Atlas has it easy.

Most people, nope, that’s wrong. Some people are aware of the myth of Atlas holding the world on his shoulders.You know, there he is standing on…. well standing there holding the world on his shoulders. Naked. What was he standing on? Snot - now I have to go find that out. Anyway, as an administrator in June, I’m thinking about seeing if there is any way to do a job switch for a few weeks. Now, I know that this sounds strange, but a couple times the last few weeks it has felt like some comicbook badguy has crept into town and stolen all the common sense and I’ve been tasked with finding it and giving it back all with my wondercape and tights out for cleaning.(Don’t ask, don’t imagine, just read. Trust me on this one.)

Yeah, I know, that is why I get the big bucks. Let’s just clear that up by saying that, here the BIG BUCKS are more like middlen bucks with the wonderful opportunity to practice the “camera pose.” Why do you think administrators always take such good yearbook photos? Speaking of yearbook, why don’t they ask for the principal’s message at the beginning of the year? If I were to truly give my message now  …..I might not have anything to trade with Atlas.

I know it’s the end of the year and all, but if I’m being required to be on my best at this time of year how come others are being let off early? Did I miss out on the memo on good behaviour? Maybe it was one of the 300 daily email I get that I didn’t read clearly enough or didn’t have a subject. How hard is it to put a title in that line? Do people not realize that when you get 400 daily email, not having a title really slows down the whole email sorting process. In fact, a good title can really make or break the email for me. So, from the 500 odd email, those without a title go to the archive folder unless they have the name of someone I know wouldn’t send me a time-waster. (For those people, if you are reading this, it’s ok not to have a subject. I open your email regardless!) For all the others who are vying for my attention out of the 600 emails, no subject and archived you are. This account for about 400 leaving me with 300 to sort through and decide if I answer them “now” or do I put them on “hold” for later in the day. That’s my email sorting system. With 800 emails, I need something simple and quick.

It’s like common sense, that subject line, and lately there seems to be a shortage. So with my cape and tights being cleaned, starched and pressed, I’m trying to do this without letting on to others my hero identity, which actually isn’t tough because no one is noticing me until there’s a crisis and then, when I arrive, they disappear. Like “poof” gone.  “Go get the principal!” can be heard in my office from the far reaches of our known galaxy (the farthest point south on our playground) or, better yet, I can hear from the phone the secretary has answered and she’s two doors down the hall and mine is closed.(I tell everyone the lights are off to conserve energy and make it cooler in my office. Like flurescent bulbs give off heat! And they believe me!) Really, I’ve had all kinds of things just dropped off at my door. There’s a knock and when I open it, some students have been just left there with a note stapled to one of their shirts with a brief explanation of what happened. When I ask the students, they aren’t even sure which teacher was there because they left so fast.

Common sense. Missing in action. Get this - some of my students - between the ages of 10 and 12 - didn’t realize that if they threw rocks at one another, someone might get hurt and end up bleeding. Yes, you read that right. And they were just playing a game - which involved throwing rocks at each other. And - I quote - I didn’t know that if I hit him in the head with a smaller rock it would cut him. I didn’t know he’d get hurt. What do you say to that? I’m not making this up - 5 of them. (The team with only 2 did lose the game but had better aim because the others had the more severe damage.) That was morning of the second day.

Today, I entered the library to find 3 or 4 classes in the resource centre (that’s our new name for the library with a computer lab) and 1 teacher was visible. When I mentioned this, there were all kinds of reasons for me seeing only one teacher. All I can say is thank goodness the librarian was away for the afternoon or she’d have been having a coniption and I would have been the one she would have been having it on! We all know that, after the secretary and janitor, the librarian is next on the list of “Do not tick off!” Like, no one planned any activities so all these classes were sent to the computer lab. And like the rock throwers earlier in the week, there was a lack of understanding about why this wasn’t a good idea. Really, you cannot have 75 students on 27 computers. Some will be doing nothing which, in June, is not a situation I like - 50 odd students, mulling about with nothing to do and one person watching over them who is not armed. Visions of City Slickers II and the coffee grinder just popped into my head.

To top it all off, this is happening at a time when I’m trying to figure out teaching assignments and determine class offerings for next year which, by the way, have not gone any where near how I thought they would and, unless something happens involving the school to which we broadcast, we, yeah right we, there will need to be some changes which might include going from a 6 period day to a 5 period day. And you should have been a fly on the wall when I delivered that bit of joyous news. You’d think Atlas had dropped the ball and the world as we know it was going to end. And talk about being treated like a 7 year old - there were times I felt like I was back in grade 2 being scolded by the teacher. I’m the principal for crying out loud. “Did you count the selections right?” HUH???

A suggestion was just to have the students taking the class leave their other class the 10 minutes early. Hmmm - over an entire semester - about 98 days that’s, well, hmmm. Well I can’t count from the sheets how do you expect me to figure that one out? But I can tell you  that it’s too much time to miss from any class.

I just want some common sense to return for a few more days. Please. If you are the badguy who’s stolen the common sense, what do you want to have it returned? Wait, maybe if Atlas will just do a switch for a few days, then it would only be one world I’d be trying to hold up not everyone’s separate universe. You don’t know how many times I’ve looked at someone and thought “What colour is the sky in your world?” One world, the sky is blue, a few days. I only hope no other principal has thought of this before and Atlas is on to it. I’m not worried that he wouldn’t come back. I’m more worried that someone would steal his common sense and then we’d all be in trouble. “No Atlas, you can’t use it as a hackey-sack! I don’t think it’s good for the oceans! I don’t care what the rock throwers said, it will definitely hurt an ankle. Did you look at their foreheads? They threw rocks at one another!”

My wife compares all of this to giving birth. It starts out all fun, with some type of party which hopefully includes fireworks for someone. Then, as things progress you begin to remember how things were but you still don’t recall the end. There are moments of warm glowing happiness and times of really bad vomitting.  When the final few days arrive, you wonder if you’re going to make it at all, hoping it all will just end. Finally, when the moment arrives, you question your own sanity but almost as soon as it’s over and you hold that miracle in your arms, you forget all about what just went before. Sure, over the next few weeks, you’re reminded of it with pains here and there but, after a few months, you’re willing to have that party all over again. (Look, I’m a principal and a father of 7 children so this works for me!)  I’m at the “I just want it to end” stage. Grad is in 8 days. Birth.

Common sense. Maybe I’m the one who has none! Really, who’d want to trade with a guy like Atlas - all he does is hold up the world - I’m trying to help create it one student at a time. (minus the rock throwers would be nice. I’m just lucky the bars are close together on the windows or someone would have been buying a new window!Not. The bars I mean. They’d have had to pay for a new window. Hey, I don’t make that much!)

From Theory to Practice

pjhiggins Twitterpoll: If you could have your administrators read one book this summer, what would it be?

