Through The Looking Glass – Contemplating Transparency

Lately I have been spending quite a bit of my thinking time contemplating public engagement in the important work of educating our children and youth.  I have spent time trying to better understand how to bring people to a common starting place – and to seek a collective wisdom.

It seems to me that many processes and incredible opportunities for our students are compromised because we haven’t taken the time to build complete understanding, and to recognize the incremental steps that are required in change processes.

I have also contemplated how important community initiatives are set back because people aren’t understanding what we are trying to accomplish.   Processes and decisions are stalled; a black shadow of distrust lingers over incredible opportunities – and people express themselves by saying there was a “lack of transparency” in the process, the data and, ultimately, the outcome.   I recently googled “Lack of Transparency.”  There were 66,400,000 results.  So, what’s up with that?  Is the world really that closed?

In my opinion, there has been a misinterpretation and gross misunderstanding of the word Transparency and everything that it involves.  It seems that people are quite content to align the responsibility of being transparent with one party, avoid their own mutual accountabilities, and then play “monday morning quarterback” once a decision has been made.  It is a lot easier to make a decision about the play, once the game is done.  

Transparency isn’t the provision of a clear pane of glass through which we look into a problem or challenge.  It is more than that.  Transparency describes a relationship, and not a state of being.  All parties involved in any process, problem or challenge must accept responsibility and undersand the mutuality of the process.  Transparency, then, is a reciprocal relationship through which both parties have an accountability to establish understanding.

So – we need to look inward when we make a claim that there has been a lack of transparency.  We need to be committed to seeking and realize that information must be provided in an understandable way – AND we need to seek to learn how to understand the information that is provided.

 

Who Gets To Write the Blog?

I am experiencing writer’s block.  So, I thought I would try an experiment with my blog this time around.  I heard that someone else did this with a degree of success so I am curious about what might happen.

I am looking to hear from you.  Hopefully lots of people will respond.

In the “leave a reply” box below, describe a learning activity or environment you have recently seen that has inspired you and the students to participate beyond anything you could have imagined.

The Evidence of Passion

Some may argue that I should have saved this entry for a date closer to Valentine’s Day.  However, it is not my intention to write about the passion that describes romance or desire in a relationship.  Rather, I want to spend some time reflecting on passion and motivation.

For some time now I have been contemplating the notion of motivation – especially in the context of teaching and learning.  I was reminded of my quest yesterday when I visited an administrative team at one of our schools.

Our meeting went something like this.  Upon arrival at the school, I was greeted by cheerful, welcoming front office staff who appeared genuinely pleased to see me.  Then, the principal and vice principal emerged from the meeting they were in, welcomed me to the school – both of them quick to point out their “bright and attention-getting ties” (which were impossible to miss).  With a gust of energy I was ushered quickly into the library where the vice principal set up the Smart Board.  I thought the demonstration was for me to see.  In fact, this wasn’t the case.  Apparently the Smart Board presentation was part of their previous meeting.  Almost impervious to the fact that I was present, these two keen administrators engaged in a conversation about how the vice principal would be using the Smart Board to connect with his face-to-face students at the same time as connecting via video conference with students enrolled in his class but who live and attend school elsewhere in our District.  They spoke excitedly about this project which will join students from two schools together in a Math class for a semester.  Suddenly the conversation turned and they began brainstorming about how they might engage other staff members in the project and encourage, by example, the use of the technology.  As suddenly as the conversation started – it ended.  Both administrators looked at me and said that we could now move to the principal’s office to begin our meeting.

Once we were settled in the Principal’s office the next 1.5 hours of my visit flew by as this dynamic duo shared with me the initiatives that had been undertaken at their school:

• A focus on relationships,
• Flexible scheduling based on identified student need and interest,
• Recognition of the skills, talents and backgrounds of a diverse staff – and capitalizing on this diversity to address student needs,
• Involvement of the community to support student learning,
• Flexibility for students between indpendent learning opportunities, and classroom based learning opportunities,
• And the list goes on…

All the while – the mantra “we start with the students” resonated throughout the conversation.

So, back to the beginning.  What are the factors that have motivated this team of leaders?  How was their passion for student success, staff success and individual success for each of them awakened?

