At our orientation meeting at the beginning of the 2008/09 school year, one of our amazing District staff development experts came to present about the importance of initiating conversations with your children’s teachers.

And as part of that presentation, she guided us through an “appreciative inquiry” exercise to help us connect with the best parent-teacher interactions we’ve had.

The exercise went like this:
- on an index card, write down you name, your children’s ages and the school(s) that they attend.
- write about a time that you had a great interaction with a teacher
- take your index card, introduce yourself to someone you don’t know, and describe your story to that person (and vice versa)
- trade cards with that person
- find another person you don’t know and tell them the story of the person whose card you’re now holding (and vice versa)
- trade cards with the second person
- find a third person you don’t know and tell them the story of the person whose card you’re now holding (and vice versa)
- choose three words that describe the stories that you heard

And here are the results (note – only words used more than once were included):

What would happen if every parent-teacher conversation, conference or disagreement was conducted with caring, support, encouragement and respect?  What would our chances of finding successful solutions for our children be if we could remember to co-operate, be open, understand and appreciate each other?

At one of our DPAC meetings, we talked about this graphic and the kinds of interactions that produced results.  We talked about the things that get in the way of these kinds of interactions – why don’t we do this all the time??  And we talked about ways of increasing the likelihood of each interaction including all of these qualities.

What if we all, in our learning communities, talked about the kinds of interactions parents want to have with teachers – and how we can help each other create those situations? I think I’ll raise this discussion again at the beginning of the new school year approaching, to get everyone thinking about the positive interactions possible for us.

We’re all human – and it’s hard to remember to focus on the big picture all the time.  In my opinion, if we’re all talking about the same questions and have the same goals, then we’ve just tripled the probability that one of us (parent, teacher or administrator) will REMEMBER to pull us all back to our real goal – to have caring, positive interactions that help find solutions for our children!

And isn’t that what really matters?

Through my Twitter network, I came across a video of Sir Ken Robinson’s talk at the Apple Education Leadership Summit in April, 2008.

He finishes with a quote that I want to remember:

Someone said the great problem with human societies is not that we aim too high and fail, but that we aim too low and succeed.

And for education, for the future, for all of us collectively, I think we all have to accept that for now, and for ever, we have to aim very high in education and we have to succeed.”

- Sir Ken Robinson

http://www.edutopia.org/sir-ken-robinson-creativity-part-one-video

For me, I’ve always felt the same way about my parenting – I aim very high and I have to succeed.  This is not something I’m willing to fail at…

That mindset certainly has helped me feel the urgency to make my parenting choices consciously – and to do the personal reflection and change that need to happen to allow me to make those better parenting choices.

Otherwise, it’s just too easy for me to go day to day, year to year – always doing things, always busy but not getting done the stuff that’s really important!

At a District workshop I attended yesterday, Assistant Superintendent Sylvia Russell spoke passionately that it’s important for us to remember that “No child is expendable!” I heard many people discussing that again during the session – it obviously resonated with all of us. It’s not good enough to do our best – we want to remember to do whatever it takes to help every child feel like a success.

What does that mean to me? It means that every one of us needs to hold a central belief in our hearts – that every child is capable of feeling like a success. And therefore, it’s only a matter of being curious, asking questions, researching, trying new things, working together and being creative until we find that solution that we already trust exists. That we won’t give up. Ever.

That’s how I parent too. I begin by having faith that my children and I will find our way forward and that they will grow up to be wonderful, contributing and whole human beings. And then, even when I’ve lost hope in a particular moment and can’t see my way forward, I still rely on that overall faith in the outcome to remind myself that I’ll find the way and we just need to keep trying.

And that’s what matters…

So that means one thing to me – we all need to be part of the education “system.” We all need to work together: students, parents, teachers, staff, leaders, politicians, communities.

These are things we all know. And we talk about them a lot – what to change, what we want, what we dream of, what we value, etc…

The hard part is figuring out how to DO all these things? How to embed these beliefs into every thought, word and deed? How do we shift a system? How do we change the world? These are, indeed, big questions…

David Truss, Dave Sands and I have had many “big” talks about educational change over the last few years. We keep coming back to three core components to change – and that all three need to work together for success. We’ve talked about them as leadership, systems (technology, policies and procedures, administrative requirements, etc…), and shared learning (or Pro-D). Projects undertaken in only one of the three areas without considering/incorporating the other two areas inevitably fail or, at a minimum, underperform and lack sustainability.

I’ve come to think of the three areas that David, Dave and I talk about as a trifecta, of sorts. All three are needed to support innovative, systemic change. All three need to be considered and embedded into all we do in order to “win this race” for 100% success. As I reflected on Elisa Carlson’s post about Engaging Digital Natives, I got thinking again about change – the “engrossed” learning that she describes, I want for my children. For ALL children – and all adults too!

So, what will move us forward? How will we spread change and all the great things happening in pockets further and further, until we have a system we no longer recognize?

Here are my thoughts:

1) Relationships for Learning

(what David, Dave and I originally called “shared learning”)

I bet on relationships first. If there were only one thing I could focus my time on, it would be on building trust and relationships between all involved in our education system. Because if we have solid relationships, then we communicate with each other, we share our challenges and our ideas, and we learn together. And that, alone, changes my child’s learning experience in a classroom, even if all other challenges stay the same.

We have to remember that not only student-teacher relationships are critical to learning, but an entire community of healthy relationships are needed. Andy Hargreaves talks about the need for “active trust” to support systemic excellence and change, because we need learners to take risks. So we need supportive relationships between parents and teachers, teachers and students, all peer groups (students with students, teachers with teachers, etc…), principals and teachers, etc…

There are so many approaches, ideas, methodologies and projects – so many great things I see happening all over the place! But there is only one FIRST step in education change: we have to start by knowing each other. We have to encourage each other to remember that we’re all human and we all care about the same, fundamental things – children growing up to be happy, healthy, self aware and contributing citizens. We have to keep trying to remember not to assume or judge each other (and ourselves). We have to move beyond the old system and find ways to work together instead of fight against each other.

