Education Transformation

5 More Tips for Children: Increase Mental Focus, Attention, Energy & Capacity, Part II

2012-01-08T20:20:00.002-05:00

For the first post of the year , ET posted part Part II of 5 Tips for Children: Increase Mental Focus, Attention, Energy & Attention. This is a guest post on the Inspired Health and Happiness Blog. http://inspiredhealthandhappinessblog.com/2012/01/5-tips-for-children-increase-mental-focus-attention-energy-capacity-part-ii/

5 Tips for Children: Increase Mental Focus, Attention, Energy and Capacity

2011-12-05T14:28:00.001-05:00

Check out, ET's guest blog post , "5 Tips for Children: Increase Mental Focus, Attention, Energy and Capacity" on The Inspired Health and Happiness Blog , 5 Tips for Children:

The Simplest of Interactions - Real Education is Human

2011-11-01T21:25:00.001-04:00

Every adult in the school warned me about this student. In fact, every adult seemed afraid of this 14-year-old boy and dared not engage him in any way. Any discussion regarding this student centered around his physical aggressiveness and prowess, often ending in such statements as, "Any time you see him approach someone in any kind of physical way, call security." In fairness, this student had caused physical harm to other students, at times going further than the situation called for.

As weeks and months went by I didn't have many interactions with this young man, other than me saying his name and hello. Most times, the greetings sounded like "Hey (student name), what's up?" or "Hey (student name), how's it going?" Sometimes he would look at me, other times he wouldn't, but he never said hello back. He was often a no-show in my class, and when he was, he was quiet, reserved and difficult to engage.

I remember one day walking out of the school to the subway. I felt in my jacket pocket the tennis ball I had found on the concrete and asphalt playground, which I had forgotten to place with the school equipment. As I walked down the block, I saw this young man standing just off the curb, looking as if he was ready to run across the street to beat the traffic coming in both directions. To this day I do not know why, I took the tennis ball from my pocket, called his name and tossed it to him. As that brand-new looking, bright green tennis ball flew through the air towards him, his eyes lit up. When he caught the ball, he looked at me with a smile, expression of disbelief and a look of joy, usually reserved for something more profound and said, "Thanks!" After saying, "You're welcome," I went on my way. Before turning the corner I looked back and saw him bouncing the ball and running with it at the same time.

The next time I saw him, he looked at me with a smile. As the year progressed, we had some conversations; one in particular is engrained in my memory. We had a tough conversation about a physical altercation he had with a female relative in order to protect a younger sibling. I know this conversation would have never happened if it hadn't been for the initial interactions. I didn't do anything amazing or extraordinary. I was simply being human, and the impact was profound. It turns out this student had a profound interest in and knowledge of biology and kinesiology, though it took some time for him to be comfortable sharing this knowledge. This young man eventually, through some trials and tribulations, became a professional sports trainer, and to my knowledge has continued along this path.

It may be that a similar experience when I was around this young man's age shaped my actions. I was having a bit of a hard time at that point in my life. Most of the adults in my life,especially teachers and administrators, always came down hard on me and never spoke to me, only at me; except for my history teacher. He talked to me about everything other than school and my "troubles." From our conversations we realized we both loved baseball and both really disliked the Yankees... That Fall the Dodgers and the Yankees were playing in the World Series. He and I were some of the few that predicted the Dodgers would win in six games. As luck would have it, they did. At the school dance, which was a day or two after the Dodgers won, my history teacher, seeing me come in with my friends, came across the whole room, shook my hand and in his big booming voice and John Belushi smile said, "Did we tell them in six, or did we tell them in six?!?"

The fact that this happened in front of many staff members changed the way the rest of that year went for me and most likely how my life unfolded afterwards. This also set the stage for me to be deeply affected by his presentation on the Holocaust. Certainly the facts of what happened were presented; more importantly, the focus was on the human element, feelings, emotions, morality and our role in social and human justice. As he wrapped up and saw how we were all affected, he said, "If you are sickened by this, if you feel sick to your stomach, make sure this never happens again." This changed my life. From that moment on, I saw myself as connected to something bigger and as a person who could do his part for social change.

Real education is human. Perhaps no other arena is more human than education. Any interaction between two or more human beings brings with it emotional, social, physical, spiritual, physical and intellectual aspects. Real education or human education doesn't just engage these areas but embraces them, sometimes by the simplest of human interactions. Pursuing knowledge together, inviting each other to learn and arousing each other's curiosity is tied to emotions and feelings. Real education goes beyond the acquisition of skills or knowledge. It gets to the heart of social relationships and ultimately what it means to be human.

Sharing Adversity with Students

2011-10-18T16:38:00.001-04:00

As human beings we all share the experience of adversity. Adversity comes in many forms, and often seems to come all at once much like the when-it-rains-it-pours scenario. The good news is, we do have choices when it comes to dealing with adversity and how it will affect our lives. The key is to accept that whatever is causing the adversity has happened. Not to do so, to ignore that something has happened, is to ignore reality and the balancing forces of life. It is also unwise to ignore it, as not dealing with the adversity can cause our lives to become unbalanced -- spiritually, emotionally and physically. Dealing with adversity does not mean dwelling on the problem but rather embracing it. Whatever our particular experience has been with adversity we can rest assured, that others have experienced their own brand of adversity. On a quick side note: If you or anyone you know is experiencing anxiety or symptoms of panic attacks, you may want to check out this program for eliminating anxiety and panic attack symptoms: End Anxiety and Panic.

Educators constantly strive to have students experience and find a solutions to "real-world problems" and adverse situations. Viewing these as life lessons can be beneficial. Often the knowledge and application gained from solving a "real-world problem" can be applied to personal life situations. Imagine the steps taken as students go about looking into a "real-world problem," taking this as an opportunity to learn something new, be creative about a solution and possibly even find a new interest they would like to continue to pursue. Couldn't all of us apply similar notions to the adverse situations we encounter in our lives? Couldn't we encourage students to do the same? Today, as we face massive obstacles to true, authentic learning, all in the name of "achievement" and being "globally competitive," it can be very easy to focus solely on academics, dismissing anything else as a waste of time or not in line with raising student achievement.

Truth is that the hyper focus on standardized tests and test scores is not likely to go away soon or at least soon enough. The challenge then becomes working with the opportunities presented to us, to view adversity as a gift and a lead-in to personal explorations. If we cannot address or discuss adversity in any real way, then we all lose the chance to learn from each other. There are times when students have ingenious ways of dealing with adversity and can teach us a thing or two; on the other hand, sometimes students need to have the time to process dealing with adverse situations. Nowadays, young people are protected from adversity or disappointment. While in some cases this is a good thing, this can and has been overdone. The result can be young people who lack resiliency and or the ability to access their steely resolve.

Many educators report if any discussion or exploration of adversity makes its way into the curriculum, the focus is on the experiences of famous personalities. Understandably, this generally takes the form of chronological, factual information. Rarely is time taken to consider the other factors of the adverse situation or what drove these individuals to overcome and persevere. There seems to be an apprehension to delve into emotions, beliefs or techniques. Educators tend to be even more apprehensive in sharing their experiences of adversity with students. Some cringe at the notion of sharing anything personal with students; others claim it is not appropriate to share personal struggles with students. Assuming everyone's professionalism and discretion, it is entirely appropriate to share personal experiences with adversity, especially if the emphasis is on the process overcoming of it.

I have found that sharing my personal experiences of adversity with my students have been some of the most rewarding times I've ever had. Sometimes, it was a simple as sharing my struggles with a particular math class I was taking and how I was in danger of failing it and perhaps not continuing in the program. Other times it was something a bit more profound. No matter what questions students asked, I was able to answer honestly and express the internal process I went or was going through. I recall a time when students and I engaged in a lengthy discussion of how adverse situations often present opportunities, how a philosophy of bending with the situation and springing back often has better results than remaining so firm that eventually you break. Students were able to share how they discovered opportunities they did not know existed among all the adversity. As the group shared even more, a common theme emerged: "Flowing with the situation like a willow in a storm: Willows will blow and shake and look like they are getting tossed around, and in the end, they are left standing and mostly in tact when other trees around them get knocked over or severely damaged." These words are directly from the students, expressing their thoughts on adversity.

Education Transformation: Experiential, Problem Based and Constructivist Learning

2011-08-08T12:39:00.000-04:00

Education Transformation: Experiential, Problem Based and Constructivist Learning

Experiential, Problem Based and Constructivist Learning

2011-08-07T19:48:00.001-04:00

Educators sometimes find developing lessons that are experiential in nature challenging and often wonder whether an overall pedagogical philosophy or lesson delivery framework lends itself better to providing direct experiences for students. The following is an excerpt from a lesson designed with experiential learning, constructivist pedagogy and problem based learning applications. According to the Association for Experiential Education, “experiential education is “ a process through which a learner constructs knowledge, skill and value from direct experience” (1991)

Additionally, experiential learning used with a constructivist approach presents an ideal opportunity to use a Problem Based Learning strategy. As Peter Bohgossian (2006) suggests, in the constructivist theory of learning each person’s experience is valid, learners construct knowledge and meaning based on past and present experience, learners use previous knowledge to construct new knowledge that is personally relevant. Problem Based Learning or PBL can be characterized as follows: "A carefully constructed “problem” is presented to groups of students. These problems usually consist of a description of observable phenomena or events to be understood in terms of their underlying theoretical explanation”. (2007, Schmidt, Loyens, Gog & Paas, p. 92).

In this lesson students were presented with the following problem statement: You are alone and find yourself in need of making a fire, you have only an hour before the sun goes down, which will leave you in the dark and cold. You do not have any matches or anything else that could help you make a fire, other than what is around you. Your task is to find the materials needed in your designated area in order to make a fire(s) using the following methods, bow drill, hand drill and fire plow. You may use the research you have found to help you make these fires before you are taken to your designated area, you may use the Internet to find a demonstration video for each method. Your group will give a presentation on which method of friction they believe is the most reliable, remember to use all the information you have gathered to justify your conclusion and include how your conclusion was influenced by this assignment. You will have two hours to complete this assignment; the first 30 minutes will be indoors in the classroom, you may use this time any way you wish.

