Tweet Your Appreciation for Teachers This Week

Posted on May 5, 2013 by renwickme

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. My school is going to try something new. We will draw students’ names every day this week. When they come down to the office, they will be asked to share what they appreciate about one of their teachers.

Their responses will be shared on our school’s Twitter feed. It is embedded on our school’s homepage for everyone to see. Parents and community members will be encouraged to respond to the students’ comments, as well as share their own positive messages about our teaching staff.

This activity has the potential to be very successful because it is authentic, has a large audience, and the positive affirmations from the students are shared out quickly. The icing on the cake is it involves reading and writing. How are you recognizing teachers this week? Would there be a way to utilize social media to amplify your messages? Please share any ideas you have in the comments.

A Journey Toward Excellence

Posted on April 19, 2013 by renwickme

Stop thinking of the race to the top and embark on the journey toward excellence.
- Regie Routman

As I learn more about Student Learning Objectives (SLOs), there is much to be impressed with. It uses the SMART framework, which will help us to develop goals that are more specific and attainable. Multiple measures are considered. The Common Core and essential skills are addressed. As a participant said in my session today during Educator Effectiveness training, it forces teachers to dig deeper into their own practices and collaborate with colleagues. All good things.

However, the hangup that I am having is the fact that SLOs are tied to teacher evaluation.

In a paper titled “Choosing the Wrong Drivers for Whole System Reform“, posted by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction on the Educator Effectiveness webpage, Michael Fullan talks about the wrong and right types of drivers when trying to improve schools. One of the wrong drivers is accountability, specifically “using test results, and teacher appraisal, to reward or punish teachers and schools vs capacity building” . Fullan goes on to say that teacher accountability in and of itself is not a bad thing. It just shouldn’t be used to drive school reform.

With this in mind, I have several concerns when I hear that student learning outcomes will directly correlate to teacher evaluation. First, expectations may not be set high enough. If the focus is on attaining the goal instead of setting high expectations for student learning, the bar will most likely be lowered. Wisconsin has already experienced this dilemma. When No Child Left Behind became law, consequences were set in place if a school or district did not see adequate yearly progress in their student’s growth. When schools started missing the mark, the benchmarks for “proficient” and “advanced” (the bar) was brought down so kids would meet the mark. This has most likely resulted in unreliable assessment scores and misinformed professional conversations.

Second, innovation might be discouraged. I’ll use the analogy of swimming. If I am looking to improve my practice as an educator, I have to wade out of shallow water in order to apply new skills and understandings. I need to feel somewhat confident to take these risks, and know that I will be supported if things go less than well. If growth is celebrated in our pursuit of mastery, then professionals are more inclined to pursue these laudable goals. However, if the focus is only on results instead of growth, I might prefer to tread water instead of swimming toward the deeper end of the pool of learning. Innovation is stymied when setbacks during the process of learning are not recognized as points for celebration.

Third, student involvement in developing these learning objectives seems to be absent. If it is their learning that we are truly after, students should be a part of this process. Regie Routman described this well at the Wisconsin State Reading Association convention, when she encouraged educators to help students to understand the learning target instead of just posting it on the board. And how do we understand something? By being immersed in its development, connecting it to prior knowledge, and wrestling with the concept or skill, both with peers and in our own thinking.

All of these areas of concerns ultimately tie into student achievement. If expectations are not high enough, if teachers are not improving their own practices, and if students are not involved in the goal setting, I find it hard to imagine a learning environment that allows students to reach their potential. Educators need to model the same process we want our students to use in pursuit of mastery. As we rethink the purpose of school in the 21st century, I think it is essential that the path we take is one that constantly moves forward. If we don’t, the status quo continues.