This question comes from one of the administrators who has become part of my PLN over the past year. Now, before I go into how I responded, some of the replies were:

ssandifer @pjhiggins wikinomics

chrislehmann @pjhiggins Moral Leadership — Thomas Sergiovanni

Now, there are a few topics that I believe are becoming essential for administrators to have a working knowledge about:

Data and data management

Economics and global influence

Leadership and the leadership role

Assessment and Curricular Planning

Technology Integration

Students, parents and school community relations

Helping All students reach their potential

Conflict Resolution

Now, the list could be endless but I think that these topics, although very broad, will give an administrator some guidelines. One cannot possibly be up-to-date on all the topics of education but it is important to have a grasp of those things that significantly affect education. Some people might argue that there are other topics that could be added and they’re right. Some might disagree with the way I’ve set this up and so be it. The point is that there is no one book that will “be” the book to read. It might give us some insight into a particular area of education or school or economy or society or…. but it won’t be definitive.

So, what is my suggestion for a book or two to read through the summer? Well, my answer to the question was:

@pjhiggins “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” (Charles Schultz) or “Scientific Progress Goes “Boink”  and “The Days are Just Packed” (The last two are Calvin and Hobbes books by Bill Watterson.)

What the? probably just ran through your mind. This is suppose to be for school administrators. What in the world do these books have to do with that? Well, nothing and everything. These are comics and, on their own, have nothing to do with being an administrator. However, they are about children, written in such a dynamic manner that they capture the angst of that time in a manner that I have yet to see done by any of the many books that I have read. In fact, it is during times when I’m very unsure of what I’m doing and where things are going that I often turn to these books, or others by the same writer, that I find inspiration for where I am going.

It’s from these images and stories that I find more real ideas than from many of the “expert” books that I have read. It’s the fact that these two writers are able to so magnificently capture the angst/joy of childhood and youth in a way that allows one to see beyond just what is there.

Life is a Comedy (of errors?)

As a young administrator, I was going to fix the schools of their problems. Yes I was. I had the answers and once people saw that I had them, everyone would listen, we’d bring about sweeping changes and I’d climb the steps all the way to the Division office in a few short years. Really. I mean, I’d spent 10 years honing my craft in middle year classrooms, working with incredible teachers, learning from them and beginning to explore how connecting students and curriculum was so important. I was ready.

Apparently, the rest of the educational world wasn’t quite ready for me and I was definitely not ready for what was follow. Let’s just say, I had a bit more than my eyebrows singed in my first years as an administrator. Now in my 8th year, I understand that I know very little, I have very little power and school administration is not even close to what I thought it was going to be. I was, in truth, completely clueless.

Don’t squirt lighter fluid on a burning fire

Truth be told, my learning is increasing each year as I see relationships that need to be explored and then look for information and ways of learning about the different parts of the relationships. As the school year screams along, I try to keep up with different ideas and thoughts regarding education. I also try to keep seeking out ideas and thoughts from outside education, looking for ways to blend and merge, to create an experience that is less “unreal” so students can experience “the real world” well before they exit from school.

In doing this, I sometimes find that I use to squirt lighterfluid on bonfires which, if you’ve been camping, can be quite interesting depending on the size of the fire, the amount of fluid and the distance from the fire. I’ve since learned that this type of activity does nothing but create a much larger fire that usually singes hair off your body. (note - a person looks stupid with no eyebrows or eyelashes!) Instead, I’ve learned to that fires do not need any additional fuel from me and my job is to make sure they stay under control and are put out.

Cartoon Heroes

When things get really intense with my job, which is about every few hours, I’ve learned that if I take myself too seriously, I will make mistakes. That’s when a few moments to refocus and recenter is so important. My inspiration at these times is a Calvin & Hobbes cartoon. No matter the situation, it makes me smile and reflect. The theory is always useful but it’s the transfer to everyday situations and individual moments where it really counts. Sometimes it isn’t always easy to do and sometimes, it’s downright gut-wrenching. It’s times like that, when the two worlds are colliding and I’m searching, I spend a little time seeing what the comic philosophers have to say. It’s not that I’m looking for one specific answer. Instead, I’m looking at people and humanity through different lenses. In fact, most of my heroes come from those pages - heroes that may not save the world or always be stronger, faster and stronger. They’re my heroes because they point out our human follies and virtues in ways that are accessible to everyone.

So, my suggestion for reading during the summer might include a few “educational” books but it definitely will include those comic philosophers who will remind me of the importance of staying in touch with all aspects of being human. I’ve so much to learn. When I first stepped into administration, I had so many answers. Now, I have so many questions and, as an administrator, it’s all about the kids - all kids. I’ve felt like many of the characters in those pages. So, if you excuse me, I have a coffee table that needs some nails and a ball team that needs a pitcher.

The Power of the backchannel

Like many of my twitter friends, I am still in a sort of after-glow from attending the TLt Summit last week in Saskatoon. As I begin to connect some of the things that went on and bring together ideas with conversations, I am slowly getting a better idea of how the conference participants’ and their presentations are combining with my own ideas and knowledge about education.

One of the immediate thoughts that struck me was the power of the backchannel. This came from Stephen Downes’ presentation. Now, Stephen’s presentation focused on future trends/predictions but the power of the presentation was the combination of the ideas that Stephen presented and the interaction of the audience via the backchannel. As Jen Jones commented on Stephen’s site

Your presentation blew me away! I was so upset I didn’t bring my computer. I had left it so I could pay attention, but you showed how participation is just as important as paying attention. I would loved to have added substance to the backchannel for you.

That pretty much sums it up for me, too. The presentation was an incredible give and take between Stephen and the audience as they put forth their ideas. There were times Stephen had to prompt the audience - like to add pictures with comments to the backchannel but, for the most part, the interaction was a seamless flow between members of the audience and others in the audience or Stephen.

Now, despite the power of this interaction, there were many in the audience who really didn’t get what was taking place. Again, Jen sums it up nicely:

“Some people get it. Some people do not get it. Do not dilute your message for these people. Give them all the inferno. The embers that reach those on the outskirts will eventually turn into flames.”

For those who got it, the interactions were tremendous, as good, if not better, than any backchannel that I’ve taken part in. For those who didn’t obviously get it, the power of what was going on was beyond their understanding. It was obvious who had taken part in backchannel discussions before and who hadn’t. Those who hadn’t were distracted by the messages being posted while those at my table, who had been involved in quite a few backchannel discussions, were able to springboard on what Stephen was saying, making connections and expanding the breadth and depth of the discussion.

