Image by Old Shoe Woman via FlickrI just completed a wonderful and engaging online dialogue tonight with the staff and selected teachers from the Center for Teaching Quality .  This wonderful group is working hard to ensure a research-based approach to teaching quality — with a focus and commitment on cultivating teachers as leaders.

My colleague on this panel was Rafiq Kalam Id-Din ,  Founder of Teaching Firms of America, who is currently exploring the possibility of a school model based on the structure of law firms.  His notion (and my apologies for paraphrasing) is that schools should be run more like partners run a law firm — with teachers empowered to make executive and management decisions.

I was able to chat with the group about the importance of teachers as entreprenuers, and the work of empowering teachers by helping them create IP, and connect with one another, as well as with the content providers in the teaching and learning space.  . . the work of WeAreTeachers.

Of course, the real stars of this dialogue were the teaching practioners — the folks who just spent an entire day today in a classroom, yet still found time to engage with one another this evening — and to be learners as well as teachers.

We talked during this webinar about the huge number of political, social, and economic barriers to teachers’ being developed as leaders.  There was a very robust conversation about the role of teacher unions, and the failures of the current accountability systems in the US education environment.

Toward the end of this call, it occurred to me that there may be some ways to over come these barriers — and I enumerated 3 I’ll share here:

1. Teachers MUST be compensated differently.  No, I don’t mean ‘career ladder.’  What I do mean is that we must find a way to pay our best teachers more money. Until we do, we simply won’t change much, nor will we attract the kind of talent we need to make the shifts we must make. As Ann Richards used to say “Political power is meaningless without economic power.”

2.  We MUST embrace accountability, yet change the current system entirely.  A single student test at the end of the year is archaic and in-effective.  New accountability systems, driven by teacher leaders, and informed by high student expectations and evaluation of REAL student work must replace the current system.

3.  We can no longer reform schools in a vacuum.  We MUST align school reform and teacher leadership with other forces that will surely drive our political and policy agenda in the coming years.  “It’s the economy, stupid” is not just a political slogan; it could also be a driver that delivers real reform.  Couple that with the enormous environmental challenges we are facing, and these pressures may give teachers the latitude they need to substitute ‘teaching to the test’ with ‘teaching to the economic need, and to the environmental challenges.’

Why can’t we take the Al Gore challenge to be energy independent within 10 years, the Tom Friedman challenge to create an entirely new ‘green economy,’ and in the end transform our economy, our environment, AND our schools????

It could happen.

Image via WikipediaToday, I took the time to watch and listen to a posting of a presentation done by Chris Lehman during the recent NECC (National Education Computing Conference) in San Antonio. First, a bit about Chris — He is principal of the Science Leadership Academy in Philly, and an avid, practical leader of the use of Web 2.0 tools in teaching and learning. You can view the video of this session on the WeAreTeachers Tech Circle page at (check out Video Pods box there). Chris talks about the use of UBD (Understanding by Design) as a framework for all the curriculum planning and development done in his school. The real power of this approach is that they also train the STUDENTS in this method, so that the kids get right into learning, versus figuring out how to ‘game’ the grading system — an example of REALLY transparent learning!

The basic tenets of the UBD model are:
-Desired results (goals, objectives)
-BIG ideas (Why do we teach this topic?)
-BIG Questions (What is the central question this topic begs to answer?)
-Skills and Content (what is the ‘meat’ kids need to answer the big question?)
-Authentication of the learning (What tangible product should kids produce in order to demonstrate understanding? NOT what score should they get on a test!)

Chris further talks about testing as a ‘dipstick’ — a useful tool to check for understnding, but not an authentic way to ensure learning has occurred. Would love to continue this discussion — I encourage you to check out the video on the Tech Circle page in WeAreTeachers, as well as other videos posted there in the Video Pod box, and post any comments here!

Image by tempusfugate via FlickrOK. I’m officially ‘old.’

I’ve been participating in the EduBlogger conference at NECC, and the NECC-UnPlugged event starts tomorrow.  Yesterday, we began the meeting by voting on-line for the proposed sessions we wanted — and they started up 15 min. after the vote!  EVERYONE is ‘twittering’ like mad, and following those twitters though ‘Summize.’  Many of the attendees are blogging live, vpoding and pod-casting.

And ME?  Took me a while just to set up my Twitter account, find a picture small enough to load, and customize my page enough to disguise my ‘newbie-twitterer-ness.’  And I had to have help finding the summize site, and getting my twits to post there!

But, even with my advanced ‘unkoolness’ relative to plugging into this constant communication mode, it occurs to me that much of the conversation and discussion is not unlike the chatter we had 20 years ago at NECC!

To wit —-

•Teachers still face obstacles of TIME to learn to teach differently, learn how to use the tools, create content.

•The bureaucracy of education, driven primarily by FEAR of test score data, is the biggest prohibition to real innovation.

•A very small number of highly qualified teachers are willing to learn how to integrate new technologies into the teaching and learning process.

•There is a big gap between what students know and do versus what teachers know and do — relative to technology integration in life and work.