The idea was to have students use their analytical and critical thinking skills to ascertain the most reliable method of starting a friction fire. It would be difficult for learners to truly recommend one method over another without having the experience of attempting to start a fire using the various methods mentioned above.

Upon receiving this problem statement, students spent the first 3-5 minutes, deciding what they needed to do and in what order, then spent the preceding 3-5 minutes assigning tasks to each member of the group. Students spent the next 20 minutes, watching demonstration videos and planning their course of action. As, I circulated among the groups, I was available to provide guidance and answer questions. After, thirty minutes had elapsed students were taken to the designated outdoor area where they were expected to complete the task. While working in their groups students gathered the necessary materials for each method of friction fire.

The outdoor areas were carefully chosen with the subsequent criteria in mind, to ensure that each group had an equal chance of finding materials (some materials were provided for the students without their knowledge, placed strategically in their area), to ensure student safety and easy access to each area and finally to provide each group an easy view of the group next to them, so that their might be an exchange of ideas. Though there was some initial struggle and frustration, all students were able to make fire with at least one of the methods listed above. The students were able to articulate what they experienced and defend their conclusion; they also were able to compare their conclusion from the original lesson to their conclusion from the redesigned lesson.

My intention in designing this lesson was threefold, first my expectation was that students would take responsibility for their own learning. As Marianne Van Den Hurk (2006) suggests, when students are engaged in problem based learning, they take responsibility for their own learning and employ strategies that help them manage their time and monitor their own progress and learning. Second, I expected that students would come away with a deeper understanding of friction fires, including which method would be most reliable given the conditions and materials on hand. Lastly, students would be able to articulate, interpret, extrapolate and connect, their direct experience to previous and new knowledge.

In reviewing the designed lesson as it relates to the application of constructivist learning theory and problem based learning strategy, the inherent characteristics of constructivism and problem based learning are evident. Hidir Karaduman and Mehmet Gültekin both professors at the University of Anadolu in Turkey maintain, “the aim of constructivist learning is not to predetermine what the learners will do, but provide opportunities that shape the learners own learning through rich teaching materials which make the knowledge meaningful and useful” (2007, p. 101.

While, students engaged in the lesson it was clear that they were constructing new knowledge based on past experiences and were given opportunities to shape their own learning. Initially the students used their previous knowledge of friction fires to guide them in solving the problem they were presented. As, the lesson progressed they connected their previous knowledge, with new knowledge gained through direct experience. Certainly, the lesson reflected a problem based learning strategy since students were presented with a problem and had to use the available resources to find a solution to the problem.

The learning students experienced in the redesigned lesson went beyond recitation of facts and regurgitation of information, they synthesized, analyzed and interpreted what they experienced. The instructional strategies used are also supported by brain research. It has been shown that strategies, which require students to think deeply, plan and solve problems, develop stronger and more efficient connections between neurons (nerve cells in the brain) than strategies that rely on rote learning and drill. (Fang, 2007, p. 16).

Furthermore, the afore mentioned lesson is aligned with constructivist learning theory as it relates to direct experience, since knowledge constructed by the learner is colored by the lens of the learners experiences. (Proulx, 2006, pp.65-85). Since as Proulx (2006) asserts, Jean Piaget, John Dewey and Leo Vygotsky are widely considered to be the main contributors to the constructivist theory of learning, their collective body of work would support both the design and suggestions for further improvement of this lesson.

While experiential learning, problem based learning and constructivist learning can certainly be used in isolation and do not necessarily need to be categorized as such. It can be useful to think of each of these as complimentary to each other. In the described lesson above, Constructivist theory was viewed as the theoretical foundation, and problem based learning the vehicle to provide students with direct experience, it being the cornerstone of experiential learning.

Considerations for improving this lesson would include, providing students with more time to investigate each method, and not leading the students in any particular direction, in other words, letting the students investigate and experiment with different methods they found on their own. The problem statement could be rewritten to expand the possibilities of their discoveries, by simply stating that students needed to start a fire without matches, they would have been free to explore and experience different methods, perhaps even methods not mentioned in the lesson.

Reflecting upon the lesson and its design proved an invaluable exercise, and reminded me of the significance of my role as a leader, as it relates to student learning and best practices. Susan Black contends “Leaders establish a culture of constant inquiry and questioning. They model and promote investigations into research and new ideas, and they seek evidence that new programs and methods improve students’ learning”. (2007, p. 41).

This process emphasizes the importance of constant evaluation and critique of pedagogy based on the latest research and peer reviewed literature. Continued analysis and assessment of pedagogy will go a long way in ensuring that students are given every opportunity to pursue and demonstrate high intellectual work. Furthermore, the process of reflecting upon lessons, considering varied instructional techniques and assessments based on learning theory and theories, encourages others to do the same with the goal of making a deep personalized connection with the learning.

References

Association for Experiential Education. (1991). AEE definition of experiential education. Retrieved August 11, 2008, from http://www.aee.org/customer/pages.

Black, S. (2007). A Community of Learners, American School Board Journal, 194 (11), (pp. 40-47).

Bohgossian, P. (2006). Behaviorism, Constructivism, and Socratic Pedagogy, Educational Philosophy and Theory, 38 (6), (pp. 713 – 722).

Fang, T.W. (2007) Understanding the Brain: The Birth of Learning Science, Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development Executive Summary, (pp.13-18).

Karaduman, H., Gültekin, M. (2007). The effect of constructivist learning principles based learning materials to students’ attitudes, success and retention in Social Studies, The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 6 (3), (pp. 98-110).

Proulx, J. (2006) Constructivism: A re-equilibration and clarification of the concepts, and some potential implications for teaching and pedagogy, Radical Pedagogy 8 (1), (pp. 65-85).

Schmidt, G.M., Loyens, S.M., Gog, T.V., & Pass, F. (2006) Problem-Based Learning is Compatible with Human Cognitive Architecture: Commentary on Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark. Educational Psychologist, 42(2), (pp.91-97).

Van Den Hurk, M., (2006) The relation between self-regulated strategies and individual study time, prepared participation and achievement in a problem-based curriculum, Active Learning in Higher Education, 7(2), (pp. 155–169).

Service Learning Projects - Project Based Learning Taken Further

2011-05-17T00:26:00.001-04:00

Can project based learning take any form? Can all the projects have a theme or particular focus? Could a particular class or school encourage every project to have a connection beyond the classroom, one that takes students out into the local community and beyond. While many schools are engaged in project based learning that does encourage students to apply the learning to their everyday lives, this does not always happen in clear and meaningful ways, students don’t always see the connection. Project based learning while a wonderful strategy with many documented benefits, sometimes falls short of the mark, service learning projects provide opportunities for the benefits of project based learning to be taken further and made more authentic.

The goal of providing students with rich learning opportunities and real world connections, can be achieved through service learning projects and as a result student achievement will be positively impacted. “Based on the growth in benchmark test scores from the October baseline to the final benchmark test in March, we conclude that service-learning had a positive impact on student achievement” (Solau, & Yost, 2007, p. 50).

When students can take concepts and skills learned in classroom instruction and apply them to life situations, they gain much needed connections between learning and the real world. If students are given the opportunity and the space to make these connections they will have a better chance of retaining what they have learned, rather than relying on the drill and skill methods. Support is growing almost daily from neuroscience and brain mapping for learning that invites teachers and students to go beyond drill and kill methods to ones which ask students to apply and synthesize their knowledge.

Research suggests that engaging in service learning projects has benefits beyond, raising test scores and GPA’s and that it is indeed the entire community that benefits. When students can step beyond their often confined and sheltered world, they begin to see themselves as part of something bigger than themselves and as agents of change with some say in what happens in their lives.

Authentic learning is about engaging with the material, grappling with tough questions, reflection and the ability to apply knowledge in a given situation and assesses the outcomes of the application. Service learning projects, provide students with these experiences in a very real way, in a way that they just cannot get from text books, lecture or test preparation.

Service Learning Projects Defined

Service - Learning while not an entirely new practice is a relatively recent pedagogical approach (2006, Goldberg, Richburg & Wood), whose popularity has grown in recent years, in fact some states and school districts, recognizing the value of Service Learning have adopted service - learning requirements for its students. Such is the case in Maryland and Illinois. There exists various definitions of service-learning, all have commonalities, England and Marcinowski, (2007) define service learning as, an educational strategy that is designed to involve students in meaningful service to their communities, while connecting the service to academic subjects and providing students space for reflection. Service Learning Projects differ from community service in that, in service learning projects the emphasis in not only on the actual service but the learning that took place within each individual participant, whereas in community service the focus is on the service being provided.

Elements of Service Learning Projects

When implementing service learning projects as part of an overall pedagogy or even as a part of the curriculum there are fundamental pieces that must be considered, in order for them to have value and meaning. I came across what Chun, et al., (2008), indentified as critical parts of service learning projects as it relates to their design.

Authentic context - The service - learning needs to have a purpose and provide an important service to the community or agency, while taking place in the actual setting. It must also provide a real world service or solve a potential or current problem.

Link to Curriculum - Service - learning must have a connection to the curriculum, this is one of the main distinctions between service - learning and community service. The tie in to the curriculum can also be used as a vehicle to address NCLB standards.

Home, school and community partnerships - The development of partnerships between agencies within the community and the school are crucial to the sustainability of the service - learning program. The partners must also adopt a model of sustained communication, while understanding their roles in the service – learning program.

Programmatic Support - The importance of administrative support cannot be underemphasized as it relates to the success of the service-learning program. Support from the administration and staff can come in the form of time set aside in the school day to work on service learning projects, to professional development and hiring of staff that believe in the value of service-learning and are committed to its success. Support from the community can come in the form of resources, transportation and funding.

Frequency of Instruction - The amount of time spent in the community and the face to face interactions has an impact on the learning that takes place and on the attitudes of the participants. It is suggested that more frequent and longer time interactions should be the rule rather than the exception however, this does not suggest that less frequent and shorter term interactions do not have value.