I never underestimate the power of the “system” (see #3 below). Barry Oshry writes about organizational behavior and how systems have personalities that inevitably influence us. We’re so used to doing things the way we always have and operating by habit. And particularly when under the influence of busy lives, it’s only natural to fall into old  habits – in this case, the old habits of treating parents as “clients” or the outsiders, doing “to” instead of doing “with” and falling back to assumptions about each other because it’s easier than the uncomfortable and vulnerable work of revealing yourself as an individual (with all the human foibles we all wish we could hide).

It’s easy to get frustrated with people – it’s much more effective to get curious. Ask questions. Don’t assume. Listen with an open mind. Don’t judge. Let yourself and those around you be whole, imperfect and amazing human beings. Open doors and take first steps in getting to know each other. Start by sharing something about yourself – you have a dog, you like snowboarding, you want to travel to Paris some day. Something that let’s people see you as an individual. Connect. It’s the foundation!

Parents need professionals. Professionals need parents.
The children need us both.

-Federation of Invisible Disabilities

2) “Creating a Space” for Learning

(Originally “Leadership)

I bet on the leadership needed for building communities in second place because we need those relationships to move beyond one-on-one interactions. We need support and modeling to learn how to trust that we can take risks (and won’t be made fun of or reprimanded), to come together as groups that collaborate and share, to decide that it’s safe in this space to be vulnerable and uncomfortable.

We all need leaders/mentors who encourage us without judging, who ask questions instead of give answers, who inspire us and who motivate us to believe in ourselves. Sometimes, we need the wisdom of an “expert learner” to help us keep going when we’ve lost hope and to walk beside us without taking over.

This could be a principal working with her staff, a teacher working with students, a student leader working with peers, a parent who advocates for greater involvement, etc… We are all leaders in different ways and at different times.

Ultimately, creating a “safe space” for learning has to do (first and foremost) with who we are, not simply what we say or do. It takes silence, self reflective practices and conscious effort to be able to “show up” for those around you in a whole, healthy and supportive way. Without baggage. This is where Gandhi’s “be the change you want to see in the world” becomes the core guiding principle!

We cannot force someone to learn. We cannot mandate or legislate change. Ultimately, we can’t even motivate people to make the changes we want them to make. Goodness knows, I’ve tried! My daughter is a beautiful, smart, sensitive young lady. She is also disorganized, quick to anger or frustration, anxious and vulnerable. She’s quick to beat up on herself (afraid I’ve modeled that for her all too well…) and hates to hear feedback (because it all feels like criticism to her). Knowing that, in a way, I’ve “done” this to her through modeling my own insecurities and reactions, I sometimes feel like I have to also “fix” this.

It may be obvious to anyone from the outside that I can’t “fix” her, but fear and overwhelming love for our children isn’t always conducive to logical parenting choices… No surprise, then, that my dear daughter always fought harder when I tried to “teach” her – because every time I started some mini-lecture on the need for self control or having to clean her room, all she heard was “mom thinks there’s something wrong with me and I’m going to be a failure…” That led to nothing but more fights and more self doubt – the exact OPPOSITE of what I wanted for her!

Instead, I had to deal with my own fears FIRST. Only then could I start to learn to “hold a space” for her – to start every conversation by thinking “I love this child so much, how can I say what I want to say with that love at the core, so that she’ll hear me?” I don’t tell her what she’s done “wrong” anymore – she knows it (and desperately fears it) already. I ask questions instead. “How did it feel to be so upset? Did you like that? What do you want to do differently?” I ask her “How can I help?” or “Does that seem reasonable?” or “Can you think of a similar time when you found a solution?” I say “I love you” and offer her a hug (more and more, she asks for hugs now).

I set expectations and hold her to them by reminding her that she is capable – because sometimes she’s afraid and has lost hope, so helping her remember that she has successfully handled such situations in the past helps her remember to trust or believe in herself. And only once she lets go of the fear does her mind open to all the solutions that were sitting in front of her all the time! I could have told her what to do until I was blue in the face and she wouldn’t have done anything – because a mind closed with fear is blind. But simply to say “I believe in you and here’s the proof I see” shifts her a little, makes her question her fears, and invites her to open up just a crack.

What does this mean in our schools? Well, how often do we berate teachers who “don’t get it” for not changing their teaching practices? Or when that perpetually tardy student shows up late again, how often do we pull him into the office for another “mini lecture” on the need for punctuality? When parents sit around complaining in the parking lot, does anyone go listen to their concerns and invite them into the school for discussion? Or do the staff stand at the windows thinking “there they go again. THOSE parents…” (insert rolled eyes here). Every day, every moment – are our actions supporting the change that we can’t to make? Are we creating that space and that safety needed for those around us to learn?

In other words, I’ve learned something critical about leadership and systemic change from my darling, high strung daughter. We can only create a space that is safe, caring and supportive – then invite people to join us in making the changes that matter to us all. And join us, they will. I have faith! NOTE: return to review importance of #1 now, in context of #2…

3) Systems for Learning

(originally and still “systems”)

Ahhh… The SYSTEM… We do, indeed, have a hard time shifting a system, don’t we? There are rules, policies, Provincial learning outcomes, legislation, administrative procedures, best practices, standardized tests, class sizes, reporting requirements, budgets and limited resources, Roberts Rules of Order, and (not least of these) “the way we’ve always done it.” There are computer systems, software programs, support structures, hiring practices, purchasing rules, and parents who “don’t get it.” There are innumerable reasons why we can’t change.

Right now, we have excellence that happens in spite of the system. Every day, I see educators, principals, parents, students – all doing amazing things! But too often, these great programs or projects are driven by the determination and persistence of individuals – fighting the system and moving mountains because they care about kids and want to make a difference.

Too often, we have to find ways around policies, we have to fight technology barriers, we are working alone (“reinventing the wheel”) or we have to ignore politics (with career risk involved) in order to make great things happen. And the problem with this kind of change is that it isn’t sustainable – eventually, you get tired of fighting, you doubt your effectiveness and life becomes overwhelming. So the great program ends and you move on to a new challenge, hoping that this time it will be different…

In order to move forward and truly achieve lasting change and 100% success, we need excellence that is supported by the system.

