I've been reading Mike Schmoker's Results Now. Its very in-your-face about pedagogy. He argues that if student achievement is to improve then instruction will have to improve. He writes about the "buffer"--a protective barrier that discourages and even punishes close scrutiny of instruction in public schools. We like to think that we are closely scrutinized--what with all the standarized testing and such, how are we supposed to teach? But are we really? As a classroom teacher, I can think of merely a handful of times that someone has visited my classroom to remark on my pedagogy. As a literacy coach? Please. Sometimes I fear that they don't understand what I do at all.
What I have noticed, as a coach, is that once deemed competent, you can trust that you will be left alone. We all get wrapped into our own worlds and let the business of the school year consume us. The best intentions of classroom visits quickly go awry.
So what can we do to keep this buffer from growing and enclosing us in our rooms? My high school has tried for two years now to get teachers to visit other classrooms. Last year we were supposed to visit 16 rooms over the course of the year. At the end of the year, teachers were scurrying around--not to get their visits in, but to just get signatures saying that they did. There was no accountability for the visits. Just get the signature and turn it in. This year, we were expected to do 8, but I can probably bet that nothing has changed.
Its not that school-wide observations are such a bad idea. I think teachers visiting other teachers is an optimal way to bring our pedagogy out into the light. However, starting at 16 isn't the way to go. Why not getting teachers to visit 2 or 3 in a semester? Why not encourage teachers to visit others in their department first?
Another way to bring pedagogy to the forefront is to have teachers video themselves and then write up a reflection on their teaching styles. Now this requires a lot more work on behalf of the teacher, but the results are limitless. Teachers can see their strengths and weaknesses right there on TV. They can replicate the strengths and hopefully eliminate the weak behaviors.
The buffer needs to be eliminated, but it has to happen in small steps. In a perfect world, administrators have more time to visit classrooms. Teachers are in and out of each other's classrooms in order to learn from one another. We are constantly reflecting on what we are doing. But for now, maybe a few peer observations and some brave souls videoing themselves will start the crumbling of the buffer.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
A Tale of Two Women
If you're lucky, you have a professional mentor. Someone that you look up to and maybe even strive to be like. I'm extremely lucky. I have two.
Lorraine Paris was a formidable woman that struck fear in the hearts of not too few adults. I can remember seeing her from a distance as a child and being wary of her myself. She was the band director at the high school for 47 years and had a widespread reputation for molding the lives of young people. She was renowned in South Carolina for her work with the fine arts, not only at her own high school, but with the state organization of band directors and other high schools as well. To say she was tough is an extreme understatement--the opposite of hyperbole, if you will. She retired the same year that I graduated and I moved on, carrying with me the lessons that she taught and an assurance that I would probably blend in with the thousands of other faces in her memory. I was very wrong. Shortly after my graduation from Carolina and my hiring at Newberry High, I attended the annual band banquet with my parents and my younger sister. The woman, who I felt sure would not be able to call my name, congratulated me on my new job and told me how proud she was. Needless to say, I was in shock.
Those words were powerful and I have worked to live up to them every day since. A few years into my teaching job, Ms. Paris told me she heard what a wonderful job I was doing in the classroom and that she was not surprised. Her compliments were not given out lightly and I cherished them greatly. Still do, actually.
Physically opposite of Ms. Paris, but no less hard-nosed, was my high school assistant principal. Charlene Burton is short in stature but powerful in attitude. She is infamous for her power suits and tennis shoes (a fashion faux pas to be sure, but easy to maneuver around the high school, no doubt). By the time I worked my way through college, decided I would never be a teacher, and took a job as a long-term substitute, Mrs. Charlene gave me the best professional advice ever. Advice that I have followed since. Once I decided that teaching was indeed the life for me, she made sure that I understood that every time I moved to a new school, I would be starting over. I've held that advice close and thought long and hard before making a school change. She shined the light on the theory of the evil you know vs. the evil you don't.
Both of these women were the epitome of professionalism in my eyes. There is no doubt that I have fallen short many, many times, but I know that I will continue to strive.