I did some posting but I spent as much time watching the crowd as they responded to what was being displayed and those around me who were into the discussion and what Stephen was saying, searching and adding to the dialogue that was taking place. (All except Jen who had left her laptop at the room Watching the crowd made me realize that we have a long way to go as educators. Many people in the room seemed to be having difficulty with the two things going on at once. Maybe that is why so many educators become frustrated with the use of cellphones or laptops in their classes; they don’t see how the two things can be going on at once. What I’d like to see is for educators to harness that energy and use it in teaching, helping students to use the backchannel to have a greater impact on what is going on in the classroom. So like Stephen, instead of being distracted by the backchannel, using it to enhance and help inform the learning that is taking place.

Like so many of the presenters, Stephen modeled how technology can have a positive impact on the learning environment. Many educators have no experience with this and find it disconcerting when it does take place. Instead of banning devices that allow for the backchannel discussions, educators need to be open to seeking ways to leverage them to add to the learning. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to the session on using cellphones in class but from all accounts it was a great presentation. It is this type of thinking that draws students into their learning.

Conferences have a tendency to give us great ideas but once we return to our school environments, there is the good chance that many fall right back into what they were doing before they attended. For me, this one powerful example has me questioning and examining how I, as an administrator, can help teachers to see new technologies, not as a distraction, but as powerful tools that can enhance what they are doing. As my favourite recording artist, John Mellancamp says in A Peaceful World

It’s what you do, not what you say

If you aren’t part of the future, then get out of the way.

This may sound a bit “out there” but I feel that it really captures what is happening in education at this moment in time. This doesn’t mean we toss all that we are doing but it does mean we need to be open and forward looking, experimenting and challenging, not looking back and trying to keep things as they are. It means educators need to be looking at what skills future generations will need and then boldly seeking to assist students to acquire those skills. One of those skills will be developing the ability to use backchannels to enhance conversations that are taking place and add to the discussions thereby enhancing their learning and the learning of those around them.

TLt Summit - staying motivated/moving on

Last week had me attending my first “Techie” conference in full force. The TLt Summit in Saskatoon was truly an inspiring experience. I sat through some incredible keynotes by the likes of Stephen Downes, George Siemens, Brian Lamb and Rick Schwier. I attended sessions by cutting edge educators right here from Saskatchewan like Dean Shareski, Rob Wall, Kyle Lichtenwald, Alec Couros and Kathy Cassidy. I enjoyed lunch and drinks with many of these same people plus listened and learned from Jennifer Jones, D’Arcy Norman, Cindy Siebel, Donna Desroches and others who have incredible ideas and insights into the use of technology in education at all levels. I was humbled knowing that some of these same people were at my session on the second day.

Seeing several key Canadian players in the educational technology realm was important because I find that there is a difference between what is happening in education in Canada and what I read is happening in many US states.  It was a chance to spend time listening to what they had to say on all sorts of topics, from the discussion I had with George Siemens about student/teacher equality (I wish I would have had more time for this as it was a great discussion.) to the time I spent listening to Brian Lamb and Stephen Downes discuss education at the university level. Each keynote had so many great points and interesting nuances that I really wasn’t sure which way to go. Actually, I’m still sifting through the different layers, fitting together ideas from one or another session or keynote.

The one thing I did learn was that, when doing a presentation, you need to really keep track of time, spend more time interacting with the audience, less time delivering the “big message” and more time giving examples of how to bring about changes in small, but meaningful, ways. My presentation, which consisted of 10 very bland slides with key prhases on them, wasn’t really what I wanted it to be. I spent way too much time delivering the message that administrators need to be advocates for technology use, learners who start to embrace the use of technology,  researchers who examine different types of technology and skeptics who question those who are too gung-ho and those too restrictive. From many discussions that I have had, too many administrators are unsupportive of technology use and implementation. I’m not sure their reasoning but it seems that, for whatever reason, there is a reluctance to move forward with seeing how different technologies can enhance the learning of students within a school. Instead of this,

I was actually very disappointed in my own presentation but, it being my first, I’ve learned so many things from it. Having seen so many great presentations put on during the three days, I was hoping that some of what they did would find its way into what I did. Unfortunately, it didn’t.  I didn’t pace myself and lost a wonderful opportunity to show others how, as an administrator, you could help a staff to be more open to technology use and begin to make it a part of how the school operates.

As usual, I’ve spent a fair amount of time reflecting on what I did and didn’t do during my presentation and how, given another chance to do the presentation, I will shift the emphasis from the “What I think” to “What you can do” paradigm. The first really is quite common and, although moving, doesn’t really have any substance while the second, although not always as moving, is very practical which is really what many of the people in attendance wanted. In many ways, I let those in the audience down by not delivering the goods. If the chance ever presents itself again, I plan on spending much more time discussing setting up technology for integration and less time brow-beating those in attendance.

Motivational Meetings

TLt  has really motivated me to reexamine what I am doing and focus on a number of key items. The first is to reflect on what has taken place at our school this year and put together a much more concrete plan for technology use and integration. Thus far, the plan has been just sitting there, bubbling in the back of my mind. Hearing what the various keynotes and speakers had to say, I more convinced that each teacher can make much better use of tools that will enhance the learning of the students and become an integral part of the strategies they use. Kathy Cassidy’s presentation about using Web2.0 tools in the classroom really spoke to me about how teachers don’t need to be the technology experts but, instead, need to be willing to be open to new ideas and new ways of doing things. They are to live being a life-long learner where nothing is impossible with the help of others.

Brian Lamb’s opening to his session was incredible. He demonstrated how using various tools can allow one to demonstrate their learning by mashing together different pieces of information to create a unique and personal response to a question or inquiry. There were a few people who didn’t particularly appreciate his introduction but I found it to be exactly what I would want a student to be able to do in one of my classes after exploring a particular theme or idea. The learning was obvious and the message that Brian was able to create was his own, mashing together various sound bites through which he was able to tell his story. Thanks Brian!

I also realized how important visual images have become, especially personal images that tell a story from the perspective of the person. Throughout the three days, various people were always taking photos - D’Arcy Norman and Alec Couros have the greatest cameras! - which they then uploaded to their online accounts. They were able to access these and use them during Stephen Downes keynote - telling part of the story as Stephen discussed his predictions for the future. What an awesome idea, having these images accessible and use them to demonstrate ideas and understanding. And Stephen, to offer the use of the backchannel right during his keynote to allow participants to actually participate and interact in a real way, what an amazing idea - worthy of use by any teacher who is seeking to have studnts become learners instead of receivers. I’ve been part of the bachchannel during online presentations and know that it is an incredibly powerful tool but seeing it being used during Stephen’s presentation really brought home how technology could have an immediate impact on the receivers. I’m not sure that grade 7 or 8 students would be quite ready for this but I can see it being a very useful thing in a university setting. Can you imagine the discussions that might take place, especially if the presenter was able to adapt material to backchannel discussion. I’d really like to see something like this in distance ed classes for students.

