Bad Leadership

This past week I saw something on Twitter that made me think.  It was posted by the Barna Group (@BarnaGroup).  They do a lot of research on trends in our country and specifically on how the different generations look at issues like leadership, religion, ethics, etc.  I had the opportunity to hear George Barna speak a few years ago and it was very informative and fascinating.  Anyway this week I saw this on Barna Group's twitter feed:

These stats really struck me.  First, I felt personally convicted.  How many times have I lack vision and direction as a leader?  How many times have I been the most stressful part of the job for those I work with?  Hopefully I've never made people feel controlled or manipulated, but we never know how our actions are perceived.

Then I got to thinking about the classroom.  If superintendents and chief officers are the leaders of administrators, and if principals are leaders of teachers, then teachers are the leaders in the classroom.  If employees have these types of feelings about their bosses, could it be that some of our students feel this way about us as teachers?  And if so, what does it mean for them?  If 3 in 10 of our students feel this way, how would it effect student acheivement?

I was reminded of how important it is to have a moral imperative for our leadership.  As classroom teachers, we set the tone for our classrooms.  We are the leaders.  Do we create a learning environment that is nurturing?  Does it promote curiousity and excitement to learn?  Or do we create an enviroment that lacks vision and direction?  Is it stressful?  Do our kids feel manipulated?  We know that the most basic need for an effective classroom, school, corporation, is for students to feel safe and supported. 

Educators typically got into education to make a difference in the lives of kids.  Our leadership is probably the best way to make that difference!

A Call to Indiana's Educators

Here in the state of Indiana, it certainly has been an interesting week when it comes to the world of education.  Just in case you hadn't heard,  this week State Superintendent of Education, Glenda Ritz, and Governor Mike Pence and the GOP controlled Legislature found themselves facing each other off on the the issue of testing and accountability which has become their latest battlefield.  Debates on educational policy and practice are so tough because they are so complex.  The world is changing around us and the needs of students are changing with it.  We all went to school and so we come with some level of knowledge about education. So the ongoing struggle for power in education in this state continues.

We could spend all day hashing out the details and debating whose fault all this is.  That's not what I want to do here.  All I'll say about that is this, I once hear a counselor speaking to a group of church leaders about how to help couples that are facing divorce.  He said, "Two people don't get to the point of divorce without there being fault with both parties...." 

So what are Indiana educators to do? 

The calls and texts from friends in education started pouring in this week.  Friends from here in Indiana where curious about what I was hearing.  "Are we going to have IREAD testing?"  "How much do you think they're going to shorten the test?"  You get the idea.  Friends from out of state sent me messages more like this, "What is going on with your state???"  It was kind of embarassing! 

This week many of our schools here at Warsaw Community Schools celebrated Be Excited About Reading week, or better known as BEAR week.  I had lots of opportunities to read to students as part of this week.  This morning, I spent about 30 minutes reading to 1st graders at Harrison Elementary School.  I have to tell you, this was one of the highlights of my week.  Looking into all the excited faces of those 6 year olds as we read fun stories like Scaredy Squirrel and A Bad Case of the Stripes was so touching.  As I was driving back to the office, I had some time to reflect on the time I had with those kids.  I loved that time, and you know why?  Because they're why I went into education to begin with. 

As educators, it's so easy to get caught up in the political upheaval that we've faced over the last few years.  It's natural to want to watch with baited breath as people make decisions that effect our daily lives.  Not only do the details of our lives often get effected by political decisions, but now often our pay is effected by them.  But what I realized this morning was that stuff doesn't really matter.  Those 6 year olds I was with today don't know anything about state boards of education or executive orders.  All they care about is having someone who loves them and wants what's best for them teaching them what they're curious about in a way that is relevant to them.  That's the job our incredible teachers do! 

So my call to educators is this; take time this weekend to go back and remember why you got into education.  If you're like most, it's because you want to be the difference in a kid's life.  You want to be a positive impact in his/her life.  Take time to count the blessings of education and think about how you can be even better for your kids.  And when the going gets tough, or continues to be tough, go back to those things you love about education.  There will always be politicians making decisions that either help or hurt us as educators.  We can either choose to be upset, become disillusioned, and become negative, or we can focus on the real difference that we make every day and be true to our life's calling.  I look forward to continuing to watch the great things that happen in our classrooms every day!

