You Never Know...

Hall of Fame recording artist Billy Joel credits his high school music history teacher for his success.  As a sophomore at Hicksville High School, his music history teacher, Mr. Chuck Arnold was inspired by the skill Billy Joel had playing the piano. As Billy Joel describes it, one day while fooling around on a piano, playing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23, Mr. Arnold noticed his talent and made a very simple comment.  He told Billy Joel that with his talent, he could be a professional musician. Previous to that moment, Billy Joel had never thought about music that way and credits Mr. Arnold for giving him his start in the music industry. Moral of this story:  You never know the impact your words can have on a student.

Until next time...

TGIF

How many times do we hear the acronym TGIF?  Originating in 1965 with the restaurant chain TGI Friday’s, it was popularized and shortened to TGIF in 1978 with the release of the movie “Thank God It’s Friday”.  Now the acronym is popularized in many ways, but it still stands for the same thing. It stands as a banner message to signify the end of a grinding week and the beginning of the weekend. We have all heard the message of TGIF and we all understand the sentiment.  That being the case, I would challenge you to use TGIF as a time to reflect.  Instead of seeing TGIF as a phrase to celebrate the end of the week, see it as a few words:  Trust, Grateful, Inspired, Fun. By plugging in those words we can then ask ourselves the following questions in reflection of the week:

T - What did you Trust in this week?

G - What were you Grateful for this week?

I - What Inspired you this week?

F - What was Fun this week?

Of course, the ‘What’ can always be interchanged by ‘Who’.  By framing the acronym into these simple questions, one can completely change their state of mind and become more reflective.  Have a phenomenal weekend...Go PUPS! (cue Cranberries, Linger).

Until next time...

Good Guys and the Bad Guys

On the way to work this morning,  I was intrigued by the original soundtrack of the Magnificent Seven written by Elmer Bernstein. I started thinking about how we in society treat ‘good guys’ and the ‘bad guys’.  How intriguing it is to me that music can represent very clearly the good and the bad.  We all know that our basic understanding of good and bad is rooted in our moral upbringing. If you are anything like me, I had a very clear understanding of what is right and what is wrong from my parents however, the musical side has been taught through the movies. In the old westerns, the good guys wore the white hats and we all knew who wore the black hats. Not only that, but the music that accompanied them was also very identifiable. Fast forward to more current movies and the music continues to identify the villain. In the hugely successful Star Wars movies, the imposing Imperial March let us all know Vadar was on his way. In contrast, the Theme of the Jedi conjures a completely different feeling. It is simple to figure out the good guys and the bad guys.  In the real world however, things are not so simple. Nobody has a soundtrack that plays so we can hear.  In real life, sometimes, the ‘bad guys’ are packaged as a ‘good guys’. It is not as easy as in the films. Who really knows?  That’s one reason why I just try to focus on my actions.  I want to be the ‘good guy’ in the white hat.  I choose to do right by people and be comfortable in my skin. I want to be the best person that I can be. In my mind, I’m wearing the white hat with the music of the magnificent seven playing in the background as I ride off into the sunset...roll credits.  Have an exceptional weekend. Enjoy the beautiful weather...Go PUPS! (cue Elmer Bernstein, Magnificent Seven)

Until next time...

Lost in the Decades

I can get lost thinking about the past. When I see pictures of days gone by I wonder what it would have been like to be an adult in the decades past. The 1910s had the Great War and that was followed by the roaring ‘20s when the Stock Market was booming. The ‘30s was plagued by the Great Depression and then the ‘40s introduced world war again. The ‘50s are often thought of as the ‘Golden Age’ because of the tech advances and the post-war boom but it has a black eye from the racism. The ‘50s also gave us the end of segregation with Brown v. Board of Education sparking the dawn of the Civil Rights movement that gained momentum in the ‘60s. The ‘70s was a decade of struggle with a recession, disco, and skating that rolled into the ‘80s which brought about cable news, MTV and the the ‘Music Revolution’, then the fall of the Berlin wall.  The ‘90s started as a decade of hope after the Cold War ended, the release of Nelson Mandela, and the invention of the internet, but was mired in tragedy with domestic terrorism such as Oklahoma City and Columbine High School. Our sordid history in a paragraph. The point is simply that though times can be difficult, the struggle we each feel is relative.  Hang in there. We all know there is a light at the end of the tunnel and we all are pretty sure it’s not a train. Let’s just stay off the tracks to be certain.  Have an exceptional weekend. Enjoy the cool weather...Go PUPS! (cue Billy Joel, We Didn’t Start the Fire) 

Until next time...

Roll with the Changes

October is upon us and we are seeing a mild change in the weather. It won’t be long before we begin to see the changes in the leaves. As educators, it is important for us to take notice of the things around us. Change is always the most difficult thing for anyone to handle because it thrusts us into something that is unknown or out of our comfort zone. I don’t believe change is disruptive for people because we all embrace it six times a year with the seasons and the time changes. We simply adjust to each change as needed because we know we cannot do anything about it.  Therefore, it is my opinion that it is not the change that is so disruptive but our attitude toward the change that fuels the fire of discontent. Charles Swindoll, the author of ‘The Grace Awakening’, said is credited with the idea that we cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way or do a certain thing. We can, however, change our attitude. Have an exceptional weekend. Enjoy the phenomenal weather...Go PUPS! (cue REO Speedwagon, Roll With The Changes)

Until next time...

