Teach Like Google Exists

I absolutely love this quote from Alice Keeler.  "Teach like Google exists."  How thought provoking.....

Many of us - if not most - grew up in the "PG Era" (Pre-Google).  Because of this, school looked a lot different than it does today.  The teacher was the sole holder of information and he/she shared that knowledge with students through their teaching.  The only other way to acquire knowledge was through books, if you had access to them.  Many of us remember searching through the volumes of encyclopedias to do a report on Ecuador or Thomas Jefferson.  Or we had to go to the library, search through a card catalog, find that area of the library, search for the book and hopefully locate it.  Once we located the book, we then had to look through the entire book to obtain the information we desired.  This was ...... time consuming.  It could also be completely frustrating.

Imagine if we asked our students today to turn off all devices and look through an encyclopedia or library to find basic information.  They would look at us as if we had just told them to build a rocket ship to the moon.  They may actually be able to do that easier than finding information the old-fashioned way.  

But I think the implications of this quote go farther than just knowledge acquisition.  Traditional schools have equipped students with knowledge in the form of facts.  We memorized facts so when we needed them later in life, we could easily recall these.  Our brains were like dusty library shelves holding volumes of information that we may never use again.  But in today's world, students do not to spend time memorizing these facts - they can be found easily by searching Google.  I visualize their brains as a complex series of pinballs bouncing back and forth to all regions of their brain as they synthesize information and use it to create new ideas.

Take a short break and time yourself to see how long it takes to search Google for one of the following:

• The capital of North Dakota.
• The 32nd US President.
• The population of Spain.
• The 18th Amendment.

How long did it take you?  I searched each one and found the answer in between 7 to 10 seconds. (depending on how fast you type.)  So, if this information can be obtained in a matter of seconds using devices, why would we ever ask students to memorize this information?  We live in a world where students have constant access to digital devices - and always will.

In a world where facts can be obtained by anyone in a matter of seconds, why are we still asking students to memorize information and testing this memorization on standardized tests?  Fact regurgitation is an antiquated skill.  If Google can pass the tests we give to students, there's something wrong with the tests.

Please don't misunderstand - I do think there are some things that should and must be committed to memory.  How can students learn to read if they don't know the alphabet?  Multiplication tables must be memorized to further math knowledge.  However, the list of the "must memorize" items, has decreased significantly in today's world. 

If information is so readily accessible, education should not be about mere knowledge acquisition.  Education today should be about what students can DO with that information.  Rather than regurgitate, students should be analyzing, comparing, synthesizing and creating new ideas based on information.

Let's look at the 18th Amendment about Alcoholic Prohibition for a moment.  Instead of having students only learn what the amendment is, they should be doing something with that information.  Students could write an opinion blog either supporting or not supporting the amendment and its enforcement.  Students could compare the societal conditions that led to the passing of the amendment, to current societal conditions in the US regarding marijuana usage.  After learning about the amendment and what led up to it, students could draft an alternate amendment to better address the issue.  By going deeper, students will understand the information better and make connections about its relevance to their lives and laws that are passed currently in the US.  

Having knowledge now is simply not enough.  Anyone who can type, can access knowledge.  What you can DO with the knowledge is what is important now.

How are you changing your instruction to teach and lead like Google exists?

Image credit: https://twitter.com/alicekeeler/status/734921010810486784

How Adults are Personalizing Learning

What is Personalized Learning?  That is a term that comes up a lot these days in the education field.  Many teachers and districts want to make learning more personalized for students, but what does that actually look like?  When you start searching for the answer, there are so many resources that you can easily get lost and overwhelmed.

I think the most basic definition, and example, of Personalized Learning is what we, as adults, do to grow in our professions.  In today's world, no matter what your profession, you MUST continue to grow and learn.  Doctors learn new surgical techniques, new therapies, new medicines.  I certainly don't want to go to a doctor that has never done any type of professional learning since graduating from medical school.  Lawyers stay abreast of new laws and current rulings that could affect their practices.  Civil Engineers must stay current on changing laws, new technologies, etc....

In short, if you want to continue to succeed in your profession, you must continue to learn.  But HOW do we learn?  As adults we have a choice as to how we learn.  Some of us attend conferences or face-to-face trainings.  Some read books, journals, or online articles.  Some watch YouTube videos.  Some participate in Twitter Chats or write blogs where they interact with readers.  There are so many resources in today's world that knowledge is at our fingertips.