What I believe will drive school reform in the right direction is building capacity in educators to be the best we can be now and in the future. Michael Fullan describes this well, when he states that “the mindset that works for whole system reform is the one that inevitably generates individual and collective motivation and corresponding skills to transform the system”. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction posts this important paper side by side with the process for tying Student Learning Objectives to teacher evaluations. I propose we address this possible contradiction by continuing to consider better ways to both improve our school systems and encourage life long learning. In other words, let’s set the bar high and innovate in our practices to ensure students can reach their potential. Learning is about the journey as much as it is about the end result.

Twitter Is Like a Radio

Posted on February 3, 2013 by renwickme

I will be presenting with fellow principals Jessica Johnson and Curt Rees on Monday, February 4 at the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA) Elementary Principals Conference. The topic: The Why and How of Twitter.

Here is a video I prepared explaining how to use Twitter as an educator:

It is critical that we explore why and how we use social media (or any new concept) first. Setting the purpose makes learning the basics much more relevant and engaging. See Simon Sinek's Start With Why for more on this thinking.

The three of us plus Jay Posick were also featured in ASCD Express recently about using Twitter to cultivate a personal learning network (PLN). I can attest to the growth I have experienced with Jessica, Curt, Jay and the rest of my colleagues being a part of my collaborative learning community.

Posted with Blogsy

Gift Idea for Readers

Posted on January 26, 2013 by renwickme

I usually buy Christmas gifts for my brothers after the holiday season. My wife’s and kids’ birthdays fall around that time, so it helps to stretch out the gift giving into January.
Today I finally got around to shopping for them.

Books always make great gifts. What makes them even better is a book with a gift card inside to buy another book. For example, if Jeremy likes The Passage by Justin Cronin (I did), then he can buy the next book in the series, The Twelve, without having to wait.

How do you individualize your reading gifts for family, friends and students? Please share in the comments.

Most Memorable Blog Posts of the Year

Posted on November 25, 2012 by renwickme

With it being Thanksgiving weekend, I thought it appropriate to share my appreciation for some of the posts I remember most from the past year. About a year ago, I began my own blog. My first post was a simple copy and paste of an email exchange I had with an author. Since then, I have posted 81 times. In all of my efforts, I aspire to write something as thought-provoking, reflective and meaningful as these bloggers have in the following posts.

They aren’t listed in any kind of order. I feel uncomfortable saying one post is better than another, as they all brought a unique perspective to my current thinking. Nor am I saying that these are necessarily the best posts of the year, although you could make a case for any one of them. There are too many bloggers out there that I have yet to discover. As well, not all of these posts were written this year (my post, my rules). What they all have in common is a) I still remember what they wrote, and b) I liked them so much that I bookmarked each one for future reference and shared them with other educators.

Eight Things Skilled Teachers Think, Say, and Do by Larry Ferlazzo

When I shared this article (not technically a blog post but again, my rules) with my staff via Pinterest, they responded very positively. A couple of colleagues even asked, “Does he write more about this?” Larry is a prodigious blogger and author who still manages to teach in the classroom. I probably bookmark his posts more than any other educator.

Reflecting on My iPad Grant Thus Far…A Story of Celebrating Failure by Jenny Magiera

I like this phrase, “celebrating failure”. Jenny, a teacher and Apple Distinguished Educator in Chicago, deeply and honestly reflects on her initial implementation steps when she receives a $20,000 iPad grant for her classroom.

Reducing Instruction, Increasing Engagement by Peter Johnston

Alright, if I had to pick one post and say, “You must read this”, I would have to go with Peter Johnston’s entry on Stenhouse’s Blogstitute this past summer. He manages to address best instructional practices, student engagement, technology, Common Core standards and at-risk behaviors all in one post. And he uses evidence from his own study to back up his assertions. You could take this post along with Richard Allington’s ASCD article “Every Child, Every Day” and facilitate an entire year of professional conversations in your school based on what they have written.

The Power of the Principal by Peter DeWitt

Peter is an elementary principal and a regular blogger for Education Week. He is a great representative for all administrators, touching on many different topics that relate to our challenging and often-challenged profession. In this post, Peter deftly responds to the question “Do Schools Need Principals?”.

