Vol.12, 11, No. Vol. No.33
principal
Navigator the magazine of the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators
INSIDE: Check out this special edition of our magazine, as we preview the 60th Annual Professional Conference: ENGAGE. EMPOWER. EDUCATE. #Innovation: Turn It Up! The conference takes place June 14–16, 2017, at Hilton Columbus at Easton. Look for the BLUE gear inside for conference-related material. 1
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Executive Director’s Exchange Dear Colleagues, Welcome to the spring issue of the Principal Navigator. This edition previews our 60th annual professional conference—ENGAGE. EMPOWER. EDUCATE. Thanks to all of your wonderful submissions, this is our biggest issue yet, filled with bright ideas for administrators and teachers about innovation in our schools. Many of the articles were written by clinic presenters at our conference, so if you enjoy their articles, be sure to sign up for their respective clinics (session information is included with participating articles). More than any other edition to date, this one has something for everyone. If you don’t have time to get through the entire issue before school’s out, it will make great summer reading. Are you using Makerspace in your school? Felecia Evans makes the case for Makerspace in her article by answering the questions “How do we prepare children for a future that does not yet exist? How can we prepare our students for the challenges of a rapidly changing world?” In her article, “Aspire to Inspire,” Dr. Jamie Hollinger explains how her school is using Makerspace to improve students’ 21st Century skills. To learn more, sign up for her clinic. Several authors gave us some great ideas to use in the classroom. Teacher Katie Hudson writes about how her kindergartners taught her about blended learning, while principal Melanie Pearn and second grade teacher Stephanie Ward wrote about innovative off-site classrooms they have for elementary students in Mentor Exempted Village Schools. They also list some of their favorite apps for math, reading, and assessments. Wendy Sadd explains how to facilitate critical thinking in students. All of these authors are presenting at the conference—check out their sessions on the same topics listed above. Others wrote about techniques to use school and district wide. Stacy Sims shares how her program, Mindful Musical Moments, helps students practice mindfulness by listening to music just a few minutes a day, typically during the morning announcements. David Martin details how his school has incorporated technology into the curriculum, and Jeffrey Williams reports on technology in his two elementaries as well. Jill Abraham shares how Dublin City Schools are growing thinkers, and Bob Buck and his team at Forest Hills tell us about their success with student-led conferences. Dr. Bobby Moore, from Battelle for Kids, informs us about best practices for school scheduling in his article “Don’t Tell Me What’s Important; Show Me What’s Important!” Speaking of what’s important, Dr. Nick Neiderhouse shares how his school spent Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. They didn’t just take a day “off,” like most schools do, but they used the holiday to help others and give back to the community. Three authors focused on useful tips for specifically for administrators. Paul Young delves into the mindsets necessary for navigating the principalship. Janet Dehmer writes about how administrators can help their teachers survive and thrive. And in his article, Tim Kozar shares how to turn it up in your first year as principal. The above paragraphs reflect the feature articles in the issue, but they don’t cover everything. We are also highlighting OAESA board member, Timothy Barton, who is the current Zone 10 Director. He will assume the role of National Association of Elementary School Administrators (NAESP) Representative in the upcoming school year. Tiffany Selm, a Forest Hills assistant principal’s heartfelt article shares her experience at OAESA’s AP Academy (if you are interested in attending one, check out Tiffany’s article for details). SAIL for Education’s Dr. Becky Hornberger writes about PBIS and how to design positive behavior programs that support all students. Barb Rickenbacker, a regional coach for the Ohio Ready Schools Initiative, documents the latest Northeast Regional meeting, hosted by Hudson Schools and featuring excellent programming for early childhood educators and community leaders. OAESA’s associate executive director gives us lots to think about in his article “The Fourth ‘E’” as he examines discrepancies in teacher ratings in Ohio’s largest school districts. Dr. Pat Farrenkopf explores the new Ohio gifted standards, and OAESA legal counsel, Dennis Pergram, outlines your rights and the school board’s obligations concerning a nonrenewal. Have you heard of Lindsay’s Law? The Ohio Department of Health team, Ann Connelly and Joan Keith, explain this law and how its enactment has helped prevent student cardiac arrest. Three OAESA authors are featured in the Sorry…We’re Booked section. We also thank our service team members for their good work this year and share OAESA news on our chalkboard. Finally, we asked members about their favorite part of our annual conference in the Tell Us Your Story feature. And on that note, please join us for the upcoming conference. If you enjoy this issue of the magazine, you’ll love the programming we’ve scheduled with you in mind. With dozens of clinics to choose from, three top-notch keynotes on innovation and technology, and plenty of opportunities for networking with colleagues and your team, our conference is the place to be—June 14–16, 2017, at the Hilton Columbus at Easton. For more information, see the ad on p. 19 for more details, and register online at www.oaesa.org/E3.asp. I hope to see you there! Sincerely,
Julie Davis, EdD OAESA Executive Director
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FEATURE STORIES 12 LEADING THE WAY:
Facilitate Critical Thinking in Every Lesson
Wendy Sadd How often are your students engaged in critical thinking during the school day? Learn how to incorporate critical thinking into each lesson in this article.
28 MINDFUL MUSIC MOMENTS
Stacy Sims
This innovative school program helps students practice mindfulness by combining music with the morning announcements.
44 MINDSETS FOR NAVIGATING THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE PRINCIPALSHIP Paul G. Young, PhD
Veteran author Dr. Paul Young explains the optimal mindsets necessary for overcoming the many challenges of being an administrator.
64 OUR TECHNOLOGY STORY Jeffrey Williams A principal writes about his district's shared technology teacher, Mrs. Brannon, who creates an atmosphere of discovery and fun for her students.
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DON'T TELL ME WHAT'S IMPORTANT: SHOW ME WHAT'S IMPORTANT Bobby Moore, EdD
ALL I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT BLENDED LEARNING, I Learned from My Kindergartners
The author of this article from Battelle for Kids tells how to design a school schedule that effectively supports teaching and student learning.
In this delightful article, a kindergarten teacher shares her surprising success in implementing blended learning with very young learners.
32 CATALYST FOR LEARNING Melanie Pearn & Stephanie Ward A principal and teacher team write about Mentor Schools' state-of-the-art, innovative classrooms, Catalyst and Catalyst North.
50 WE GROW THINKERS! Jill Abraham Dublin City Schools is committed to empowering and engaging its students as THINKERS. Read about their journey in this reflective article.
66 TURNING A DAY OFF INTO A DAY ON!
Nick Neiderhouse, EdD Read about what Wayne Trail Elementary did on their MLK, Jr. Day this year. It wasn't just another day off for these students who learned the value of serving others.
Katie Hudson
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THE CASE FOR MAKERSPACE Felecia Evans Lander Elementary, a K–5 school, recently enacted a Makerspace for their students to explore all of the STEAM concepts, together in one place.
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CONQUERING THE ELEPHANT IN THE CLASSROOM... Empowering Teachers to Survive and Thrive
Janet Dehmer
The author explains how administrators can help teachers effectively manage their classrooms and assist them to succeed in the profession.
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HOW TO #TURN IT UP! IN YOUR FIRST YEAR Tim Kozak A new administrator shares his strategies for success in the critical first year of the principalship in this motivational article.
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ASPIRE TO INSPIRE
ENGAGE AND EMPOWER
Your Students through a Student-Led Innovation Conference at Your School!
Jamie Hollinger, EdD In this article, the author tells us about her school's experience with Makerspace and how her students have become "makers of their own knowledge."
Bob Buck, Brian Lyons, Christine McCormick, & Angie Garber This article from the Forest Hills School District features photos and inspirational ideas about student-led conferences.
OAESA is now accepting articles for the Fall 2017 issue of the magazine. The theme is Arts in Education, and we want to hear about dance, theater, design, literature, media, and visual arts in your school! We publish a variety of styles, from a well-researched, data-packed piece to a conversational story about your experiences. We prefer articles of 1500 words or less. Submissions are due June 20, 2017. Contact our editor at navigator@oaesa.org with interest or for questions.
ENGAGE. EMPOWER. EDUCATE. About the Navigator Editorial Service Team
Luna Alsharaiha, Columbus Diocese Julie Kenney, South-Western City Schools Brynn Morgan, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools Nick Niederhouse, EdD, Maumee City Schools Kirk Pavelich, North Royalton City Schools Jen Schwanke, Dublin City Schools Dan Sebring, Bay Village City Schools Jeromey Sheets, EdD, Lancaster City Schools Paul Young, PhD, retired Stephen Zinser, retired
OAESA/SAIL Staff
Julie Davis, EdD, Executive Director Mark Jones, Associate Executive Director Nancy Abrams, Business Manager Donna Ball, Special Projects Coordinator Melissa Butsko, Director of Operations Rebecca Hornberger, PhD, Department Chair, SAIL for Education KT Hughes Crandall, Communications Specialist Kimberly McNeal, Office Assistant Abigail Smith, Editor, Principal Navigator Zana Vincent, Ohio Ready Schools Project Manager
Vol. 12, No.3
In Every Issue
3 Executive Director’s Exchange Julie Davis, EdD
6 Highlighting a Board Member Tim Barton, Zone 10 Director
8 OAESA Board of Directors 2016–17 10 SAIL for Education
PBIS at Its Best: Designing Behavior Programs That Support All Students
Rebecca Hornberger, PhD
16 Assistant Principals Corner
My Experience: OAESA's Assistant Prinicipals Academy Tiffany Selm
22 Ohio Ready Schools Initiative
Northeast Ready Schools Enjoy a Successful Regional Meeting Barb Rickenbacker
30 Elementary Essentials
Incorporating Technology into the Curriculum David Martin, PhD
36 Legal Report
The School Board's Obligations & Your Rights in Connection with a Nonrenewal
Dennis Pergram Unless otherwise noted, all articles published in the Principal Navigator become the property of OAESA and may not be reprinted without permission from OAESA. The articles published in the Principal Navigator represent the ideas and/or beliefs of the authors and do not necessarily express the views of OAESA unless so stated. Advertising inquiries should be directed to OAESA by phone at 614.547.8087 or by e-mailing info@oaesa.org.
42 From OAESA's Associate Executive Director
The Principal Navigator (ISSN 1088-078X) is published three times per school year by OAESA, 445 Hutchinson Ave., Suite 700, Columbus, Ohio, 43235. Subscriptions are available only as part of membership. Periodical postage paid at Columbus, Ohio, and additional mailing offices.
54 Health Issues
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Principal Navigator 445 Hutchinson Ave., Suite 700 Columbus, Ohio 43235 OAESA is affiliated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP).
Evaluate: The Fourth "E" Mark Jones
48 Legislative Matters
The Mirror of Erised: Power in the General Education Classroom Patricia Farrenkopf, EdD
53 The OAESA Chalkboard
News from the association Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Ann Connelly and Joan Keith
59 Tell Us Your Story...
What's your favorite part of OAESA's professional conference?
60 Thank You to OAESA's 2016–17 Service Team Members! 69 Sorry...We're Booked
We reviewed books written by OAESA members!
70 Welcome OAESA's New Members! 5
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Highlighting a Board Member TIMOTHY BARTON
OAESA Zone 10 Director Galloway Ridge Intermediate Tell us a little about your background and current job.
I am in the midst of my 36th year in education. I was a classroom teacher for ten years and, in that time period, taught all of the content subject areas. For the last 26 years, I have been a building principal, either at the elementary or middle school level. Currently, I am serving the South-Western City School District as principal of Galloway Ridge Intermediate School. I graduated from The Ohio State University where I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education and education administration. I hold permanent teaching and principal licenses, as well as a five-year superintendent license.
What prompted you to choose education as a career?
I became interested in teaching after I graduated from high school. I started to coach football initially after graduation and realized that I loved working with young adults. Soon after high school graduation, I also played adult softball with a team that was predominately teachers, and this piqued my interest in the teaching profession.
What is your most memorable moment as a student? Teacher? Administrator?
Student: I was struggling in math, and in fourth grade, a teacher reached out to me. I became a confident student after working with her. Teacher: As a beginning teacher, I had a student in my self-contained classroom who was off the charts in terms of academic excellence. I was struggling as to what to do with him. I eventually collaborated with the family and used his excellence to help me reach other students, and to this day, I am still very close to him and his family. Administrator: As a middle school principal, the events surrounding September 11, 2001, were the most challenging, as many of my parents traveled to Washington, DC, and New York on a daily basis. The day was extremely hectic and emotional as we worked with students and families.
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If you weren’t a principal, what profession would you have chosen?
If I were not a principal, I would have been either a law enforcement officer or a lawyer. Both of those careers were of great interest to me, and to this day, I watch any television show that involves the police and/or lawyers. When I was younger, I could not join the police force as there was a height requirement! How things have changed!
If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be, and why?
Compassionate: I really care about the students, families, and staff members. I want them to be successful, and I feel that I can put myself in their shoes. Fun-Loving: I want my students, staff, and family to have fun each and every day. Before my son or daughter competed, either at the high school or collegiate level, my last words were always “Have fun!” Reliable: When I work with my superiors, colleagues, or teachers, they know they can count on me.
What accomplishments are you most proud of—in school and outside of school?
In school: I was named the Ohio Educational Library Media Association (OELMA) Administrator of the Year. Outside of school: My wife and I raised a daughter and a son who are extremely compassionate toward others, are strong in their faith, and have graduated from college with a perfect 4.0. Additionally they attended Division 1 schools and were captains of their respective sport teams— cheerleading and swimming.
How long have you been on the OAESA Board of Directors? Tell us about the roles you have assumed and what your duties have been in each.
Tim's Favorites: Activity at the Professional Conference: I love to meet and talk to other colleagues about the sessions they have attended and how they might put what they learned into practice. Experience on the OAESA Board: I am a people person. I enjoy meeting the many diverse principals and administrators throughout the state of Ohio and spending time with them in a social, collaborative manner. Part of your job: The best part of my job is working with teachers and staff members and developing leadership skills that will enable them to help students grow and learn. Pastime or hobby: In the past, I have enjoyed watching sports— especially football. Recently, I have been looking forward to golf once a week with other administrators. I also look forward to watching some of my favorite television shows with my wife or taking a walk. Way to spend a Saturday: On Saturdays, I stay around the house mowing the lawn or completing other tasks, followed by watching a game. I end the day by going out to dinner with my wife.
I have been on the board for nine years. I am the zone 10 director and recently have been elected to the position of NAESP representative beginning July of 2017. I have co-chaired the membership service team, read nominations/applications for outstanding schools [Hall of Fame School candidates] and outstanding principals [National Distinguished Principal] and assistant principals [Outstanding Assistant Principal]. I have also conducted interviews and made site visits for all of these awards. In addition, I worked with the state to develop guidelines for safe schools as a member of OAESA. Representing OAESA, I also wrote exemplar administrative SLOs.
This issue previews OAESA’s 60th Annual Professional Conference with the theme ENGAGE. EMPOWER. EDUCATE. and a focus on innovation. Tell us about an innovative initiative/practice at your school.
Currently, our fifth grade math teachers have developed a plan where students’ strengths and weaknesses are identified, and all of these students are provided a 45-minute intervention time four days a week. This enables us to enrich students and address struggling students. This period is in addition to their regularly scheduled time period and is flexible so that both teachers and students move from one area of expertise to another. Also, as this is my second year in the building, I work with a representative group of students on a monthly basis to evoke student initiatives. One of our accomplishments has been a change in student lunchtime seating. The students have transitioned from an assigned-seating arrangement to an open student choice. The students are also in the midst of a trial period to permit the chewing of gum.
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Board of Directors 2016–17 Executive Board PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT- ELECT
Stephanie Klingshirn
Melanie Pearn
Mississinawa Valley Elementary 10480 Staudt Rd. Union City, OH 45390 937.968.4464
stephanie_klingshirn@mississinawa.org
Fairfax Elementary 6465 Curtiss Ct. Mentor, OH 44060 440.255.7223 pearn@mentorschools.org
PAST PRESIDENT
NAESP REP
FEDERAL RELATIONS
Heidi Kegley
Jeromey Sheets, EdD
Aretha Dixon-Paydock
Frank B. Willis Intermediate 74 W. William St. Delaware, OH 43015 740.833.1700
kegleyhe@delawarecityschools.net
Lancaster City Schools 345 E. Mulberry Street Lancaster, OH 43130 740.681.7676 j_sheets@lancaster.k12.oh.us
The Arts Academy at Summit 1100 10th St. NW Canton, OH 44703 330.452.6537 paydock_a@ccsdistrict.org
Zone Directors ZONE 1 DIRECTOR
ZONE 2 DIRECTOR
Scott Martin
David Winebrenner
Northwest Elementary 4738 Henley Deemer Rd. McDermott, OH 45652 740.259.2250 Scott.Martin@nwmohawks.net
South Lebanon Elementary 50 Ridgeview Lane Maineville, OH 45039 513.459.2916 dwinebrenner@kingslocal.net
ZONE 3 DIRECTOR
Cathryn Petticrew
Tecumseh Elementary 1058 Old Springfield Pike Xenia, OH 45385 937.372.3321 cpettic@gmail.com
ZONE 6 DIRECTOR
ZONE 7 DIRECTOR
ZONE 8 DIRECTOR
Erin Simpson
Abbey Bolton
Susanne Waltman
Overlook Elementary 650 Broad St. Wadsworth, OH 44281 330.335.1420
esimpson@wadsworthschools.org
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Davey Elementary 196 N. Prospect St. Kent, OH 44240 330.676.7400 ke_abolton@kentschools.net
Strausser Elementary 8646 Strausser St. Massillon, OH 44646 330.830.8056 sew2jc@jackson.sparcc.org
ZONE 4 DIRECTOR
Jane Myers
Defiance Elementary 400 Carter Rd. Defiance, OH 43512 419.785.2260 jmyers@defcity.org
ZONE 9 DIRECTOR
Steven Foreman
Zanesville City Schools 956 Moxahala Ave. Zanesville, OH 43701 740.588.5539 foreman@zanesville.k12.oh.us
ZONE 5 DIRECTOR
Jonathan Muro
Madison Middle School 1419 Grace St. Mansfield, OH 44905 419.522.0471 jmuro@mlsd.net
ZONE 10 DIRECTOR
Timothy Barton
Galloway Ridge Intermediate 122 Galloway Rd. Galloway, OH 43119 614.801.8850 timothy.barton@swcsd.us
Board Representatives CENTRAL OFFICE
ASST. PRINCIPAL
Daniel Graves
Stephanie Morton
Columbus City Schools 270 E. State St. Columbus, OH 43215 614.365.8951 dgraves@columbus.k12.oh.us
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Jason Fife
Westfall Middle School 19545 Pherson Pike Williamsport, OH 43164 740.986.2941 jfife@westfallschools.org
WANT
TO GET INVOLVED?