Truly Humbled

Reality - I am an administrator in a K - 12 school in rural Saskatchewan. After my first foray in the world of presentations, I realize that my dream of wowing the crowd and being sought after is still just a dream. I have made some great f2f connections, meeting many people who are my online twitter friends. Each, by themselves, has so much to offer but the chance to meet them en masse, WOW!!!!

One highlight was hearing Rick Schwier speak on Wednesday evening after the banquet.  I  took a class, some time ago, from Professor Schwier. It had something to do with education and technology from what I remember.  His talk was about technology and  life. He reminded me that each of us has a role to play and to be  content, we must find enjoyment and fulfillment in what we are doing here and now. I don’t remember what he said but it was the feeling I had as he talked - of being part of a very special moment when someone with a great deal of knowledge and wisdom is going to let you in on some of it. I remember he focused on storytelling and how important it is to people - not just the telling but the listening. He also mentioned something about playing and having fun. The whole time I kept thinking, it’s about the people - connecting with people - bringing people together and helping one another. Thanks, Rick, for the insights!

Where do I/We go?

Alec Couros and Kyle Lichtenwald both commented that my posts were just way to darn long. They’re probably right. Maybe I need to heed their advice and learn to twitterize my posts - limit each to 500 words or something. Wouldn’t really matter because it would still take me too long to get to where I’m going which is here. For me, the conference has renewed my resolve to bringing change, if only in my school. At this point, given what I do, that is really my only option. This summer I will get another chance at presenting, hopefully, if Donna doesn’t have second thoughts! So, as I prepare for the rest of this year and begin to envision a new year, part of it will include a renewed emphasis on integrating technology, working with teachers to enhance the opportunities for the students through whatever means it takes. Jen Jones had it partially right  when she said

He’s also completely dedicated to making this world a better place for his family, one rotten student and teacher at a time, and I am convinced he’s going to do it!

It’s not just my family but all students. (Did I really call them rotten?) I don’t believe that students or teachers are bad. They make poor choices. I hope to be able to help them in whatever way I can. I want all students to come home and answer the question “How was your day at school?” with an excited conversation about the day. That’s my motivation!

Transformative administration

Our school just finished DEAR reading time - 15 minutes of each day dedicated to reading. My book of the day is Transformative Assessment by W.James Popham. I’m just comfortably started the book and enjoy the dedicated time I can have to just read. Today I read a great line:

Instruction should not be an Ouija-boardlike game in which teachers guess what to do next.

I’m thinking that this could apply to so many areas of what we do in schools. In fact, as I’ve read, listened and reflected this year, it seems we need to really take the guessing portion out of what we do. We have enough knowledge about learning that we really don’t need to any guessing.

Over at Leadertalk.org, there have been a couple posts regarding dealing with teachers who are, for whatever reason, not doing as well as they should be in the classroom. The first was by Scott McLeod and dealt with dealing with teachers that were not meeting expectations. This was also the basic idea of Greg Farr’s post.  I read through these posts, thinking about what my role as an administrator, what I am currently doing and what I need to do. I look at how our school is functioning, what is going on in the building, how  people are feeling and a whole host of other factors and assess what areas need addressing.

Needs to be addressed

Now there’s lots of information on Transformational Leadership but this isn’t going to be one of those. In fact, this is going to be how administrators need to be willing to transform themselves, assessing what is happening around them and honestly evaluate areas that need to be changed, develop ways of doing that change and seeking advice in going about that change.

Just as classroom formative assessment helps teachers to address what is happening regarding the learning in their classroom, administrators need to be doing school formative assessment, adjusting what they are doing to help the learning that is taking place in their school. Just as teachers need to adjust to the students in the room, helping some more than others, partnering them, praising them and giving them constructive criticism to help them improve, administrators need to do the same.

Both Scott and Greg, and all the people who responded in the comments on those posts, addressed an issue that is sometimes hard for administrators to get a handle on - the teacher not meeting expectations. Now Chris Lehmann, in his commented noted that:

what of the struggling teacher? What of the teacher who is open to help, who is learning the craft, but has not mastered it yet?

I’ve known many, many teachers whose first year… even second year… were nothing short of train wrecks, but who were at nurturing schools with administrators and colleagues who helped them improve and became excellent, excellent teachers.

We have so many teachers in our systems whose potential remains untapped… let us not write them off before we have done all within reason to help them to become the teachers we need.

I agree with Chris, so does Gregg by the way. What about those struggling new teachers who need that help? It is important to help them and move them along, giving them access to tools, resources and other assistance to improve what they are doing. It is crucial to support them as an administrator and help them to become reflective professionals. But what about those teachers who are going through some sort of mid-career crisis? Those who seem uninspired or unmotivated? Or the teacher with only X number of years left? Or, or or or? What is an administrator to do?

This is where I see administrators being crucial in helping these teachers to move along, one way or another. They need to have the necessary tools to be able to be truthful with these teachers and offer them their support, not to get them out of teaching but to help them transform themselves. This is where reflective administrators can be examples for teachers, being willing to examine what they are doing and, if it isn’t benefitting the students, be willing to make the necessary changes very similar to teachers who change their instruction after they do formative assessment and identify areas their students need support.

Another way that administrators can be transformative is in their approach to changes and new ideas. My experience is that there are three ways administrators approach incoming changes: 1. Resist 2. Wait, evaluate, adopt 3. Jump in. The first and third are ones that, although popular with particular teachers, are not good for the school as a whole. The second allows for the staff to become somewhat comfortable with the change before things begin. In fact, as an administrator, I’ve learned that unless it is an emergency, the second approach is very practical for most decisions. Taking time to evaluate, find some data and do some thinking, is essential in making changes that are less disruptive and receive better reception from staff. This doesn’t mean all staff will like the changes but it does allow for a period of transition.

The technology thing

This is one area that I feel many administrators do not do as well as they could. In fact, my experience, although limited to what I hear and read through my PLN, is that many administrators are poorly informed about technology and resist or poorly informed and jump in. Too few are willing to take the time necessary to learn about different technologies, inquire about educational benefits or have enough information to at least discuss these with people who are dead against them.

Administrators must be the educational leader at the school and being unwilling to explore and question, discuss and inquire does not set the stage for being a leader that is willing to support and help those teachers who are struggling. I too often hear about teachers being moved or transferred because an administrator feels threatened by the “power” the teacher has with other staff or the way the teacher questions his/her ideas or whatever. It’s a sad day, indeed, when administrators in schools cannot see that they are to be the supporters of teachers who doing great things, helping teachers do great things not being power-brokers.

Administrators must begin to leverage the power that technology can give them - see that it can help them with organization, time-management, paperless work and staff communication and all types of things if managed correctly. It can also give them options that they didn’t have before like attending a web-based conference or class, using a video conference for meetings instead of driving or sharing documents without plugging up the email. It can also free up time which will allow administrators to get into the classrooms and build relationships with students and teachers.