I think this is personalization at its best!  I continue to grow in my field in a variety of ways: professional/leadership books, conferences, Twitter, blogs, articles, videos, podcasts.  The great thing about this is, I direct my own learning.  I choose what I want to learn, when I want to learn it and how I want to learn.  When I needed to rewire a lamp, I went to YouTube and quickly found a video that walked me through the steps.  When I wanted to see what flexible seating looked like in a classroom, I found videos and articles.  When I want to see what the hot topics are in my field, I go to Twitter and participate in a Twitter Chat.  In short, I have personalized my learning.

If adults have choice in learning and this keeps us motivated and growing in our field, how would students respond to this type of freedom?  How can we personalize learning for them?  Of course there are specific standards that students must master, but there are no rules for HOW students learn these skills.

Think about multiplication tables for example.  We all had to learn them.  Some of us memorized the equations, some used flash cards, some memorized a song, some had a method using hands/fingers, some used acronyms, some wrote them out.  We all have ways that we learn best and students can usually tell you what works for them.  For instance, I know that I have to see something to internalize it - a graph, reading, chart, photo, etc.  I cannot simply hear information and comprehend it well.

So how do we personalize learning for students?  First and foremost, we have to know our students.  If we don't know them, there is no way we can personalize instruction.  Each student has a variety of ways that they learn best.  They also have a variety of ways to demonstrate that learning.  Have you ever heard someone say, "I'm not a good test taker?"  The truth is that some people do not demonstrate their learning that way.  But that same student may be able to orally answer questions to demonstrate proficiency.  Or they may be able to create a product that demonstrates mastery: a song, blog post, online presentation, website, etc.....  Do we hold them back because they do not demonstrate mastery on a traditional test?

So how do we begin to tackle this?  There is not an easy answer.  There are choice boards, playlists, and pathways that some educators use.  But just as each child is different, their learning needs are different as well.  How many of us would have gladly learned Main Idea in reading if we had our choice of topics to read: duck hunting, soccer, art, ballet..... ?  There are no rules saying exactly what type of texts must be used....

How do we personalize?  There are a variety of different ways.  The key is to find what works for the student and make that happen.  Our students are worth it!

How do you personalize your learning and/or the learning of your students?  I would love to hear your thoughts.



Image credit: http://teachingexcellenceatefsc.com/2016/01/06/public-university-group-expands-personalized-learning-efforts/

Capacity for Failure

Photo credit

Failure is not something we really like to think about - or embrace for that matter.  Failure sounds like a dirty word.  Something embarrassing.  We don't want others to know about our failures.  We usually want to hide them.  How many people do you know who openly talk about their failures?  Not many that I know.

However, I think we are doing each other and our children a disservice by NOT talking about our failures.  If you have not failed, you have not succeeded.  If you take a chance, you usually don't reach your goal the first time you try.  How many of us just got on a bike and could ride perfectly that first time?  No one I know.

By creating a veil of secrecy around our failures, we are creating an illusion for our children and setting them up for unreal expectations.  If children grow up not seeing or knowing about failure, they will expect themselves to be perfect.  Impossible.  When they don't achieve that perfection, they feel miserable.  Worthless.

As adults, we have all failed at something - a job we didn't get, a school we weren't accepted to, a failed marriage, we fluked a course, we were arrested.....  The list could go on.  Of course we are not proud of failures, but they teach us something - if we choose to reflect and learn.  The majority of successful people have failed.  Not failed once, but MULTIPLE times.

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” - Robert F. Kennedy

I love the Michael Jordan story (who can resist, especially if you're a Tarheel).  He is arguably the most successful basketball player of all time.  However, he didn't make the basketball team the first time he tried out in high school.  That's like cutting Tiger Woods from the golf team, or Alex Rodriguez from the high school baseball team.  What?!  Jordan had the choice to allow himself to be crushed by the failure, or use it as a learning and growing opportunity.  He chose to use this experience to motivate him.  And.....you know the rest of the story.  

I love that Jordan has been open about his failures.  It motivates me.  There are many examples of people we consider to be experts in their field that have faced tremendous failures along the way.  Just a few examples of famous failures can be found in this article.  

In my experience in education, many students are completely knocked over by failure.  I don't mean actually failing a class - but not coming up with the "right" answer.  In traditional school, students learn to "play school." - they know the expectations of the teacher and work to give the right answer and get the approval of the teacher.  However, when we challenge students to step outside that box to create and invent as a part of their learning, they will inevitably face failures along the way.  The high-achievers are the ones who usually get the most freaked out by this because they have ALWAYS known the right answers.