•Everyone seems to agree that it’s the teaching methodology that needs to be the focus, not the technology — though there is a steep learning/courage curve to learn to use these tools.

But I am hopeful —-

First, the ‘bleeding edge‘ teachers still exist, and their enthusiasm and hope has not diminished.  I continue to be amazed that so many teachers — who as a group are pegged as ‘conservative’ –  still show up as risk-taking, ‘geekie,’ and excited.  God bless ‘em, every one.  The world needs these ‘out there’ folks to move the needle forward.

Second — the discussion always comes back to the passion and commitment to help learners learn, and to make that learning relevant and meaningful.  REAL examples of REAL students’ experiences are always the most engaging and important discussions.

And finally — There seems to be a real desire to keep learning.  While some teachers clearly want to maintain the status quo and get by from summer vacation to retirement — this  tech-oriented  crowd is committed to life-long learning, and that’s the secret sauce that makes them great.  They see themselves as students, not just teachers — and there in lies the magic.

Image via WikipediaI just ran across a new study from Sam Houston State University, released on Friday (April 18) by the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA). Here are a few of the summary findings:

1. 44% are seriously considering leaving the profession. The 2 most cited reasons? Low pay and poor working conditions.

2. 28% of Texas teachers are ‘moonlighting.’ This is in stark contract to 5% of US workers overall who take second jobs to make ends meet. And these teachers with second jobs are working an average of 11.5 hours per week, even though 71% of them indicate this extra work has a negative impact on their teaching.

3. In ADDITION to moonlighting hours, the average Texas teacher puts in ANOTHER 13.4 hours per week in doing school work outside the classroom. . . planning, grading papers, producing learning materials, learning new skills to promote their own growth.

4. Other demographics of the ‘average’ Texas teacher profile (from the Sam Houston State University study):

• 44 year old female, with a bachelor’s degree

•Earns $47,545 per year, and has a working spouse

•Is the primary breadwinner (56% fall into this category)

•Spends $719 per year out of pocket for instructional/classroom materials

•Puts in 13.4 hours/week doing additional schoolwork at home.

SO — Why are these numbers of special concern at this time?

This study is made especially relevant, since it comes at a time when 50,000+ classrooms in the state are staffed by teachers who are NOT certified in the subject they are teaching. So we are already faced with extreme teacher shortages, and are slated to continue to lose teachers at an alarming rate.

There are no easy answers, but here are a few thoughts:

1. Encourage ONLINE teaching and tutoring. If teachers must moonlight to make ends meet, we should at least provide options for them to apply their skills within their profession, and provide them the tools to make this easy and possible. And this has the added value of making learning more accessible and relevant for students!

2. Encourage the BEST teachers to develop, publish and SELL their best teaching ideas. We need to provide opportunities for the very best teachers to turn their skill into IP, and publish and sell their expertise. And the added benefit here? The BEST teachers can share their expertise with younger, less experienced teachers, and keep the torch of excellent instruction lit!

3. Treat K12 teachers more like higher ed professors. In most higher education institutions, teachers are encouraged to publish and sell, to consult. AND they are given flexible work hours to have time during the day to hold office hours with students, do research, write, etc. Imagine a K12 school that provided that kind of environment for teaching professionals!

There are no easy answers, but good on Sam Houston State University and TSTA for continuing to push out these studies and research results. We need to keep these issues on the front burner. If, in fact, our economy and liberty are dependent upon an educated populous, aren’t TEACHERS our most important asset? Good to remember in this election year.

If everyone is talking, how do you hear the best voice? If everyone is ‘teaching,’ how do the best teachers gain audience?

These are important questions as education moves from leader-led, teacher-centered lectures, to interactivity, democratic engagement, and virtual learning environments. In fact, one of the most frequently asked questions when I talk to people about WeAreTeachers is this: Aren’t you worried that ‘anyone’ can pose as a ‘teacher?’ Aren’t you afraid the best teachers will get drowned out by all the noise from less-able or credible teachers in this network? These questions come most often from adults who are having a tough time grasping the notion of non-traditional, or self-directed learning. And they struggle with the leap from rigor to relevance.

The simple answer to each question is NO. First, connected, virtual communities themselves will decide whose voice will be respected and heard. Poorly written or irrelevant blog posts, or curriculum content, or learning modules just don’t get used or responded to. And great or engaging content spreads like wildfire to hungry learners.

