Einstein’s Genius

Albert Einstein once said: Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.

Einstein certainly had it correct and we see it daily in education.  The educators challenge is not identifying the genius in students, but getting the genius to transfer to different subjects. I have seen students do amazing things in one class and then be failing three others.  How does this happen?  It is probably a question of motivation.

Teachers by nature want to see students succeed.  As a matter of fact, I have never met a teacher that wanted a student to fail.  Actually, we have more teachers that want students to succeed so much that they enable learned behaviors.  Teachers will often not allow a student to struggle very long before stepping in to help. We speak of teaching strategies and one of them is ‘wait time’.  Allowing time between questioning.  This provides processing time for students and allows them time to come up with the answer on their own.

Oftentimes, educators see the idea of struggling as a component to eliminate from the learning process. By allowing students to struggle, I am not inferring that we avoid intervening with struggling students.  There is a difference. From time to time, educators will uncover learning gaps that a student will present. The educator must bridge the gap with individualized lessons or tutoring.  The student however, that is struggling to finish a math problem or the essay that was assigned is not presenting a gap in learning.  Sure they want help, but it is sometimes better to pause and allow the student to struggle through the learning process.

I have seen students excel in the music program, athletic program, arts, and other curricular areas.  I am humbled by the exceptional talent.  Things are so easy for them in that particular area.  I guess that would be the meaning of genius.  Natural talent that is developed very similar to how we polish diamonds. A diamond that is uncut or not polished is just a stone.  I see genius as that very stone. In order to shine it has to be cut and polished. That process is filled with struggle, grief, hard work, and practice.  After all the work, a genius remains.

Until next time...

Technology

Blended learning and collaborative online learning through the use of technology allow teachers to engage students at a different level. Technology provides an openness of resources and extends the library beyond the walls of the building. Schools that have not gone one-to-one with technology devices for students due to cost can adopt a ‘Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) program to help reduce the costs associated. These, along with the educator having access to an infinite number of resources on the internet, have enhanced education yet, opened the door for challenges to school culture through social media, gossip lines, blogs, and message postings.

Access to technology has also changed education globally. The digital revolution has rapidly changed human behavior. Pictures and text messages are exchanged instantly on a worldwide scale. This interconnectedness within the digital world has not only created new grammar of communication but has led to new environments to share. Cellular or mobile telephones and wireless access has increased at a dizzying pace, and new area codes and regional numbering systems have had to be developed to handle the demand. Video games have eclipsed movies with a greater worldwide economic impact and the internet has changed the way information is shared. The instantaneous world of information sharing has become such a part of developed countries, most take for granted the luxury of connectedness. This, of course, is only the beginning. With every passing year, large companies and private organizations are digitizing print libraries making them available online. With the development of vast amounts of information at the fingertips of a world of students, educators will be compelled to open communication that is constant and direct. The education system that fails to do so will fall farther behind other countries and global education systems.

The bottom line is technology in education is not only the future, it is now.

Until next time...

Time to Reflect

As the end of September approaches, I usually take the time to reflect on the past few weeks and the opening of school. This year it seems as though everything was new and the challenges were almost insurmountable. In hindsight, I realize the challenges we faced were collective. In other words, we all faced the same challenges and sought to answer the question of, “How do we reach students?” Interesting thing is, that question is always our challenge. Reaching and engaging students in the content will always be an educators greatest challenge. As I have said countless times, I do not believe there are ‘boring subjects’. I simply think there are boring presentations of the lesson content. Verteran teachers know that they cannot present a lesson the same way they presented it 15 years ago. Things are different now. My goodness, can you think of life without the iphone? Yes, that was 15 years ago and that lesson doesn’t work with the students of today. That is the silver lining of teaching through the pandemic. Out of necessity, lessons have been rewritten, redesigned, and updated. It is said the necessity is the mother of invention. We certainly see it in the lessons being delivered today. Have a supercharged last weekend in September and join me in welcoming the last quarter of 2020…Go PUPS! (cue Sara Bareilles - Brave).

Paralysis by Analysis

Have you ever heard of paralysis by analysis? It is a term that applies to all kinds of situations in which someone is so consumed by analyzing a situation that no action is taken. In education, a contributing factor to this condition is the fear of failure. When students are worried about failing it can lead to paralysis when it comes to completing their school work. Whether we educators want to admit it or not, we are contributing to this form of anxiety. Though we encourage students to push through their fears and persist, mistakes and failed attempts are not necessarily treated as teaching tools.