This Too Shall Pass

The first day of Autumn arrived on this past Wednesday yet the warm temperatures are still with us.  It looks like we are going to have to wait until next week to get some cooler weather. Maybe soon we will see waning high temperatures give way to some wet weather (Hope is our best strategy). Last week I made a reference to the rain and rainbows. Whether the rain is literal or metaphorical, just remember that in both cases, it too shall pass. That is a lesson we need to teach our students.  The measure of a person’s character is not how they perform during the easy times, it’s how they persevere in difficult ones.  Don’t quit, wait out the rain, and cherish the rainbow. Do we have any other choice? As previously written, just lean into the curve when the road is winding. Have an exceptional weekend. Enjoy the weather...Go PUPS! (cue Berlin, Dancing in Berlin) 

Until next time...

Better Days Ahead

We have made it to the middle of September and generally, that means more mild weather. We all hope that is the case because the heat has been relentless both literally and figuratively. If you are anything like me, the really hot days with higher than normal humidity just adds a bit more stress to the days. Cooler more mild temperatures may help to calm the nerves of everyone. This last week has certainly been a challenge from dealing with COVID, staff shortages, student fight clubs, and TikTok video challenges. It seems daily that our staff is put into reaction mode, frantically trying to respond to the next and most immediate challenge. During these times, it is important for us to remind each other that this too shall pass. I simply try to handle only what I can. Those things that are out of my control have to be cast away. I know better days are ahead and we will be better when they arrive. In the meantime, we need to take care of ourselves and not tear ourselves apart. We also need to understand that it takes both rain and sun to make a rainbow. Have a great weekend. Enjoy the weather...Go PUPS! (cue The Beatles, Let it Be) 

Until next time...

The Impact of Kindness

We have made it to the end of another week and stress levels are beginning to rise for both students and staff.  As we all know, stress can manifest in many different ways, most of which is not good. That is why it is important to stop, slow down, and breathe.  There is so much going on around us that can cause stress. The news alone is filled with stories that have some sort of connection to some angst for a certain group.  We simply can’t escape the hate that exists, but we can fight it. In this world people can hate for no reason, however, we can choose to do the other. I try to spread kindness for no reason. Yes, the times are crazy and I get just as stressed as the next person but my goal remains. I acknowledge that I am far from perfect, but I do try to spread some kindness and laughter when I can, wherever I can, and however I can. With COVID being omnipresent, we have a tendency to forget the impact. The daily exposure makes us numb to the effect it has on the lives around us and the stress it creates. The negative influence equally touches students and staff, just as a positive influence. That is why we all just need to spread a bit more kindness. Have a great weekend. Stay cool...Go PUPS! (cue Lunatic Fringe, Red Rider)

Until next time...

Labor Day

We have reached Labor Day weekend which, according to the History Channel, pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers.  Our history has not been so kind to labor. During the height of the Industrial Revolution in the late 1800’s, the average American worked 12-hour days for seven days a week just to make a basic living.  In many States we had young elementary school-aged children working in factories and mines. Certainly we can add this to the list of things we are not proud of in our collective history. As time moved forward the error of our ways was identified and things began to change.  In 1894, Labor Day became of federal holiday to acknowledge the significant contributions of labor.  As the first Monday in September, it has come to symbolize the end of summer.  For me, it symbolizes the start of the school cadence and pace. Every educator knows what that means. The idea of structured breaks, meal times, and even structured personal time. Gone are the days of summer when time was not so much the factor. By Labor Day, things have just settled in for the long haul. Statistically the time between Labor Day and Thanksgiving has higher student discipline rates and teacher stress.  Because of this it is important to take care of yourself. When the road begins to get windy, you can do what I do, just lean into the curve. Have a fantastic 3-day weekend. Enjoy...Go PUPS! (cue Keep The Beat, Lin-Manuel Miranda & Ynairaly Simo)

Until next time...

Importance of Music

Every year around this time, I revisit and reminisce my use of music at the end of my opening and the music trivia. Growing up I can always remember being around music.  My parents would play it in the car, around the house, and outside while we were playing.  Music was everywhere.  I grew up listening with my parents to ‘Casey Kasem’s Billboard Top 40’.  My brother, sister, parents, and I would guess what song was going to be number one for the week. We would oftentimes pick a song that was going to be the title song for a trip and then add to it to build a complete soundtrack for ‘our movie’.  No, my parents were not in the music, movie, or entertainment business. They didn’t even play an instrument, but they had a love of music that they gifted to their children. Music can transport anyone to a time and place. It can unlock memories that bring about emotion both bad and good. Music is transcendent. That is one reason the musical references are plentiful.  Imagine your life was a movie and pick a soundtrack that would represent your moment in time.  Transcend the day.. May you have a fantastic weekend. Enjoy...Go PUPS! (cue Cool Change, Little River Band)

Until next time...

Good Old Days

As I was driving to work one day this week, a song came on the radio from January 1986.  The basis of the song is an adult grandchild speaking to her grandfather. She asks her grandfather to tell her about the ‘good old days’ because sometimes it feels like this world’s gone crazy. The more the song played, the more I reflected on the world today.  How things just seem to be a bit crazy.  The land is on fire, the air is so filled with smoke we can taste it, our political process is certainly heated, and COVID is raging. In our case, the ‘good old days’ may just be two years ago.  In the song, the timeframe is much greater.  “Let’s wander back into the past and paint me a picture of long ago”, the artist sings. The more I thought about the lyrics, the more relaxed I became. Yes, everything seems a certain way, but it doesn’t have to be that way.  I do believe life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. Isn’t it all just based on our point of reference?  To reference the song of Carly Simon from 1971, “These are the good old days”. Well, we have made it through the first full week, celebrate that. I wish you all a very relaxing weekend. Enjoy...Go PUPS! (cue Grandpa, The Judds)

Until next time...