Educators: Keep Using Your Brain, Don’t Eat It by Curt Rees

Curt is a principal in Wisconsin like myself. His writing is always thought-provoking and many times humorous. In this post, he compares the unfortunate life cycle of the sea squirt to how some educators lose their drive to stay current in effective pedagogy. I appreciate his candor and his ability to make connections between the new and the known.

The Importance of Read Aloud (at home and school) by Jessica Johnson

Jessica is another Wisconsin principal and truly a learner. Her blog clearly showcases an educator willing to consider new practices and replace outdated ones. As a principal, she also walks the walk. Jessica promotes No Office Days and gets into her school’s classrooms regularly to try out and model new instructional strategies. In this post, she summarizes our discussion about reading aloud to kids when they already know how to read.

The Role of Principals as Reader Leaders by Alyson Beecher, Donalyn Miller

I would be hard pressed to come up with two other educators as good as Alyson and Donalyn in promoting best reading practices. I regularly rely on their posts for suggestions in my own school. This entry provides great ideas for principals and other instructional leaders to promote a love for reading in their schools.

A Plea to Teachers with iPads: Make Your Teaching Visible by Justin Reich

What Justin did here is give permission to teachers to bypass the normal research and publication process about the effects of an educational tool and just share what they have found to be best practices. Mobile technology is still pretty new to schools. Justin recognizes that we don’t have time to wait around for quantitative evidence of their effectiveness. Is it working? Great! Now share.

Scrapbook is Not a Verb by Miss Night

Miss Night, kindergarten teacher and co-moderator of #kinderchat, provides an excellent “unhow-to” guide for using Evernote to develop digital portfolios for students. My guess is she writes like she speaks, which makes her posts so easy to read. I appreciate Miss Night’s sense of humor in addition to her sound teaching practices.

Why Blog? by Christopher Smeaton

I recently co-presented at an administrator conference about leveraging Web 2.0 tools for better home-school communications. I chose Chris’ post here to share with principals considering starting their own blog. It provides a great rationale for why all educators should be writing for an audience, namely their colleagues and their community.

When We Admit Our Faults or When Math Blows Up In Your Face by Pernille Ripp

It takes a little courage to blog about your general experiences as an educator for all the world to see. But to write about when a lesson doesn’t go well? Strong stuff. I could have picked many of Pernille’s posts to highlight here, but I chose this one because of its honesty. Mrs. Ripp could teach in my school any day.

work/life dilemma by Phil Griffins

Phil has joined me in a blogathon (#blogathon) this month, where we attempt to post once a day in November. To say it has been a challenge is an understatement. On the flip side I think we have both grown as writers. In his most recent post, Phil reflects on his decision to either go to an annual parade with his kids or attend edcampNJ. He makes the right choice.

Making Fruit Tarts by Regie Routman

Regie compares her twenty years mastering this baking skill to the growth model teachers should follow to become master educators. She is a prolific writer who doesn’t get too caught up in the current initiatives. Regie stays grounded in best practices because they never go out of style. My only wish is she would post more, but I will take what I can get.

What’s the Big Deal About Blogging? by Tom Whitby

All of the Edublog nominations on the right side of his page are not surprising as I read his posts. He is an expert in the field who is also willing to share his ideas with honesty and humility; in other words, a life long learner. This post very much typifies what it means to be a reflective practitioner.

Examples of Practice: Using iPads to Document Student Work

Posted on November 22, 2012 by renwickme

I just finished reading aloud The One and Only Ivan to 4th graders. We participated in the Global Read Aloud, where schools from all over the country and world heard the same story. Classrooms connected through Edmodo. It was a very innovative way to communicate with other learners about topics related to the story, such as gorillas, the author, and special projects classrooms were doing.

One project that caught my classroom teacher’s eye was a writing project posted by another teacher on Edmodo.

