Guest post by Thomas Kachadurian

Two weeks ago, I introduced you to iCARE, and last week, I shared how this initiative has helped to unite our school community. In this final post, I will explore how iCARE has changed the way we work with our most difficult students.

In 2014, I inherited a unique sophomore class. Within the class there was a particular group of sophomores who were regarded as a notable challenge and needed a lot of TLC. As I got to know them, I realized that only a few of them were truly challenging and the rest were just looking to carve new titles for themselves among their peers. I hadn’t realized it yet, but iCARE was to become a saving factor for many of them and their sophomore academic and social careers.

One of the most important lessons I have learned through our iCARE program is this: Connect with the disenfranchised and the marginalized as much as you connect with the highly motivated, high-end achievers; find a place to bring them together and build relationships toward common goals.

I took this idea and devised a different approach for how to work with the behavioral struggles of this sophomore class. Instead of assigning the typical punishments—lunch detentions, after-school detentions, Saturday detentions, and internal suspensions—I decided to insert the students with the most chronic behavioral issues into iCARE-related work.

With the support of these students’ parents, I assigned them to attend Wednesday iCARE meetings, signed them up for volunteering opportunities, created internships for them to work with special needs students, and got them involved with Best Buddies or Unified Sports, all in the hope of influencing them in a new direction entirely.

Instead of enduring some form of detention-style punishment, they worked hard at making a difference through their strengths. It quickly became a source of pride for them. They belonged, they were appreciated, they were respected in this new forum, and they were making a visible and tangible difference. And most important, they very rarely got in trouble in classes or with peer-related issues. The year began with a high number of conflicts and physical altercations, but by midyear, we saw a dramatic decrease.

We realized that creating experiences where students can learn the feelings associated with accomplishment, pride, integrity, creation, and compassion was key to iCARE’s success. The students in this class discovered their own strengths, and from those strengths came achievement, and from that achievement came a genuine feeling of self-worth. They felt true pride in accomplishing something that contributed to the success of the program and school.

Suddenly, countless individuals were positively engaged and positively reinforced. Kids felt good about themselves and that affected how they approached their academics, relationships with adults, and relationships with peers. It’s almost like they became equipped with a new form of problem-solving to address the same old issues with which they typically struggled. What changed is their perspective and subsequently the way in which they handled these situations.

How have you reached your most challenging students? Could an approach like iCARE help them find meaning in school again?

Thomas Kachadurian is an associate principal at Colonie Central High School in Albany, NY. He was the 2017 New York Assistant Principal of the Year.

Guest post by Jamie Richardson 

Creating authentic learning for students is challenging. No longer do students simply complete a project, get a grade, and move on to the next assignment. Their learning is long-term and connected to the next experience. Our work at LaCreole Middle School in Dallas, OR, revolves around project-based, problem-based learning. We strive to put our kids into real-world situations, similar to the conditions that many working adults encounter every day. When done right, these types of learning opportunities help students develop collaborative abilities and critical thinking skills along with a host of other skills and knowledge.

Teacher Learning = Student Learning

Our LaCreole teachers have set a goal to research and implement strategies to make project-based learning meaningful and our students’ efforts and thinking more visible. Our culture is shifting from end-of-the unit, cookie-cutter products to more sustained, meaningful participation in solving some kind of problem. The use of our PLC time to collaborate and share ideas, successes, and challenges has boosted our success in this endeavor. Though not all projects we design hit the mark, what our kids and our teachers learn from the processes they go through make the risk worth it. We are constantly designing, redesigning, and learning from our experiences.

Beyond Show and Tell

One of the key components we have embraced is the exhibition of learning, or finding ways for students to present their learning to those beyond our classroom walls. Our kids now get excited and take pride in the work they do and display it for all to see. They are able to practice and highlight creative and collaborative skills in newways. For instance, our students often present their work to a panel of adults who ask follow-up questions regarding process and difficulties. In addition, we host regular open houses and exhibition nights that showcase student work to the larger community and connect our guests with the school. These events, like our STEAM Night, elevate student motivation and project quality because of the authentic audience. Another benefit is that students develop an appreciation for the work of others as they view their classmates’ projects.

Student exhibition of learning is now just something we do, and students are using language around school that reflects this. In presenting their work in any venue, we ask our students to be prepared to answer questions about their learning. Often our kids have many more answers than we even have questions, but these questions have been a practical starting point for us:

• What about your project was important to you as the learner?
• What was your process?
• Where did you experience the most struggle either as a group or individually? How did you work through this challenge?
• What would you change about your project and why?

Reflective Learning

Providing opportunities for students to share their learning process is rewarding and helps to focus on collaboration and problem-solving outcomes. Perhaps one of the more important elements—and one that gets overlooked often for the sake of time—is reflection. To encourage this reflection, our students are creating digital portfolios to post and share their projects with a broader audience, as well as reflect more deeply on their learning process. Video discussion tools, like Flipgrid or Recap, allow for quick and easy access to student reflection. The Seesaw platform lets our staff develop learning and reflection portfolios that can readily be shared with peers and families.

By creating visibility, innovative experiences, and opportunity for student voice, we can flip traditional learning on its head and work with our kids in more meaningful ways. This shift toward more authentic learning is something we can all believe in as parents and educators, and it should give us motivation to take more risks and lead our schools to embrace innovation.

What are your experiences with visible learning? How can school leaders establish a culture of authenticity where students share their work in meaningful ways?

Jamie Richardson is the principal of LaCreole Middle School in Dallas, OR. He was a 2017 Digital Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @JamieR42.

Guest post by Kasey Teske

In secondary schools, the greatest untapped resource is our students. Most of our students care deeply about school and have numerous ideas about how to improve their campus community. But how often do we, as principals, involve students in our school improvement efforts? Do the students in our school even know our improvement priorities? Are they allowed to give input and help create our school improvement plans? I submit that the more principals give students a voice in their school, the more improvement will move in the right direction.

At Canyon Ridge High School in Idaho, we have implemented a student-driven school improvement process. What we have learned is that by engaging students in continuous improvement, we have fostered a greater commitment to the process. Simply put, student input produces more output.

Here are some of the lessons we have learned throughout this process:

Organize a passionate, committed team of staff members and students. When we started this process, our first step was to assemble a great team. Our goal was to have a group that represented the diversity of our staff and student body to ensure varied perspectives and voices. For the staff team, we sought out staff members from multiple disciplines who had an interest in working with students on school culture and improvement. For the students, we held an open application process that included an interview. We asked candidates questions in order to assess their leadership qualities and desire to improve the school. In the end, we selected six teachers and six students from different disciplines and subpopulations. Each member had a deep passion for the school and was committed to making it better. We held at least one monthly meeting for the entire school year.

Conduct a comprehensive student voice survey. Our first task was to conduct a student voice survey. We wanted to know what all of our students thought about the climate and culture of the school and use this data to identify several high-leverage improvement priorities. When getting feedback from the entire student body, it is important to select the right survey for your school’s needs. Whichever one you choose, be certain that the survey instrument is valid and reliable so that it accurately measures what you want. The most effective option is to select a survey based on some type of proven school improvement model, like this one from YouthTruth, which allows customization and provides a quick turnaround of results with online reporting and data analysis features. Many of these types of surveys cost money to use, so you need to have funds available to purchase them. Another option is to design the survey yourself, but developing a survey is time-consuming. If you decide to go with this option, have the staff and student leadership team complete the survey themselves, before distributing it to the general population, to ensure that it clearly asks and measures what is intended.

Collaboratively identify possible improvement priorities. Once we received the results of the student survey, our team reviewed the data and worked together to identify potential school improvement priorities. Though the staff was there to help, we let the students on the team select six to eight possibilities to share with the rest of the student body. Our motto was: “The adults are to guide; the students are to decide.” Next, our student leaders presented the ideas to the rest of the students during our advisory period and led discussions to get their feedback. Students provided additional insights and input and brainstormed possible solutions. Each advisory class had a student scribe who recorded the feedback and submitted it to the student and staff leadership team for further analysis.

Give students ownership of some of the improvement priorities. After we clearly identified our priorities, we allowed our student leadership team members to select and own no more than three improvement priorities each. For each of the priorities, we formed an “action team” and had students and staff choose what they wanted to work on according to their passion. With adult guidance, students directed these actions teams to create and implement plans to improve their selected priority. The actions teams met at least once a month to mark progress and adjust implementation plans as needed. What we learned is that giving students ownership increased motivation and engagement, and ultimately led to greater advancements in school improvement. Students became invested in the process and wanted to see their plans come to fruition.