Welcome Back

Summer Break is over and we are back. The long days of orientation are now finished and the arrival of the weekend can bring about some rest.  During your reflection, remember the impact you are having on students when you don’t even know they are watching.  Some students show up ready to learn, some show up ready to be entertained, some show up to entertain, nevertheless, they are here and we are the anchor.  We have to be the stability in the shifting tides of life.  We have to show the students how to persevere daily.  Our profession is not easy, however, it can be the most rewarding because when you find that you have made a difference with just one, the feeling is remarkable.  I wish you all a very restful weekend. You have certainly earned it. Enjoy...Go PUPS!

Until next time...

Learning Loss?

When educators throw around the term ‘learning loss’, they are using the term generally. As educators, we understand the importance of education. We talk to students about it all the time. We also understand that from our viewpoint, there has been a massive learning loss due to the pandemic. The virtual education we have been providing, though needed, is not equivalent to students being in class. We try to uphold the same rigor, however, it just hasn’t happened. The nationwide organization that administers the Advanced Placement (AP) exams, the College Board, has also acknowledged that this year is different. They are allowing students to take the exams at home. That is a far cry from the rigid environment that we usually use for the tests on campus.

That being understood, though educators acknowledge this year is different and have identified a gap in the learning from what would normally be covered, students are not searching for the learning. I say that because when any of us lose something of value, it is a loss because we care. If we lose our car keys, we immediately begin searching for them. To that behavior, we can add our wallets, purses, cell phones, and anything else that we care about. When we lose something we care about, we begin searching for it. Why isn’t education the same way? Students don’t seem to care about the loss, because we have not made it valuable to them. Yes, everyone cares about learning, but to a certain extent do they really? Do they really care about how they excel in academia? Because if they did, then the learning loss would trigger an emotional response.

For me, education has always been about the search for knowledge. A quest for developing knowledge. When I lost learning because of my behavior or such, I never really cared about it because I never owned the knowledge in the first place. In the post-pandemic education world, we have to change our thinking about learning. Our students are hungry for knowledge and it is incumbent upon us to cook up the feast that the students cannot refuse. To borrow a sports analogy, our goal should be to meet the students on their turf and play a better game. We cannot continue to deliver our lessons the same way in the post-pandemic world.

Excitement breeds desire. If we can build excitement with the students about learning, they will have a desire to learn more. If we place them on that path, then if we find ourselves in troubled times again, our students will never lose their learning simply because they care.

Until next time...

Grit and Resilience

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the words grit and resilience. I guess my thoughts have been lead to those words by the end of the school year and the hurdles many of our students have created for themselves. If it wasn’t for the pandemic, I would probably have more thoughts of grit at this time of the year instead of resilience. Grit, as a combination of perseverance and passion for a goal, is totally relatable to educational or athletic pursuits. Resilience, however, is the ability to mentally process or emotionally cope with a crisis and return to a ‘normal' state. That obviously applies to our world today, as we hope to return to our pre-pandemic status as soon as it is possible and safe to do so. Both grit and resilience, are words that are important for us today. We all need to keep our eyes on our individual goals and stay passionate about the reasons that drive us. We also need to overcome everything that has been thrown at us this year. For me, this year has been an opportunity to reset and recalibrate my ‘why’. I feel as though I am coming out of the COVID pandemic better. Every day, I wake up feeling lucky to have another day to get it right. With grit and resilience, I will. May you all enjoy a fantastic weekend! Go PUPS! (cue Jason Mraz - Have It All)

Until next time...

Cultural Relevance

Our student populations are becoming more diverse in America every year. Though diversity is growing annually, our teacher population has not kept up with the same demographic distribution. It is for this reason that educators need to pay attention to and are responsive to the backgrounds and cultures of our students.

Studies show that a culturally responsive classroom leads to more engagement of the students. That, of course, means that not only is diversity among the student population celebrated, but it is highlighted. When this happens, the students are more likely to engage with the teacher and ultimately have better scores and achievement tests.

The best way for teachers to embrace cultural diversity in their classrooms is to start with learning about the cultures in the room. Reach out and understand the background of students. Learn about their experiences and their families. Through listening and actually understanding where students are coming from will be a great first step toward building an inclusive classroom.

Follow that with building on the strengths a student brings to the classroom. All students have dreams and personal goals. When a teacher understands those goals, they can help them by channeling their strengths. This will assist the teacher to build rich learning experiences for both teacher and student.

Finally, the culturally responsive classroom really does keep the student at the center. Student-centered activities and learning should always be the focus. The idea that a subject was taught can no longer be the benchmark. Did the student learn the concept? That should be the primary objective. If the student does not learn the material, then instruction was not successful. We should always concern ourselves with student learning.

Teachers and schools that embrace cultural relevance and are culturally responsive while keeping student learning in clear focus report higher academic achievement. The bottom line is that students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

Until next time...

"Normal" May

Everyone has lost their mind. How many times have you had that thought? When you see and hear things going on around the world, it is hard to not be completely jaded. Rest assured, all people have not lost their minds. Yes, things around us are getting a bit more stressful and students are not responding as you would otherwise hope they would, but everyone has not lost their mind. As educators, we find ourselves in the middle of May during a very unusual and difficult year. A ‘normal’ May alone is enough to raise an educator’s tension and anxiety levels, then toss a pandemic on top and we have a recipe for trouble. This year, it is not just educators that are feeling the strain. People, in general, are experiencing pandemic fatigue. Everyone just wants life to get back to ‘normal’. That for an educator means, the normal weariness from the daily demands of our duties. Though we are not performing a physically demanding job such as digging trenches outdoors in the elements, the classroom environment presents plenty of opportunities for mental exhaustion. That is why it is so important for all educators to rest, eat well, and enjoy some downtime to recharge the batteries. In schools, a day can seem like a week, but there are times, a week can be packed into a day. It is what we do. If being a teacher was easy, we would not have a teacher shortage. Hang in there. You valued and appreciated. Have a most excellent weekend...Go PUPS! (cue Ant Clemons - Better Days ft. Justin Timberlake)

Until next time...