This is where we usually start. Perhaps because it’s the most obvious – the lack of computers, the wireless networks, the budgets we debate every year, the curriculum or standardized testing mandated by government, changing assessment and report cards, the pro-d days, the possible programs (i.e. project based learning, IB, Montessori, French Immersion).

But the projects we choose often lack the conscious inclusion and consideration of both leadership and relationships/trust. I’ve noticed that we carefully select our pilot sites for technology projects, considering who the Principal at the school is, what kind of pro-d culture they have, how the parent/community relationships are. And I don’t think we often list those considerations specifically – it’s more of a gut feeling or instinct based selection. We sit around a table and throw out suggestions for pilot schools – and certain ones immediately resonate. We know we can make change there. Why? Because the “right” people are there…

When we roll it out further, it often struggles. We still deploy the computers, but they get used by only certain people. Or they are used in much more adaptive (rather than transformative) ways.

Yes, we need to change the system – there’s no doubt of that! But we need to change it together. We need to pay attention to relationships and communities. We need a shared understanding of our ultimate goals – what Andy Hargreaves calls an inclusive and inspiring vision. And we need to constantly questions our assumptions along the way. Changing a system has as much to do with what we do as with what we choose NOT to do…

Life’s two most important questions are “Why?” and “Why not?”
The trick is knowing which one to ask.

- Gordon Livingston

 

I came across this TedTalk about apathy.

I challenge you all to watch this and think about what the systemic barriers are that stand in the way of parents being more involved and engaged in our school system. Share your ideas and let’s work on chipping away at real change…

One that comes to mind for me is about trust. We have to trust that our
involvement will actually make a difference. If it rarely makes a
difference, then why bother? ]]> http://www.learningconversations.ca/2011/04/17/what-are-the-barriers/feed/ 0 http://www.learningconversations.ca/2011/02/25/what-do-you-expect-for-your-kids/ http://www.learningconversations.ca/2011/02/25/what-do-you-expect-for-your-kids/#comments Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:45:57 +0000 Heidi http://www.learningconversations.ca/2011/02/25/what-do-you-expect-for-your-kids/

I came across a presentation by Victor Frankl, talking about what motivates people, our search for meaning and how to achieve our potential.

What an amazing man – I love that he took up flying as a “mature” learner!

I’m reminded of my boss, back when I worked at Eaton’s during my university years. She used to take me for coffee sometimes, and we’d talk about people and leadership. One day, she said “Heidi, don’t ever forget that people will live UP TO or DOWN TO your expectations. May as well expect the best from them!”

In my own experience, one of university professors had a profound impact on my life – just by leaning across the table during my final exam and whispering “I expect great things from you…” http://www.iwasthinking.ca/2007/08/29/about-great-expectations/

It felt like an awful lot of pressure in that particular moment (and I was scared that I wouldn’t achieve “great” things). But throughout my life, I’ve often stopped and checked whether I was living up to my potential – if I was doing great things yet? That simple whisper planted a seed for me – in a way, it gave me “permission” to dream or to want more.

With my own children, I often think about that experience. I have to stop sometimes and remind myself not to worry. It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment, particularly when things aren’t going so well.

When my middle son was obviously struggling with reading and writing, it was easy to think “if we don’t fix this, he’ll struggle his whole life and school will be horrible and how can he possibly go to college or university…” When my 12 year old daughter (at the height of being a tween, verging on the edge of being a teenager) has a meltdown about being asked to clean her room, it’s easy to feel like I have to teach her how to care for her things or she’ll always be irresponsible, will never look after things. A friend of mine calls this “catastophizing” – falling into the trap of blowing something way out of proportion, thinking that all the worst things will happen.

There is a sense of trust that I’ve been cultivating lately – trust in myself as a parent, and trust in my children to learn and grow.

For kids to learn how to trust themselves, they need us to remind them that they are capable.

They need us to show them that it’s okay to make mistakes and learn from them.

They need us to expect good things – because it’s that kind of faith that helps them be their very best selves…

Check out (and share!):
http://teachparentstech.org/watch

Enjoy! ]]> http://www.learningconversations.ca/2010/12/13/teach-parents-tech/feed/ 0 http://www.learningconversations.ca/2010/12/12/technology-and-21st-century-learning/ http://www.learningconversations.ca/2010/12/12/technology-and-21st-century-learning/#comments Sun, 12 Dec 2010 22:35:06 +0000 Heidi http://www.learningconversations.ca/2010/12/12/technology-and-21st-century-learning/

We hear a lot about the importance of “21^st Century Learning” and of technology in our classrooms. But why? What do those things really mean?

Watch this short video for some thoughts on the topic.

What messages stand out for you?

What do you think matters for your children, as they go through the school system and then into the world?

In this TEDTalks video, Chris Anderson talks about the YouTube phenomenon and how it is fueling incredible innovation – just by sharing ideas in big ways!

From the description on YouTube: TED’s Chris Anderson says the rise of web video is driving a worldwide phenomenon he calls Crowd Accelerated Innovation — a self-fueling cycle of learning that could be as significant as the invention of print.

This is why I’m encouraging my District’s parents to share their stories on a Posterous website (http://dpac43.posterous.com ) - with each other, with the District, with our community (both local and global)!

We have ideas – schools and PACs are doing great things all over this District. I know that because I hear stories every time I talk to someone or walk into a school!

We have the “crowd” – parents are part of vibrant school communities and we want to be involved.

We have the “desire” – I know that parents in this District care SO much. About our kids, about our schools and about our communities! It’s why we volunteer our precious time – because we know it matters!

And sharing our ideas in a way that all can see, read and contribute is a start at shedding “light” on all of those ideas that are happening in every corner of our District!

I’m also hoping that we’ll be able to engage our student leaders to share stories from schools from their perspective – showing us the things they care about and that they are proud of!

More stories = more sharing = more ideas to spread!

I think a lot about ways of sharing stories. How could teachers share their stories and ideas? Shed light on the great things that happen in classrooms and schools all the time? Share ideas for teaching practices or lesson ideas? About classroom management and ways to personalize learning? Share resources?

A group blog perhaps? A wiki? A video library?