If you are looking to shape school culture for the better, consider a student-driven process of school-improvement planning. Not only will you be pleased with the improvements in school culture, you will be impressed and motivated by your students’ ideas, energy, and commitment. What are your experiences with using student voice for school improvement?

Kasey L. Teske, PhD, is the principal of Canyon Ridge High School in Twin Falls, ID, and also serves on the NASSP Board of Directors. He was the 2017 Idaho Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @principalteske.

Guest post by Stephen Spahn

As chancellor of Dwight School for the last 50 years, I have had the distinct privilege of witnessing some of the more dramatic changes in education. As the world continues to be transformed at an unprecedented pace, we are living in a new age of educational enlightenment, challenging educators to assess, rethink, and innovate curricula as never before. I am excited by the possibilities and committed to future-proofing education at Dwight, a leading International Baccalaureate school in New York founded in 1872. My enthusiasm for what is to come is matched by my commitment to Dwight’s core “spark of genius” educational philosophy, which will continue to undergird all innovations we initiate.

I believe that every student—every human being—has a spark of genius. Every student has an interest, talent, or passion, something at which he or she excels or can excel. It is our job as educators to help find and cultivate that spark. If you believe in a student deeply, that student can then believe in himself or herself.

When I became a young headmaster in the late 1960s, I felt strongly that the purpose of education was to ignite and utilize a student’s spark of genius to create a personalized roadmap to a meaningful future for that child and to build a better world for all. Today, after seeing how successful this approach has been for generations of Dwight graduates, I believe even more passionately that when a nurturing teacher taps into and fosters what excites a student in one arena—the arts, technology, advocacy, science, sports, etc.—the door to other learning opens wide. Individualized attention that maximizes a strength translates into greater mastery, self-confidence, and sense of accomplishment, which carry over into other areas within and beyond the classroom.

This spark of genius philosophy permeates the culture of our family of schools in New York and around the world, and in the Dwight Global Online School. Like any school’s philosophy, it is only meaningful when embraced and lived every day. It requires the entire community—leadership, administrators, faculty, and parents—work together to see and support the whole child in the broadest light possible, not just in the home or school environment.

A spark may be identified, revealed, or awakened by students themselves or by teachers, coaches, or their peers. It may emerge instantaneously or evolve cumulatively with additional exposure and growth. Sometimes, a child may not be able to articulate it right away or that student’s trajectory may appear to be uncertain. Educators can help students sharpen their focus, skills, and talents, or unearth new ones, through a range of innovative teaching methods, extracurricular experiences, and mentorships.

Ultimately, nurturing a spark of genius begins with inspiration—the spirit behind the first of five H’s that I believe are essential to achieving success in school and in life:

• Heart: inspiration kindles the imagination and creativity
• Head: think deeply and apply learning
• Hard work: single-minded efforts can overcome obstacles; there is no substitute for hard work
• Honesty: integrity, like a shadow, follows you wherever you go
• Heroic spirit: never give up; perseverance and grit are built through trial and error

As educators, we must match inspiration with opportunities for students to:

• Develop, test, and present their own ideas through programs such as Spark Tank (Dwight’s incubator designed to teach entrepreneurial, innovation, and leadership skills)
• Collaborate with others to solve problems
• Learn from their peers
• Assume student leadership positions within the community
• Test their skills and themselves through competitions and challenges that reinforce excellence and offer external validation
• Provide real-world experiences through co-op educational-career programs and internships

I also believe deeply in supporting the unique sparks of genius of faculty; only an inspired teacher can inspire students. Teachers who are passionate about their subject area—and pursue their own interests outside school as working artists or writers, for example—bring their enthusiasm and real-world experience into the classroom to benefit their students.

As students mature, graduate, and move on to higher education and careers, their passions may change, evolve, or translate into lifelong meaningful purpose. No matter the direction, when a spark is ignited and a student’s strengths are maximized, that individual can become a happy, confident, and successful contributor to society.

How can you help the students in your school, and your teachers, find their sparks of genius? What educational philosophy does your school embrace?

Stephen Spahn, chancellor of Dwight School, is the longest-serving head of an independent school in the U.S. He was the recipient of the 2011 Louis Hine Award for Distinguished Service to Children and Youth and the 2013 Blackboard Award for Schools—honoring excellence in education—with a Special Citation for Community and Citizenship. He has served on the board of the International Baccalaureate Organization and is a founding member of the Guild of IB Schools of the Northeast.

Guest post by Jack Baldermann

At Westmont High School (WHS)—a Title 1 school just outside Chicago, IL—our team has sustained tremendous growth and significant gains in student achievement. WHS continues to rank in the top 1 percent in Illinois and in the nation for its graduation rate. Over the past five years, 98.5 percent of our students have graduated on time, up from a 10-year average of 90 percent. For five years straight, 100 percent of Latino and African-American students at WHS have completed all graduation requirements on time. In addition, WHS can also claim one of the most improved and top performing AP programs in Illinois and in the nation.

What has caused our substantial growth and gains in student achievement? One of the reasons is that our staff has worked diligently to implement professional learning community (PLC) concepts to drive our improvement. Though many schools utilize PLCs, our teams do a few things differently that have achieved results. Here are a few of the distinguishing factors that separate teams that meet results from teams that exceed them:

Define a collaborative vision for the school.

The most crucial first step in gaining this success was to discuss our vision for our school openly and honestly. We agreed that we would focus on where we could make a difference, take action, and work as a cohesive team. We also made a commitment to not waste our time blaming others, making excuses, or giving attention to things that were beyond our control.

Over several months, during staff meetings, our staff collaboratively developed this vision: We maximize potential and success for every student, focus on what we can control, and develop young people who are compassionate, thoughtful, and make a positive difference in the world. This vision guides all of our work throughout the school, and we utilize it constantly to reflect on our progress and improve our practices.

Let goals drive your daily work.

With a commitment to our vision, our faculty collaboratively built and passionately agreed to three S.M.A.R.T. goals that drive our work on a daily basis. Having goals gives us direction and a sense of accomplishment. It is important to keep the goals consistent and limited in order to keep us focused on priorities. For the past five years, our three schoolwide S.M.A.R.T. goals have been:

1. 95 percent or higher of our students will graduate on time each year.
2. Our AP program will be among the top 1 percent for improvement in Illinois and the nation with annual 10-percent increases in the number of students taking exams, passing exams, earning the AP Scholar distinction, and the number of exams passed by underrepresented students.
3. Our student performance on state math and reading assessments will show continuous improvement with every student demonstrating grade-level, or more, growth, and an SAT-proficiency increase of 4 percent or more in ELA and 5 percent or more in math.

These goals help our teachers make decisions when designing curriculum and lessons, selecting instructional strategies, creating assessments, and more. Limiting our goals also allows us to monitor our progress more closely.

Use data: the fresher, the better.

Another important component of our PLC teams is what we call “fresh data.” Our teams must gather and collaboratively analyze data that is fresh—student performance information that is current and can be acted upon directly after the team meeting—to increase learning that is still occurring. Some examples of fresh data include exit slips, writing samples, or a project using a collaboratively built rubric. Fresh data allow for more productive meetings that don’t turn into conjecture and speculation.

When we first implemented the use of fresh data, it took some time for teams to adjust to this approach. What we did was to limit each meeting to a review of one learning target and one assessment at a time. This approach helped us to build small wins and kept the team from feeling overwhelmed. Now, we are so comfortable with collecting and reviewing fresh data that we can look at multiple targets and assessments in our meetings.

Celebrate success and learn from mistakes.

The last key PLC ingredient is having our team answer this question: How do we know this meeting improved student learning? Whether it’s the implementation of an instructional strategy or a new lesson, our team consistently follows through to see if these efforts made a difference. Following through lets us celebrate our success when we recognize student-learning increases, which motivates us to continue our hard work. If meetings or interventions fail to reach the desired results, we learn from the experience and use the information to try something new, just like we tell our students to do.

We are proud of our achievements at Westmost High School and our tenacious commitment to continuous improvement. Incorporating PLC concepts has helped our staff become a cohesive team that sees the best in one another and nobly works together to develop young students to maximize their potential. For more information about our approach and our school, please contact me at jackbaldermann@gmail.com.