Critical Thinking is not a Luxury Good

Critical thinking can no longer be thought of as a luxury good. In education, we reference the Four C’s of Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, and Critical Thinking. These key competencies are discussed in the field of education all the time yet they are also the speed bumps that slow lesson planning. In theory, the Four C’s are of vital importance. They are attitudes and abilities that can be taught, learned, and implemented in every classroom. More importantly, they are competencies that are important for innovation in the classroom and the workplace.

The Four C’s are vital in virtually every aspect of life and interaction. So important that the curriculum in schools today has to do better to incorporate the skills. Most schools can incorporate Communication and Creativity however, coming out of the pandemic, Collaboration will become a factor. Kids need to interact with each other to learn. As a matter of fact, we learn a skill better when we can teach it to someone else. All the more reason why collaboration cannot be forgotten.

The last of the Four C’s is Critical Thinking, which can be the most difficult to incorporate. Teachers need to ask students questions that solicit a full-sentence response. Yes and No questions just are not going to cut it. Students are going to have to answer a question and then be ready for the follow-up questions. Teachers need to ask questions that are deeper on the Depth of Knowledge scale. Education data shows that when teachers ask the right questions, students will answer, regardless of the difficulty.

In the midst of all the pressure to exceed standards, it’s easy to lose sight of the real purpose of education. A good education is about preparing students to be successful at the next level. When students leave our school we should be proud and know that they are ready to enter the big bad world. Our students should leave our schools with a cornucopia of skills that are transferable to any workplace or situation.

The bottom line is that teachers are the tide that will raise all the boats. Ask the right questions.

Until next time...

Schools are a Constant

After a long hiatus, the weekly communication is back. During my time out, I had plenty of time for reflection and I kept coming back to one thing:  Schools are a constant.  When schools closed, we had chaos.  Parents had to figure out what to do about their work schedules. Kids had to figure out what to do with their spare time because activities were gone.  The disruption in society was and continues to be, significant.  Therefore, my thoughts kept returning to the idea that schools are one of the few constants we have in life. Just to define it further, I am not talking about the building or even the curriculum, but the people.  We are in the people business, therefore the people in the business are what matter the most. When it comes to schools, the people are what make the difference.  The people rise up every day for the students. Before COVID, teachers would rather come to school a bit under the weather than create a sub-plan, because it is easier and better for the students.  Though post-COVID is different, the desire to rise up is present. We all know the rubber meets the road in the classroom and I am comfortable with the idea that our staff will rise up daily to meet that challenge. Have a most excellent weekend...Go PUPS! (cue Andra Day - Rise Up.)

Until next time...

Communication and Comprehension

Our ability to communicate is one of the most important life skills we can develop. As we all know, we can communicate in many ways, and all of them are important from body language to the written word.  If we are not effective, it can lead to misunderstandings or worse, even confrontation. This is why communication skills are essential.

In order to improve our communication skills, we have to work on the details of good communication.  Primarily, being a good listener.  It is the most important of any skill and basic to good communication.  Add to that the body language and eye contact.  If you are interested in what someone is saying, look them in the eye, and watch your body language.  A message can be conveyed in your body language and your eye contact, so be careful.  

Additionally, the best communicators are concise.  They can get to the point quite quickly. Making the point clear and avoiding rambling will keep the listener's attention.  It also makes the speaker sound like they know what they are talking about. To be a good communicator you need to avoid speaking too much and use words that will not confuse the audience. An aspect of good communication is confidence in your message, open-mindedness, and respect.  The best communicators have confidence but respect others around them. By extending respect to others, the communicator looks even more confident and in control.

All that being said, developing good communication skills is only one part of good communication. The ability to increase the comprehension of the audience is vital. Communication is nothing without comprehension.  When we think about comprehension, our minds drift to reading comprehension tests from back in grade school.  Though that is also comprehension, we are simply talking about understanding.  As a good communicator, if our audience does not understand or comprehend the words or concepts, then we have done our job.  Communication takes the words, the presentation medium, and adds to it the comprehension level of the audience.  

As advocates for ourselves, our students, and our families we all need to work on comprehension.  Yes, communication is important, but the key is comprehension. With good communication skills and even better comprehension, we can be empowered to make decisions to positively change our lives and world.

The bottom line is that communication without comprehension is worthless. 

Until next time...

Importance of Social Learning

The social learning theory of Bandura (1971) offers an understanding of why a school with a positive culture could potentially care for a students’ needs better than those schools with less than adequate culture. Research has revealed that emotional, social, and academic development in adolescents is impacted by a positive school climate and culture (Bradshaw, Waasdorp, Debnam, & Johnson, 2014). Conversely, schools with negative cultures fail with the support necessary to offer a protective environment which impacts overall achievement (De Pedro et al., 2016). Therefore, a negative school culture would be an obstruction to high expectations.