Reminicing with Remnants

Over the weekend, I had the chance to visit my grandparents' farm in Central Indiana.  For years, my grandfather; Doyal, has farmed an 80-acre family farm.  The farm was established in 1941 and for 30 years, my grandfather worked full time in a local steel mill and farmed the 80 acres in the evenings and on the weekends.  He couldn't have done it without a faithful, dedicated, hardworking and loving wife; my grandmother Patsy. 

I always love our visits to the farm.  Now that I have my own kids; aged 7, 5, and 2, it's even more fun because they get to enjoy a way of life that we just don't get to experience much any more.  My grandpa is getting out of farming and for the last two seasons, he's rented the land to a local farmer who has done the farming.  Last spring he sold most of his equipment at a sale.  It was hard to hear about some of the implements and tractors that were sold.  Many of these items had been in the family for quite some time.  He still holds on to the equipment that has his heart!  A Farmall M from 1945 still rests in the shed and a 1979 Chevy C10, that is in immaculate shape also still calls the farm home.  Other than that, most of the old equipment is gone....it's kind of sad.

The highlight of the day for my kids is always when we get the tractors out for a ride.  As I was bringing the M back in with my son, I felt overwhelmed with a sad, reminiscent feeling. 

The reality is, small family farms like my grandparents' are fading away.  Slowly a way of life is becoming extinct.  Gone are the days when Dad works in the factory full time and farms evening and weekends.  Gone are the days when Mom and children get up early to do chores and get ready for school.  Today most farmland is cultivated by large operations that can maximize yields based on their resources.

In many ways we're experiencing the same phenomenon in education.  Over the last 50 years, education has changed drastically.  Now more than ever we are facing the reality that "life" as we know it in education is changing, whether we want it to or not.  As professional farmers had to adapt to stay in business, so we also must make changes to be successful.

Just like how I felt on that tractor ride this weekend, there is a part of me that feels sad about the fact that life as we know it in education will never be the same.  However, as we move forward we continue to maintain the values of our past; the values we stand for, yet embrace the changes we need to make in order to be successful...for our students!

Writing Fix

Now that I don't have an elementary building to write a weekly newsletter to write to my staff I need to find a "writing fix."  I'll be posting more to this blog...hope it works out.

Dave

A Change of Screnery

A Change of Scenery

                There are times in life when unique opportunities present themselves and the path of our lives take an unexpected turn.  These can often be difficult times as they typically bring about changes that can be painful.  This past summer I accepted a position as Chief Academic Officer with my school corporation.  When I started in education, central office administration was something I thought I'd never do...yet here I am!

                  While I am excited about this opportunity and the path I believe God is leading me on as a school leader, the change has been tough.  I loved being an elementary principal.  The four years as an elementary principal will be four of my best.

                  The decision to move to this position was not an easy one.  It was made with much prayer, counsel and thought.  This was a hard move because I absolutely loved by job. I love leading an incredible group of teachers. I loved the kids at my school.  I loved serving the local community and parents. 

So why did I make this move?  I shared with you a while back about how I felt the call of God in my life to serve Him through public education.  I was working at Von Humboldt Elementary School in Chicago and although I had never thought about being a teacher, I knew the Lord was calling me to education.  As a classroom teacher I was blessed to be able to minister to and make a positive difference in the lives of my class of 25-30 students every school year. 

                  As classroom teacher, I never considered being a building principal.  However, as I began the next step in my own education, the Lord led through circumstances with a Master’s Degree.  In the course of my studies at Ball State, I felt His call to serve as a building leader.  As a principal, I was blessed to be able to minister to and make a positive difference in the lives of 530 students every school year.