Joseph M. Gallagher 6601 Franklin Blvd. Cleveland, OH 44102 216.961.0057
stephanie.morton@clevelandmetroschools.org
CLEVELAND DISTRICT
Gretchen Liggens
Walton Pre-K–8 School 3409 Walton Ave. Cleveland, OH 44113 216.838.7500
gretchen.liggens@clevelandmetroschools.org
MINORITY
Asia Armstrong
Worthington Park Elementary 500 Park Rd. Westerville, OH 43081 614.450.5500 aarmstrong@wscloud.org
COLUMBUS DISTRICT
April Knight
Avondale Elementary 141 Hawkes Columbus, OH 43222 614.365.6511 aknight@columbus.k12.oh.us
Zone Map
OAESA is looking for a Zone 9 Director. How about you? We also need district liaisons (DLs) all across the state. We have 133 right now. Is your district represented? Contact your zone director or call the office at 614.547.8087 for more info. Sign up to be a DL online at
oaesa.org/district_liaisons.asp. 9
PBIS AT ITS BEST:
Designing Behavior Programs That Support All Students by Rebecca Hornberger, PhD
Why PBIS? Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a school-wide approach to behavior management that proactively supports students in learning and practicing positive behaviors throughout the school environment. In fact, PBIS is the only behavioral support program that is specifically addressed in federal law. The rationale for using PBIS is due to clear and conclusive research findings that the appropriate implementation of PBIS programs leads to improved behavioral outcomes for all students (OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, 2017). According to Horner, Sugai, and Lewis (2015), “A major focus for current policy and systems change efforts in education and mental health is the extent to which states are investing in practices and procedures that are supported by rigorous research evidence. Evidence-based practices have been demonstrated in formal research studies to be related to valued outcomes for children and their families.” In my experience, in order to develop a comprehensive and effective PBIS program that yields positive outcomes, all school stakeholders must work together and share a collective commitment to the program as a whole, while also addressing specific key areas that are the cornerstones of an effective school-wide PBIS program. Start at the Beginning: Clarify Behavior Expectations The first step in developing a program that will be effective for your school is to take a look at what you already have in place. With change being the only constant in our schools right now, the more that you can integrate PBIS strategies into existing school-wide practices, the better. For example, in my school, we already had a school-wide pledge we recited daily. Our PBIS team developed our three school-wide behavior expectations from that pledge so that our students and teachers did not feel as if these expectations were just a passing fad. Simonsen, Sugai, and Negron (2008) noted, “The expectations, or rules, should be broad enough to encompass the majority of desired behavior and be mutually exclusive” (i.e., they should not overlap). For instance, the expectations Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible are broad enough to prompt all desired behavior, and most individual behaviors fit within only one of the expectations” (p. 35). Once these general expectations have been clarified, an important next step is to create a behavior matrix that specifically sets forth what these behavior expectations look like in all environments in the school. For example, what does being respectful look like in the cafeteria line? There are many examples of these behavior matrices online that you can use as a starting point. Finally, build excitement about the expectations throughout your school. Create a logo, mascot, or illustration that includes your behavior expectations, and display these in every common area so that students have continuous reminders of these non-negotia-
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ble behavioral expectations. A free resource that provides a wealth of information about all aspects of implementing an effective PBIS program is the PBIS World website (http://www.pbisworld.com/). There, you will find resources for all aspects of PBIS programs, including trouble-shooting behavioral issues at all levels of support. One very important aspect of clarifying behavior expectations is directly teaching these expectations at the beginning of the year and providing refresher lessons as needed throughout the school year. We did this by creating funny yet informative videos that featured students and teachers demonstrating the expectations in every area of the school. Our students watched these videos at the beginning of the school year and then again at a midyear pep rally assembly. We also showed the videos to new students as part of an orientation session that helped them know what was expected in their new school. We even created subsequent videos for school bus and bus stop expectations because this format was so popular with our students. Design Systems for Success: Three Tiers of Intervention One of the hallmarks of PBIS is the tiers of intervention that provide supports for all students based on their needs. Just like any other structure of support, a successful PBIS program is built upon a firm primary foundation. Tier 1 supports provide this foundation in that they are behavioral strategies that are provided to ALL students throughout the school. I recommend focusing on developing these supports first prior to shifting the focus to the development of Tier 2 and 3 supports. The success of the rest of the school-wide program very much depends on the effective implementation of this primary level of support. In my school, our team started by identifying current practices that were already in place and were provided to all students. This included such things as the bucket-filler program; student of the month and other school-wide recognitions; guidance lessons; and school-wide, nonverbal cues and signals that were consistently implemented by the entire school staff. We also added some additional creative ideas throughout the years, such as Spirit Stick incentives (http://www.spiritmonkey.com) and the Watch Dog Dads program (http://www.fathers.com/watchdogs/). We even started a Safe Play Days incentive program, in which students accrued days that were tracked on a large bulletin board in the cafeteria each time there were no major incidents on the playground. We set goals for safe play days as a school, and the student body earned school-wide rewards when these goals were reached. This is an example of a school-wide support that is positive and proactive in preventing negative behaviors within the entire student population. Once our firm foundation of Tier 1 supports were built, we were able to focus in on the next level of support—Tier 2 interventions. Tier 2 interventions are provided to students whose behavior warrants addi-
tional support; typically, this encompasses about 5–10 percent of the student population. The decision to move a student to a higher level of support should be made by the PBIS team and should be based on behavioral data that had been collected over a period of time. There are many ways to accurately track behavioral data in order to provide effective interventions. I used SWIS (https://www.pbisapps.org/ Pages/Default.aspx) to track behavioral data in my building because I particularly liked that this system allowed me to track where, when, why, and with whom specific behaviors occurred. I could also print out all behavioral information for use during monthly PBIS meetings. Alternatively, these essential aspects of behavioral tracking can be easily built into a Google Form or other tracking method.
(https://www.pacificnwpublish.com/products/Meaningful-Work.html). Finally, for approximately 1–5 percent of the student population, Tier 3 supports may become necessary over the course of a school year. These supports are highly individualized, based on student needs that have been identified by careful and thorough data tracking and observation. At this level of support, I needed to work very closely with all members of the PBIS team, with the student’s teachers, and with the family in order to put into place effective Tier 3 supports. These supports often involved more intensive and combined use of various Tier 2 strategies, the use of one-on-one mentorship programs, and various consistently implemented methods of de-escalation. One resource that I found invaluable was Loman and Borgmeier’s Practical Functional Behavior Assessment (http://www.pbis.org/common/cms/files/ pbisresources/practicalfba_trainingmanual.pdf). The Practical Functional Behavior Assessment differs from a Comprehensive Functional Behavior Assessment in that it can be used with students who exhibit moderate behaviors that are occurring consistently in multiple settings yet are not at the level requiring a Comprehensive Functional Behavior Assessment conducted by a school psychologist or other behavior professional (Loman & Borgmeier).
The primary program that I found to be most effective with my Tier 2 students was Check-In/Check-Out. This Tier 2 support system involves pairing a student with a staff member who provides daily behavioral support and feedback, positive adult interaction, and increased collaboration with families. The book, Responding to Problem Behavior in Schools, by Crone, Hawken, and Horner (2010) is a great resource to assist your school in implementing Check-In/ Check-Out as a Tier 2 support. I would also recommend engaging By working together with a committed team of educators, effective and wellstudents in meaningful work within the school as another option planned PBIS programs can provide students with appropriate levels of supfor Tier 2 support. “Meaningful work focuses on changing student port to ensure that high-quality and safe learning environments are present behavior in the school environment. This positive behavior sup- in every area of the school and at all times throughout the school day. It port helps students with a history of misbehavior and school failure should be recognized that effective PBIS programs are built and continuousbecome contributing members of their schools” (Wise, Marcum, ly improved upon over the long term. Although these programs require hard Harkin, Sprick, and Sprick, 2011). A supporting text for this Tier work and the commitment of all stakeholders, the pay-off for our students is 2 support is available through the Safe and Civil Schools website substantial, and our kids are well worth the effort! References Horner, Sugai, & Lewis. OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (2017). Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports [website]. Retrieved from http”://www.pbis.org. Loman & Borgmeier. Practical Functional Behavioral Assessment Training Manual for School-Based Personnel. Retrieved from http://www.pbis.org/ common/cms/files/pbisresources/practicalfba_trainingmanual.pdf. OSEP Technical Assistance Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (2017). Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports [website]. Retrieved from http://www.pbis.org. Simonsen, Sugai, & Negron. (2008). “Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports Primary Systems and Practices.” Teaching Exceptional Children, Vol. 40, No. 6, pp. 32–40. Wise, Marcum, Harkin, Sprick, & Sprick, (2011). Meaningful Work: Changing Student Behavior with School Jobs. Pacific Northwest Publishing.
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LEADING THE WAY:
FACILITATE CRITICAL THINKING IN EVERY LESSON by Wendy Sadd
Take a moment to reflect on the amount of time students in your building are actively engaged in critical thinking throughout the school day. In what ways are they asked to think critically? How often are they asked probing questions to reveal and extend their underlying thinking? How often are students provided opportunities to collaborate around their interpretations and perspectives as well as to build off of one another’s thinking? How often do they engage in productive struggle? I ask “how often” because, as 21st Century educators, we know that critical thinking should lie at the heart of our instructional practice. However, the need for critical thinking to take precedence in our classrooms is easy to agree upon in theory but more difficult to put into practice. Although we know it must take place, how can we, as educators, begin to shift our instructional stance from an omniscient superpower to the skilled facilitator capable of provoking complex thought and discourse among our students? And if we allow students to think for themselves, how can we guarantee they will “get” the information they need, especially in a high-stakes educational paradigm? Truth being told, students are ultimately the ones who decide what gets learned. We can tell them what they need to learn, but that doesn’t foster the internalization and transfer of thinking and learning. Students need to be actively engaged in the work they are asked to do. They must be emotionally invested and feel a sense of connectedness to their teacher, peers, and content. The techniques described below can help facilitate that process of creating an environment conducive to the development of critical thinking skills. The facilitation techniques in this article are going to surprise you; in fact, they are common techniques that you probably learned in Teaching 101. They are often forgotten, utilized improperly and/or unintentionally, or used in isolation. However, the synergy of these six techniques, when used properly with intention, provides a powerful tool for educators to foster an environment that invokes critical and divergent thinking among students at every grade level.
learning-oriented classrooms. In work-oriented classrooms, teachers focus on the task students are asked to complete and ask questions such as “Are you finished?” “Who has the answer to number 8?” “What should you have gotten for that answer?” Richart emphasizes that “in learning-oriented classrooms, students and teachers focus their attention on the learning as the priority, letting the work exist in context and serve the learning.” I propose we do the same with questioning our students. Ask open-ended questions that create curiosity, push students’ thinking, call for deep reflection, and serve the learning. Peter Brunn, author of the Lesson Planning Handbook, mentions “the problems we face in the real world have no clear-cut answer so we must place “thinking” at the forefront of our facilitation.” Facilitating critical thinking through the use of open-ended questioning is less about delivering content and more about moving people’s thinking. For example, instead of teaching vocabulary by rote memorization of word lists, engage students in a series of open-ended questions and conversation that provoke critical thinking: • Why did the author choose to use the word _____? • What other word/s could the author have used in its place? • How might that alter your interpretation of the text?
Wait Time
Did you realize that a teacher’s average wait time is nine-tenths of a second? If students do not produce a response within that time frame, we, as educators, often feel uncomfortable so rephrase the question, scaffold the question, ask another question, or repeat the question an infinite number of times until someone or something responds. And FACILITATION TECHNIQUES if they don’t? We answer the question for them. As Peter Brunn obOpen-Ended Questions serves, “Giving students the answer elicits no sense making on the Robert Richart, in his book Creating Cultures of Thinking, points out part of the learner.” the difference in questions asked in work-oriented classrooms and
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Peter Johnson refers to this critical wait time as “thinking time,” in his book Choice Words. Although wait time may seem trivial, his research shows that extending thinking time is aligned with more student talk for a sustained period of time and allows for students to engage in higher-order thinking. We need to become comfortable with silence. In fact, if it begins to feel slightly awkward, you’re doing it correctly. Be consciously aware of the amount of wait time you use with each question to allow all students equity of access to engage in productive struggle and critical thought. Collaborative Structures: Robert Richart refers to conversation as, “a medium that brings us into contact with the thinking and perspective of others and thus fosters new insight.” Using collaborative structures, such as “Think-PairShare” and “Turn to Your Partner,” to foster conversation, as an integral part of your daily lessons, allows students to hone their listening skills, to analyze different perspectives, challenge their own ideas and the ideas of their peers, and practice using evidence to support their claims. Although sometimes intentional pairing is necessary, regularly give students the opportunity to work with random partners/groups with whom they might not typically work. There are a multitude of benefits to random pairing: hearing perspectives they might not otherwise have encountered, promoting the necessity to problem-solve, building new relationships, respectfully disagreeing, reaching decisions through consensus, and learning to suspend judgment. When using collaborative structures such as Think-Pair-Share, it is important to remember a few key points. Think means utilizing sufficient (and sometimes uncomfortable!) wait time. To facilitate this think time for students in the primary grades, we often put our forefingers to our temples as we say the word think to give a visual clue that it is silent time to generate a thoughtful answer and not impulsively shout out the first idea that comes to mind. For the sake of time management, consider asking only one or two students to share with the whole group.
Valuing Student Thinking
I had the pleasure of listening to Peter Brunn speak at a conference about the importance of valuing student thinking. During that talk, he mentioned that answers students give are products of their thinking. As facilitators of student learning, we need to provide them opportunities to uncover and expose their thoughts through writing and conversation. We need to take time to move beyond a surface-level answer and probe for deeper understanding and clarity of thought. Asking probing questions to extend and expose students’ underlying thinking is at the heart of critical thinking. Questions you might choose to ask include: • • • • • • • •
What do you think? Why do you think that? How do you know this? What evidence do you have? Can you say more about that? What questions do you still have? What is an example of that? What might that look, sound, or feel like?
Valuing student thinking requires active listening on the part of the facilitator and the ability to make in-the-moment decisions about which questions to probe. Keep in mind the objectives for your lesson and the purpose of the discussion, and choose to probe with questions that have the potential to deepen the learning of all students.
Connect Student Thinking
Most of the time when we ask students open-ended questions, they will offer their thoughts and ideas in isolation of one another. They must be explicitly taught how to connect their thinking and by facilitating conversations in this way, they will grow to understand and appreciate the power of collective thought. One technique to foster the connectivity of thought is posting discussion prompts, having students practice using these prompts, and adding to the list and complexity of prompts as time progresses over the course of the year. The following are suggested prompts you might choose to use:
Turn to Your Partner is another simple yet effective collaborative structure that allows students time to process information they just • I agree with ____ because _____. learned. After asking an open-ended question to elicit deep conver• I disagree with _____ because ______. sation and prior to having students turn to their partners for a dis• In addition to what ____ said I think _____. cussion, give the students ample wait time to generate a response so • In connection to what _____ is saying ______. that they have valued thoughts to offer the conversation. Often, we are • I hear you saying _______ is that correct? afraid to use this structure, especially in the primary and elementary • I understand what _____ is saying because ______. grades because students might get off task. However, I can guarantee • ______ comment makes me think __________. that if this collaborative structure is used regularly, and students are offered a sufficient amount of wait time, students at any grade level You might also choose to ask open-ended questions to help students will be able to engage in meaningful and productive discourse. connect their thoughts, such as: The other aspect of Turn to Your Partner is to have the students physically turn their bodies toward one another, knee to knee, and look at each other when they are speaking. This process needs to be explicitly modeled, taught, and reviewed across the school year. Finally, after students have had a minute or two to discuss the proposed question, try asking the class the following questions: “What did you learn from your partner? What did your partner say? What suggestions did your partner offer?” These questions help hold students accountable for listening to their partners and taking responsibity for their learning during that time.
• Do you agree or disagree with ____ ideas? Why? • What questions would you like to ask _____? • What would you like to add to what _____ said?
Neutral Stance
Taking a neutral stance can often be the most challenging for educators as we learned to praise students for their responses and contributions to a conversation in hopes to motivate other students to make their thinking visible through dialogue. However, praising students after they answer a question with comments such as “Awesome!” or “Great!” can continued on next page...
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...continued from previous page inhibit discussion; students may fear their comments will be judged against the response deemed awesome, and they might think there is nothing more to contribute. We can take a neutral and nonjudgmental stance by politely nodding, smiling, thanking them, or by asking, “What do others think about what _____ said?” This approach validates every students’ ideas and places emphasis on student thinking instead of the teacher’s opinion of a student’s thought. Which of these facilitation techniques do you currently use or see teachers using well with intention? Which of these are more challenging, and why? Which of these techniques might you like to focus on during your next staff meeting or lesson, and how will you use it with intention? Using all of these techniques in one lesson or staff meeting may seem overwhelming and mentally exhausting as it takes a conscious awareness to shift an instructional stance. Perhaps focus on one technique until you have it perfected and slowly add the others as they develop with automaticity and you begin to use them interdependently. Finally, how might you support your staff in making these necessary instructional shifts to become facilitators of critical thinking? Merely reading an article will not result in the transformation of practice. Teachers will need to be actively engaged in piloting these techniques. Therefore, I have outlined a clear-cut process to support and sustain this work across the building in every content area.
FACILITATION TECHNIQUES FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE: Building Teacher Capacity
Roland Barth once stated, “A good school for me is a place in which everyone is teaching and everyone is learning—simultaneously, under the same roof.” It is inspiring to have witnessed the propriety of his claim in schools across Ohio. Buildings that are deeply committed to engage collaboratively—and at all levels—in this work have experienced tremendous success. My question for you then becomes—how might principals facilitate collaborative, job-embedded professional learning to sustain the implementation of these facilitation techniques? The first step to this process stems from the Building Leadership’s commitment to donning the role of Lead Learner, to facilitate collaborative learning, foster building-wide transparency, nurture a conducive environment for teachers to take instructional risks, and provide continual pedagogical support to make this vision come to fruition. For what might seem a daunting task to begin, I have outlined a structure that we at Center for the Collaborative Classroom, a nonprofit professional learning organization, have successfully shared with schools across the country to support the transformation of teacher practice. 1. Principal, as Lead Learner, actively engages in deepening their understanding around facilitation techniques that foster critical thinking, reflects on current practices to build on existing strengths and acknowledge challenges, and al-
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locates time and funds to facilitate job-embedded learning for teachers to experience the instructional shifts necessary to sustain divergent thinking across the curriculum. (The prominent expenditure is the cost for sub coverage to allow teachers the opportunity to learn with and from one another.) 2. Provide professional learning time for teachers to reflect on current instructional practices they utilize to foster critical thinking. This can be done by posing a question and facilitating Think-Pair-Share. During the whole group discussion, ask probing questions to extend and connect teacher thinking. Questions to begin the professional dialog might be: What have you noticed about your facilitation of critical thinking? What has been going well? What has been challenging? 3. The Lead Learner then models the facilitation techniques, for teachers, by inviting them to engage in a lesson experience from the stance of an adult learner. This allows educators the opportunity to experience the same deep-level thinking they will be expecting from their students, understand how it feels to be engaged in this level of work, how it supports divergent thinking, and how it elevates commitment to change. 4. Devote time for teachers to collaboratively reflect on the lesson, facilitate the unpacking of each of the techniques, and formulate and commit to a plan for immediate application. 5. Teachers begin to implement the facilitation techniques into their daily practice. The Lead Learner supports this work by nurturing a supportive environment conducive to taking risks on the part of both the staff and students. 6. The Lead Learner takes an authentic interest in the staff ’s collective and generative learning by being present in classrooms across the building to watch the work unfold with students, learn from teachers, coach when necessary, find places that shine, and recognize and celebrate successes. During informal observations, the Lead Learner will identify classrooms in which the work is going well in order to leverage teacher efficacy and develop teacher leaders. It is important to note that these classrooms may vary, across the year, depending on the facilitation technique, fidelity and integrity of teacher implementation, and the rate of a teacher’s generative professional learning. Make teacher practice public by leveraging classrooms where the work is going well. Provide every teacher the opportunity to learn
from one another through classroom observations, recording and watching lessons of themselves and/or colleagues, and time for reflection and refinement of practice. Engage your BLT in a “Learning Walk” process. Learning Walks are very informal, nonthreating, nonjudgmental observations that focus on student thinking and learning across a building. The purpose of a Learning Walk is to collect student evidence of critical thinking in response to the facilitation techniques being utilized. Upon completion of the Learning Walks, the BLT would reflect, collaboratively, on building-wide strengths and identify an area of focus for future support (i.e., complexity of student-to-student conversation, the quality of student responses vs. variable wait time, students' ability to listen to and question one another for clarity, depth of perception, and connectivity of thinking). The BLT, through the facilitation of the Lead Learner, would devise an action plan to celebrate building-wide success and provide job-embedded professional learning focused on the identified area of need. This ongoing cycle of collaborative learning, modeling, observing, reflecting, celebrating, and engaging in job-embedded professional learning to support an identified area of refinement continues until the work is deeply seeded and woven into the fabric of teaching and learning across the building. I hope you will join us at the OAESA Professional Conference to embark on this journey in creating and sustaining a collaborative culture of critical thinking. Facilitating Critical Thinking in Every Lesson will provide both the experiences and tools you will need to begin the critical instructional shifts necessary to create a building-wide atmosphere of divergent and critical thinking. References Barth, R. (1990, July). A Personal Vision of a Good School, Phi Kappan 71 (7) p. 512-516. Brunn, P. ( 2010) The Lesson Planning Handbook. Broadway, NY: Scholastic. Richart, R. (2015) Creating Cultures of Thinking: The 8 Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools. Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Boss.
About the Author Wendy Sadd (wsadd@collaborativeclassroom.org; www.collaborativeclassroom.org) is an education consultant for the nonprofit organization Center for the Collaborative Classroom. She received her MEd from the University of Akron and has spent the last 17 years teaching, mentoring, coaching, and evaluating educators at the district and state level. If you'd like to know more about facilitating critical thinking, join Wendy at the professional conference. She will be presenting Facilitate Critical Thinking in Every Lesson on Thursday, June 15, at 2:15 p.m. We hope see you there!
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Assistant Principal's Corner
MY EXPERIENCE:
OAESA's Assistant Principals Academy by Tiffany Selm “And what sustains the leader? From what source comes the leader’s courage? The answer is love. Leaders are in love—in love with the people who do the work, with what their organizations produce, and with their customers,” is not only a quote from The Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes and Barry Posner but also defines my philosophy as an elementary school assistant principal thus far in my career. Five years ago, I was given the honor to serve Summit Elementary School in the Forest Hills School District as their assistant principal. I was completely terrified that I would not know what to do. But what would calm me in my greatest moments of fear—and still calms me today as Sherwood Elementary’s assistant principal—is that love conquers all. Recently, I was given another honor by being provided the opportunity to learn in OAESA’s AP Leadership Academy. Along with my fellow APs in our school district, we met four times this school year to reflect on our own philosophy and approach as well as learn from one another. The Leadership Challenge anchored our discussions. Our presenters led us through the five practices within this book:
Model the Way
Inspire a Shared Vision Challenge the Process Enable Others to Act Encourage the Heart
Each practice provided me an opportunity to stop and think about how I currently lead: Am I modeling the way? Do I challenge the process? I was embarrassed to admit that I could not confidently answer yes to each practice. In response, I took my “love conquers all, mindset and established a better understanding of each practice—one that I could easily apply in my daily role as an AP.