Grades and school have always been and will continue to be partnered. Though this is the case, educators must be compelled to look at how the grade impacts future behavior. Yes, the grade should represent mastery of a standard however, it should only be reserved for such. Additionally, if the goal is mastery, shouldn’t the grade reflect mastery when it is achieved? In my opinion, it should.

I believe in the A-B-C-Not Yet scale of grading. We really need to move away from the punitive measure of an ‘F’. I don’t believe there are students that wake up and come to school everyday just yearning for a failing grade. Quite the contrary. I believe we have students that have all kinds of struggles and insurmountable obstacles that contribute to their performance. I believe it is incumbent upon educators to find the reason, or hook, that stimulates their desire to perform.

Many times it can be as simple as giving the student a path to success. If a student has a miserable grade percentage and mathematically they cannot reach a passing grade, then they will not be motivated to do anything. On the other hand, if that same student with the same miserable grade is given a path to success through completing work and performing on mastery tests, then the path is and will continue to be available as a ‘chance’ to improve their grade. Failure can then be used as a learning device.

Anyone can attest to the fact that they too fear failure. Some handle it better than others. Most importantly, we need to see failure differently and address it with both courage and optimism. If we all can do that, we can obtain the success we desire and work toward.
Until next time...

Pygmalion Effect

As the landscape of California education changes and school administrators improvise their plan of action, the importance of testing, accountability, and student achievement never change. High stakes testing on standardized assessment is often used as the only measure of school effectiveness, quality instruction, and teacher-student interaction. That being the case, studies report that students that are engaged in school are much more successful in many areas. As stated previously, engagement can be difficult to qualify and quantify though it is generally represented by a student that is displaying effort, providing attention, offering persistence during the lesson activities, and involved in school activities. This level of engagement in school begins with how the people in the school interact and build relationships. Teacher-student relationships and peer relationships are significant predictors of a sense of school belonging which contributes to school engagement and helps to define the culture of a school.

The benefit of relationship connections is based on thorough psychological theory. The interaction of people and the human support that is provided aligns with the principles of Bandura’s (1971) social learning theory as well as, Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) ecological system’s theory. As a foundation, these theories provide sound support for how a school culture of high expectation can influence the academic achievement of the student. Both theories, in conjunction with the Rosenthal effect, better known as the Pygmalion effect, provide a sound base for the idea that school culture can impact student achievement.

The Pygmalion effect, studied by psychologist Robert Rosenthal, is a phenomenon in which high expectations lead to improved performance. The name comes from the Greek story of Pygmalion. Pygmalion was a sculptor that carved a marble statue of a woman and subsequently became enamored with it. According to the myth, Pygmalion wanted the statue to be human and Aphrodite obliged by bringing the statue to life. The couple fell in love and married.

According to education research, in the same way Pygmalion willed the statue to life, our focus on a belief can do the same. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. Whether the expectation comes from ourselves or another, the effect manifests in the same way.

The bottom line is our focus needs to be in creating a healthy, supportive, positive culture for our students in order for them to thrive.

Until next time...

It Can Only Get better

How about this 2020!  When we began this calendar year, none of us thought we would be here. We all had such high hopes.  When COVID-19 introduced itself to us, we were thinking, “it can only get better”.  Just about then, the hurricanes on the East Coast hit and the California fires started. Now, we know it can always be worse. Not only are we all worried about COVID-19, but the air we breathe is filled with toxins and it is unsafe to be outside for an extended period of time. The lessons we have learned during this time are more than just curriculum based and extend into social emotional personal development. We are learning how to be better, treat others better, use patience, and most of all, hold out hope for better days to come. Perfect timing for the Jewish holy day of Rosh Hashanah. In Judaism, Rosh Hashanah is the celebration of the Jewish New Year. Though I am not of the Jewish faith, I can appreciate and accept the idea of a new year at this point. Putting this year away, to me, seems like a great idea. So today, I welcome the year 5781! (It’s at least worth a try to fast forward past 2020). Enough said. I wish you all a healthy weekend…Go PUPS! (cue Dan Fogelberg - Times like these).

Development of a Motto

The development of a personal motto to me is very important.  It embodies the personality of the individual and the goal all in one catchphrase. For years in the classroom I used the motto, “Be a Good Human” to end all of my classes.  Students were so used to hearing me say it, they wouldn’t leave my classroom until they heard it.  At times, during the chaos of class exchanges and ringing bells, I would forget to say it.  My students would make sure to remind me...Dr. Pickle…Be a Good Human!