Or I dream big about an innovation and collaboration center. Allow discussion to form around questions or topics – use @injenuity’s idea of having a tag cloud as a dynamic, fluid way of surfacing what people are talking about. Follow the words that pique your interest and join in.

Some educators do this already on Twitter or via blogs. I think the catch to having the majority being engaged in such sharing, though, is making it (1) easy and (2) relevant within a trusted peer community. The first one removes the technical barriers to participation.  And the second one makes it meaningful for individuals – because if these are stories that are being told in my own District, then I know the curriculum is the right one, I can call the person if I have questions and I know it’s possible within my own community.

Stories are such a non-judgemental, non-threatening way of that sharing! No one is telling anyone else what to do or how to do it – we’re just telling the stories of our own journeys. Allowing others to tag along.

Maybe, my story might spark an idea for someone else. Maybe they will add their own personal touch and come up with a new idea! And who knows where that might lead??  

Let the learning (and innovation) spread!

She was working on her monthly reading assignment – she gets to pick the book, she has a whole list of options for what to do for the assignment and I’m pretty sure her teacher would allow them to suggest alternatives, if they want. The options include written assignments, comic strips, powerpoint presentations, videos, etc… The kids are allowed to use any method and any medium they like.

My daughter loves art, so she’s drawing a comic strip. She has said before that she doesn’t like when the teacher picks the novel, so she’s allowed to make her own choice. I thought she’d like this assignment.

And yet she resists.

Is it just because it’s “homework” and therefore it’s automatically onerous?
Is it because she gets anxious about getting things done, or because perfectionism makes her want it to be so fantastic that the task is daunting?
Would she just, plain, rather be playing?

These things are probably part of it. But this is a kid who makes up long, complex stories with her brothers, spends hours drawing on Google Sketchup, researches dog breeds to incredible depth and regularly blows me away with her questions and ideas.

As she whined and complained about having to do the work, I asked her “But you like drawing, you got to to choose the book. How come you don’t like doing this assignment?” It seemed to me that her teacher had done the stuff we always talk about – empowering learners, providing choice, allowing personalization…

“Because I don’t like being forced to do it.” she responded.

So we talked about the times when we “have” to do things, even when that’s not our choice, but that it has a larger purpose in our lives. I don’t like paying bills, but I love my family and want us to have a place to live and keep it heated and have electricity for lights, etc… And that perspective can help me grind through the stuff I don’t necessarily enjoy with a lighter heart.

She looked at me, agreeing in principle. But nothing resonated with her here. She can relate to having to clean her room so that she can have her friends over or so that she find her things when she wants them. She can understand having to scrub the bathroom so that we all have a home that is healthy. But she can’t understand how drawing a comic strip about her favorite scene in this novel helps her achieve her dreams or that it will somehow help her function in life. She grudgingly went back to her homework – seeing it simply as the “hoop” she has to jump through in this “game” we call school.

In that moment, I realized something. She had no idea why reading and comprehension are important for her life. This assignment isn’t meaningful for her, at all! There is no relevance. And I also realized that I’m not sure how the assignment relates to real world skills either?

It’s assumed that reading is important and that kids need to be able to show their comprehension somehow – with some sort of output. We all agree that it’s a necessary skill. But why? What is the end goal of reading? Of a book report? Of a monthly reading assignment?

I struggle a little to understand her disinterest because, to me, reading is almost as necessary as breathing. I love it. I love the art of it, just for the experience of it. I love rolling the words around on my tongue, tasting them, imagining the scenes being painted, letting the ideas stretch and dance in my mind. At her age, reading was my escape.

But as I think about it, my daughter would prefer to make up her own stories. She is a creator more than a consumer. She loves reading for facts – absorbing and retaining information as quickly as she can find it. But has never loved reading fiction.

In fact, isn’t that true of the culture of this generation? These kids are creating all sorts of content! YouTube. Blogs. Facebook. Photos. Creating their own characters on all sorts of game sites. They create their own avatars on our Wii. They engage with the world, expecting to be part of creating their own experiences. They are less willing to sit back and receive. To consume. To accept what they’re given.

I sit here wondering what this all means?

If my daughter never does connect with a love of reading, is that a problem? She has other ways of experiencing her love of art and stretching her imagination. She engages with storytelling constantly – with her brothers, with her friends, in her own head. In fact, she enjoys reading when it has a social component for her – she loves snuggling up to me in bed, both of us lost in our own books but sharing a moment together. And she has certainly shown her ability to read and consume information, as well as assess and communicate her findings. She’s got the basics down.

Beyond that, what are the necessary skills for navigating this world? For being a contributing citizen? For connecting with others? For supporting herself and her family? How do we show kids the relevance of what they’re being taught when we’re not really clear on that ourselves?

I grew up in a world of “have to” and “should be” and seeking to please those in authority. I excelled in school – partly because I just plain love learning, partly because I was really good at knowing what people expected of me and delivering that. I found it easy to succeed in the existing system – in school and upon entering the workforce.

But is that the world that our children are coming into? Is that what we want to prepare them for? To obey? And jump through hoops?

Because I think we’re giving them some really mixed messages right now. On the one hand, we’re encouraging them to care – to stand up against bullies, to make changes that will save our environment and feed the hungry. We are empowering them to stand up and make a difference. We’re telling them we want them to care and to be passionate about what matters to them.

And yet we expect them to do their homework, even when they don’t understand why they’re doing it. Because these are the rules and that’s what they need to do in order to get the marks and move on to the next level. In fact, this is the work world that we know as well – one of rule following and doing as we’re told, even when it doesn’t make sense. Where the world of Dilbert is just a little too close to the truth in our organizations…

I sit here, wondering which way this will all go? Which messages will our children absorb? Is this part of our path, our journey of change? Is this how societal change happens? No wonder our kids are struggling at times – we’re struggling too! Yes indeed, times of change are difficult because this churning, this indecision and mixed messages, this uncertainty – it’s a necessary part of revolution and it’s uncomfortable. We’re trying to figure out how to do all these things we’re talking about and it’s hard work, darn it!

And I wonder about my little girl who is growing up so quickly, who is so bright and so determined. Will she change the world? Or will the world change her?

