Home » Uncategorized (Page 14)
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Daily Prompt: Undo – Education Without Textbooks
Daily Prompt: If you could un-invent something, what would it be?
I would like to un-invent school textbooks. When I imagine what my own education might have been like without textbooks, not much of significance is missing. Textbooks served to replace the likelihood that we would seek knowledge from authentic sources. The hidden message? What was important to know was contained in textbooks.
How might our lives been different without following an “accidental curriculum” based on a few large textbook publishers marketing to a few large states? As an adult, I learned that much of what was contained in textbooks was biased and sometimes just plain wrong. This was a shocking revelation. That this occurred in adulthood shows just how irrelevant and disconnected from reality much of my education really was.
Some would say that textbooks served an important purpose in the education of generations of children but I argue the same could have been done with authentic resources right along side chalkboards or pens and paper.
Just a few years ago, we educators could count on springtime “Textbook Caravans.” These were announced through state department memos with many locations so no one would be left out. Representatives of textbook companies would present one of the textbooks being considered for “adoption,” highlighting the “extras” included like black-line masters (worksheets), teaching trinkets, or even rolling carts to move the heavy materials from one location to another. Snacks were usually provided by the well-meaning retired educators-turned-textbook-reps.
Textbooks are desperately hanging on. Money is at stake here. Textbook companies have consolidated in efforts to remain afloat. They’ve made attempts to deliver the same big-state-driven content with technology. This might improve efficiency, but not relevance.
Students must find it amusing that adults resist dropping the use of textbooks. The broad range of technology and print resources available for free or reasonable subscription charges make textbook adoptions on eight-year rotations look absurd.
Imagine a world without textbooks where teachers and students move through inexhaustible resources that are relevant and customized to the learners! Sounds like one step toward a relevant education.
Year-Long Internships Showing Evidence of Success
Year-long intern working with 3rd graders at AIS
“The year-long internship made me much more confident as a first year teacher,” said Meredith Maestri, a novice teacher at Alma Intermediate School. Jim Warnock, principal added, “Parents were sure Miss Maestri had teaching experience. They were surprised to learn that she was a first year teacher.”
Alma Intermediate School is one of several schools partnering with the University of Arkansas Fort Smith in an effort to increase the confidence and effectiveness of novice teachers by adding a year-long internship option for selected students in the elementary education program. Early indicators are that this program is improving teaching skills of the interns, as well as confidence levels. Principal Jim Warnock interviewed interns, mentor teachers, and students, to gage the benefits and challenges of the program halfway through the second year. During the pilot year (2011-12) the first two year-long interns were placed on campus with two more being placed this year.
Early signs are that year-long internships are beneficial for the teacher candidates and the students in the school. Interns and mentor teachers stated that the year-long internship allows teaching candidates to build strong relationships with staff, students, and families. Dawn Stewart, mentor teacher said, “It helps interns to build a stronger relationship with students because they see them throughout the school year. They see that growth along a continuum throughout the year.”
Interns also benefit from collaborative times built into the school day such as grade-level meetings and subject area sessions. When teachers are involved in professional development, their interns are involved as well and contribute as any other staff member would. Mentor teacher, Emily Baldwin said, “The interns have a better understanding of the curriculum because they’ve worked with it from August to May.” Another mentor teacher, Shea Klomp added, “They also know what it takes to establish classroom procedures and culture because they are here in August and see how this impacts learning throughout the year. “
The teacher candidates gain confidence through the year-long association with the same school. Samantha Lopez said, “There’s a sense of great confidence that you receive as a year-long intern because you know your classroom, you know your mentor teacher, and how your school is run and the procedures of your mentor teacher.”
To pilot the year-long internship, the university provided dual programs with most continuing in semester internships while allowing interns to apply for the year-long path. During the spring prior to their internship teacher candidates are interviewed by participating school principals. The principals view this with seriousness due to the year-long commitment. Jim Warnock said, “Being on campus all year, an intern will have a great impact on our students and teachers so we want to be sure that the impact is positive. The interview is a time for the intern to see our values and philosophy as well as for us to determine whether or not we want that intern to be a part of our staff.”