In support of Bandura’s social learning theory, the study by Oyedeji (2017) found that the learning ability of students was greatly influenced by the climate and culture of the school. To further support the importance of the social environment a study was conducted of 50 public schools from the southeastern United States, in which they discovered valuable insights into quality teaching and relationships. Significant is the idea that quality teaching and relationships are predictors of student learning (Ohlson, Swanson, Adams-Manning, & Byrd, 2016). Bandura’s social learning theory supports learning as a cognitive process that takes place in a social setting. Though this study is focused on school-level data, the data itself is a collective of student behaviors. If students are not encouraged by their teachers or the school provides a setting with which is not conducive to achievement, then there will be a significant impact on student achievement (Ali & Siddiqui, 2016). Social learning theory is easily applied to a school setting because students often do learn by observing their teachers and peers (Bandura, 1971; Firmender, Gavin, & McCoach, 2014). This is important when a school is making a cultural shift to college readiness and high expectations.

The bottom line is we should always be concerned about the culture on our school campus.  A positive culture will lead to positive outcomes.

Until next time...

Marginal Gains

Have you ever wondered why professional athletes become compulsive about small details?  The answer is actually in the details. Many of us have long-term goals for all sorts of things. Our challenge is in how we break those goals down into smaller objectives so we can achieve the greater goal.  When talking about performance, the process remains the same.  Goals are generally large items that have to be divided into smaller achievable steps.  If done correctly, each step is toward the goal.

There are things that can impact our goals.  These are the items that can either distract or impair our abilities to achieve. Professional cyclists know this all too well. Most of them have an obsession with the weight of the bike, for obvious reasons. More weight means more energy needed to pedal and over time, it adds up. Therefore, by reducing the weight of the machine, a marginal gain can be made. Top cyclists are also worried about keeping their machines very clean.  This is for two reasons: primarily, a dirty drive train creates more fiction ultimately slowing the machine or creating an energy drain; secondly, the bike is very expensive and warrant proper care.  Both are important however, only one is going to give a ‘marginal gain’.

People who are operating at the top of their career understand the cumulative effect of the small details.  Most reference the marginal gains as the 1% rule.  If they can make a 1% improvement in several areas over a short amount of time, the gains will add up.  Soon significant progress toward a goal can be achieved.

When we utilize marginal gains in school, we focus on the small wins in the classroom. These are the little steps students can take that move toward the greater goal.  A 1% weekly improvement over a 6-week grading period can make the difference for the next higher grade. Additionally, when we can eliminate the things that negatively impact grades and study time, we can see improvement, marginal improvement. Things that we know can negatively impact grades are things like social media, television, not enough sleep, and diet. When those items are controlled, students can be at their optimum.

The bottom line is we need to look for ways to implement marginal gains in our lives.  The improvement could be significant.

Until next time... 

 

CDC and Safe Opening

Last week, the CDC updated the recommendations for social distancing in schools.  Originally the social distance measure was 6 feet however, the new guidelines have reduced that number to 3 feet.  I guess they have figured the COVID virus doesn’t travel more than 2.5 feet.

All kidding aside, the scientists at the CDC have had the most thankless job throughout this whole pandemic.  Their guidance is what State health departments build local guidance upon.  As the CDC learns more about the virus and the patterns of people, they issue updated guidance.  As a school, it becomes frustrating because things are constantly changing.  From the CDC to the California State Department of Health (CDPH) and then the local County guidance, there is quite a bit to not only follow but to figure out.  

Educators all across the country are really trying to do what is best for kids in the safest environment possible.  We don’t want to get in the middle of the political battles fought over the guidance.  We simply want to make our school the safest we possibly can and provide our students with opportunities that will not get them sick. 

As more people are vaccinated, the positivity rate is dropping.  Hopefully, the numbers will continue to drop so schools can begin to bring students back to school.  Ideally, we would like to see schools go back to ‘normal’ but that is still going to take awhile.  In the meantime, we can all settle for 3 to 4 days a week.  The more kids are in school, the less time parents have to spend out of work. This benefits everyone however, we need to make certain we are doing it safely. With a safe plan to open, that is measured, we can see more success with our students.  

Sooner than later is my hope. Until next time...  

Profound Loss

This year has been a difficult year.  Not only have the students suffered an extreme loss of programs and privileges due to the pandemic, but the learning loss has been extreme. I would not be truthful if I said the education our students receive in the ‘distance’ model remotely is equivalent to the learning that happens in the classroom.  Due to this, educators will be playing catch-up for years to come in order to get students back on track. The challenge ahead is going to be much greater than any challenges we have already faced. 

Added to the significant learning loss, loss of co-curricular and extracurricular programs, the fact that hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives to this horrible virus. Some of our students have lost a loved one during the past year. Yes, the loss has been profound.

This is the reason it is incumbent upon educators to acknowledge the losses. We need to not sweep it under the rug and act as if everything is fine. Everything has not been fine however, we have a path to better days. Things are getting better and life will soon return to ‘normal’.  Though this is the case, we must look to pick up the pieces that are broken, find the best fix, and move forward.  The students need it.  The staff needs it.  The community needs it.

The best we can do is continue to support each other throughout this time of profound loss, prepare ourselves for the future, and hope a pandemic never comes again.

Until next time...

Family-School Relation and Student Performance

The importance of family-school relations is well documented over the years. Additionally, it was often speculated as to how important that relationship is to student performance. In one research study, a sample of American households were used to examine the relationship between parent involvement in the school and the student performance. This research study sampled 179 households to investigate 3 hypothesis: “(1) the higher the educational status of the mother the greater the degree of parental involvement in school activities; (2) the younger the age of the child the greater the degree of parental involvement; and (3) children of parents who are more involved in school activities do better in school than children with parents who are less involved.”

