tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64579795479566624292024-03-13T19:36:24.910-07:00Brent's BlogPurposeful Professional Learning---->Personal Growth---->
Student Growth---->Success bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.comBlogger82125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-33991541511498066562020-04-22T20:16:00.000-07:002020-04-22T20:16:27.234-07:004 conditions for successful school leadership1) Culture<br />
2) Mindset<br />
3) Skills<br />
4) Strategies<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>School Culture</b></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-b8c5de86-7fff-1eff-c2fe-d8dcd9480bc5"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In schools, we must create strong cultures with a defined autonomy. We should know who makes decisions and how those decisions are made. As often as possible, that should include a lot of people in the decision. People thrive when they understand their role, their purpose, and how they impact the whole school team.</span></span></div>
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Teacher Mindset --> Skills</b></span></span></div>
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once teachers are in a culture where they believe that they, and their colleagues, can make an impact on student learning, then the growth mindset flourishes. As that happens, they spend more time learning and improving their craft. </span></span></div>
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Skills --> Instructional Strategies</b></span></span></div>
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As skills grow, so does personal confidence. Teachers look to increase their instructional toolbelt. They dig deeper, learning about new instructional strategies.</span></span></div>
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Practice Leads to improved Skills and Strategies</b></span></span></div>
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Educators put in more time and energy into their work when they know the things they are doing matter. They will begin to work with more passion, work smarter, and grow as a result</span></span></div>
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<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Putting it together</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">When a culture is toxic it really doesn’t matter how skilled the educators are or how good the strategies are. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Build culture first and individual mindsets will follow. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mindsets matter, we must believe that what we do makes an impact. If I believe that no matter how hard I work, our students aren't going to be very good, what reason do I have to put in the extra work? </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">We can’t build our skills if we aren’t putting in the time to improve. If we haven't invested in building our skills and strategies, instruction suffers and students lose.</span></div>
bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-4927478044358104172019-02-02T18:57:00.003-08:002019-02-02T18:57:39.052-08:00A Delicate Balance: Retakes and ResponsibilityI recently heard a conversation between two parents of Middle School students. They were discussing that their children are allowed to do retakes. They were concerned that their children were not learning responsibility. In the conversation, they pointed out that in their jobs, they were not allowed to be late or have retakes.<br />
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Their concern is valid, responsibility is a key trait any employer is going to want. While most jobs don't fire you for one mistake, the overall point can still be made that responsibility is equal to many academic skills students obtain in school.<br />
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It is critical to understand a key difference between learning and the workplace. In the workplace, the objectives vary based on the type of work being done. Often the objective may be customer service and therefore timeliness is critical. However, in school, the objective is going to be learning the content standard or learning goal. Therefore, we must be precise in our assessment. Lumping responsibility and content knowledge into the same assessment can make the results messy. Using Kindergarten as an example, let's say we have a learning goal that students must count to ten. If a student is unable to count to 10 but can count to 3, we don't simply grade the student with a 30%, reprimand the student for not being a responsible learner, and then move on to the next standard of counting by twos. Counting to ten is a building block in the student's learning. Therefore, we continue to practice until we can get to ten.<br />
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Using the Kindergarten example is a simplistic way of looking at learning. However, it is true of other learning as well. In Middle School, it is critical that the learner takes responsibility for their work. The student needs to show evidences of learning between the first attempt at the assessment and the second attempt. This means additional, meaningful, work. If a course has 9 essential learnings in an 18 week semester, clearly they are going to be having several assessments. It is in the student's best interest to do their best to perform at the highest level on the first attempt of learning. However, if they simply struggle to "get it," we would be doing the student a disservice by saying "as a school district, we determined this to be an essential part of your education, but since you didn't understand it on October 14th, we will simply no longer hold you accountable for it." Instead, we insist on learning and we expect that the responsibility of that learning falls on the student with support from the teacher. Both academic content and responsibility are of primary concern but assessed separately.bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-19204425383215266532019-02-02T18:26:00.000-08:002019-02-02T18:26:00.665-08:00Bringing People Closer through Language LearningLearning a language has many benefits, has opened up my world, and has been one of my greatest learning challenges as an adult. Learning a language doesn't happen overnight. I have learned many "side lessons" in this process. I am focusing on one such side lesson of my language learning experience today: bringing people closer.<br />
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My son and I are learning Spanish at the same time. Using the internet for language learning has introduced us to new people. Our teachers are from Puebla Mexico and Caracas Venezuela. In the past, we have also had teachers from Ecuador, Cuernavaca Mexico, Columbia, and Guatemala (the last 3 listed are immigrants who currently live in Omaha, Nebraska and taught us in person.) We also are hosting an exchange student from Spain this year and she is always happy to us with our language skills.<br />
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Learning Spanish has allowed us to build relationships with people from all of the world, so when news comes on TV about riots in Venezuela, my son has already gotten pictures from his teacher showing the events happening in his neighborhood. Real fear and concern exist in our house that otherwise would simply be another news story. When we hear the horrible things said about Mexicans, we personally know a well educated, engineer, and polyglot who doesn't fit that stereotype at all. We also know several others from Latin America who are bilingual and are contributing great things in our own local communities.<br />
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Learning a language continues to benefit my life and I will share many of these benefits with you over time. One critical point I advocate, especially for people who do not live in ethnically diverse places, is to seek out people who are from another country. Use learning another language as a way to connect with a new culture. Use the internet if needed (italki.com). It widens your world view and helps you connect to a different perspective you might otherwise miss in the comfort of your own life.<br />
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<br />bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-39388361466612038672019-02-02T18:22:00.001-08:002019-02-02T18:22:17.756-08:00Empathy in LearningEmpathy cannot be a possible side effect of our teaching, it must be intricately planned into our lessons to make sure that students have deep "understandings" that will matter in their lives forever.<br />
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Perspective and empathy are two ways students learn. Perspective is looking over someone's shoulder and seeing something from their angle. Empathy is being in their shoes. Gaining perspective is critically important. Realizing that others see things different can help us realize there are multiple points of view and possibly (and almost always) more than one right answer. Empathy requires a deeper view. When you learn using empathy, you understanding feelings. Empathy is very challenging, for example, how can a person who has been rich their entire life understand what it means to be truly poor? To create lessons which develop this empathy, one must use more than mere fact recall. Instead, lessons have to be designed carefully. It requires simulations and role-playing. Even then, it is easy to fall short. It takes many iterations using reflection, writings, conversations, and prompts.<br />
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Concepts like race are very difficult to develop a deep, empathetic understanding because it is impossible to actually live in another person's shoes. However, to have a meaningful race discussion, empathy has to be planned. I can never know, specifically, which things in my life have come through white privilege and which have been earned solely on the merits of my hard work. Structuring thought around deep questions can be scary. It is easier for me, as a teacher, to teach the Civil Rights Movement through the memorization of facts such as dates and names of historical figures. It becomes slightly more difficult to create lessons to encourage a student to look at a different point of view. However, the breakthrough for students will be much more powerful when the lessons go to the next step of incorporating empathy. <span style="background-color: white;">Exploring big questions like "what role has race played in my own life," leads to more meaningful and deep understanding. </span>Avoiding the deep thoughts only delays the debates or allows students to avoid ever grappling with these issues. Not having these debates while in the safe confines of your classroom is a disservice to students.bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-32501553504995834922019-02-02T18:20:00.000-08:002019-02-02T18:20:06.030-08:00Stop Learning Children, It's Time To Go Back To School<br />
At the end of Christmas break, my son, a Freshman in High School, said something profound. <span style="background-color: white;">He told me that he was "sad that school's starting because learning's going to stop now." </span> Ouch! As an educator, that one stings. But, I immediately knew there was something to this. I knew generally what he was talking about because he had been putting together some spreadsheets and spending a lot of time on iTalki taking Spanish lessons with one teacher from Mexico and another from Venezuela during his Christmas break.<br />
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Now a month later, I asked him a couple follow up questions about this.<br />
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1) What did you mean when you said now that school is starting, learning has to stop. What is "school" and what is "learning?"<br />
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His answer:<br />
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<li>School is learning about stuff other people want you to learn.</li>
<li>Learning is about what you want to learn and what you like.</li>
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2) Do you think "school" has value?<br />