Interns develop a high level of commitment to the academic growth of their students due to the longer time commitment. University staff have seen evidence of instructional growth among interns due to the greater depth of collaborative learning with grade-level and subject area teachers in the host school. They have seen year-long interns using deeper language about teaching and learning due to this close work with host educators. Mentor teachers and interns are trained in co-teaching strategies to take advantage of having an extra instructor in the classroom.
Moving to a year-long internship has required that the university make adjustments in the Block II courses which were traditionally taught during the semester prior to a traditional single semester internship. These courses are scheduled during blocked times on Monday and Wednesday so that interns may work with their supervising teachers on Tuesday and Thursday. During the second semester interns are at the host school every day.
Some alignment issues revealed themselves as interns applied new teaching skills at an accelerated rate from previous years. Some theory and content had to be taught earlier in the first semester to accommodate year-long interns who were actively practicing strategies much earlier than in the past. UAFS is adjusting other aspects of the internship based on input from participants and partner schools.
A fourth grade student who has experienced both semester and year-long interns said, “I like having an intern all year because she is able to help us, especially when the teacher is busy with someone else. She knows us better, too. Our intern worked with us during math and literacy stations and in writing workshop.” Without exception, students who’ve experienced both options said that they preferred having an intern all year long.
Based on preliminary evidence, year-long internships are something that Alma Intermediate School wants to continue. The partnership between the University of Arkansas Fort Smith and Alma Intermediate School will continue to grow and develop as input is gathered from interns, mentor teachers, students and university staff. One educator said, “Based on what I’m seeing, I would not want to go back to single semester internships. Our year-long interns are prepared to hit the ground running their first year and have deeper professional relationships that will help them grow as a teacher.”
This was written from interviews as well as content pulled from the presentation of several participants during this year’s Professional Development Schools Conference.
Alma Intermediate School: Emily Baldwin, Paige Brazil, Jo Ann Jordan, Shea Klomp, Meredith Maestri, Dawn Stewart, Jim Warnock
Interns: Samantha Lopez, Dorothy Boyd
University of Arkansas Fort Smith School of Education: Barbara Hunt, Deebe Milford, Laura Witherington
When in Doubt…
Mother and Daddy in 1956
My mother has a saying that she repeated often when I was growing up. “When in doubt, take a step.” I’m reminded of this when I hesitate to try something new or challenging. On many occasions she might have stopped, frozen in fear, but she stepped forward through many challenges and built a family and teaching career that had a great impact on her community.
A few months ago I wanted to share the new Lake Alma Trail with our community but didn’t know where to begin. I’ve enjoyed reading the Urban Magazine based in Fort Smith because it carried some stories about local outdoor attractions. I hesitated to contact them, thinking they would not be interested in running a story by someone who was pretty much unpublished.
My mother’s words came to mind, so I took a step and sent an email to the managing editor. A couple of days later I received an email requesting examples of my writing. I laughed and wondered what to send. Finally, I sent a copy of a school newsletter and short book review I did for a principals’ journal. The next day I got an email asking if I would write a 500-word article.
Now, four months later, I’ve published my third article with the Urban Magazine. This has been challenging, fun, and a great learning experience. I have a new appreciation for publications as I read, knowing something of the work involved in their production. I also have a better understanding of the work our young writers are doing and am envious of the good instruction they’re receiving from our teachers. All of this would have been missed if I had not stepped through my doubt and acted.
My hope is that we build confidence into our students so that as they encounter barriers, they will “take a step” and move forward. One positive step leads to another along this exciting and sometimes challenging path of learning!
Read my articles on the web at the Urban Magazine aturbanmagazine.com or my blog ozarkmountainhiker.wordpress.com
Collaborative Learning is Essential to Common Core State Standards
“Students will engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.” From K-5 Common Core State Standards for Literacy
I recently read this while involved in an early morning grade-level meeting. Afterwards I was observing in several of our classrooms and began to think back to when I was in school.