Having implemented and spearheaded service learning projects on a class and school wide basis, I can attest to the value of thinking through these elements, investing the time into investigating these elements will ensure that your school’s service learning projects have the best chance of succeeding.

Service Learning Project Models

Though the elements and features of successful service learning projects remain relatively consistent, how they are implemented, practiced, assessed and celebrated will vary depending upon the context. Each school or district may decide to implement the elements and features of service learning projects in a way that makes sense for them.

My experience with service learning projects, ranges from two week, completely structured projects, to year long, mostly student driven and defined projects. Some schools have specific learning objectives that students need to address and show mastery of, some set up the service learning experience so that students can choose the skills or topics they address. Either of these methods or something in between can be highly effective and take the project based learning mindset a step further so long as learning objectives are clearly defined, regardless of whether they are student created or mandated school requirements.

Projects took on many different forms, some had more of an environmental focus, such as petitioning the town to save a green space from development, some had more of a human rights focus, such as educating local retailers and patrons as to the horrific child labor practices enforced in order to produce soccer balls. In each and every case the amount of research, revision, thought, reflection , synthesis and application surpassed expectations. While always excited by the idea of service learning projects, when I first began working with students in this arena, I could never have in my wildest dreams predicted the incredible impact these projects would have on students and me as human beings and learners.

Support for Service Learning

I have also watched as students who were considered, difficult, at risk or too disabled to engage in high intellectual work, become completely absorbed in service learning projects, in fact there were complaints from other teachers that all the student wanted to do was work on “ that service learning project”. Support for service learning projects is growing from special education practitioners who are aware of its intrinsic value and ability to increase self - efficacy. As Victoria Scott suggests “Service learning is especially powerful in special education as students are allowed the opportunity to give, instead of receive, help and support, and therefore gain independence and self-esteem” ( Scott 2006, p.25).

With so many of our students disconnected to the world around them, with faces buried in some kind of screen or another, the implementation of service - learning as a learning strategy, will become ever more necessary and crucial, if we are to expect students to go beyond recitation of facts and rote memorization of isolated bits of information.

As service learning projects become more prevalent in the classroom and part of the fabric of school communities across the nation, the value of this practice will continue to be unveiled. Service learning projects are a vehicle in which students can pursue their interests, while discovering new ones, and learn about themselves and their community. In a carefully, constructed and implemented service learning projects, students will gain direct experience in researching, planning, evaluating and assessing.

When service learning projects are implemented as part of the curriculum not only do students begin to think about the world and their place in it, teachers and administrators do as well. When students engage in service learning projects they tend to have a more positive self - image, greater social awareness; gain social skills, feel a sense of independence and empowerment, and reflect upon their humanity and the humanity of others.

Service learning projects inherent qualities, are experiential in nature and asks students to go beyond simple memorization and recitation. Implemented with clear guidelines and expectations, service learning projects provides students with a multitude of opportunities to engage in deep intellectual processing and reflective learning. With a sound service learning project in place, students will be engaged in learning that is not limited by attempts to classify the study into subject areas.

Whether you choose to follow any particular model for service learning projects or decide to completely reinvent the wheel to best suit the needs of your students, you will find that the effort is well worth it as you and your students bring the experience of project based learning a step further, a step that will take you and them on a learning journey that just may have no end.

References

Chun, J. C., Dymond, K., S., Renzaglia, A. (2008). Elements of High School Service Learning Programs. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 31 (1), 37-47.

England, Y. A., Marcinknowksi, T. (2007). Environmental Service Learning Programs in Florida High Schools and Colleges: Nature, Status, and Effects as Determined by a Statewide Program Census: Journal of Environmental Education, 38 (4), 51-60.

Goldberg, L.R., Richburg, C.M., Wood, L.A. (2006). Active Learning Through Service – Learning. Communication Disorders Quarterly. 27 (1), 131-143.

Scott, V. G. (2006). Incorporating Service Learning Into Your Special Education Classroom. Intervention in School And Clinic. 42 (1), 25-29.

Soslau, E. G., Yost, D. S. (2007). Urban Service-Learning: An Authentic Teaching Strategy to Deliver a Standards-Driven Curriculum. The Journal of Experiential Education. 30 (1), 36 - 53.

Forum of Transformational Change -- IDEA-ACSR

2011-04-25T17:48:00.000-04:00

Undeterred by late Spring snow and rain, seventeen amazing change makers from Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont brought their passion, knowledge and energy to Antioch to discuss IDEA's platform (Website) and ways to transformative change. As folks arrived, exchanged heartfelt greetings and started impromptu conversations their dedication and lifelong commitment to human rights, basic needs, personal freedoms, youth voice, true learning and a just, sustainable, democratic society was immediately evident. Coming from diverse backgrounds, experiences and philosophies all along the educational spectrum that truly defy labels or categories, the group seamlessly collaborated to as one participant said "move the needle of change forward".

The forum began with an overview of IDEA's mission which is to "ensure that all young people can engage meaningfully with their education and gain the tools to build a just and sustainable world". From there the conversation shifted to IDEA's vision and strategy, as the discussion progressed it was obvious that the vision statement which has its roots in the values of human rights , freedom, collaboration, equity and justice resonated with the group. Each individual in some form has and continues to advocate for, struggle with, and push forward these ideals in practical and meaningful ways and rail against policies and practices that exist in opposition.

The dialogue turned to strategy and how IDEA is committed to listening, organizing, building relationships, framing the message, share resources and generate original research and policy. Forming the connective tissue between the grassroots and grass tops is a necessity for transformative change that is sustainable and lasting. In small focus groups participants collaborated to identify relevant local and national challenges and the action steps needed to move past those challenges. I approach the next few sections of this post with;

Gratitude - For the efforts of all those who attended and those who made it possible for the forum to take place, whether behind the scenes, in the forefront or just allowing the stars to align. How truly blessed we are to have had the time to get together in a room for a few hours with this group of change makers.

Hope - Knowing that this group is out there working for transformational change, there is much hope.

Humility - Taking a cue from the group, recognizing that we have much to do and learn. I know that my attempt to encapsulate and articulate the collective learning, sharing and vision of the group(s) will be inadequate to say the least.

Focus Group Learning from the Guiding Question:
In your school or community, what is one thing you would do to strengthen the quality of education and moves towards a more just, sustainable and democratic society?

Group 1

Identifying that we're all effective learners and thus redefining how learning happens.
If opposite of freedom is oppression, we need to identify those practices that may be unintentionally oppressive (e.g. imposing choice on kids who may desire direction, denying choice to those who learn best through choice).
What is the shared understanding of democracy? Framed around five freedoms of First Amendment Act.
Need a shared understanding of democracy for our own context, (e.g. ability to participate in decision making that impacts one's life).
Build skills for participatory democracy (e.g. different methods to come to consensus, restorative circles.

Group 2

Meeting children's basic (physical and emotional) needs is paramount, this included food, hydration, movement, play, elimination, comfort and nurturance.
Children of all ages learn primarily through play. Play, fun and enjoyment is developmentally appropriate and is necessary for the learning process.
Children need to move and be physically active. They should not be expected to sit at desks against their will.
Learning must be innately driven, passion-driven and self-directed in order to support each child in following their own natural path to development and self actualization.
Democratic education means that children have an equal voice in their learning community. John Taylor Gatto, envisions the entire community as "public education" , with anyone of any age running groups and classes, children and adult can attend classes or not at their will. All the resources of the community would be included.
Advocacy for individual children.

Group 3

Should all testing be stopped? When or is it appropriate? Is it inherently oppressive?
Creating a more democratic process in schools (Reggio methods).
Considering students wants , how to feel competent in ideas and what students want to learn.
The need for organizations to develop the skill set necessary that will move them through the decisions and the conflicts that are part of change.
Invigorate students, faculty and community in change and how we can we work with the imperfect empowerment that is part of the process.
Hunter- gatherer model - how do we share the great things we learn - messengers, make sure to keep moving the needle, keep building relationships.
Involving community can be more student driven , consistency between home and school, work with complex systems that are barriers to change.

Key Learnings from the Large Group: (A small snapshot)

Teachers need to say to themselves "It's not about me, it's about the students".
Start from the platform of human rights.
How does IDEA help organizations build the skill sets to move through the decisions and conflict that come with change?
Build relationships that can handle the natural messiness that come with relationships.
Freedom of conscience.
Don't reinvent the wheel, find and adapt what already works.
Provide supports for students, adults and community to network.
Mentorship is not antidemocratic - young people need adults to learn from.
Create and maintain the connective tissue between grassroots and grass tops.
Be disruptors, disrupt the norm.
There is a common thread in most education practices- support, seek out and encourage conversations that create and find the commonalities.
Step back and listen - go with the feeling.
What do we do in the meantime -before the changes take hold?

As the forum drew to a close there were commitments made to take action meant to change damaging local and national policies. Commitments made to build networks and maintain relationships, to support each other's work and work at all levels and mostly to approach all of this with humility and openness. Not a bad way to spend a day! You can follow the thread on twitter Twitter link , feel free to share your thoughts here, on twitter etc.

Communication, Connections and Lessons from Japan

2011-03-13T21:18:00.001-04:00

Over the last week I have been reminded of how important communication and connections are, not only to what we do as educators, but in our day-to-day interactions. The most profound example of the importance of deep connections and strong bonds are the recent events in Japan. As the Japanese people do their best to recover, stay ahead of any more potential destruction and wait for the world to send aid, their top officials are calling upon Japanese citizens to deepen the bonds of family and relationships. What if we approached education in a similar way from a deep bond with families and each other? What can we learn from a culture that honors family and elders of their community? Could we apply these lessons to our discussions on education?

During a crisis we are often called upon to rethink our focus. Sometimes necessity drives this, and other times it's the opportunity a crisis provides to shake us out of our often routined mindsets. Imagine if we did not need a crisis for this to happen. Imagine if we took pause to rethink how communication and connections play a vital role in any type of education. With much of the current education focus on reform and transformation of a system which clearly only works for a very small majority, very little time is spent on examining how to best communicate and connect with people. Since every human -- and really every being when you get right down to it -- is involved in some form of education (for humans this can range from formal and institutionalized, to the education passed on by members of an indigenous culture), it would make sense to communicate and connect with people from the premise of this understanding.