She took this unique idea and made it her own with her students. Students picked an object that Ruby might have wondered about, and then answered her hypothetical question with an answer as if they were Ivan responding.

All of their responses were posted on a bulletin board in the hallway.

So where does an iPad come in? I took photos of some of their writing. After cropping them with Snapseed, I pulled some of these photos into another app called Frame Magic. You can choose several different frames to create a collage of all of the students’ work in a matter of minutes.

What’s great about Frame Magic is I can share this collage through a variety of online tools, such as Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. As well, I can embed the photo onto a blog post like I did here. Parents and educators in other schools and districts can now see what excellent writers our students are!

Examples of Practice: Using the iPad to Model Writing

Posted on November 16, 2012 by renwickme

In a recent post, I wrote about using everybody books to teach content. The example I provided focused on hurricanes, a timely topic right now. I ended the post by suggesting the classroom could use their new knowledge and summarize their learning through writing.

Since then, my very efficient technology specialist installed the Reflection app on all of our classroom workstations that are connected to the SmartBoards. This allows the teachers to mirror what is on their iPad to the screen. Excited, I decided to try out this new technology and model how to use it for the students and the teacher.

Model It

After finishing reading aloud a book on hurricanes, I wirelessly connected my iPad to the computer through Reflection and opened up Notability. With this app, I was able to use a stylus and write important information they suggested about hurricanes. Then the students asked more questions they had about hurricanes. We highlighted which questions we thought we could answer with another print resource.

Here is what we developed today.

So how does using the iPad augment this activity?

I can face the kids while teaching. I don’t have to go between the paper and the students. This would be true even if I was writing under a document camera. In fact, I could have sat with the students on the floor while writing, maybe even allowing them to do some of the writing and make it interactive. I believe combining the technology with my proximity to the students enhanced my instruction when compared to writing on chart paper or the board.

I am also finding that just using the technology while teaching increases the engagement level of the students. It’s not the novelty of the device either; this teacher has had an iPad in her classroom for almost a year. For instance, as I wrote today, the second grade students were very quick to tell me when my writing defaulted to my native cursive. I have had similar experiences when reading aloud a book that is digitally projected on the SmartBoard. Why they clue in a bit more when technology is part of the instruction is a question I am still trying to answer.

Celebrate It

After we were done, I emailed a copy of our writing to the teacher. She can print it off and post it in the room, or make several copies and put the writing in their book boxes to reread later. I have noticed students really enjoy reading text they created themselves or as a group.

I also want to recognize the teacher for being a learner along with me. One way I do this is sharing what they are doing in their classrooms in my Friday Focus, a weekly staff newsletter initially developed by Todd Whitaker. For example, tomorrow I will describe the second quarter writing goals the second grade team is developing with their students to personalize their learning…

…and tie in how we took our instruction to the next level with the help of technology.

Second grade team is working with their students to set personal writing goals. This can help them become more self-directed learners. I even got involved in their studies, by using the iPad and the Reflection app to model writing.

Examples of Practice: iPads in the Primary Classroom

Posted on November 11, 2012 by renwickme

In a recent post in Education Week, Justin Reich (@bjfr) strongly encourages teachers who have iPads in their classrooms to make their teaching visible. He recognizes that schools are quickly adopting this tool for instruction, but is concerned that teachers are not sharing what they are doing with others through social media. Justin goes on to say that in order to develop a vision of how iPads can be effectively used in schools, we need to see how other teachers are augmenting their instruction and then discuss these strategies.

I couldn’t agree more. Even though I love my iPad, I have been somewhat hesitant to just throw them in classrooms and see what happens. (I recently wrote a post about my experience piloting these devices last year.) We are somewhere in the middle on technology integration; our school is not 1:1, but all teachers have an iPad and more are possibly on the way for students in the form of a mobile lab and classroom workstations. The approach I have taken in my school is to teach the teachers first on how to use them, in addition to encouraging them to explore the possibilities. You could break this learning process down into two categories: Model It and Celebrate It.

