Tag Archives: classroom management

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Show What You Know: When tests and assignments don’t work

OneSizeI am principal of a combined middle / high school.  This configuration results in an odd combination of reporting periods that sees us generate reports at one level or another at six different times of the year.  That makes for a lot of report cards for a principal to approve, but I intentionally make time to review every one.  I look for patterns, anomalies, and use the reports as one of the many data sources to track school progress.

     Report cards comments can provide important insight into a student’s learning, provided that teachers use that limited space to concisely capture some key observations.  As a principal, it is my job to work with teachers to develop their skills in this area.

     Some comments are utterly useless.  “Good work” or “this student is a pleasure to have in class” provide no insight into learning.  Fortunately, I do not normally observe that sort of commentary on the reports.  However, I have most definitely seen a shift in the types of things that have been written over the last few years.

     I was particularly inspired when I read one particular comment on the recent reports.  I know what you’re thinking:  Who but a school principal could possibly ever be inspired by a report card comment?  But here is what it said:

“In collaboration with his teacher (name of student) needs to seek out opportunities where he can verbally explain his thinking to meet outcomes and show evidence of his learning.”

     What struck me was how this reflected a particular segment of our teaching and learning journey; the shift from compliance to learning.

     It was not all that long ago that marks were largely influenced by how many assignments students completed, whether they showed up to class on time, and the degree to which they did precisely what they were told to do.  Without diminishing the importance of demonstrating responsible behaviour, those things did not necessarily indicate the degree to which a student met the outcomes of the course.

I am satisfied that we as a school have long moved away from compliance to a focus on learning outcomes.  But the teacher’s comment provides an indication that we are progressing even further in that direction.  Not everyone is best able to demonstrate their learning through writing.  For those, pencil and paper tests are the wrong vehicle.  If a student is able to fully accomplish via speaking the same thing that another student is able to accomplish through writing, why would we withhold recognition of that learning? 

     Yes, students need to know how to write, but we ignore the diversity of our learners if we only accept limited ways of showing knowledge of learning outcomes.  Inviting a student to verbalize his understanding of the course outcomes, and accepting that as evidence of learning in the same way we would accept a test score demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of assessment and respect for each unique learner.

     Our journey will continue, but I am encouraged by the progressive thinking of educators who acknowledge and respond to diverse learning styles and invite students to travel meaningful paths to “show what they know”.

 

 

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Outside The Comfort Zone: Helping School Systems Embrace Technology

????????????????????????????????Each year, our school division holds a “Summer Institute” for teachers, the purpose of which is to provide two days of professional development just prior to the start of the new school year. In examining the topics the Institute was considering last spring, I detected a lack of activities related to current learning technologies and, with a colleague, offered to fill the void.

Our offer was welcomed and despite the end of the school year being a very busy time, we managed to do some collaborative planning. My colleague is skilled at locating and implementing new learning technologies in the classroom. Selective about what she uses in the classroom, I suspect that for every app, program, or device that becomes a part of her teaching, many more fail to make the cut on the basis not doing enough to improve the learning of her students.

Take The Risk

I envisioned my role in the presentation would be less about new technologies and more about encouraging people to step out of their comfort zone. Changing our practice is rooted in risk taking. That can provoke a measure of anxiety in anyone, but even more so for teachers; the risks they take have the potential to impact on the students for which they are accountable. There is comfort in staying with the tried and true. What is to be gained from stepping away from that?

  • I often consider why, in this day and age, anyone in the educational system would not actively leverage the professional networking power of Twitter to build upon their skill set.
  • I wonder why they would not embrace powerful new communication technologies instead of relying on traditional but less effective technologies.
  • I reflect upon classroom practices rooted in traditional teaching which, while still valid, can be transformed through the use of common and easily accessed technological resources that are typically available in practically every classroom.

What’s Stopping You?

In all of these cases I believe that at least one of two conditions exists, which can be summarized by these statements:

  1. “What I am doing is working for me, so that is good enough.”
  2. “I don’t have the time learn all of this.”

Regarding the first statement, finding what works is important. But simply leaving it at that is not enough. We should expect more from people at all levels within the school system. A community of learners will continually seek out new and improved ways of doing things. From time to time that will mean changing long standing practice, as uncomfortable as that may be. Sticking with the status quo is simply unacceptable.

Regarding the second statement, it is true that time is at a premium. The challenge is to help people see how investing time in learning something new can lead to greater efficiency and actually save some of that precious time in the long run. Professional educators, of all people, should understand this. It is also not a matter of learning “all of this”, but selectively investing in those things which may yield the greatest return.

Inspiring Change

As I prepare for our Summer Institute presentation, I will need to focus on both of these statements. My task is to inspire people to look beyond the status quo and instill the confidence they need to make the leap to the next level. Professional development sessions like our Summer Institute are critical components in facilitating the system wide cultural shifts that are required for this to happen.