Lorraine Paris was a formidable woman that struck fear in the hearts of not too few adults. I can remember seeing her from a distance as a child and being wary of her myself. She was the band director at the high school for 47 years and had a widespread reputation for molding the lives of young people. She was renowned in South Carolina for her work with the fine arts, not only at her own high school, but with the state organization of band directors and other high schools as well. To say she was tough is an extreme understatement--the opposite of hyperbole, if you will. She retired the same year that I graduated and I moved on, carrying with me the lessons that she taught and an assurance that I would probably blend in with the thousands of other faces in her memory. I was very wrong. Shortly after my graduation from Carolina and my hiring at Newberry High, I attended the annual band banquet with my parents and my younger sister. The woman, who I felt sure would not be able to call my name, congratulated me on my new job and told me how proud she was. Needless to say, I was in shock.
Those words were powerful and I have worked to live up to them every day since. A few years into my teaching job, Ms. Paris told me she heard what a wonderful job I was doing in the classroom and that she was not surprised. Her compliments were not given out lightly and I cherished them greatly. Still do, actually.
Physically opposite of Ms. Paris, but no less hard-nosed, was my high school assistant principal. Charlene Burton is short in stature but powerful in attitude. She is infamous for her power suits and tennis shoes (a fashion faux pas to be sure, but easy to maneuver around the high school, no doubt). By the time I worked my way through college, decided I would never be a teacher, and took a job as a long-term substitute, Mrs. Charlene gave me the best professional advice ever. Advice that I have followed since. Once I decided that teaching was indeed the life for me, she made sure that I understood that every time I moved to a new school, I would be starting over. I've held that advice close and thought long and hard before making a school change. She shined the light on the theory of the evil you know vs. the evil you don't.
Both of these women were the epitome of professionalism in my eyes. There is no doubt that I have fallen short many, many times, but I know that I will continue to strive.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Demonstrating Learning
Remember Charlie Brown’s teacher? She always came across with “wuh-wa-wuh-wa-wa-waaaa”. Who knew what she was talking about? Have you ever thought about what our students hear about 15 minutes into a lecture? I’ll give you one guess.
Telling students what to do cannot replace showing them how to do it. Someone should have told Charlie’s teacher to show, don’t tell.
Brian Cambourne studied the conditions of learning for more than 20 years. At the core of his research lies none other than student engagement. When engagement is up, discipline problems are down. Test scores are up. Achievement is up. Fun is up—for everyone involved.
One condition of learning that Cambourne has zeroed in on is demonstration learning. Demonstration is the “ability to observe (see, hear, witness, experience, feel, study, explore) actions and artifacts”.
One popular demonstrational technique for teaching reading is the think-aloud. This way, you, the experienced reader in the room, can provide the key to unlock the text. Remember that all of our content areas come with a new set of vocabulary. Students need the demonstration of cognitive strategies to help tackle the material in front of them.
Students can learn to parrot back answers, but that is neither thinking nor learning. Teachers can demonstrate thinking as a way to move beyond the questions. We need to show students that comprehension doesn’t stop with knowing all the answers. It often means that you are just starting to find the questions.
Demonstrating the process of learning rather than teaching chunks of information is one of the best practices that secondary content area teachers can use, especially when teachers are struggling to cover more and more content each year. While thinking aloud through the text may be daunting for content area teachers, it is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate to students how to access a particularly difficult text. Remember, you are the expert in the room. Share your expertise.
Telling students what to do cannot replace showing them how to do it. Someone should have told Charlie’s teacher to show, don’t tell.
Brian Cambourne studied the conditions of learning for more than 20 years. At the core of his research lies none other than student engagement. When engagement is up, discipline problems are down. Test scores are up. Achievement is up. Fun is up—for everyone involved.
One condition of learning that Cambourne has zeroed in on is demonstration learning. Demonstration is the “ability to observe (see, hear, witness, experience, feel, study, explore) actions and artifacts”.