What other factors make for strong professional learning communities that achieve results?

Jack Baldermann is the principal of Westmont High School in Illinois. He was a finalist for the 2018 NASSP National Principal of the Year and he was the 2017 Illinois High School Principal of the Year.

Guest post by Amber Schroering

After the recent Parkland shooting in Florida, I found myself sitting in church and couldn’t bring myself to sing. I just stood there, almost feeling numb, wondering how I could make a difference. I began to feel the same feelings creep in as I read and saw the extent to which our country is still divided over race and gender inequality. My hopelessness continued when a seventh-grade student came into my office because her dad had been arrested the night before after his inebriated girlfriend called the police and claimed domestic violence. The student said her father was punched in the nose, handcuffed, and arrested. And my feelings of despair hit rock bottom when Deputy Jake Pickett was shot and killed in the line of duty. His wife teaches at one of our elementary schools and he was a 2002 graduate of Brownsburg High School. 

The school shootings are real; race and gender discrimination are real; domestic violence is real; police officers being shot and killed trying to protect us is real. There has been so much happening in our world, our country, and even here in my small community. And so much of this is real to our students. It is hard to understand, hard to know, what action to take to work toward solutions—and harder yet to figure out how to bring well-meaning people together to work toward a common good. What action can we educational leaders take to make a difference?

Though social media and blog posts can bring our attention to a lot of these issues, they may not be the best place to dig into complexities and find practical solutions that we can implement in our schools and communities. Sometimes it feels like the internet—social media, especially—divides us more than it brings us together. When we read something with which we disagree, if we comment at all, it rarely does anything to move us toward solutions. It seems more often that these comments just hurt feelings, embolden folks to feel more strongly about their original position (instead of changing or adapting), and sometimes drive distance between caring and passionate people who ultimately all want the same outcome—the best for our world, our country, our communities, and our children. At any rate, social media certainly doesn’t seem like a forum for positive, solutions-oriented, rigorous dialogue. So what is that forum?

To start, we can engage in authentic and rigorous dialogue. Maybe there is a way this can occur digitally; I’m open to ideas here. I know, though, it can occur in person. I am proud of the work our NPC18 Planning Committee has done and continues to do to make this year’s National Principals Conference in Chicago the best one yet. I’m excited to learn from our nation’s finest educational leaders. I’m honored and humbled to be able to share with a wider audience what I have learned about how we can begin to decriminalize misbehavior and end the pipeline to prison. But most of all I am hopeful that during these three days together in July, we can figure out some actionable ways to move our country, our communities, and our schools forward in the very best interest of the young people we serve. Together we can make a difference.

Join me and thousands of other school leaders in Chicago for the National Principals Conference on July 11–13, and let’s talk about and find solutions to these issues. Along the way, we will celebrate the amazing administrators and be inspired by the good they are doing in their schools and communities. For more information about NPC18, please visit www.principalsconference.org.

Amber Schroering is an assistant principal at Brownsburg East Middle School and was the 2016 Indiana Assistant Principal of the Year. She presents regularly at state conferences and hosts site visits to share processes and strategies that she has found successful in guiding young people toward the best versions of themselves. Follow her on Twitter @AmberSchroering.

Guest post by Nick Nelson

During the 2015–16 school year, The Dalles High School in Oregon was awarded a state grant for AVID training. We didn’t know much about AVID at the time, just that it was a philosophy centered on writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading, and that its goal was to close the achievement gap.

The grant allowed a team of five teaching staff, me, and one additional administrator to attend the initial summer AVID-training session. After that session, our team began to grasp more concretely the significance of what we were involved in and the potential impact AVID could have on our instructional practice with targeted students and schoolwide. What we didn’t know was how instrumental AVID would be in creating a powerful cultural transformation for our high school.

What Is AVID?

AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. The mission of the AVID organization is “to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.” AVID helps schools create engaging, rigorous, and student-centered learning environments by training teachers to develop critical thinking, literacy, and math skills in students through research-based strategies and curriculum.

The purpose of AVID is to:

• Teach skills and behaviors for academic success
• Provide intensive support with tutorials and strong student/teacher relationships
• Create a positive peer group for students
• Develop a sense of hope for personal achievement gained through hard work and determination

Implementing AVID

Once we became trained, we launched the AVID system in the 2016–17 school year. Multiple teachers who attended Summer Institute Training integrated AVID strategies into their classrooms, including the Cornell note-taking system and organizational binders. In addition, we created one AVID elective class for 10th graders that utilized the AVID strategies to develop the skills necessary for the students’ success in high school. In the 2017–18 school year, we added another AVID elective class, expanding our elective coverage to grades 10 and 11. We continued to expand our schoolwide effort through regular staff development sessions that covered how to implement AVID strategies across multiple subject areas.

For the 2018–19 school year, we are adding two additional AVID electives to provide an AVID elective at each grade level plus expand AVID to our middle school eighth graders. Another goal is to implement AVID’s College Readiness System schoolwide, which means teachers will be using AVID strategies in all content areas. To support our teachers in this goal, our AVID Site Team will continue to provide regular AVID professional development activities for teachers. Also, 25 high school and middle level staff members will attend the AVID Summer Institute in July.

Positive Growth

Now in its second year at our school, the AVID system shows promise and positive results. Key academic, behavioral, and attendance indicators continue to substantiate our efforts on this pathway. We have 35 students enrolled in the two AVID elective classes who plan to continue with AVID electives for their 11th- and 12th-grade years. Our goal for the 2018–19 school year is to have more than 100 kids, grades 8–12, participating in the AVID elective. In addition, AVID has been very well received by parents and staff who appreciate the additional support. We are encouraged by our progress thus far and are looking forward to seeing how AVID continues to transform our school.

Could a program like AVID help your school’s students develop the academic skills and the mindset needed for school success? For additional information, check out the national AVID website at www.avid.org.

Nick Nelson is the principal of The Dalles High School in Oregon. He was the 2017 Oregon High School Principal of the Year.

Guest post by Laurie Wade

When I first proposed introducing a therapy dog to my district in 2011, I was met with a lot of raised eyebrows and skepticism. There was the expected chorus of objections: What about kids who are afraid of dogs or don’t like them? What about allergies? What if the dog hurts someone? Like most problems, all of these had solutions, and once that reassurance took hold the possibilities came forward. Research has shown that therapy dogs in schools bring a host of physical and mental benefits for the community.

Interacting with therapy dogs has been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce physical pain through the release of endorphins, resulting in an overall calming effect. Therapy dogs can also lessen depression, decrease feelings of isolation by encouraging communication and socialization, and provide comfort, especially in tense situations.

Bringing our therapy dog, Gem, into the Derry Township School District in Hershey, PA, brought with it an unanticipated, but perhaps even more significant side benefit for me as a secondary assistant principal. Like most assistant principals, a significant part of my responsibility revolves around discipline, which often involves tense, stressful interactions with various stakeholders, including parents, students, and staff members. I often felt like there was an invisible barrier between me and the students here, many of whom saw me only as the person they went to when they got in trouble. Despite my efforts to make connections in other ways, my interactions with students were often strained. Now, Gem’s presence diffuses that tension almost immediately, because let’s face it, it is hard to stay angry or scared when a 60-pound lab is wagging her tail and begging you to scratch her ears. Suddenly, a visit to my office became a lot less stressful than it used to be.

By breaking down that barrier, Gem has opened my door in literal and figurative ways. Since Gem’s arrival, students seek out visits to my office, allowing me to get to know them in a way I couldn’t have before. I have been able to learn more about their thoughts and concerns about what it is like to be a student in our district. Even more importantly, it has given students a forum to share their ideas about what school should be. Listening and responding to kids is a vital first step in determining the best ways to meet their needs, and Gem’s ability to encourage open communication has been invaluable in that process.

Over the past seven years, Gem has helped troubled students find focus and purpose, as they take responsibility for walking her during the school day. She has served as a mascot for clubs, appearing on the morning announcements to encourage students to participate. She visits students in our multiple disabilities classrooms, helping those students make connections. Her “Furry Fridays” at our elementary school spread smiles among staff and students alike. She attends sporting events with happy barks of encouragement to the students she recognizes on the playing field. In short, Gem has not just become a part of our community, she has helped to build it.

To learn more about my experience with Gem, feel free to contact me via Twitter (find my handle below) for details and assistance. If you are interested in getting a therapy dog for your school, visit NEADS World Class Service Dogs, the organization that has trained more than 1,700 service dogs since 1976, including Gem.