Over the weekend I had an exhibit table at the New Hampshire Partnership for Education conference in Manchester (see images below), representing IDEA (Institute for Democratic Education in America) IDEA. As folks stopped by to chat and learn more about IDEA, I was struck by how many just wanted to connect and communicate in meaningful and mutually-respectful ways. Part of IDEA's strategy is to create a network, build the will for change and catalyze action. To do this takes time, presence, a willingness to listen and share and learn and provide avenues for people and organizations to connect with each other. During the wonderful conversations I had, I found that most were craving a way to move (as IDEA likes to say) "beyond sides" and get to the place where we can have a voice. "We" includes everyone from youth to the elderly and those who may not be able to speak for themselves but can have representation. In order for the network to have the will for change, catalyzed into action "we" will have to find a way to support each other's work and showcase what's working in education.

With all this being said, we must put our efforts into recognizing that the proponents of any system of education have common ground with each other. Recently, I read a blog post suggesting that as educators we are the ones who are in control of the conversation, and it is our place to invite others to it. Perhaps this boldness is needed for some to feel that we are coming from a place of strength, though once anyone feels ownership, power or a sense of entitlement, it severely limits the conversation and jeopardizes the likelihood that communication and connections will happen at all. As social media and electronic communication (e.g. e-mail, newsletters, websites, Facebook, Twitter) becomes more popular and a faster way to do so, it becomes easier to misconstrue, dismiss and forego connections and honest, sometimes difficult communication. The personal aspect is often put aside. Electronic forms of communication do have a lot of value and can do much to form connections that may not otherwise have taken place. We also must make an effort to have in-person connections and communication and strive to personalize even our electronic communications.

This past week I was reminded of this as I spoke with IDEA's Executive Director, Scott Nine, about an upcoming event, Event Link, I am planning and how I used a media contact engine to sent out invitations. Scott suggested that I send out more personal invitations from my e-mail, and lo and behold, when I did this, I got immediate and more interested responses. The reminder for me was that more personalized communication is best. This weekend as I made connections and provided a space for personal communication, it made all the difference for me and the folks who stopped to share their stories and build relationships for the future. If we can take a lesson from the Japanese as they bond together, clinging to the strong relationships they have taken the time to cultivate, these strong ties will see them through these extremely rough times. Maybe we can take the time to do the same so our relationships with all stakeholders can maintain balance through the shaky times.

Priorities, Values and Examples

2011-02-06T18:18:00.083-05:00

We adults often find ourselves in the do-as-I-say-not-as-I do predicament. While this is a difficult position to be in, we must be careful that this does not become the norm. I have been witness to educators and parents who chastise students for behaviors they themselves engage in or for not meeting a standard they have never met themselves. I am reminded of a recent conversation I had with an educator I had never met before. The conversation centered around this person's lament that the students would just not meet deadlines. I quietly listened, then asked, "Do you provide students a good example when it comes to meeting deadlines?" I got a blank stare, so I figured my question was a little vague. I then asked, "Do you meet your deadlines? Do students know that you do? Do you ever tell students you will have something done by a certain day and not come through?" Still a blank stare, then a retort, "Well, what does that have to do with it? I'm adult and have a lot going on. It's not the same." I told this person that I disagreed and that, as role models, if we are not willing or able to meet the expectations we set for our students, then we cannot expect them to do so, nor can we in good conscience ask them to. We all understand that none of us are infallible, and there will be times when real-life circumstances get in the way. We need to extend this same type of understanding to students. There are students I know and have known for over 20 years who also have a lot going on in their lives, and sometimes the circumstances of their lives force school into the background.

I have heard educators tell students that it is their "job" is to be a student... Being a student is not a job. Being a student is a time to grow, investigate and explore in all aspects of life. A job or vocation is something that some of us have a choice in, at least to a degree. Most students do not have much choice in what they learn, who their teachers are or where they go to school. We need to be careful about sending the message of "this is your job" and only if you produce what I ask you to produce are you doing your job well or even that you have value. The truth is that most students, by the time they hit middle school, are able to pick up on these messages and internalize them. Many resent being treated as a commodity and viewed only in relation to what they do for the teacher. The well-meaning educators who tell students "this is your job" need to be mindful of following that up with letting the student know that he or she is valued just for being there. Their job is to not blindly do everything the teacher asks them to do with little or no input. Some might argue ,then, when you go into the workforce, most positions offer very little input or choice; there are rules, guidelines, laws, mission statements, contracts, etc. While this is true, this does not mean students should not get a say in what they learn and how they learn it (even the most micromanaged, automated positions have some level of choice). Even when they choose to learn a certain topic or concept, there are parameters and guidelines.

Take physics, for example. There are certain laws that govern this area of exploration. When learning takes students out into the "real world," they will quickly come to understand that there are guidelines and rules they need to adhere to. It's a matter of priorities. What do we really want students to walk away with from their time with us? As educators, how many of us openly discuss this with students, in turn, asking them what they would like to walk away with from their time with us? The very youngest of students can answer this question, and their answers may surprise us in their simplicity and sophistication.

Today being Super Bowl Sunday, I cannot help but wonder what all of the messages, all the hype, energy and immense amount of resources that are put into this undertaking sends to our young people. We spend more time exalting our athletes and entertainers then we do our scientists, inventors, medical personnel, educators, parents and people who dedicate their lives to truly helping others. There is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying a sporting event or various forms of entertainment. It becomes confusing to students when they hear us going on about more noble pursuits, and then they turn around to hear or see us getting swept into the pop culture distractions.

On a quick side note, when I first started teaching, I can remember the day after the Super Bowl how some teachers did not show up because they were "too hung over from the night before" or some who would come in noticeably not themselves. These same individuals would often shake their heads if they suspected older students of trying alcohol or drugs, often without proof. They would make disparaging remarks about the student based on this suspicion. In no way do I condone minors using alcohol or drugs, nor do I condone adults, who are in the position of being role models, engaging in this behavior to excess, then with a straight face wagging their fingers at students not to do it.

While everyone has a right to make their own choices for their health, they do need to think about the example and tone they set when engaging in such things. Expecting your students to never do the things that you do and think are perfectly acceptable is unrealistic and hypocritical. Yes, there are many experiences where it is best for students to wait until they older to engage in. Re-examining our priorities and where we put our energy is paramount if students are to have any chance of negotiating through the obstacles or difficult decisions they will encounter.

If we continue to lavish all this attention and energy towards meaningless, though fun and entertaining, occurrences like the Super Bowl, then it may be that our young people will become ever more distracted and confused. Enjoying today's Super Bowl is a fun activity, and it's not a bad thing to maybe have a quick conversation with a student about a particular play that stood out. I wonder how many of our students tomorrow morning will be able to tell us who won it and how many will be able to explain how the food they were eating during it got there, how and where it was grown, is it processed, and is natural, does it have harmful pesticides, antibiotics and/or hormones.

Many of us talk about student rights and how it's all about the students, only to lament about a policy or idea designed to serve the students in the best way because it's too much work. Sure, there has to be a balance between being able to actually pull off the logistics behind the policy or idea, keeping our sanity, being rested and fresh and serving the students. There also has to be safe places for us to vent our frustrations, as doing so is therapeutic and can actually help us break through to new understandings.

It is important that our actions and words are congruent. In other words, do we walk our talk, or we do say to students, "Be kind, Don't talk bad about people, Respect everyone," only to run to the faculty room after class to lambaste a student, parent, or colleague. We cannot be responsible for everything our students are exposed to or the dichotomy which exists in our society. We can, however, know that what we value and prioritize, mostly by example, will send a clear message to students. Therein lies one of main responsibilities of teaching and perhaps one of the main conundrums: being who we are while also walking our talk.

Democracy - Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen

2011-01-29T01:09:00.001-05:00

As we watch the events unfold in Egypt and are reminded of the events in Tunisia and Yemen, while we hope for the most peaceful resolution of the protests and hope that this provides an inroad to true democratic discourse, I can't help but wonder about the state of democratic discourse in our country and how many of our youth know-- truly know that our nation is a republic, mostly capitalist in our economic system, and democratic in that we have majority votes in some, but not all, cases.

Watching the courageous people who have taken to the streets in Egypt to demand freedom, human rights, dignity and economic reform, it makes one think about how bad things have to get in order for this to happen. If we take a moment to take a quick a snapshot of our own country, there are a many reasons to take to the streets but also many to feel good about the level of prosperity, freedom and ease that we enjoy. Yet with all that needs to be fixed or reformed, we often do not take to streets in the same way as the folks in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen have. As the reports pour in of government shutdown of Internet communication and some other modes of communication in Egypt, is it any wonder that educators are taking pause to think about the lessons we impart to our students by our examples or otherwise.

When discourse in our schools gets messy, dicey or even confrontational, what do we do as educators? Do we shut down any sort of student uprising or discontent, or do we truly honor their position and approach the problem with humility? Do we view student concerns as frivolous though natural concerns for the age group? Do we make sure that students truly feel that they have a voice and have been heard? It's all too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day "business" of school. Where do students go if they come to school early, what is the safest recess area, etc. etc.? While these are entirely legitimate and need to be addressed to run an effective school, we must not let this be the driving force behind all we do and must not forget why we do what we do. Ultimately, we want our students to be able to choose what they will do with their lives and that this choice will be based on their interests and a wide range of information.

The protestors taking to the streets have gotten to the point where they don't think they have a choice for their lives and that their basic human rights are being ignored, or worse, violated. How do we move education forward so that the future leaders of the world understand how to best govern for human rights and the realization of the full measure of humanity? I can't help but ruminate on the type of education the leaders of the world have received. This is not a debate over whether they know facts, dates or the like, but more a wonderment over whether these same folks had a say in their education and whether they were subjected to a repressive, cattle-drive-mentality approach to education. Was there any spirituality in their education? Was there any true discourse about what it means to be human and the basic rights that go along with that?