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Yes, school is important when you are learning to think critically.<br />
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3) So, what specifically is not valuable about school?<br />
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Just memorizing stuff. Like I had to memorize the spelling of a word or chemicals on the periodic table but I don't remember that later. When they talk about what the periodic table means and how to use it, that is useful.<br />
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Short-term memorization has the least value. If they tell you, "we are having a quiz in two days," and I have to memorize for it, I'm not going to remember that stuff.<br />
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If you have to know things in order to do other things, then "school" is important. In Spanish class, if I learn a word for a test, it doesn't stick, however, if I have to remember it for a story or a conversation, it is more useful and I'm going to remember it.<br />
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<b>My Takeaway</b><br />
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Facts are not learning and kids see right through it when we try to have them memorize seemingly unconnected discrete facts. Connecting facts in a way that allows for the transfer of facts into "understandings" (as defined by Wiggin and McTighe in their 2005 book "Understanding By Design") is the essence of what education is supposed to be. Designing our schools, and the classes inside those schools, around bigger questions that transfer into other content areas, and into life, will lead to better student engagement and deeper understandings that matter to our students.<br />
<br />bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-45691959073778698862019-02-02T18:19:00.001-08:002019-02-02T18:19:25.131-08:00The Problem with Pinterest and Teachers Pay TeachersLet me start by stating, you can use Pinterest or Teachers Pay Teacher with effectiveness. The trick is to use activities from these sources with designed purpose. It is easy to look at the activities provided on Teachers Pay Teachers and simply adopt them. However, teaching is much more than activities so it is critical to teach using a mindful approach to instruction.<br />
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As with any good instruction, we must go through a process.<br />
1. Establish goals and essential questions.<br />
2. Design assessments that are connected to these goals.<br />
3. Set up activities that adequately prepare students for the assessment and for transferring knowledge to other areas of life.<br />
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The problem with finding a topic and running to a resource someone else has created is it may not meet the established goal. The critical first step in lesson design is establishing a goal and knowing what essential questions need to be pondered. Activities should only be designed after a deep dive into "what are the goals" and "what evidences can be used to prove students have a deep understanding of these goals." I understand the interest in having a prepackaged lesson handed over to you. However, the real power in teaching is connecting the activities directly to the goals.<br />
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Take a much deeper look at lesson design in "Understanding by Design" by Wiggins and McTighe (2005)<br />
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<br />bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-13776152312223828872018-09-23T08:24:00.001-07:002018-09-23T12:13:54.855-07:00Meet Students Where They Are Students need teachers to care about them as individuals. Each child comes into school with a unique story. Behaviors often come from a deeper problem. These behaviors manifest themselves in a way that is difficult to deal with while trying to teach a classroom full of children. Some people believe that to be fair, all students should all be treated the same. They believe that if a student acts poorly, something should be done with no consideration of what is going on in the life of the student. Others see a student with disadvantages and then lower expectations in subtle but devastating ways. Kids need to be loved for who they are, even when they are at their worst. All students deserve to have teachers who have high expectations of them. As educators, we don't get to decide where a student starts, but we can help impact where they end up.<br />
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<u>Statement #1: Students don't deserve to get extra attention just because they act bad</u><br />
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What they have right: Dealing with behavior is a balancing act. You can, at times, unintentionally reinforce negative behaviors.<br />
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However, if you want behaviors to change, you have to change your behavior and then reflect on your impact. If you hope to just ride it out the bad behavior, the behaviors will likely not change. If the child is seeking attention and they get the most attention when they act poorly, you are reinforcing the poor behavior. Each individual student has separate needs. Giving a student specific positive feedback when their behaviors are positive can be very effective.<br />
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<u>Statement #2: Don't have fun with them when they are misbehaving</u><br />
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What they have right: If a student is getting positive reinforcement for misbehaving, expect the behaviors to go up.<br />
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However, if a 6-year-old child needs a moment to breathe or they need to reset their emotions, it can be very helpful to allow them that time. Once they are able to think more clearly, then it is time to get into consequences. Time to clam down isn’t “fun time,” it is sometimes needed to address the behavior.<br />
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<u>Statement #3: Stop being easy on Kids-Punish bad behaviors</u><br />
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What they have right: expectations should be high for all kids<br />
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However, the end consequence should connect with the behavior and should fit the individual if it is going to be effective. If a basketball team misses a lot of layups, having the kids run as a consequence will have no impact on their behavior (unless of course, they were missing the layups on purpose). If the players are missing layups, practice layups. Make the consequences fit the action. All behaviors have consequences. If you study hard, you get better grades than you would have otherwise gotten. That is a consequence. Consequences that connect the behavior to the action make a much more significant impact.<br />
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<b>Build Relationships </b><br />
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What works in the short term doesn't always work in the long term. While yelling will get an immediate reaction, building a trusting relationship will pay bigger dividends over the course of the school year.<br />
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All students deserve adults in their lives who will see their potential and take the time to find out how to get them to the high expectations set for all students.bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-24540639706640404732018-09-16T07:54:00.000-07:002018-09-16T18:25:22.174-07:00Embrace Your PassionsEmbrace being different. Embrace what makes you different. Embrace the strengths you bring to the table. Build a school culture around the passion of the people in the school. As a principal of a school and as an avid learner, I want those I work with to follow their passions and create an exciting and engaging environment for everyone in the school.<br />
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As a child, I didn't want to seem different, so I often went along with the group when it came to activities and my desire to learn. This peer pressure is often associated with kids or teens. However, this thinking creeps into our adult life also. <b>The pressure is to go to the middle.</b> Don't be great, be just be good enough.<br />
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During High School, I was passionate about football. That was an acceptable passion to have from my peer group. As a result, I excelled in football and learned a tremendous amount about leadership and teamwork. I found a passion and it made me a better person.<br />
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Unfortunately, it wasn't the same for learning. Overall, I was a good student. However, I wasn't a great learner. The best example is that I wanted to be bilingual since I was very young. In High School, I took Spanish I and then Spanish II. Then I quit. No real reason, I just didn't continue. I had enough credit for what I needed for going to college. I got through on the bare minimum. That would truly be OK if it wasn't a passion of mine. So why did I quit? This is where the push to the middle happens. This isn't to blame my friends. In fact, many of them went on to Spanish III. However, taking Spanish and learning Spanish are two very different things. I simply didn't want to admit that I wanted to <b>learn</b> something that others didn't have the same passion for. Interestingly, I think some of my friends may have had the same interest, but we never talked about it, so I'm not really sure what they thought.<br />
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The push to the middle is powerful. I've seen many great people who resist the push to the middle. It's amazing, we all have tremendous respect and admiration for these people, and yet some of us never want to take the steps to be different than the group.<br />
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So here are some ideas to <b>embrace your passion</b> and <b>help others embrace their passions</b>:<br />
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1. <b>Talk about your passions</b> - Make your passion public. Others may want to help you or may have contacts that could benefit you. Talking about your passions also makes it more acceptable for others to talk about their passions. You might soon find out the other person's passions.<br />
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2. <b>Speak with passion</b> - Let there be no mistake of what you are passionate about.<br />
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3. <b>Encourage others in their passion</b> - When a student or a peer share their passions with you, encourage them. Never be the person who diminishes someone's passion.<br />
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4. <b>Celebrate</b> - When you reach a goal, make it public. When others reach a goal, celebrate.<br />
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Passion will push you to an incredible school culture and learning environment. People who work in their passion areas are going to perform better and be happier. Giving teachers and students time to talk about what they are excited about in an encouraging environment will lead to amazing results!!!<br />
<br />bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-71086554587620935842018-09-03T09:56:00.000-07:002018-09-04T14:03:44.136-07:00Reflective School Leader<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/Wi4xgzzwBG-I1OqjLzElufbf-DGWqy8mA7IQ4oUk8SJSteCBAyBiZgVJwyQmnXUNZNWczWc0mAY=s400" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="400" height="106" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/Wi4xgzzwBG-I1OqjLzElufbf-DGWqy8mA7IQ4oUk8SJSteCBAyBiZgVJwyQmnXUNZNWczWc0mAY=s400" width="320" /></a></div>
Habits are critical to everything we do. Focusing on the <a href="http://brentcudly.blogspot.com/2011/12/1090.html" target="_blank">10/90</a> Principle, we can concentrate on what is important. Ten/Ninety is prioritizing how we respond over focusing on how others have treated us or what has happened to us.<br />