                  When I started as a principal, I never considered working in a central office administrative role.  While I love many aspects of my job, I began to realize that not only do I love working with the children, I love working with teachers, working with curriculum, figuring out what works for struggling students, and the challenges that collaborative teams face every day.  I began to realize that if there were to be a job where I would focus my efforts on those areas in a way that helps others I would be interested and so when the position of Chief Academic Officer opened up, I was interested. 

                 It hasn't been easy.  I love kids!  I love the interactions I have with them every day.  I often joke with many of my teachers that I’m kind of like grandma and grandpa; I get to mess around/joke/”rile up” the kids and then they go back to them for class!  I believe the Lord is again leading in my life, taking me into a new role where my influence and ability to serve broadens to a whole school corporation.  I am able to serve 7,200 students and their families.  I am able to serve hundreds of teachers and staff members.  I believe this new position for me is the ultimate “support staff” position.  I am happy that although I won’t be serving you as your building principal, I will still be working with you, and serving you as your Chief Academic Officer. 

                  I am excited about this new chapter in my life.  I am excited to work under Dr. Hoffert’s leadership.  I am excited to be used by God to serve our school corporation.  I believe in our mission here at Warsaw Community Schools…to inspire and equip all students to continuously acquire and apply knowledge and skills while pursuing their dreams and enriching the lives of others.  So often those dreams change and that change is hard, but when we spend our dreams enriching others, life is full.

               

True Confessions of an Infomercial Junkie!

Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  I obviously wasn’t around when this happened, but I distinctly remember one year there was a huge special on one of the TV stations about the details of the incident.  They had uncovered a new piece of film or something, so I have this childhood memory of watching like a 2 hour special that gave way more details than I wanted at the time.  I get this weird, surreal, sad feeling when I remember this day.  There are times in history that are so surreal and shocking that we distinctly remember through emotions rather than thoughts.  Today is one of those days for many.  Hopefully, it’s a reminder for us to make the most of every day, love our families, and appreciate the blessings of this life!

            Okay, so I have this terrible weakness, and it’s for infomercials.  I don’t tell a lot of people this, but I love infomercials!  Maybe it’s because they feed my 10-second attention span, but there’s just something about seeing all the incredible features of a product and then, to find out that I can own all that for just three easy payments of $49.99!  I’m hooked!  My wife thinks it’s the craziest thing.  I’ve watched this “Classic Country Music CD collection” infomercial at least 10 times.  I just love all those 10 second snippets of those classic country songs!  And don’t get me started on awesome products like Sham-Wow, Mighty Putty, and Magic Bullet!  There was a time when my colleagues at work would get me these products for Christmas!  I loved it!  Thankfully, although I love the infomercials, I usually don’t get out my credit card and place an order…usually….

            So what is it about those infomercials that make them so good?  Well, in my opinion, there are a lot of reasons, but probably the number one reason is the first 30 seconds of the commercial.  I mean, when you see a chain made out of links of Mighty Putty pulling a semi, how do you not keep watching?!  Or what about that gigantic spill of grape juice that disappears instantly when a Sham-Wow is placed over it?  It’s amazing!  Toss in an excited host talking about the features, and I’m hooked!

            What does this have to do with us?  Well, I would propose that we have a lot of similarities with the companies that pay to have these infomercials made.  Like them, we have a product to sell.  The key to our future success depends on whether or not people buy what we have to sell, and we have an audience that may or may not what to listen.  Think about it, it’s not like I block out time in my schedule to watch infomercials.  Usually, I’m just flipping through stations and I get hooked. 

            In fact, that hook is absolutely critical to the success of selling these products.  We know it must work because they keep coming up with more (wonderfully interesting) products.  Like I said earlier, those first 30 seconds are critical.  They make or break the infomercial. 

            Just like those infomercials, our lessons have a product to sell (the content), our future success is dependent on how well our students buy it, and we have an audience that may or may not want to listen.  Just like those infomercials, the key to success in selling our product, or one of the keys anyway, is a good “hook.”  I like to call it a hook because it conveys the idea of “hooking” our students, fishing, etc….If you remember the work of Madelyn Hunter, she called it the Anticipatory Set.  In either case, we’re talking about those first few minutes of a lesson that we use to get our students to buy in to what we’re teaching.