It reminded me of an Andrea Bocelli concert I watched over the Christmas Holiday.  This may seem like a stretch to some.  But it isnt, really.  Mr. Bocelli has worked for years to develop and master his talent.  Something touches his soul when he sings and, in turn, when he sings the souls of his audience are touched.  His passion for music is evident – with no glitz or distracting business on the stage, he simply stands humbly and sings the most beautiful music.

The passion of the two administrators I observed yesterday touches souls and changes lives. This passion is motivated from somewhere deep within their persons.  Nobody has given them more money.  They aren’t seeking the attention of others.  They are curious, keen and connected to the people in their work.  Humbly, they perform their craft – because they are passionate and motivated.

My question still isn’t answered.  My quest continues…

 

Hey Supervisor! Watch This!

The other day I was enjoying a wonderful opportunity while on supervision at one of our nearby schools. There was an abundance of fresh snow – and the children were THRILLED. The snow muffled the sound, so there was a calming, quiet hush through which squeals of joy and laughter emerged. Snow angels were appearing all over the playground, a variety of forts, other kinds of structures, and snowpeople began to rise toward the sky. Games were being invented – and children were completely engaged. Some played on their own, others played in groups. Aside from the odd smuggled snowball – it was a perfect morning. And then, through the hush of the day came a voice, “Hey Supervisor! Watch This!”

The point of telling this story isn’t really about the snow activities. It is more about my belief that many processes of learning are natural to children. I wondered how many children were making their first snow angels that day – and I watched as several compared their technique. Of interest to many was how to get up off the ground without wrecking the imprint in the snow. Conversations ensued with ernest – and ultimately the ideal technique was developed. Other groups of children worked together to solve the mysteries of building up and reinforcing their forts. Some were engaged learning the social skills of sharing – and discussing who had ownership of the various creations on the playground. I didn’t have the heart to remind them most of the structures would be melted by rain and sun over the next days.

I am reminded of the work of Thomas Armstrong through which he determined that we all have genius within us – and encouraged teachers to awaken the genius within our learners. He also wrote about the importance of using our strengths to assist in the areas where we find we are weaker. He also wrote about the importance of receiving the trusted support of caring people who are engaged with each learner.

And so, when we work with learners, I wonder how skilled we are (in general) at observing children so we can determine their strengths, and help them to use those strengths to support them in their challenges? As I watched the children on the playground, I wondered if the day ahead of them would be filled with just as much joy, laughter, and concentrated effort. In essence – would the day planned for them be like a fresh snowfall – full of unfettered opportunity to create, experiment, practice, learn – and opportunity to show their efforts, and celebrate with someone who cares about them.

I get just as much joy from the opportunities I have to visit learning environments throughout our District, when I hear a teacher say, “Watch this! These children are doing something incredible” as I did when I heard the joyful child who asked me to watch him execute the perfect slide down the hill. Thank you to our wonderful teachers who do, indeed, make each day like a new beginning, full of wonder and opportunity for our children.

Awakening Our Genius

Last week I had the opportunity to check in with a young principal who is in her first year in the role. I remember the day eleven years ago when I interviewed her for a teaching position. She arrived a little late, and she was wearing an art smock and overalls – both covered in drying clay. Her hands were still white from clay, and she rushed into the school – apologizing for being late. Her hair, pulled back in a pony tail, had bits of drying clay in it – and to this day I don’t think she knows that she had a streak of drying clay on her cheek. Her rationale was that she, “got so absorbed in the activity we were doing that I completely lost track of the time.”

I will never forget the energy that this young teacher brought with her into the interview. Instead of relying on the questions I might normally ask, I asked her to describe the activity that had consumed so much of her attention that afternoon. This young person expressed to me with unparalleled passion a depth of planning and thought, and a perspective that focussed on meeting the individual needs of her students – which she was able to describe in an articulate manner and with a complete understanding of each one of the children. The reason she got so absorbed was because, “the children’s stories as they worked on their creations were amazing. They told me so much about who they were as learners and what they needed.”

I offered this teacher a position – because I recognized that she would be the energy our school needed to challenge the status quo and to reshape the way we worked as a team to address the diverse needs of our students. Oft times we had a bump or two along the way. Her creativity and her need to challenge many of the traditional practices held closely by many caused a ripple in the community. Her class was anything but traditional. The children were busy building, creating, researching – and laughing. There was a sense of joy – and an excitement for learning. Most impressive that first year was the giant igloo they built – to scale – out of plastic milk cartons as part of their study of Inuit people. When I spoke to those children they could regale me with wonderful tales about the Inuit people. They knew history, traditions, geography – and they knew the challenges of keeping a culture alive in changing times. I don’t ever remember them sitting in quiet rows in the class gleaning this information, all from the same page in the same book. Computers, videos, books – all accessed by the students. These children were in grade two and three. They were passionate learners and deeply engaged.