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Routines that focus on priorities will help you become a better school leader. For me, it can be easy on a day to day basis to waste time. So, I try to focus on 4 R's, or r sounding type of words: Read, Write, Run, and Reflect. These are my daily habits. These 4 things are an easy way for me to reflect on my day. Did I do each of the 4 R's? </div>
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Here's how I define the 4R's of Habits:</div>
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<u>Read </u>- means to learn. Learning includes my Spanish classes, Duolingo, learning podcasts, etc. It also refers directly to reading about leadership or education also.</div>
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<u>Write</u> - Each day I write in my journal. I'm also am trying to incorporate a weekly blog.</div>
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<u>Run</u> - This is about health. It used to be about running, but running sometimes doesn't work for me since I have a bad back. So, lifting, walking, and running can all count as "run."</div>
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<u>Reflect</u> - This also comes in the form of journaling. I empty out my thoughts and reflect on the day. Did I do all of the 4 R's? I usually try to reflect on Leadership, Innovation, and Passion. Somedays though it is more of a specific reflection on one of the 4 priorities I've identified for myself. I have found that writing helps bring thoughts to the forefront. Often, I think I don't have anything on my mind or I don't need to reflect on the day because nothing that noteworthy happened. By practicing writing every day, I'm amazed by the amount I have to reflect on but I wouldn't know that without the actual act of writing.</div>
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Planning for these routines is important. Time slips by if you don't plan around priorities. By planning around priorities, <b>I can move the little things outside of the school day so I can better focus on being with students and there for teachers during the day.</b></div>
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bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-25160385297840502492018-08-26T07:49:00.004-07:002018-08-26T19:06:59.617-07:00Centered Leadership: Mindset Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jo5fPgM0OpM/W4Ncfc6V5GI/AAAAAAAADdw/X70HEeSXGu8dN-PH6TuApvedAVlafcOpgCLcBGAs/s1600/Growth%2Band%2BEfficacy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jo5fPgM0OpM/W4Ncfc6V5GI/AAAAAAAADdw/X70HEeSXGu8dN-PH6TuApvedAVlafcOpgCLcBGAs/s400/Growth%2Band%2BEfficacy.jpg" width="400" /></a>1) <b>10/90 </b>- The basic idea takes from Stephen Covey's 90/10 principle that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond. It is critical to focus on what you can control. You can control your response. Let the small things go and react in a positive, proactive, and strategic way to negative situations. Push the things you can't control to the outside.</div>
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2) <b>Growth Mindset </b>- Learn from everything. Take a "not yet" approach to life. If you haven't met your goals, look for how you can grow to meet those goals. </div>
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3) <b>Keep Promises to yourself - </b>In the weight room, every day I see a sign that says "every rep counts." If you make a promise to yourself in the weight room that you will do 10 reps, then do 10 reps. I like lifting, so those promises to myself are easy but I hate doing planks. I do 3 sets of 20 seconds and repeat this on my right side and left side. I often want to cheat and cut it at 19 seconds (or even before). But everything counts. So you are cheating yourself if you don't keep your own promises. While one second on one set may not seem like a big deal, 3 reps on 3 sides (front, right, left) 3 times a week for 52 weeks =1404 seconds. It's like a drop of water on a rock. One day or even one year may not matter, but the cumulative effects of our behavior have a greater effect with each passing day.</div>
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4) <b>Get Started</b> - "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"-Laozi. Big problems can seem overwhelming. Focus on your first step. Breakdown the big issue into smaller parts and then get started.</div>
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5) <b>Never Give </b><b class="">up</b> - Take the next step, even when it's hard. You need to have a clear picture of you are going so you know the next step is worth taking.</div>
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6) <b>Self-efficacy</b> - You must understand your impact. You must believe in your ability to succeed and know that what you do matters. If you are fixed in your mindset or believe you have no impact, you will fail to plan and prepare, causing a self-fulfilling prophecy.</div>
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7) <b>Power of Mistakes</b> - Never fear making a mistake. Fear not trying. Language learning is a great example of being humbled by mistakes. You have to make mistakes, or you will never get better. A language learner that never speaks in the target language is not a language learner. A language learner has to trip up to get better. </div>
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8) <b>Take a moment</b> - Take a breath. Give yourself 10 or more minutes in the day to do nothing.</div>
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9) <b>Reflect</b> - Journal daily. It is incredible that when you go into journaling, you think, I have nothing to say. The simple act of forcing yourself to journal will help you become more reflective. My focus while journaling is "Reflections on Leadership, Innovation, and Passion." I use journaling as a way to release information from my mind before going to sleep each night.</div>
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<b>Centered Leadership</b></div>
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Push what doesn't matter to the outside. Center yourself and focus on what matters. I intend to dig deeper into each part of this during the next several weeks.</div>
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bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-31192383805981520052018-08-19T06:30:00.004-07:002018-08-19T06:30:40.732-07:00Passion Projects<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><b>What is a Passion Project?</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many schools and districts have been looking for more personalized learning opportunities for their teachers. </span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-27d6ed14-7fff-15cc-ffd7-e228842abd3d"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A passion project is a specific time for educators to learn about something that interests them in a format chosen by an individual educator. Teachers will learn what, when, and how they want. </span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><b>What is the purpose of doing Professional Learning this way?</b></u></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-4261f3f0-7fff-a630-30d0-4f0d9297d83b"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every person has their own learning needs. This allows educators to have control of their own learning and it allows educators to learn about something they are passionate about.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><b>When would you have time?</b></u></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In our school, we have provided 11 hours of Professional Learning time to be dedicated to Passion Projects throughout the year. Many teachers will go far above that due to their interest in their topic. It is important for the building or district to provide time within the contractual day in order to emphasize the importance placed on this type of learning. The time also should not take away from personal planning time. As an administrator, you may have to give up that cool powerpoint you were planning on showing.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><b>Elements of a High-Quality Passion Project-Tips for Teachers doing a Passion Project</b></u></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Data Informed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) Data informed-consider relevant information to improve student learning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) This is in contrast to “data-driven”-having data drive decisions implies that reading the data objectively determines your future actions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Strive to Get Better</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) Teachers take ownership of their learning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) Teachers learn because they know it is going to impact their students.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>Further Reading</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">For those interested in creating Passion Projects in your school or district, read <b>"Hacking Leadership"</b> by Joe Sanfelippo and Tony Sinanis. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will continue to keep you updated on projects that teachers are doing and on any pitfalls we might run into. I'm excited to see how this goes this year. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Please reach out to me if you want specific information about how it is going or any questions. @bcudly on twitter or comment in the comment section.</span>bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-79809845628968836892018-06-03T18:03:00.001-07:002018-06-03T18:08:42.603-07:00Unleashing PassionAs I begin to prepare for next year, I'd like to collect and share some thoughts on unleashing passion in those who are naturally passionate.<br />
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Show me a teacher and you will show me someone who loves kids. So it follows that teachers are passionate by nature. They are driven by something that many others aren't. They are driven by service, by the desire to change lives, by a belief in the good in people, by learning, and by love.<br />
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So, why does professional learning not connect with these people with a predisposition to learning, service, and passion?<br />
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Does professional learning:<br />
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<li>Connect with passion?</li>
<li>Keep kids at the center?</li>
<li>Provide opportunities to serve?</li>
<li>Make a difference to the teacher's students?</li>
<li>Drive change that will benefit student's lives?</li>
</ul>
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Through this summer, I intend to explore ways to personalize the learning of our teaching staff to make meaningful differences for them and for our students. This is an exploration, not an answer. I look forward to studying ways to connect district and building leaders with ways to personalize professional learning for the benefit of our students.<br />
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Leave comments for me on ways to personalize professional learning (or professional development). If you've had a great PL experience, let me know.<br />