Model the Way
Before you can model the way for your staff, you must clarify your values and set the example. You must really know yourself. I tend to be a “yes” person and often find myself overwhelmed with all of the commitments I have agreed to. Furthermore, I have noticed that I will apologize for myself—for me being me. I know this about myself and as part of the reflective work done in the AP Leadership Academy, I developed a list of my core values, which are: family first, inspire others to act (students, staff, etc.), and be mindful of the “entire child.” I have found that a manageable list is a minimum of three values—but no more than five. When I am confronted with future commitments, I am comforted that I can refer to my core values to confidently, politely say no without apology. By doing so, I will set the example for my staff of truly “walking the walk, instead of talking the talk” of what I prioritize and what I care for.
Inspire a Shared Vision
For a shared vision to be truly shared, you must take the time to envision the future and enlist others. I struggle with this—all of this. I have not reached master-visionary status yet. Furthermore, I enjoy completing tasks on my own. To manage my natural instinct to want to check off the boxes of the to-do list independently, I seek out visionary administrators to learn from their experiences. I strive to meet with at least one fellow administrator once a month. This meeting could be as simple as a phone call to get ideas of how they are continuously inspiring, communicating, and holding all accountable for their shared visions. As for enlisting others, such as my staff, I aim to be real. By being transparent and true to who I am, I have found that staff members are more willing to collaborate and own our school’s vision.
Challenge the Process
For me, the word challenge means conflict. Conflict makes me uncomfortable. Nevertheless, great leaders encounter conflict regularly and must develop coping skills to resolve. My go-to coping strategy is to be proactive. I do all I can to forecast possible conflicts and how I would
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Model the Way
a inspire shared vision
challenge the process
enable others to act
encourage the heart
problem-solve. A classic example: My last task of each work day is to preview tomorrow's plans and view every agenda, meeting, and tomorrow’s to-dos. By previewing, I actively think through all conflicts related to tomorrow and prepare myself of how I might react. Furthermore, I recognize that welcoming conflict can provide growth opportunities, and therefore, I intentionally seek out conflicts in areas that I need to improve upon. A few years ago, I sought out opportunities to grow in my understanding of ESL and gifted services. I truly did not know or fully understand both departments and pushed myself to be immersed in these worlds so that I could better serve all students.
Enable Others to Act
For any action to occur from an organization, the following needs to be established: effective collaboration and opportunities to strengthen each team member. My staff meets weekly in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to discuss common, best practices and to analyze student data to impact future instruction. In the forming stages of our PLCs, we needed to focus on what it looks like and sounds like to have effective collaboration. One of the discoveries of our PLC implementation is that others are more willing to act if their strengths are recognized. I’ve been told that one of my strengths is my follow through. I love the saying, “What gets scheduled gets done.” In relation, I am a beast when I use my Google calendar. Almost everything that comes at me is scheduled. Need to develop the state testing schedule? Block off two hours. Need to check in on Bus #20? Reminder is set for 3:40 p.m. Your Google calendar can be so much more than just for meetings. Create a meeting for yourself to get tasks completed, and by doing so, you are leading the way for action to occur!
Encourage the Heart
This practice is my favorite. I strive to uphold this saying: “Have not only an open door policy but also an open heart policy.” Yet, daily tasks can be time-consuming and don’t allow those encourage-the-heart moments to occur. As a way to ensure this practice occurs, I always have a stack of Post-it notes on my desk. My weekly goal is to give out five Post-it notes to my staff and students—each one recognizing a celebration or individual contributions to our school. Start your note with “I noticed…” and end with an encouraging word. It sounds simple but can make a profound impact. When was the last time you enabled others to act? Encouraged the heart of your staff members? Remember that the love your building has starts with you. I challenge you to start today.
About the Author Tiffany Selm is an assistant principal from Sherwood Elementary in the Forest Hills School District in Cincinnati. Before joining Forest Hill’s administrative team, she taught fifth grade for three years. She also served in the Mason City School District as their ESL/Gifted District Coordinator. She received her bachelor’s in education from Indiana University and her master’s in education administration from the University of Indianapolis. You can reach Tiffany by e-mail at tiffanyselm@foresthills.edu, or follow her on Twitter @MrsSelm.
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Calling all Principals, Assistant Principals, Curriculum Directors, Teachers, and Education Movers & Shakers!
#INNOVATION: TURN IT UP! ENGAGE. EMPOWER. EDUCATE. Professional Conference 2017
June 14-16, 2017 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton E3=Innovation! Join OAESA and educators from across Ohio to look at innovations in learning—not
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DON'T TELL ME WHAT'S IMPORTANT:
S
SHOW ME WHAT'S IMPORTANT!
uccessful leaders move beyond just communicating what is important. They model and demonstrate what’s important by aligning actions, resources, and priorities with their words. This is a key strategy for education leaders in building a school schedule that supports teaching and student learning. Too often, the process of developing a school schedule has been the responsibility of one person, with little consideration for the school’s priorities. Schedules are constructed around beans, balls, and buses (lunch, athletics, and transportation schedules) instead of the academic needs of students.
While many schools would like to redesign their use of time, it can be challenging. Does a change in the master schedule require additional resources? In creating more time for teachers to collaborate during the school day, how do we adequately supervise students? How do we work around busing schedules, athletics, or part-time specials/arts teachers? These issues can be solved by using design thinking to collaboratively create a school schedule. This past winter, I had the opportunity to facilitate a Define, Design & Deliver (3D) Lab with teachers and school leaders from 27 different school districts in the Chester County Intermediate Unit in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the lab was to lead teachers and school leaders through a collaborative process of design thinking to facilitate discussions and dialogue around building a school schedule that aligned time, talent, and resources directly with the mission and priority of the school. Design thinking intentionally broadens our perspectives (empathy, creativity, and rationality) to examine all facets of a complex problem and then provides a framework to work collaboratively to ideate possible solutions. An old African Proverb
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says, “To go fast, go alone, but to go far is to go together.” Many teachers feel disengaged because they do not have a voice or influence in creating the environment in which they work. Using design thinking with teachers in schools to solve challenges will inspire collaboration and empowerment, leading to greater collective efficacy—the Holy Grail for school improvement. The educators from the 48 school buildings (elementary, middle, and high school) worked to assess the realities of each building’s current school schedule and what they would do to see change in the future. Four priorities emerged from the discussion: 1. Providing daily collaboration and planning time for teachers 2. Increasing instructional time in core classes (reading/math) 3. Structuring interventions critical for students who need additional support 4. Providing job-embedded professional learning for staff The most surprising part of the activity was the realization of how few buildings had schedules that built around the priorities of each school. For instance, approximately 45 percent of participants had a schedule that they felt provided opportunities for daily collaboration and planning time for teachers. Only 37 percent of educators stated that they believed their school’s schedule prioritized time for reading and math instruction, while less than 25 percent shared that their school’s schedule provided structured time for intervention with students who need additional support as well as job-embedded professional learning for staff. Although many of these schools were accomplishing wonderful things for their students, the question was how much more successful and impactful could they be if their schedules aligned with their priorities? One of the most important concepts of redesigning the school schedule is that time is not the
only variable necessary for student success. It’s a better use of time and ensuring that high quality instruction, assessment for learning, and purposeful collaboration is taking place. Conclusion How time, talent, and resources are utilized in schools dramatically affects the ability of educators to accomplish the goal of successfully preparing students for college and career success. Schools evolve over time to reflect a combination of financial constraints,
policy requirements, and community needs. This often happens incrementally over time without schools having the opportunity to stop and rethink what makes the most sense for students, teachers, and the community in achieving desired outcomes. By using a design thinking approach, school leaders can be ensured that a variety of perspectives are viewed as well as several stakeholders are engaged when redesigning a new school schedule.
About the Author Bobby Moore has spent more than 25 years in education as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. As a senior director at Battelle for Kids, he partners with schools and professional associations across the country to implement high-growth strategies, professional learning for leaders, strategies for creating high performing and positive cultures, as well as keynoting at conferences and school districts. Please contact him at bmoore@bfk.org or follow him on Twitter @DrBobbyMoore. To read more on this topic, visit Battelle for Kids Learning Hub and download the white paper, Leveraging Time, Talent, and Resources: Rethinking Critical Levers to Optimize Student Performance and Teacher Effectiveness. Want even more? Battelle for Kids is hosting a clinic at our professional conference. The title is the same, and the presentation will be held on Friday, June 16, at 10:20 a.m. Mike Nicholson, EdD, will be the facilitator.
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Ohio Ready Schools Initiative
NORTHEAST READY SCHOOLS Enjoy a Successful Regional Meeting by Barb Rickenbacker The Northeast Regional Ready Schools Network Meeting was held on February 24, 2017, in Hudson, Ohio. The day-long event was hosted by Ready Schools principal Beth Trivelli and the staff of Evamere Elementary School (see photo at right). Principals, APs, librarians, preschool teachers and administrators, literacy coaches, a SPARK representative, a GrapeSEED representative, and grades K–2 teachers were in attendance. The agenda included a focus on the teaching of writing in early childhood settings, classroom walk-throughs to observe kindergarten writing sessions using the Lucy Caulkins method and Beth Trivelli (second from right) and the Evamere Elementary team materials, and an opportunity to hear from Summit Education Initiative Senior Research Associate, Matt Deevers, PhD, with his emphasis on student motivation from early learning and beyond.
(writing).
The day began at the Molson Athletic Center on the Hudson High School campus. Principal Beth Trivelli and Assistant Superintendent Doreen Osmun welcomed everyone and shared the plan for the meeting. Participants rotated through small networking groups to define and share beliefs and procedures for conferencing with students, teaching and using the workshop model, using strategies promoting student engagement, and assessment for and of learning
Dr. Matt Deevers (photo above) presented his Persistence Paradigm on how to help all students develop a personal learning
Teacher and students with GrapeSEED’s Kim Wright
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Teacher Amy Arnold, Franklin Elementary, with student
journey that builds to College Career Readiness. Participants appreciated Dr. Deevers’s presentation and many announced ways that they saw themselves changing actions to help students become life-long learners. The afternoon session was held at Evamere School with classroom walk-throughs observing the curriculum/teaching procedures hosted by the kindergarten team and introduced by Rebecca Rice, Hudson literacy coach. Debriefing and a share out of kindergarten transition activities followed.
Ohio Ready School Initiative members at the Northeast Regional Meeting
Zana Vincent, Ohio Ready Schools project manager, and the Ready School team wrapped up the day by sharing state issues, the ORSI alignment document, and evaluation.
About the Author
Barb Rickenbacker is the Northeast Ohio Ready Schools coach. She has been an educator for over 40 years. Twenty of those years were spent as a classroom teacher in grades K–2. Before joining the Ohio Ready Schools Initiative, she served as the school improvement/curriculum coordinator for the Akron City School District.
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All I Needed to Know about Blended Learning, I Learned from My Kindergartners by Katie Hudson With the push toward blended learning, teachers have begun the task of discovering how to blend what has been done for years with the multitude of devices, tools, apps, and websites that are now a part of our everyday lives in the classroom. Some districts are blessed with a variety of technology and opportunities to capture students’ interests, yet others find ways to creatively engage students using a smaller selection of tools at their disposal. I am grateful to teach in the former type of district, and this year, I have begun the process of finding creative ways to blend my kindergarten curriculum with iPads as our district begins the move into a 1:1 model for the 2017–18 school year. Throughout this process, I’ve discovered that my students have taught me some valuable lessons about blended learning, who they are as learners, and who I am as a teacher.
Don’t Underestimate Your Students
Admittedly, when I first heard we were moving into a 1:1 model, my thoughts were riddled with, “But I have kindergarteners!” Each time I would hear how things were being used with older students, my thoughts came back to this. How could my classroom of five- to six-year-olds possibly be able to navigate the online learning components with ease? My anxiety was compounded with the variety of needs within my classroom, including students with limited English and those from low-income homes without access to technology. How would this benefit their learning? As I slowly began the process of introducing one app at a time, I found that all of my students were able to not only navigate the apps but were also helping each other, taking choice-time opportunities to explore new apps, excitedly sharing their discoveries during sharing time, and eager to go home and continue their learning. I began having our own Geek Squad—three students who wear a badge each day to help other students with technology issues. Students were asking to post book commercials to Kidblog and helping each other post to our class Padlets for different tasks. With the help of our building technology teacher, we even made our own movies on iMovie, a first for kindergarteners in our district.
See Technology for What It Is—An Extension of Learning
One struggle I believe most early childhood teachers have with the introduction of blended learning is: “They need books! And paper! And need to learn how school is and not be behind a screen all day!” This fixed mindset could have derailed any plans I had moving forward. But as we started the year, I began to realize that while they did need paper and books and experiences, they could also have those experiences through technology. Technology could be a tool to enhance their learning. Apps like Epic! and Tes Teach gave them chances to access more information and direct their own learning. Epic! even provided opportunities for me to assign books to students based on their reading levels, needs, and interests. The apps from the Math Learning Center were valuable resources during rich tasks in our math block, but were not the only tool students could use. Apps like Pixie and Draw and Tell empowered students who struggled with writing stories on paper a chance to share their ideas by recording their thoughts, which could later be turned into a written story.
Technology Provides Opportunities for Authentic Problem-Solving
“Hey guys! I figured it out! We can all be in the movie!” That might be one of my favorite moments from this school year. My students were creating a movie about the Iditarod and wanted to all be in the video. There were some sad faces as they turned on the camera and realized one of them would have to hold the iPad while the others were in the video. But one student noticed a button with a camera and arrows on it, tapped it, propped up the iPad on the leg of a table, and happily informed his group they could all be in the video. I stood by and observed the amazing problem-solving demonstrated in a small moment. As teachers, we want to help students be successful, but giving them time and space to explore and come up with solutions empowers their learning in an amazing way.
Play Is Still Important
After conversations with other kindergarten teachers and my principal, I decided at the beginning of the school year to reintroduce the dramatic play center in my classroom. This quickly became my students’ favorite center during our reader’s workshop time, primarily because they were given opportunities to be creative and make their own worlds where Spider Girl and a ballerina could work in a bakery together, or Batman could help fix the family’s broken refrigerator. In fact, it even formed one of our favorite projects of the year. When our dramatic play center became a restaurant, I discovered many in my class did not actually have background knowledge of what a restaurant was or how it worked. We integrated technology by facetiming a local restaurant for a tour, and students took what they
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learned to build our class restaurant, complete with dining music, food made at school (and at home), and handmade menus. Students walked away from this experience knowing more about how a restaurant works. Albert Einstein said, “Play is the highest form of research,” and it is evident in the interactions seen in a dramatic play center.
It Can Be Done, Even in Kindergarten
Thinking back to the fixed mindset I had when the idea of blended learning was first presented to me, I’m almost embarrassed by my reaction given everything I have learned from my students this year. But giving myself permission to take a risk and see what could happen changed not only my attitude but how I teach and how I engage my students. Being a facilitator for student learning becomes easier when you give students the power to navigate apps on their own, to choose how they want to present their learning, and to direct their own learning. By starting small—one app, one tool at a time—students can start to see how things work together, how to navigate different tools, and how to select what works best for them. Using technology as a conduit for this discovery is natural as our world becomes more digital. As students build their knowledge and skills, they become hungry for more knowledge and more skills, finding ways to explore and gather things on their own. This natural curiosity sparks a love of learning—something I want each child who walks into my classroom to develop and keep with them as they continue their journey as learners.
About the Author Katie Hudson has been a teacher in Hilliard City Schools for 9 years. She graduated from Wittenberg University in 2008 with a Bachelor's in education with a dual license in early childhood education and intervention specialist, and received a Master’s degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in 2012 from Marygrove College. Outside of the classroom, you can find her reading, singing, participating in community theater, shopping, working out, drinking coffee and tea, and watching movies with her cat, Lucy. Come join us at the professional conference where Katie will be presenting Blended Learning in the Kindergarten Classroom on Friday, June 16, at 11:30 a.m.
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the
CASE
H
ow do we prepare children for a future that does not yet exist? How can we prepare our students for the challenges of a rapidly changing world? These are the questions and challenges of any school, but especially that of an elementary school. The kindergarten students that enter our doors next year will be the class of 2030; my son will be among this distinguished group of little scholars with bright eyes and the future ahead of them. With the far-off reality of the year 2030 seeming distant and hard to predict, what is the role of our elementary schools in this challenge? According to the World Economic Forum’s Job Report, we are on the verge of what is being called the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and by 2020, the top three job skills needed will be complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. The fact is that our traditional public school structure was mainly established during the first industrial revolution, where conformity, assimilation, ability to follow directions, and standardization were highly valued in order to prepare a workforce. The truth is, not much has changed in our education system since then. We have a standardized set of curricular outcomes, standardized educational resources, common assessments, and standardized district and state testing. We have distinct subjects, which are taught in silos, with very little overlap between them. However, we are beginning to see changes—pockets of innovation are occurring in schools across America. So what does all this mean? It means that it is time to innovate, time to try new things, and time to expose our children at young ages to new tools, ideas, and concepts.
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One step we are taking toward this at Lander Elementary is the creation of our school Makerspace. A makerspace is a space where ideas materialize—a space where creativity abounds, inspiration flourishes, experience transfers and the future is created right before our eyes. We took a classroom, equipped it with a wide variety of old-school and high-tech tools and supplies, and are ready to watch our students’ creative energies soar. This began as a volunteer committee of teachers with a vision for creating a space in our school that could bring together all of the STEAM concepts into one place. Some of our teachers even interviewed students to see what types of tools they wanted in our Makerspace. Next, we commissioned a team of high school CADD students from our Career and Technical program who took measurements, helped us come up with a design vision for the room, and created our blueprints. Then, to secure the financial resources needed, we partnered with our Parent Teacher Group, and held a read-a-thon. Finally, additional donations were also secured from businesses in our community, including Target, Walmart, and Big Lots. Our Makerspace is organized into four different areas: art and design, industry, technology, and engineering and architecture. Our art-and-design section includes sewing, sculpting, different textiles, and publishing. The industry section includes woodworking, fabricating, and building. Our technology section offers students the ability to explore with Makey-Makey’s, computer coding, and Little Bits. The engineering section, which seems to be the most popular, includes a Lego wall and robotics. Since our grand opening of our Makerspace in October, the teachers have been work-
for
MAKERSPACE
by Felecia Evans
ing on taking the students into the Makerspace, and through a process of trial and error, they are learning how the different tools work and then allowing the children to explore their passions. Next year, our Makerspace will be an extension of our “specials” schedule. Students will have the chance to visit the Makerspace at least once a week to further sharpen their critical-thinking and creative skills. We have intentionally designed this space to lack the traditional prescribed path that students are so accustomed to getting and we are trained to give. We want them to explore, design, build, and create things that we, as adults, would never think possible. Let’s talk a little bit about the why. In this day and age of accountability, standards, and testing, why would we focus our
time, efforts, and resources on creating a Makerspace? Remember what I said earlier about the future skills needed to succeed? Those skills are complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. While our accountability system has not caught up with ways to teach these skills, our society and job markets are demanding it. How do you encourage and hone these skills? Allow students the opportunity to create and make, give them tools to problem solve and explore, get out of their way, and watch them bloom. Ultimately our goal is that our Makerspace will move from a place in our school to a mindset in our teachers that is fostering a value on problem-solving, helping students think more critically, and unleashing their creative potential.
About the Author Felecia Evans is the principal of Lander Elementary, a K–5 building serving 500 students in the Mayfield City School District. If you’d like to connect with Felecia or learn more about her work, follow her school’s Twitter feed @LanderElem or her personal one @EduLeadingLady.
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Mindful by Stacy Sims
Mu ic Moment :
Innovative School Program Combines music mindfulness and the Morning announcements
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n 2005, I began working with teen girls in schools with the True Body Project (TBP). TBP, now a gender-neutral, trauma-informed, SEL curriculum (2015 winner of Best Youth Development Program from the Ohio Department of Education), combines mindfulness techniques and movement with writing, art making, and connecting. Over the past decade, I have witnessed dramatic increases in student and teacher stress levels across all demographics. While it is always a delight to spend time with small groups of at-risk students, it has become clear that every student is at risk, just differently at risk, for habituated stress and trauma. In Cincinnati Public Schools alone, 81 percent of 35,000 students1 live at or below the poverty line. Poverty IS trauma. In suburban schools, anxiety disorder is so pervasive that elementary school students frequently report crippling levels of anxiety. This year, a second grader committed suicide at one of our CPS schools. To top it off, educators and administrators are under increasing pressure to do more with less time and less resources each school day. While we rely on our schools to be safe havens for education and growth of our nation’s learners, far too often, our students arrive at school with significant levels of stress, fear, trauma, and other negative inputs that directly affect their ability to be present for learning. When the teachers and staff are also stressed, there is less ability for the school to provide an environment for creativity, critical thinking, focus, and empathy. Contemporary neuroscience and brain imaging now show us what happens to our brain as the result of stress and trauma. In short, the part of the brain that manages compassion, empathy, long-term planning, choice making, and executive functioning is simply not available. Instead, the more primal “fight, flight, or freeze” responses take over. Two years ago, I did a ten-week, daily, in-school mindfulness pilot with seventh and eighth grade refugee students at the Academy of World Languages (AWL) in Cincinnati. AWL is a CPS magnet school where more than 50 percent of students are ESL, representing 40 different
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Retrieved from http://www.cps-k12.org/about-cps/about-the-district/basic-facts.