Laurie Wade is an assistant principal at Hershey High School in Hershey, PA. She was the 2017 Pennsylvania Assistant Principal of the Year. Follow her on Twitter @LEWhershey.

Guest post by Jethro Jones

I had someone ask me the other day, “What does effective teaching look like to you? What do you look for when you walk into a classroom?” I thought this was a really interesting question that I have not had to answer in awhile, but I think it is important to share how my thoughts about this have changed over time.

A few years ago, I thought explicit instruction, à la Anita Archer, was the best way to do it. I quickly learned that putting all teachers and students in that same box makes it really easy to standardize everything, so everyone is getting the exact same thing in the same way. However, this method took away many of the special attributes that students loved about different teachers and held some classrooms back from meaningful engagement and authentic learning.

Then, as I learned more about Robert Marzano’s and Charlotte Danielson’s approaches, I thought those were better. Both of those approaches allow for more flexibility in how teachers teach, but even Marzano’s and Danielson’s ideas have some limitations; the description for “Distinguished,” or “Innovating,” is not all-emcompassing—nor was it ever intended to be, I believe. A good administrator can find ways to help most any teacher grow, but the tools in these two approaches put more focus on the negative aspects, rather than helping teachers get even better in areas where they are already exceptional. As a side note, one thing that Marzano states clearly is that innovating is really about creating new strategies for what a teacher is seeing in her class, rather than clearly defining what innovating means, which leaves a lot of room for discussion (in a good way).

After observing teachers for many years and coaching them, I now realize that good teaching looks different for each teacher. There are some teachers who are superb lecturers who can engage students for entire class periods with their lectures; there are teachers who are outstanding at small-group station rotation and find ways to facilitate learning for all students in small-group settings; and I’ve even seen other teachers who are masters at leading students in whole-group discussions by asking questions that promote critical thinking.

Whatever a teacher’s style, she has to work to be the best she possibly can be. In other words, teachers should teach in their areas of strength and be really strong in those areas. Our role as school leaders is to support our teachers in ways that encourage them to hone their craft.

Trying to get teachers to change how they teach is a futile effort. They have to want to improve themselves. It is far easier to help teachers get better in an area where they are already successful than to try to get them to conform to a standard that doesn’t take their personality into account.

Take for example Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. Carlin is a master at lecturing. Each of his podcasts is a four-hour lecture that is totally engaging; it is awesome to listen to him speak. I wouldn’t want him to change his approach. However, for me, lecturing is not a strength, which is why I don’t often do a single-speaker podcast. My podcast contains interviews, because I’m good at asking questions.

Every teacher has a personal style of teaching unique to them, and we should be celebrating their talents rather than trying to force their abilities into our preferred way of practice. Instead of focusing on changing our teachers, let’s put our energy into helping them hone their craft in order to make their practice even more effective.

How can school leaders help teachers play to their strengths and improve their practice?

Jethro Jones is the principal at Tanana Middle School in Fairbanks, AK. He is the host of Transformative Principal, a podcast featuring interviews with principals, leaders, and influencers who help improve K–12 education throughout the world. He was a 2017 Digital Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @jethrojones.

Guest post by Brandon Mowinkel

The role of a principal is complex, tiring, and stressful, to say the least. Balancing the needs of your staff, students, school, and community can wear on you, especially as the school year winds down. Tensions seem to run high as patience wanes.

It is vital for principals to keep the focus where it needs to be—on the students. The demands of the job can pull us in various directions and our need to keep students at the forefront of what we do becomes muddled in the minutia of school life. Every principal must find a way to remember his “why” and continuously keep the focus on students and their learning. In my practice, I use three constant reminders to keep me focused on what matters most.

Postcards

This past year, the assistant principal and I had postcards printed with our school motto, “Everyone has a story…make yours worth telling.” We made one for each student in our building and made it a goal to write two cards a day to send home. Students received cards for athletic achievements, classroom success, acts of kindness, wishing students good luck, or just letting them know we care. Through this daily exercise we were not only able to celebrate the successes of our students, but also remind students that we are here for them.

Feel Good File

Tucked away in one of my many drawers are a variety of artifacts that I cherish. I call it my Feel Good File and I drop random items from students into the folder throughout the school year. Certificates, graduation programs, pictures, cards, and drawings fill the file with fond memories. I also have notes, emails, and funeral bulletins among the many artifacts. You may ask: Why include these items in a folder that is meant to celebrate the “feel good” times?

School leadership is never just about the good times; it’s also about the times we live and learn. Every item in the folder has a story to tell and a lesson learned from it, and unfortunately not every story has a happy ending. However, it’s through these stories that I can reflect on the achievements of our students and the lessons I have learned from them. I enjoy pulling out the file a couple times a year and seeing a selfie with a student from 2008, a note a student wrote to me while sitting in detention, or my sub plans from a day when a spark started a (small) fire in the industrial tech shop where I taught. These stories come flooding back and make me smile, laugh, and even cry.

Picture Wall

A picture is worth a thousand words, or better yet, a thousand stories. When I became principal in the fall of 2012, I wanted to come up with something unique to hang on the walls of my office. Various ideas came to mind, but what I decided to do was focus on student stories. However, I didn’t just want pictures of our achievements, I wanted images that evoked stories and memories of the displayed students.

Whether it is the actor who performed on Broadway, a wrestler who overcame a blown ACL to make it to the state championship finals, or the MHS Sportsmanship Committee whose members became culture makers and changers, each picture has a distinct story for those students involved. Other images I chose show stories of students overcoming obstacles to reach their given goals and dreams. But the picture of which I am most proud is of me smiling with our seniors at graduation.

As an educator, there is no greater feeling than seeing students walk across the stage to receive their diploma. And while it is a foregone conclusion for many, others overcome many obstacles and hardships to get to graduation day. This picture represents that struggle and what happens when a school comes together to do what is best for a student. Most importantly, it is a reminder to never give up on a student even when that student may want to give up. I often sit at my desk and stare at these pictures recounting the thousands of stories they conjure up.

As a school administrator, how do you keep the focus on students? In what ways do you celebrate the stories your students have? What can you do to learn these stories and how can you embrace the lessons they teach us? Remember, “Everyone has a story…make yours worth telling.”

Brandon Mowinkel is the principal at Milford Jr./Sr. High School in Milford, NE, where he has spent his entire career, previously serving as the industrial technology teacher and as an assistant principal. He is actively involved in the Nebraska Association of Secondary School Principals and is the current president of the organization. Follow him on Twitter @bmowinkel.

Guest post by Patrick Arguelles

Doing more with less

Virtually every school district in the nation is dealing with budget reductions. For most school leaders, there is little unjustified spending to cut, no easy targets, no low-hanging fruit. At the Early College Academy and Career Enrichment Center in Albuquerque, NM, we have examined our vision and mission and aligned budget expenditures to them. Challenged with sustaining the core function of our school—college and career readiness—yet also making budget reductions that could affect the educational experience necessary for student success, we stepped outside the box to scrutinize our options. Initial conversations were filled with lots of “less”—less materials and supplies, less technology, less PD, less electives, even less pay. What could we have more of that would not cost us any money?

It takes a village

George Soros wrote that “it is much easier to put existing resources to better use than to develop resources where they do not exist.” So, what resource did we already have that we needed to put to better use? Parents. Research shows that family involvement can improve students’ behavior, attendance, and achievement. And according to the National PTA, “The most accurate predictors of student achievement in school are not family income or social status, but the extent to which the family creates a home environment that encourages high yet reasonable expectations for the child’s achievement and becomes involved in the child’s education at school.” Research also indicates that students from broken homes have equal or greater success on test scores than peers when screened for parental involvement.

We knew our school’s high achievement—measured by standardized test scores, dual credit hours completed, certifications earned—was directly tied to relationships we had cultivated with parents. Our experience working with students and their families has shown us the importance of parental involvement. Though a number of factors contribute to our data, our push to involve parents and families has led to better attendance, decreased dropouts, better grades, and higher ACT and SAT scores. Students whose parents are involved have a more positive attitude toward academics and homework. And the most significant revelation from school data over the last five years is that 100 percent of our African-American, Hispanic, and Native-American students have graduated on time. In fact, parental involvement supersedes any demographic factors identified in the data.

