Lights, Camera, Action!

 When you stop to think about it, there are many similarities between Hollywood blockbusters and daily classroom activities—action and adventure, even comedy and suspense. As a teacher, you are both starring and directing, which makes it a challenge to see everything that unfolds. In the movie-making industry, directors review “dailies”, the most recent footage, and make decisions according to what is seen upon closer examination. You may find a similar process equally rewarding for your classroom work.

      It doesn’t require a professional film crew to capture your classroom on camera. It simply requires some intentional pre- and post-production planning by the director (i.e. YOU the teacher):

Film Focus: What are you curious about in your classroom? Perhaps you wonder what interactions are occurring among the other students while you are working with a small group. Perhaps you are wondering about the movement of students in the classroom during a class period.  Decide what will support your professional growth and is of interest to you.

Camera Crew: Find a trusted colleague who can operate the video camera (it could be an instructional coach or a peer whose schedule permits). It’s wise to let your administrator know your plans so he/she knows the purpose of filming is to support your professional growth and so he/she can provide help in securing a camera operator.

Setting the Scene: Make sure the classroom allows the camera operator to move around easily to capture exactly what you’re requesting. Prepare your cast members (aka your students) for the scene. Depending on the focus of your film, you may give them very specific guidelines, or you may intentionally remain vague. You may even choose to say nothing at all about the filming.

Roll Reality: Proceed with your classroom instruction and activities as if the camera is not present.

View Video: Choose a time and location where you are able to comfortably watch the footage. Many teachers find it helpful to do what directors do—watch the film in its entirety, then review specific clips in greater detail. Take notes of what stands out to you in relation to your driving focus and make a plan of action for future instruction.

     You may not find yourself walking the red carpet once you’ve completed this process, but you will find yourself on an even more prestigious path: knowing that your reflective practices will positively impact the learning of the “stars” in your classroom.

Differentiated Instruction: Working Wonders

After graduating from college and getting a position teaching art, I approached lesson planning with a one track mind.  What concepts and techniques did I want students to learn and what projects would we use to get there? Almost immediately I realized the art projects I had been assigning were too hard for some and way too easy for others, but I didn’t know there was another option.  How in the world could I give my students different projects to complete and still be fair? 

Three years later I learned about differentiated instruction.  The basic concept of DI is to deeply know your students and their needs and then to teach based on that knowledge. The concept intrigued me, and I was hooked from the start.  DI taught me that always giving all students the same assignment is what is not fair.  To be a great teacher means working to expand each and every student’s talents.  Kids come to you with different interests and different readiness levels. Once I realized that, I was ready to take the next steps in differentiating my instruction.

I am now in my seventh year of teaching art at the high school level and my lesson planning has changed drastically. The changes I have seen in my students’ learning, motivation, and confidence are unbelievable.  Right from the beginning of the year, students know that there will be several different projects happening at the same time.  I tell them that I will meet them at their level and challenge them accordingly.  They know that the main goal is for them to feel successful in their artwork.  Students are working harder than ever.

Along with the change in lessons, the physical environment of my classroom has evolved. We are constantly changing our seating groups, whether they are sitting in their “home base” seats or sitting with their groups based on the project they have been assigned.  In this learning community, that recognizes and respects differences, students are encouraged to share their artwork with peers and ask for feedback from them.

This has been such a positive change that the entire art department at Parkview is embracing the DI teaching philosophy.  We are working together to develop lessons that can be tiered based on student readiness or provide choice based on interest. We are comparing student work and determining what is successful and what areas need changed.  I was proud and excited when I happened upon a veteran art teacher from my department enthusiastically explaining to another teacher how we are collectively implementing DI and how successful it has been. DI is working wonders for our department and for our students. 

Managing by Multiplying

Do you manage your classroom as a multiplier or a diminisher?  In their book Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown explain how to bring out the best in people by multiplying each person’s intelligence.  A multiplier sees smarts as dynamic, something that can grow and change based on effort, experience and encouragement.  This attitude differs from the diminisher who sees smarts as static, either you have it or you don’t and not very many people have it. 