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countries. They were in a special program that allowed them a full bell period each day to work on their specific special needs. I understood there was no way to replicate that program yet heard the morning announcements each day. An idea was born. Why not innovate a mindfulness ritual in that bandwidth? Why not create a program to shift school culture without taking up time in the academic day? In January, 2016, we piloted Mindful Music Moments, in partnership with the Cincinnati Symphony, bringing mindfulness prompts and classical music to the entire school every morning over the announcements. Each week, a new song would play, and students and teachers would listen to the same song each day, with slightly different listening prompts. Within days, students and teachers reported feeling calmer and more focused at the beginning of the day, with results lasting well into the day. One year later, more than 12,000 students, pre-K–12, and 4,000 educators across six districts and two states now participate in Mindful Music Moments. Our partnerships have expanded to include the Cincinnati Opera and the Contemporary Arts Center, allowing us to access neoclassical music for more diversity representation in composers and musicians. In fact, we had our first “commission” this year, and hip-hop artist Napoleon Maddox created a spoken word, guided meditation for Mindful Music and was able to visit three of our schools. Schools receive PDFs for each week of content with information about the music and the composer, prompts for each day, fun facts, and character strength tie-ins to the music. Additionally, partner schools receive MP3 files with the mindful introduction and the classical clip for each day. At some schools, we have student or teacher leaders who read the introductions each day. At most of the schools, the program becomes “plug and play,” and the content is played via a tablet, phone, or computer over the announcements.
Each classical clip is no more than three minutes. With the introductory and mindfulness prompts, the morning ritual runs between three and five minutes, allowing every student and teacher time to take a quiet moment to become present to the day. Here are some of the reported benefits of mindfulness and music appreciation: • Mindfulness and meditation reduce stress and increase happiness, focus, productivity, self-awareness, willpower, memory, and health. • Meditating even three to five minutes a day can bring you great benefits in stress reduction and overall health. • We take in so much information every day that our nervous system needs time to rest, digest, integrate, and balance. Mindfulness can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve sleep. • Researchers have studied music’s effects on a molecular level. They had one group of participants listen to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K.216 for 20 minutes, and another didn’t listen to any music. Instead, they were
advised to avoid listening to music the day before the study and spent their session talking to other participants, reading a magazine, or walking outside. The results showed listening to classical music enhanced activity of genes involved in dopamine secretion (the feel good hormone), and “transport synaptic function, learning and memory.” While classical music worked to regulate some genes, it “down-regulated” others associated with neurodegeneration—the process of neurons losing their structure or function—“suggesting the importance of familiarity and experience in mediating music-induced effects.” What we hear often from participating students is simple: “Mindful Music Moments helps me feel calm.” “Mindful Music Moments helps me focus.” “Mindful Music Moments helps me do better in school.” We look forward to bringing this program to as many schools as possible in the coming years. For more information, visit citysilence.org.
About the Author
Stacy Sims is a mind-body educator and author. She is the founder of City Silence, an international network of community mindfulness gatherings, Mindful Music Moments, an innovative school program combining mindfulness and music, and the True Body Project, an award-winning trauma-informed wellness program to help girls and women, men and boys connect to their best selves and each other. Stacy is a also a novelist, playwright and author of illustrated children’s books on mindfulness with Blue Manatee Press. Visit stacysims.net to learn more about this author.
Stacy will be presenting Mindful Music Moments: Transforming School Culture in Four Minutes Daily at the professional conference on Thursday, June 15, at 1:00 p.m. See you there!
Retrieved from https://peerj.com/articles/830/.
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Elementary Essentials
INCORPORATING TECHNOLOGY into the Curriculum by David Martin, PhD
D
oesn’t it seem like “incorporating technology” has become the latest catch phrase in education? How many times have we implemented the latest app resulting in initial student excitement and engagement, only to find out they lose interest a few weeks later and move on to the next craze in technology? The truth is, we can’t keep up. A newer, faster, and more engaging technology is always right around the corner. I love technology, but I can’t keep up. I’ve actually had conversations with younger, primary level students about what they think technology will look like in the future. Aside from everything being automated for them (How’d they know what we adults are wanting too?), many conversations end up with “And it will all be invisible, Mr. Martin. You’ll just grab it out of the air, and it will do whatever you want it to do.” It’s interesting that young students seem to have an “intuitive wireless worldview” when it comes to technology. No doubt we live in a rapidly changing world, and our classrooms, oftentimes, can be ground zero for using a host of new technologies. To be certain, students not only need access to a variety of technology but to the latest technology as well. However, we must guard against chasing the latest technology and thus never lose sight that technology should be used as a tool to get at deeper, more meaningful levels of learning for all students. If we view technology—any piece of technology—as a tool to move students in the direction of deeper, more meaningful levels of communication, collaboration, production, and publishing, then it doesn’t matter how fast and shiny the latest technology may be. What does matter is students would be using it as a tool to further their learning. We stop chasing the latest thing and start embracing the tools that students need. The following is a brief vignette of my experience with students using technology as a tool: It’s Thursday morning, and I need to do another eTPES observation. I walk in a third grade classroom, set up my laptop, and try not to distract the students as they want to say hi to the principal. The teacher is giving instructions on what the students need to do. They listen closely and, on her signal, quickly and smoothly transition to their seats to log in to their NetBooks. The teacher directs them to the story they will be reading, reviews a few simple digital highlighting tools, and again has them transition to partner work. When the students finish working on the story of the day, they can chose their literacy center and continue working on any of the various literacy projects from previous sessions. As I peck away on my laptop, I notice Jose and Philip, the first two students to finish and transition to their literacy center. There’s a look on their faces like they’re up to something. I notice both students exhibiting a sense of urgency as they are reading something on their computer screens while intermittently looking at each other and sending nonverbal cues. Their behavior is not particular suspicious. It’s clear they’re on a mission—but a mission to do what? I try not to get distracted because, after all, I am conducting a teacher observation! Suddenly, in the bottom right-hand corner of my screen, I notice a Google Chat message pop up saying, “Hi, Mr. Martin.” Still not trying to get distracted, I answer with, “Hi, Philip.” He follows with, “We want you to be part of our book.” I respond with, “Sure.” I glance up at the class busily working, at the teacher working with a small group, and then hunker back down on my computer to finish typing the observation. Before I know it, there’s a link to the book Jose and Philip have been making about their teacher, Mrs. Fresca. Lucky for me, the observation is almost over, because I really couldn’t resist at this point. I had to see what this digital book was all about. In a couple clicks, I’m knee deep in a book Jose and Philip have been working on. They’ve created separate Google Slide pages for each student in their class to contribute to a book about their teacher. Jose sends me an embedded comment and directs me to the page where I’m supposed to type a few sentences on “Why We LOVE Mrs. Fresca!” (I think that was the title.) Jose and Philip are still sending each other—and me—nonverbal cues, mostly positive head nods and smiles as they just got the principal of the school to collaborate in writing a page in their book. And these two kiddos accomplished all this in less than two minutes! Using the Google Suite, in this example, Google Slides is fairly simple technology. Instant digital communication, such as Google Chat, is certainly not new either. However, these two third graders not only figured out how to make a book, but they used it
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as a collaborative tool to get where they wanted to go. They hatched the idea of having the principal contribute to the publication of a book about their teacher. They collaborated quickly and effectively, with an end in mind. They had a plan, had the tools, and accomplished a task to further their own learning. Finally, what’s most interesting is the speed and efficiency behind their learning. Think for a moment what this experience would be like without the tool of technology. Jose and Philip may have gotten sidetracked and forgotten to take five minutes out of recess to drop off a paper book with a note on where to contribute. Then, there’s the procrastinating, want-to-be organized principal that would need to correctly write his contribution on the designated page, sign it, and return the book to the boys in a timely fashion. Would the outcome be the same as the digital collaboration in the classroom? Most definitely not. In sum, within two minutes, by using technology as a tool, two students were able to click and drag their way to collaborating, creating, producing, and publishing to further their own learning.
About the Author David Martin, PhD, is the principal of Hilton Elementary, a pre-k–3 school in the Brecksville-Broadview Hts. City School District. He has 26 years of experience in education, with 12 of those years as an administrator. He received his undergraduate from the University of Toledo, his master’s from DePaul University, and his doctorate from Illinois State University in education administration and foundations. His dissertation topic was Leadership for Social Justice: An Autoethnography. David’s interests include moral leadership, ethics and religion, the achievement gap, technology and data, bilingual education, and 21st Century learning spaces.
!
IGHT IDEA R B FOR A
RETIRED ADMINISTRATORS
OAESA would like to thank you for contribution to the profession by offering you a ONE-YEAR RETIRED MEMBERSHIP on us!
HERE ARE SOME GREAT BENEFITS: • a discount to our professional conference • voting privileges for OAESA offices • participation in service teams • networking opportunities • and much more! Sign up now! Call 614.547.8087 or e-mail membership@oaesa.org.
“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.” ~Jacqueline Onaissis Kennedy
WE ARE RAISING READERS
Join us!
Send us photos of your students, children, grandchildren, neighbors, and friends READING, and we’ll include them in a slide show at the OAESA professional conference.
Send pics to smith@oaesa.org. Thank you!
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Catalyst for Learning by Melanie Pearn and Stephanie Ward
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n order to effectively engage our students, we need to provide them with a variety of opportunities where they have choice in their own learning. Through the guidance of our district instructional coaches and strong support from administration, our classrooms are at the forefront of doing just that. While under the helm of Superintendent Matthew Miller, Mentor Schools has proven itself to be a technology-forward district and one of just two in the state involved in the League of Innovative Schools.
to move to a writing space or table. As we give students a choice of seating options, their engagement and independence increases. Furthermore, the students became the stewards of their own learning. As the teacher transitions to the coach, students begin to learn from each other, which allows them to rise into leadership roles. With the new learning space and 1:1 technology, students inherently have more questions and needs in the beginning. Classroom rules required students to choose their own learning space to help them learn but also stated that a teacher or adult could ask them to move. Choice, with a purpose grounded in learning, became the theme. Students quickly learn how to implement these strategies, work within them, and problem-solve without the help of the adults. Through independent and collaborative work, students tackle the same learning standards as their same grade peers, just in a different manner.
Blended learning is a great way to give students access to technology while remaining focused on the standards in an independent or group setting. Though it is not a new concept, Mentor provides a unique opportunity to two elementary teachers each quarter through the use of off-site classrooms named Catalyst and Catalyst North. These state-of-the-art classrooms are well equipped to support the changing dynamic in classroom instruction. Support comes in many forms from the accessibility of technology to instructional coaches who can provide tailored support. At the end of their experience, the students create a Capstone project to present to district personnel, parents, and community By creating a learning environment that is inviting and comfort- members. This allows them to highlight their learning and gain able, students are able to maximize their learning. Flexible seat- exposure with speaking and learning in front of others. It also proing options allow students to be comfortable without being locked vides them the opportunity to further their leadership by teaching into a desk and chair. At Catalyst North, students can choose to sit others. By simply empowering the students to take control of their on a comfy rug; use pod chairs in a small, windowed room; sit on learning, many reserved students flourished. Additionally, a comcouches or soft chairs; or opt for a chair that spins. Some of these mon observation made by visitors was the level of engagement and can be used with a table or high top, while others allow the freedom depth of knowledge shown by each student.
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In order to continue the change in learning, teachers involved are given a stipend to enhance their classroom when they return from the experience. They can choose to use it on Plexiglass for the walls, seating, or technology. The best part is they are able to try it for a quarter before buying it. This allows them to determine the best fits for their specific classrooms. Because not every teacher is exactly the same, none of the Catalyst experiences has yielded exactly the same results. Though it requires a paradigm shift, a teacher can become a coach, rather than the sage on the stage. This allows educators to get back to the why in their day by providing excitement, fun, and engagement. Even if an option, such as Catalyst, is not available in your district, you can still replicate some of the ideas in your own classroom relatively easily. In the boxes below are some ideas and suggestions to integrate blended learning into your classroom or school:
Apps for Assessment
Apps for Reading
Furniture/Items to Enhance Blended Learning
Apps for Math
Quizlet—digital flashcards and interactive group games Quizizz—multiplayer classroom review tool, students can create own Kahoot—quickly assess student learning See Saw—digital platform which allows students to upload photos and recordings of their learning to an online portfolio; can also combine with other digital projects/apps Adobe Spark—mobile design app to create images or movies with text Glogster—create digital posters, add a Tellagami to app smash Tellagami—create your own animated Gami video to share your learning
Bean bag chairs, pillows, and cube chairs—add comfort to the classroom; make sure they are washable Plexiglass on walls or clear clipboards—students have a blast “writing on the walls” Dry erase markers—students can write on the desks and erase it later Dry erase dots—place them on desks, walls, wherever Carpet squares or bathroom rugs Bench or wobble chairs—enhance the learning space Chairs that spin and/or are on wheels—enable students to get their wiggles out Small carpeted areas or tables—allow for more spaces for students to work
Epic—read amazing children’s books online Edulastic—online assessment tool correlated to the standards; create own assessments or use samples ReadWorks and ReadWorks Digital—comprehension activities, lesson plans and reading passages you can individually assign students ChatterPix—make pictures talk Wordle—create word clouds Storybird—books and poetry, students can create their own Storyjumper—online creative writing tool with an option to buy and publish books Storyboard That—online storyboard and comic creator
Zearn—complete math program provides aligned math lessons based on Eureka Math Splash Math—cross-platform accessibility, assign math standards by grade level Front Row—(reading and math) targeted reading/math practice aligned to standards in a game-like setting Check out Melanie and Stephanie at our professional conference on Friday, June 16, at 10:20 a.m. They will share more about Catalyst and the impact it had on their school.
About the Authors Melanie Pearn (@FairfaxPearn) is the principal of Fairfax Elementary in the Mentor Exempted Village Schools and the president-elect of OAESA. Melanie has been an administrator at both the elementary and secondary levels for 10 years. She received her bachelor of science in education from Ohio University and her master’s in educational administration through John Carroll University. Her superintendent’s license was earned from Cleveland State University. Stephanie Ward (@MentorWard) has been an educator with Mentor Public Schools for twenty years and currently teaches second grade at Fairfax Elementary. She has a bachelor of science in education from Bowling Green State University with a master’s in curriculum and instruction from Ashland University. Additionally, Stephanie has a reading endorsement from Cleveland State. Her passion is creating a learning environment that is inviting and engaging along with promoting a love of lifelong reading.
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Conquering the Elephant in the Classroom ... Empowering Te achers to Survive and T hrive by Janet Dehmer
I
t is no secret that with each passing year, the pressure on today’s teachers to produce students who achieve high academic performance and success continues to rise. In addition, children are entering classrooms each year ill equipped with the tools they need to function and succeed. No wonder teachers are just plain stressed out and completely exhausted! The massive “elephant” in the classroom continues to stomp on and do its best to defeat even the finest new teachers that emerge from modern-day academia and education colleges across the country, creating quite the dilemma for many administrators. Though it is not a new phenomenon, this unfortunate trend in education continues to lurk and grow with each passing year and begs a change in the educational narrative. How can we shrink that elephant from being life-sized to the size of a small figurine and arm our teachers for their own success as they embark on what can and should be a most rewarding career, one that allows them to make a difference in the lives of scores of children over their lifetime? The answer is not a secret to master teachers everywhere, and it begins with taking back our classrooms. Setting students up for success must first begin with setting up teachers for success. Each year, as the first day of school approaches, teachers across America excitedly prepare their classrooms for the arrival of the students they will get to influence and love over the next series of months. The first week begins with children getting to know one another as well as learning the expectations of their classroom and school. A set of rules is usually developed and posted in the classroom and before they know it the marathon of learning is initiated. Academics are quickly assessed, goals are set in writing, and the leap into state requirements begins yet again. But it does not take long for the dreaded elephant to show up. At first glance, it seems like it is only the size of a small figurine or a stuffed animal at best. Just as in real life, however, the elephant grows quickly and becomes large enough to take away more and more instructional time, while behavior and discipline issues become the subjects of the day, instead of reading, writing, and mathematics. The dynamics surrounding raising children in today’s world has changed dramatically since the 1950s. What once was the norm with two-parent families and one of those parents staying home has now often become two-working-parent families with some form of before and (or) after-school care involved in the order of the day. Even more prevalent in our society today is the single-parent home, in which again there are many individuals looking after our students during a typical day. Teachers cannot assume that children of any age or grade level come to school equipped with the necessary tools for learning, much less knowing how to behave. Good behavior must be systematically taught. You cannot teach academics if you do not have student behavior managed in your classroom. And yet, teachers are continuing to enter the classroom armed and ready to teach academics but are inadequately prepared for classroom management. The good news is behaviors can be changed, both our students and our own as educators. The answer lies in training and empowering our teachers to become effective managers of their classrooms.
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In her book Summary of Research, Kathleen Cotton said, “Effective managers teach behavioral rules and classroom routines in much the same way as they teach instructional content, and they review these frequently at the beginning of the school year and periodically thereafter. Whether it’s kindergarten or tenth grade students, we cannot ever assume in school settings today that children arrive ready and willing to behave.” Flawed classroom management systems of all kinds are being used in today’s classrooms, full of numerous chances, repeated requests and multiple warnings being given before a behavior is addressed and discipline occurs. In simple terms, they allow for multiple exchanges to occur between the teacher and student, which lead to interrupted and decreased amounts of academic instruction time. Students are not taught to self-correct after the first incident, providing multiple opportunities for misbehavior that are also being reinforced for the other student bystanders in the room. Children must be taught the appropriate expected behaviors and practice those good behaviors from day one. They need to know what is considered unacceptable behavior, as well the behaviors that fall into an “almost, but not quite” scenario, and they need multiple opportunities to perfect these skills. Practice will make permanent. The more time and practice that can occur at the beginning of the school year, the more likely those expected and appropriate behaviors will become permanent. And when they do, low-level behaviors will become less and less, allowing the instructional time to become greater and academic success to soar as the year progresses forward. The elephant in the room will shrink substantially, while learning and student growth reign once again.
NGL.Cengage.com/school 888-915-3276
Offering K-8 Learning Solutions to support Ohio Learning Standards • English Language Arts • English Language Teaching • Mathematics • Science • Social Studies • Content Literacy Alison Molnar, K-8 Learning Consultant – Southern Ohio alison.molnar@cengage.com | 513-417-7961 Stacy Hughes, K-8 Learning Consultant – Northern Ohio stacy.hughes@cengage.com | 330-701-0854
Bringing the world into the classroom CONNEC TIONS
Learn concepts and skills through storytelling
E X P LO R AT I O N S
Encourage curiosity
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Ignite learning through technology
The power of the teacher/student relationship also cannot be underscored when it comes to establishing order in the classroom. The need for discipline greatly decreases when students know their teacher cares about them. As Madeline Hunter once said, “Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Caring about our students must be unconditional and not contingent on their behaviors, good or bad. They need to know that their teacher values them as human beings. When children know this to be true, they will typically work harder and challenge their teachers less. If teachers are going to survive and thrive in education, they need to be empowered and taught to effectively manage their classrooms. Whatever classroom management or discipline approach is used, it must result in decreasing low-level behaviors and increasing instructional time, while reinforcing an atmosphere of unconditional positive regard for all students. By equipping teachers for such success, a win-win situation is created that allows for student academic achievement, and indeed the defeat of the ever-lurking elephant, allowing teachers to take back their classrooms and flourish as they join the ranks of master educators.
About the Author Janet Dehmer is an educator with the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, a trainer with the Center for Teacher Effectiveness, and an independent writer of nationally distributed children’s ministry curriculum and support materials. You can reach her by e-mail at JanetDehmer@timetoteach.com. Janet will be presenting Empowering Teachers to Be Masters of Classroom Management at the conference on Thursday, June 15, at 2:15 p.m.