Model It

I recently discovered the app Felt Board and instantly recognized the potential it has in the primary literacy classroom. I could share this app through email, or even download it specially for teachers whom I think would benefit from using it in their instruction. However, the best approach I have found for introducing technology tools to teachers is through interactive modeling.

For example, I recently used part of my regular read aloud time in my kindergarten classrooms to recreate a part of a story I just shared. I used a document camera and asked students to help me develop the scene, incorporating both visuals and words. Once completed, I snapped a photo of it to the Camera Roll. Then we used iMovie to record one of the students reading the text from the board. Picture and audio were uploaded to Vimeo and we were then able to share it with parents at home through the web link. Here are three we created so far.

I Must Have Bobo! by Eileen Rosenthal

Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin

I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

I have also used iMovie on the iPad to create book trailers. Here is my son sharing one of his favorite books and why he likes it.

For more information, Matt Gomez (@Matt_Gomez) wrote a post about Felt Board and how he uses it in his kindergarten classroom. Like the app, it is well worth a look.

Celebrate It

My staff are starting to use these devices in highly effective ways, without a lot of support from me. It is exciting to see what they come up with. For example, when I walked into my school’s library this morning, I saw a display set up by one of my second grade teachers, Mrs. Heyroth (@MrsHeyroth). She and her students wrote a classroom book based on the story There Was an Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid of Anything. Better yet, she used GarageBand and iMovie on her device to create a digital version of their book. Each student was recorded reading one of the pages. I recognized her efforts by pulling some pictures together and sending her a collage using Frame Magic.

I also plan to share this with the rest of my staff. They can see what is possible with mobile devices such as iPads and apply this example to their own classroom.

Why I Became a Principal

Posted on November 8, 2012 by renwickme

I have been asked why I became an elementary school principal, by educators in the classroom and by prospective administrators curious about my position. Here are a few reasons off the top of my head:

1. I Didn’t Have to Leave the Classroom

When I began teaching, I fully intended to end my educational career as a teacher. That is, until my principal read aloud in my classroom. Watching him share his favorite literature with my students, interacting with them not as the authority figure but rather as a knowledgeable and caring adult, opened my eyes to the concept that a principal isn’t necessarily a suit sitting behind a desk. It was an “Ah ha” moment for me, probably similar to when students see their teacher at Wal-Mart and realize he or she doesn’t live at school. I am proud to say that I continue this practice of reading aloud to students on a regular basis.

2. I Had Some Great Principals

I am very fortunate to have had three terrific administrators to work for, as an intern, as a teacher, and as an assistant principal. All three had a unique way of leading, which helped me determine what kind of principal I wanted to be. What did they all had in common?

They put students first.
They made decisions based on what was best for student learning.
They didn’t lose their cool when problems came up.
They always had time to listen.
They were honest and forthright. I knew where I stood with them at all times.

I definitely was not the perfect staff member; I made several mistakes along the way toward my current position. However, they allowed me to deal with those situations and help reflect upon how I could have done things differently, rather than step in and try to prevent struggles. I was allowed to learn from my mistakes.

3. I Was a Good Teacher

One of my former administrators once asked me, “What type of teacher is most suited for the principalship?” I didn’t know, I said. “The best teacher in the building,” he replied. At first, I questioned this logic. Why would a great teacher step out of the classroom and give up the opportunity to make an impact on kids? As I found out, I continue to make a difference. I do this by falling back on what I know great teaching looks like. I use this knowledge to guide my staff on the path of constant growth.

I believe I was successful as a teacher, and I became better every year. This gives me the experience, validity and respect to observe in any classroom and determine the effectiveness of the instruction. If I wasn’t a good teacher, how could I ever possibly be an instructional leader in my school? If you are a teacher, I encourage you to find out what your principal did before his or her current position. You may be surprised. Most if not all administrators do not let their teaching licenses expire. Many continue to teach, even if it isn’t always in the classroom.