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bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-49530830112359280672017-11-15T08:39:00.000-08:002017-11-15T08:53:18.613-08:00Servant Leadership<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Servant Leadership </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Outward Mindset: Think first of others interests</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leadership, at its core, is service to others. A leader must have, what the Arbinger Institue calls an “outward mindset,” thinking first of others needs, challenges, and objectives. If a leader acts selfishly, thinking only of his own self-interest, expect his followers to act in their own self-preservation. Leaders, great leaders, serve others. Quality leaders focus on those they serve. Simon Sinek writes, “Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.” People follow leaders who show care and concern for them as a person. People don’t want to feel used but rather want to feel that they are a part of something greater than themselves. This sense of fulfillment comes from service. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Put Others First</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People want to be a part of the solution, not simply as a cog in the machine. Liz Wiseman writes about effective leaders in the book “</span><a href="http://brentcudly.blogspot.com/2013/02/leadership-lesson-multipliers.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Multipliers:</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter.” She states </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Multipliers are leaders who look beyond their own genius and focus their energy on extracting and extending the genius of others, they get more from their people. They don't get a little more; they get vastly more." </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Multipliers do not see themselves as the center and they don’t need to be the smartest in the room. Putting others on the stage is more important. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Some leaders seem to drain intelligence and capability out of the people around them. Their focus on their own intelligence and their resolve to be the smartest person in the room had a diminishing effect on everyone else.” When around a person who wants you to know how smart they are, the conversation is often stifled. Others begin to look to the “know-it-all” leader and expect them to have the answer. This reduces the overall effectiveness of all those in the room. Great leaders talk less and listen more. They want to really understand the issue being discussed and they show that they value all of the individuals in the room.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Get comfortable with Messy</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Servant leadership can be messy because it relies on collaboration. Leaders can be empowering by bringing people together to solve issues. On the other hand, leaders can be directive leaders which allow you a clearer path to the end result. You get a straight line to the end goal. The problem with directive leadership is that you don’t explore the full depth of possibility that you do when you involve others in decision making. Empowering leaders push their followers by giving them a voice and sometimes that voice is in contrast to their own opinion. Michael Fullan speaks of decisional capital and social capital. Social capital is “working together in focused, specific ways to learn from others to accomplish something of value.” Decisional capital is “the ability of individuals and groups to make expert diagnoses and identify corresponding solutions based on experience and expertise.” Professionals need to have the freedom to make decisions. It is incumbent upon leaders to allow those they lead to have the ability and freedom to make choices. At the same time, it is incumbent upon those professionals to always learn and constantly collaborate. Collaboration can be messy but for deep learning and sustainable practices, it is essential. According to a study by Dr. Natalia Lorinkova at Wayne State University, directive leaders initially outperform empowering leaders. However, their leadership does not last past themselves while empowering leaders will experience higher performance in the long run. Directive leaders do not build sustainable systems. Directive leaders do not see value in the people that surround them. Instead, they see people as simply a means to their own ends. They see their employees as subordinates who carry out their ideas. They do not tap the full potential of those around them.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Empower Those Closest to Students</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In education, we must work together to get the best results. Decisions belong as close to the students as possible. This means a fairly flat leadership structure. Simon Sinek, in the book “Leaders Eat Last” writes one of his leadership lessons as “Lead the people, not the numbers.” It is critical that you are deeply engaged with the people that you lead. This seems obvious but have you heard a school or district leader talk about children like they are only a number? Physical space and distance from students allow decisions to be made with the students as merely an abstract idea. The more decision making power we can put in our teachers, the more our decisions will fit the needs of the children we serve. This requires that administrators trust teachers. To develop that deep trust, it is also critical that we are explicit with our vision and that we make sure our focus is on instruction and is student-centered. Imagine a Principal who makes all the decisions for her teachers. Now imagine a Principal that trusts her teachers to make nearly all of the instructional decisions. Which one do you think is going to need a deeper belief and value in her teachers? Which one do you think is going to invest in professional learning that assists teachers in frameworks that allow them to make the best instructional decisions?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be Humble and Recognize the Value of Others</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is also critical to realize the importance of every member of a school staff. Everyone brings something to the table. A leader who listens and values others opinions will learn and grow to become a better leader. A principal who has all the answers will be well served to listen to those around them. As the Arbinger Institute writes in the book “The Outward Mindset: Seeing Beyond Ourselves, “Leaders who succeed are those who are humble enough to be able to see beyond themselves and perceive the true capacities and capabilities of their people.”</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Further Reading:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Leaders Eat Last”-Simon Sinek</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Outward Mindset: Seeing Beyond Ourselves-The Arbinger Institute</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Together is Better: A Little Book of Inspiration-Simon Sinek</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter-Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coherence-Michael Fullan</span></div>
<h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indelible Leadership: Always Leave Them Learning-Michael Fullan</span></h2>
<br />bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-10999279624536598692017-02-14T16:40:00.001-08:002017-02-14T17:31:11.167-08:00Truth that School Reformers Don't Want You to KnowSometimes when you tell the truth, it sounds like an excuse. People outside of education have a lot of advice on how to solve the problems with public education. They come from very well meaning places, but sometimes they might not even understand the problem they are trying to solve.<br />
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An easy sound bite is that every student should graduate or No Child Left Behind or every student succeeds. People then point at public schools as failing because it seems reasonable that every student should graduate from high school. After all, they say, if your goal isn't 100% graduation, then which kid are you OK with not graduating? That is a tough spin. It also puts educators in a bad position. Do you say it's not realistic, giving the appearance you don't believe all kids can succeed? Do you set a goal that you know is impossible to reach and just let it sit there with every educator knowing it is unrealistic? When the nation's schools inevitably fail at this goal, any reason for failure is looked at as an excuse.<br />
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Every student can learn. This sound bite is true. However, the pace for every student isn't the same. The style of learning isn't the same. Life factors matter. Some will achieve amazing things in music but not science, others might be great in welding, but not English class. Schools meet many different needs, but it isn't fair to say all kids will graduate or achieve at a high level in all subjects.<br />
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If we view truth as an excuse, our solutions are different. If we look at teachers as if they are the problem, then our solution might be to get rid of tenure or pensions. <i> If we just got rid of tenure, the argument goes, we could fire the bottom percentage of teachers. If we got rid of these pensions, teachers wouldn't be so complacent and lazy. Maybe we can just bring in merit pay. That will motivate teachers to perform at a higher level. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>There are many problems with these solutions. For one, the problem isn't the motivation of teachers. The solution of getting rid of tenure and loss of pensions just exacerbates the situation. People are already not lining up for certain teaching jobs. Secondly, merit pay never works. It is too subjective and if you make it objective, it means using test scores which is an inaccurate way to assess teaching. Assessments are designed to assess learning, not teaching. It also narrows focus to that which can be tested.<br />
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So what are some truths.<br />
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Truth: a child is taken from his home after his father attempts to commit suicide and mom gets sent to jail on the same night for drug use. When the police arrive, the children are sent to another community to be placed in foster care.<br />
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Another truth: a mom is shot and killed while daughter is in the house. Daughter arrives at new school after moving in with family members.<br />
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Another truth: a mother is released from prison. The school gets a call that the mother isn't to show up at school as she no longer has parental rights.<br />
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Another truth: a mom shows up to eat lunch with her kids. Later that day she leaves town running from the police. She is later caught and sent to prison. The school finds out the reason she came to lunch is because she knew it might be her last chance to see her kids.<br />
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So, back to 100% graduation.<br />
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People want to make it out that American public schools are failing. Only 78% graduate from high school in America. But look into those numbers. That is a 4 year graduation rate. "It is also accurate to say that 90% of those between the ages of 18-24 have a high school diploma." It is also accurate to say "On average, 3.4% of students who were enrolled in public or private high schools in October of 2008 left school before October of 2009 without completing a high school program" (Ravitch, 2013). How can all 3 of these be accurate? Numbers are can be presented for a specific purpose. If I want you to know how bad schools are, I will leave you with impression that a quarter of our kids don't graduate. If I want you to understand reality, I'll let you know that while some students didn't graduate in time, they still graduated.<br />
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Facts are important. Truth matters. Faulty rationale can be used to solve a problem that might not even exist, at least to the extent to which people might want you to believe.<br />
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Nearly all kids graduate. Kids achieve at the highest level in human history. That is in spite of the truths of some children's lives. Maybe you think the above stories are exaggerated to prove a point. I want to be very clear with this. Every story above is true, every story above is from this school year, and every story above is from one grade level. These are not from a scary urban school district. These are the stories that can be told in many public schools.<br />