When I moved from the classroom and into administration, my motto still applied yet things were now different.  I found my new position to be different from the classroom.  Since I was now working more with teachers than students, the daily use of ‘Be a Good Human” faded.  It seemed the teachers didn’t need to hear ‘Be Good Humans’ as much as the students.  Though I still used the phrase when dealing with students, I was on a personal quest to find a new tag line.

My first position in administration was at Sierra High School as Assistant Principal and Athletic Director and it was in this capacity that my new motto found me…which is exactly what I mean.  The motto found me.

In a district struggling with massive declining enrollment, Sierra High was a school in transition.  I was hired to not only lead the transition of the athletic program, but to also work to improve student behavior and support teachers.  I worked very hard with the hope that my impact at the school would be positive for the students. At our first home football game, I was standing on the sideline with my back to the stands, when I heard a parent ask another parent, “Who is the new Assistant Principal?”  The other parent responded with, “Right there...Pickle…He’s the one!”  As I heard this exchange, I smiled.  That’s right, I am the one, I said to myself. 

I am the one wanting to affect education at a different level.  I am the one that was told by my father that becoming an educator doesn’t end when the day is over.  Educators will always be seen by students as their teacher, counselor, or principal.  That doesn’t change whether in the grocery store, gas station, or theater.  Being an educator is a life choice to advise and mentor students.  I wanted to be the one.  My challenge is for everyone to ‘Be the One’ to make a difference, because positive change starts with one.

Until next time...

The Impact of Teachers

A vast amount of literature can be found that presents a compelling case that powerful relationship connections between teachers and students are the building blocks to academic achievement for all students. Students need teachers who care about them and have an authentic belief in them, motivating their work ethic. Teachers can make a difference by affecting the attitudes of students and studies found that when students hold a sense of futility toward school, academic achievement is diminished. It is also believed that learning occurs more frequently when teachers are actively engaged in interaction with students. The research reports inspiring evidence that authentic teacher-student relationships positively impact the school culture that can affect the academic achievement of students.

Professional connections between teachers and their students are too important to be disregarded by anyone. In the classroom, teachers that make connections with students can contribute to their success. In a school, the connection with managers and teachers is also critically important however, the student to teacher connection is one of the most important relationships that can be developed. Though student/teacher connections are an often studied area, there is plenty of room for development in this arena as much of the information is based on older data and focus on just the teacher viewpoint. The lack of data from the student perspective begs the question of future inquiry. Researchers believe that students in secondary programs will take a class because they know a certain individual is the teacher. This phenomenon exists at every high school across the country. Much of this can be attributed to reputation. Reputation however, is developed by the knowledge gained from other students in the course.  That reputation can be either positive or negative.

The bottom line is the impact of teachers and the professional connections they build are incredibly important to student success.

Until next time...

Doctors Orders

Another Patriot Day is here and it is hard to believe that the attack on the World Trade Centers was 19 years ago. That was one of those moments in all our lives where we can remember exactly what we were doing when we found out. Terrifying time. I remember the overwhelming desire to help somehow. Fast forward to today and here we are in the middle of a worldwide crisis. People in our communities are challenged physically and emotionally for a multitude of reasons and they need help. If you are anything like me, you also have the desire to help and just don’t know how. My suggestion is to start with kindness. It can warm the soul, thaw a frozen heart, and make a difference in someone’s life. At this point in all our lives, kindness among fellow humans could be just what the doctor ordered. That being said, take some time to enjoy the outdoors this weekend. The temperature is better and the air is improved. I wish you all a great weekend…Go PUPS! (cue Bon Jovi - I’ll Be There For You).

Didasko

Education is summed up in one word, “didasko”.  This is an ancient Greek word that is translated as “to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, deliver didactic discourses.”  It is my philosophy that as an educator, I must not only teach but I must also learn.  If I do not continually learn then I cannot effectively teach.  One cannot exist without the other. 

Didasko is being a reflective educator.  I should learn from my lessons just as my students are learning.  The information I am learning as I teach may be different than the information that the students are learning, but I am learning nonetheless.  As I learn, my skills as an educator are improved and my ability to effectively reach my students is enhanced.  

Didasko applied to the administrator means that I am obligated to learn everyday from my situations and surroundings so I may effectively lead.  Most of the greatest leaders in history were great educators and I believe, in turn, to be a great educator it is a necessity to be a leader.  Administrative leaders are educators and learners in the purest sense.  It is the duty of an administrator to take in a situation; reflect; make a decision; educate those around and involved; then draw on the experience for future reference.  Didasko is being a reflective administrator.  