            So, what makes for a good hook?  Well first, I would say just having a good hook makes for a good hook.  I remember when I was in the classroom; there would be times I would just jump right into a lesson without providing any sort of introduction, anticipatory set, or hook.  It’s no wonder I had many students who struggled to master the content or were just plain bored.  How did this happen?  Well, a good hook starts in the planning stages of the lesson.  Good hooks don’t just happen.  Now, we can get so good at planning them that they don’t take much time or effort to create, but the bottom line is life in a school is so busy that if we don’t take the time to intentionally think about how we’ll hook our students, it won’t happen.

            Another piece of a good hook is purpose.  We’ve talked before about understanding the “why” before the “how” is taught.  A key element for students to be hooked on what you want to sell is they have to understand why they need it!  Just like that Mighty Putty infomercial where they showed the guy fixing his plumbing (and electric, and car, and roof) with Mighty Putty, a good hook demonstrates why what students are going to learn is so important.  Consequently, explaining or showing why an objective is important scores very well on the RISE rubric too!

            Sometimes a good hook leaves the students curious or wanting more.  Think about the “Classic Country Music Collection.”  When I hear just that 10 second cut of one of my favorite Johnny Cash songs, I want to hang around to hear more.  Sometimes we use the hook to wet our students’ appetites making them want to hang on for the “full meal” later in the lesson.

            Finally, most good hooks involve a level of excitement and energy that is more than what you see at other points in the lesson.  Think about the people they pick to do these infomercials.  They’re usually high energy people.  During the hook is one of those times our level of interest and excitement has to be high.  We can’t expect students to get excited about something we’re not excited about.  Even if we have to fake it, it’s critical that students see there’s reason to be excited about what they’re learning.

            So, if you’re watching TV this weekend and happen to run across a good infomercial, maybe watch it for a minute or two and see if you can pick up any pointers for your lessons!  Just don’t get that credit card out…

Lessons from the Deep

So at our November staff meeting we discussed the “educational sweet spot” of Formative Assessment.  We talked about how there’s almost nothing you can do to get more “bang for your buck” in the classroom than to frequently formatively assess your students, and make informed instructional decisions based on the formative assessment. 

            As I’ve been reflecting on this, I’ve been struck by how important it is that we don’t just formatively assess our students, but that we DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!  It kind of reminded me of the story of Captain Smith of the Titanic.  I’m sure you’ve all learned everything you need to know about the Titanic from Leo and Kate, but just in case you didn’t see it (like me!), the captain of the ship was a guy named E.J. Smith. 

            Now, if we wanted to do a study on the fixed mindset, Captain Smith would be a great place to look.  Unfortunately, his fixed mindset cost a lot of lives! One famous quote from the Captain shows this mindset perfectly.  In 1907, several years before the sinking of the Titanic, he proclaimed that he could not “imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder.  Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that.”  How ironic that he would become the captain of the most famous shipwreck in history?!  A lot can be learned from that.

            My point isn’t to specifically discuss Captain Smith’s fixed mindset; it’s to point out that when we get feedback, it’s important that we do something about it.  What we know from the night the Titanic sunk is that the Captain and his crew received numerous warnings about ice in the North Atlantic.  However, the Captain and crew choose to do nothing about the warnings.  We’ll never know if they had heeded the warnings if the ship would have been safe, but we do know that without doing anything with the information they were given, the results were deadly.

            I would propose that although no one will physically die if educators don’t use the data they get from formative assessments, it’s no less important that we do something about it.  When we get information or data from formative assessments, but don’t do anything about it, we’re not responding to the needs of our kids.  When we don’t respond appropriately to the needs of our kids, year after year, we don’t achieve our mission.  We don’t help them to acquire and apply the skills they need to reach their dreams, and to me, that is tragic!

            So, as we charge through this busy holiday season, don’t forget to not only give frequent formative assessments, but more importantly, do something about it.  I love how Doug Lemov puts it,

“Effective Check for Understanding equals gathering data constantly and acting immediately.  The second part is both harder to do and at least as important.  All the recognition in the world won’t help if it does not result in action.”