Putting PROFESSIONAL into our learning

I just finished a great week of learning with Math Solutions. The topic for the week was Math For All: Differentiating Instruction.  Having done a significant amount of thinking and learning about this topic, the ideas were not new to me, but I did find lots of gems and kernels that pushed my thinking to new places.  This, for me, is the sign of really good professional development.  I always think that a PL event is a success if I walk away with one new idea to adopt or adapt for my class.  After a full week of learning, I have LOTS of things to try.

The fact that I walked away with new learning on a topic I am fairly versed in, is not the point of this entry.  This is: The lack of professionalism exhibited by some teachers when it comes to professional learning events. This is one of my pet peeves: Teachers who feel they do not need to act as learners when attending professional learning events; Teachers who feel they do not need to engage in the learning tasks put before us by the facilitators. Why were they there?  Why were they wasting our time?  It stuns me is this lack of professionalism. 

In some ways I wish I had collected some data by doing a head count at the beginning and end of each day.  Then again, maybe I really don't want to know how many of my peers feel they do not need to fully attend sessions that they probably haven't personally paid to attend. I did, however, notice that, in most instances, it was the same people who gave themselves permission to leave early.  They must not know that some of the best learning occurs during the 'wrap-up' at the end of the day.

It is also extremely disrespectful. Our actions send a much more powerful message than our words.  Those who leave early and don't participate fully are telling the facilitators (who work very hard to make the learning relevant and interesting) that their message isn't all that important and isn't worthy of time and effort.  I often wonder how these teachers view this attitude in their students.

I know I will never be able to convince this particular sub-set of my peers that they are acting in a less than professional manner. After all, they are adult learners who can make decisions for themselves, are they not?  But, with monies for professional learning becoming less and less, why are they taking the spot of someone who would actually attend, reflect and change their practice for the better?  Why are they not being held accountable for their learning, just as our students are?

I am not tarring everyone with the same brush.  Many of the people who attended this event were "there" in every sense of the word. They took the learning seriously and will undoubtedly adopt many of the ideas and strategies we discussed and discovered over the week.  Some have been asked to present what they have learned to their colleagues upon their return to school.

My main message:  If you are going to ask your school to pay $600 to send you to exceptional professional learning, the least you can do to honour this investment in you is to show up, participate fully--which means being there from start to finish of the day--and really listen to the ideas being presented. As an adult learner you always have the choice to adopt, adapt, or reject the ideas. But, when you choose to act as you do, it is no wonder teachers are not seen as professionals. 

A sense of accomplishment

I am an avid cycling fan, so every chance I get I watch the races as they unfold.  I am especially enamoured of Le Tour de France, which has to be the most epic of all sporting events.  Imagine riding over 3 000 kilometres over the space of 3 weeks with only 2 rest days, oh and add in multiple trips up the mountains of the Pyrenees and the Alps.  It boggles the mind!

Today I sat glued to the penultimate stage--a 42km time trial (man against clock).  The team I follow most closely, Léopard Trek, had a realistic chance to win the whole tour. All Andy Schleck had to do was ride the best time trial of his life and hope that Cadel Evans, a far superior TT rider and only 58 seconds behind Schleck, had an average day.  Alas, it was not to be. Evans had the TT of his life and ended up well over a minute ahead of Schleck, who now settles for his third consecutive second place at the Tour.

As I perused the various news reports of the day, I was struck by the tone of failure in which many portrayed Andy Schleck. This is a young man (he's 26) who for three years has managed to out distance about 197 other riders.  Schleck is not a great time trialist; he freely admits it is his weakest element. Today, he managed to place 17th on the stage. That's 17th out of over 160 other riders.  He placed ahead of the time trial champions of many nations.  And yet, this tone of failure from the media.  Oh yeah, did I mention the fact that Léopard Trek had four riders in the top 20 on the stage and that Andy's brother, Fränk, is in third overall?