The last part of my philosophy involves the attitude and personality of the subject presentation.  There is no such thing as a boring subject, there are simply boring presentations of the subject.  Learning is fun and exciting.  The American Heritage College Dictionary defines education as not only “knowledge obtained through a learning process,” but an “instructive and enlightening experience.”  As an educator, I am merely a custodian bestowed with the task of turning on the light bulbs in the minds of my students.  That task is neither boring nor dull, but exhilarating beyond belief.

Until next time...

The Importance of Parent Involvement

Schools across the nation struggle with parent involvement and engagement. As students climb in age, the parent involvement diminishes. This is counter intuitive to what should be happening. As students get older and climb in grades that is when parental support is the most needed. Schools that can develop an engagement strategy to involve families are seen as more equitable, culturally responsive, and collaborative. The most effective approach to increasing family engagement is to seamlessly integrate the approach as a basic component of the school program. Successful strategies include decision-making, collaborating with the community, volunteering, communicating, and learning at home. Parental involvement in learning, which necessitates school-home communication and parental engagement is a vital component in student academic success. The goal should be to develop a trusting, welcoming environment for parents to become involved. When schools build this type of environment, parents are much more involved.

In the current climate of education today, with technology readily available and accessible, it is not acceptable to proceed without parental involvement. The driving question should not be whether a parent was contacted but instead, whether a conversation was held. Educators have the professional obligation to pursue family involvement and a moral commitment to make certain the follow through is completed. According to the comprehensive supports for student learning theory, external barriers, such as societal, familial, neighborhood conditions can lead to active disengagement. In order to combat the barriers, the complementary learning theory suggests learning supports from the parents, family, and community can overcome significant external barriers.

The bottom line in all the research is family engagement in the school is a vital component to increasing student achievement.

Until next time...

Brand New Day

September has arrived and with it comes Labor Day.  Often thought of as the official end of summer, Labor Day has another meaning for educators.  It symbolizes the beginning of the grind. The orientations that come with the start of school are past and a large calendar of days lay before us. The difference this year is we are in the midst of a pandemic. Our ability to connect with our students is greatly diminished, not to mention our interaction with colleagues.  This distance and isolation can be a cause for concern and we should all be vigilant with our attention. It is important to note that September is also Suicide Prevention Month. Take the time to reach out to someone and ask them how they are doing. If you are having a difficult time, know that it is never as bad as it seems. Never make a permanent decision for a temporary situation.  Seek help and if you don’t know how, find me.  I will listen. I will help. Believe it or not, no matter how dark the night is, the sun is on it’s way. That being said, have a great Labor Day weekend. I wish you all a most wonderful weekend…Go PUPS! (cue Josh Radin - Brand New Day).

Failing Forward

The times are certainly trying. There are plenty of things in the world today that can lead us to think negative however, I choose something different.  I see people around me showing resilience and innovation as they address some of the greatest challenges of our generation. Many are taking risks, failing from their attempt, learning from their mistakes, and evolving as they prepare to take on the next challenge.  We in education are always a mirror image of the communities we serve so therefore, it is not a reach to say the same exists in education. 

Since schools have closed because of this pandemic, I have experienced some amazing transformations in classrooms.  Teachers, in a very short period of time, completely renovated what they were doing so they could deliver lessons in a virtual environment.  Fast forward to the fall and opening of schools, I see teachers utilizing digital tools in creative ways. Though I am impressed with all classes that have ‘tooled up’, I am humbled by the elective areas.  To watch art class, PE classes, and the shops operate in the digital world simply amazes me.

Though this transformation in education continues daily across the country, educators were not always so skilled.  They were forced into the environment and had to learn on the job.  Many struggled, many attempts failed, however an incredible thing happened.  In order to bridge the understanding of technology, sometimes students became the teachers and teachers became the students.  Students were able to help the teachers with their technology challenges and all made it through.   

The most difficult part of this whole process wasn’t the planning or the lessons, it was failure. When the most anxiety-provoking feeling was confronted, learning happened.  Educators learned from failure and didn’t quit. They pressed on as they tell their students to do everyday.  They failed forward.  They learned. They improved.  I believe some of these changes will remain long after the pandemic is over making us better and prepared to take on the next great challenge. 

Until next time...