In case the race to the top, focus on test scores and so called "achievement" and internationally competitive (based solely on test scores) reformers need any more reason to rethink their position, they might do well to tune in to what is happening in Egypt and how police and some security forces are actually abusing and committing abhorrent acts against their fellow community members. That type of standardized mind flock mentality leads to unnecessary loss of life, nonsensical acts of violence and crimes against humanity, mostly because the critical thinking process is not there. In careful reflection I do not want to paint an either/or picture (all protestors honorable and good, all police in Egypt evil and bad). It's more that this could have been avoided if perhaps these folks had an education that took social and emotional intelligence seriously, as well as the ability to think critically and work collaboratively.

Waiting for the outcome of these events with baited breath places a greater onus on the need for education that allows individuals to have a true choice and a say in how their life unfolds. Perhaps approaching education from the standpoint of supporting people on their path to reach the full measure of their humanity will put the world in the best position to move towards a more just and sustainable society.

Integrated Education

2011-01-21T19:07:00.022-05:00

It seems as of late that many conversations regarding education and/or education reform have had a "this-or-that" feel to them, which has resulted in different camps setting up, ranging from the "traditionalists" to "un-schooling" and everything in between. While at times these conversations reveal the strengths of each philosophy or approach, far too often these conversations fail to address the tradeoff's inherent in this or that approach. What is more troubling is that these conversations neglect the strengths other approaches offer.

Education can and would be wise to take a cue from the integrated health and medicine movement (please see (http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02054/Andrew-Weil-Integrative-Medicine.html and also http://inspiredhealthandhappinessblog.com/ for more information on integrative medicine and health). The idea behind any type of integration is one of embracing the exploration of all ideas that make sense and have the potential to be successful. In other words, a school or the education system would not solely embrace a Montessori, Waldorf, Constructivist, Progressive, Traditional or Holistic approach; rather they would implement techniques and practices from each philosophy if and when it would make sense to do so.

Just as integrative medicine seeks to capitalize on the knowledge and experience of different "approaches to health, wellness and medicine" (some stretching back thousands of years), weaving them together so that individuals can experience vibrant health and an individualized, integrated approach when they need help in getting there, so too can education capitalize on the many different, approaches to learning (some stretching back thousands of years) so that learning is a vibrant, beautifully-blended, internalized and personalized tapestry. In previous posts I have written extensively about such ideas as holistic education and soul learning. The mere act of naming something limits that which has been named. In education a great deal of time is spent on identifying and naming an approach, especially if it works. From this practice, programs emerge or set ways of doing things, which at some level can be fine. At a whole other level, having set programs sometimes unknowingly, sometimes knowingly, sets up a punitive mentality for those who deviate from it.

Integration, by its inherent nature, understands that one may and encourages one to pull from many different approaches sometimes all at once. There is so much debate about "Race to the Top," and Michele Rhee's "Students First" movement. These have been, at least so far, presented as that magic panacea that has been missing for so long. There are those who rightly contest notions that you can truly measure what someone has learned and internalized simply by whether they have passed one test. On the other hand, tests could be used in conjunction with other modes of assessment to determine the internalization of concepts.

Further, there are times when rote memorization does serve a purpose. The key is to follow this up with asking students to analyze, synthesize and apply their knowledge. This is a little more than a "mixed methods" philosophy. It is ensuring that an integrated approach to education is embraced with the goal of giving every individual the opportunity to have a say in developing the educational plan that is best for them.

At the moment I am working with an organization called the Institute for Democratic Education in America (IDEA) http://www.democraticeducation.org/ that is working to bring all constituents and stakeholders together so that we may share ideas and have a more integrative approach to education. In Integrative Medicine there are forums where ideas, experience and knowledge are exchanged, most if not of all the ideas that are implemented are based on successful implementation, sound ideas, discoveries and explorations. Education can certainly do this and then allow folks to choose their own destiny.

Rituals and Tradition

2010-12-31T17:12:00.002-05:00

This time of year and really most of the year, when you think about it, is wrought with tradition and rituals. Reflecting on my own personal and family traditions and the traditions and rituals of other cultures has caused me to wonder about the traditions and rituals that have emerged in education overall and those that exist in particular schools and communities. I suppose that not all rituals and traditions are "good" or "healthy," though that may be a matter of exposure and understanding rather than the inherent goodness of the tradition or ritual. Over this past week I was in New York spending Christmas Eve and Christmas with my family and friends. While there were some interesting moments, what struck me were the conversations we had related to our Christmas Eve traditions and rituals. Mostly, the talk centered around whether the traditions we follow are excessive, necessary, healthy and whether they will or in what way they will continue.

Some of the arguments for changing the traditions make sense to me and perhaps warrant more thought; others, however, left me a little disappointed, since much of the arguments were self-serving and were aimed at saving time or avoiding hard work. It's one thing to part with tradition or rituals for economic, health or spiritual reasons; it's another to part with them because they are too hard, time consuming or because somehow everyone thinks they are too busy to be bothered with it. I would never advocate forcing a tradition or ritual to continue at the discomfort of others; however, it is has become far too easy to part with tradition, finding any reason (most of them logical) under the sun to justify the departures.

As with anything, rituals and traditions will naturally change and become refined as a result of many factors. As with any change, thought and reflection are required as to its wisdom and long-term outcomes. The education field certainly has deep roots and a myriad of rituals and traditions. Some have thankfully been abandoned in most countries, such as corporal punishment, some have been abandoned all too quickly in the name of standards and test scores, such as tailoring instruction to individual student needs and educating holistically, both of which happened relatively often in the "One Room Schoolhouse" model. Sure, there has to be the acknowledgement that times have changed and the environment and size of the one-room schoolhouse made these both a necessary and more likely outcome. This being said, the reasons why these happened naturally are important to uncover and perhaps more complex and thought through than originally thought.

These two important traditions are still in practice in some schools in our country and around the world. If one were to look deeply into why this is the case in these schools, much of it comes from traditions (some of them ancient) and the rituals which support these traditions. Rituals and traditions often lets us know what that particular school, community, culture, etc., deems important. If a school makes time for students to interact with each other, gives them a long enough time for lunch, time for physical activity, time to greet each other, etc., you could reasonably conclude that the school community feels these are important. There are many other traditions and rituals in the field of education throughout the world. Thought the exploration of all of them is outside the scope of this post, we should take the time to consider the message these send to students, parents, staff and the community.

Traditions and rituals have a way of connecting people to each other and their heritage. When this happens, we feel part of something bigger than ourselves. Rituals and traditions also have a way of promoting understanding of other cultures or at least the experience of others. In the current education field there seems to be a movement heading towards educating the whole person or the realization that education is more than just imparting knowledge. It seems to me these traditions and the rituals that brought them to life have been around for a long time. In our culture the Indian nations taught by experience and guidance and viewed holistic experiences as the most valuable experiences.

Schools can certainly be a place where rituals and traditions are honored and practiced, so that what the community values is evident and those that belong to the school community will feel connected and part of something bigger than themselves. I would argue it is this so called "non-academic" piece that gets overrun by standards, test scores, egos and a political agenda that has less to do with educating people and more to do with keeping the status quo. Certainly, making a change to a ritual when it is considered necessary, after much consideration, is part of growth and reflection. When the changes in a school or education are born out of arrogance, convenience, expedience or greed, there is a tendency that important traditions and rituals that made the school unique are lost and the community is left wondering what happened to their school, why are the students so disengaged, why don't the parents care... If the school(s) you belong to do(es) not have any rituals or traditions, consider starting one. It could be as simple as greeting people as you pass them in hallway or something more involved. If traditions and rituals exist, consider why they are there, the history of them, what message do they convey.

As previously stated, not all rituals and traditions are great practices. The answer is not to abandon all rituals and traditions; rather viewing traditions and rituals as a way to feel grounded, connected and part of a larger community will allow them to continue in a way that makes sense and is positive for the community.

Effective Educators?

2010-12-05T18:12:00.002-05:00

Recently, I received the latest publication of a leading educational journal with the title "The Effective Educator". The entire issue was dedicated to the flushing out those aspects which make educators effective. The authors of each article presented their highly informed and formed opinions about the aspects that effective educators should possess. These ranged from how to evaluate effective teaching, being flexible how other countries evaluate effective teaching to how spend professional development money, to the misfires of merit pay. I found the issue to be dissapointing, not one article mentioned anything about the teacher as a person as if any educator can somehow escape the fact that they and their students bring themselves with them everyday. As I reread the articles it struck me that only one of the articles barely mentioned student teacher relationships and only one mentioned humility as one of the qualities an effective educator should possess. I was also struck how many times "student achievement" was mentioned and performance evaluations suggested as some acceptable way to evaluate educator effectiveness. Unfortunately, most performance evaluations are based on test scores.

Indulging in my own highly formed opinion I have to object to the lack of depth that these articles presented, the same old conversations resurfaced without any real attempt to look into the human interactions that take place on a daily basis. Just to be clear there were many important ideas shared and it is definitely worth taking a look at these. However, looking at effective teaching as a set of qualities that do not have anything to do with a teacher as a person, is a lot like trying to help students be successful without attending to the social and emotional realities human beings live with everyday. Is that really success? Is that really effective teaching? Many of us could most likely site examples of people we have come across who may have been brilliant, a genius or otherwise unusually talented who lacked social skills and know how. Often these encounters were unpleasant and memorable not because of the inspiration we felt because of their talent or prowess, but rather the impression that was made by the lack of social skills and know how, somehow it just seemed out of place and we may not have known why just then.