Parent partnerships are not hard work but heart work

Though teenagers may say something different, they absolutely want to interact with their parents. Moreover, all parents, regardless of their economic status or ethnicity, want to be involved in their student’s academic lives, but many just don’t know how.

To help parents become partners in their child’s education, we spend time (rather than money) to educate them on how to provide the right support. We require that all parents and guardians of ninth-grade or new-to-school students attend a meeting with a team of administrators and teachers—a student cannot start school until we meet. Gathering all parents together in one room sends a message that student academic success is our number one focus and they bear a responsibility to make it a priority as well.

We discuss expectations for both students and parents and make it clear in every step of the process, from initial application to the start of school, that the positive collaboration between student, parent, and school is vital to academic success. We show parents how to navigate the complexities of high school and what they can do to help their child. One of the resources that we give parents is the “Collaborating for Success” Parent Engagement Toolkit.

Keep calm and get involved

Our most effective strategies for welcoming family involvement include:

• Contacting families on a regular basis via phone, text, e-mail, Twitter or other social media, and posting information online
• Providing workshops or holding meetings for parents devoted to specific aspects of high school life
• Teaching parents how to monitor student academic progress daily
• Engaging them in the process of college and career readiness

Parents and families are asked to talk regularly with their student; work with their student to set goals and develop college and career next-step plans each year; and monitor student progress daily.

In a nutshell

The hardest part of the process is coordinating the initial meeting. Everything falls in place after that and we spend less time on discipline issues and other typical concerns. We work hard to understand the community we serve and it pays off. We also keep track of research-based, data-driven strategies that work and share them with all stakeholders.

And the best part of all: The process requires little financial outlay and the return on investment is huge!

So, help a poor man out: What have you done to promote family engagement in your school that was an effective use of limited resources? How does a district superintendent leverage increased parental involvement against the many other demands being placed on site leaders?

Patrick Arguelles, the 2017 New Mexico Principal of the Year, is in his fifth year as principal of the Early College Academy and Career Enrichment Center in Albuquerque, NM, and his 16th year in education. An additional 18 years of management in the private sector has given him invaluable experience and the skill set necessary to partner with all stakeholders—students, teachers, parents, and the community—to prepare students for college and career, and to provide all students with an enriching and challenging education.

Guest post by Cameron Soester

Principals and assistant principals have a host of responsibilities. We deal with school safety, the learning environment, staffing needs, student discipline, and even lunch duty. In the midst of everything, there is one vital piece that I believe is often overlooked: recruiting the next wave of school leadership. We have a responsibility that extends beyond our own buildings, and that responsibility is to make sure that our entire educational system has strong leaders in the pipeline. How do we make this happen? We need to turn our attention to recruiting and developing individuals to take on leadership roles so that our work to improve schools and student learning continues long after we leave our positions.

Why the leadership pipeline matters

I enjoyed reading the document from NASSP and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) called “Leadership Matters” that shares the important research conducted by The Wallace Foundation and other groups about the importance of our jobs and how our leadership affects student achievement. Reflecting on the behaviors and priorities of effective leaders that the article discusses, it was clear to me that every principal should be making talent development a top priority. Each of us could identify at least one or two individuals that we feel would make great administrators, and we must encourage those teacher leaders to take that next step. Making sure we take this responsibility seriously is how we ensure the next round of principal leadership is successful.

Recruiting the next wave of Nebraska school leaders

In Nebraska, our state affiliate, the Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals (NSASSP), provides a strong platform for talent recruiting and leadership development. The statewide organization is divided into five regions. Each region has an executive board and is in charge of planning regional professional development opportunities for their members. I am a member of the Region 1 executive board, and a part of our planning process includes the recruitment of new school leaders. We have four meetings each year within our region, and the program consists of professional development, networking, and a meal. We encourage our membership to bring potential or aspiring administrators to our meetings. Last year, we also set aside one meeting as an emerging administrators meeting. During this gathering, we established a program that included local colleges and universities to talk about their educational leadership programs, advice from new principals, and also the wisdom from those who have established themselves in the principalship.

The Nebraska Council of School Administrators (NCSA) is the umbrella organization for the NSASSP and our elementary counterpart, the Nebraska Association of Elementary School Principals (also NAESP), and they host an emerging administrators workshop each spring. They send out a notice to the membership to encourage folks we believe would make great principals and assistant principals to this workshop. This program spans two Saturdays, and it includes informational sessions about school administration, resume reviews, mock interviews, and many more great opportunities to grow your leadership potential. This is just another way that we are taking charge of the recruitment of potential leaders in Nebraska.

Helping everyone find their best professional path 

The impact of our Region 1 efforts has been significant. We have not only made better principals and assistant principals out of those already serving—myself included—but we have brought new faces to our community of educational leaders. Some of those recruiting efforts have made potential leaders realize that they wanted to pursue a career in leadership in some fashion. At the same time, others understood that they belong in the classroom. The goal is still the same. We want the best people in our schools because our students deserve it. After all, great schools happen because of great leaders.

What are you doing to establish a pipeline of future administrators in your states? What are your goals for improving the building leadership within your school district? How can the NASSP and your state affiliates help support this effort?

Cameron Soester is the assistant principal of Milford Jr./Sr. High in Milford, NE. He was the 2016 Nebraska Assistant Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @csoester.

Guest post by Bill Ziegler

Without a doubt, the most pressing issue in schools today is safety. It seems like a week can’t go by without hearing about a school shooting or someone talking about school safety fears. The Washington Post recently reported a startling statistic that indicated more students have died in school shootings in 2018 than U.S. military members killed during deployment this year. Hardly a day goes by in school when I’m not thinking, “What would I do if shots went off here?” How can principals take action to protect our school community? Here are seven strategies to help keep your school safer. 

PRIORITIZE safety at all times. Our society ebbs and flows in regard to the focus on school safety. So naturally when the headlines subside, we tend to stop growing, stretching, and working to improve our school safety plan. However, school leaders must intentionally make safety the priority. Conducting monthly school safety drills, constantly assessing campus safety protocols, securing the school before, during, and after school, and tracking down every threat is critical to a continued focus on safety. I attended and became certified in ALICE training (alert, lockdown, inform, counter, evacuate) which is put on by our state police. This intense and informative training deepened my understanding of school safety and empowered me to work with our school and district team to hone our safety plans.

COMMUNICATE the importance of reporting suspicious behaviors or any concerns. This may require answering late-night calls from a concerned parent or responding to a weekend social media post, but being open and responsive goes a long way. To promote communication, start with educating the school community on what to do when they have a safety concern. At Pottsgrove High School, we share a video called “Pottsgrove Is a Family That Cares.” Another strategy is to speak with students in a small-group setting. Our physical education teachers walk all students to our rally points and I am on hand to answer students’ questions regarding school safety, which helps to reinforce the message that we are all responsible for the safety of our school.

ADVOCATE for safety in your school, district, and community. This may mean submitting requests to your district office for support, training, or resources. Or, it could be searching for grants to fund resources and programming for school safety. DonorsChoose.org is an excellent resource. Years ago, our school received a grant to begin a school resource officer (SRO) program to provide us with a police officer during school hours. NASRO (National Association of School Resource Officers) is another great resource to learn more about SROs. Advocating also requires school leaders to lobby with legislators to support laws that strengthen school safety. The NASSP Policy & Advocacy Center is an excellent resource to increase your voice on Capitol Hill and with your local representatives.

RELATE to students and give them a voice. Creating a school culture where every student feels connected to their peers, cared for by an adult in the school, and valued as an integral member of the community goes a long way in keeping your school safe. Cultivating this positive culture starts with listening to our students. One way to give students a voice is to conduct a survey to assess attitudes about climate and culture, which can alert school leaders to issues needing attention. Another way we try to relate is through a video that emphasizes the value of our students: “No Place for Hate at Pottsgrove High School.” One middle school principal I know does the Dot Project. In the staff room is a picture of each student. Staff members put a dot on pictures of students they know and for whom they can share details about their involvement, personality, and connections. The students with few or no dots will receive extra attention as staff intentionally focuses on connecting with them.

INNOVATE and leverage technology to our advantage. For instance, our district provides all school leaders immediate reports if students search, email, or use keywords on any school device that could be a safety issue. All school leaders in the district receive an immediate text message if 911 is called from any phone in the district. This allows us to respond quickly and en masse so we can support the issue at hand. Next year, our school is looking to use a cell phone reporting system to report any school safety concerns. And check out this video about a school in New York that uses technology to address bullying and other behavioral issues.