One popular demonstrational technique for teaching reading is the think-aloud. This way, you, the experienced reader in the room, can provide the key to unlock the text. Remember that all of our content areas come with a new set of vocabulary. Students need the demonstration of cognitive strategies to help tackle the material in front of them.
Students can learn to parrot back answers, but that is neither thinking nor learning. Teachers can demonstrate thinking as a way to move beyond the questions. We need to show students that comprehension doesn’t stop with knowing all the answers. It often means that you are just starting to find the questions.
Demonstrating the process of learning rather than teaching chunks of information is one of the best practices that secondary content area teachers can use, especially when teachers are struggling to cover more and more content each year. While thinking aloud through the text may be daunting for content area teachers, it is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate to students how to access a particularly difficult text. Remember, you are the expert in the room. Share your expertise.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
The Best Homework Assignment Ever
Crunch time is here. High school teachers are furiously preparing for state-mandated standardized testing--HSAP, EOC, etc. The list goes on and the teachers are sweating.
Lester Laminack recently shared with a group of teachers the following epiphany: "In our tenacious and arduous efforts to prepare our students for spring testing of their reading, writing, math, and science skills, let's not forget that it is our students who love to read who are most likely to be most successful on any test."
What a thought--if they are readers, then they will be prepared for whatever is thrown at them in whatever format. The tests don't seem to be going away. So if we are going to thrive in this world, what can we do for our children? There's an easy answer, believe it or not. But its not a program and you won't necessarily see results within the month so its a hard sell. Books cost money and SSR takes time and a little bit of effort. But if we make kids readers, then they will be prepared for college, for the workplace, for the world. We will create citizens that can actually contribute to our society.
Check the prison statistics. They are illiterate. They are high school drop outs. They are not contributing members of our society. They are the repeat offenders. Teaching kids to read and to love reading will not only prepare them for tests and college, but it will prepare them for the world. The results will be cyclical--they will only pass on a love for reading.
Imagine that--a world with a passion for the written word. What a world that would be.
Lester Laminack recently shared with a group of teachers the following epiphany: "In our tenacious and arduous efforts to prepare our students for spring testing of their reading, writing, math, and science skills, let's not forget that it is our students who love to read who are most likely to be most successful on any test."
What a thought--if they are readers, then they will be prepared for whatever is thrown at them in whatever format. The tests don't seem to be going away. So if we are going to thrive in this world, what can we do for our children? There's an easy answer, believe it or not. But its not a program and you won't necessarily see results within the month so its a hard sell. Books cost money and SSR takes time and a little bit of effort. But if we make kids readers, then they will be prepared for college, for the workplace, for the world. We will create citizens that can actually contribute to our society.
Check the prison statistics. They are illiterate. They are high school drop outs. They are not contributing members of our society. They are the repeat offenders. Teaching kids to read and to love reading will not only prepare them for tests and college, but it will prepare them for the world. The results will be cyclical--they will only pass on a love for reading.
Imagine that--a world with a passion for the written word. What a world that would be.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Act of Malpractice
We go to the doctor's office for our appointment and we expect him/her to be on the up and up with new technologies and treatment methods. We most certainly would scream in agony if he/she came around the corner with a jar full of leeches (although supposedly some people still do this). I have a feeling that a majority of us would be off the table and out the door with or without a stitch of clothing on.
We call this malpractice--which Webster's defines as "a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill...". Basically, not doing your job as it is expected of you, and therefore causing harm to others.
That doesn't apply to eductors, though, does it? I mean, no one's life is in danger or anything. Its only their future and livelihood. Wait a minute, is it that serious? Yes, it is. Failure to do your duty as an educator is malpractice. We have answered a high calling. Education is an ever-changing field and in order to be the best we can be, we must change and adapt with it. It is our duty to be up on the newest best practices and to actually attempt to implement them. If we know that students don't learn vocabulary in isolation, then its our duty to find something that will work. If we know that grammar is best taught in context, then we should incorporate writing workshop into our lessons and address the problems of our students that way.
This is our duty. Its what we are supposed to do--teach children. To do less is malpractice.