The data supported all 3 hypotheses. The first regarded the educational status of the mother. Since this is related to overall parent education level, the data showed the parents with a higher level of education are generally more actively involved in the school. Secondly, the younger the student, the more the parents were involved. Lastly, parent involvement in school activities are an indicator of success.

This study is significant, because it confirms what educators know to be true about parent involvement. When students first start school, parents are actively involved. They walk them to class and pick them up daily. As children grow, schools begin to see less and less of parents. Once a student reaches High School, parents are rarely seen, unless called for a meeting on campus. This type of meeting is certainly not the best for building community support.

This study simply shows that the data supports parent involvement and the positive impact on student performance at all grade levels. Bottom line is that a great school is one that welcomes parents on campus and finds ways to incorporate them into the fabric. Until next time...

Citation:
Stevenson, D. L., & Baker, D. P. (1987). The family-school relation and the child's school performance. Child development, 1348-1357.

Collaborative Processes

When we talk about collaboration in schools, we must include the strategies for parental involvement and parent engagement. It is a fact that is well known in the public schools that as students rise in grade, the parent involvement decreases. That is actually opposite to what should be happening. Students and the schools need more parental involvement as students get older and schools should develop an engagement strategy to involve families. When schools do, they are seen as more culturally responsive, collaborative, and equitable.

Collaborative processes can benefit the student in many ways, but are much more efficient when all stakeholders are involved. Open communication is vital to student success and the school leader that has authentic quality communication with all stakeholders, including parents will ultimately be more successful. By including everyone in the communication, a school will be able to close the achievement gap much quicker than without. Once open lines of communication have been established, proper planning is needed. The quality of the overall program and equity with all learners should be evaluated. If change is warranted, systemic change should be implemented along with a system of evaluation. This will anchor any change to the learner and what is best for them.

Until next time...

Blended Learning

In public schools today, there is not a single formula that will transform schools. Effective schools sustain improvement strategies by focusing their efforts on improving teacher instruction and focusing on student learning. By hiring high quality teachers or giving professional development for those on staff, instruction can improve. Teachers that have identified improvement needs, should be scheduled for focused professional development. Additionally, in order for the classroom teacher to be successful, the school and district have to support by creating a safe environment. The support continues by implementing a curriculum of a higher rigor, providing a bell schedule that is conducive for learning, and preparing students for school with sound policy.

According to research, there are 7 best practices to support the blended learning model such as: 1) Integrating computer peripherals, 2) Incorporating interactive games, 3) Check for understand with short quizzes, 4) Continue to use face to face lectures to cover challenge concepts, 5) Implement a technological or otherwise classroom response system, 6) Divide students into groups to collaborate, 7) Utilize the internet to archive notes and lectures. Seeking a ‘best practice’ is a way to assist students in maximizing their achievement. The challenge lies in choosing the correct practice. Since students all learn differently, a blended model incorporating several strategies would be the most successful, however it is not the model that will provide the most benefit. 

Teachers that develop a regular practice of reflection about their teaching strategies are found to be more successful. Therefore, the reflective teacher that utilizes a blended strategy will be more successful over the long term and be able to reach more students. Additionally, teachers need to respect all learners and their cultural identities. They must be socially responsive and utilize responsible teaching tools to encourage learning. As teachers expose students to educational experiences, they must encourage participation in language, literacy, and life while crossing traditional boundaries.

Until next time...

Diversity in the Classroom

The challenges in American public schools can be vast due to the demographic design of America itself. Many of the challenges can be faced and remedied easily while others are deeply ingrained in our system. Unlike other countries, our system of education is compulsory for all minors allowing no provision for tracking of students into careers. In other words, since education in America is compulsory, we take all comers.

Our public school system is based on the premise that all students can learn at high levels and they need to be college and career ready upon graduation from high school. With the design of our system comes the challenges of fitting the needs of every student. Understanding the dynamics of our system is imperative to define the essential challenges we face with diversity. 

In the classroom, teachers need to develop best practices to address diversity. By being aware of the cultures present and the diverse needs of all the students, the teacher will be better suited to serve their needs. When the teacher can embrace the diversity, the students will develop a better understanding of cultures. Teachers that are culturally responsive, share five characteristics: 1) They develop a culturally diverse base, 2) They design lessons that are relevant, 3) They demonstrate a caring attitude toward cultural diversity, 4) they develop cross-cultural communication techniques, and 5) They utilize culturally respectful instruction. The need for teachers to design lessons that embrace diversity is greater than ever. Teachers that not only embrace diversity in the classroom, but work to incorporate them positively into their curriculum are more successful.

Diversity in the classroom is not only indicated by race. Diversity can involve class, gender, and sexual orientation as well. With each of these forms of difference, students come to the classroom with hosts of experiences, world views, cultural contexts, and sets of experiences.

Additionally, students not only have diverse needs, come from diverse backgrounds, but they have diverse ways of learning. Some learn through visual means, other by auditory, and some through kinesthetic touch. These differences increase the challenges in developing lessons. Teachers need to develop ways to adapt the curricular content to and delivery to meet the needs of the students’ individual and cultural differences.

Educators all have the responsibility to provide a quality education for all students. Part of that is preparing teachers with proper professional development that increases self-awareness; cultivates an understanding of diversity; increases cultural competency; prepares teachers to work with diverse parents as well as students. Multicultural education is more than just an ethnic issue. It is vitally important for everyone to understand it is a universal issue that should be shared by all. 