COLLABORATE and expand your school safety team. Though school safety is your number one responsibility as principal, it is not an obligation that you bear alone. There is strength in collaboration. Our district police chief organizes a monthly Intel Sharing Meeting to coordinate the partnership between school, police, juvenile probation, children youth services, and more. In addition, our assistant superintendent of schools, Dr. Robert Harney, organizes a quarterly School Safety Partnership meeting to bring together police, school board members, teachers, principals, community members, and anyone interested in improving safety. Not only have these meetings been instrumental in improving our safety programming and planning, they also have widened the reach of those involved in and responsible for school safety.

NAVIGATE the tumultuous waters of school safety. As violent attacks continue to evolve, school safety is only going to get more complicated. For example, during the Parkland tragedy, the shooter pulled the fire alarm to bring as many people into his range as possible. Since that incident, we have changed our fire drill procedures. We now notify the staff and students about the drill by announcing that this is only a drill and requiring our faculty to check hallways before entering. These constant changes in attacks on schools require leaders to attend professional learning, participate in training drills, work with law enforcement, and continue to search for ways to keep schools on the cutting edge of safety.

Dangerous times call for courageous leaders who are willing to take a stand for their students, staff, parents, and community. This work is not easy, but it is necessary. You are not alone in this mission. NASSP is here to equip, encourage, and empower you to lead safety in your schools.

What are your school safety best practices?

Bill Ziegler, EdD, is the principal of Pottsgrove High School in Pottstown, PA. He was a 2015 NASSP Digital Principal of the Year and the 2016 Pennsylvania Principal of the Year. Ziegler is the host of “Lead the Way: A Podcast for School Leaders”; each episode is five minutes or less and works to encourage, equip, and empower school leaders. He is also the co-author of Future Focused Leaders: Relate, Innovate, and Invigorate for Real Educational Change. Follow him on Twitter @drbillziegler.

Guest post by Brad Currie

Transforming the way in which we engage families in our classrooms, schools, and districts is paramount if educators are going to exhaust all options to promote the success of students. A multi-faceted approach must be implemented. Families live busy lives and have unique circumstances pertaining to their availability on a given day. Educators must never discount the opportunities that technology provides to a parent or guardian on an internet enabled device. Grades, learning experiences, event information, feedback, praise, constructive criticism, highlights, and a plethora of other insights can be transmitted to families from educators through a variety of technological methods. 

How can we best engage families in the 21st century? Very simply: Leverage the power of available technology and web applications as a way to connect in the virtual world. Now, more than ever, people look to their devices for real-time information. That’s why schools must take it upon themselves to activate stakeholder engagement with social media platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter. Moving the educational conversation forward and telling your school’s story can easily be done in today’s world with a few taps of the screen or clicks of the mouse.

How might this look in the school setting? Picture a sixth-grade class that is studying currents events from around the world. The building administrator pops in to find a tremendous conversation taking place among students. He quickly takes out his iPhone and captures a great visual of students taking ownership of their learning. The picture, with a brief description, is then posted on the school’s Facebook page. Then, a parent posts a comment on Facebook saying how appreciative she was to find out what was going on in class so she can engage in meaningful conversation with her child at the dinner table.

You see, a simple social media post can go a long way in activating family engagement in the school setting. Coupled with an existing amicable relationship, schools can now garner more support and strengthen a transparent school culture that is all about promoting the success of students. Utilizing mobile devices, web applications, and a host of other technologies is imperative in today’s society. In fact, school stakeholders expect it and would not have it any other way.

Various forms of technological hardware can also help keep families engaged with their child’s educational experiences. Take for example the Swivl, which provides users with a hands-free video-recording experience. This comes in handy for schools that are hosting events for parents, especially those where some parents might not be able to attend in person. At least once a year, our schools in the Chester School District, in New Jersey, will put on a program for parents that speaks to the importance of mental health. There is no doubt that families need exposure to this important topic. On the night of the event, the school guidance counselor sets up the Swivl and records the presentation. Not only was it streamed in real time, but posted on the school website to be viewed by parents at a later date.

The fact of the matter is that we need to meet families where they currently are in terms of availability. Some families might be available to experience the presentation, but just not in person. Which is why schools need to find creative ways to provide families with a way to take in the content. Connecting with families in the digital world is along the same lines as providing customers with the option of dining in or taking out. Depending on what is going on with a family’s schedule or situation, schools need to find multiple ways for them to experience the products that they are making available. Technology has given the educational world more opportunities to connect with families in ways once thought unimaginable. Now, it’s just a matter of putting our collective educational minds together to find the resources necessary to make these innovative engagement strategies a common reality.

Often educators, particularly school leaders, struggle with engaging stakeholders in the virtual world. How can technology be leveraged to push information and drive communication?

Brad Currie is the author of All Hands on Deck: Tools for Connecting Educators, Parents, and Communities. He was a 2014 ASCD Emerging Leader and the 2017 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year. Currie currently serves as the director of planning, research, and evaluation for the Chester School District in New Jersey. Learn more by following him on Twitter @thebradcurrie or visiting his website at www.thebradcurrie.com

Guest post by Eric Sheninger

I’ll never forget the day I presented my digital transformation plan to our superintendent at the time. I had spent days preparing and rehearsing all of my points, explaining the rationale for each new tool and making a strong budget case to secure the necessary resources. At the end of my presentation, the superintendent asked me point blank, “Can you prove it? What evidence do you have to demonstrate that all of this works?” These were fair questions that I had not fully anticipated. But at that moment in time, they provided the grounding that my school and I really needed. 

For change to really be embraced by all stakeholders, it is critical that we show improvements are occurring rather than just claim that they are. In professional terms, that means we need to demonstrate efficacy, i.e., the degree to which desired outcomes and goals are achieved. Applying this concept to digital learning can go a long way to solidifying the use of technology as an established practice, not just a frill or add-on.

In the next two posts, I will share a few tools you can use to help ensure your digital transformation achieves high efficacy and impact.

Rigor/Relevance Framework

In today’s dynamic classroom environment, managing and implementing change can be challenging for even the most talented teachers. As administrators, we have a responsibility to provide the right resources and support to enable our instructors to excel. So, when it comes to digital transformation, it is critical that we start with a strong foundation to establish context and then enable ongoing analysis and evaluation.

The Rigor/Relevance Framework is a conceptual system of checks and balances that provides a common language and critical lens through which to examine curriculum, instruction, and assessment along the two dimensions of critical thinking (rigor) and application (relevance). Developed by the International Center for Leadership in Education, the framework is based on a 2×2 matrix with knowledge along the y-axis and action along the x–axis. As indicated in the chart, the matrix can be further broken down into four quadrants—acquisition, application, assimilation, adaptation—which provide a measurement and evaluation tool for various levels of instruction.

Quadrant D (Adaptation) of the Rigor/Relevance Framework sets a clear goal in terms of overall outcomes:

Students have the competence to think in complex ways and apply knowledge and skills they have acquired. Even when confronted with perplexing unknowns, students are able to use extensive knowledge and skill to create solutions and take action that further develops their skills and knowledge.

Aligning digital to Quadrant D not only makes sense but also melds with a great deal of the conversation in digital and non-digital spaces as to why and how learning should change. A framework like this emphasizes the importance of a strong pedagogical foundation while helping to move practice from isolated pockets of excellence to systemic elements that are scaled throughout the learning culture. It also provides the means to evaluate and reflect in order to improve.

Once an overall vision for digital learning is firmly in place, you can begin to work on the structures and supports to ensure success. In my next post, I will share five key areas that can put your classroom, school, district, or organization on a path to digital efficacy.

How can school leaders establish a strong foundation for digital practices?

Eric Sheninger is a senior fellow and thought leader on digital leadership with the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). Prior to this he was the award-winning principal at New Milford High School in New Jersey. He was a 2012 NASSP Digital Principal of the Year and has authored six books, including the best-seller Digital Leadership. Follow him on Twitter @E_Sheninger or visit ericsheninger.com.

Guest post by Brian M. Stack

I have spent more than a decade as the principal of a high school that has gained national recognition as an early adopter of a competency-based learning model. As one who has been a part of this transition and implementation since its beginning, I am always happy to offer practical advice to fellow principals on the topic. The most popular question I am asked is about how to introduce the idea of competency-based learning to parents and other stakeholders who do not work in the education field. To date, I have found no better way to do this than to relate it to a very common assessment experience that most adults have in common: obtaining a driver’s license. 