The realization that social and emotional intelligence are at least as important as intellectual intelligence is becoming more mainstream, and the expectation that people will develop each of these areas equally common. Is it enough for effective teaching to focus only on qualities which will increase student's intellectual capacity? (when test scores are the measure of achievement and teacher effectiveness intellectually is not even being truly measured). Albert Einstein spoke a lot about how our intelligence can easily surpass our humanity and how humanity, imagination and love are more important than knowledge and intelligence. I guess the question is how to do we want teachers and students to spend their time together, do we want them to focus on just one aspect of human existence or as many as possible? Could there be equal amounts of time spent on social awareness, spirituality (as in meditation which, some Baltimore schools are doing), emotional well being and physical well being? Would it be OK if a teacher in any subject stopped to take time to talk to a student or a entire class about how they have been treating each other and ways to resolve conflict and work together? Even if that meant the child walked away from that Social Studies class not knowing how many amendments there are in the U.S. Constitution?

Since, we know that most often people forget 80% of what they have learned or heard especially when they are strings of facts. The time spent on trying to just fill heads and never connecting to other aspects is lost, there is nothing wrong with practice, practice and more practice but that doesn't only go for intellectual pursuits. Seems to me that when a leading education publication is not publishing, and perhaps not receiving articles that truly explore every aspect of being an effective educator than something is amiss. An inescapable fact is that educators cannot separate what they do from themselves, if you are somehow mistaken on this fact your students will let you know this quickly. They may do "your work" be quiet in class, come on time, etc., but they will not be inspired by you and the lessons you are trying to impart will not stick or they will stick in a negative way. The most inspirational teachers and the ones that we remember, made us feel good about being in their class and about ourselves. Sometimes by making us laugh and sometimes by taking time to talk to us about life lessons and mostly because we knew they cared about us and the interacted with others in a respectful, caring manner, and were not afraid to show their humanity, they cared about more than just intellectual "knowledge". What do teachers need to be truly effective?

Learning is Natural

2010-10-29T00:29:00.002-04:00

I remember being at the AERO (Alternative Education Resource Organization) conference this June and seeing and purchasing a shirt that read "Learning is natural, schooling is optional." I stopped to think about how that simple phrase sums up so much of what education can and should be. After all, learning is a natural process in human beings. Just watch any infant and/or toddler, and you will be amazed at how much and quickly they learn effortlessly. At this time they are not in "school," at least the way we think about it today. They learn when they want and what they want. Some of you might be thinking, Wait a minute. When my child was two, I taught her how to read or recognize shapes, etc. While this is true, it is more a reflection of the fact that the child wanted to learn what you seemed to know. As I am sure many of you can attest, if a child of this age is not willing or ready to learn something, it's not going to happen.

Learning is a natural process that has been part of our existence since we were first considered modern-day humans in the Evolutionary Model, roughly 200,000 years ago, and roughly 10,000 years ago in the Creationist Model. Whether you believe one view or the other or something in the middle, the fact remains that humans have been around for a very long time without any form of compulsory or "formalized" schooling or education system.

The question then becomes, without school how did humans learn anything? How did they learn the things they needed to in order to survive and even thrive for so long without school? The simple answer to these and other related questions is that learning is natural. In fact, it is such a natural process that it is difficult to turn it off. Even the most passive mind is learning all the time. Whether the learning sticks is another matter that is, for the moment, outside the realm of this post. Now I can hear the gasps and see the raised eyebrows as some of you might be thinking, so if learning is so natural, then teachers and schools should have a very easy job, and all of our schools should be places where everyone cannot wait to go to. As we all know, this is not the case.

As serendipity would have it, lately many of my interactions, conversations, readings and research has led me further down a path that I have been traveling for awhile; one that gives credibility to the notion that compulsory schooling takes a very natural process and tries to force it into completely unnatural confines, constraints and narrow bandwidth. From this stems the very real consequences that teachers, schools, parents, students and our education system try to resolve on a daily basis. In previous posts I wrote about the reasons why mandatory schooling came into existence, and the years required to finish or graduate extended three different times. What we have at the moment is a system that is designed to produce an uneducated, controllable mass workforce -- combined with the natural process of learning -- made unnatural and contrived. It makes sense, then, that for so many school is something to be avoided at all costs and a source of frustration and angst.

It may sound like I am advocating for the abolishment of school as whole; this is not the case. However, I am advocating for the transformation of our current "education" system to line up with the fact that learning is natural and schooling is optional.

Holistic Education - Part 2

2010-10-10T20:25:00.001-04:00

Last week as I was back in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with our students taking part in an outdoor education program I helped get off the ground, I paused to think some more about holistic education. This, in turn, prompted a discussion with my colleagues who were with me on the trip. One of my colleagues, who has worked at a holistic school, brought up the point that holistic education does not mean that treating students like a human beings doesn't come first. Between the gasps and guffaws you might have just experienced after reading that, let me explain. What this colleague meant was that just because students are human beings doesn't mean they should always have an emotional outlet or allow their emotions to get in the way of what they need to do. They shouldn't always have a forum where they can voice every concern that comes their way or always expect adults to extend themselves in that way and that they must be able to give something back in this regard. Further, this colleague suggested that one aspect of holistic education does not trump others and that especially the emotional, human aspect does not trump the intellectual or academic.

In my previous post on holistic education I outlined the components of a holistic education, some of which are active learning, deep understanding, critical, courageous and creative thinking, along with an emphasis on social relationships and realizing the fullness of human existence, while I agree that the very idea of a holistic education means just that -- that you are taking the whole individual into account. However, it would be difficult to have anything resembling holistic education without the fallback position or philosophy that the social and emotional intelligence and well-being of students will take precedent over other aspects when necessary. There are many ways to attend to this, and one of them is with vigorous academic and meaningful pursuits; the other is through physical activity and an emphasis on health. I recall working in a therapeutic school, and one of our main understandings is that academic success and feeling intellectually challenged and competent can be "therapeutic," not to be confused with or meant as a replacement to therapy.

Sometimes as educators and human beings we have to push each other to march on, to continue on even in the face of great emotional upheaval. This is an important lesson for anyone. On the other hand, that kind of mindset can run amok and wreak havoc with a person's well-being, and it sounds a lot like a corporate mindset... While I understand my colleague's concerns, I know that treating students as human beings first is the most important aspect. They are then free to not only pursue deep, meaningful learning, they are free to learn in a way that truly touches their soul and humanity, which in turn will perhaps open them up to act in this way, to interact in this way, to live in this way and to teach in this way. "True learning is not about facts, but about conscious appreciation of the experience of living." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie.

I would like to invite all of you to please comment and expand this discussion on holistic education, what it means, what it looks like and how it can be practiced. I look forward to your thoughts and ideas that will help shape not only a new way of education, but a new kind of society.

What should teachers do?

2010-08-12T16:40:00.002-04:00

As the summer winds die down and the first day of school draws near, it is natural to look ahead to the first day of school with baited breath, excitedly anxious to meet the students and get started on the journey of the school year. This year, I once again give serious thought to the question, What should teachers do?

I am sure many of us can spout off a laundry list of things we think teachers should do from the mundane, like maintaining classroom order, to the more lofty, such as, inspire students to make a difference. Certainly, the list you and I would come up would be filled with real, practical, necessary and important tasks and qualities that teachers perform and exhibit on a daily basis. This list is worth spending time considering when you have a moment.

When I think about what teachers should do. I think back to questions I have gotten from parents, colleagues, students and others, to productive and not-so-productive dialogues I have had about what should be taught and how it should be taught.

Many of us were educated under the empty-vessel model, where the teacher had all the knowledge, and the students were empty vessels waiting to receive this knowledge from the teacher. This model assumes that teachers know best what and how everyone should learn. It also assumes that the student does and should think that what the teacher has to offer is interesting and relevant.

The truth is that no one really knows the best way to do something for everyone. It would be arrogant to think so and ignorant to believe it. This being said, it doesn't mean that there aren't some methods that, in general, work better than others. This is absolutely true.

The problem becomes when educators adhere to these programs as if they were a life-giving force. I have watched educators become enraged and stressed out because a program they wanted to use was being questioned. Sometimes they have just returned from a workshop and seminar and come back filled with ideas on how to improve what they are doing with little thought as to the outcome. Surely going to workshops etc., to be exposed to something new makes a lot of sense and can be helpful. They become a hinderance when these new programs, etc., are adopted, replacing the old ones without considering why the old ones didn't work.

I submit that many of these programs do not work across the board because there is no way that they can work for everyone. Programs, while well-meaning and generally grounded in the new catch phrases of the day such as "research-based strategies" and "brain-based learning" and so on, do offer some things to think about and implement. However, I have seen too many cling to these programs with dear life, even when they are not working, and many others who are afraid to deviate from the program. Such as, if a program says you should do this twice a week for two hours, then, by golly, we cannot, say do it more often or less often.

An example would be a discussion I recently had with my colleagues about the Six Traits Writing Program, which is a good program, rooted and grounded in research and can be very helpful. The discussion was around how and when to use the program. I heard things like, "At the training they said to only do this." This was referring to the way the program is setup to focus on two of the six traits per year, such as voice and ideas.

Now this certainly makes sense as a way to break things down and taking some of the pressure off of having to think of everything at once; such as, just get the ideas down first, and we will work with it from there. The other side to this is, if a student or all of the students are comfortable with voice and understand the why's and how's, then it's not okay to move onto another trait, such as sentence fluency, for the entire year? How about even in just one assignment if you know a student can do so?

I may be misspeaking here, but I would think that the creators of the program would hope that the program would be use in a more flexible fashion. Sometimes these programs get promoted in a way that perhaps they are not intended to be or with little thought to modification.

The questions then become, What kind of teacher would I be without totally relying on programs if I took them and used them in a way that made the most sense for each student or a particular class? What would I rely on? What would I do? How might I interact differently with my students? What would it look like if I did this?

So what should teachers do? Maybe starting with not being afraid to be a part of the equation; perhaps focus on building relationships, remaining flexible, getting out of the way, working with students and not against them, bringing ourselves in totality to the mix, remaining open to new ideas, but not adopting everything researchers and "experts" say we should do, being learners and thinkers, having humility and enjoying the process.

Is this what teachers should do? I don't know. Do you ?