From the YouTube description: Today’s math curriculum is teaching students to expect — and excel at — paint-by-numbers classwork, robbing kids of a skill more important than solving problems: formulating them. At TEDxNYED, Dan Meyer shows classroom-tested math exercises that prompt students to stop and think.

I like the way Dan talks about “patient problem solving.” How can we support this in everyday life?

This video makes me stop and think about more than just math class. I pay attention to the ways I speak with my kids. I ask more questions and I “command” less. And my kids often ask questions back now – or come up with wonderful solutions to our day to day disagreements!

And I like the conversations that we “fall” into as a result…

I stopped, noticing that I might have (in the past) apologized for being so unrealistic. For being driven. For being relentlessly focused on the things that matter to me.
As if those are bad things…

Or I might have felt bad for being “high maintenance”…

But this time, in that moment when I stopped those apologies, I felt a wave of pride instead.
“You bet I’m an idealist!” I responded. And I smiled.

I believe in the power of teams. I believe that people want to be a part of meaningful projects. And I believe that everyone wants to rise to your expectations. So why not have great expectations?

And the very next day at WeDay, I found this tshirt:

I love it!
And I’m proud of it!

The interviewer asked me, near the end, if there’s any one thing I’d like to highlight or to say (that I hadn’t said already)? Was there a final impression I wanted to leave with the hiring committee?

I was quiet for a moment. Was there? Had I said enough and covered all I wanted to say? I waited to see what would emerge.

And something did…

I said “This may sound trivial, but I really want to emphasize that he’s just a really decent, honest, caring person. Fundamentally, I believe he’s a really good human being. And that’s what makes him so successful in any situation – because it’s not an act, he’s not trying to prove anything, and he knows what’s important to him and his community.”

It resonated (and still does) as something extremely important for a leader to be…

And as I’ve thought about those moments, my mind wanders through my memories of the truly powerful, life changing leaders (formal and informal) I’ve known. The true leaders that I admire most have all been these kinds of people!

• Honest
• Caring
• Patient
• Passion driven, clear on their priorities
• Striving to live their beliefs every moment of every day
• Forgiving (of themselves and of others)
• Immense faith in people

Basically, just honest to goodness, really decent human beings…

Perhaps an old fashioned idea. No special business degree needed. Just the hard work of self reflection and continuous striving to be accepting, caring and trust – of self and of others. And in every thought, word and deed.

Here are my initial ideas – what are your thoughts? Things I missed? Does it resonate?

Focus on Student Learning

• The ultimate focus is always to support student learning and growth.

Learner Centered

• All learning (i.e. students in a class, teacher pro-d, parents seeking info, etc…) requires similar types of supports (relevant, empowered, social, etc…)
• We all need to be lifelong learners. Process of continuous improvement is critical.
• The rate of change in the world is still accelerating and isn’t likely to stop, so we need to be able to continuously learn

Relevant

• Connect learning to real world situations. Don’t want learners to have to ask “why am I doing this?” without an answer!
• Continuous communication of the “why” of everything we do is critical
• Create meaning within each person’s own context. When I can connect something new to something I already understand, learning is better retained and becomes sustainable.
• Bring together and respect existing communities. People self-organize by what matters and has value for them.
• Community and parent inclusion in learning strategies can both support and reinforce the learning that happens in schools.
• Problem solving within real world contexts helps learning “make sense” to learners
• Critical thinking is a necessary real world skill (we rarely have only the information we need – so what is relevant vs. what is needed vs. what is superfluous?)
• Access to up to date information and expertise.

Empowered

• Need to respect diversity of needs/abilities/learning styles, etc…
• Flexibility is critical to success. Provide a variety of options and let people select their own combination of tools/techniques.
• There is no “one way” or “one size fits all” solution. Asking questions and being curious is critical. We will provide a variety of tools and options that can be assembled as needed.
• Support differentiated methods of instruction and access, ability for individuals to select their preferred tools

Social

• Learning is social – we learn together, no one is the absolute expert, need for “co-learning”
• Relationships are fundamental to all learning. Learning is social.
• Every project must be approached as an opportunity to build a culture of learning that supports any kind of change (current or future)
• Everything we do must provide an opportunity to build and support relationships
• Trust/safety is required for risk taking and learning
• How we build trust and individual comfort levels will vary

Networked Learning

• Learning at all levels supports student learning in classrooms.
  • “Expert Learner” Networks (learning from…)
    • Teacher/student, Principal/teachers, District Leadership/Principals (and VPs), Parent/student, Principal/parents (PAC), Teacher/parents, subject area experts/learners, etc…
  • Peer Networks (learning together…)
    • Students, Teachers, Principals, Parents, District Leaders, Support staff, etc…
  • PLN – Personal Learning Networks (self reflection, making meaning of my learning…)
• We must provide tools and environments that can support all of the different types of networked learning, so that they can be used as needed.
• These networks are fluid and continually shifting, depending on the topic or the expertise in the room. The “expert learner” is not always the “authority figure” – teachers sometimes learn from their students, principals also learn from their staff, etc… The “expert learner” is the one with the experience and expertise on any particular topic.

Involve Parents and Community

• Learning is continuous and extends beyond the school day, so also includes families and communities
• Respect that families all have different values and learning outside of school will reflect those values/interests. Work to connect, not replace, learning outside of school to the learning inside classrooms.

Financially Responsible, Sustainable and Effective

• We operate within an environment of limited resources, so have to balance idealistic beliefs with the reality of available funding.
• Build tools that leverage work being done across multiple contexts (e.g. the approach we implement for training users during the IT project could be used for training principals regarding leadership standards)
• Clarity of purpose is required to ultimately keep the focus on supporting student learning
• Every project, pilot or test must be considered from a point of view of a District wide implementation – is it feasible? Is it sustainable?
• Think creativity and build in measurements of success and effectiveness (both quantitative and qualitative, re: hard and soft benefits)
• Assessment tools must support summative and formative assessment (assessment of learning, assessment for learning, assessment as learning.) (e.g. self assessments, peer feedback, survey tools, etc…)

Whenever we walk in the local park or on the sidewalk in town, he lets go of my hand and skips ahead or stops to examine some rocks. I empower him to follow his own interests, to spend some time seeking out his own learning, asking me questions about the things that interest him. I love seeing the world through his eyes – its all fresh and new and ever so exciting!! His insights or questions often surprise me, leading me to think “wow, I’d never thought of it that way!”