Think about this: Driving a car is a life or death skill, and as a result, states have developed a very reliable system to ensure that people are not issued a driver’s license until they can prove that they are proficient in their driving ability—proficient enough that the state can be reasonably sure that they will not harm themselves or others from a lack of ability behind the wheel. The reliability of this system lies in how driver education programs support the state’s driver’s-license testing process, and ultimately, how states administer those tests to prospective drivers. What can we, as educators, learn from this system? Here are some parallels that I have drawn between the two systems to explain to stakeholders why a competency-based system makes sense for schools.

1. Both systems are built on competencies and standards. The building blocks for both systems are competencies. Competency is a student’s ability to transfer content and skills to other areas. Competencies for a driver include things like parking a car in a variety of settings navigating a car through various intersections, driving a car on a multi-lane highway. Competencies are made up of content standards, also known as performance indicators. Think of competencies as the “why” and standards as the “what.” Unpacking the parking competency, for example, results in standards for perpendicular, parallel, and angular parking. It is easy to see that any driving competency can be broken down into specific standards. A driver education course is made up of several driving competencies, and each one is based on several standards.
2. In these systems, both formative and summative assessments serve important but distinct roles in the learning process. In competency-based systems, the summative assessment represents the demonstration of learning through performance. It is the basis for the final grade(s) for a course. Formative assessments are considered practice, and therefore not factored into final grades. Driver education programs typically require students to spend a certain amount of time behind the wheel with an instructor to practice their skills and get feedback on their learning (formative assessment). The state asks students to demonstrate their learning through a performance task known as a road test where students show the evaluator that they have mastered each driving skill (summative, performance assessment).
3. In these systems, learning is individually-paced, with opportunities for reassessment. The state will never penalize someone for how long it took them to prepare for the driving test, nor will they punish them if they need to take the test more than once. Once an individual has passed the test, they get their license, and it is their validation that they are proficient with each driving competency. In competency-based systems, learning happens along a continuum in a similar manner. Reassessment is a natural course of action when a student has not yet demonstrated their learning at a high enough level to move on to the next topic, skill, or course.
4. In these systems, final grades are rubric-based, not calculated using averages and percentages. If you were to fail the highway driving competency but pass the others with a score high enough to give you a passing grade when all grades are averaged, should you get your driver’s license? Should a pilot have a license to fly if they can’t pass the plane landing competency? Of course not. In competency-based systems, students must demonstrate proficiency with each competency. Course credit is not awarded until the student is proficient with each. Driving a car cannot be measured with percentages. Would it make sense to suggest that one is proficient in a particular driving skill if they can perform it 80 percent of the time? What about 90 percent of the time? Of course not. Driver assessments are scored using criterion-referenced tools that competency-based systems refer to as rubrics.

When presented with this comparison, most stakeholders that I have encountered can understand and appreciate why our school has adopted a competency-based learning model. If it makes sense for a life or death skill such as driving a car, it certainly should make sense in a school setting.

How would you introduce a competency-based learning system to your school community? How would you generate buy-in from parents, teachers, and other stakeholders, and build good lines of communication?

Brian M. Stack was the 2017 New Hampshire Secondary School Principal of the Year. He is principal of Sanborn Regional High School in Kingston, NH, and also serves as a member of the Nellie Mae Speaker Bureau and as an expert for Understood.org. He co-authored a book with colleague Jonathan Vander Els entitled Breaking With Tradition: The Shift to Competency-Based Learning in PLCs at Work. You can follow him on Twitter @bstackbu or learn more by visiting his blog.

Guest post by Paul Hermes

“You should try to make your classroom more student-centered and interactive. Don’t talk at your students so much.”
“Do you think you could integrate the concepts of the flipped classroom to optimize student learning time?”
“How much input do you give your students in choosing what, where, and how they learn?” 

As a school administrator, have you ever said something like this to a teacher? My guess would be yes, you have. And if that is true, let me ask you why then do you, as a school leader, not practice what you preach when it comes to your own staff meetings and professional learning? Look at the questions above and replace “student” with “teacher.” If your evaluator asked you these same questions, would they apply to you as the teacher of your teachers? Does the idiom “do as I say, not as I do” fit? 

After hearing about the incredible work that Jon Bergmann and Aaron Sams were doing with the “flipped classroom” and our school’s increasing struggles with not having enough time to provide effective professional development (PD), our school’s leadership team decided that if we are going to truly transform the way our teachers teach and our students learn, then we need to change how we provide PD for our staff. Or put another way, we would have to practice what we preached—to do as we said and as we did.

Our school’s staff meeting and PD schedule is fairly standard. We have a monthly staff meeting every third Wednesday for 90 minutes, and during the school year we have two early-release PD days. So over the course of a school year, we have approximately 1,500 minutes or 25 hours of professional meeting time. We had been using these 25 hours in a traditional meeting format that were completely administration led: Administrators picked the topics, created the agenda, ran the meeting, etc. These “sit and get” meetings were one-sided presentation meetings. And to put it nicely, our staff did not run to the location of the meetings and eagerly await their beginning, and rightfully so. When your learners have no input on the topics, get talked to the entire time, and don’t necessarily get any tangible or applicable new knowledge or skills from the meeting, it’s no surprise they aren’t thrilled to attend.

By simply looking at these 25 hours differently and pledging to integrate the practice of “flipping” to create authentic, effective, and learner-centered opportunities, our issue of ineffective meetings and our need for more PD time were addressed.

Our flipped staff meetings include five key elements:

1. Screencasts to preview the meeting: A week prior to the monthly staff meeting, we send a screencast, called BVIP (Bay View Information and Primers), which shares announcements and reminders that used to be covered at staff meetings. In addition, we include primers that help set up the meeting, such as meeting activity directions, a topic overview, a professional article or video, and more. These screencasts prepare all of the staff for the meeting and optimize our time together.
2. Surveys to expand PD offerings: We surveyed our staff about what topics, activities, and practices they wanted for their professional growth. Incorporating staff choices has led to greater staff engagement and satisfaction. The greater range of options available allows each staff member to select the PD offering that is best for him or her.
3. Staff leadership to increase engagement: As we integrated more site-based professional development within our staff meetings and in-service time, we asked our staff members to lead more of the activities and share their expertise and interests with their colleagues. These opportunities help to engage the staff members by leading PD and create greater buy-in from the rest of the staff.
4. More time for collaboration: Flipping staff meetings has freed up additional time that we can use for greater collaboration. The additional time available has expanded opportunities for all of us to learn and grow together. People are working outside of their teams, departments, grade levels, and friend groups, which has created wider and stronger bonds throughout our entire staff.
5. Do as I say and as I do: Flipping staff meetings has allowed our leadership team to build stronger bonds with staff as we are seen to be “practicing what we preach.” Not only does this modeling help the staff feel better about taking risks and trying new instructional practices, it also allows our leadership team to experience the issues and challenges that our teachers may face as they try to apply the “flipping” techniques in their classrooms.

If you believe that John Dewey was right when he said, “If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow,” wouldn’t you also believe Dewey’s same sentiment being applied to teachers? Our schools, staff, students, and future require us to be innovative—to change, evolve, and improve. A simple change, such as flipping the leadership of staff meetings, can go a long way to giving teachers a stronger voice in their own professional development.

What techniques could you employ to “flip the script” on professional development and empower teachers to play a more active role in their own education?

Paul Hermes is the associate principal of curriculum and instruction at Appleton North High School in Appleton, WI. He believes being an educator is the most important profession in the world and has dedicated his life to improving the lives of students, families, and communities. He was the 2016 Wisconsin Associate Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @PaulHermesEDU and visit his education and leadership blog, Analogies from an Administrator.

Guest post by Paul Hermes

Now that the end of the year is upon us and many of us are taking a well-deserved break from our demanding jobs as school administrators, I find myself thinking about summer vacation and the many lessons all of us have learned from the various excursions we have taken throughout our lives. Traveling helps us gain new perspectives and understandings of people, places, and cultures. My travel has included experiences led by tour guides and those arranged by travel agents that were self-guided. Both ways have offered me exciting experiences that expanded my knowledge and broadened my worldview.

As I think ahead to the coming school year, I imagine what it would be like if teachers led students through a year of travel. But which type of travel leader is best: a tour guide or a travel agent?