I wonder why society has to accentuate the negative.  Why can't we simply acknowledge the effort and skill of those who achieve amazing feats--even when they do not finish in first place! Why does it always come down to winners and losers?  Why do we feel the need to 'put down' a second, third, or even last place?

Léopard Trek has also managed to bring all nine members of its team safely to Paris.  This too is an accomplishment. This is a team who works as a team. They sacrifice for each other. They support and encourage one another.  I hope when Andy and Fränk step on to the second and third place steps of the podium in Paris tomorrow they will feel a sense of accomplishment.  This is history.  For the first time in the over 100 year history of La Grande Boucle a team will have two of its members on the podium.  The fact that they are brothers, makes this story even more special.

The Wren

Nanny and Tookie

A few days before my sister, Janice, lost her fight with bile duct cancer (very rare) a wren began singing from a tree very near the house. (Hearing a wren's song is apparently a rare occurrence in this part of Calgary.)

I never did see this bird, but its beautiful song greeted us each morning and I joked with Janice that it was singing just for her.  Janice smiled and said, "I know." On the Thursday Janice took her last breaths on this earth, I do not remember hearing the wren, nor have I heard it since. 

I believe the wren was sent to take Janice's soul to Heaven. I will listen more carefully to the early morning birdsong, just in case.

My big sister was an amazingly talented woman, in many different ways, and I miss her more each day.  She was one of my first teachers, but it has been over the past three years that her lesson have been most powerful. Her courage and attitude throughout her illness was humbling.  Not once did her will to survive flag and she was often the one offering words of encouragement and hope to the rest of us. Janice showed me (again and again) how important it is to laugh and create simple memories. She showed us such grace and spirit when faced with insurmountable odds. Her compassion for others was boundless. 

And so, as I move forward (as we all must), I know I am a better person because of her.  Never again will I take a relationship for granted. I will tell the people in my life how valued they are and do everything in my power to make my small corner of the world a better place. I will look for and appreciate the little miracles in each day. I will stop, listen, and smile.

Derek Sivers: Weird, or just different? | Video on TED.com

Derek Sivers: Weird, or just different? | Video on TED.com

This video is short and really makes you think about perspective.

It is important to share...

Am sitting in a session with Silvia Rosentahl-Tolisano, where she is discussing Digital Storytelling.  While I am familiar with many of the tools and ideas she is showing the audience, here are a couple that were new to me.  These tools make collaborative story telling easy and inexpensive.  Later today, I am going to PLAY! 

With all of these sites, remember FOIP!  Protect our students by ensuring their personal information is safe.  These are housed on US servers, so buyer beware!

Story Bird  ( http://storybird.com ) Story Bird allows students to choose an artist's images from which to write a story.  There are some amazing examples.  The Grade 6 teacher sitting beside me uses this one.  Her students love it!

Mixed Books  ( http://www.mixbook.com )   Mixed Books are free to create and share online.  A hard copy starts at about $7.00 USD.  A neat feature is that parents can go online and order copies--no need to collect money, etc. 

Pic.lits ( http://www.piclits.com/compose_dragdrop.aspx ) Great tool for Second Languages.  You use the pictures available, which are incredible, and add small bits of text.

Skitch  ( http://skitch.com )  A great tool for capturing the screen and then adding directions, etc.

I think I'm going to be busy this afternoon!

About Endings and Beginnings

As I try to patiently wait for the snow to melt and the warm of the sun to arrive, I got thinking about endings and beginnings.  Orson Wells once said, "If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop the story." 

Today I will submit my final assignments for the last 'must be present to win' course in my Masters.  The end of this course marks, for me, the end of a shared journey with the other members of our cohort.  Many will continue to do course work, while some of us will begin the process of completing a thesis. Our stories will not stop here completely and we will be forever joined by our lived experience of 2 years studying together. But, it is a line that indicates beginnings and endings. 