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So maybe the problem isn't lazy, unmotivated teachers or a failing public school system. Maybe the problem is more societal than an educational problem. If that's the case, then the solution isn't getting rid of tenure, pensions, or privatizing education. Instead we should look to our public schools as a beacon of hope. Maybe we should look at teachers as the heroes that they are and realize that lazy doesn't describe this profession. Passion, dedication, and tireless commitment are much better descriptions of those in the teaching profession.<br />
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Truth matters. Public schools succeed. Teachers change lives.bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-70955187085092287202017-02-12T08:09:00.001-08:002017-02-12T08:14:10.588-08:00The Complicated Success of American EducationWhy are 77% of Americans happy with their local public school and yet only 19% of people rate the overall public school system with high marks (Gallup poll, 2012)? Why have public schools been blamed for any number of shortfallings such as USSR's launch of Sputnik in the 50's, the failure of the auto industry in the 80's, or the proclaimed idea that we are putting our nation in a national security issue in the present time? How are our scores so consistently low on international tests and yet we still have the strongest economy in the world?<br />
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We are so regularly told how bad our schools are that we don't believe our own eyes. We look at our local schools and say, "If only the rest of America could do it like we do." At the same time, across the country, others are saying the exact same thing about their schools. The <a href="http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5894e819e4b061551b3dfe51?section=us_education" target="_blank">Huffington Post </a>recently had a blog by Steven Singer that pointed out that Napoleon's short stature is a commonly accepted fact. Unless you look at actual facts. The problem is, Napoleon was taller than the average man during his life. So why do we believe that he was short? When something is repeated often enough, it becomes our perceived truth. Remember the "Summer of the Shark?" In 2001, I heard so many reports of shark attacks that I began to get scared to get in the water and I live in Nebraska. Shark attacks were reported daily. The only problem, shark attacks were actually lower during the summer of 2001 than they were during 2000.<br />
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Other countries study our public schools system. They note the independence, innovation, adaptability, and creativity of our students. While others are studying our schools, our federal government was putting out a report called "Nation at Risk" in 1983. This claimed that we were at danger because of our poor performing public schools. Yet, here we are 34 years later with the strongest economy in the world. Why? How can this be? The product of our education system is the students who graduate and become adults in our nation. Public schools do an outstanding job of preparing an educated society. As Yong Zhao writes, "Innovative people cannot come from schools that force students to memorize correct answers on standardized tests or reward students who excel at regurgitating spoon-fed knowledge."<br />
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There is plenty to be concerned about with public education. Continuing to focus on improvement is completely appropriate and needed. The measures we choose must be carefully selected. Standardized assessments have a place but do not tell the full story. Creativity and adaptability are not easily assessed in standardized assessments. These tests can help us find our shortcomings and strengths and can be useful for discussions of next steps for our children inspecific academic content areas. However, single data points are rarely good ways to make decisions. A school system that promotes equity of opportunities, creativity and innovation along with high academic standards will produce greater long term results than the short term wins of rote memorization for the purpose of high test scores. If you look solely at the results of standardized assessments, you will come up with very different solutions than you will if you find a way to place value on creativity.bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-47068229183477696212017-02-10T20:29:00.002-08:002017-02-10T20:29:47.517-08:00The Path to PrivatizationImagine if in 2001, police were given a mandate that by 2014, every neighborhood would be crime free. If they were not crime free, police officers would be fired and police stations would be shut down and privatized.<br />
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Which neighborhoods do you think would be furthest from this goal, rich or poor neighborhoods? <br />
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Which police stations, given the goal of 100% crime free would reach that goal? <br />
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Which police departments would be considered failures?<br />
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If given a completely unattainable goal, would we all just say "I guess public police departments no longer work. We need to defund them by siphoning money to private security firms."<br />
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Siphoning funding from a public institution for a problem that is overstated and misdirected is not wise. No more can police fix all of society's ills than can public schools. Defunding through splitting of money to more entities is less efficient and effective. Holding public schools accountable while deregulating the private sector and holding no accountability measures seems illogical.<br />
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Many factors came together in 2001 when this very thing happened to public schools. One factor was that some wanted the privatization of schools and they saw these unreasonable goals as a way to get there. The punitive nature of the legislation led to blaming rather than fixing, which for some proponents of NCLB, this is exactly what they wanted. This blame put teacher's unions in the position of being seen as self serving and people in favor of privatization began a campaign to blame things like tenure (poor teachers can be removed, regardless of years of service) and pensions as the reason for the failure of our schools.<br />
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Simply calling schools failures doesn't make it true. An apples to apples comparison with other countiries does not exist. The first major report on education "A Nation at Risk" was published in 1983. The fear that our system was a failure has been around for 34 years. If our education system was as bad as the 1983 report indicated, shouldn't we have seen the results. Students who graduated in 1983 are closer to retirement than they are to their 20th reunion.<br />
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We can't allow false narratives to drive us to unsustainable answers that will not work for all children. Democracy requires an educated citizenry. Private industry succeed where there is a profit motive. Public systems fill the needs that don't provide a profit motive but are essential to our democracy, economy, and general welfare.<br />
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<br />bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-80580533843845020422017-02-10T20:06:00.001-08:002017-02-10T20:06:27.586-08:00Kids not Test ScoresIt would be interesting to see what we could accomplish if we stopped focusing on competition and began focusing on process.<br />
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Policy makers too often see kids as numbers. They pit schools against each other putting poorer neighborhoods in the position of appearing to fail. If we stopped thinking of kids as test scores and started looking at them as kids, I believe our focus would shift. Education isn't a competition, it is a collaborative effort for the collective good.<br />
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At an individual school level, we can set different types of goals. One would be a proficiency goal. However, AS ALL EDUCATORS KNOW, proficiency goals focus on a small number of students. This type of goal requires you to have laser like focus on students on the bubble. You don't worry, for the sake of the goal, on the very bottom students as they will not be proficient no matter what. You don't focus on the top because they will always be proficient. So the bubbles kids get the focus.<br />
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If you focus on a growth goal, you focus on all students. Every student should grow at least one year of growth. Any goal that has "every" in it sets you up for failure, however, you can see where growth goal can focus our attention on all students.<br />
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Both of these goals miss the mark. I think you can establish a growth goal but the focus must be on process. Why? You can control the process and thereby help kids.<br />
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<li>Use research based promising practices that increase student learning. </li>
<li>Don't obsess about student results. </li>
<li>Let results occur because you put into place the best possible practices. </li>
<li>Ensure a feedback rich classroom. </li>
<li>Establish clear learning goals. </li>
<li>Establish expected teaching practices such as Gradual Release.</li>
<li>Focus on giving students many opportunities to respond to both engage students and to give specific feedback. </li>
<li>Determine what students need to know and create questions that get students to the goal. </li>
<li>Establish levels of questions and the create question sequences that maximize your student engagement and depth of knowledge. </li>
<li>Create grading practices that provide information about next steps for students.</li>
<li>Set up time to allow teachers to collaborate and focus on student learning of essential learning goals. </li>
<li>Establish quality assessments to determine student depth of knowledge. </li>
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When process becomes the focus, results follow. When we look at 8 year old children as kids and not as test scores, we can make a difference.bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-49337227709564918902017-01-20T18:48:00.003-08:002017-01-20T18:49:22.077-08:00Public Schools MatterPublic schools matter.<br />
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In a democratic society, it is important that all children are provided education. ALL children, no matter race, creed, or disability. No matter gender, gender identity, homosexuality, or heterosexuality. No matter immigration status or native language. ALL children deserve an education.<br />
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Public schools matter.<br />
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Private schools will educate children but nothing requires them to educate ALL children. Not because private schools don't care about ALL children but because they might provide a specific religious point of view and they want to hold true to their beliefs. PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO EDUCATE ALL STUDENTS.<br />
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Public schools matter.<br />
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Tax money provided to private schools through vouchers will allow some students who already go to private schools to now have the private school paid by taxes. Other students will also get vouchers increasing the overall number of students in private schools. However if they don't meet the private schools standards (athletic, academic, behavior, etc.) they could be removed. Because public schools educate ALL students, these students will be back at a public school. Public school opponents will then point at the lower test scores and higher discipline rates as proof of failing public schools.<br />
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Public schools matter.<br />
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Public school students grow more than their private school counterparts when accounting for similar demographics. However, anytime one group is exclusive and the other fully inclusive, the data will be skewed. If, as an example, a school only takes children who get A's in class and the other takes all students, doesn't it stand to reason that a higher percentage of students will get A's at the first school. By the way Mrs. DeVos, this paragraph was dedicated to the understanding of the difference between proficiency and growth.<br />