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Governance

The local public school system in America is vitally important to the community that it serves. The connection to a higher standard of living is anchored in a well-educated workforce. That relationship is so important that many studies have been prompted linking the benefits of education and economic performance. Knowing the benefits, governments from around the world keep formal education funding as a large portion of their budget.

As the government focus has become much greater, politicians and business leaders call into question the global competitiveness of American schools. This sentiment is due, in a large part, to schools not graduating students more skilled in areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). According to the National statistics, STEM jobs increased over 24% from the ten year span of 2004 and 2014 requiring over 6 million jobs, yet schools are not training enough students to fill the need. This comes down to the direction from the State Department of Education and not the local school Districts. Though the State publishes curriculum standards for Districts to comply, the funding for programs is less than adequate. School Districts all around the country struggle to fund exceptional programs that are needed in the STEM areas as many times, they are costly. The challenge is often that with the onset of technology, the need for devices is constantly changing and upgrading at a particularly high cost. This constantly changing environment found in the business world is not necessarily conducive to the educational world.

Though the education system is transforming to include more STEM in the State of California, there are certain consistencies that hold true. The more local the control, the better served the student can be. The locality will have the best idea how to serve the students and that is what it is all about. The profession of education is a service industry. Though we are faced with challenges, serving the students in the classrooms transcends all hurdles lending hope to the idea that people make the difference, not programs. Taking that ideal and employing a service learning environment can build a community of people that look to help other people with learning about their world.

Until next time...

Schools and Parents: A Collaborative Effort

Research confirms that with the involvement of parents and academic success is improved for all students. Knowing the importance, there are best practices that can be developed for parental engagement that other organizations are employing. Above all, the school must create a welcoming environment and along with that, supportive learning environments. Second only to that, the school should develop a system of home to school communication and a better system of school to home communication. Outreach efforts should also employ the inclusion of parents in school planning, and volunteer opportunities that are meaningful. 

It is undeniably essential to have a parent involvement plan integrated into the school processes. It is the responsibility of the leader to employ such a program. Planning on a school campus should involve not only staff, but parents along with the staff. This is not only professionally the correct thing to do, it is a requirement for many accreditation programs such as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) which is the accrediting body in California. It is also one of the requirements of the Federal Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). Though it is the obligation of the school leadership, school planning and development is the responsibility of all stakeholders. The research also reports schools are more successful when all stakeholders are involved. Additionally, culture shifts happen to the positive when people have ownership of their school. Everyone can be contributing members because it is not only the teachers that makes a difference. Before students even get to the classroom, they enter the school and should be met with a team of people that all have the same goal.

That goal should be focused on increasing student achievement at home and school.  With consistent communication, the home to school transition will not diminish the message. Parents as partners with the school, on the same page, pulling on the same side of the rope. Until next time...

A Compelling Case

With relationships at the core, schools should engage students and provide opportunities for students to be successful by increasing their abilities and stimulating their talents and personality (Wang et al., 2014). Bandura (1971) adds to this understanding by stating that learning is dependent on the interaction between the school environment and the student. The failure or success of the student will be determined by the quality of the interaction and the environment with which they are placed (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). The research by Bandura (1971) plainly demonstrates the significance of the social learning context. Bronfenbrenner’s (1977) research adds to the significance of the learning environment and culture. Since the landmark research of Bandura and Bronfenbrenner, studies continue to show the impact a positive environment has on student achievement (Ali & Siddiqui, 2016). When a relationship of trust is present between a student and an adult, the student will rise to the expectations presented (Balkar, 2015). This response, known as the Pygmalion effect, where students will rise to the level of expectation that is placed upon them (Howard et al., 2015) is the practical application of the theories discussed.

A compelling case can be made for the relationship between a teacher and the student as the building blocks of academic achievement. A school culture of high expectation has a strong positive relationship to academic achievement. The school culture of high expectation is made up of the relationships that are built on the school campus. As studies report, relationships have to come before academic rigor. Students will work for their teacher when they know their teacher cares about them and has an authentic belief in them. In contrast, when students feel their teachers do not care, or believe their efforts are futile, their academic achievement is diminished.

Learning occurs more frequently when teachers make the authentic attempt to be actively engaged in the interaction with students and school culture is driven by the relationships that exist on a campus. The bottom line is that when high expectations for student achievement are present, high academic achievement will be the result.

Until next time...

Teacher/staff Collaboration

The process of education is a detailed method of teaching and learning with a variety of contributors. The walls and classrooms are just the shell to house the process that should be focused on collaboration to be successful (Sanders, 2016). According to Stevens (2014), collaboration by teachers and staff members is the most effective method of improving professional practice which will ultimately lead to improved student outcomes. Collaborative groups can be called by several names but they all share a common focus. They are all outcome based and promote professional dialog around student achievement (Stevens, 2014).

Collaboration is extremely important to a school as it is very clear that schools do not operate solely with one person in charge. It takes a team of people working together under the guidance of the governing board and through sound policy to meet defined goals (Guthrie & Schuermann, 2010). The use of this instrument can facilitate team building and communication throughout the process building professional relationships (Malakyan, 2013). Though it is the responsibility of the principal to listen to all stakeholders, the collaborative process can help by giving others an avenue to improvement (Stevens, 2014).

There are multitudes of ways that collaboration can become deep and meaningful in a school setting and every time collaboration takes place there is likelihood that student achievement will improve (O’Brien, 2015). Stevens (2014) also reports that not only student achievement will improve with collaboration, but teacher effectiveness will improve as a result. With the well documented success of collaborative groups, there are five elements that need attention during the implementation process: 1) Staying data centered; 2) Developing trust; 3) Time; 4) Engagement in the process; and 5) Alignment with the District (Stevens, 2014). When collaborative groups are implanted with fidelity, they force a change to standard practice. 