Schooling has changed greatly…for the better! Most of my schooling was spent at a desk in a row (toward the back of my class since we often sat in alphabetical order). The teacher stood or sat in the front of the room at all times and we sat in our desks at all times.
I learned to line myself up carefully with the student in front of me to essentially disappear when teachers asked questions. Makeup work was easy to get because all you needed was the textbook and stack of worksheets missed. I have no memory of discussing content or learning with other students. I have few memories of doing this with teachers. I have no memory of a teacher writing and sharing his/her learning.
All of the above things about school have (or should have) changed. Much of the work we do in today’s world requires communication and teaming with others to accomplish a task. In my work I rarely sit at a desk for extended periods of time. I rarely work alone but work with others to get things done. I rarely have a “worksheet” or form to fill out but often use writing to clarify my thinking or communicate with others. I rarely refer to a “textbook” but often refer to professional journals, websites, blogs and e-books to gather information. I often use technology to collaborate with educators, community members, and policy makers.
Facilitating collaborative learning is challenging, but our teachers are making great efforts to do this. It requires deep planning and thought. It’s much easier to just dispense information but young people (and older people, too) have little patience for constant lecture.
We are about to step into 2013 and a world filled with change and challenge. If we focus on instruction that helps our children work together, they will have the tools to improve our world. If we retreat from the requirements of Common Core State Standards and their emphasis on teaching collaboratively, we will leave our children a legacy of decline.
“That-a-way, Bo!” Encouragement Makes a Difference
“That-a-way, Bo!” Those words meant a lot to this freshman, unsure about his chances of success in college. The memory of his high school counselor’s hesitancy about his college plans were still fresh and caused strong feelings of doubt.
Now, with the words “That-a-way” from the greatest musician he’d ever been around, the possibility of success seemed real – he was going to make it! There were some discouraging times during college, but this professor helped many students perform better than they ever thought possible.
He set high expectations and was relentless in holding to them. He had the ability to move toward goals in spite of distractions. He was a learner with his students even as this great man taught them. He loved his work with such enthusiasm that the lines between work and play were often blurred.
Now, as a school principal and teacher, I am thankful for his influence. He never set out to provide instruction on how to be a principal, but he taught many lessons and gave me confidence that I benefit from today.
When I am doing my most satisfying work, I sometimes feel like he’s looking over my shoulder saying, “That-a-way, Bo!” There is no greater satisfaction than knowing you have done your best. Mr. Wendell Evanson, my band director at Henderson State University, taught me this lesson. I hope we can help every child learn the joy of work and a job well done.
Wendell Evanson and his former student having a visit.
Implementation Dip
Thought of the implementation dip recently as I tried to begin this blog. Though the story relates to photography, it applies across all disciplines. Hope you enjoy. Jim W
Most folks probably know I enjoy photography. What they might not be aware of is the frustration of my early attempts with this hobby.
I’ve learned a lot about learning through photography. When I first started trying to take photos using the manual settings with slide film I over or under exposed many photographs. After having a roll of film developed, I would look at each slide and compare it with my notes that stated the shutter speed and aperture opening used. This was a slow and often discouraging process. On some rolls I might not get a single photo worth keeping. Over a period of months, and with help from books and other photographers, I found myself throwing away fewer slides and for me this was progress.
Any time you try something new, you experience what some call an “implementation dip”. This is a normal part of learning and often discourages us from trying something new. Had I not been willing to go through the “implementation dip” I would have missed out on the enjoyment of sharing photographs of our beautiful state with others.
As students and educators, we are all involved in learning new things. This is exciting but also brings the challenge of going through “implementation dips”. It is exciting to see students developing new skills. Many of our teachers have implemented new strategies in their classrooms and have been willing to go through their own “implementation dips” to arrive at new and exciting levels of instruction that increase student learning.
When you’re tempted to give up on learning or trying something new, pause and realize that you may just be in the dip before success. Hang in there and you’ll enjoy looking back on the progress you’ve made.
Without going through the implementation dip I would never have been able to capture or share this image.
Principal Notes 