and her straightforward tweet about technology integration. For over a decade now, we have been providing much professional development in the area of technology integration in hopes all teachers will get on board. Yet, many teachers still feel as if they have an option and choose not to change. The fact is, we can no longer attend professional development five days a year and cross our fingers and hope that each teacher will utilize technology. Nor can we continue to block access for those teachers and leaders who are willing and able to open up their classrooms and schools to the world.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Superintendent David Britten recently wrote, "Communities waiting until only the best roads are put in place before anyone's allowed to drive a car are just plain backwards and need to get out of the way of progress."</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">#3</span> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XdltOSr2FVE/TvnsIKe3QMI/AAAAAAAAAF8/0U3QkHc3-wE/s1600/Picture+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XdltOSr2FVE/TvnsIKe3QMI/AAAAAAAAAF8/0U3QkHc3-wE/s1600/Picture+10.png" /></a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="line-height: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; line-height: normal;"></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Thank you David for sharing this outstanding quote. Recently, I read a provocative post by Jeff Delp called, <a href="http://azjd.wordpress.com/2011/12/10/staying-plugged-in" target="_blank">Staying Plugged In</a>, in which Lyn Hilt makes the following comment that I believe substantiates Stephen Downes quote.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">"At this point in my admin career, especially due to the connections I've made through Twitter, locating blog and other resources, attending conferences, etc., I have learned so many new things about teaching, learning, classroom culture, and more- there are many days when I wish to have a classroom of my own to try out these new ideas and methodologies with a group of students." - Lyn Hilt</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">#2</span> </span></span></div></div><div style="line-height: 100%;"></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2pmV-5rqxBE/TvntFDgwEUI/AAAAAAAAAGU/vKd_ES95_Pw/s1600/Picture+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2pmV-5rqxBE/TvntFDgwEUI/AAAAAAAAAGU/vKd_ES95_Pw/s1600/Picture+8.png" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Wow! Adapt or become irrelevant! On this particular evening, the discussion centered around the positives and negatives of limited technology in schools. Excuse after excuse tweeted throughout the discussion board. Finally, @colonelb had the courage to submit such a honest tweet. </span><br />
<div style="line-height: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">A day or two later, David Britten followed up with a blog post of his own,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://colonelb.posterous.com/smoke-from-my-keyboard-cut-the-excuses-and-le" target="_blank">Smoke From My Keyboard: Cut the Excuses and Lead!</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">This post, one of my favorites of 2011, not only expressed his frustration but also included many key points.</span></div><div style="line-height: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div></div><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">"It's about your kids' future, not yours! In fact, it's not even about your present! Teaching has never been about you nor should it be. It's about kids - rich or poor - being raised in a world where technology is woven into their lives 24/7 (except during school in too many places) and has become a key tool in how they learn, how they communicate, how they socialize, how they create and publish, and simply who they are." - Superintendent David Britten </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 16px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">#1</span> </span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k2LofkahRQo/TvnrJwGuuiI/AAAAAAAAAFk/gj1Q1PaWhsw/s1600/Picture+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="63" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k2LofkahRQo/TvnrJwGuuiI/AAAAAAAAAFk/gj1Q1PaWhsw/s400/Picture+4.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">There is nothing like a tweet that speaks the indisputable truth. I remember it like it was yesterday, the conversation was centered around accountability and how difficult it is to dismiss bad teachers. Tom Whitby fired back with this veracious tweet. This I believe to be one of our biggest obstacles in education. Student engagement is a precondition of learning. If students aren't engaged in the classroom, they will not learn. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">"The least educators can do for kids is to stimulate a curiosity for learning. The best would be to impart a passion for learning." - Tom Whitby</span></span></div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-50515962602355921042011-12-19T18:15:00.000-08:002011-12-19T18:15:55.909-08:00The Ultimate Gift<div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Every year, before winter break, I make it a habit to give my teachers a small gift to express my deep appreciation for what they do every day. Maybe it is movie passes or a gift card to their favorite restaurant along with a hand written card. If I could do more, I would. As leaders, I think we all would. But what if we could do more? What if there was something? Something that requires much intentional thought, much time, and much energy. I'm talking about “The Ultimate Gift.”</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H9hobWohXS8/Tu_lGeqscXI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/3ghoM44HyAs/s1600/Gift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H9hobWohXS8/Tu_lGeqscXI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/3ghoM44HyAs/s1600/Gift.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></span></a></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What if we became more than an instructional leader, more than an evaluator, and instead, became more of a leader of learning? In other words, what if we were to instill a passion for learning within every teacher? I do admit, it does sound difficult for an external force to persuade someone to develop a love of learning. I too believe the desire has to come from within. However, I believe with deliberate and purposeful planning, the ultimate gift can become a reality.