"I am beginning to suspect all elaborate and special systems of education. They seem to me to be built up on the supposition that every child is a kind of idiot who must be taught to think." -- Anne Sullivan

2010-07-08T13:50:00.001-04:00

Just a quote, hardly counts as a blog post, however in this instance I am hoping to generate a discussion based on this quote. Switching gears from me providing my prose about a particular topic to a discussion format "I am beginning to suspect all elaborate and special systems of education. They seem to me to be built up on the supposition that every child is a kind of idiot who must be taught to think." -- Anne Sullivan.

AERO Conference

2010-06-29T02:55:00.000-04:00

WOW! This conference surpassed my expectations. In a word it was "incredible". 400 people from all over the world descended on the Royal Crowne Plaza in Albany, New York for the 7th Annual AERO conference. I can honestly say that this was the best conference I have ever attended, it was the most relevant, timely and grounded I have experienced. When 400 people get together to explore alternatives to the juggernaut of our current education system, it can take many forms. At similar conferences many lofty ideas floated around and people who were in love with their own ideas and voices droned on and on about concepts that were never fully developed. This was not the case at AERO though there were some instances were this happened it was limited to responses to misinterpreted points brought up by the keynote presenters.

Many of the workshops centered on ways to provide alternatives in education from starting and funding a school to school culture to making sure to where we are in human consciousness. There were keynote addresses by John Taylor Gatto, Matthew Davis and Shilpa Jain and documentaries such as "The War on Kids" and "Schooling the World" both very powerful documentaries on the damage compulsory education can do if not critically assessed from multiple perspectives. The conference abounded with truly amazing stories and examples of how people are creating learning environments which are holistic, progressive and democratic. Most of the workshops moved past the theoretical to the practical , exploring ways to create, implement and sustain democratic, holistic and progressive education practices and ideals. The passion of those who are engaged in this work was palpable throughout the conference and the positive, inspiring energy generated is still with me today. It makes me realize that in some way, shape or form I have to create my own learning environment whether this is part of an existing structure or something totally new. I was fortunate enough to spend time with over 400 beautiful human beings who are committed to the altruistic notion of offering the space for everyone to experience natural ways of learning which will allow people to develop in their own way, the attributes they will need to be masters of their own fate and to realize the fullness of human existence.

"You Say You Want a Revolution"

2010-06-24T00:55:00.000-04:00

My apologies to the Beatles :) As I prepare to go the conference (tomorrow) I have been waiting for since January the word revolution is stuck in my head. Partly because the organization's website Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO) has the word revolution in it (check out the conference )www.educationrevolution.org/conference.html and because I wonder if it will take a revolution in order to truly transform education in this country. I look to this conference as a way to connect with like minded people who are working towards a different way of educating people and of course going to incredible workshops led by the likes of John Taylor Gatto, Ron Miller and Jerry Mintz. So many of the workshops focus on "holistic" education or even a way to start and fund a brand new school with a holistic focus. Those of you who know me, know that this is one of my dreams and that a few years back myself and 3 friends set out to do just that, for various reasons it fell through. Everything happens for a reason and I believe it didn't happen because the time wasn't right.

A conference such as this can go a long way in furthering a movement and raising awareness, at the very least it can expose people to a different kind of education. My hope is that this conference is not one -sided in that I mean, the fact of the matter is that no-one really knows the best way to educate everyone. There are many different approaches to education, we need to have real choices in education for everyone not just for those who can afford it. The choice also must include what the purpose of the education is, some believe that education should prepare people to be competitive in a global economy others believe the purpose should be something different, such as "education for human greatness" (see left panel for this book). Neither of these is correct, just as neither of these are incorrect, they are simply different ways of looking at how one spends their time and what the focus is.

In the end the freedom to make our own choices about how we spend the time we have is what we all strive for . Why should education be any different? Much of the education we experience is focusing on the next step, preparing us for Middle School, High School, College, the real world and so on. In effect what you then have is never being in the moment, never experiencing something just for the sake of experiencing it. John Dewey said "Education is not preparation for life but rather life itself" So maybe a revolution is needed to ensure that there exists real choice for students and families, to revolutionize the way education is viewed, that it isn't something that is forced upon you but rather something you choose to do and experience in your own way. I look forward to experiencing this conference in my own way and perhaps it will shift my perspective on education reform, starting with a revolution.

Soul Learning

2010-06-02T00:13:00.001-04:00

Soul Learning- At first glance that term might sound as one of my friends would say "New Agey". In my best teacher voice I would say call it whatever you want if that helps you wrap your mind around it, but consider it. If we accept the notion that we remember most what we are emotionally connected to, consider the impact of our souls being touched. When our souls are touched we are capable of great acts of humanity, kindness, courage and growth. Let me give you an example of what I mean by soul learning. In eight grade I was having some problems in school, a lot of the teachers thought I was a wise guy and to be honest I probably was, but I also didn't think the way they went about their teaching was meaningful or relevant to anything. Of course I was told time and again by them and my family how important what they were teaching was. I struggled not understanding why I felt the way I did, I just knew that it felt like I was being forced to go against my natural inclinations. There was one teacher, my eight grade Social Studies teacher, the only one who treated me like a person, who actually talked to me about sports and life, who made learning fun and mostly relevant. I remember what he did... While we were studying World War II he took a half a day or so, he arranged it so we could do that, and talked about the Holocaust he did not leave out the horrible details (though I do know that he tempered it a little), he showed us images, letters, testimonials, etc.

He poured it on not pausing to think about "standards" or a "test" in fact from what I recall he didn't "test" us on any of it. I remember at the end of the Holocaust presentation he said "If you are sickened by this, if what you saw and heard makes you nauseous, then do all you can to make sure it never happens again" I said "how" he said "do the little things you can do everyday, be kind, help someone who needs it, say a nice word, stand up when someone tries to put others down, let people know it's not OK to talk about people as less than human". This certainly had an impact on me, did I make a complete turn around right there and then and stop being a wise ass 8th grader, no way, did it change some of things I did, absolutely! Did this instance of soul learning stay with me, yes in a big way. It starting a ball rolling that has not stopped to this day, it made me realize I wanted to be a teacher and knew that my destiny was to impact people's lives. I know I have fallen short of this mark many times, and who knows I may not have impacted anyone's life , I do know that I have dedicated myself to doing it, with great personal and financial sacrifice. This is something most of my family and friends could never and probably will never understand, why I do the things I do, the things I have done... How I would stand up for principles even if it meant risking a job or not taking one, or whatever the case was.

I have traveled far and wide trying to find or create places where soul learning would be the norm or at least it would be part of the school experience. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't and sometimes it created a lot of fear. That being said I don't know that you can create instances of Soul Learning but rather seize moments when it can happen. In the example I cited above, the soul learning moment is when I asked "how" and listened to the response. Soul learning touches our spirit, it feels human and pure, allows us to feel connected with each other and everything around us. Most students feel so disconnected and unengaged from school because most often these opportunities aren't seized but rather pushed aside in favor of "the standards" or steered clear of because of fearing to deviate from the "curriculum". If their souls are never engaged how can we expect them to come away from school feeling inspired.

Soul Learning is not an opportunity to further our own ideology, whether we are Buddhist, Christian, Existentialist, Muslims, etc., and definitely not an opportunity to spout off from our pulpit. It is more a moment of grace when beings can dialog about human existence and experience humanity, it may not always be pleasant or warm and fuzzy but it is real and powerful. Albert Einstein once said " The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science". What if "learning" where approached this way from now on, how would it look? Sound? Feel? How would schools be different? Would they exist at all?

Tolerance - Racism - Gateway behaviors?

2010-05-18T12:01:00.001-04:00

This week, I was met with a challenge that I haven't had yet this year and was not expecting. Aren't those the best ones, they force you to really think about how you want to respond to them. To make a long story short, a student of mine wrote a racial slur on my whiteboard he wrote "Jew Fro" next to an animated character another student had drawn on the board. Not knowing who did it, I asked in a very calm matter of fact way if anyone did it and asked the student who did it to talk to me about it. There was one student who looked right at me when I asked and I got the "vibe" that it was him who wrote it. I even asked him point blank and said I am picking up on a vibe that it might be you, if it is lets talk about it. Unfortunately, he did not own up to it, another student let me know it was him.

There was an appropriate response from the administration, which included an in school suspension. I came up with some research topics for this student to look into along with him having to present his findings to the class. I viewed this as a learning opportunity and an opportunity for this person to explore where this type of behavior might stem from and what it could lead to. This student was asked to research Jewish traditions, beliefs and contributions as well as racism, race, hate crimes, genocide, holocaust, tolerance, acceptance, behaviors that lead to hate crimes and finally reflecting on what he learned, what he will do differently and what he will do if he is faced with a situation like this again.

I provided him with some resources I also showed him a power point I had made about the holocaust, the idea was to help him discover that while people do have different beliefs, backgrounds, etc., we are still a part of each other and that we want and need the same things. I believe that part of a holistic education is being able to explore and experience different belief systems and ways of life. I do mean experience, I think part of every student's education should be immersion studies where they immersed in a different culture for short or extended periods of time, this could take place locally, nationally and internationally. At the very least this would provide students with diverse experiences.

As I spoke with this student about what his intentions were with writing that racial slur on my board, he protested that he didn't know why he wrote it, it was something he heard on "South Park". Knowing the student as I do , my belief is that he didn't intend it to be hurtful but rather made a really poor choice. He and I discussed the fact that this incident doesn't make him a bad person or a racist however, he is responsible for his actions and should not just go around repeating what he hears. We also talked about how going along with someone who is saying things like this means that by our silence we are agreeing, we came up with ways we can let someone know we are uncomfortable with what they are saying or doing.

Too often, the fact is that incidents like this happen and are not challenged or used as a learning opportunity, there are lots of reasons for this, one being the time to deal with it effectively. It would have been easy to just suspend this student and leave it at that, but taking it a little further to really uncover the underpinnings and reverberations made all the difference. This student was effected by what he discovered and rather than be viewed as a "bad kid" was able to impart his new knowledge to his classmates, answer tough questions and lead discussions. Some of his classmates really took him to task on why he did it, how he betrayed a trust that I gave him and how they were insulted by what he did, he was able to admit his transgressions and convey his feelings to his classmates.