Misleading title

The title was misleading on purpose. It set up the idea that there was going to be a discussion on the skills and traits of transformative administration. Instead, I wanted to focus on what this type of leadership does for the students, teachers and school and some of the key ways that it can also help the administrator. I know that it has sure helped me in building my PLN, gathering information, finding answers to different questions and other things. It has allowed me get connected with parents, students and staff. Best of all, it has allowed me to get in tough with the important things for me and allowed my passion for learning to grow and trickle out and affect others. I’ve come to see learning as a never-ending process that we have somehow turned into a grind for students and teachers. Exploring different ways to bring that passion back is something that motivates me and I’ve realized that the new technologies give me an advantage - something that I’m trying to pass on to other administrators. My work has just begun.

In order to fly, you have to let them go!

Today was another monumental day at school. For the first time, students were brought together to create the policies and consequences which they will follow in the upcoming year in the areas of attendance, lates, cellphone use and leaving school during the day. Areas, which up until now, had been the sole domain of the teachers and, usually, the principal.

When I arrived to take over the principalship almost 4 years ago, attendance was an issue particularly relating to students arriving for school, and class, late. It was particularly bad in grades 11 & 12. Being my first year, I watched and tried to figure out some way that this might be addressed so that the problem might be reduced to occasional occurrences not daily happenings. Over the next three years, I drew up different policies but they just didn’t work as a result of a number of reasons on all sides. This year, instead of coming up with a new policy, I tossed it back to the teachers telling them that they needed to solve how to handle the lates in their classes. That didn’t work. We continue to deal with a number of students who, for no other reason than they can, arrive late for classes in the morning and after lunch and, for some of them, in between.

As an administrator, it was starting to feel like the problem was unsolvable - the will just wasn’t there. Then, through a series of unfortunate events, I was left feeling that, if we weren’t able to deal with these issues, we certainly wouldn’t be able to deal with the bigger issues of drugs, student mental health, bullying and all those others that land in our hallways. So, I took a leap of faith and went to the people with whom these policies needed to work - the students.

Today, after lunch, I had the students in grades 9, 10, & 11 assemble in the library. I then explained my plan. They were going to set the boundaries for the following areas: students being late, students skipping classes, students leaving campus without signing out and cellphone usage. I explained that for three years these problems had continued without there being any real improvement. We’d tried a number of things and none of them worked. I needed them to identify what was acceptable in these areas, give boundaries for students and suggest consequences that students would have if they didn’t comply. I explained that these things we were talking about were mostly part of the Education Act, except for the cellphone use. These were areas that were part of the law and needed to be addressed. As with cellphones, we needed to come up with something that worked for them and for teachers. I spoke about how this was something that few students in schools get an opportunity to do and, depending on how things worked out, could be the start to many different issues that were part of how the school functioned. I trusted them, I explained, and was willing to give them the chance to demonstrate that they could do great things, “they could fly”. I then turned them loose with chartpaper and markers. 65 minutes later the last group handed in their ideas.

I’ve only had a few moments to go through their ideas but I can tell you that they took this very seriously and, without an exception, have come up with some great ideas for each area. Combining the ideas of the groups will result in something that is very clear to the students and very powerful. The one area that really struck me was the use of cellphones. Without an exception, each group agreed that they wanted to be able to use their phones during breaks but, once in class, they were to stay away unless called upon (calculator or agenda) and no texting was to take place. They gave consequences that were straightforward and reasonable, for the most part.

This type of thing happened for the other areas although there were some that were a bit “too strict” and some a bit “too wide-open”. However, it was clear that the students were wanting to be part of creating a solution. After this was done, I didn’t have time to talk with staff and won’t tomorrow because I’m at an all-day meeting. However, I’ve had some conversations with students and all of them have stated that the only way that this will work is if EVERY teacher follows through and doesn’t allow exceptions for particular students. This was mentioned for each of the grades that were represented. They wanted what they did to have meaning but know that all teachers must be using the guidelines. They expressed frustration with what they saw as double standards and were using this opportunity to voice their frustrations. They don’t want me to be the only one who goes about trying to implement their ideas.

They’re right. All teachers must be willing to embrace the chance these students have taken. I thought I was the only one taking a chance but, really, they were also taking a chance - a very big chance. They were willing to seriously consider what might be done about these things and they want those people who have the authority to follow through to do just that - to honour the work that they have done.

As a parent, I am always so proud when I see my children do something that I know has caused them some great inner struggle. Well, today I was very proud of these youth. They demonstrated that, given the opportunity and guidance, they can discuss, debate and deliver on a task that, up until now, has been difficult for staff to agree upon and follow through.

It’s been that kind of year

This year our school has taken the first steps toward having students being functioning members of the learning community and not just the beings that show up after we, the adults, have decided what should happen. They have had equal input into our school Code of Conduct, they have representatives that sit on our School Community Council who give us advice on particular ideas and they have now taken the first steps toward creating a true learning community, where all partners are part of the process. The crucial part will be getting teachers to work alongside the students - being there to help and guide them, assist and question them and, if need be, provide the discipline that is needed to help them. We’re a long way away from some of those schools that make headlines and are model schools and only time will tell if we can take what we did today and improve upon it. But, I am encourage and excited about the possibilities, seeing such things as our School Representative Council becoming more than a body that plans pep rallies and spirit days but instead being a place where such things as class trips are discussed and planned, electives for senior classes are explored and major decisions about how students act and interact are drafted.

We’re not done!

To add to this, on Thursday evening there is a meeting scheduled for staff, parents and students to discuss what types of electives they would like to see offered for our seniors. For the first time, instead of deciding what we will offer, we are going to have parents and students give us their ideas about what they would like to see happening at the school. Another huge step toward bringing all members of our learning community into the learning process. We’ll see how that turns out!

Talking with Administrators

I’ve been working on trying to figure out what I might want to talk about to administrators during my 45 minutes presentation at the Tlt conference that is coming up in two weeks. My intro to the presentation was using technology to help manage your school. I began writing about that and, low and behold, I found that it was nearly as boring as watching primer dry. What was I thinking?

To top if off, I’ve started down a road at school that is so uncharted I feel like the early explorers. You see, I’m about to bring all my grade 9, 10 & 11’s together to discuss what we want the school to be like and how we, together, are going to work at creating this vision of school. Our first meeting will be to address some of the simple rules that have been a thorn in everyone’s side since I arrived: students arriving late to class, students skipping class, students wandering from class and the whole cell phone thing.