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Make It A Priority</span></b></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Look for and even create opportunities to spark a curiosity for learning. Give a teacher a book or article in which you have highlighted specific chapters or excerpts that you feel this teacher will find interesting and intriguing. Something that they probably would have never read on their own. Seek out information that contradicts their worldview. Attempt to make them think differently. Follow up by engaging in a conversation and allow them to do ninety percent of the talking.</span></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cause Intellectual Discomfort</span></b></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Encourage your teacher to do something they have never done before. For instance, sign them up for twitter and tell them how excited you are to think, learn, and grow together on tonight's chat beginning at 6:00 CT. Forced learning in this way can be fun and challenging. Follow up by acknowledging their willingness to participate and to put themselves out there. Once they establish a PLN, they will be spending more time with people who are always thinking and who invest much of their time in learning.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Invoke Change In Behavior</span></b></span></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Learning is useless if it isn't applied. Reading a recipe book is not the same as picking up a utensil and cooking. Albert Einstein once said, “Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.” Simply studying the wisdom of others isn't enough, you must put it into practice. Follow up by asking the teacher how they can apply what they have read or what they have learned.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Sharing Is Learning</span></b></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's been proven that you learn what you teach. Make time for teachers to think through ideas, to mentor someone or even discuss ideas with a colleague. Talk to them about the importance of self-reflection and the many benefits of starting a blog. Follow up by talking with them about their new ideas and assist them in solidifying what they have learned. Be sure to comment on their blog and tweet it out to the world.</span></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The energy generated when teachers take ownership of their learning can create a school culture that sparkles with collegiality, collaboration, sharing and a passion for learning. To instill such a gift will require much intentional planning along with personal follow up, but developing thinkers, problem solvers, and curious </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">minds is ultimately worth it! </span></div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-5530517301419508882011-11-27T20:03:00.000-08:002011-11-28T14:35:26.268-08:00Courage Up and Make a Difference<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">In the social media realm, everyone has clout. However, some more than others. In many circumstances, we are influenced by those who have voices that resonate with our own beliefs. My focused PLN consists of about 300 outstanding educators who at some point, has influenced me in some way, although, not in the same way. </span></span> </span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>About 15% of my PLN influence through trust and commitment.</b></i></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><u><br />
</u></span></span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0.14in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">These influencers are the voices within your PLN that you trust and listen to most. You not only subscribe to their blog, but you crave their next post. Their tweets are of purpose and frequently cause you to think critically. Within only 140 characters, they can compel you to put a new idea into action. They’re usually the same people whose content you’re constantly watching get retweeted and whose blogs get more comments and visits in a day than yours get in a month. It's these people who are always being referenced in other people’s tweets and posts. You can tweet out a question, and it's these influencers who provide a valid response within only minutes. These are the people you intentionally consider before sending out your own tweet or blog post hoping that you’ll be handsomely rewarded when it’s your content they’re blasting out to their thousands of followers. </span></span> </span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>About 2% of my PLN influence through straightforwardness and courage.</i></b></span></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">These influencers are extremely rare. They are the people who not only cause you to think daily but many times differently. They courageously and willingly engage in connected, uncomfortable, conversations. These are those people who are not afraid to disagree and share their differing viewpoint. They take the time to politely acknowledge one's perspective and boldly provide a reasonable counterclaim through rational comments, tweets, or direct messages. They say what they mean and mean what they say. They have a way of causing discomfort which inspires others to rethink expectations and perceptions in which many times lead to a change in belief. They focus on influencing the influencers. In short, they work hard on growing your knowledge.</span></span></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">To strengthen your PLN, work to increase the percentage of trustworthy and courageous influencers. In my experience, I've yet to learn something new when someone agrees with me. However, when someone disagrees, one of us will more than likely learn a new way of thinking. I challenge you to “Courage Up” and look for opportunities for robust debate within your PLN!</span></span></span></div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-81536468463793014392011-10-25T22:13:00.000-07:002011-12-27T15:15:32.156-08:00How Do You Learn?<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: 19px;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 0.26in; margin-bottom: 0.18in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tw-6x-B-DzU/TqeWvixpYZI/AAAAAAAAAE4/8o2zLzlURBs/s1600/change.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tw-6x-B-DzU/TqeWvixpYZI/AAAAAAAAAE4/8o2zLzlURBs/s320/change.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="line-height: 0.26in; margin-bottom: 0.18in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">I make it a habit each summer to try new things and to put myself in situations in which I will inevitably grow as an educator. This summer I made a very important decision. I decided to change the way I learn. Up until this point in my career, much of my knowledge derived from the latest educational best seller or from local conferences. </span></div></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">With a little hesitation, but much curiosity, on June 13</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">, I made the decision to join Twitter. Within only weeks, I was thinking, learning, and growing among some of the best educators on earth at all hours of the day. I was learning more from 140 characters than a 140 page book. Through encouragement from my new PLN, I began sharing my own reflections on my new personal blog along with participating in stimulating hangouts through Google+. I've come to the conclusion that modernizing the way I learn has undoubtedly changed and improved the way I lead.