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Legal Report THE SCHOOL BOARD’S OBLIGATIONS and Your Rights IN CONNECTION WITH A NONRENEWAL by Dennis Pergram Evaluations R.C. 3319.02(C)(i) provides that in any school year that your current contract of employment is not due to expire, at least one evaluation shall be completed in that year and you are to be provided with a copy of the same no later than the end of your contract year. R.C. 3319.02(C)(i) provides that in any school year that your contract of employment is due to expire, you are to be provided with a preliminary evaluation at least 60 days prior to any nonrenewal action and a final evaluation at least five days prior to the school board acting to nonrenew your contract, and that final evaluation shall indicate the superintendent’s intended recommendation to the school board. The Right to Meet with the School Board RC 3319.02(D)(4) provides that before taking any action to renew or nonrenew your contract, the school board shall, prior to the first day of June, notify you of the date that your contract expires and that you may request a meeting with the school board. Upon such a request, the school board shall grant you a meeting in executive session. Under RC 3319.02(D)(4), you are entitled to have a representative present at the executive session and the school board is obligated to discuss its reasons for considering renewal or nonrenewal of your contract. Consequence for School Board Noncompliance RC 3319.02(D)(5) provides: The establishment of an evaluation procedure shall not create an expectancy of continued employment. Nothing in division (D) of this section shall prevent a board from making the final determination regarding the renewal or nonrenewal of the contract of any assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal, or other administrator. However, if a board fails to provide evaluations pursuant to division (D)(2)(c)(i) or (ii) of this section, or if the board fails to provide at the request of the employee a meeting as prescribed in division (D)(4) of this section, the employee automatically shall be reemployed at the same salary plus any increments that may be authorized by the board for a period of one year, except that if the employee has been employed by the district or service center as an assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal, or other administrator for three years or more, the period of reemployment shall be for two years. (Emphasis added.)
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Wilson v. Lucas County Office of Educ., 1995 Ohio App. LEXIS 1705; State ex rel. Cutler v. Pike Co. JVSD, 6 OS3d 138. 1
Notice of Nonrenewal RC 3319.02(C) provides that if you do not receive a notice of nonrenewal on or before the first day of June, you are deemed re-employed at the same salary plus any increments that may be authorized by the school board and the term of the automatic re-employment is one year, except that if you have been employed in the district as an administrator for two years or more, the term of re-employment shall be two years. Continuing Service Status RC 3319.02(C) provides that: “When a teacher with continuing service status becomes an assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal or other administrator with the district or service center with which the teacher holds continuing contract status, the teacher retains such status in the teacher’s nonadministrative position as provided for in sections 3311.77, 3319.08, and 3319.09 of the Revised Code. If you attained continuing service status in another school district, you may have earned continuing service status in your current district as RC 3319.11 provides for continuing service status for those who, having obtained continuing contract status elsewhere, have served two years in the district or center where they are employed as an administrator. Although you may not have taught in your current district, the key is whether you have served in your current district and service as an administrator counts as service for purposes of RC 3319.11. Return to the Classroom Assuming for the sake of discussion that the school board has complied with the procedural requirements relative to your evaluations and a notice of nonrenewal and that you have attained continuing service status, the next question is whether you have a right to return to the classroom under your continuing contract of employment. Current case law1 provides that if you, as an administrator, are nonrenewed, you will be entitled to continuing employment in the district only if you are licensed to teach a subject taught in the district. There would appear to be no problem if there is a teaching position open in the district and you are licensed to teach the subject. If, however, there is no open position, it is implied in the law that you will have the right to bump a teacher who only has a limited contract in the applicable position. If you, as an administrator, are certain you are going to be nonrenewed, you may consider resigning and returning to the classroom
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in order not to have a “nonrenewal” on your record. While it would be reasonable to conclude that if you resign, you have the same rights to return to the classroom under your continuing contract as an administrator who is not renewed, there does not appear to be any controlling case law on point. Resigning Where You Have No Right to Return to the
Classroom—Unemployment Compensation Benefits Once again, you may be in a situation where you are certain that your administrator’s contract is going to be nonrenewed and you do not want a nonrenewal on your record but you have no continuing contract and, thus, no right to return to the classroom. You also wish to retain eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits in the event you cannot find employment elsewhere. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) is the administrative department of the state of Ohio that administrators the area of unemployment compensation. If your contract is nonrenewed and you apply for unemployment compensation benefits, ODJFS will, if the application is opposed, place the burden on the school board to establish that there was just cause for the nonrenewal of the contract. If, on the other hand, you resign, ODJFS will, if the application is challenged, place the burden on you to establish that you would have been separated via a nonrenewal or a termination and that the same would have been without just cause. Consequently, there is a shifting of the burden depending upon whether the separation occurs via a nonrenewal or a resigna-
tion. In my opinion, the safest thing to do would be for you to ask your superintendent or school board president to give you a letter, before you submit your resignation, that states that you resigned from your administrator’s contract and that if you had not done so, the school board would have nonrenewed your contract but that the nonrenewal would not have been for “just cause” as that term is used for unemployment compensation purposes. Once again, it would be prudent to seek legal advice if you are in this situation. I hope this information is helpful to you but that you never have to use it. This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Please contact an attorney if you need legal advice.
About the Author Dennis Pergram serves as the legal counsel to OAESA. He is also a partner in the law firm Manos, Martin, and Pergram, LPA. Dennis is a former chairperson for the Ohio State Bar Association Committee and has practiced law for thirty years.
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HOW TO #TURN IT UP! IN YOUR FIRST YEAR BY TIM KOZAK
Y
ou were offered the position of principal. You accepted with honor, and the school board approved you at the school board meeting. Now what? That is exactly what happened to me one year ago when I took on this endeavor as principal of Ontario Elementary School in the Sandusky City School District. I knew it was time to roll up my sleeves and begin the three-month transition into this new and exciting role. I wanted to look straight ahead into the upcoming school year, which did not begin for our students for another five months; however, I needed to transition into Ontario and establish the appropriate relationships through this transformation. Here are some of the methods and steps I used to transition, not only into a new district and building but into a new role as principal. Looking back, I am able to analyze how the fundamentals of engage, empower, and educate came into my transition approach.
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ENGAGE BY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS LISTEN FIRST
My first task was to identify all the stakeholders in our school community. There were more than teachers, parents, and students. I wanted to take a few months to sit down with as many people as I could and get some very valuable information. Upon being introduced to the school community as the new principal for the upcoming school year, I scheduled appointments with teachers, paraprofessionals, parents, custodial staff, transportation, food service, and of course students. It was my responsibility as the incoming principal to educate myself on the important fundamentals of the school. Asking a series of questions allowed me to compile information needed to review during the summer months.
CONNECTING WITH OTHERS FOR SUPPORT
Reaching out for support also needed to happen immediately. I needed to engage myself in professional relationships with other administrators in and out of my district. Identifying a mentor allowed me to begin a yearlong relationship with another principal who has guided me throughout this school year. Making that connection enables me to gain insight on challenges faced as a school principal. I have also built partnerships with all the administrators in my district with the humbleness of the many learning curves. Engaging in these relationships makes the first year seem less daunting and more adaptive through collaboration. Seeking assistance outside of the district is helpful to gain perspectives for those who have walked in my shoes before. Listening and learning from their experiences has been helpful. Going to OAESA’s Beginning Administrators Academy was a phenomenal excursion to gather the thoughts of many. Taking advantage of the regional zone meetings through OAESA has also given me an opportunity to collaborate with fellow administrators.
KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY
Take the time to understand the families you will work with and the children you will be educating. I do not live in the district where I am principal, but I took great steps in knowing the community before I stepped foot into the office. During my interview process, which lasted several weeks, I made sure I took time to learn as much as I could about the community. Once I was offered the position, I engaged in community involvement. I showed up to festivals, events, and other community gatherings. I took my family to restaurants in the community for lunch and dinner. I derived a plan to fully comprehend what my new community would be like. I reached out to business owners and to local fire and police. I made knowing my new district a daily ordeal throughout the summer months. As the beginning of the school year approached, our PTO assisted me in a “meet the new principal with pizza night.” This was advertised in the local paper, social media, and local radio. It gave me a chance to show the families of my new school that I wanted to meet them and their children before the school year began. This gave everyone a new, comfortable feeling of transition that engaged parents, teachers, and students in a nonformal atmosphere a week before school began.
EMPOWER WITH A NEW VISION AND 30-DAY PLANS EVALUATE AND PLAN
When taking on the responsibility of new principal at Ontario, I didn’t want to come in with a bunch of changes. I wanted to honor the traditions and school culture that I was coming into. However, I wanted to review all the information I collected over the past months from listening to members of the school community. Evaluating was going to be a major component in this transition process. In order to empower new plans and visions, I needed to set small goals and develop what I call 30-day plans. The idea comes from avoiding taking on too much at one time or asking others to do such, this can create resistance and friction within the school community. Dividing the school-year into 30-day pieces has made everyone feel more at ease with our first year together. As a team we evaluate what has been working and what has not been successful, we ask ourselves, “Can we change it?” If the answer is no, we move
on to another area or task. Once we evaluate the target, we decide if we should attempt to improve the selected target, or change it altogether. This empowers our team to take control of our learning environment and make adjustments throughout the school year. We evaluate our positions on a thirty-day cycle and always look for ways to adjust. This concept works with academics, communication, behavior, support, climate, culture, and the day-to-day school process. We do not always agree, but having the respect for one another, the insight to adjust, and the willingness to attempt something new has made this first year as principal empowering. After designing a flowchart, we have used this tool as a guide for our thirty-day planning process.
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF TEACHERS
With this thirty-day team idea, we have created a culture that allows teachers to express their views, thoughts, and concerns. The “evaluate and adjustment” approach has brought out some of the best ideas from our teachers. Teachers have told my colleagues and me how they feel a thirty-day plan empowers them to gain control and insight of their practice. We have discussed our new reading series, our PBIS implementation, and our methods for collaborating our ideas. Seeing the excitement on the faces of educators as they design an idea to put forth in our thirty-day plans is quite remarkable; it supports student learning while empowering the teacher with a new confidence. When everyone feels part of the process, we get the most from our teachers, and our students win. Not everyone moves through this empowerment at the same pace; however, as the school year progresses, we have had remarkable ideas, activities, and lessons designed by teachers.
SETTING AND IMPLEMENTING THE COMMON GOAL
Change and transition can be difficult, more challenging for some than others. When we returned from winter break, we knew we had to take on the new semester. Making adaptations in this portion of the school year would be less ominous than making them as the school year began. We knew we had to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps throughout our school, making sure everyone not only understood the importance of this goal, but fully comprehended what it would look like and the effort it would take. As a team, we looked over our student data and analyzed where our strengths and weaknesses were with student achievement. We drew up our plans across grade levels and set strategic plans to reach our common goal. Utilizing the ideas from our dedicated teachers and support staff, we again implemented another thirty-day plan to design Tier grouping for our students. This is a day-to-day process that needs adjustments and adaptations along the way, but we stay focused with our vision to reach our common goal of student growth.
EDUCATE AS A TEAM TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION
Educating students takes teamwork—teamwork not just between teachers and staff but between families and community. Developing transparent communication often makes this task more manageable. When communicating with staff, I find that there is no limit on transparent communication. To educate our students effectively, we need as much communication as possible so everyone continued on the next page...
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30-Day Plan Is the target currently successful?
Yes
Is the
NO
NO
Can we control the target?
Strategies to make the target work.
How can we make the target work?
Yes
Measure the progress.
Strategies to improve the target.
Can we improve the target?
Choose another target.
Yes Evaluate the target.
The target doesn’t need improvement at this time.
Set a goal with that target for the next 30-day plan.
...continued from previous page involved in the process knows what needs done. Reaching out to staff members for information and feedback helps me develop my daily communication memo each day. We were fortunate enough to have a small group of teachers organize a communication app for us to talk with one another through our cell phones. This helps us make adjustments that may arrive quickly but are not urgent enough to interrupt the education of our students. When we have difficulties and challenges with students, we set up team meetings to discuss what we could be doing better to help these students succeed. The use of social media plays a large part in our communication to educate families and the community about what is happening at our building. Establishing rapport with local media can assist in the transparent communication component to educate everyone involved. In order to educate as a team, communication needs to be the foundation for success, and we have found out this school year just how it develops our school culture. This culture is what we will continue to build upon and develop to educate as a team.
STRONG SUPPORT
As principal, supporting your staff is a key aspect of the position,
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but leading them to support each other through teamwork is an ongoing process. One of the top resources for teachers is each other—through support, ideas, and collegial interaction. As a new instructional leader, building a strong support system will take time, effort, and understanding. Creating a supportive atmosphere will not happen overnight, but through the thirty-day process, small support gains can be made, evaluated, and adjusted when needed. In education, there should be a support system that is teacher friendly and cooperative. As the building principal, it becomes my position to establish this concept and lead by example. Being a supportive leader sets the tone for our team to be constructive and supportive and to generate ideas to improve school climate.
FOCUS ON STUDENT GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT
As a team, we have to develop the growth mindset to analyze student data to drive our instruction. Forming the structure for this component is the true foundation of student growth and achievement. Collaborating as a team to focus on students—as a whole, as
groups, and individually—designs our road map for our thirty-day plans when it comes to educating students. As a team, we are all here for the same reason, the students. When we meet as a whole team of teachers through faculty meetings, it is more of a whole school check-in and a time for school-wide information. With all the team members working together toward the goal of student achievement, we can educate one another through the process of designing our new school identity. The first year being principal has been motivational and educational. These educational curves have given me the tools I will use this summer to design a plan for year two. I found that coming into the position strongly but with reserve served me well; active listening was my greatest strength. Even though I had been warned by other
school administrators about time management, which has always presented itself as the greatest challenge, building relationships through engagement constructed a platform for me to get started successfully in this new position. Being able to empower with thirty-day plans broke the school year up for me and helped me look at what was right in front of me at the time. Self-evaluation is necessary for going into this new leadership position, and I was able to make adjustments as the school year moved forward. The team concept is an important piece to educate—making sure that as an active leader I am bringing everyone together to achieve our common goal of student growth and achievement. Being able to Engage others, Empower the school climate and culture, and Educate the students with a team approach will be the foundation for our school culture for the school years to come.
About the Author Timothy Kozak is a first-year principal at Ontario Elementary in the Sandusky City School District. Previously he worked as both a general education teacher and a special education teacher. You can reach out to Tim by e-mail at tkozak@scs-k12.net.
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From OAESA's Associate Executive Director
EVALUATE: The Fourth "E" by Mark Jones
“The purpose of evaluation is not to prove; it is simply to improve.” That was the fundamental premise of an entire course in supervision that I took more than twenty-five years ago in my pursuit of a principal’s license. In fact, it is a direct quote from the professor who taught the course, and he repeated this mantra in nearly every class during the semester. I guess he wanted it ingrained in our memories, and for me at least, it appears he was successful. Read that first line again, and let the significance of it sink in. As educators, one of our primary tasks is to evaluate the growth and achievement of those in our charge. So, assuming my old professor was correct, how well do you think we are doing with this aspect of our profession? In particular, when you consider OTES and OPES, how true do you think we have been to the real purpose of evaluation? Prior to Ohio’s adoption of the OTES/OPES framework, the process of teacher evaluation was widely viewed by those involved as predominantly a compliance activity, often accompanied by a lengthy checklist of specific, observable behaviors. Unfortunately, it was rarely seen as a fundamental opportunity for professional growth. Suggestions for improvement were infrequently and delicately delivered, as if any criticism might harm the fragile egos of our insecure teachers. Or, even worse, any principal who dared to imply that all was not sunshine and roses in a teacher’s classroom performance would likely incur the wrath of the local union.
Figure 1
Fortunately for everyone, we seem to have put most of those irrational fears behind us, as each educator is now responsible for identifying areas for refinement in his or her practice. Professional growth and improvement plans are commonplace, and principals regularly engage in meaningful conversations about instructional improvement with their teachers. All of these realities are positive outcomes from our shift to a new framework for evaluation. Still, much work remains to be done if we are to maximize the potential for creating an evaluation model that truly focuses on growth rather than a tool used for ranking and sorting educators into categories derived from a final rating. (For an estimated breakdown of Ohio’s educator ratings from 2015–2016, see Figure 1.)
Consider, for example, Ohio’s three largest urban school districts. While every district has its own unique context in which it should be examined, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus have many more similarities than differences. They enjoy many of the same advantages based on size and many of the same challenges based on needs, as most major metropolitan areas of our country. And their similarities are further reflected in their performance on Ohio’s School District Report Card data, with all three earning very similar marks. Without a doubt, all three districts are staffed by literally hundreds of caring, competent educators, working tirelessly to provide their students with the tools to be successful adults.
When the results of our evaluation system are viewed primarily through the lens of the educator ratings that it produces, we begin to make faulty assumptions about not only the actual process, but, even more dangerously, about the educators themselves.
Yet, when comparing the final OTES/OPES ratings of these educators from last school year (available on the ODE website), the differences are dramatic. Granted, it would be very unlikely for these ratings to be identical; however, given the sheer size of the three
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the various ways we measure student growth, and how these measures are applied to an educator’s evaluation. During the past year, as ODE has sought feedback from the field regarding how we can make improvements to the evaluation process, one of the two most common responses centered around reducing or removing the student growth measure component from the calculation. The other, of course, was to reduce the time required for the process. In an effort to examine specific recommendations, ODE tasked the Educator Standards Board (ESB) with making a thorough examination of OTES, and then offering suggestions on how to improve it. In March, the ESB released a set of six recommendations that would make significant changes to how student growth measures impact the final rating of our educators. Although these suggestions would do little to reduce the time burden that the OTES model places on our principals, they certainly go a long way toward fixing the concerns about the inequitable application of student growth data in our current system. Additionally, the real purpose behind the attempt to embed student assessment data within the performance rubric rather than treat it as half the weight of an educator’s final rating is to shift the focus of our framework from ranking and sorting, to one of growth for the educator. Legislative action will be required to implement some of the ESB recommendations, but we are hopeful their hard work and thoughtful reflection will produce much needed changes to the system.
Figure 2 districts and their similar report card performance, one would expect comparable educator ratings. Indeed, for two of the three systems, ratings of both teachers and principals reveal a high degree of success, as each group placed more than 60 percent in the “Accomplished” category for both districts. But in the third district, only about one in four teachers, and less than 2 percent of principals, earned that highest rating of Accomplished! (See Figures 2 and 3.) Clearly, there are other factors influencing these ratings beyond just student growth measures or an objective review of the educators’ performance on the rubric. While a quick look at these three districts highlights some extreme disparities in educator ratings, this example is by no means unusual. Comparing the ratings of teachers and principals from districts across the state will yield widely varying results, with no clear rationale for the differences. If the focus of our evaluation system was not to prove (i.e., ranking and sorting), but rather to improve, perhaps this wouldn’t matter. But because we have established a statewide evaluation framework, with trained and credentialed evaluators calibrated to a standard, there is a resulting perception that these evaluations are relatively objective, and that the final ratings are consistently accurate. There is an assumption that an “Accomplished” educator from one district would be likely to earn the same rating in any district. Clearly, though, this just isn’t true. Anyone who has followed the implementation of our OTES framework over the past four years is well aware of the debate concerning
Figure 3 43
for Navigating the Complexities of the Principalship
by Paul G. Young, PhD
S
erving as a ship’s captain when waters are calm can be an enjoyable job. But navigating a vessel through any kind of turbulence becomes dangerous and hard work. Those onboard want their captain to be knowledgeable and competent, but even more, they covet a leader with the habits of mind who can overcome any kind of challenges. Principals routinely experience navigational challenges. The principalship can also be compared to playing a game of chess. Make many wrong moves, and you’ll lose the game. Chess is a game of skill, strategy, stress, perseverance, and mindset. The principalship is a complex, evolving, and demanding leadership position. Courageous individuals who choose to serve as principals must develop a mindset that is accepting of continuous challenges of their beliefs, attitudes, values, and work priorities. That’s not to suggest that principals must always work in a constant state of mayhem. But without the ability to self-reflect, analyze, and foresee problems before they develop into dangerous dilemmas, they can become status-quo thinkers. When principals allow themselves to become complacent, they risk allowing their schools to be sucked into complex storms of human and political turmoil.
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Principals’ navigational challenges, difficulties, and stressors can be categorized in ten areas: 1. Communications 2. Evaluations 3. Paperwork 4. Parent Relations 5. Schedules 6. School Finance 7. Special Education 8. Staff Relations 9. Student Relations 10. Time Management Those ten categories can further be combined into groups within which a rich set of skills and dispositions can be learned, shared, and developed into mindful habits. Those skills support capacities to
maneuver through many types of uncertainties in four focal areas: • Work/Regulations (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10) • People (2, 4, 7, 8, 9) • Leadership (1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10) • Time (1, 5, 7, 10)1 Despite principals’ resourcefulness, there can be a lot of fog shrouding the four focal areas. If you allow an “I can’t” mindset to dominate and control your thinking, complexities will quickly mount and become overwhelming. The turbulence will appear to be unfathomable, you’ll lose your way, and those around you will become lost as well. Wise leaders talk with each other to learn, develop, and share “I can” approaches, discuss problem-solving strategies, commit to improvement, and engage others to help with navigational responsibilities. In an attempt to disperse the fog and help principals chart a manageable course, some time-honored strategies and dispositions are recommended in each of the four focal areas.