As an administrator, I’m just about fed up with trying to create an attendance policy because it doesn’t get followed by the teachers. I’ve tried to get teachers to be responsible for students showing up late for their class but that hasn’t happened. They all want to have the same policy so that no one looks “bad” but they don’t mind if I’m the one who has to deal with the problems. So, in a fit of delirium, I’ve decided to go straight to the students to work out how we will deal with these problems. I have no clue how this is going to turn out but I’m pretty much tired of the whole mess. Time to come up with a solution that will work.

This brings me back to my presentation. I want to impress upon administrators that they have to actually get into the fray and begin learning about the technologies that are all around them. They have to be the educational leaders and be learning about what is going on and how these tools are being used. As administrators, they have to see that the students walking through the doors are not the same as they were because the world we are living in is not the same. That to deal with issues and problems in the same manner we have been doing does not deal with the problems, it just sweeps them out of sight.

I really want to tell them that to let IT departments dictate the filtering and software use is contrary to what learning is all about. That teachers need to be addressing the issues of inappropriate information in all that they are teaching so that students can begin to sift through the ever growing mountain of information that bombards them.

I want to tell them that parents need to be brought into the discussions about acceptable use of information and technology. That they need to be aware of the statistics about youth and the “evil” internet. I want to tell them that schools are the one place where topics like improper social network usage, giving out too much information and other such things can be discussed without the fear factor that other media is giving the internet. I want to impress upon them that the cellphone that our students are carrying is a powerful learning tool that can surf the web, record events and information and transfer their ideas and creations. I want to tell them to get over their prejudices about the various technologies and to think of them as learning tools instead of problems that need to be controlled.

I want to show them the power that every person on their staff has to develop a learning network that is tailored to their interests. Explain that, through the use of some very simple tools, they can introduce their teachers to others who will move their thinking and learning in ways they didn’t think possible.

When I began to work on this presentation in earnest, last night, I realized that I my presentation is really a reflection of the frustrations that I have been having trying to deal with some of the issues at school. I’ve been banging my head trying to figure out how to have teachers buy into something that, really, I need students to buy into and understand. Instead of creating reactionary consequences to what is happening, I want to bring students into the solution so they make it their problem not ours. I want to join in a conversation with them to find out where they are so that we can come create a solution. Like I said, I’m not sure what will happen tomorrow or how this will all turn out but, as an administrator, there needs to be some solutions found so we can move on to tackle some more serious issues.

Instead of giving the administrators who show up to my session some neat little package that they can go away with, I want to challenge them to look at their schools in a totally different way. I want them to begin to glimpse that the technologies are tools that are available but unless people working in schools begin to see teaching a learning in a new way and view students from a new perspective, it won’t matter what tools we throw into the mix the final results will continue to be the same.

I want these people who attend my session to begin to glimpse that preparing students for life in this ever-changing social climate means that their learning needs to be diverse, multi-faceted and more about learning how to learn than what to learn because the knowledge will continue to change in ways that we cannot predict. Students are much more aware of the hypocritical nature of people and many see teachers who talk about life-long learning but that is where it ends.

Maybe it’s the frustration of the past week or so that has me thinking like this or because I’m just desperate. It could be a little of both. I’m dealing with students who are finding no use in what they are doing and want more and, for the most part, aren’t really happy with the answer “Well, it’s the curriculum.” As I listen to my own daughters and their friends comments about school, I see we’re losing a whole group of students because we are not challenging them - demanding them to demonstrate their knowledge in ways besides writing and tests. I long to hear my older girls come home excited about what they are doing at school instead of the stories I get to hear about some misadventure that has gone on involving their peers. The first happens so rarely while the latter happens much too often. I want to tell the administrators that these types of comments have been ignored for too long - myself guilty as charged. To bring about the change, we need to be the educational leaders that promote and lobby for change to meet the needs of the students in our buildings. Granted, there are many more needs that we need to address, but learning is the fundamental reason for our existence and it’s time to reshape what that looks like.

Most likely, I’ll show them a nice powerpoint and a screencast about using some social tools. I mean, I only have 45 minutes.

It made me cringe but led to an “aha”

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’ve just finished putting away all the things from our second Ultimate Youth Night. This night is a opening evening for youth in our community to come together in a safe and supervised setting to enjoy movies, games, gaming and music. Our first event had about 50 youth attend from 7:00 to midnight. For last night’s event, it was decided to try to include some of the younger students in the school so we had two different parts to the evening. The first part was from 6:00 to 9:00 and was for any students from K to 5 accompanied by an adult. For a first time try, it was okay with about 15 kids attending with their parents.

The second part of the evening was for youth from grade 6 to age 18. For this portion of the evening, we had about 55 youth come out and play games and hang out. When I left at 9:00, after my 6 hours of setting up and getting all the things organized, the place was rocking with Wii, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Baseball, SceneIt, a the board games NHL Monopoly and Clue being played. We sold pop for a $1 and had free chips and such. This round we had many more girls attend and participate. We’re happy with what is happening but now we know it is time to make this a sustainable project - one that is run by youth with adult assistance. Our plan is to create a committee of 10 or 12 youth and have them appoint a chairperson and organize these evenings with input from the overseeing committee, of which 3 of the youth will sit on.

So, what made me cringe? Well, it wasn’t this. It was a conversation that I had with a grade 11 student on Friday who, during our discussion, told me that we were equals. I’ve spent the entire weekend thinking about that comment. Now it makes me cringe for a few reasons. First off, it creates a false sense of being equals in a manner that is not possible. As much as schools need to open up and allow students to be part of some of the decisions, there are still responsibilities that youth, even those who are mature, should not be made to shoulder because they are still youth. A second thing that came to mind is the false sense that there is an equality of decision-making ability that just isn’t there. Schools are responsible to every help every student to do their best given the tools and personel available to them. As an administrator, part of my mandate is to try to ensure that this does take place and, if necessary, to take the steps to bring this to fruition. Lastly, it creates unattainable goals that no matter how much we, as educators, do, we won’t be able to meet. As much as I would like to see schools change, there are some things that youth should not be made to deal with as they navigate the path to adulthood because, to tell you the truth, I’m still learning and growing into after 17 years in education.

While I spent time setting up for the youth evening, I began to realize that the wrong person was doing the setting up - this event needs to be organized by the people who know what they want to do. Instead, as the adult, our group needs to take care of the things like accessing grants, finding a permanent storage place for the equipment, accessing facilities, organizing chaperones and so forth and leave the actual setting up, doing and taking down to the people who are participating. Last night we had 5 game machines with projectors being played while music, games and other activities were taking place. This made me think that maybe I’d been going about things at my school all wrong.

Application to Education

For the past 3 years, the staff has been trying to figure out how to deal with a number of issues that have been constant problems. We’ve tried a few different things but usually end up at the same place we began. As I thought about what this student had said to me, I realized that there was a lack of information on the part of the students. Instead of explaining and discussing the workings of the school with them, we’d been telling them how things worked and what was going to be expected of them. This sometimes worked and sometimes caused problems, especially for me. Just recently I’ve been running into all kinds of difficulty with students being late and cutting class. Suffice to say, not everyone is on the same page.