He’s curious and wants to explore everything, all the time, everywhere! He is the epitome of the “continuous learner” that we want everyone to be! And all I have to do is get out of the way and let him lead the way!

However, when we have to cross the street or when we walk into a parking lot, I take his hand. He hates it! Sometimes he screams, he tries to pull his hand away from me and he loudly protests that the handholding is even a requirements. “I can do it, Mommy!! Let goooooo!”

It’s important for me to recognize that there are times when he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know! As we walk through the parking lot, I stop and remind him to listen – does he hear any car engines running nearby? Does he see anything? Do any cars have someone sitting in them? I point out the white backup lights on a car about to start moving. I talk about why those lights are there and what they mean (that the car is running and in reverse). I ask him what he thinks might happen if we keep walking? When we cross the street, we look at cars that are approaching and we just stand and wait sometimes, to see how quickly cars move or how to gauge when it’s safe or when it isn’t? I talk about turn signals and what they mean – and that even when a car has their blinker on, it’s still smart to see if they’re actually turning or if they might change their mind at the last minute?

He still likes to think that he’s got it all figured out and he doesn’t need me to teach him anything. I support his independence and self confidence. And I still do my job of keeping him safe and teaching him the things that he doesn’t understand yet. I don’t need him to agree with me, in these cases. I don’t need him to like it.

There is a balance I strive for in raising my children. I strive to make sure that they are loved, that they feel safe to take risks and fail and get up and try again. I encourage them to recognize their strengths, follow their curiosity and pursue their passions. And yet, I have perspective, experience and some resulting wisdom that I apply to decide when the risks are too great. Sometimes, I can recognize opportunities to share some of my hard-won wisdom to help them think of things they hadn’t considered. And when they’re trying to do something and don’t know why it’s not working, I offer to help. After all, it’s ridiculous for everyone to reinvent the wheel – why wouldn’t we want our kids to know how to learn from each other (and from mentors/leaders)?

I choose to lead AND to empower. This is what I think of as the “push” and “pull” of learning. And the trick is to know when to step back and let someone learn their own way vs. when to step in and provide direction or guidance? It’s a very fluid way of being. It takes a willingness to allow others (even children) to do the same – to sometimes learn from us and other times to teach us.

I’m learning that leading an organization or team is no different (in this way) than parenting my children. There are some times when I seek input from everyone, strive to make sure that all have a voice and empower those around me to accomplish our goals their own way. It’s a powerful culture to develop – one where the hierarchy disappears and the lines of leader vs. team disappear.

We are all leaders when we feel ownership and pride in what we’re doing! That kind of shared ownership and collaboration results in better solutions – I have no doubt! And empowering people leads to relevant, meaningful learning for all – just like my four year old remembers all about the rocks that fascinate him so.

There are also times, though, where we see something that not everyone else does. Perhaps we have experience that others don’t. Maybe it’s an area of particular interest or research. Whatever the reason, we know something that others need to know. With that knowing comes a responsibility to share –and sometimes, the responsibility to lead or take control/make decisions. Even if people don’t like it or they fight you –just like my four year old fights to pull his hand out of mine as we cross the street.

This leadership needs to happen with integrity and respect – not from a desire for power or control. Just like I strive to make sure my children feel loved, I need to have a relationship with my team and that sense of trust before people will follow me when I try to lead.

The push and pull of learning – and of life – needs to be a cross between individualized, empowered learning and a benevolent dictatorship with caring, inspiring leaders. I believe that either, in exclusion, is insufficient – it’s the blend of the two that has always been the most powerful

He thought for a moment and said “don’t forget that you don’t just need your personal truth and wise teachers, you need community too…” He then went on to explain that the foundations of Buddhism are the “Three Jewels” – the Buddha (the wise teacher), the Dharma (the teachings) and the Sangha (the community).

I’m not going to go off into a discussion of religion at this point, but this chat got me thinking about how we learn and what the dimensions of social learning need to include. It got me thinking about how I would design a system to support all of those dimensions? Because we all need a balance of all three to learn most effectively!

To start with, I believe that learning is learning is learning is learning…

In other words, what we want for students is ultimately no different than what we need to provide educators in terms of professional development opportunities, or what we need to help parents experience as they support their children’s learning. It’s an idea I’ve espoused for quite a while and it’s showing up for me now as I look at how to leverage what we know about learning in order to create a supportive technology infrastructure for all participants in our education system?

So, I believe that there are three dimensions of “social” in “learning”:

1. We “learn from…”
   • This is our “expert learner” network. I like to think of it in these terms because it really emphasizes that we are learning together – but that “experts” will arise from different places. Traditionally, this would be the teacher in a classroom, a mentor or coach when we’re looking for assistance with business or personal growth. It could be a leader of your religious community or your grandma. In less traditional terms, this is anyone who holds a level of experience and wisdom beyond the crowd and is willing to share that with others. It could be one of the students in a classroom. It is often our children, teaching us about using Facebook or how to win at Wii Mario Kart…
   • We all need time with our teachers or mentors because they offer us the perspective of someone who has “done” what we’re trying to do. They look at our efforts objectively and can give us feedback that we can’t see ourselves because we’re too close. They help us by knowing the questions that we don’t even know enough to know we need to ask! And they have a view that allows them to “push” us to develop in ways we don’t know we need because we don’t have the experience of completion or success yet…
2. We “learn with…”
   • These are our “peer” networks. For a student, it’s their classmates. For a teacher, it’s their fellow educators. For most of us, we have several communities we participate in (local, virtual, centered around our hobbies, interests, charities, work, sports, etc…). Twitter is probably my favorite peer learning network – oh the conversations we have and the depth of learning I experience there!! *contented sigh*
   • When we learn with our peers, we struggle together. Learning that contains some struggle to figure things out, and ends in the creation of meaning, is a powerful thing! We’re all in the same boat, in this case. No one has the “answers” and the process is what we’re after here. How do we work together? How do we ask questions and get curious? How do we scaffold off each other’s ideas or thoughts – creating something greater than we could have done alone?
   • This might be group projects for students. Maybe it’s teachers coming together on inquiry based learning teams. It might be parents talking over coffee about the trials of puberty and having tweens! Often, this works best when we figure out how to be a “team” (incorporating a variety of skills that are used to complement each other), not just a “group” (two or more humans interacting together). And the larger the team/group, the closer we come to being a “network” (enter George Siemens and “Connectivism”)
3. We “learn about ourselves…”
   • This is the “personal” part of learning – though I don’t think this is what we mean when we talk about “personal learning networks” or PLNs. What we learn this way is what drives the formation of our PLN, but they are two different things, in my mind.
   • This is the time we spend self reflecting or thinking about what really matters to us? Who am I? What matters to me? What am I good at? What would I like to be better at? What causes me grief or pain (and therefore, warrants my efforts to change)? And what do I want to develop in myself?
   • Often, my interactions within groups or comments that my mentors make will help highlight things personally. My patterns, my beliefs, etc… So they’re definitely linked.
   • In terms of the Buddhist model, this is my “personal truth”!