WORK/REGULATIONS
Even though there are some organizational commonalities, every school and community is different. State and federal mandates may seem oppressive to everyone (and they can be), but they are only conceptual ideas with minimal guidelines. It is people—not programs or mandates—that make all the difference. Principals who effectively guide their Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) through the intricacies of federal, state, and local work-related regulations, mandates, and expectations focus on making sure their people are engaged, educated, and empowered to shoulder a fair amount of the work and share responsibility for success. It’s not just principals whose plates are overflowing with increasing responsibilities. All educators share concerns about expanding pressures that require them to do more with less. One way to reduce complications is to limit interruptions. An open-door policy may no longer be the best practice. No one anticipates seeing a doctor, lawyer, or business CEO without an appointment. Likewise, principals strive to assure that teachers are free from interruptions during instruction. So why should anyone expect principals to complete their complex tasks while constantly being subjected to interruptions? You’ll allow an environment of chaos to develop if you allow continuous distractions. How might you better delegate and empower your assistant principal (AP), teacher leaders, and other key staff? Every principal must multitask. But Dave Crenshaw, in The Myth of Multitasking: How “Doing It All” Gets Nothing Done suggests that the best practice is being very selective about when to actively and passively switch-task. If you actively switch-task between e-mail, writing, reading, thinking, listening, talking, and decision-making, you’ll make mistakes, redo work, tire more quickly, The groupings within the focal areas are merely suggestions. There can be many different views about how the categories overlap in the focal areas. 1
and eventually burnout. Instead, create a structure that reduces diversions and allows for focus on one topic for extended periods of time followed by another. Ship captains who work for a specific merchant meet and talk about their work. Within a school district, principals should do the same. Seek permission from your superintendent to gather independently in your district’s elementary and middle schools, autonomously develop your own agenda, observe practices, reflect, share ideas, and solve problems at least once per month in addition to meetings that might already be required. Principals with growth mindsets who collaboratively meet and share stressors can add to the ideas presented thus far and develop workable solutions for almost any concern. They can also find a similar type of collaborative, collegial support at functions of the state and national principals’ associations.
PEOPLE
There are three categories of educators (including principals) who impact kids’ learning in classrooms: superstars, backbones, and mediocres. On a bell-curve, the backbones constitute about two-thirds of a typical staff. They are dependable, committed, hard-working individuals who typically do no harm with kids. The others are one-sixth mediocres, who complain about everything and everybody, contrasted with one-sixth superstars – the master teachers. Loyal opposition can be healthy, but when a group of fixed-mindset mediocres leverage control, they create a toxic culture that complicates and compromises the principal’s leadership. Superstars are mostly unaffected by negativity, but backbones can succumb to the influences of mediocres. Wise principals talk with each other and their mentors about specific navigational strategies when confronted with this dilemma. They focus their influence in support of the superstars and help them sway the backbones. Staff performance can be skewed in a positive direction, but it requires determination, courage, strong relationship-building skills, and a mindset that cannot be diverted off course by mediocres. Students and adults mimic what their principals say and do. Everyone does it (just observe babies). Simulation is a human default tendency. Clever principals study and utilize the power of human mimicry in order to gain trust in various forms of negotiations that influence attitudes, communications, choices, and shape relationships. Informed principals also mimic the best ideas and practices of their distinguished colleagues. If you’ve ever taken a team of teachers off campus for professional development, you know the experience has more long-term benefits for relationship development than on-site training. Content and objectives can be learned on or off campus, but collegiality and positive outcomes are better attained in nonwork environments.
LEADERSHIP
If you follow the mantra “Do what you say you are going to do when you say you are going to do it,” you will earn the trust of people who will support and follow you through all sorts of continued on next page...
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...continued from previous page turbulence. People need a leader who communicates a clear, concise vision statement (where we are going) based on their school’s mission (why we exist). Part of your vision for the school must define what good really means. What does “good job,” “good performance,” or “good growth” really represent? It is your responsibility to define good and make it meaningful.
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity. An optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” ~ Sir Winston Churchill
Principals must make timely decisions. But part of the complexity for middle-level leaders is knowing when to make autonomous decisions. Your PLC looks to you for guidance more often than someone from central office. No one wants to work for a wishy-washy decision-maker. If you make a bad decision, fix it. Perhaps the most debated question in educational leadership is whether principals should be the school’s instructional leader or the lead learner. Does it matter? Do principals need to be an expert in all aspects of instruction? Is that possible? (think you’d survive
long showing your music teacher what to do?) How are the terms interwoven? How do they differ? Can teachers be instructional leaders? In his book The Principal: Three Keys to Maximizing Impact, Michael Fullan advocates that the new focus for principals should be to increase their leadership impact by using time differently. He states that the principal’s job is to lead the school’s teachers in a process of learning that improves teaching, while learning alongside them about what works and what doesn’t. Simply put, that means being a lead learner. Lead learners engage, educate, and empower those around them. They elicit experts from among
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Advice | Retirement | Insurance *LIMRA, Not-for-Profit Survey, based on total participants for four consecutive years (2012-2015) and contributions for three consecutive years (2013-2015). “AXA” is the brand name of AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC and its family of companies, including AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY, NY), AXA Advisors, LLC, and AXA Distributors, LLC. AXA S.A. is a French holding company for a group of international insurance and financial services companies, including AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC. The obligations of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company are backed solely by their claims-paying ability. AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (New York, NY). Distributors: AXA Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) and AXA Distributors, LLC. AXA Equitable, AXA Advisors, and AXA Distributors are affiliated companies. GE-114754 (5/16) (Exp. 5/18) G38357
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the staff and elsewhere to lead many aspects of instruction. Professionalism is a virtue. Style is ageless. Showing gratitude goes a long way toward calming obstinate personalities. Adopt the style and leadership practice of writing three handwritten notes of gratitude to members of your PLC (including students and parents) and observe how that small act helps you navigate the complexities of building relationships, especially with the mediocres.
TIME
All principals have a similar clock. Some just know how to make theirs work better. To help focus time and priorities, try the concept of a morning huddle with your key staff (assistant principal, secretary, social worker, counselor, custodian, cook, nurse, etc.). Schedule this ten-minute standing meeting at a time when everyone can attend without interruptions. The goal is to discuss what the day will look like, share information, and review project(s) status. Keep the huddle short, time-on-task, and encourage everyone to speak and contribute. Todd Whitaker’s Shifting the Monkey is a quick and easy read full of helpful ideas for improving school culture, saving time, and clarifying responsibilities for dealing with “monkeys” (student academic or behavioral problems). The author describes how principals should listen to teachers when they define “monkey” problems, assign ownership, provide reassurance, support, and feedback as well as monitor actions. Too many principals make a mistake of simply allowing teachers to dump “monkeys” in their
office. Effective leaders save time by making sure all “monkeys” are dealt with at the most appropriate, and lowest level of the school’s hierarchy. Lastly, time is well invested by recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and nurturing ideal team players. Surround yourself with the best people. Engage, educate, and empower them. They will help you navigate the complexities of the principalship. Moreover, you will be dutiful in preparing the next generation of principals with a mindset that will enable them to face whatever navigational challenges they encounter.
SUMMARY
Principals must be able to make sense of ideas from multiple sources and communicate them to others. When dealing with complexities that create work-environment turbulence, principals with calm, mindful dispositions demonstrate that they are willing to accept and address challenges. They do so by analyzing and synthesizing information, then collaboratively determining new strategies, one focal area at a time, that address concerns. They learn to adapt and help others make sense out of what appears to be nonsense. Where some see difficulties, others create opportunities. Don’t wait for people to tell you what you can, cannot, or should not do. Avoid getting furious about mounting pressures, instead, become curious about new priorities and better ways of doing things. You can overcome any challenges and lead your school through many types of chaos if your mindset is open to learning and growing.
REFERENCES Crenshaw, Dave. The Myth of Multitasking: How “Doing It All”Gets Nothing Done. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008. Dweck, Carol. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House, 2007. Fullen, Michael. The Principal: Three Keys to Maximizing Impact. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, 2014. Lencioni, Patrick. The Ideal Team Player. Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass, 2016. Whitaker, Todd. Shifting the Monkey: The Art of Protecting Good People from Liars, Criers, and Other Slackers. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree, 2012. Young, Paul. You Have to Go to School—You’re the Principal! 101 Tips to Make It Better for Your Students, Your Staff, and Yourself. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2004.
About the Author Paul G. Young, PhD, is a past president of OAESA and NAESP. After retirement from the principalship, he served as the president and CEO of the National AfterSchool Association. Currently, he is an adjunct professor of middle-level education and music at Ohio University-Lancaster. He is the author of numerous books and articles for principals, teachers, and afterschool professionals. You can reach him at paulyoungohio@gmail.com. Join Paul as he elaborates further on navigational strategies for principals during his clinic on Thursday, June 15, at 11:00 a.m. Register for it today at oaesa.org/E3_asp.
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Legislative Matters
THE MIRROR OF ERISED: Power in the General Education Classroom New Ohio Gifted Operating Standards Focus on High Quality Professional Development for General Education Classroom Teachers
by Patricia Farrenkopf, EdD
“Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror; that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?” Harry thought. Then he said slowly, “It shows us what we want…whatever we want…”
S
“Yes and no,” said Dumbledore quietly. “It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts.” (Rowling, 1997, p. 213)
o the question remains for gifted students: Who are they really? Are they the same as their age peers, or do they and others perceive themselves differently? Do gifted students define themselves as they identify the “deepest, most desperate desires of their hearts” or as others define them? Perhaps as Dumbledore tells Harry, “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” (Rowling, 2000, p. 333). In 1973, I started my teaching career in a fifth grade self-contained classroom in a rural area of North Carolina. My 38 fifth graders included children with a range of abilities from those who could not read beyond a second-grade level to a few who were performing well beyond grade-level expectations. The vast majority of the children were average in ability and achievement for their grade level. Similar to my teaching colleagues at the time, I designed instruction for the large percentage of students who were average. Most of us did not adequately address the needs of either the struggling students or those who were advanced. The advantages that came with the October 4, 1957, launching of the Russian Sputnik satellite and the resulting US concentration on advanced math and science education was well in the past. We had successfully sent men into orbit so the space race crisis was over. There was no longer the sense of urgency to grow our potential mathematicians and scientists. There was certainly no recognition of a need to assist our academically and physically challenged students until a few years after my entry into the teaching profession. Then, in 1975, Congress enacted Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. This law, amended in 1997, is currently known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purpose of this law was to assure rights for our handicapped students, to meet their individual needs, and to improve the level of achievement for these identified students. For more than 30 years, this legislation has provided a national and state focus on providing appropriate services for this population. Early identification and services for 200,000 preschool-age children and public school special education for six million
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students strives to provide the least restrictive environment for their education in their own neighborhoods and schools (US Department of Education, 2007). PL 94-142 legislated that all children with disabilities would receive a free appropriate public education, emphasizing special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs. The rights of children with disabilities and the parents of these children would be protected. States and local districts would also receive federal assistance to provide for the education of all children with disabilities. And with this new law, the effectiveness of efforts to educate all children with disabilities would be assessed. Once this law was enacted, I worked with a newly hired special education teacher who met with the identified special education students for academic instruction. I had these children in my classroom only for homeroom and the special area classes of art, music, and physical education. Our staff took a college-level, credit-bearing course on the education of handicapped students with the cost covered by our district and offered it at our school location after school hours. In my undergraduate training in the late 1960s and early 1970s, I was not presented with concepts for meeting the needs of special education students. I was very happy to have this course offered. Although I still had the students who were above grade level, I predictably continued to teach to the middle. I naively thought that a law mandating the service for our advanced students would be forthcoming. I was wrong and have been waiting more than 30 years, over which time the IDEA has been growing and refining. The 2014–15 State of the Nation in Gifted Education report finds the following status of teacher preparation and training regarding gifted education in our country: Only one state—Nevada—statutorily requires all teachers receive training in gifted and talented education through a separate course before beginning their classroom service.
In Ohio, we have been mandated to identify and notify but not to serve. Recently we have added a gifted indicator to our report cards. Our new Ohio Gifted Operating Standards recognizes the importance of high quality professional development for our general education teachers. The Ohio Association for Gifted Children Position Paper, What Is Gifted High-Quality Professional Development, recognizes: According to ODE data, the vast majority of gifted students in Ohio are taught in a general education classroom by a teacher who has not had any specific training in nature or needs or appropriate instruction of gifted students. This situation often results in instructional practices that are not in the best interest of gifted children. For example, many gifted children, instead of being provided with work sufficient to their needs, are simply given more worksheets of concepts that they mastered long before. Others are used as tutors for struggling students, a practice that is inappropriate on both academic and social-emotional levels. Based on the Gifted Education Teacher Preparation Standards developed by the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)/ Council for Exceptional Children and the Association for the Gifted (CEC-TAG) and the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) (2013, NAGC /CEC-TAG), general education teachers should receive professional development that cover, at a minimum: •
The nature and needs of gifted students,
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Curriculum and instructional strategies for teaching gifted students,
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Guidance and counseling of gifted students,
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Educating special populations of gifted students; and
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Theory and development of creativity.
Returning to Harry Potter and the Mirror of Erised, we reflect on the importance of understanding identity development in all students—including those who are gifted. There are many myths and misconceptions about gifted students that hinder identity development. Many students and adults report that they have never been told, or do not understand, what it means to be identified as gifted. Being gifted is not better but different. This area of our student population is just as complex as the special education area, and, in fact, we share many of the same students in both categories when they are twice exceptional. Our general education teachers are critical to this service. They need our support.
general education curricula, to modify the learning process through strategies such as curriculum compacting, and to select alternative assignments and projects based on individual student needs; • The ability to understand the social and emotional needs of students who are gifted and to address the impact of those needs on student learning; • The ability to recognize and respond to characteristics and needs of students from traditionally underrepresented populations who are gifted and create safe and culturally responsive learning environments; • The ability to use data from a variety of sources to measure and monitor the growth of students who are gifted; • The ability to select, use, and interpret technically sound formal and informal assessments for the purpose of academic decision making; and • The ability to participate in the development of the Written Education Plan. References Farrenkopf, Patricia. The Mirror of Erised: Exploring the Development of identity in Gifted Students. Doctoral Dissertation, Concordia of Chicago University. Available from University Microfilms, Concordia University library, and ProQuest, 2014. OAGC High-Quality Professional Development Position Paper, 2016. Retrieved from http://www.oagc.com/files/OAGC%20HQPDupdate2.2017.pdf. Operating Standards 3301-51-15, 2017. Retrieved from http://www. oagc.com/files/OAC%203301-51-15%20Feburary%202017%20 draft%20for%20JCARR.pdf. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. New York: Scholastic, 1997. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic, 2000. State of the Nation in Gifted Education, 2015. Retrieved from http:// www.nagc.org/sites/default/files/key%20reports/20142015%20 State%20of%20the%20Nation.pdf. State of the States Policy and Practice Data, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.nagc.org/sites/default/files/key%20reports/20142015%20 State%20of%20the%20Stat s%20summary.pdf.
The gifted community celebrates this opportunity to work in collaboration with educational service centers, colleges and universities, and school district professional development committee as the following gifted education competencies are included in coursework for general education classroom teachers: • The ability to differentiate instruction based on a student’s readiness, knowledge and skill level, including using accelerated content, complexity, depth challenge, creativity and abstractness; • The ability to select, adapt, or create a variety of differentiated curricula that incorporate advanced, conceptually challenging, in-depth, distinctive and complex content; • The ability to provide an extension or replacement of the
About the Author Patricia Farrenkopf, EdD, is a 2014 graduate of the SAIL/Concordia doctoral program. She has taught in regular and gifted classrooms, coordinated gifted programs, served as an elementary school principal, and is employed currently as an ESCCO gifted Consultant and adjunct professor for Ashland University. She is also the Ohio liaison for the Northwestern University Center for Talent Development and teaches in their online Gifted Learning Links program.
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We Grow Thinkers! by Jill Abraham
The Journey
trators met throughout the school year to review current practices in the identification and support of gifted learners. We quickly discovered a common passion for designing something new for our students and most importantly, we shared a commitment to creating an experience that would benefit the learning of all students, not just those identified as gifted.
As an educator with over two decades of experience working with students, teachers, and administrators, I have always worked with professionals focused on growing students. We have grown readers, mathematicians, scientists, artists, and musicians. We have grown students who are ready for college, careers, and civic life. And, while we have done all this good work, we have also spent a good deal of time growing test takers. Test takers.
The task force recommended the district design an instructional experience that engaged students in an enriching learning environment. A design team was assembled comprised of classroom teachers, gifted intervention specialists, counselors, art teachers, and administrators, and given the charge of creating this enriching experience.
Three years ago, we began an exciting journey in Dublin City Schools, which has empowered our teachers to be the authors of a new and exciting story in their classrooms. This journey has transformed our learning culture in incredible ways as we work collaboratively to grow our students as thinkers.
The era of accountability and standardized tests has greatly influenced the learning in elementary classrooms. It has impacted the classroom environment, the language of students and teachers, learning routines, time management, and even the display of work. In essence, it has influenced every aspect of the learning culture. In 2014–2015, our district assembled a task force to review service delivery options for our gifted students. A committee comprised of classroom teachers, gifted intervention specialists, and adminis-
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The design team studied enrichment models and the learning standards from many different disciplines and they began to notice common themes and references to thinking dispositions. The design team reviewed the work of Art Costa and Bena Kallick and the “16 habits of mind� that have been identified as contributing to success. The message was clear in all the research. In order to empower students for their futures, they had to be engaged problem solvers every day and in all settings. It takes a team effort to grow this type of learner. With that understanding in our arsenal, we committed to growing a culture of thinking.
We recognized that growing a culture of thinking was more than a big task. It was a paradigm shift, and success would be dependent upon the engagement of all professionals with a clear understanding of common commitments and goals. We crafted our commitments, our thinking goals, and spent time with staff, growing their own understandings of the work ahead.
Our Key Commitments
Boost Student Achievement with Intervention and Instruction that Works
A commitment to providing differentiated learning experiences that enriches the learning experience of all students A commitment to collaborating with one another A commitment to using a common language of thinking A commitment to engaging students with rich and complex problems A commitment to growing skills that support students in navigating challenges A commitment to making the thinking of students visible to other thinkers
Our Goal
Through explicit support from a collaborative instructional team, students will blossom into thinkers who are able to independently apply thinking habits in complex and creative ways. Simply put, WE GROW THINKERS! Having identified our key commitments and our goal of growing thinkers, we began to study culture and explore the shifts that we would need to make in order to bring our goal to fruition. Ron Ritchhart’s book titled Creating Cultures of Thinking—The Eight Forces We Must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools, proved to be an invaluable resource in our work. Ritchhart focused our efforts on eight key areas of work to transform our classrooms into true cultures of thinking: 1. The Language of a Thinking Classroom 2. The Utilization of Time for Thinking 3. The Power of Modeling Thinking 4. The Design of Learning Opportunities to Serve as the Vehicle for Thinking 5. The Routines Thinkers Use to Make Sense of the World
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6. The Relationships of Thinkers 7. The Environment as a Support to Learning and Thinking 8. The Expectation of Learning vs. Work Completion As we began to develop our new thinking culture, we frequently challenged our teachers to consider the story of their classrooms. Anyone who has spent much time in the classroom setting would attest to the fact there is a story visible to the observer. We even challenged our administrators to think about the story that their former classrooms told. I reflectively considered the story of my
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continued from the previous page... former classroom and quickly came to realize that my classroom told a story of work. I challenged my students to get their work done and be good workers! I managed my classroom to the minute so we could complete tasks and make transitions easily throughout the day. My room was decorated in final products that demonstrated a common completion of the work assigned. I sat at the front of the class with my worker bees sitting at my feet, waiting for the next question I had to offer. I was their foreman, they were my workers, and the story of my classroom was easily visible to anyone who stopped by. We were proud of our work! Looking back as an older and wiser educator, I realize that I nurtured a good deal of student dependence on me. I wasn’t growing thinkers—I was growing pleasers. I would encourage anyone currently leading a classroom or who has ever had the privilege of leading a classroom to think about the story of your classroom. What type of learner were you growing in your classroom? Were you growing a worker like me? A test taker? Would your classroom culture look different if you were charged with growing a thinker? As we began to collectively reflect on our practices, we began to recognize that simple shifts in our current settings would actually result in a significant transformation in the learning experience of our students.
Growing Thinkers
As we began to develop our culture of thinking, we quickly discovered that we had to grow the thinking of our adult learners first. We had to free them from the fear of making a wrong instructional move in the design of their thinking culture. This was sometimes a big leap for our teachers. They didn’t want to make a mistake in this important work. We stood beside them in this journey, encouraging them to take a risk and try something new. Our chief academic officer, Kimberly Miller, sent inspiring messages to staff weekly to encourage them to introduce creativity or thinking challenges with students. Administrators encouraged teachers to think flexibly and out of the box. Quickly, teachers came to value the chance to engage students differently in the learning process and recognized the value of seeing students as thinkers and not just test takers.