Diminishers fall into one of five categories, empire builders, tyrants, know-it-alls, decision makers or micro-managers.  Multipliers, on the other hand, are talent magnets, liberators, challengers, debate makers or investors. (1)

How does this research transfer to the classroom setting? Let’s consider elements of just two types of multipliers, the liberator and the challenger.  According to Wiseman and McKeown, being a liberator begins with classroom environment.  “It’s a professional and serious environment, which gets lighter and more fun as the students work harder.”  This duality is the key; the teacher who is a multiplier will provide a safe place for thinking and contributing yet demand a high level of engagement.  “I give you space; you give me back your best work.”  The trick is to generate pressure without generating stress.

Here are two important strategies for accomplishing this trick.  First of all, be consistent.  When a teacher is consistent students know what to expect and will become comfortable with voicing ideas and making mistakes.  Being consistent also creates safety.  This is required if we want students to learn from mistakes.  By distinguishing best work from outcomes, teachers provide a positive pressure rather than unproductive stress.

Secondly, shift the ratio of listening and talking.  Liberators hone the skills of listening, paraphrasing, and probing.  This creates space for students to share what they know and are thinking.

This leads to one of the characteristics of the challenger who asks questions effectively.  “Diminishers give answers.  Good leaders ask questions.  Multipliers ask the really hard questions.”  Wiseman and McKeown dare us to stop answering questions and begin asking them. Ask questions that go beyond what students currently know and require them to research, problem-solve, investigate and grapple with ideas – questions that require them to learn.  Finally, combine these two attributes of a multiplier by creating an environment in which students are encouraged to create the hard questions themselves.  Give equal weight to asking a good question as to answering a teacher’s question.

As the leader in the classroom, a teacher who chooses to be a multiplier must develop a complex set of skills, but the payoff is tremendous.  By liberating and challenging your students they will walk away smarter, more capable, and more likely to become multipliers themselves.

For a summary of Wiseman and McKeown’s research see Harvard Business Review:  http://hbr.org/2010/05/managing-yourself-bringing-out-the-best-in-your-people/ar/1.

M & M's: A Terrific Treat

When it comes to delightful combinations, the makers of M&Ms ™offer a variety of options--chocolate and peanut butter, chocolate and pretzels, chocolate and peanuts, chocolate and chocolate....it seemingly never ends! Each combination is designed to suit the consumer's unique taste.

When it comes to delightful combinations of our M&Ms (Mentors/Mentees), there are certain ingredients that must come together as well. Who better to offer insight than those actively involved in the process? In the words of a building principal, a mentor teacher, and a first year teacher:  

An effective mentor is someone who works to develop a relationship with the mentee so that the mentee feels comfortable discussing the ins and outs of being an educator, who takes time to foster the relationship with the mentee by checking in formally and informally to ensure that his/her needs are being met, and who builds up the mentee. (Principal)

An effective mentor demonstrates active listening, models a positive example, and is adaptable to the needs of their mentee. An effective mentor provides encouragement and support (and is a cheerleader for their mentee when necessary). (Mentor)

My mentor is most effective when she's helping me with the everyday aspects of running my classroom--helping me learn the "hidden rules" and procedures that may not be in writing anywhere but are important that I know. (Mentee) 

Combining the ingredients effectively requires attention to specific details:

When pairing mentors and mentees together, it is important to look at the positions the individuals are currently teaching in.  Additionally, it is critical to consider the personalities of both the mentor and mentee. (Principal)

When pairing mentors and mentees, it is important to consider their teaching and learning styles. There is great benefit to observing and collaborating with those who do things differently. Once paired, mentors and mentees must practice and work toward establishing a safe relationship, where growth can occur in a comfortable environment. (Mentor)

I appreciate the fact that my mentor supports me in developing my own teaching style. (Mentee)

The makers of M & Ms™ know that some combinations just wouldn't be a hit. Tofu M&Ms™ are not likely to be hitting retail shelves in the future, for instance. When creating Mentor/Mentee relationships, there are certain things to avoid as well:

An effective mentor is not an evaluator and should not be demeaning to the mentee. (Principal) 

Mentors should not come across as controlling and/or cause the mentee to feel insufficient or stressed.  (Mentor)

Having a mentor share too much information at one time does not support a new teacher in learning what’s important. (Mentee)

When all the right ingredients come together in the mentor/mentee relationship, there are satisfying results for everyone!