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One of my favorite new ways to learn is through #Edchat, a thought provoking forum made up of educators around the globe. Recently, the following tweet caught my curiosity.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.26in; margin-bottom: 0.18in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;"><b>"Change how you learn first. Once you change, you won't be able to go back to teaching the same old way." ~ Stephen Downes</b></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.26in; margin-bottom: 0.18in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">As leaders, how can we get teachers to change the way they learn? How do we get teachers to remain intellectually curious both inside and outside the classroom throughout their teaching careers? As a leader, the least we can do for our teachers is to stimulate a curiosity for learning. Here are five ways in which I believe we can strike up a curious conversation.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-size: x-large; line-height: 0.26in; margin-bottom: 0.18in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>As leaders, we should...</b></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.26in; margin-bottom: 0.18in;"><ul><li><i>Recognize what our teachers want to learn, as well as, what they need to learn. Then, make an effort to spark their curiosity.</i></li>
</ul><ul><li><i>Keep teachers in their uncomfort zone. Ask the right questions and want to hear their answers. “How” and “why” and “what if” questions will stretch the boundaries of their minds.</i></li>
</ul><ul><li><i>Assist teachers in looking at instructional challenges from a variety of angles. By discovering alternative ways of accomplishing the same problem, the teacher will learn a pool of possible solutions.</i></li>
</ul><ul><li><i>Commend good mistakes when risks are taken, mistakes are made, and lessons are learned. Thomas Edison said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”</i></li>
</ul><ul><li><i>Urge teachers to take the time to practice what they learn. Curiosity without initiative does not translate into results.</i></li>
</ul></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.26in; margin-bottom: 0.18in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">Curiosity can steer us into places we never thought we could go and many times we return with leading-edge knowledge. I truly believe the more you learn, the more you will want to know. A little curiosity and a new way of learning can prepare our teachers to thrive in the ever changing environment that we face every day.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.26in; margin-bottom: 0.18in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large;">Cross-posted at http://www.connectedprincipals.com</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">@DMS_Principal</span></span></span></div></span></span></div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-76107672992087538882011-09-03T19:35:00.000-07:002012-07-03T06:36:51.664-07:00When You Fail, I Fail - Approach To Leadership<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the top questions surrounding education is, “How can we develop a fair and effective model for teacher evaluations?” Is it fair or effective to include test scores, or is measuring student progress throughout the school year a more fair and effective approach? Regardless of the outcome, there are ways in which principals can work closely to ensure improvement in teacher effectiveness. </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><i><u>Supervision of Instruction occurs between 8:00 and 3:00 or it doesn't get done!</u></i></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The power to change education, for better or worse, is and always has been in the hands of teachers. Therefore, principals as instructional leaders, must separate the managerial side of the principalship with that of improving teacher effectiveness. No longer is it acceptable to sit in an office, work on state reports, complete teacher evaluations, or engage in any other activity that can be completed outside the school day. An effective principal designates school hours for students, teachers, and parents, every day. </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Try this: </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
<ul>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Teach a class and model technology integration, differentiation, embedded interventions and other proven instructional strategies. </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Seek opportunities for professional dialogue with your teachers to build collegiality. Social media can be an effective tool to think, learn, and grow together with your teachers.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Engage in a “Lunch and Learn” with an ineffective teacher to follow-up on his/her growth plan. </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cover a class to allow a teacher the opportunity to visit a colleague's classroom. Make sure to schedule a time for self-reflection with the teacher.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><u><i>If your faculty refers to walkthroughs as “drive bys,” failure may be just around the corner.</i></u></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the most important, </span></span></span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">mandatory,</span></span></span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> responsibilities of a principal is frequent classroom visits. Frequent informal visits with a purpose add up to a true examination of what's happening in the classroom. However, what's happening in the classroom differs between a good principal and a great principal. A good principal spends much of the time at the back of the room focusing on teaching. A great principal spends valuable time at the front of the room focusing on students. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The primary objective is to walk away with meaningful information that will promote teacher growth and enrich student's educational experience.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Try this:</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<ul> <div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Interview a student after class and ask probing questions to check for understanding. It's always good practice to ask questions once the natural forgetting process has begun. Don't be afraid to ask a question about last week's lesson to check for retention. Always share with your teacher your findings.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