As with any culture, language and shared understanding is important to members of the culture. We identified six thinking habits that we would intentionally develop in our K–3 students: asking questions, thinking flexibly, creating and innovating, persevering, communicating with confidence, and collaborating with others. Teachers were encouraged to display the thinking habits in classrooms and throughout the school. Principals highlighted the thinking habits in weekly newsletters and captured the thinking in action in frequent tweets and postings to social media. In a short time, students, staff, and parents were sharing the common language of our thinking culture. The greatest shift in culture was evident in the thinking routines of our classrooms. Teachers introduced a variety of strategies that thinkers utilize when trying to solve a problem, develop understanding, or make sense of the world. Our youngest learners have learned how to “slow look” for details that aren’t obvious at first glance—a strategy taught to medical students who visit the Columbus Museum of Art to develop their medical skillset. Our thinkers have learned a routine titled, “I use to think…now I think… “ which develops their capacity to review new information for the purpose of expanding understanding or changing perspective. There are many more strategies that we’ve utilized with students and we continue to study the work out of Harvard’s graduate school and Project Zero to discover more routines for our students. We have engaged in professional development over the last two years to support our teachers in learning the routines of thinkers and we’ve also learned from one another as teachers develop their own routines.
A New Story
Three years ago, we committed to re-writing the story of our classrooms and to design an educational experience that would empower and engage our students as thinkers. An unexpected consequence of this work was that we’ve all grown as thinkers. We are learning from our colleagues and engaging with community in new and novel ways that support the classroom experience. We are utilizing time differently and recognizing that thinking is a process that takes time. We have engaged the members of our learning culture in routines and opportunities that are preparing them to solve complex problems now and well into the future. We are proud that our classrooms are “thought-full,” and all students are growing as thinkers!
About the Author Jill Abraham is the director of elementary education with Dublin City Schools. She has served as an elementary teacher, instructional coach, elementary principal as well as the director of elementary education throughout her 23 years in the field of education. Jill is a passionate advocate for children and continually seeks opportunities to engage them in innovative learning experiences. Join us at the professional conference for Jill's presentation, We Are Growing Thinkers in Dublin Schools, which takes place Friday, June 16, at 11:30 a.m.
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OAESA is pleased to announce its 2017 award winners: National Distinguished Principal, Rhonda Peeples, Columbus City Schools; Outstanding Assistant Principal, Michael Emmert, Zanesville City Schools; Secretary of the Year, Beverly Kassner, Kings Local Schools; D. Richard Murray Award recipient, Ken Bernacki, West Geauga Local Schools; and Hall of Fame schools—Benjamin Harrison Elementary, Marion City Schools; Brentmoor Elementary, Mentor Exempted Village Schools; Center Elementary, Mayfield City Schools; Champion Middle School, Champion Local Schools; Chieftain Elementary, Logan-Hocking Schools; Northfield Elementary, Nordonia Hills City Schools; Van Wert Elementary, Van Wert City Schools; Walter Kidder Elementary, Brunswick City Schools; and Waterville Elementary, Anthony Wayne Local Schools. Please join us as we honor winners at the awards luncheon at the professional conference on Friday, June 16.
Special thanks go out to these members who represented OAESA across the state this year: Tammy Wagner, Ohio Deans Compact; Heidi Kegley and Asia Armstrong, Superintendent's Advisory Committee on Assessments; Gretchen Liggens, Stephanie Klingshirn, Sara Roseberry, Jennifer Schwanke, Jeff Schiller, Alexandra Nannicola, Jim Nichols, and Daniel Graves, ODE's Principal Workgroup; and Julie Lather, Educator Standards Board. SAIL for Education is proud to announce 86 students will graduate from Concordia University Chicago this May. Among the graduates, two will be receiving their doctoral degrees. For more information about SAIL and getting your graduate degree through CUC, e-mail info@sailforeducation.org. OAESA's Networking and Outreach and Professional Learning Service Teams have joined forces to bring you OAESA's first Edcamp. The event will take place Saturday, September 9. Save the date!
The theme for next year's professional conference is Team Up! Superheroes for Kids. Put on your cape and join us in June 2018 as we focus on teaming up to support the whole child. Keynotes include OSU's Tim Kight and Stephen M. R. Covey. OAESA Executive Board members Stephanie Klingshirn, Heidi Kegley, Melanie Pearn, Aretha Paydock, and Dr. Jeromey Sheets joined OAESA staff Dr. Julie Davis, Mark Jones, KT Hughes Crandall, and Abigail Smith on Capitol Hill to lobby Ohio lawmakers about the Every Student Succeeds Act during the National Leaders Conference held in March 2017. The team did a great job and left Washingon, DC, feeling the future of ESSA is in good hands.
(from L to R:) Mark, Rep. Steve Stivers, KT, and Jeromey
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Health Issues
SUDDEN Cardiac ARREST
by Ann Connelly and Joan Keith
Sudden cardiac arrest? Lindsay’s Law? What are these, and what do they have to do with schools? Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is when a person’s heart stops suddenly, often leading to death in a few, short minutes. Sometimes SCA is associated with a known heart problem, while other times the SCA episode is the first time a heart problem is recognized. For others, an incident such as a blow to the chest can cause SCA. SCA can occur at any age, including young people—especially those engaged in sports or other physical activities. To prevent youth deaths due to SCA, Ohio recently enacted Lindsay’s Law. Lindsay’s Law is named after former Miss Ohio Lindsay Davis who made it her mission to raise awareness of the problem of SCA in youth athletes. Lindsay’s Law applies to athletic activities for children and youth under the age of 19, including interscholastic athletics; athletic contests/competitions sponsored by or associated with a school, including cheerleading, club-sponsored sports activities, and sports activities sponsored by school-affiliated organizations; noncompetitive cheerleading that is sponsored by school-affiliated organizations; and practices, interschool practices, and scrimmages for the activities described above. The provisions apply to anyone who practices for or competes in athletic activities organized by a youth sports organization or school. While SCA can occur anywhere—lunchroom, classroom, office—children and youth are most at risk while participating in strenuous activities. School activities considered strenuous include physical education, marching band, organized sports, intramurals, and even recess. Because of this, students with certain existing (but undiagnosed) heart issues can be unknowingly placed at risk of death from SCA. The good news is most deaths by SCA can be prevented. Often the young person had symptoms prior to experiencing SCA, but the symptoms went unreported as the child was unaware of the potential seriousness of the situation. When a child does report symptoms, adults may also underestimate the seriousness of these warning signs. Symptoms can include fatigue, fainting, blackouts, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, rapid heart rate, irregular heart rhythm, or the feeling of a rapid and pounding heart. In order to prevent deaths from SCA, Lindsay’s Law requires that all youth participating in the athletic events listed above receive information about SCA (including symptoms and potential loss of life if ignored) and exclusion requirements and must sign a form indicating they have received the information. Similarly, parents of the athletes must do the same thing. The signed forms must be completed and submitted each school year for each athletic activity in which the youth participates. Lindsay’s Law permits each school and youth sports organization to hold an informational meeting before the start of each athletic season to share SCA information to students of all ages. It specifies that the meeting is for the athletes, parents/guardians, athletic trainers, and any other interested persons. Coaches must take an annual training course approved by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and follow the exclusion requirements outlined in the law. The school must establish penalties for coaches who fail to
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follow these requirements. If certain family members have experienced SCA or if the youth has passed out or fainted at any time before or following an athletic activity, a student or youth athlete must be evaluated and cleared by a health professional before participation in an athletic activity. If a student or youth athlete is already participating in an athletic activity and passes out or faints, he or she must be immediately removed from participation by the coach. The athlete may not return to the activity until evaluated and written medical clearance is received. Who can evaluate and clear a student or youth athlete for return to play? 1. For schools, students may be cleared to return to play by a physician, certified nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse-midwife, physician assistant, or athletic trainer. 2. For youth sports organizations, the participant may be cleared to return to play by a physician, a certified nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse-midwife. These health care providers may consult with any other licensed or certified health care providers as needed to determine if a student is ready to return to participation.
be evaluated and cleared before participating in athletic activities. Resources to implement the law are available to both schools and community associations on the ODH and ODE websites. We hope you find these resources useful!
About the Authors Ann Connelly is the public health nurse supervisor, and Joan Keith is a school nurse consultant, both at the Ohio Department of Health. You can reach Ann at ann.connelly@odh.ohio.gov and Joan at joan. keith@odh.ohio.gov. You can find more information about Lindsay's Law and other topics concerning health in education by visiting ODH's website at www.odh.ohio.gov.
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While SCA is not always preventable, a trained staff and an available AED can make the difference between life and death. If anyone experiences an SCA, an AED and CPR should be used and EMS/911 should be called immediately. In addition to drills for tornado, lockdown, or fire, schools and coaches should consider holding SCA emergency drills. Time is of the essence in a SCA scenario, and holding drills can greatly increase the odds of survival in these youth. In order to meet the requirements of Lindsay’s Law, the ODH School Nursing program is collaborating with the Ohio Department of Education (ODE), the Ohio High School Athletic Association, and the Ohio Chapter of the American College of Cardiology to develop the resources for schools and community sports associations. The form for parents and athletes to sign will be posted on the ODH and ODE websites. Training videos for parents, student athletes, and coaches will also be made available there. There will also be handouts with information about SCA that you may share with your parents and student athletes. SCA does happen to children and youth and is more common when they are involved in strenuous activities. In order to prevent unnecessary loss of life due to SCA, Lindsay’s Law has put in place an educational requirement for coaches, parents, and the young athletes themselves. Young athletes known to be at risk of SCA—whether by family history or their own symptoms—must
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Aspire to Inspire
Create. Explore. Collaborate. Problem-Solve. Innovate. Observe a child designing with Lego WeDo 2.0 or building a prototype by Jamie Hollinger, EdD of an improved iPad case and you will see the student application of these verbs as they come to life. As adults, we all hope to work in a field for which we have a natural passion and interest. The ideal profession would enable us to earn a living while doing something that we truly love. Our young children should feel this same passion about their learning during the years spent as students in our school. The constant pursuit of knowledge is our students' “profession,” and it can continue for a lifetime if a love of learning and a curious mindset is nurtured. Creating a culture of ingenuity is possible! Through our efforts to join the Makerspace movement, our students will be able to practice a self-directed, hands-on learning experience while being engaged, challenged, and passionate about their learning. A Makerspace is a collaborative place where students meet to invent, tinker, and explore using both low- and high-tech supplies. These spaces help students develop critical 21st Century skills in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). Ohio’s adopted state standards explicitly state that the learning standards do not define “how teachers should teach” and
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that teachers are “free to provide students with whatever tools and knowledge their professional judgment and experience identify as most helpful for meeting the goals set out in the standards.” With this guidance in mind, we are developing a Makerspace at each of the grade levels (K–4) within our primary building. “The values of this learning movement of tinkers and do-it-yourself enthusiasts align with 21st Century learning framework and standards in STEM education, creating a foundation for lifelong learning.” (Taylor, 2016). Through the use of Makerspace, we are building upon the foundation established by our two-year theme of Growth Mindset, and fostering its natural evolution into a Maker Mindset. Our Maker movement is guided by the eight mathematical practices and science goals set forth by the Ohio Department of Education. We realize that initiatives beginning at the building level are most successful. Additions to curriculum and programming should be supported by data, address a need that has been indicated by this data, and are grounded in the interests of staff and students. Last fall, individual teachers and students at each grade level showed strong interest in developing and implementing Makerspaces. At that point, we decided to further explore the potential a Maker movement could have at Waterville Primary on student growth. We began with a curricular overview to ensure that the addition of instructional resources would enhance our standards-based learning and directly align with grade level curriculum. We coupled
Students enjoying the Makerspace at Waterville Primary this standards-based rationale with strong student interest and the importance of offering personalized student learning in our initial proposal process to our District leaders, families, students, and staff. The proposal gained immediate momentum from a core group of supporters that spanned across our stakeholder groups. This support was crucial to our next steps of moving forward and securing sustainable financial support for our building-wide initiative. It is important to mention that at this point in the Makerspace planning, we received assistance and encouragement from Maumee City Schools, a neighboring school district. Teachers and administrators from Maumee Schools offered valuable advice and shared their experiences about the steps they had already taken to establish Makerspaces in their buildings. We were also able to visit a classroom and observe students using multiple technology resources during a lesson, which enabled us to refine our vision for implementation and identify materials that would best serve and galvanize our students. During the time we were learning from other colleagues, we enlisted the aid of our parent organization to help secure funding with which to purchase Makerspace supplies. The Waterville Parent Association held a designated fundraiser in which all revenue raised would be allocated toward the purchase of technology resources and Maker materials that grade levels best felt could immediately be integrated into our curriculum and supplement what we are currently doing. We also worked with one of our Girl Scout troops to organize a “Maker Drive,” which will enable additional items, such as Legos, duct tape, and cardboard, to be donated to our school. The marketing and communication of our Makerspace vision was done using multiple platforms so families understood exactly what they were supporting— student creativity! Another important piece in our development of a Makerspace has been providing ongoing professional development and collaboration time in order to support staff and build internal expertise. As we begin to receive materials and technology components, teachers will be given the opportunity to explore and experiment with these resources to increase their confidence and comfort level of
using them with students. Staff will be able to take time over the upcoming summer break to plan the integration of these new resources into lessons and unit designs. Additionally, we are partnering with the National Inventors Hall of Fame to organize and run Camp Invention (http://campinvention.org) for up to 120 district students in June. Our teachers will provide instruction during the week-long Camp Invention to gain exposure and practice implementing a STEAM curriculum. This summer programming will help to develop a core group of students and staff who will be prepared to fully implement Makerspace in the fall during the regular school day. A high-priority consideration with any initiative is to monitor and measure the impact the initiative has on student performance. The driving intent behind our Maker movement is to better equip our students with the 21st Century skills needed for a lifetime of success. We want to ensure that our purchases, additions to curriculum, professional developments, and opportunities created for the students will positively impact their 21st Century Skills. Quantifying a child’s 21st Century skills ability can be complicated, so we have decided to use an instrument already developed by Learning. com that is aligned with the International Standards for Technology in Education (ISTE). This online 21st Century skills assessment will collect an initial score for individual third grade students (n=75) in the areas of: • creativity and innovation, • communication and collaboration, • research and information fluency, • critical thinking, problemsolving, decision-making, and • digital citizenship This initial assessment will be administered in May 2017. We will then implement our Makerspace curriculum for the length of the 2017–2018 school year and readminister the 21st Century skills continued on next page...
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...continued from previous page... assessment to the same population of students (n=75) in May 2018, at the conclusion of their fourth grade year. We anticipate this collected data will show a positive correlation between the implementation of our Maker movement and the progression of 21st Century skills in the sample population. Our students should not simply be consumers of content but also makers of their own knowledge. Makerspace encourages problem-solving, curiosity, exploration, and a growth mindset as students work through problems until solutions are developed. What kind of adults do we want our students to become? Do we want our students to contribute and create or simply to grow into consumers? We believe that supporting our students through a Maker mindset will instill growth and provide authentic opportunities for our students to connect and build both cognitive and non-cognitive skills driven by their own interests and passions. The Maker movement supports all students as we prepare them for their future professions in the job market by inspiring progress, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning.
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References Digital Literacy Tests for K–12 Students. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2017, from http://www.learning.com/solutions/assessments/2. EIJEAS 2016 Volume: 2 Issue: Special Issue, 1–22, Ohio, USA. Electronic International Journal of Education, Arts, and Science. http:// www.eijeas.com. English Language Arts Standards  Introduction  Key Design Consideration. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2017, from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/introduction/key-design-consideration/.
About the Author Jamie Hollinger, EdD, is the principal at Waterville Primary in the Anthony Wayne Local School District. She has 14 years of experience as a teacher and principal, with the last two years at Waterville Primary. Her school is an OAESA Hall of Fame Award winner. Jamie earned her degrees from Bowling Green State University. You can connect with her via Twitter—@awlswa.
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Tell us your story...
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF OAESA'S PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE?
“When I attend the OAESA professional conference, I always learn new ideas that I can immediately implement to support staff and students! It is a great time to reconnect with colleagues from across the state.”
~Heidi Kegley, OAESA past president
“My favorite part of the conference is that and principal, Delaware City Schools it encourages me to expand my circle and exposes me to new innovations. Through “My favorite aspect of our conference networking and other OAESA professional conference inopportunities, my job doesn’t feel so isolatvolves taking advantage ed. Plus I’ve met some lifelong friends!” of the many opportunities
to network with members from all over the state “Top things I enjoy about the OAESA and picking their brains to conference—the time spent with my problems that our princiteachers planning and sharing for the pals face on a daily basis in their jobs.” ~Stephanie Klingshirn, OAESA president and principal, Mississinawa Valley Local Schools
coming year, the clinics, and sharing ideas [with colleagues] in the hallways.” ~Mark Lotycz, principal, Fairbanks Local Schools
~Mark Jones, OAESA assistant director
“[I enjoy] meeting new educators and getting to visit with past acquaintances to continue the educational community relationships established at the conference.” “Top things about the conference:
~Phil Roe, retired
• Terrific keynote speakers, • Variety of workshops with teacher/ practicing principal presenters, and • Socializing and networking.”
~Sue Brackenhoff, curriculum director, Fairborn City Schools
“YOU!”
~OAESA
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Thank You to OAESA's 2016 – ADVOCACY
Jana Alig, KIPP Columubus Thomas Bates, Colonial Hills Elementary, Worthington City Schools Paulette Baz, Crestwood Elementary, Swanton Local Schools Francine Dembski, Longfellow Elementary, Sidney City Schools Scott Emery, New Albany-Plain Local Schools Keith Helmlinger, Whittier Elementary, Sidney City Schools Gretchen Liggens, Walton Elementary, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools Jonathan Muro, Madison Middle School, Madison Local Schools Aretha Paydock, the Arts Academy at Summit, Canton City Schools Sara Roseberry, Hardin Houston Elementary, Hardin-Houston Local Schools Stephen Seagrave, retired Brent Swartzmiller, Perrysburg Jr. High, Perrysburg Local Schools Michelle Unger, New Albany K–1 Building, New Albany-Plain Local Schools Sandy White, retired Olympia Williams, Ohio Avenue Elementary, Columbus City Schools
NETWORKING AND OUTREACH
Luna Alsharaiha, St. Agatha Elementary, Columbus Diocese Matthew Bradley, Highland Middle School, Highland Local Schools Timothy Ebert, Redwood Elementary, Avon Lake City Schools Lisa Garofalo, 4c for Children, Cincinnati City Schools Julie Kenney, Prairie Lincoln Elementary, South-Western City Schools Brynn Morris, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools Nick Neiderhouse, EdD, Wayne Trail Elementary, Maumee City Schools James Nichols, Indian Hill Primary, Indian Hill Exempted Village Schools Kirk Pavelich, Royal View Elementary, North Royalton City Schools Cathryn Petticrew, Tecumseh Elementary, Xenia Community City Schools Jennifer Schwanke, Indian Run Elementary, Dublin City Schools Daniel Sebring, Normandy Elementary, Bay Village City Schools Jeromey Sheets, EdD, Lancaster City Schools Erin Simpson, Overlook Elementary, Wadsworth City Schools Paul Young, PhD, Ohio University Lancaster Stephen Zinser, retired
PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE
Sue Brackenhoff, Fairborn City Schools Robert Buck, Wilson Elementary, Forest Hills Local Schools Kara Jackson, Toll Gate Middle School, Pickerington Local Schools Heidi Kegley, Frank B Willis Intermediate School, Delaware City Schools Stephanie Klingshirn, Mississinawa Valley Elementary, Mississinawa Valley Local Schools Mark Lotycz, Fairbanks Elementary, Fairbanks Local Schools Melanie Pearn, Fairfax Elementary, Mentor Exempted Village Schools Jodi Ranegar, Bloom-Carroll Local Schools Phil Roe, retired
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Asia Armstrong, Worthington Park Elementary, Worthington City Schools Jessica Cahill, Stiles Elementary, South-Western City Schools Jason Fife, Westfall Middle School, Westfall Local Schools Kim Fisk, Jackson-Milton Elementary, Jackson-Milton Local Schools Stephanie Morton, Joseph M. Gallagher, Cleveland Metropolitan Schools Jolene Reinhart, Franklin Covey Michael Sedlak, East Woods Elementary, Hudson City Schools Lynn Villa, Wilcox Elementary, Twinsburg City Schools Susanne Waltman, Strausser Elementary, Jackson Local Schools
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– 2017 Service Team Members RECOGNITION
Angela Belcher, Pike-Delta-York Local Schools Kenneth Bernacki, Robert C. Lindsey Elementary, West Geauga Local Schools Robert Buck, Wilson Elementary, Forest Hills Local Schools Jacob Campbell, Tallmadge Elementary at West, Lancaster City Schools Cheri Copeland-Shull, Dorr Street Elementary, Springfield Local Schools Matthew Dansby, Tussing Elementary, Pickerington Local Schools Elizabeth DiDonato, Claymont Elementary, Claymont City Schools Steven Foreman, Zanesville City Schools Roben Frentzel, Jefferson Elementary, Gahanna-Jefferson City Schools Taryn Fuller, Ervin Carlisle Elementary, Delaware City Schools Janice Gearhart, retired Paul Gibbs, Jerusalem Elementary, Oregon City Schools Roger Havens, Franklin Elementary, Wadsworth City Schools Jeannette Henson, retired Kristin Hoffman, Meigs Primary, Meigs Local Schools Rachel Jones, PhD, Gurney Elementary, Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools Kori Kawczynski, Ottawa Hills Elementary, Ottawa Hills Local Schools Timothy Keller, Taft Intermediate, Ashland City Schools Robert Kelly, retired April Knight, Avondale Elementary, Columbus City Schools Lynette Lewis, Navin Elementary, Marysville Exempted Village Schools Chad Millera, Graham Elementary, Graham Local Schools Amy Molnar, Coy Elementary, Oregon City Schools Cheryl Montag, J. F. Burns Elementary, Kings Local Schools Melissa Moriarty, Pickerington Elementary, Pickerington Local Schools Jane Myers, Defiance Elementary, Defiance City Schools Susan Nolan, Buckeye North Elementary, Buckeye Local Schools Jason Orin, Louisville Middle, Louisville City Schools Jay Parks, retired Dave Rogaliner, Timmons Elementary, Kenston Local Schools David Rogers, Lexington Elementary, Marlington Local Schools Mary Rykowski, Evening Street Elementary, Worthington City Schools Katherine Sabo, Norwood Middle, Norwood City Schools Paul Sallada Jr., retired Patti Schlaegel, Granby Elementary, Worthington City Schools Robert Schrembeck, Lee Eaton Elementary, Nordonia Hills City Schools Miguel Thompson, Fredericktown Elementary, Fredericktown Local Schools Michelle Unger, New Albany K–1 Building, New Albany-Plain Local Schools Mimi Verdone, Holly Lane Elementary, Westlake City Schools Steven Vrooman, retired Thomas Wallace, Sherman Elementary, Mansfield City Schools Chad Warnimont, Frank Elementary School, Perrysburg Schools Barbara Werstler, Brimfield Elementary, Field Local Schools Cynthia White, retired Dave Winebrenner, South Lebanon Elementary, Kings Local Schools Tyler Wolfe, Bailey Elementary, Dublin City Schools Jennifer Woods, Medill Elementary, Lancaster City Schools Stephen Zinser, retired
MEMBERSHIP
Timothy Barton, Galloway Ridge Intermediate, South-Western City Schools Abbey Bolton, Davey Elementary, Kent City Schools Kevin Gehres, Van Wert Elementary, Van Wert City Schools Danny Graves, Columbus City Schools B. Scott Martin, Northwest Elementary, Northwest Local Schools Ryan McLane, Big Walnut Intermediate, Big Walnut Local Schools Alexandra Nannicola, Champion Central Elementary, Champion Local Schools Phil Roe, retired Danielle Wallace, Winton Woods Primary South, Winton Woods City Schools
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ENGAGE AND EMPOWER YOUR STUDENTS
CONFERENCE
by (from left to right:) Bob Buck, Brian Lyons, Christine McCormick, and Angie Garber
I
n the endless quest to move the words engage and empower beyond just the latest buzzwords, the team at Wilson Elementary in the Forest Hills Local School District in Cincinnati provides a unique opportunity for students to showcase their talents. What began as a “what if we…” statement has now evolved into an authentic learning experience embraced by students and teachers alike. This April (the day before spring break), Wilson hosted its second annual Student Innovation Conference, a conference completely led by students! At the Student Innovation Conference, students generate their own presentation ideas, prepare their presentations, and then share their knowledge with peers and teachers. Just like any professional conference, the attendees (students and teachers) are able to choose which seminars they would like to attend. The conference takes some planning, coordination, and trust up front, but the risk is well worth the reward. True engagement and empowerment is realized when students’ own creativity and curiosity is unleashed, and Wilson’s Student Innovation Conference achieves this level of engagement. Students from grades 4–6 submit their proposals on a Google Form (bit.ly/WEtechapp), which get reviewed by the principal, assistant principal, and media specialist. Students intentionally direct their presentations for specific audiences, taking into consideration the participants’ ages and familiarity with technology. Once students receive approval for their topics, we hold a meeting for all student presenters to outline the presentation parameters and review what makes a good session. Following this meeting, the students are very excited to begin their work!