We had to find ways to keep the caretakers on side; it wasn’t easy for them to clean around all of the children’s projects. We had to find ways for other teachers to become engaged in the projects rather than to be angry about them because the children were noisy. We had to find ways to legitimize the practices employed by these teachers so that they became a part of our school culture and an expectation of the community. This teacher did change us all. I think she changed too.

And now, she is a principal. The reason I called her last week is because there was an article in the newspaper about her. As always, respectfully challenging the culture of a community and asking that community to step up to a new view of the world of learning. The newspaper article pointed to the response of the community when long-held traditions were questioned – in the presence of a much more important conversation about how children in the school could become active, contributing, and responsible members of their community.

I guess the reason I wanted to write about her today is because she will always be a cornerstone of courage for me. She is a reminder that we all need to step up if we want to change the way we do things. I keep hearing that is what we want to do in British Columbia; we want to change how we educate our children and youth so that they can be better prepared for life in the 21st Century. I’m thinking we need to be more like the person I am describing – more absorbed in our work, more deeply connected to each other in caring and respectful ways – and more able to express our curiosities in an environment that supports our questions and wonderings.

Yes. She is a principal now. I am so very proud of her! And, I am truly confident that she will ensure each child in her care will thrive – and find their individual genius.

Looking for our Super Powers

Our leadership team recently viewed a presentation by Aimee Mullins.  Aimee is a model, actress, and athlete.  In 1996 she competed in the NCAA Track and Field events at Georgetown University.  She also competed in the 1996 Paralympics – completing a 100 metre dash in 17.01 seconds, and jumping 3.14 metres in the long-jump.  She was named by People Magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.  Aimee was born with fibular hemimelia which means she had missing fibula bones.  Both her legs were amputated below the knee after she turned one.

The video we saw was a presentation Aimee did in which she talked about how her legs give her super-powers – granting her speed, beauty, varied height, and the ability she has to redefine what her body can be.  However, the power of her presentation for me wasn’t about her legs.  It was about her attitude, and her willingness not to let an old story hold her back.  Rather, she wanted to write a new story – one in which she recognizes her potential through collaboration, innovation, creativity, and imagination – and being open to new ideas.  Aimee talks about the importance of seeking new solutions and finding out things about ourselves and our world that we didn’t even know were possible.  She also talks about redefining possibilities.

Her presentation is powerful – in fact it is “Super Powerful.”  It is a good reminder to all of us that we have a responsibility to change the world.  I encourage you to watch the video.   Maybe we will all find our Super Powers!  Here’s the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ0iMulicgg

 

World Teachers’ Day

The United Nations (UNESCO) has designated October 5 as World Teachers’ Day. Held annually since 1994, the day commemorates the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers, signed in 1966. The United Nations has designated this day as an opportunity to recognize the vital role of teachers in providing quality education at all levels.

Every day teachers have the privilege of working with children, youth and adults who will encounter a world we haven’t even yet imagined. Teachers have the privilege of helping each learner on their own personal pathway to greatness – be that curing an incurable disease, or reaching out and helping another human being who needs help. Something the majority of us have in common are teachers who have helped us become who we are.

Those of us committed to public education are also committed to serving all students who come to us. We do not select based on race, gender, socio-economic data or intellect. Rather we see each student as a human being with capabilities and potential – and a genious that is unique to them. I think it is the ability to understand each learner, and view a glimpse of the world they see, that makes a good teacher truly great.

Although there is a tremendous (and critical) emphasis on the science of teaching – and the practice that makes teaching the most effective, I believe that our most effective teachers are those who truly care about the human condition. Teachers want to make a difference every day in the lives of learners in their care – and instinctively they care about contributing to the betterment of the world. Our most effective teachers are rewarded by the successes of their students. They are called to the most important work we can do as human beings.

So – I encourage us all to think of the teachers who made a difference to us – and thank them. I thank all of the teachers who have contributed to “me” – be they those professionals who committed their lives to educating others, or those who have taught me important life lessons through serendipitous encounters. My life is what it is because of you; I thank you!