4. It Is a Challenge

I am not saying that teaching is any less challenging. It is just a different type of challenge. Instead of keeping 25 students focused on the activity for the day, I am expected to help that one student who doesn’t want to participate to turn it around and get back into class.

One of the first ways I experienced this new kind of challenge was when I participated in building and district committees. These activities gave me the opportunity to see what it was like to lead an initiative and work with teachers on buy-in for an upcoming change. I found that I enjoyed collaborating with adults in this capacity, even if it was sometimes a struggle. The success we achieved together validated the effort and made the process that much more rewarding.

5. It Is a Change

One colleague of mine described entering the principalship as taking on an entirely new profession. This is very true in many ways. For example, no longer are you beholden to the almighty school schedule. For the most part, I am able to allocate time that I feel best benefits my students and aligns with my building’s goals.

I started to feel the urge to venture out into new territory in the latter part of my teaching career. I was very happy in the classroom, don’t get me wrong. At the same time I saw the opportunity to become a building administrator as a way to make a positive impact on student learning in a broader sense. I am able to be a part of more learning endeavors and participate in the entire school experience with everyone in the building.

For current principals, what would you add to this list? For prospective principals, how are you learning more about this great profession? Please share in the comments.

Beliefs vs. Values

Posted on November 7, 2012 by renwickme

My school is at a point of transition. We are nearing the completion of a three year professional development plan involving the Reading-Writing Connection, developed by Regie Routman. We have seen evidence that the instructional framework we have incorporated into our classrooms, the Optimal Learning Model, has helped increase student achievement. Our core literacy beliefs grew from only two the first year to eight this year. The staff participated in many different professional development activities over the three year period to arrive at this point.

So where do we go from here? Are beliefs alone enough? These were a few thoughts that have recently come to mind. As a leader, I think it is okay to sometimes have more questions than answers. To seek more information and consider the next steps, I started learning more about professional learning communities. Over the summer, I read Professional Learning Communities at Work by Rick DuFour and Robert Eaker. This is a great place to start the journey toward developing collaborative teams with a singular focus of student learning.

However, one section of the resource touched on beliefs in a way that was different than what I had previously understood. The authors stated that beliefs alone were not enough. You needed to have values. The authors define values as core statements that clarify how a shared vision, or a list of beliefs, becomes a reality. It was made clear that as leaders, we need to focus on behaviors, not beliefs.

Okay, this is a problem, I initially thought. How can two highly respected educators such as Regie Routman and Rick DuFour be on opposite ends of the spectrum on this issue? Confused, I went back into the resources my school team received at a literacy and leadership institute.

I found my answer. Judy Wallis, a literacy consultant, explained that beliefs and values (also called “practices”) are part of a continuum for a school in change. She explained that schools can develop their shared beliefs first. These are the principles that, as Judy put it, you would be willing to fall on your sword for. An example she shared was, “We believe students should have wide access to books they can and want to read.” Would any educator worth their salt disagree with this belief?

Once beliefs are established, schools can then consider their practices, or values. Judy defined these practices as beliefs in action. Reading the previous paragraph, a value for the example belief could be, “A sufficient amount of time will be allocated for independent reading every day”. This makes sense to me now. You cannot have one without the other. A common language is required if we are expected to implement common practices. This is especially needed in today’s educational world where the initiative du jour can cause a school to lose their focus on best practices and student learning.

Does your school have a set of common beliefs and practices that you all adhere to? How did you get to this point? Please share in the comments, as my school is very much still on the pathway toward becoming a community of learners. If your building has not started discussing your shared beliefs and you are not sure where to begin, I highly recommend Richard Allington’s Educational Leadership article Every Child, Every Day. My staff read it and discussed it briefly, but we only touched on a few aspects. I believe a school could take this one article and spend an entire year discussing the six elements and how they fit with current literacy practices.

Reading By Example

Rethinking the Role of the Literacy Leader

Category Archives: Celebration