However, as students experiment and try new things they will fail.  But we need to be deliberate about talking with students about the power of failure.  The opportunities that it brings.  Failure happens for a reason - we didn't try something in the right order, we left out a key element, etc...  The key to failure is to LEARN from failure.

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” - Paulo Coelho

As educators and parents, we need to be open about failures in our life and how we have learned from them.  We need to model failure.  This will give our children permission to fail.  It will show them that failure is not the end - it's an opportunity to learn and change.  It's a new beginning.

If we want to create students who can be truly successful in life, we need to create in them the capacity for failure - the ability to work through failures, learn from them and try again.  We need to teach them to be tough enough to weather failures.  We need them to expect some failures along the way and help them understand these and work through them.  Their egos cannot be so fragile that they can't withstand failures.  We, as adults, must model failures as growth opportunities for our children.

“The phoenix must burn to emerge.” - Janet Fitch

There are so many inspiring stories about how people have face failures, weathered the storm and come out better for it.  I often look back on some of these when I am facing difficult times and am reminded that I can push through a situation and learn from it.  Failure is never truly failing unless you give up.  I want more of our students to understand this.  In order to achieve a dream, you may fail at the first, second, third....... attempt.  But eventually, if you persevere, the dream is achievable.  

“Failure is so important. We speak about success all the time. It is the ability to resist failure or use failure that often leads to greater success. I’ve met people who don’t want to try for fear of failing.” - J.K. Rowling

Why Blog?

Why blog?  Why are so many people around the world engaging in this new art form of blogging?  This is my first venture in a more "professional" blog.  I have another blog that I have been writing for about a year and a half on my personal life and children. From this blogging experience, I have learned a great number of things and would encourage anyone toying with the idea of starting a blog to DO IT!

Clive Thompson's article "Why Even the Worst Bloggers Are Making Us Smarter," is definitely worth the read.  The world is more connected than any other time in history.  We have the opportunity to share our thoughts, dreams, ideas to a wider audience when we blog.  Not only that, through blogging we have the chance to get FEEDBACK.  This is amazing!  In real time, we are able to know what others think about our ideas.  They may affirm our thoughts, or disagree with them.  Either way, it makes us, the author, think more deeply about what we are sharing.  It's basically a "win-win."  The writer grows as they write and consider feedback.  The reader grows as they learn and process new information, in addition to interacting with the author.  As ideas are shared, something magical happens!

"The fact that so many of us are writing — sharing our ideas, good and bad, for the world to see — has changed the way we think. Just as we now live in public, so do we think in public. And that is accelerating the creation of new ideas and the advancement of global knowledge." - Clive Thompson

It's amazing to think about accelerating the creation of new ideas.  I want to be a part of that!  I don't want to be left behind!  The world is moving at a blinding pace.  You better hold on and be ready for a wild ride!  

As mentioned earlier, I have been writing a blog for over a year.  It is basically a place to chronicle my life and adventures with my family.  As trivial as it is, I have learned so much about an online community and have grown immensely. 

A few of the things I have learned from blogging:

1. I learn from interacting from people all over the world.  This is probably my favorite thing about blogging.  As I read and respond to other blogs, the authors respond back and I interact with people all over the globe.  A few days ago I chatted with a 13 year old girl in Cairo, Egypt about the clothes she was designing and making.  There is a lady in New Zealand who comments on EVERY post I make and I feel like we are now old friends.  A mom of 4 in England and I often chat about the craziness of raising children.  I LOVE THIS!  I learn about what is like to live in other parts of the world and how we are all similar.

2. I have meaningful things to say.  When I first began my blog I really didn't know if anyone would read what I wrote, much less actually like what I wrote.  The people who responded are encouraging and understanding.  It's like having a little online support system.  The validation from others is amazing and makes me want to write more.  Presently, I have about 190 followers.  They may not all read my blog every day, but I do have people read what I write each time.  I still pinch myself when I see that people are visiting my site daily - especially when I can see what countries they come from.

3.  I have become a much better writer.  I never really considered myself a "writer."  I have always been a Math/Science person.  English/Language Arts was not my area of strength in school - I was okay, but not stellar.  What I have found is it is so true - the more you write, the better you get.  Also the easier it is to write more.  I never thought I would get to the point where I enjoy writing, but I am there.  I would love to write and read blogs all day!