We call this malpractice--which Webster's defines as "a dereliction of professional duty or a failure to exercise an ordinary degree of professional skill...". Basically, not doing your job as it is expected of you, and therefore causing harm to others.
That doesn't apply to eductors, though, does it? I mean, no one's life is in danger or anything. Its only their future and livelihood. Wait a minute, is it that serious? Yes, it is. Failure to do your duty as an educator is malpractice. We have answered a high calling. Education is an ever-changing field and in order to be the best we can be, we must change and adapt with it. It is our duty to be up on the newest best practices and to actually attempt to implement them. If we know that students don't learn vocabulary in isolation, then its our duty to find something that will work. If we know that grammar is best taught in context, then we should incorporate writing workshop into our lessons and address the problems of our students that way.
This is our duty. Its what we are supposed to do--teach children. To do less is malpractice.
Monday, March 10, 2008
The Authenticity of Research
We speak so often of making learning authentic for our students, but what does that mean? What should we be teaching them to help them prosper in their next life? Is it recognizing rhyme scheme and personification? Probably not. But there are some valuable English lessons that can help our students in the future. Research and presentation are two of those such lessons.
Students should be taught how to discern bias in texts. Teenagers these days, it seems, believe anything in writing. Its as if its on the web, it must be true, even though they know that people put up rumors and lies all the time. But if the page so much as looks official, then it must be fact. Wikipedia has been the bane of educators in recent years. Students use it as a source, yet the very definition of a wiki is a readable, writeable space. This is not a lesson that should be discounted lightly. Students can explore Wikipedia for fact and opinion. Students can even go so far as to edit pages with their own knowledge. Classes can work together to create their own wikispace that will reflect student learning (see www.nhsenglishiii.wikispaces.com for how I am using this).
Students should also learn how to evaluate websites. If students plan to continue breathing, they need to know how to find reliable information on the web. The Internet is not going away. I don't believe that it will totally replace books--there's something sacred about the turning of a page. But the Internet is only going to grow, as is the information available on it. It is more important that students know how to determine the reliability of a web page than it is that they can document it. I don't discount the MLA lesson--I'll conduct one myself tomorrow--but let's weigh things appropriately. How many professions insist that you document your sources? Yet how important is it that, as adults, we be able to evaluate the information we're being given?
I'm going to tie research in with persuasion in my next teaching unit. I've started with several quickwrites (to be shared later) to get the persuasive wheels rolling. Students will be required to evaluate webpages based on their subject of persuasion. This will be a great way to start their research and also get them thinking about reliable sources. Wish me luck--we're using the laptop carts and you never know if they'll work or not!
Students should be taught how to discern bias in texts. Teenagers these days, it seems, believe anything in writing. Its as if its on the web, it must be true, even though they know that people put up rumors and lies all the time. But if the page so much as looks official, then it must be fact. Wikipedia has been the bane of educators in recent years. Students use it as a source, yet the very definition of a wiki is a readable, writeable space. This is not a lesson that should be discounted lightly. Students can explore Wikipedia for fact and opinion. Students can even go so far as to edit pages with their own knowledge. Classes can work together to create their own wikispace that will reflect student learning (see www.nhsenglishiii.wikispaces.com for how I am using this).
Students should also learn how to evaluate websites. If students plan to continue breathing, they need to know how to find reliable information on the web. The Internet is not going away. I don't believe that it will totally replace books--there's something sacred about the turning of a page. But the Internet is only going to grow, as is the information available on it. It is more important that students know how to determine the reliability of a web page than it is that they can document it. I don't discount the MLA lesson--I'll conduct one myself tomorrow--but let's weigh things appropriately. How many professions insist that you document your sources? Yet how important is it that, as adults, we be able to evaluate the information we're being given?
I'm going to tie research in with persuasion in my next teaching unit. I've started with several quickwrites (to be shared later) to get the persuasive wheels rolling. Students will be required to evaluate webpages based on their subject of persuasion. This will be a great way to start their research and also get them thinking about reliable sources. Wish me luck--we're using the laptop carts and you never know if they'll work or not!
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