Here I am trying to enforce rules that students have no input into. Now, some of them are from our provincial Education Act and are part of the law. Actually, all of them are related to this. My plan, fool-hearty as it is, is to dialogue with students from grades 9 - 11 and have them set out the parameters for their behaviour while at the same time putting the responsibility for classroom management of these things fully in the hands of the teachers. To do this, I plan to bring these students together for an afternoon this week to work in groups, with a teacher in each group, to suggest ways to deal with the issues that result from the rules that are given to us.

I plan to divide the students into groups, having each group brainstorm ideas for dealing with the problems making it clearly understood that this process is a way for them to take ownership for themselves and create the expectations for the school. I know that this is a huge gamble and could turn into complete chaos but I trust that the students, once they realize that if they take this seriously, will be taken seriously. The final expectations will be organized and voted upon through secret ballot. Of course, I will have veto power over any unreasonable suggestions but I’m hoping students will monitor themselves.

I’m not sure if this is an “aha” or an “oh-oh”. However, I tire of the way things are working - trying to have students accept responsibility for what they are doing. Hopefully, this way, they will buy into what is going on. What do you suggest?

Who changed the calendar already?

I’ve been meaning to write here a few times now but each day just seems to fly by. I’m seriously thinking that I may need to talk to someone in law enforcement because I think someone stole the month of April! Is time speeding up? Is the world revolving faster? Who’s driving this thing anyway? These are all questions that flash through my mind as I begin another Monday only to come home to a Friday evening. I’ve missed my workouts for weeks now because I begin Monday morning and come home Friday. How can a guy hope to get to the gym when someone keeps stealing the week.

The weekend is no better. I’ve given up all hope that I’ll be able to sleep past 8:00 on any day of the week but on the weekend the three boys have begun a contest to see who can get up earliest and do the most damage without waking anyone else up. I go to bed only to be up 2 or 3 times putting boys back to bed after they’ve decided that: they’re thirsty and need a drink of milk from the container that was full (hence large pool of milk on floor!) They are hungry - need a peanut butter sandwich with bananas - I don’t even know how to explain this one. Thank goodness the youngest can’t get out of the crib without making enough noise to wake me up because I can only imagine - well, truthfully, I can’t imagine what he’d do. This is the kid who uses several stools to climb up to get gum from the cupboard and chews the whole pack because he knows there’s more.

I’ve been aware that this seems to be a phenomena that is occurring all over the place. People are going to work and looking up from their desk only to find the day has vanished. The begin a small task only to find that it has taken a whole day. Are there time police who can be hired to find out who’s stealing the time?

Is the internet to blame?

I’m wondering if the internet is to blame for all of this time seeming to be stolen away. I mean, since things happen in an instant, is time being reduced because it’s taking less time for things to get from here to there? Is the immediate exchange of information, money and other things creating some sort of time vortex that is sucking time into it because it’s no longer needed? Are we becoming so affected by what is going on on the net that time itself is somehow being altered? If not, why does it feel like every time I sit down at the computer, time seems to vanish and I don’t get the done work I thought I would? What’s going on here? Maybe it’s the Russians? Or the butler (if I had one, he’d have done it)?

Speed o life

Somehow, the speed at which we are conducting our lives has increased, if that is possible. We are expecting to do more and more in the same amount of time and, therefore, feeling like we are losing time. We are also spending time doing things on the net that are not even close to being productive. Like tv, reading and other forms of entertainment, we are spending more time using the net for non-work related things.

As educators, we are being asked to do more but not being given any more time to accomplish these added items. Whether it’s a new test to administer, a new program to implement, a new strategy to try or different method to adopt, educators are being asked to do more but there is no added time for this. Somehow, they are suppose to do this and what they did before in the same amount of time. This does not include the increasing amount of paper that seems to be flowing from many levels, all wanting to cross a teacher’s desk somewhere.

Finally, I’m seeing more and more books that need to be read. I believe that my reading list is now in triple digits and I don’t have a hope of reading most of them until after I retire. By that time, I’ll have figured out I don’t need to read them anyway and get to the books I should have read at the start. Books that move my spirit, refresh my soul and expand my consciousness. Believe it or not, I think I now what the problems are in education and, given the time, energy and support, I think that many of us could begin to make some headway with some of the things that are problematic. In fact, I’m beginning to think that if many of us were to trust what we know and put down some of the books, we’d find out that we really don’t need much more than the accumulated knowledge of the people that surround us right in our own buildings. Given a few tools for organization, some time to work on our goals and the feedback required to move us along, I think that much could be done to make some pretty big changes.

Huge Assumption

Of course, I’m making a huge assumption that educators have been doing some reading and are able to discuss the various things that will need to be done in order for change to begin. If not, then I guess there will need to be some development done to allow people access to this information. What if they don’t want to change but just go back to their classrooms? Well, how will that be different from now? Why does change have to include every teacher? Why can’t the change be done with those who are willing and ready? I think there are many teachers who are willing and ready but who seriously don’t have any more time to give because of all the things that have been added to their loads.

We need to get off

It is becoming more and more obvious to me that in order to bring about change, there needs to be a slowing of the pace. The rate of change may continue but, in education, there needs to be some period of learning before we move on to the next. As learners, many teachers who are technology minded don’t seem to be taking that time to see how these new technologies are going to work before they move on to the next. Unlike other areas of society, education has more to do with helping others understand than using the next new product. So we need to work with things for awhile before we adopt new change? At least we’ll be able to take time to figure out where things fit. As it is, many teachers aren’t taking that reflection time that is absolutely necessary.

April, usually a rather calm month is over. I’m panicking because the following two months are very intense and high energy and I usually count on April to give me that little rest I need in order to finish strong. With the month now 2 days from finishing, I’ve somehow missed that rest period because I was too busy to notice that I was missing it. I really don’t know how I’ll survive May and June without some sort of breakdown or something. Hold it, I already did that in April! Now what will I do?

I’m hoping that some can catch whomever is messing around with the time and, if nothing else, punish that person by slowing down time and putting them somewhere, like a middle years math class where time seems to stand still to begin with, in order to make them pay for all the stress their causing the rest of us. If nothing else, I’d like to have Wednesday back so I can at least get to the gym one day a week. Otherwise, I’m going to have to go shopping for some new clothes and everyone knows that no guy has time for that!

Raising expectations - communication skills

I’ve been thinking about my last post concerning raising expectations. That post came out of a little non-scientific survey that I did with some students regarding what they thought were necessary aspects of a progressive and relevant highschool. I’ve known that the two are linked but it’s taken me a little while to work things through - and I’m not sure I’ve completely done that.