So if YOU are that great teacher, who wants to have voice in the read/write web, and who wants to be known as a great domain expert, here are a few suggestions:

1. Become a LEARNER. Don’t sit still and rest on your current knowledge base. Learn everything you can – about your academic or expertise area, and about how to communicate using new tools. If you don’t currently blog, do so. (You can use our blogging tools in WAT as a starting point). If you’ve never joined a community, do it now.
2. Get ENGAGED. Don’t just join a community. Actively engage with it. Start by inviting colleagues, sending messages, posting blogs and forums, Have an opinion, and share it.
3. Find a CAUSE. This communication medium is as emotional as it is intellectual, and most engagement and energy online is associated with a passion, a cause – something you become known for as an advocate. (Check out the current energy in this presidential election if you have any doubts!) If you teach math, and believe in problem solving or higher order thinking skills — become loud and passionate about that. If you teach Yoga, and are passionate about mind/body connections, let the world know!
4. Show your STUFF. If you want a megaphone you must not be shy. If you want to be known for your expertise, you mustn’t hesitate to showcase your best self. Use the WAT-Video profile tool to create, not just a picture-avatar, but make a video resume, so anyone who visits your page hears your voice, understands your background. Don’t just create content and give it away or sell it, but also include details about your philosophy of teaching, and your life experiences that inform your teaching methodology.
5. Have FUN. One of the BEST things about the Web is that we are finally moving away from the drudgery of lesson plans, lectures, and worksheets. And this positive outcome is for TEACHERS as well as STUDENTS. Teaching can take on new life, as we experiment with meaningful discussion and engagement with the world and with our students. Your enthusiasm will become a magnet for others who want to learn from you and from your content.

Story for this post:

As you either get to know me in person, or through reading these posts, you’ll soon learn that the light of my life are my kids and grandkids. So here is a recent story from one of them, reminding me that great teachers come in all sizes and shapes.

Sally and Susie (ages 9 and 6, respectively), just moved, and changed elementary schools. Sally ended up in a bilingual class, which we thought was super (even though her Spanish is limited to counting to 10!). The other day, she was enthusiastically telling me about her new best friend, Amy. In Sally’s own words, “Nana, Amy and I are best friends. It’s very interesting, because she does not speak English very well, and I don’t speak Spanish very much. But don’t worry. We’ve both decided to be each others teacher, so we’ll be fine.”

Ah, from the mouths of babes. . . This TEACHER of 9 years of age has a voice, is still learning, clearly has a cause, is happy to show off her stuff, and is obviously having fun.

The impact of Web 2.0 on education is being felt from classrooms, to board rooms, to living rooms – but perhaps one of the most interesting (and promising) change has to do with learning content. The power of on-line community in education is driving changes in how learning content is . . .

•Developed and published commercially
•Created by expert teachers
•Distributed and sold
•Found and promoted

Perhaps one of the most interesting questions is –

Can teacher-developed content co-exist successfully with commercially available learning materials? In a connected world, I think the answer is a resounding YES, and here’s why:

1. ‘Chunks’ are better than ‘Hunks’ for many kids. That is, many students benefit from smaller units of learning (‘chunks’), versus traditionally available large systems or textbooks, which today’s IM-focused kids ignore. So teacher-made content –which is generally made in smaller pieces, can be a valuable part of what students consume.
2. Standards Based Curriculum is boring. Sorry to speak so bluntly, but the current focus on just standards and assessment is turning off kids by the droves. Great teachers are stepping up to fill in the gaps. Many are offering their own engaging experiences for kids — lesson plans that rely on blogging, cell phones, engaged discussion. This can be a great supplement to commercial material – which may still be required, but is just not sufficient anymore.
3. It’s not all about the classroom. Duh. Learning actually DOES occur everywhere, something the best teachers understand well. And learning even occurs outside traditional academic areas. So teacher-developed content to support learning in yoga, music, fitness, etc is becoming just as critical to our well-being as content for reading and math. It’s a big world, and the human experience is equally large.
4. The ‘Long Tail’ also wags for education. The current rage of ‘selling less to more’ can mean financial success and broad exposure for those teachers who create learning content. And it can even mean broader success for innovative commercial providers, as they begin to see teacher recommendations drive sales of their products to geographies not covered by traditional distribution channels.

My story for this blog —-
I attended the NCCE (Northwest Council for Computers in Education) meeting in Seattle last week. Kudos to Heidi Rogers, et al, for an outstanding and fun event. One of the keynote speakers was Marc Prensky, who was, as always, engaging and enjoyable.* After his speech, he dropped by the WeAreTeachers table to chat. He asked for my elevator pitch, and when I gave it, he responded with “But Sandy, everything teachers do online should be free!” When he walked away, I thought, geez — Didn’t I just see him signing selling his book, “Don’t Bother me Mom, I’m Learning,” over there to these teachers? And I’m pretty sure he got paid for that keynote. So wonder if he is saying that his IP (Intellectual Property) is worth more than theirs? While I know Marc did not mean to be arrogant (he is, after all, a former teacher himself) — it is curious to me that there is a prevailing attitude that ‘everything on the internet should be free, unless it comes from me.’

Counter that experience with one I had with Alan King , a new teacher friend I met in Seattle, and a new WAT (WeAreTeachers) member. He is considering retirement soon, and had this to say. “Sandy, WeAreTeachers could literally change my life plans. Even after retirement, I still have lots to share, but will need an income. This could be my answer!”

Rock on, Alan. Live that dream.

*Marc did a really interesting (and risky!) activity with this audience of over 2000 folks. He posted on the screen a question, then had an ‘open phone test.’ Everyone had 5 minutes to answer the question using only their cell phone (no computers). His point was that we can all learn something when we work together, and whatever technology is generally available should be considered for use in teaching — even cell phones. Left an impression.