</ul>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><i><u>If your feedback is sugar-coated, expect failure to be blunt.</u></i></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Feedback must be as frequent and mandatory as classroom visits. As a principal, we must be courageous and provide honest, specific feedback that articulates the desired expectation. Instead of just stating a concern, provide a solution or strategy for improved performance. Every teacher, regardless of performance level, deserves meaningful feedback. Teachers feel unappreciated when the principal fails to provide any type of feedback. </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Try this:</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<ul> <div align="LEFT" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To be courageous, simply say to yourself, “I must be honest, straightforward, and detailed because our students deserve the very best.” This significant act of being downright honest separates an effective instructional leader from an ineffective instructional leader.</span></span></span></span></div>
</ul>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><i><u>Belief Doesn't Come First; Action Comes First</u></i></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Talking about great ideas and actually putting ideas into action are two very different things. Many times, good principals passionately share their perspectives and points of view with a reluctant teacher, hoping this teacher will jump on board. Recently, Lyn Hilt explained to me that to change one's belief, we must first change one's behavior. We can do this by setting high expectations and developing a teacher growth plan.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Many principals are excellent at collaborating with an ineffective teacher to develop a well-detailed growth plan but fail by not following up. A great principal intervenes immediately to address a concern rather than waiting for a post evaluation. A strong growth plan includes strategies for achieving the desired outcome, contains indicators and measures of achievement, and a completion time. Effective principals work collaboratively to develop an individual plan for </span></span></span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">every</span></span></span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> teacher and provides support so that failure is impossible.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Try this:</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<ul> <div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Embed professional develop into every day. As Eric Sheninger suggests, replace teacher duties with intensive, specific, professional development to move a teacher from good to great. Quit talking about such things as differentiation, technology integration, and interventions, and </span></span></span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">expect</span></span></span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> teachers to put these strategies into action. Once teachers experience positive results, they will undoubtedly change their belief. Remember, as an effective instructional leader, it's your responsibility to assist and provide support to ensure positive results. Otherwise, you both may fail!</span></span></span></span></span></div>
</ul>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><i><u>Failure to build trust, sooner or later, will build failure.</u></i></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The best way to build trust is honesty. It is important to be straightforward with every teacher and do for one teacher as you would for any other. Provide support, detailed feedback, and individualized professional development for every teacher. Stretch and challenge every teacher to grow and to put proven strategies into action. As principals, our first priority must be to move every teacher to proficient and beyond. How can we expect to get every student to proficient when we have limited knowledge or unsatisfactory teachers? </span></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span> </div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To build trust, principals must adopt the philosophy that 'when you fail, I fail.' If students, teachers, and principals all hold themselves accountable for student learning in some capacity, failure is impossible. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 26px;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><b>ac·count·abil·i·ty</b><span style="font-weight: normal;"> - </span></span></span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for one's actions</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In conclusion, teacher evaluations can be fair and effective when the formal evaluation is not a surprise. By October, every teacher should know their area for improvement, strategies to reach proficiency, and frequent updates regarding progress toward reaching the desired expectation. If the teacher has the desire to improve and enhance the educational experience for their students, they will. If not, much data and evidence is documented to prove otherwise. </span></span></span></span></span></div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-9426322053374747332011-08-15T20:20:00.000-07:002011-08-18T18:06:19.667-07:00A Heavy Heart And A Light Foot<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I sent my last tweet of the night, "</span><a href="http://twitter.com/ToddWhitaker"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">@ToddWhitaker</span></span></a></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> is speaking in Okla tomorrow-Not for sure if I'm more excited about tomorrow or the next day when I put his wisdom into action</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.” </span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The next day, I anxiously drove 1 hour and 15 minutes to attend the much anticipated conference. At the first break, Dr. Whitaker had spotted me in the crowd of no less than 300 educators. Wow, we had never met, only a thumbnail picture on twitter. Pretty impressive! He simply walked over and asked, “Are you my twitter friend?” </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The next 10 minutes was compelling to say the least. He asked me how I would respond to three authentic scenarios in which I answered incorrectly to all three. I realized for the first time that I had been causing discomfort to the wrong teachers. Dr. Whitaker explained to me that effective principals continually ask themselves who is most comfortable and who is least comfortable with each decision they make. I quickly thought of several instances in which I had created an uncomfortable situation for the wrong teachers. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I left the conference with a heavy heart and truly drove 30 mph all the way home. I had a lot on my mind. That night, I re-read my notes that I had recorded during the presentation. My disheartened feeling had now matured into a feeling of relief and comfort. I knew from this day forward, I would not make this mistake again. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The next day, I explained to Dr. Whitaker that I would use this disheartened feeling to drive me to change. Coincidentally, this is a perfect example of what Dr. Whitaker expresses in his book, </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">What Great Principals Do Differently</span></span></i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">, “When people become uncomfortable, they change.”</span></span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">@DMS_Principal Do not beat yourself up. Hindsight is 20-20. Just do the right thing from now on – Todd Whitaker</span></span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Thank you Dr. Whitaker for your genuine and honest feedback and for causing me such discomfort.</span></span></span></div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3927516423487148589.post-40042762159454379232011-08-03T05:22:00.001-07:002011-08-03T05:22:22.079-07:00If You Thought I Was Perfect, You Weren't Paying Attention<div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I make it a habit each summer to try new things and to put myself in situations in which I will inevitably grow as an educator. This summer has been amazing! I decided to create my first blog, <i>Brain Vibe For Educators</i>, and to enter the “twittersphere.” I believe I have personally grown more in two months than possibly in the last two years thanks to my PLN.</span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wanted to mention 3 of my favorite tweets throughout this summer and a brief reason why these particular tweets had such a meaningful impact.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">#3</span> If you thought I was perfect, you weren't paying attention. Elizeducation</i></span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recently, I was participating in a discussion on #edchat in which the topic centered around the question, “How can we fairly evaluate teachers?” During this discussion, I tweeted the question, “As a teacher – do you hope an area of weakness is identified on an eval- or are you satisfied with a perfect eval?” The many responses confirmed my intuition. Many teachers feel slightly disappointed and somewhat unappreciated with a perfect evaluation? Here are a few of the responses:</span></span></span></span></div></div><ul style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I want to be better. Telling me how great the lesson was does not help me to grow. I want student and teacher growth. Janice Cizek</span></span></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I never got any constructive criticism except to make my plan book easier to read:( I begged for real feedback. </span></span></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Larry Fliegelman</span></span></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">During my first year, I had two perfect evals... sort of wanted something on there to improve on. Phillip Whitelaw</span></span></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I need to know a weakness. No feedback = lack of attention, if you ask me. - Brian Bennett</span></span></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div></li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">If you thought I was perfect, you weren't paying attention. Elizabeth Nelson</span></span></span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div></li>
</ul><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a principal, it is our responsibility to provide valuable feedback to our best teachers. Many evaluation instruments consist of only three rating categories: Satisfactory, Needs Improvement, and Unsatisfactory. Many average teachers receive a rating of “satisfactory” throughout their evaluation. Remember, average is just as close to the bottom as it is to the top. Every teacher deserves meaningful feedback, much attention, and an opportunity to grow.</span></span></span></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">#2</span> If teachers could choose their class size and were paid $3000 dollars per student, what do you think the average class size would be? - Ron Clark</i></span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was very intrigued by this tweet. I thought a lot about how teachers would answer this question differently. In fact, after reading the tweet, I asked two teachers simultaneously this very question. The first teacher automatically replied, “Fifteen.... definitely fifteen. I am most effective when I have fifteen students in my classroom.” The second teacher responded, “I think I could take 32....maybe 33 students.” These two teachers not only answered very differently, but also differ in teacher performance. Which teacher would you want for your child?</span></span></span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">#1</span> “Teachers are fired everyday; they are fired by their students [who disengage from the learning].” - Tom Whitby</i></span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XcPOC9frbvc/TjjeNyY4V5I/AAAAAAAAAEA/wxuZs4QfwTY/s1600/Fired.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XcPOC9frbvc/TjjeNyY4V5I/AAAAAAAAAEA/wxuZs4QfwTY/s1600/Fired.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is my favorite tweet thus far since my dive into twittersphere. The conversation was centered around accountability and how difficult it is to dismiss bad teachers. Tom Whitby fired back with this veracious tweet. This I believe to be one of our biggest problems in education. Student engagement is a precondition of learning. If students aren't engaged in the classroom, they will not learn.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“</span></span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The least educators can do for kids is to stimulate a curiosity for learning. The best would be to impart a passion for learning.” - Tom Whitby</span></span></span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div align="LEFT" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you would like to share your favorite tweet of all time or a tweet that made you go hmmmm, submit it to the hash tag #MyFavoriteTweetOfAllTime</span></span></span></span></div></div>Shawn Blankenshiphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16514370689792127588noreply@blogger.com0