4.  I have learned the online etiquette of blogging. When I first began, I didn't really know the "rules" to blogging.    A big issue is giving credit when using photos, quotes, etc...  Bloggers do not like it if you don't!  Additionally, if you take the time to read a post, leave a comment.  It doesn't take long, but bloggers are always appreciative of feedback, affirmation and encouragement.  Usually, if you leave feedback, they will follow your blog and become one of your readers.  Some bloggers host "Meet and Greets" where different bloggers leave their blog sites for others to visit and follow.  It's a great way to network and meet new bloggers.

5.  I have learned how to find my own learning. As I mentioned earlier, I pretty much knew nothing about blogging when I began.  Nothing.  Turns out, the writing is the easy part.  I had to learn how to manipulate the website: set up "about me" page, layout, photos, etc...  It's a lot to take in and make your site attractive and readable for visitors.  I had absolutely no idea how to do this.  There are sites where you can interact with other bloggers and ask them questions, as well as ask them to go to your site and provide feedback.  I asked others to look at my layout, font, theme for my blog and make suggestions.  I asked specific questions about how to manipulate different settings on the blog - I am not a natural tech genius.  I also learned from reading other's questions and answers.  Overall, I learned to be resourceful and find the information I needed from others - to create my own learning.

So the question remains: Why blog?  A better question is: Why not?  Even if  you just jot down a few lines, it's definitely worth the effort!



Photo credit: http://www.theblogstarter.com/

Rip Van Winkle & Education

Photo credit: http://www.charlesfake.com/2016/07/07/july_6_2016_wednesday_most/

I recently heard someone say something to the effect of "Education is the only place that Rip Van Winkle could wake up and feel at home."  (paraphrased).  Think about that for a minute and really let that sink in.....

Rip Van Winkle could sleep for hundreds of years, walk into a modern-day classroom, and feel at home.  It would feel familiar: desks, rows, teacher at the front with the all the information, students as passive learners, lecture style instruction.....  

While there are exceptions to this rule - thank goodness - they are not as prevalent as we would like.  Part of the reason for this is we, as educators, teach the way we were taught.  Most teachers were successful as students in traditional school and it worked for them.  You repeat what you know and what you think will continue to work.  Same reason that most parents "parent" their own children using the same methods that their parents used.  It is familiar.  What you know.

After being out of the classroom for a while, I was able to observe many different teachers in their classrooms and see wonderful strategies at work.  The world of pedagogy opened up to me!  I became a much better educator because my "toolkit" had been filled with many other tools as a result of observing a multitude of teachers.  I learned so much - different ways to relate to kids, various instructional methodologies, effective collaboration and group work, different strategies for classroom management, effective methods for beginning and ending a lesson, how to get students to reflect on their learning, how to get students more engaged and take a greater responsibility in their own learning....  I could go on and on.

In my role as an administrator, I had the privilege to learn from so many differing classroom environments.  As a result, when I worked with teachers I had more and better ideas to suggest they try for a variety of situations they were experiencing in their classrooms.

Sadly, the thought that kept coming to my mind was, "I wish I had known all this when I was a teacher!"  If I had the opportunity to visit classrooms while I was a teacher, I would have seen things teachers were doing effectively in their classroom and then tweak my instruction, which would have ultimately benefited my students.  Of course this was still in the days before the internet, Twitter, YouTube.... so resources were much more limited than today.

When I first began teaching, each teacher was considered an island.  You closed your door and taught your class however you saw fit.  No one shared lessons, ideas or planned lessons together.  Also the environment fostered this "each teacher as an island" concept.  Teachers wanted to be the "best teacher in the building," and if they shared their lessons, assessments, etc, they would run the risk of losing their title in the school and community.  

Now, with the shift to "Professional Learning Communities," collaboration and sharing is the expectation.  This model benefits children tremendously because when teachers share lessons and strategies - ALL the teachers get better.  As the teachers get better, instruction gets better, learning deepens, and students benefit.  Win - Win!

Today, teacher-seekers have a vast number of resources they can use to improve their craft - Twitter, Pinterest, Blogs, YouTube, TED Talks......  Those who want to get better need only connect to a device to find new and innovative ways to change their instruction and meet the needs of all learners in their classroom.  I love the #obersveme movement and its push to get teachers to learn from each other as they visit each other's classrooms.  This needs to be the norm and not the exception.  

As educators, we must continue to challenge the "status quo" of schooling.  We want Rip Van Winkle to wake up in a modern school and be totally disoriented!