This is not to say that we did everything "right" it's more of a reflection on how instances like this might be dealt with, how viewing students holistically and making their overall education more rooted in experiences may help to avoid these possible gateway behaviors. At the moment most students in the U.S. are removed from any real experiences in school and do not get many opportunities to engage with anything other than the standardized curriculum. I am eager to hear any and all thoughts on this, there is much to be written and done, lets keep the dialog going.

Holistic Education

2010-05-11T19:40:00.001-04:00

What is Holistic Education? This seems to be the new catch phrase going around education these days. Even as congress is set to revamp the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, there is a call for a more "holistic" approach to education. While this is a step in the right direction, my fear is that this attempt at reform will fall short like many other reform initiatives. It is one thing to call say we want a more "holistic" approach, it is another to actually do it. There are many reasons why there currently a holistic approach to education isn't more widespread, one is the time it takes to think about it and do it, the other is the applicability to the modern day classroom. Many teachers reading this, are probably thinking, I have 20, 30, etc., students in my class, if I am a secondary teacher I might see them 45, 50 minutes or if I am lucky 90 minutes a day, when another 20, 30 , etc., students walk in. I am supposed to be taking everything about them into account, yeah right, nice idea, good luck with that! This is not to say that teachers don't want to do this or think it is a good idea, (though some do not). It is more likely that they just do not have the time to do so, even with the best intentions. However, this doesn't absolve teachers from still trying to look at education holistically.

Another aspect of this is that "Holistic Education" can mean different things to different people, often it is viewed as a fluffy, hippy, touchy feely and lacking rigor. Rather than protest "you just don't get it" if you think that, lets together try to arrive at what a holistic education is (we will talk about putting it into practice in a future post). I would like to refer to the work of John Dewey, John Taylor Gatto, Herbert Kohl, Alfie Kohn, Jerry Mintz, John Miller and Ron Miller as an overview of holistic education. There are many others who have contributed to this field of knowledge; not all of them can be listed here, we know you are out there and thank you! The following aspects are not meant to be inclusive but rather to help jump start a discussion on the characteristics of a holistic education, and are taken directly from the works of the above authors, (See side panel for books by these authors), with some of my own ideas peppered in. I apologize for the length as it is a bullet pointed list however, this should make it easier to read.

§ Attending to the whole person – Intellectual, social, emotional, physical, aesthetic and

spiritual;

§ Taking kids seriously – Schools, curriculum and content are designed with students, not with just them in mind;

§ Community – Learning with and from each other;

§ Collaboration – Collaborative problem solving on issues from behavior to academic expectations;

§ Social Justice – Recognizing that we all have a responsibility to something larger than ourselves;

§ Intrinsic motivation – Considering the effect instructional design will have on student interest and motivation;

§ Deep understanding – Asking students to think deeply and understand concepts from many perspectives;

§ Active learning – Active participation in every stage of the school process;

§ Critical, creative and courageous thinking;

§ Realize the fullness of human existence – We are part of one human family, despite our differences, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, and respected for being a human being;

§ Emphasis social relationships – Social relationships in and out of school are an important part of life;

§ Education has a higher purpose - Students are not just educated so they can be competitive in a global economy;

§ Intuition is valued as much as rational thought – Intuition is valued as a vital part of being human and is not exclusive of rational thought;

§ Learning is interdisciplinary – There is recognition that all disciplines are not mutually exclusive of each other, learning is approached in this manner;

§ Interrelatedness of all life – Exploring the interconnectedness of all life, how human life intertwined will all other life, subjects, assessments, curriculum are all approached from this mindset.

§ Balance and openness - willingness to reflect on and change existing philosophy, integrating many ideas that make sense locally

There is definitely a spiritual aspect to holistic education, in a previous post "Spirituality in School" I spoke a bit about what spirituality could look like in schools. The following is a brief synopsis, the basic tenant is that students explore their spirituality, this does not mean religion or a particular ideology. They do this by perhaps learning about the spirituality of others but mostly by reflecting on their humanity, whatever that means to them.

In most educational settings, education is approached as an intellectual undertaking that is separate from the rest of the individual. In my experience there were times when focusing mostly on the intellectual aspect of students made sense, and others when it didn't. When an individual feels emotionally safe, no matter the age of the individual or the setting they are in, they are freed of trying to resolve that dilemma, which allows them to focus their energies elsewhere. Are there are times as a teacher that you want to take students outside their comfort zone and give them an opportunity to wrestle with ideas and perhaps make an emotional connection? Absolutely. Does this mean that we sometimes want to students to feel emotionally unsafe in our classrooms? Maybe, but not consistently.

Working from the assumption that the whole of an individual is not separate from his or her education, a view of education unfolds that reflects students lives at the moment. Sure part of education is to prepare students for what lies ahead however, the bigger part must be to get the most from what is going on currently. As John Dewey said "Education is not preparation for life but rather life itself". What are students interested in now and how will they experience it, it is best for students to have experiences that they can reflect on and relate to, not just sit around waiting for experiences to happen. After all is said and done we are a collection of our experiences and what we did or do not do in response to those experiences. How many school's , curriculum's, lessons and or standardized tests take this into account? The way they often deal with experiences is to try to ensure that everyone has the same one. Remember there are educators who don't want to deal with a student as a whole individual, I have heard former colleagues say "I just want to teach" " I am not here to solve their problems, I teach" " We are not their parents" and many other musings like this. Ironically, a mindset such as this does not make teaching any easier or more relevant. In fact it creates animosity and sets up the all too common classroom situations where the students are trying to figure out ways around what the teacher is asking them to do.

Holistic education is not touchy feely, fluffy, cozy or easy, it is arduous and a lot of hard work on the part of students, teachers, parents, and the community. Think about how complex we all are, how much it takes to really get to know someone, consider their emotional position, their spirt, their minds, their hearts. Finally, the discussion about holistic education is still in the beginning stages lets let it continue to evolve here.

Student Behavior - Discipline With Integrity

2010-04-26T13:17:00.002-04:00

As I reflect on the training I went to in Boston over the last four days, I wonder how we have gotten to the point where we need to teach students how to be a positive member of the classroom. I suppose there are many reasons for this. It's not that students aren't inherently good or don't want to be a positive member of the classroom; they often do not know how. The training I went to called "Time to Teach" gives educators techniques to diffuse 90% of classroom interruptions before they escalate into something bigger. The techniques also give educators and students a dignified way to correct low-level behavior that disrupts classroom teaching.

I admit, at first glance, I was a little taken back by the fact that we make one request for the student to comply; when he or she doesn't, they are sent to "refocus". I thought to myself, wait a minute, I don't dialog with the student explaining why he or she should comply or explain why I am asking... Aren't I a progressive, holistic educator who believes in free will? Yes, I am all of those things and do believe that this program works for many, if not all, instances. Though teaching the behaviors you are looking for is mostly a direct instruction model, there are many ways to take this to a another level. It also lines up with any pedagogy, coming from a mostly project based, constructivist, progressive mindset. I know that dealing with the low-level behaviors right away will make things go more smoothly and allow all students to get to the deeper-level thinking which our lessons are designed to do.

Dealing with the low-level behaviors does not mean taking on every little thing that happens. What it does mean is that the teacher is determining whether instruction can continue, can the student learn, can the other students learn. If the answer to all of these questions is yes, then instruction continues; if it's a no to any of these questions, then the teacher makes a request to the student to stop the behavior. This is done in a calm, dignified, matter-of-fact manner. The teacher also gives the student a wait time in order to comply (similar to a wait time to answer a question) with the request. This should be done as the teacher moves away from the student, getting out of the student's personal space. As stated earlier, the student is sent to refocus if he or she does not comply, and there they answer short questions and come back to join instruction.

One of the tenants of this program is to treat students with dignity and let them know that, no matter what, they are a guaranteed member of the classroom. You appreciate them just for being there, just for being human beings. I don't think any of us could argue with that. We are at the point where we do need to teach behavior. For whatever reason, students are not coming equipped with these basic tools, or they figure out what they can do in each classroom and what they cannot do. This is natural, and students are going push the limits when they can. It's human nature. Still, there is a way for these interactions to be respectful, resolvable and allow for stronger teacher-student relationships. I look forward to training teachers across the country in this model, if you are interested in having me come to your school please let me know, I would be happy to speak with you.

How much Homework?

2010-04-18T19:48:00.001-04:00

I often get asked the question of how much homework should students be doing? It seems to be ingrained in our society that if students aren't doing 2 -3 hours of homework, they aren't learning, working hard or getting a rigorous enough education. Homework, in some ways, is designed to instill good work habits in students, give students practice and have them further their studies. These are all valid and reasonable considerations. Homework becomes irrelevant when it is given purely to fill students' time, fit into preconceived ideas and often erroneous expectations. I can cite many examples where teachers were assigning homework for one or all of these reasons; sometimes just to keep parents "off their backs" about not giving enough homework. If students in K-12 are spending 2-3 hours every night on homework, then they are getting too much homework that very likely is not relevant and will actually break down the skills it sets out to build.

If the idea of school is to help students have choices, freedom and make positive contributions, homework that supports these ideas is what students should be working on; otherwise, it's just a time filler. How many occupations require that employees and or employers work 2-3 hours every night after they got home from their job? Yet, we ask our students to do this and wonder why they don't do their homework, or when they do, it is often not completed in the best manner possible. As educators and citizens we need to rethink this strategy and make sure that students are working on homework that makes them think deeply, wrestle with ideas and concepts and allows them explore their identity. If students are always stuck in the house doing homework, it only develops one area of their existence. Students are already spending too much time indoors, isolated on their electronic devices, cut off from human interaction. Adding an abundance of homework on top of this only makes it more likely that students will be isolated from each other and their families.

Homework for homework sake is not a valid educational philosophy or strategy. When looking at students' homework, we should always be asking, Why are students doing this? What's the purpose? Is this making them think deeply? Does this just look like busy work? These are tough questions that need to be asked, if not daily, at least every other day. Homework should reflect what school should and can be.