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Public schools matter.<br />
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Charter schools are for profit schools. How is this more efficient or more responsible to the tax payers? It isn't. Some charters perform better than public schools, some the same, and others worse. On the whole, public schools outperform charter schools.<br />
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Public schools matter.<br />
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Public, public charter, and private schools are not held to the same standard and yet vouchers and charters threaten to siphon money from public schools without the same accountability.<br />
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Public schools matter.<br />
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I love every student in my school. If we reduce public school money by siphoning some of it off for students to go to private schools, will my students be allowed to stay at the private school even if they are transgender? Will they be able to stay if they are a discipline issue? Will they be able to stay if they openly support a pro-choice viewpoint. Will they be able to stay if they proclaim atheism? <br />
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Public schools matter.<br />
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Do we want a society where some students are educated and others are not based on beliefs or race or any other number of factors? <br />
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If all kids matter, then public schools matter.<br />
<br />bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-32421345630023006152016-11-27T14:09:00.001-08:002016-11-27T14:20:38.148-08:00Developing a Common Instructional Language<b>Common Language</b><br />
Creating a common language of instruction allows for a more consistent, effective, and efficient communication within a school district. When language is consistent, it allows for one teacher to easily communicate ideas to another teacher. Consistency of language leads to more effective communication and a more common understanding of why we do what we do.<br />
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<b>Example</b><br />
Many teachers in Fremont Public Schools practice gradual release. Gradual release is the idea that you begin a lesson with "I do," where the teacher does most of the work. The teacher explains or models a strategy, concept, or idea. The lesson then moves to "we do," where the instruction now focuses on shared instruction and guided practice. Finally the lesson moves on to "you do," where the students do most of the work and practice independently. I will go more into depth with Gradual Release of Instruction in a later post. For the sake of this post, I use gradual release simply as an example. This is a concept many teachers understand. However, if we don't create a common language of instruction, teachers may have many names and many different understandings of the purpose of gradual release. By defining this model of instruction as gradual release, we create a clearer definition of the model and create a more efficient and effective communication between educators. Now teachers can have more clear and concise discussions with their grade level in their building and across the district.<br />
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<b>Origins of the Playbook</b><br />
Fremont Public Schools went through an exploration of an instructional model in 2016. This produced what we now refer to as the "Fremont Public Schools Instructional Playbook." This playbook is built upon the design questions from "The Art and Science of Teaching" by Robert Marzano (2007). The playbook supports educators in selecting the best research based strategy to increase student outcomes. Choosing the strategy best for students at a specific time is more of an art than a science. However, much research has been done about the effectiveness of strategies and therefore, within this playbook, each strategy is correlated with the effect that strategy has on student learning. Below is an example from the playbook:<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Provide Clear Learning Goals and Scales</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Strategy</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Description</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Effect on Student Learning</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Create and Communicate Measurable and Student-Friendly Learning Goals</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learning goals are written, verbally communicated, or drawn with pictures in a way that all students can understand.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The teacher clarifies learning goals that state what students will know or be able to do at the end of a lesson, unit, or semester. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goals should be written in a way that you can evaluate and/or assess students learning mastery.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Examples: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Declarative knowledge: Students will understand______.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Procedural knowledge: Students will be able to _______.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Establishing and communicating clear learning targets are the starting place for effective instruction (Marzano, 2007). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clear learning goals support teachers in providing effective feedback (Marzano, 2007).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goal setting enhances learning because students understand what they need to know (Marzano, 2007).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Clear learning goals allow teachers to provide effective feedback to help students grow (Marzano, 2007).</span></div>
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<b>Shining a Light on Instruction</b></div>
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By creating a playbook of instruction, we shine a light on instruction. At the district level, we often focus on curriculum, pacing guides, and assessments. However, if we fail to identify important instructional strategies that are research based, we will not reach the full potential of a powerful curriculum. </div>
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<b>Development of the Playbook</b></div>
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The playbook was created by teachers from across grade levels and because of that, it includes strategies that can be successful in an advanced high school class or in a kindergarten classroom. We intentionally put one teacher from each grade level in the elementary schools that also represented every elementary school in our district. Specialists and a special education teacher were also included on this team. Additionally, we had 4 educators from our middle level schools who represented different departments. Our 4 high school teachers represent 4 different disciplines as well. The instructional and PBIS coaches created the content of the playbook for the teachers to review and add to during about 5 sessions of approximately 7 hours each. We began the process not knowing exactly where we were going but through lengthy discussions and research, we decided to start with an instructional playbook before moving to a full instructional model. You will find the playbook below. The instructional playbook is printed for every teacher in the district and is used regularly in our Professional Learning Communities and Professional Learning days, each of which will be discussed in future posts. In the document below, you will find an instructional framework that provides our key professional learning points of the 16-17 school year.</div>
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15ahScUQAYY5TY_uW0flzZpycOYFOWvbIFhHp3L_xGqc/edit" target="_blank">Link to Fremont Public Schools Instructional Playbook</a></div>
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<b>Next Steps</b></div>
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Instruction is a focus within our district. We will continue to work towards a full instructional model including a revamped evaluation that connects to the model. In future posts, will will look at the digital playbook (which is linked above), resources that will be linked to the playbook, and our professional learning focus.</div>
bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-47749336756730042622016-11-20T18:22:00.001-08:002016-11-21T08:47:15.636-08:00Building Grit in Kids: The role of ActivitiesDeveloping grit is linked to all sorts of positive outcomes such as gritty people are more likely to graduate from college, more likely to succeed as a teacher, more likely to make it through US Military Academy at West Point, and many other positive results. Developing grit requires perseverance over a period of time. You can't build grit overnight. Being committed to one activity for multiple years is an indicator of grit. <br />
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Kids need to spend time doing things they like but that takes practice. Doing so with a supportive and demanding adult is the ideal condition. Demanding doesn't mean degrading of the child. It means that the adult sets high expectations and holds the kid to those expectation.<br />
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In my family's experience, my children are both able to participate in activities. Each of my children participate in athletics and in music/theater. These activities provide an opportunity to practice skills over a long period of time. Whether it is running cross country or acting in a one act play, it takes considerable time and effort to improve in either of these activities. Of course, these activities are fun. That doesn't take away the fact that it takes effort to become better. The fact that they are of interest helps kids stick with it. It appears that ability to stick with an activity as a child will be transferred to other activities as child becomes an adult.<br />
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The arts are a core part of what schools should offer. We know that it is good for students to participate in activities so we need to make sure we find ways to ensure as many kids have access to music, arts, and athletics as possible. Unfortunately, access to these activities are not always even for a variety of reasons. When kids are young, you often have to pay to participate in club athletics or learn to play an instrument. Some activites require that you drive your children all around town or require you to travel across the state which become very cost prohibitive for many families. The more we are able to offer these at no costs, the more our society benefits from the development of gritty children. Often times, when looking at what should be cut in schools, the arts take the biggest hit. It is critical that we look at these activities with the value they truly provide students. In schools with high poverty, we should be looking at ways of expanding arts, not cutting them. <br />
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<b>Recommended Reading </b><br />
"<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Grit-Passion-Perseverance-Angela-Duckworth/dp/1501111108/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479690732&sr=8-1&keywords=duckworth+grit" target="_blank">Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance</a>" by Angela Duckworthbcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-73088693884909712062016-11-20T14:58:00.000-08:002016-11-20T14:58:12.921-08:00SAMR ModelSAMR Model was developed by Dr. Ruben R. Puentedura. I learned of this model in "Ditch that Textbook" by Matt Miller<br />
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<b>S</b>ubstitution-substitute one tool for another<br />