When I first arrived at my current location, I had just come from two very “learn by fire” years as a new administrator. I had 10 years of teaching behind me in middle years so students didn’t really scare me. I had finished a MEd in leadership and had two years of vp experience. I figured I was ready. Yeah right! About as ready as a canoe for an ocean crossing. Each day the learning line was vertical and I seemed to be always scrambling. I didn’t have time for reflection because I didn’t have time to much of anything but survive. Looking back, which is always the easiest thing to do, I realize that although I was able to see issues and areas that need improvement, I wasn’t able to communicate with others in a way that allowed me to move forward. Instead, my communication skills inhibited me from making the progress I wanted to make.

Now, in a position for four years, I’ve been able to work on my communication skills, advancing and improving little by little to a point where I am now confident in my ability to share ideas with others and come to a solution based on active listening and reflective discussion. I’ve also spent time thinking about my vision for school and writing that vision down so that I can articulate it to others. As I’ve gone through this, I keep wondering why these weren’t skills that I learned during school? Why did I have to learn them the hard way?

I began to read about successful communication and the skills involved in being a successful communicator. The resources for this topic are plentiful. However, over at Six Minutes there is a few very good resources that point people in the right direction. From my reading, there were still things that I believe we can do in schools to help our students to be better prepared to communicate with others once they leave our halls.

My Non-Scientific, highly subjective, communication needs of all students

Speak in front of others - I really believe we need to help our students to learn how to speak in front of others in such a way that they don’t become powerless and lost. Just as readers become stronger readers through reading, speakers become better speakers through speaking. Well, not just speaking but discussing and examining issues with others. By speaking in front of others I don’t necessarily mean reading, although that, too, has it’s place. I am more concerned about the moments when they are asked their opinion and can’t say anything or are asked to talk about their ideas and experiences. It’s more a development of skills to be able to join in conversations that are formal - at work during meetings, at gatherings where people ask their opinion or at a social when just sitting at a table with a group of people.

Dialogue vs Debate vs Argument - I really wish people knew the difference between these three. Dialogue, a discussion in which people put forth ideas and listen without trying to persuade the others that their’s are the right ones. Debate, when two sides put forth evidence to convince the others or someone else that their’s are indeed correct. Argument - what usually happens most of the time when people put forth their ideas, usually forcefully, with little regard for anyone else. I get to see a whole lot of the latter and very little of the others. Students need to understand that there are times when you need to dialogue about an issue in order to get people’s perspectives without trying to make one or another the “correct” one. This is very important in such things as Interest Based Bargaining or solution focused problem solving. In these two cases, you are trying to find what people think and how they are feeling with the primary goal of getting to a point where you can discuss a solution that is reasonable in the given situation.  Debate is something that people often get confused with argument. A debate usually takes place between two parties who are trying to convince a third party that their position is the best. A good example is the basis for political debates where parties or representatives put forth their opinions or the opinions of their party on a given topic. Unfortunately, these usually turn into Arguments or mud slinging. Arguments are what I deal with the most - people are not wanting to really find a solution - they want to push their position or point. Typically, the volume gets louder the more they think that the other party isn’t listening because they haven’t changed their minds. The other two forms are much more productive but harder to master unless you are able to practice such skills. Unfortunately, we are seeing way too much arguing being classed as the former so no wonder students are confused.

Presentation Skills - I believe our students need to learn how to present something in a convincing and dynamic manner. I once had a student who wasn’t the best athlete or or or but this student could write jingles and do a presentation like nobody’s business. He was very talented and it was a pleasure to have him do one. I even modeled a presentation rubric after what he did because he did it so well. Eye contact, voice, intonation, body movement, focus and elaboration, explanation and conclusion. He was a natural - I even let him do most of his major projects in this manner because writing wasn’t his strong point and he just couldn’t do in writing what he could do in a presentation. He always seemed passionate about what he was talking about just through his body movements and his delivery. These skills will, I believe, be important as students enter a global economy where much of the information about them will be found online and their sale or their next job will rely on their ability to nail that presentation.

Active Listening and Responding Skills - these are skills that all parents should be required to take classes to understand and use. With my own children, I’ve had to really work at developing these skills. Heck, with my wife I’ve had to learn how to listen. I’ve heard that females are much better at this than males but I not sure if I heard that correct or not Whatever the situation, our students need to be aware of what it means to be an active listener - and not a repeat back to me or “I think I hear you saying” as my own children have informed me that these are, in fact, lame and demonstrate that you have taken some type of course and are practicing. It was only after I actively listened to my oldest daughter who pointed out, through the severe eye-roll motion, that beginning with something like that was not, in fact, an indication of listening but of mimicking. I’ve really learned quite a lot from oldest three daughters about listening, not listening and the whole being in the room when a conversation is taking place. (Don’t let them know this otherwise it will make it hard for me to look like I’m not listening to their conversations when I am in fact listening). To be an active listener is to be aware of body movement and positioning, eye contact, how their voice is sounding, how they position themselves and many other things. It’s the whole act of focusing on that person who is speaking and making connections for yourself with what they are saying.

Finally, the art of being silent - I know this went out with Charlie and his moustache but it is something that is key in good communication. The silent pause has become a sign of something being not quite right and people feel they need to fill it in with something - usually a bad pun or joke or something of little consequence. Silence is a moment for reflection, a moment for people to allow what has been said to pass through filters. Really good speakers use that pause to allow audiences to absorb what they’ve said just as great comics allow audiences to laugh and set up the next lines. In fact, silence, used at the right moment can be even more effective than anything a person can say.

Somehow, there needs to be a greater focus on speaking, presenting and listening that will allow students to develop these all important skills. Yes, the five paragraph essay is extremely important, until you get out of school. Learning to use language in writing is a great and wonderful thing. However, many of our students will also need to be as well prepared to speak and listen. It’s sure makes someone stand apart from the crowd when they have those skills. I’ve watched students who, through their superior development of presentation skills be able to do better than students with equal writing skills but underdeveloped presentation skills. As someone who was an entrepreneur at age 19, I developed some of these skills through just having to do them over and over again. And, when I became a teacher and now an administrator, I  had to continue to add to my skill set things that, had I been actually shown examples or been made aware of, I might have been able to use and incorporate myself without all the “trial by fire’ learning that I had to do.

As I learn more about them and practice them myself, I have become even more aware of their importance. A perfect example was while interviewing for a recent position, one of the prospective candidates arrived chewing gum and continued to do so throughout the entire interview. Another candidate over-explained, over-sold themselves instead of providing what was asked of them. Again, these are sometimes the results of being nervous but, also, the results of not having been taught presentation skills.

What’s your experience with students and presentation skills? Do you believe they need to be taught more formally than at present? How important do you see them being for today’s students?