Both tour guides and travel agents should be experts in their respective fields. They typically have passion and truly enjoy being a resource for travelers. So, what’s the difference? How can you decide? I believe the difference does not come from—nor should we question—the passion or purpose for their jobs. Rather the difference lies in what role they play and what role their “travelers” play as they follow a tour guide or a travel agent.

A tour guide directs or leads the learning of their group through the experience. During their tour, they will do most of the talking. They tend to be in front of a quiet, passive group of learners. They set the pace of the learning experience. They have a set process or path they follow with each and every group they lead. Their tour tends to be almost the same time after time. They will ask the group if they have any questions at certain times or at the end of the tour.

Conversely, a travel agent puts the travelers and their needs first before designing the experience. Most often, each and every trip plan is unique or has unique elements. A travel agent asks a lot of questions; the traveler does the majority of the talking. A travel agent provides options and ideas, but, ultimately, the responsibility for the decisions and directions for the trip rests with the traveler. A travel agent uses vast experience and expertise, but only as it relates to the needs of the individual and the desired experience.

When it comes to education, students need both tour guides and travel agents. But I would challenge each and every one of you to be more travel agent than tour guide. Today’s students need experts to share knowledge, but they also want teachers to help empower them to lead their own learning. Next time you are talking with your teachers, ask them to consider trying to be more travel agent than tour guide.

How can school leaders help teachers and schools offer students a travel-agent education experience?

Paul Hermes is the associate principal of curriculum and instruction at Appleton North High School in Appleton, WI. He believes being an educator is the most important profession in the world and has dedicated his life to improving the lives of students, families, and communities. He was the 2016 Wisconsin Associate Principal of the Year. Follow him on Twitter @PaulHermesEDU and visit his education and leadership blog, Analogies from an Administrator.

Guest post by Eric Sheninger

In my last post, we explored the importance of demonstrating efficacy to build support for, and ensure the success of, your school’s digital transformation. The Rigor/Relevance Framework offers a strong overall framework to reinforce pedagogical foundations while also moving practice from isolated pockets of excellence to systemic elements that are scaled throughout the learning culture. With that context in place, the next challenge is putting in place the right structures and supports to ensure success.

Below are five key areas (essential questions, research, practicality, evidence/accountability, reflection) that can put your classroom, school, district, or organization on a path to digital efficacy. 

Essential Questions

Questions provide context for where we want to go, how we’ll get there, and whether success is achieved. Having more questions than answers is a natural part of the initial change process. Over time, however, concrete answers can illustrate that efficacy in digital learning has been achieved in some form or another. Consider how you might respond to the questions below:

• What evidence do we have to demonstrate the impact of technology on school culture?
• How are we making learning relevant for our students?
• How do we implement and support rigorous and relevant learning tasks that help students become future ready?
• What is required to create spaces that model real-world environments and learning opportunities?
• What observable evidence can be used to measure the effect technology is having on student learning and achievement?
• How can targeted feedback be provided to our teachers and students, so that technology can enhance learning?

Research

Research is prevalent in education for a reason. It provides us all with a baseline as to what has been found to really work when it comes to student learning. Now, there is good research and bad. I get that. It is up to us as educators to sift through and then align the best and most practical studies out there to support the need to transform learning in the digital age. We can look to the past in order to inform current practice. For example, so many of us are proponents of student ownership, project-based, and collaborative learning. Not only does digital support and enhance all of these, but research from Dewey, Vygotsky, Piaget, Papert, Bloom, and many others provides validation. (See the image and learn more about authorship learning on Hybrid Pedagogy.)

One of the main reasons Tom Murray and I wrote Learning Transformed was to provide a sound research base that supports digital learning and the embracement of innovative practices. The research of Linda Darling-Hammond found that technology can have the most impact on our at-risk learners when it is used to support interactive learning, explore and create rather than to “drill and kill,” and constitutes the right blend of teachers and technology. This is just one of more than 100 studies we highlight. Then there is the comprehensive analysis by John Hattie on effect size—a listing of the most effective instructional strategies that improve student-learning outcomes all of which can be applied to digital learning. If efficacy is the goal, embracing a scholarly mindset to inform and influence our work, not drive it, is critical.

Practicality

All of what we do should align to the demands, and at times constraints, of the job. This includes preparing students for success on standardized tests. If it’s not practical, the drive to implement new ideas and practices wanes or never materializes. The creation of rigorous digital performance tasks that are aligned to standards and the scope and sequence found in the curriculum is just good practice. All good performance tasks include some form of assessment, either formative or summative, which provides the learner and educator with valuable information on standard and outcome attainment. Again, this is just part of the job.

Evidence and Accountability

As many of you know, I do not shy away from openly discussing how important this area is. Evidence and accountability are a part of every profession and quite frankly we need more of both in education to not only show efficacy in our work but also to scale needed change. Not everything has to or can be, measured. However, focusing on a return on instruction allows everyone to incorporate multiple measures, both qualitative and quantitative, to determine if improvement is in fact occurring.

Reflection

When all is said and done, the most important thing we can do is constantly reflect on our practice. In terms of efficacy in digital learning consider these reflective questions from your particular lens:

• Did my students learn?
• How do I know if my students learned?
• How do others know if my students learned?
• What can be done to improve?
• What point of view have I not considered?

Amazing things are happening in education, whether it be through digital learning or the implementation of innovative ideas. We must always push ourselves to be better and strive for continuous improvement. The more we all push each other on the topic of efficacy, our collective goals we have for education, learning, and leadership can be achieved.

What other structures and supports help ensure digital efficacy in your school?

Eric Sheninger is a senior fellow and thought leader on digital leadership with the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). Prior to this he was the award-winning principal at New Milford High School in New Jersey. He was a 2012 Digital Principal of the Year and has authored six books, including the best-seller Digital Leadership. Follow him on Twitter @E_Sheninger or visit ericsheninger.com.

Guest post by Danny Steele, principal, Thompson Sixth Grade Center, Alabaster, AL

Teachers are hungry for inspiration. They are committed to their work and see the value in it… but it can still be draining. They want leaders who will refill their bucket. In my experience, these three strategies can go a long way toward energizing teachers:

1. Support them.Over the years, it has become clear to me that support is the number one quality that teachers desire in their administrators. They want to know that when things get challenging with a student or dicey with a parent, someone has their back. When teachers feel supported by their administrators, they feel emboldened and empowered. They become more comfortable taking risks. When they are confident in their safety net, they can dare to be spectacular.

2. Remind them.I believe that every teacher chose this profession because they love kids, and they want to make a difference in their lives. But there are times, even for the most dedicated teacher, when the “calling” can seem more like a “job.” Students can be unruly, parents can be aggravating, mandates can be overbearing, and grading can be overwhelming (not to mention high-stakes tests!). These challenges have the potential to steal the joy from teachers—but they don’t have to! It is important for administrators to help teachers keep these challenges in perspective. Good administrators work hard to keep teachers focused on the best interests of students. They continually remind teachers about the value of their work and about their potential to impact children. This helps teachers remain mindful of their ultimate purpose and hold on to the passion that fuels their fire.

3. Show them. The best administrators not only preach the importance of teachers collaborating; they collaborate themselves. They ask teachers to try new technology, but not without taking any of their own risks. And, they don’t solely encourage teachers to build relationships with students; they connect with kids too! Few teachers are inspired by the type of administrator who talks a big game but never backs it up. Good leaders don’t manage from their office—they lead from the hallway, in the classroom, and in the cafeteria. They are engaged and intentional about setting an example. They are “walking the walk.” These administrators are not simply telling teachers the way, but are modeling it. Teachers will find this type of authenticity inspiring.

When teachers are excited about teaching, their students will be more excited about learning. Good administrators don’t just wish for positive energy in the school; they bring it themselves. They don’t sit back and wait for their teachers to be inspired, but rather work hard to do the inspiring. They realize that they can impact the motivation of their teachers, and they make a difference!

How do you inspire your teachers?

 Danny Steele serves as the principal of Thompson Sixth Grade Center in Alabaster, AL, where his passion is building a school culture that values connections with kids, fostering collaboration among teachers, and focusing on raising student achievement. In 2005, Steele was recognized as Alabama’s Assistant Principal of the Year, and in 2016 he was named Alabama’s Secondary Principal of the Year. He is currently writing a book with Todd Whitaker. Follow him on Twitter @SteeleThoughts and check out his blog Steele Thoughts.