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<b>A</b>ugmentation-Functional improvement in the lesson based on technology <br />
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<b>M</b>odification-Actually changes the lesson<br />
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<b>R</b>edefinition-Allows for something that couldn't have happened without<br />
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If you want to learn more about SAMR, you can go to <a href="http://hippasus.com/">hippasus.com</a> or <a href="http://ditchthattextbook.com/">ditchthattextbook.com</a>.<br />
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The key takeaway for me from the SAMR model is that we can't do it all in using technology in the classroom. However, we should analyze carefully when and why we use technology. Simply substituting a computer for a pen with no other purpose may not provide any benefit. If it takes 3 minutes to get computers from the back of the room and another 2 minutes to log in, that is a wasted 5 minutes. However, if you are blogging or digging deeper into a subject, then that 5 minutes is a small price to pay for the benefits the students will get by using a device. If you are modifying or redefining your instruction by using technology, then your students are gaining from the use of technology. The big shift is between augmentation and modification. Substitution and augmentation are both low level uses of technology that might be appropriate at times. However, to get the greatest instructional impact, we must go to modification or redefinition.bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-30047916612441880052016-11-20T14:36:00.003-08:002016-11-20T14:36:45.848-08:00Embrace Technology to Deepen Learning<b>Access</b><br />
Teachers and schools are no longer the gatekeeper for information. The internet has made information much more accessible. The teachers role changes from provider of information to the guide for the journey. Students can now find and create content on the internet. The abundance of information can be difficult to to traverse. Students now can find information but struggle to analyze if it is credible. Teachers must help students determine and analyze sources of information.<br />
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<b>Collaboration</b><br />
Students can now collaborate beyond the walls of the school building. Teachers can set up skype sessions with classrooms around the world. Students can collaborate using google documents or websites. Students might read another students blog and comment on it giving the other student feedback. Teachers facilitate these activities and can assist in connecting students to other classrooms/students.<br />
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<b>Create</b><br />
Students can create content using blogs, videos, and websites. Students can share content using social media. Students now have many opportunities to create content and teachers play an important role of pushing them to focus students and help the students create meaningful content.<br />
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<b>Passion </b><br />
Students can dig deeper into content. As an example, students in a geography class have always learned about different places throughout the world. Now, the student can actually go and look at the place on google earth or connect with a student who lives in the place they are studying. They can interview someone about their state, city or country. In an English class, students might connect with an author. Technology, on it's own, will not develop passion. However, if given the right classroom environment that embraces going deeper and connecting with people outside of the classroom, students can dig into areas that they are passionate about.<br />
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<b>Embrace Technology</b><br />
It is important to embrace technology. Teachers must consider their role in deepening student learning using technology. Technology isn't the answer alone. Teachers using technology in meaningful ways can deepen student learning.<br />
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<b>Recommended Reading</b><br />
Matt Miller's "Ditch That Textbook"bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-73312339146294403822016-11-18T08:20:00.003-08:002016-11-19T07:41:35.055-08:00Need for hope<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Students need to feel hopeful. They need a sense of what is possible. Educators can help students with specific strategies and with an intentional focus on mindset.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hope</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Growth mindset→Grit→Optimism→ Happiness→ Performance</span></div>
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<tr style="height: 0px;"><td style="border-bottom: solid #000000 1px; border-left: solid #000000 1px; border-right: solid #000000 1px; border-top: solid #000000 1px; padding: 7px 7px 7px 7px; vertical-align: top;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*<a href="http://brentcudly.blogspot.com/2016/11/growth-mindset-5-questions-to-help.html" target="_blank">Growth Mindset</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-belief that you can grow and change (Dweck)</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Grit</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is tenacity and strength to pursue your long-term goals in the face of obstacles over time for something worthwhile. (Jensen)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Optimism</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-see setbacks as temporary and can identify specific causes of suffering (Duckworth)</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Happiness</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-Optimism leads to happiness</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*Performance</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-performance is enhanced through happiness</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See connections between actions and consequences</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or what happens as a result of actions. (from Chapter 9-“Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth) </span></div>
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<b>Develop Hope-Growth Mindset</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Understand talent and intelligence can grow.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Practice optimistic self talk</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask for help / Looking for mentoring</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Develop Hope-Grit </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(p.96-97-Poor Students, Rich Teaching by Eric Jensen)</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Help student continually value their gutsy goals</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Show students what grit looks like</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Model Grit</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teach students the ability to stay in the moment</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Create a grit vocabulary</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Assess grit</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Foster conditions for grit</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Make grit real in many ways</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reinforce grit in action</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Give grit a chance</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Don’t overreact to setbacks</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-learn to quickly move past setbacks and understand that setbacks are part of the learning process.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Believe that what happens in life is largely under your control.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> <a href="http://brentcudly.blogspot.com/2011/12/1090.html" target="_blank">Ten percent of life is outside of your control</a>. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u>You get to choose how to react</u></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to the parts of life outside of your control.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keep feedback on specific to effort and process</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rather than focusing only on results.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Recommended Reading</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Mindset: the New Psychology of Success” by Carol Dweck</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: disc; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Poor Students, Rich Teaching: Mindsets for Change” by Eric Jensen </span></div>
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</ul>
bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-12759827531513741522016-11-06T17:54:00.000-08:002016-11-06T17:59:00.247-08:00Growth Mindset: 5 Questions to help determine if your school (classroom or district) is aligned with a growth mindset<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Growth mindset</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Growth mindset was popularized by Carol Dweck from Stanford University in the book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success." Dweck's book is a must read for anyone interested in developing a growth mindset. Mary Cay Ricci and Eric Jensen take mindset and bring it home to educators. Mary Cay Ricci writes about using growth mindset in the classroom in her book "Mindsets in the Classroom: Building a Culture of Success and Student Achievement in Schools." Eric Jensen, focuses specifically on poverty and the impact of mindset in the book "Poor Students, Rich Teaching: Mindsets for Change." </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary Cay Ricci describes a Growth Mindset as "</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>a belief system that suggests one's intelligence can be grown or developed with persistence, effort, and a focus on learning</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Growth mindset matters</span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fixed mindsets lead students to believe that their intelligence can't change. You either have it or you don't. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Students with a growth mindset recognize the importance of persistence, effort, and resilience. For teachers, it is important to focus feedback on growth. Teaching traits of persistence leads students to success and the ability to overcome adversity.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">5 Questions to help determine if your school (classroom or district) is aligned with a growth mindset:</span></u></b></span></h2>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Are expectations high for all students and are all students challenged?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Students should be challenged and encouraged to go deep into the curriculum. Critical thinking should be required of all students. Critical thinking includes reasoning, making decisions and judgement, and students should be problem solvers. Mary Ricci points out that some students who are not great readers or aren't great at math may never be required to think critically. This is a disservice to these students as some students may be strong in critical thinking skills regardless of math and reading skills.