Without a teacher, our learning is incomplete. We quit because we simply can’t imagine that achieving our goals is possible. We lack the wisdom to even know what we need to learn…

Without our peers, we struggle to “Do it all” by ourselves. We feel isolated. We lack all the skills to accomplish the things that we want to do. We get tired of struggling alone – of feeling like we’re “the only one”…

Without time to learn about ourselves and examine who we are, we stay in reactive mode. We trust outside voices rather than our own gut feeling. We lack direction. We’re unmotivated. We make poor choices about what to do or how to do it (since we don’t understand our own strengths and motivations).

As we plan our training efforts, our classroom activities, our professional development programs – are we considering all three of these dimensions? Because they all contribute to a rich learning environment.

And if you’re tech planning, make sure you incorporate all three in the methods or tools you provide…

There will be four session in the PALS series – this first one was focused around the alphabet. We used stamps to make name tags, then stamp whatever words the children wanted. We made letters out of playdough. We played a matching game of upper case to lower case letters. And then we used “fishing rods” (with magnets at the end) to pick up “fish” (letters/pictures with paper clips on them). My son loved it all!

Then the children were ushered off to the community kitchen while the adults got a short lesson on preparing children for Kindergarten and the importance of reading. The speaker told us about making a point of talking about the parts of a book, of pointing out the title page, and of showing that we read left to right, starting on the left page. We heard about the importance of letting kids see us reading and having books in the house, so that they know that it’s a valued activity in our lives. And that, no matter what the language at home, just keep reading aloud to our children so that they are exposed to the rhythms, vocabulary and ideas that come from a variety of books. All wonderful stuff!

And then the speaker started talking about the importance of limiting “screen time” for our children – that good old fashioned books are critical for children…

I bit my tongue – didn’t want to be “that” parent on the first day, I guess!

But as I reflected on the morning’s experience, I put together some feedback via email to the Principal of the school (who I know quite well). I thought about learning through play and the role of technology in a primary classroom.

I completely agree with the importance of reading and also believe there needs to be a balance of appropriate screen time. But a recent post from Will Richardson got me thinking about what “balance” really means – particularly that balance isn’t about excluding technology…

It made me thing about the fact that, to this generation, “play” includes technology – and it should, because it is an important part of being a literate citizen. My children are not literate if they do not know how to read, write, communicate AND search for/assess the validity of information. That means that comfort with technology is just as important as comfort with writing instruments or any number of other tools that we equip our kids to use.

My point, to make a long story short, is that I believe it’s important to start shifting our attitudes to include technology as a part of play and learning, right from the beginning. Penny Lindballe tells the story of lingering societal prejudices against technology well in this post – it’s worth a read too!

There’s a reason we don’t wait until middle school to introduce a pencil, isn’t there? Time to treat technology the same way…

Inevitably, teams of people, each bringing their unique perspectives to the table, come up with better, more complete, more creative and more successful solutions.

Here’s a video from YouTube that talks about this phenomenon:

In the educational realm, I think everyone has been off trying to come up with solutions by themselves – educators, administrators, parents, District management, Government Ministries.

Why is it that we don’t talk to each other as much as we could? From the outside, I get the sense that there’s a bit of that “leave it to the professionals” attitude.

Is it too much effort to try to coordinate schedules? Are we worried that it takes too much effort to include people uninvolved in the day-to-day operations of our schools? And then they can’t add value anyways? After all, what do parents know about what it takes to run a school? Or a District? And what do students know about what they really need from education?

And it’s hard to have completely open conversations and doors – because that might expose your weaknesses, or open things up for criticism. We are, often by nature, defensive – we want to put our best foot forward, not parade our challenges and weaknesses out for all to see! Do we really want the world to know that we don’t know how to solve a problem? Doesn’t everyone expect the “experts” to have all the answers? And really, doesn’t everyone have enough to do without opening another can of worms by asking people their opinion??

But are we sure that external partners don’t add value? Why would we think that kids are incapable of contributing to solutions about their own education? Another quote from Starbucks is that “the person who sweeps the floor should pick the broom!”

How much effort is it worth to come up with solutions that work? What if we had increased odds of finding successful ideas that everyone is invested in and working together on?

What if it resulted in kids engaged in their own learning? What if they were excited to come to school – to learn and create and work together?

What if parents felt involved and knowledgeable about what was going on in classrooms? What if they were passionate about supporting their children’s teachers? What if they could support and reinforce at home what their kids are learning in school?

What if teachers felt trusted and safe to make mistakes in their own learning and change efforts? What if they felt supported and valued by the parents instead of judged and attacked? What if they already had relationships with all the parents in their class and could easily call one up to discuss their child’s learning – without it feeling like “cold calling” someone you don’t even know (and who doesn’t want to hear from you!)?

What if Principals had time to build the team and the learning community relationships instead of being overwhelmed by the myriad of administrative tasks that swamp their days? What if they could do the same thing at the school level that they used to do with their classrooms (encourage, support each child’s learning, coach, bring out the best in everyone)?

How much more powerful would that make our education system?

And, as a result, how would that change education (having something taught TO you) into learning (participating in the learning process and learning WITH you)?