The bottom line that collaboration works and we are stronger together than alone. Until next time...

Importance of Curriculum Relevance

Today more than ever, it is important for teachers to present a curriculum that is relevant to the students. Not only is relevance vital, context also has to be taken into account during the development of a lesson. This coupled with the understanding of the knowledge, skills and competencies that students need to master in order to move to the next level in their studies make lesson planning more challenging every day. Toss into the mix the idea that students want contextually relevant curriculum, but they want it presented in an interesting and stimulating way. 

Though we can blame social media for this challenge, I believe the challenge has always been there. As society has developed, lesson design has had to evolve. The teacher that is still presenting a lesson with which they used 25 years ago when they started teaching, is not being effective. The content, the delivery, and the method probably is all wrong. That would signify to a supervising administrator or mentor teacher that lessons need to be reworked.

The process for doing this is to begin with a learning goal. Clearly, an outcome must be determined. Once developed, relevant and appropriate learning activities can be added that are based on the skills, knowledge, and competencies that are outlined in the goal. As planning continues, the end result should be a formative assessment that will enable the student and teacher to reflect meaningfully on whether or not the learning goal was achieved. This becomes the ongoing process of developing curriculum that is contextually relevant. 

Until next time...

Carrot or the Stick

Reciprocal interaction is the basis for Bandura's social learning theory and an important component in building a culture of high expectation on a high school campus. Learning occurs from the active interchange between the school environment and the student, not just in responding to a stimulus provided by the teacher (Bandura, 1971). Bandura discovered that past consequences are important motivators for future behavior. Students that have received positive reinforcement will produce behaviors that are more desirable. The motivating positive reinforcement becomes the reason for the learned behavior. This leads to the idea that schools with a positive culture will provide more quality reinforcement for reaching goals (Bandura, 1971). As students reach goals, they feel better about themselves which increases their desire to achieve even higher goals. On the other hand, students attending a school that has a negative school culture will not receive the reinforcement necessary to fulfill their feedback needs.

Continuing with Bandura’s social learning (1971), there is a connection with regulated consequences and behavior. People generally will not participate in behavior that is not rewarding or that is met with punishment. Rewarded behavior however, has a higher retention level. When rewards and punishments are anticipated, it has strong effects on behavior. Social rewards and behavior incentives have a positive result on learning and social interaction (Bandura, 1971). Applying this concept to schools, students will work hard to earn positive reinforcement from the teacher or their peers and work harder to avoid the negative aspect. This can also help to build a positive culture, as well as a culture of high expectations.

Bottom line is the carrot is much more powerful than the stick.

Until next time...

Social Learning Theory

According to Albert Bandura and his Social Learning Theory, as social creatures, human beings rely on emotional nourishment. Social interaction is a human need and schools provide the setting that can be most influential for teaching social interaction and nourishing the needs of emotional attachment. Teachers help develop interpersonal communication skills with students at a very young age. Additionally, many teachers model behaviors that are positive. Students also witness around the school yard many demonstrations that are not considered appropriate social behavior. In both cases, students are learning how to socially interact with their world. 

Social interactions between teacher and student is, in effect, the fundamental basis for teaching. In order to provide a strong foundation for students it becomes essential to foster the development of strong authentic teacher-student relationships through trust and caring. With that, the connection needs to be perceived as caring by both the student and teacher. As is accepted, what is perceived is reality when relationships are concerned. Though the perception may not be the truth, it is real to the perceiving individual. 

The concept of building robust teacher-student relationship connections is not secluded to the classroom setting. It is equally significant in all teaching, counseling, and administrative situations. In one relationship study of teachers and students it was found that a positive school experience is a contributing factor to student academic success. Moreover, a positive relationship can overcome negativity brought about by a poor environment at home, basically reversing the impact. That should be enough alone for every educator to focus on building authentic relationships. Then impact will make a difference.

Until next time...

Increased Rigor equals Improved Student Achievement

Schools face great needs and challenges on a daily basis. The problems our schools are met with are complex and warrant the attention of all stakeholders to find the answers. It takes all stakeholders to build a school that values the collaborative nature needed to involve parents, students, and employees equally. Relationship building is no longer just the responsibility of the teacher, but now the school administrators have to be equally responsible for establishing, facilitating, and maintaining relationships with parents. Part of this process begins at the top tier of the education personnel operating structure. School boards of education must outline a vision and mission that drives the organization by setting the climate and culture of inclusion. Once set in motion the philosophy of inclusion will be developed and a plan for involvement will follow suit.

The California public school system has gone through an enormous amount of change in recent years and due to this, has been collecting a huge amount of data. This provides an opportunity to utilize the public access database to investigate how certain points correlate with others. As for the State standardized test, the aggregate school scores were released for the first time in 2015. This fact alone stands to reason why empirical research utilizing this data is very rare or simply difficult to find. Additionally, with the importance of multiple measures for schools and high expectations for students, the measure A-G completion percentage is the only data point that is tracked by the State that can be used in empirical studies.

According to the literature reviewed, a school culture is reflective of the community with which they serve. Any issue that impacts the community at large will impact the school. Research states that school culture when placed in context, is related to everything that happens at a school. Relationships, connectedness, expectations, teaching practices, behavior interventions, and external affects such as education policy, technology, and globalization, are all impactful to students and the culture of a school. Though this is the case, studies have found that negative interactions can be moderated with the positive. Therefore, a positive teacher-student relationship can promote an increase in student achievement. When increased rigor is the expectation, student achievement will improve as well.