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Angie Garber, media specialist, primarily tracks the progress of each presentation. Students share their work electronically with Mrs. Garber, and she provides consistent and specific feedback. She compels students to consider what makes a presentation engaging for participants. She also encourages the presenters to make sure they thoroughly plan for all the presentation needs they might require. For instance, it would be less effective to give a presentation on coding a Sphero Ball without a Sphero Ball and an iPad. Some students conduct a little market research and visit different grade levels in their classroom to better gauge a grade level's digital abilities. For example, what does a second grader already know about Google Docs? Students are asked to link their work into a large spreadsheet that ultimately gets shared electronically with conference participants prior to the event. Student and teacher attendees were then able to learn more about each presentation and design their own “conference experience” and learning path. This year, one of the fourth grade students is building a conference website that will have the agenda, the presentations organized by topic, information about the presenters, and a photo gallery. The schedule is generated through a collaborative effort between Bob Buck, principal, and Brian Lyons, assistant principal. Special care is given to ensure there are skills-appropriate seminars for all levels. (To look at the 2017 schedule, go to http://bit.ly/2mdBX3i.) Students in grades 3–6 are free to travel and attend the sessions of their choosing, while first and second grade students travel with their class along a predefined rotation. In the past, we have included adult presenters (3-D printing and robotics); however, this year there was enough stu-
THROUGH A STUDENT-LED INNOVATION
AT YOUR SCHOOL!
dent interest to complete the entire conference schedule! The only adult presenters this April were Rushton Hurley and Katie Christie. Each delivered a keynote address to students and teachers and hosted breakout sessions for smaller groups. The fear of essentially turning over the building to the students for a day is a bit unsettling; however, that anxiety quickly dissipates as the excitement for the day builds. As educators, we often talk about engaging and empowering kids, but until we truly step back from our need for control, it is just lip service. Engaging students requires us to tap into students’ passions and provide an outlet for those passions. When the students become the presenters, they realize their voice is important. They feel respected. Their ideas matter, and their connection to school and community is strengthened. There are no hierarchical achievement levels at the Innovation Conference, only students looking to teach and learn from each other. Forest Hills Local School District’s director of technology, Christine McCormick, shared her thoughts on the day: “Watching special education students excelling and surpassing many regular education students in this environment shows the power of hands-on, experiential learning.” Of course, the learning is not exclusive only to the students. Educators become the learners, nestled in seats alongside other teachers and students. This conference isn’t only for students to learn from their peers but
About the Authors
for teachers to learn from students at Wilson. At Wilson WE have a brand—WE Grow Together, WE Learn Together, and WE Play Together. We can’t do any of this without first empowering students! Take a look at some of the sessions led by students: • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Python Coding Coding Spheros Coding Finches Flying Drones Animoto Beginner and Advanced G Suite Virtual Reality Keyboard Tips and Tricks Gaming for Good Breakout EDU Snap Circuits Kahoot Story Builder
Bob Buck has been the principal for five years at Wilson Elementary in the Forest Hills School District in Cincinnati. Bob has been an administrator for 12 years. He earned his degrees from Urbana University and the University of Dayton. Follow him on Twitter @RWBedu.
Brian Lyons has been in administration for three years at Wilson Elementary and earned his degrees from the University of Dayton and Xavier University. Brian is on Twitter @mrlyonsWE. Christine McCormick has held the position of IT director at Forest Hills for the past six years. For the past 13 years, she’s worked in K-12 technology leadership positions. Christine earned her degrees from Wright State University and Capella University. Connect with her on Twitter @mccormickcm. Angie Garber has been the media specialist at Wilson Elementary for the past six years. She has had the opportunity to teach 3–6 graders throughout her career and specializes in integrating technology into authentic learning experiences. Angie earned her degrees from the University of Cincinnati and Miami University. Follow her on Twitter @angiegarber. Forest Hills and Wilson Elementary are also on Twitter. Follow @FHSchools and @WilsonElem respectively.
Bob will be presenting at OAESA's professional conference. Register for his conference on Friday, June 16, at 11:30 a.m. See you there!
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OUR TECHNOLOGY STORY
A
t Garaway Local Schools in Tuscarawas County, we have four elementaries, each of equal size, with one class per grade level in grades kindergarten to sixth. For this reason, our special-area teachers in physical education, technology, music, art, and religion go to each building one day per week on a rotating schedule that includes one bonus specials day per week at each building that changes every nine weeks. For this reason, each special-area teacher must get the most bang for his or her buck when he or she is at each school. With snow days, assemblies, and other various schedule changers, the special area teachers fully realize how important their day is at each school. Garaway Elementary technology teacher Megan Brannon utilizes every minute of every 40-minute class she has during her time at Ragersville, Baltic, Dundee, and Miller Avenue Elementary Schools. “I value each minute greatly,” she said. “You have to walk the line between getting to know the kids and getting things accomplished, especially with only 40 minutes per week. I try to structure my classroom so that every minute is useful. For example, as students are walking in, they sit down at their assigned seats and do their round of typing practice. I keep a folder for each student at their individual computer with their IDs and passwords in it so that we don't have to waste time passing out papers or looking for usernames. “When students finish up their round, they sit quietly, and I try to take that time to build a rapport with them. After everyone is finished, I have all of their links ready for the week on my Blogger site, organized according to grade level. The students don't have to spend extra time typing in URLs that way. Then, the lesson can naturally flow into our work for that week. Overall, it’s about managing time well and being ready for the students while still trying to show them that you care!” Dundee and Miller Avenue Elementary principal, Curt Fisher, said Brannon steps out from behind her technology class to help anyone who needs it. “She integrates technology with other content areas. For example, she used QR codes to link Dr. Seuss stories during Read Across America week and hung them on her door as decorations. She
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by Jeffrey Williams even uses QR codes as a classroom management tool. When a student breaks a rule, the student scans the QR code next to the rule and signs in to a Google doc that tracks the data of who broke which rule on a particular day. “She helps teachers navigate online testing issues. She tuned them in to Edcite.com and practice sites to help with testing skills, and she is concerned with how teachers use technology in their classroom. She wants to help them and makes herself available to coach them through anything they need.” As the movement toward state testing using an online format has hit Ohio, Mrs. Brannon spends time getting her students prepared so that classroom teachers can focus on the content and not as much on the technological side. “I work throughout the whole year to prepare students for testing,” Mrs. Brannon said. “We work with reading digital text, using virtual math manipulatives, and responding in an online text box to essays early on in the first and second grading periods. Then, I finish the third grading period (which leads right up to testing) with a unit on test taking. We look at the AIR testing module in-depth: the testing browser tools, best test practices, and how to reduce eye strain while taking a test. “After that, students take one or two practice tests for each subject that they will be tested on. I provide feedback and technical assistance while students are taking the practice tests and then review difficult ‘tech concepts’ at the end of each class. I also take note of the academic concepts that students struggle with and make a list for the classroom teachers so that they are on the same page.” But it also isn’t just about testing. Some examples of how Mrs. Brannon brings technology to life and creates an atmosphere of discovery and fun are: First Grade—Creating a giant keyboard for the floor where students learn about keyboarding. They also work with digital cameras and not only taking pictures, but digitally editing their pictures. Second Grade—Students write an opinion piece, illustrate it digitally and record their piece into digital audio, hitting on Common Core
standards. The project is then placed into a PowerPoint and presented. Third Grade—Google Docs is introduced as the students watch a YouTube video called “Computer Teacher from the Black Lagoon” and make a list in Google Docs of the tech-themed words from the video. It’s a fun way to incorporate vocabulary and technology. Fourth Grade—Kahoot is used as students work on Web questing and also learn about Google Earth and go on a GE scavenger hunt. Fifth Grade—Students learn about spreadsheets, including formatting, formulas, and more. They also take place in a culminating activity, called “Pet Paradise,” where Mrs. Brannon gives the students fake digital money and they have to create a Pet Paradise with $500. They receive a price sheet and formulas and have to figure out their totals for price, units, subtotal, and overall total. In fifth grade, they also take apart a computer and analyze the internal parts. In addition, they also create a paper-based CPU in a 3-D format. Sixth Grade—Freedom and independence are encouraged with a lesson titled: “Create a...Whatever” where students use Google Docs to do anything they wish. “I unleash student’s creativity and allow them to create anything they want,” Mrs. Brannon said. “The results of the project are so varied and cool!” Mrs. Brannon said she could not overemphasize getting the young students in kindergarten and first grade excited about technology. “I think that the key in the lower grades is to find things that are new and revolutionary for the kids—things they wouldn't do at home,” she said. “Most kids today have a computer, so we as educators have to find new ways to do things that keep our kiddos excited and motivated. Many times in the lower grades, the kids don't realize they are learning. For example, when I teach my kindergarteners the basics of Internet searching, we do a ‘Wonder Wall,’ where students get to post questions they have about anything and then we change that into search terms and look up the answers. The kids just love it. Then, in the next lesson, they get to look up an animal (A–Z Animals website), write down its name, and draw a picture. Kids at that age just love to learn.” Overall, Mrs. Brannon loves her job and knows how important technology is not just in her classroom but throughout the school. “Technology-wise, I think that students are excited by any new technology. It's a definite motivation factor for students, so any time you can add it to a lesson, students will typically be more engaged and excited.”
About the Author Jeffrey Williams is principal at Ragersville and Baltic Elementary Schools, K–6 grade buildings in the Garaway Local School District. Jeff graduated from Ohio University with a degree in journalism in 1998 and was a newspaper reporter for 10 years prior to teaching. He enjoys coaching, writing, and spending time with his wife, Tennille, and his daughter, Grace.
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Turning a Day Off into a Day ON! T
he influential Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” This phrase was brought into action during Wayne Trail Elementary’s serve weeks from January 9 to 20. These weeks kicked off with a school assembly addressing needs in Northern Ohio and in the local Maumee community. The assembly ignited students and set the tone for the coming weeks. Classroom and building goals were set to jumpstart the Pennies for Patients drive benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Many financially supported this effort not only because cancer has affected the loved ones around us but also because the teachers agreed to “walk the plank” into a dunk tank. Through the students’ generosity, the building was able to donate $1,946.21 to support treatment for patients and research for blood cancers in Northern Ohio!
by Nick Neiderhouse, EdD
The second challenge the students accepted was to serve the local community. This was done in a variety of engaging ways. The students were able to accomplish the task of “Filling the Ship” and donate hundreds of food items to a local food pantry called Under One Roof Food Pantry. However, the students didn’t just donate the foods and stop there, they LEARNED and SERVED! Service learning provides meaningful ways students, teachers, administration, and community agencies and members move together with deliberate thought and action toward a common purpose that has mutual benefits (Kaye, 2010). This service-learning day abounded with benefits for students and the community. On January 16 (MLK Jr. Day), while a majority of the students around the state were taking the day “off,” approximately 40 Wayne Trail students chose to volunteer their time to serve others. While partnering with a local church (First Presbyterian Church of Maumee), volunteers were spread 66
across three serve sites to carry out some of Dr. King’s teachings of education, community action, seeking opportunities, and building partnerships. The first location was Under One Roof Food Pantry. Students were able to physically take their donated goods to the pantry where they learned about the operations and necessity of the pantry. Students counted, sorted, and learned about the differences in vegetables, fruits, proteins, and starches. They even role played that they were visitors in the pantry getting food for their family from all of the categories. This collaborative project also taught the students the valuable lessons of communication and what it takes to support a family. The second direct service site was located at a local and nationally known disabilities center called Sunshine Creating Community Center. This was the most comprehensive activity for students as they helped the organization prepare for Valentine’s Day. The students first learned how Sunshine supports people of all ages with disabilities, whether they are at the campus, at home, or working and living on their own. The students briefly toured part of the large campus and then started in the greenhouse. Here the students assembled cards to be placed on carnations and helped to prepare the newsletter. Students worked and played side by side with the residents at Sunshine. They made a Valentine’s Day craft, read books, and played catch. There were smiles all along the way as the students helped residents of all ages. This helped the students develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of meeting people’s needs in the societal context. The third group of students spent part of their day learning the meaning of being a public servant. The local Maumee Police Department hosted about fifteen students and explained to them the honor and duty of being a police officer. Students learned the training and commitment necessary to protect and serve. They toured the facility, tried on equipment, read books about police and fire personnel, and finished their time with writing thank-you notes to police officers. The students were engaged throughout the experience, and their creative, questioning minds sparked numerous continued on next page...
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...continued from previous page questions and left many students leaving there ready to join the force. I believe this day “ON” would have made Dr. King proud that his legacy still lives as students strengthened themselves and their community. While it may have been easier to only collect donations of money and food during our serve weeks, the students at Wayne Trail Elementary took their caring hearts to the next level. Not only did the school partner with volunteers but even some teachers spent part of their day off to serve and to interact with their students outside of the school building. On two separate occasions and locations, students asked the agencies, “How can we volunteer again?” This unprovoked question is what made this day so special and is exactly the character we want to instill in our students. Throughout the serve weeks, students were able to grow as individuals, gain respect for others, and apply their social and personal skills through civic participation. It is our school’s hope to broaden this event in future years and have more students partner with local agencies so students can continue to have opportunities to be GREAT! Reference Kaye, C. B. (2010). The Complete Guide to Service Learning: Proven Ways to Engage Students in Civic Responsibility, Academic Curriculum, and Social Action. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing, 2010.
About the Author Nick Neiderhouse, EdD, has been an administrator for more than five years and is currently the principal at Wayne Trail Elementary in Maumee City Schools. He has been a coach, teacher, and dean of students at Anthony Wayne Local Schools and an assistant principal at Perkins Local Schools. He earned his doctorate from Bowling Green State University in leadership and policy studies in 2013 with his dissertation focusing on character development and service learning in K–12 education. Interested in hearing more from Nick? He is presenting at the professional conference on Thursday, June 15, from 1:00–2:00pm. His clinic title is PBIS…Oh Yes!
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Books Written by OAESA Members! YOU'RE THE PRINCIPAL! NOW WHAT? by Jennifer Schwanke
In her comprehensive and conversational book, author Jen Schwanke provides invaluable information for new school leaders. The book offers real-life examples and innovative ideas for dealing with the principalship's most common and most difficult problems. The book is comprised of 18 chapters, each one with practical advice centered on a certain topic. For instance, the first chapter truly starts at the beginning and is titled "Meeting Your Staff, Students, and Parents." The author starts the chapter with three typical scenarios a new principal might face: 1) the staff meeting, 2) the individual teacher meeting, and 3) the aggressive parent meeting. From there, the author gives some strategies and solutions for meeting each group of stakeholders. Other chapters deal with managing conflict, planning a budget, keeping up with mandates, supporting the social-emotional needs of all learners, and hiring quality teachers. The last chapter gives advice about maintaining balance in the principal's life and is a great place to conclude the book. You're the Principal! Now What? is a must read for new principals, but Jen Schwanke's book has wide appeal, offering any administrator or aspiring leader a wealth of knowledge to turn to when faced with challenges unique to the education field. Interested in owning a copy of these books? We're giving away one copy of each at the professional conference! Join us there to find out more!
GRIT TO TEACH AND
THE MINDSET TO STAY: DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?
by Paul G. Young, PhD, Terri Green, & Debra Dunning, PhD
The subtitle of this book is "50 Critical Questions to Ask Yourself," and the authors use these three reflective questions to help readers explore whether or not they are suited for the teaching profession. The book is designed as a guide for high school and college students who are planning to go into education. The authors divided the book into ten chapters with topics ranging from professional attitude to initiative to preparation. To fully appreciate the usefulness of this book, one must also look at a sample of the questions. The authors ask, "Do you have common sense?" and "Are you coachable?" and "What do you read?" and even "Do you have eyes in the back of your head?" The book also contains many inspirational quotes, the Grit Grid, lists of recommended readings, and quite a few self-assessments. Working through this book will give future educators a real understanding of what it takes to tackle the teaching profession. While it's the perfect book for those aspiring to teach, it is also one to take out after a person has been an educator for a while. Why? Because it reinforces the passion and mindset needed for this profession, and that inspiration is critical whether the reader is just starting out or whether he or she is feeling burnt out ten years later.
Do you love to read? We are always in need of book reviewers. Contact Abigail, our editor, at navigator@oaesa.org to let her know you’re interested. Thanks!
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#INNOVATION: TURN IT UP!
NETWORKING
technology • culture • data • more!
share • grow • recharge
INSPIRING KEYNOTES
• Pernille Ripp, author of Passionate Learners: How to Engage and Empower Your Students • Katie Christie, Google certified Innovator/Trainer • Matt Miller, Superintendent, Mentor Public Schools
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MEMBERS $329 / NONMEMBERS $604 One-day options also available
REGISTER
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Hilton Columbus at Easton 3900 Chagrin Drive BOOK Columbus 43219 FAST! 614-414-5000 Rooms WILL sell out, so lock in your conference rate of $159 per night ASAP! Details and link at oaesa.org/E3.asp
June 14-16, 2017
40+ PROFESSIONAL CLINICS
WHEN:
Join OAESA and educators from across Ohio to look at innovations in learning—not just technology—but using data, creativity, STEM, culture, and every available tool to boost each student to his or her highest potential.
The Hilton Columbus at Easton
E3 = Innovation!
Professional Conference 2017
Principals, Assistant Principals, Teachers, Curriculum Directors, Education Movers & Shakers!
EDUCATE.
WHERE:
EMPOWER.
WHO:
ENGAGE.