Some time ago, I wrote about exploiting technology for effective school administration. The barriers we faced then still exist today, but I am encouraged by the progress I have observed. That progress has only occurred where people have embraced the message I hope to bring to the upcoming PD session:

Take the risk, and leave your comfort zone behind.

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The Dress Code Dilemma: Navigating to a Solution

clothes_closetControversies related to school dress codes continue to be on the public radar. Educators are being asked to make judgments and enforce rules to which clearly not everyone can agree. What constitutes appropriate dress at school, and why is this issue a regular media focus?

Rules = Values

Rules reflect values. Any time we attempt to formulate a rule, regulation or guideline, the process is going to be flavoured by our own perspective. Variety within the school community tends to result in rules that reflect a wide range of perspectives and an attempt to respect the generally accepted values of the community. Yet at some point, a judgment is made as to what is appropriate. Whoever is ultimately responsible for making that call is susceptible to criticism from those with conflicting views.

Which path to choose?

One approach is to establish a code that clearly articulates what is and is not acceptable. A strict code typically appeals to those who view things in black and white. While this approach may address matters to some degree, it falls short in two areas. First off, things are rarely as black and white as they seem, and matters which land in the inevitable gray area still require someone’s interpretation. Secondly, this approach requires that people buy into a particular set of values which they may or may not share. When conflict arises, who is in the right, and on what basis?

Another approach is to be intentionally vague about what constitutes appropriate dress. This allows one to view matters in context, provides flexibility, and leaves room for negotiation. The potential drawback to this approach is related to consistency. It is imperative that all those charged with monitoring an informal dress code of any sort have a shared understanding of what is permitted and what is not and are prepared to support that standard.

Who owns the “problem”?

students_hallwayRecent incidents related to student dress codes violations have focused on the question of just who is at fault if one student’s clothing causes a distraction for another. On the one hand, there is an argument that students should not be permitted to wear what may be considered by some to be “revealing” clothing at school, while on the other there is the contention that the problem is instead related to the how a person views others who sport such clothing. Is this a dress code issue or is it a societal issue related to a sexualized view of individuals based on their attire? What about other attire that some may consider distracting, such as T-shirts emblazoned with words or images that some view as inappropriate? Those hoping for a clear and simple resolution to this quandry are likely to be disappointed.

The best response

In the face of all this, what is a principal to do? First off, it is important to acknowledge that regardless of one’s position, one is going to be operating from a personal perspective that will not necessarily be shared by all. However, schools are not separate from their communities and as such, the values promoted by the school should be reflective of those generally accepted by the greater community. Anything else would be hypocritical.

It is not unreasonable for schools to articulate that students dress in a fashion  reflective of the typical community workplace standard. That expectation allows for reasonable flexibility and is unlikely to face significant opposition. In fact, that expectation alone should be enough of a “rule” to cover practically any circumstance. Where that is contravened, the wise educator will seize the opportunity to engage the students – and others, as appropriate – in relevant dialogue and seek a resolution that leaves everyone with a greater sense of understanding.

Regardless of whatever decisions are made, one must always expect them to be challenged. Evolving societal standards make that a certainty.

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Late for Class…Again

Few things are as frustrating for a teacher than to have a student casually stroll into the classroom well after the lesson has begun. The key to effectively managing late arriving students is to address the behaviour with minimum impact on instruction.  This takes some advance planning, but can be effectively dealt with by teaching the students a routine that they are expected to follow.

Sometimes the first reaction is to prevent a student from entering the class.  Don’t do this.  It withholds instruction from the student and is certain to turn into an issue related to power and control.  Invite students to enter the classroom, even if they are late.  However, teach them how they are to enter and establish a routine as to what they should do.

Here are some suggestions for teachers:

•    Teach them how to enter without drawing unnecessary attention to themselves.  Role play what it should look like.  Be firm.  If they seek attention when they enter, quietly correct them and remind them of the proper way to enter.  Follow up with a conversation about alternate ways to meet needs for attention.
•    Continue your lesson as the student arrives.  Do not interrupt learning.
•    Develop a routine.  For example, if a student enters late, he or she writes both  name and time of arrival on a clipboard or  whiteboard. This will help track just who it is you need to follow up with.  It is also a simple way to collect data to help you identify patterns and to inform your intervention strategies.
•    Consider designating late arrival seating – near the front of the room where disruption is minimized.
•    Prepare a “what I missed” sheet or something similar.  Place the onus on the student to complete it and to show it to the teacher so that it is clear that the student has caught up on the instruction that occurred.  The student may then keep this in his / her notebook.
•    Never engage in power strategies such as locking your classroom door, requiring students to wait a long period of time, or barring admittance outright.  These approaches send the message that students are not welcome in the classroom and do not contribute to an inclusive atmosphere.

Chronic lateness is a learned behavior.  The bad news is that if it has been ingrained in a student’s upbringing, it can cause a lot of frustration as you try to help the student understand that this is unacceptable.  The good news is that a learned behavior can be modified, though it takes patience and a caring non-judgemental approach.

Of course, we want students to avoid arriving late, but when they do it is our response that will nurture responsible behaviour.