The way I see it, we can keep complaining about how the Government just doesn’t get the whole picture.
We can complain about how they just don’t understand that you can’t measure successful education using standardized tests.
We can gripe about how the teacher’s not helping MY child and nobody cares.
We can shake our heads at all the parents who never even come to parent-teacher interviews.
We can work all hours just trying to get all the forms filled out, the lockers assigned, the reports completed, the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed.

Or we can choose another way and actually TALK TO EACH OTHER! BUILD RELATIONSHIPS! COLLABORATE! AND LISTEN TO EACH OTHER!

It takes more effort, but isn’t it worth it?

Here’s the speech I presented:

I’d like to thank the Board of Education for including DPAC in tonight’s event. Too often, we make the time to complain about all the little stuff but forget to celebrate all of the great stuff that’s going on!

So I appreciate this opportunity to be here on behalf of DPAC and the parents in this District, to say a few words about how much we appreciate the teachers, administrators and staff in our children’s schools.

I’m going to stick my neck out a little here – I’m pretty sure you weren’t in it for the money. And it certainly wasn’t for the fame! Which leaves me to believe that you did it because you care about the kid!

Every interaction with a child brings the opportunity to support, to coach, to teach, to care.

I remember one of my teachers who, while I was writing my final exam, leaned across my desk and whispered “I expect great things from you.” I was horrified – sitting there looking at the answer to my essay question, thinking “oh man, this isn’t great!!”  But his words have often come back to me over the years, reminding me to take risks, to take on challenges, to expect more of myself – because he showed me that he believed in me.

I have no doubt that every person in this room has had that kind of lifetime impact on children’s lives – often without even realizing it. It’s the natural result of caring – of taking a moment to listen, to encourage, to expect more, and to believe in young people who don’t know how to believe in themselves yet.

As a parent, I know that my children may drive me nuts sometimes – actually, they’ve probably driven their teachers nuts sometimes too! But I also know that they are these amazing little miracles that have been entrusted in my care for a short while. Bringing them to school and having them out of my protective arms is difficult sometimes – even though I know it’s a part of the “letting go” that has to happen as they grow to adulthood. It makes it easier to know that they are with staff, administrators and teachers that are both professional and caring!

Parents aren’t perfect, teachers aren’t perfect – we’re all human. But what matters is that we care and we keep learning. Because that is an incredibly powerful gift that we can give to the next generation – a living example of how to be perfectly imperfect human beings!

On behalf of all the parents in this District, I’d like to thank you! Thank you not only for caring, but for choosing a career that put that caring into action every day.

Enjoy your well-deserved retirement!

Starbucks Corporation puts out a Corporate Social Responsibility Annual Report, complete with a summary brochure that they put out in each location, right behind the sugar/milk/lids/napkins…

The first time I noticed this brochure was in 2003 and it was the best mission/guiding principles document I had ever seen!!

• It started with a clear mission statement that explained WHY this company was in existence.
• It included six guiding principles that directly related to HOW they were going to focus their efforts in order to deliver on the mission statement.
• The inside of the brochure then went into detail for each of the six guiding principles – saying WHAT things they were doing and how they would tell they were succeeding.

What was so powerful to me was the fact that the mission was translated right down to what each person in the organization was doing on a day-to-day basis in order to contribute to that mission. Every person in that company, from the CEO all the way through stores all over the world, knows what they’re supposed to be doing, how they’re doing it and why they’re doing it – which translates into a sense of purpose that is incredibly inspiring.

This is what we all talk about doing – in project management seminars, in leadership training, all over the place on websites and in books. But it’s so darned HARD TO DO successfully!! I can’t say I knew how to achieve that clarity of vision for a team or organization, but I certainly recognized the power & possibilities.

So often, a mission or vision statement is too complex or so high level that it leaves everyone in the company thinking “well, that’s great but what does that mean?? What am I supposed to do? How does that relate to the work I do every day??”

I’ve watched Starbucks over the years to see if they walk their talk. Everything I’ve seen and heard has been completely consistent. Their staff are enthusiastic and committed. Their stores are definitely making money (which is, in fact, one of their guiding principles), but they’re also giving back to their communities, working to protect our environment, providing amazing customer service, and supporting diverse and sustainable coffee farmers.

I get a sense sometimes that educators dismiss the “corporate” world – thinking that “things are different” in education. Perhaps there is a sense that educators are serving a higher moral purpose than business – after all, schools are educating our next generation, not just making money like those big corporations.

But we don’t have to judge the global relevance of their purpose or even like the coffee in order to appreciate the lessons that we can learn from Starbucks! And there is so much knowledge out there that we can apply to education’s challenges. In fact, I think that this kind of diversity and open-minded thinking is what will allow education to move forward most effectively.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” – Albert Einstein

The current Starbucks brochure caught my eye again, right with the first paragraph:

“It began as many good things do, with some heartfelt conversations. Sincere, forthright, perhaps a bit idealistic. We took a good hard look at our most cherished values and asked ourselves just how we’d integrate them into this new company we were about to create.”

As Pete Reilly mentioned recently, these passionate, slightly idealistic conversations are happening more and more in education these days. These are exciting times!

I’ve been feeling a theme developing and I’m pursuing it with vehemence in my district.

It takes a community to raise our children – not one of us has the solution by ourselves and we’ve been spending too much time individually (or as separate groups) trying to fix it.

Collaboration and a single unifying vision will take us to the next level.

So, what I’m working on is:

1) Bringing every discussion, every planning exercise, all data collection, every tech plan back to a comparison of how it helps us move toward the best intellectual, social and emotional learning environment FOR EVERY LEARNER. Does this proposal enhance or detract from that vision?

2) Building bridges between partner groups (teachers, administrators, students, school boards, support workers, District management, parents, community groups, etc… When we all understand our roles in the system and the value we bring towards achieving our vision, then we can work together to find the REAL solutions that will work for everyone!

There is no ONE solution, no magic bullet.
We cannot do it ALONE.

The COLLECTIVE PASSION of educators, students and parents is more powerful than the bureaucracy that often stands in our way. Once we focus that passion, nothing will be able to stop us!