The Power of a Growth Mindset

As difficult and complex as the work of teaching is, when students come to class every day, behave while they are there, and do the work the teacher asks, then the teacher most likely is energized and gladly does all the tasks that go with the territory of teaching.  Unfortunately, many students simply don’t cooperate with that scenario which is frequently what keeps a teacher up at night.  More and more students lack motivation, seem afraid of failure or simply believe “I can’t do it so why try.”  As a result these students can develop behavior problems.

Dr. Carol Ann Tomlinson, education professor at the University of Virginia and distinguished expert in the field of differentiated instruction, describes a tool for motivating students who believe they are not smart enough to master new learning or able enough to develop new skills.  This tool doesn’t require a new program adoption or a workshop for teachers; therefore it doesn’t cost a dime.  All this tool requires is an attitude adjustment.
 

This tool, based on the work of Dr. Carol Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University, is called mindset.  Dweck describes two mindsets.  A fixed mindset is one in which students are afraid of challenges and devastated by setbacks.  A growth mindset is one in which students relish challenges and are resilient in the face of setbacks. 

In her research Dweck found that “the belief that intelligence is fixed dampened students' motivation to learn, made them afraid of effort, and made them want to quit after a setback. This is why so many students stop working when school becomes hard. Many students find grade school easy and coast to success early on. But later on, when they are challenged, they struggle. They don't want to make mistakes and feel dumb — and, most of all, they don't want to work hard and feel dumb. So they simply retire.”
 
What students believe about their brains — whether they see their intelligence as something that's fixed or something that can grow and change — has profound effects on their motivation, learning, and school achievement (Dweck, 2006).  It is the belief that intelligence can be developed that opens students to a love of learning, a belief in the power of effort and constructive, determined reactions to setbacks. (Transforming Students’ Motivation to Learn by Carol S. Dweck) In her most recent book Tomlinson highlights the importance of a growth mindset, both on the part of the teacher and the student, and explains how a growth mindset can make a dramatic difference in student success.
 

Tomlinson explains mindset this way.  Teachers with a fixed mindset see student success as originating from genetics and/or home environment.  These teachers do not think it’s possible to override a student’s intelligence profile.  No matter how hard this student works, even with the help of a teacher or coach, success is elusive because this student simply isn’t ‘smart enough’.

Teachers with a growth mindset, on the other hand, believe that success comes from effort.  With hard work, most students can do most things, and teachers can override students’ profiles.  A teacher with a growth mindset sees a key role of the teacher is to set high goals, provide high support, ensure student focus, and to find the thing that makes school work for a student.
 
Here is a sampling of prompts Tomlinson provides to assist teachers in reflecting on mindset and differentiation for the purpose of considering possible changes in practice: 

·       In what ways do you demonstrate to your students that they are in charge of their academic success – that their effort is the key to their success?

·       How often do you make comments that emphasize being smart versus working hard?

·       In what ways do you show students that discoveries and insights almost inevitably stem from failures rather than from successes?

·       To what degree do you see a student’s Ds and Fs as inevitable? Or to what degree do you see a student’s straight As as an indicator that the student may not be experiencing appropriate challenge – may not be growing?

·       In what ways do you monitor your students’ mindsets and help them with goal setting and progress monitoring to ensure that each of them will develop a growth mindset about learning and success?

Imagine how a teacher’s mindset can impact a classroom and how important having a growth mindset is to a differentiated classroom.  As a matter of fact, the differentiated classroom begins with a shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.  