I am happy to be one step closer to the final end of this story--a completed Masters degree.  I am excited to move forward in my learning and to experience new, and somewhat, scary things.  I am sad to leave the group, for it has been a rewarding experience to work, struggle, play, laugh and commiserate together. The relationships might change, but the bond from having experienced this together will remain.

A door is closing and I'm ready to jump through the opening window!

Thinking about Trust

As part of the work we do in the Learning Department, we often collaborate to develop workshop sessions for our teaching colleagues. We are currently planning a session for in-school coaches.  One of the issues our coaches have raised is trust: How to get it? How to maintain it? What to do when it's broken?

To that end, I have been re-reading some literature off my shelf.  Even the 'business' type books seem to agree: The most important thing to building trust is a clearly articulated vision that is kept at the fore of all the work--at EVERY level. Added to this is a leader who truly LIVES the vision.

Learning

There are just too many things to learn! Am trying to read several professional books at once-no mean feat! The first one is Happiness and Education by Nel Noddings. I love the idea of a curriculum of care! Am also looking at Number Talks by Sherry Parrish. She has great ideas to share about how to help students develop number sense through daily mental mathematics. Add to that is Kieran Egan's Getting It Wrong from the Beginning. Egan suggests that the foundational philosophies, which have shaped education as we know it are fundamentally flawed. Finally, just got a book by Ronald D. Wolk entitled, Wasting Minds: Why Our Education System is Failing and What We Can Do About it.  Don't know where these books will take me...I just need to make more time to sit and read them!!

Pop-Up Books--Cool Tool!

While evaluating some PD sites today, I came across ZooBurst (www.zooburst.com) on Heidi Hayes Jacobs'  Curriculum 21 site (www.curriculum21.com).  This tool allows students to create pop-up books using the clipart on the site, or by uploading their own photos.  I had a little play, and VOILÀ...had the first page completed in very short order.
I went for the FREE version, which, of course, has very limited capabilities.  The Premium version has lots of bells and whistles--like the capability to add voice, sounds, and to create a profile for each student. 

Here it is: To view use this password: crane50

You can rotate the book to get a different view.  Click on the speech bubbles to see what I haeve to say about each picture.  Kind of cool, no?  I'm thinking this might be a really good tool for ELLs or FSL.  Hope I will be able to use this with 'real' kids soon!

Blue Dog and IB

So here is the very first blog. Why now?  Why not?

This is the book I purchased.

On a recent trip to New Orleans I discovered a new artist. (Well, he is new to me!)  George Rodrigue is from New Iberia, Louisiana. His favourite subject to paint is the Blue Dog.  His gallery in the French Quarter is filled with paintings of this cute, little dog.  I find the style very whimsical and am excited to share this artist with friends, colleagues and students.

To learn more about Rodrigue or his Blue Dog, visit:
http://www.georgerodrigue.com/

I went to New Orleans to attend an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) Workshop. This workshop was an introduction to the IB framework. IB at the primary level was a new concept for me and I wasn't really sure how it might work, based on my limited knowledge of the High School IB programme.

I learned the following:

• PYP was established in the 1990s
• Its goal: To create open-minded individuals who collaborate globally in the creation of a curriculum that will provide critical and creative thinking, and problem-solving.
• PYP students are inquirers, thinkers, communicators, risk-takers. They are balanced, principled, open-minded and reflective.
• PYP looks at 6 Trans-disciplinary Themes:  Who we are, Where we are in place and time, How we express ourselves, How the world works, How we organize ourselves and Sharing the planet
• Provocative inquiry, based on globally relevant enduring understanding, drives the learning.
• Many of the ideas from the PYP are closely linked to the work of Wiggins & McTighe and Tomlinson

I am glad I have the background knowledge in UBD and UDL. Otherwise, I might have found this experience extremely overwhelming!  Because I do have the background, I found myself agreeing with most of what I heard, saw or did during the 3 days of the workshop.
More on this later....