</span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Strategies should be implemented to ensure learning for all students. Some of these strategies may include (from FPS Instructional Playbook):</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ask students a variety of level of questions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Provide multiple opportunities for students to respond</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ask follow up questions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Provide wait time to ensure opportunity for all students to process questions</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Teachers should avoid inappropriate reactions to responses such as:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Telling students they should have known the answer</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ignoring a student's response</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Making subjective comments about incorrect answers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Allowing negative comments from other students</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Avoid using sarcasm when addressing a student's response</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Teachers should probe incorrect answers with low-expectancy students</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Using an appropriate response process</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Letting students "off the hook" temporarily</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Answer revision</span></li>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Are instructional groupings flexible?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Students may be at a variety of levels. It is important that students not be placed in "ability groupings" that never change or change very slowly. Instruction should be based on a students current understanding of the specific learning goal. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Pre-assessments can be used to determine instructional level. Both Ricci and Jensen discuss the importance of "not labeling students" which comes, at least in part, from the research of John Hattie. Not labeling students is listed in the top 20 factors of Hattie's 138 factors that impact learning. Labeling students as poor (or minority students or disabled students) and therefore unable to learn is a fixed mindset. Each student should be met where they are at in relation to the learning target. Instead of permanently labeling a student "gifted" maybe change the language to "highly motivated." This shifts the thinking from the student is smart to the student has control over what helps them to be successful. Even labeling students as "gifted" can have a negative effect as students don't know what to attribute their success to and may worry that if they are not successful, that they will no longer be considered gifted. This leads some students to avoid challenges.</span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. How are students graded?</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Students should be able to recover from a failure in your grading system. Students should be able to identify the learning target that is being assessed. If grades are mainly used as a way to sort and select students, this does not encourage growth. Instead, grading becomes a game that students learn to manipulate. If students are graded on the first day or early in the learning process, then the student's grade become fixed based on the knowledge the student had at the beginning of the learning cycle. A growth mindset grade recognizes where the student is once the learning is completed. Formative assessments are used regularly along the way but are not included in the gradebook. They simply inform next steps in instruction. </span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. How does the school (teachers, administrators, parents) respond to failure?</span></b></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Experience success and failure not as reward and punishment but as information.” -Cognitive Psychologist Jerome Bruner (1961)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In a growth mindset school, students are challenged. When students are challenged, they will fail sometimes. If you are only asked to do activities that you never fail at, then you are not really learning, you are just practicing things you already know. </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Responding to failure is key to growth. As discussed above, grading systems that are used to sort and select students can be manipulated by students avoiding challenging courses and coursework in order to attain the highest possible GPA. Students who are allowed to take risks without permanent penalty will be more likely to accept the challenge. Students should be encouraged to not look back long and to use failure to inform future growth and future decisions. Failure should not be permanent</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. Students should be celebrated for accepting difficult challenges. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>5. What do adults focus on in their feedback to students?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Adults should focus on the need for persistence, resilience, hard work, perseverance, and ability to shift gears as keys to growth mindset. These behaviors are vital to student success both in school and in life. Parents should be included in giving this type of feedback. Schools should reach out to parents to explain what growth mindset is and why it is so important. As parents, we sometimes protect our children from failure. In reality, we would better serve our children by encouraging them to challenge themselves and learn from failures. Hattie's research shows the great importance of feedback in student learning. Feedback that has a focus on persistence and effort will give students a greater understanding on what they should focus on in order to be successful.</span></span></div>
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bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6457979547956662429.post-59339088737947509102016-07-24T06:19:00.000-07:002016-07-25T19:42:46.488-07:00Love, Laughter, and Leadership<br />
Ten years ago, I met Kim Dobson. At that time, Kim was my secretary at Arlington Jr/Sr. High School. As a new Assistant Principal, I was eager to move into a leadership role and felt that I had now become a leader with my new title. As is often true, leadership does not come from a title, it comes from a person who deeply cares about people, loves unconditionally, and connects with people on every level. This was Kim's role, I learned a tremendous amount from her and will forever be grateful for her friendship.<br />
<br />
<b></b><br />
<b>Care </b><br />
In addition to her role as secretary, Kim was the dance team leader. The dance team became one of the "must see" events in Arlington. I remember some people coming to football and basketball games just to see the dance team. Our school took much pride in them and saw this team take home several state championships under Kim's leadership.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp3dv5zqHyk/V5S6U-BX92I/AAAAAAAADSY/lZJGcr7XEGwhbL5J19MUqKqfyu5UBZ-nwCK4B/s1600/Dance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tp3dv5zqHyk/V5S6U-BX92I/AAAAAAAADSY/lZJGcr7XEGwhbL5J19MUqKqfyu5UBZ-nwCK4B/s200/Dance.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim with members of her <br />
dance team.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Kim knew the right amount to lead this team and the right amount to let the team lead itself. Every year, Arlington's dance team had several outstanding leaders. Kim knew that she could turn over much of the leadership to these athletes. She supported them in every way that she could. She would be there early and would do activities with them in the summer. She was there for them when the girls needed her. She cared so deeply about them and I know that the care was a two way street. <br />
<br />
<b>Love</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pFmRNPr2JW4/V5S6ga2kaqI/AAAAAAAADSg/tzSW0-H0GCcLfwMwpMVy0vtUye-kw7WgwCK4B/s1600/family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pFmRNPr2JW4/V5S6ga2kaqI/AAAAAAAADSg/tzSW0-H0GCcLfwMwpMVy0vtUye-kw7WgwCK4B/s200/family.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim's love extended to the school but<br />
her first love is her family.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Kim loves Arlington and all of the students who attend and attended Arlington schools. Being a secretary can be difficult. When a parent is upset with someone they call the school and the first line that they get to is the secretary. I think everyone knew how much Kim loved the kids. Because of that, they listen to her. Her opinion matters. So often, people who called upset or concerned with an issue left the conversation with an understanding that we were there FOR their child. Kim does this better than anyone. Her deep love of the students and their families put people at ease and built relationships that helped our students.<br />
<br />
Kim loves the staff at Arlington. The genuine love and care made it so that people wanted to be around her and looked to her for answers. This was more than being a secretary at a school. This was a care for a whole community. People who didn't have a connection to the school looked to Kim for help. I remember many times when people would call the school for a phone number to a local business. I thought, wow, people look to Kim for everything. I don't think they were simply calling for a number, they were looking for a reason to talk to Kim. <br />
<br />
<b>Laugh</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yi0wehhnG1s/V5S0Ov1hVyI/AAAAAAAADR8/M9KSO5Hdom4rquICJrRWgH8F9pafprc-gCK4B/s1600/Dance%2Btrophy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yi0wehhnG1s/V5S0Ov1hVyI/AAAAAAAADR8/M9KSO5Hdom4rquICJrRWgH8F9pafprc-gCK4B/s200/Dance%2Btrophy.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me posing as Arlington's dance<br />
trophy while holding the trophy. <br />
Kim sent this picture to me<br />
years after leaving Arlington.</td></tr>
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My favorite part of Kim is the laughter we shared. As a young administrator, I was learning to deal with the day to day stress that was a part of my job. I often didn't handle things perfectly and sometimes was far from perfect. Kim and I laughed a lot during my 6 years in Arlington. This is easily the thing I miss the most about working with her. We had several jokes we shared. Sometimes we would "write each other up." Sometimes the jokes were slightly inappropriate but not at the expense of others. Other times we would write stories that would make each other laugh. We would have pictures and drawings that were inside jokes. There was so much laughter in the office, sometimes we forgot that we were "working." One time, we were in her office laughing about something and pretty much goofing around when a parent entered. We both immediately went into our business mode and we helped the parent. I can't remember what it was about but I helped the parent and they left with their question or concern answered. After the parent left, I remember Kim's response to this situation was "Wow, sometimes I forget that you are actually smart." We spent so much time goofing around that we knew all sides of each others personalities. I guess the "smart" side of me didn't come out that often in front of her. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cJkthRY3THI/V5S1SpB5ohI/AAAAAAAADSE/D0lrgXBxLGwwQPDXT76VgkeLLQmTHxE8QCK4B/s1600/smarty.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cJkthRY3THI/V5S1SpB5ohI/AAAAAAAADSE/D0lrgXBxLGwwQPDXT76VgkeLLQmTHxE8QCK4B/s200/smarty.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another picture she sent me.<br />
She titled this picture "Smarty."<br />
I don't have pictures of Kim<br />
because she's always behind the<br />
camera</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I left Arlington for a job in another district. About every two months or so, I receive an email or a picture from Kim. These are things Kim saved that I had either sent her or of pictures that made her laugh. Even after I left, we still laughed together. But this is really who Kim is. Kim cares about everyone she comes in contact with, she shows them love, and laughter is a constant. Leadership comes from many places. Leadership may not be the first thing people think of when they think of Kim. She never puts herself out there as a leader. It wasn't her desire to be recognized. She simply became a leader because of who she is and how she has impacted those around her.<br />
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<br />bcudly@gmail.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14106846637561938558noreply@blogger.com1