As you reflect on your own mindset, consider the difference it might make if you intentionally approach your students with a growth attitude, one in which both teacher and students work hard to insure that all students succeed. 

For more information on mindset see the following resources:

1.      Transforming Students’ Motivation to Learn by Carol S. Dweck  http://www.nais.org/publications/ismagazinearticle.cfm?ItemNumber=150509

2.     Differentiation and the Brain by David A Sousa and Carol Ann Tomlinson, Chapter Two – Mindset, Learning Environment, and Differentiation

"Classroom Management: Who's Job Is It?"

Robert Marzano , co-founder and CEO of Research Laboratory in Denver, Colorado, published an article in the October issue of Education Leadership titled “Classroom Management: Who’s Job is It?” that examines the responsibility of classroom management.  He suggests that teachers, administrators and students all have an important role in successful classroom management.   Marzano states that, “research as well as common sense clearly demonstrates the importance of shared responsibility”.

 A key goal for all is to have common standards that create an environment that is conducive to learning. Marzano doesn’t just assign responsibilities; he also offers some concrete action steps for all three stakeholders.

Teachers set high expectations and action steps to facilitate student success.

Intellectually:

·       Clear learning goals are communicated.

·       The teacher’s expectation is that all students will accomplish great things academically.

·       Challenging instruction

·       Assessments that provide feedback

·       Effective feedback that supports growth

Behaviorally:

·       Each student feels valued and liked by the teacher.

·       Rules and procedures are established at the beginning of the year.

·       Procedures are utilized as the basis of expected behaviors.

·       Rules and procedures are monitored and updated as needed.

·       Procedures and rules are reinforced, reminders are given if not followed and a “thank you” when rules and procedures are followed.

Administrators set the tone for student behavior and a safe orderly environment.

·       School-wide behavioral expectations are articulated and implemented with fidelity.

·       Monitor adherence to the clearly defined rules and procedures in hall, parking lots and at extracurricular activities.

·       Set and implement guidelines that ensure safe respectful behaviors toward teachers and other students.

·       Articulate that teachers should not feel an expectation (real or perceived) to handle aggressive and potentially behaviors on their own

Students must have a role in classroom management.

·       Engage in designing rules and procedures school-wide or in individual classrooms (Students on the other hand can only participate in this process if invited.)

·       Support enforcement of the rules and procedures. 

Poor classroom management makes student learning difficult.  A clear understanding of the high stakes correlation between effective classroom management and student achievement  more than justifies the time and effort of the Teacher- Administrator-Student team approach. 

Marzano, Robert J. “Classroom Management, Whose Job Is It?” Educational Leadership, October 2011 Vol.69 No.2, pg. 85-86

If you want to learn more about Robert Marzano’s work, most SPS libraries have copies of his books  Classroom Instruction that Works, and The Art and Science of Teaching.  You can also visit www.marzanoresearch.com

   
   

Two Sides of the Same Coin

The SPS learning model is the product of thinking from community members, district leaders and classroom teachers coming together to dialogue about what is best for the children in Springfield Public Schools.  The ideas from this collaboration along with research to support it confirmed what everyone suspected; the teachers and staff of SPS are serving students well.

We can think of this model as two sides of the same coin.  On one side we are challenged to reflect on our personal practice as it relates to the high expectations of our stakeholders, the Springfield community.  What might be ways we can increase the frequency of critical thinking we ask of our students?  How might I seek ways to collaborate with colleagues across content areas or grade levels?  How might my feedback become more effective?  This model is a useful tool as we refine our current practice. 

On the other side of the coin, rather than adding to our work, this model affirms much of the work we are already doing.  As community members, teachers and leaders worked to create the model they discussed best practices.  During these conversations the advisory committee evoked personal experiences with specific SPS teachers and classrooms.  We can all point to areas of the model where we excel.  For example, our instruction is based on relevant and rigorous curriculum and every day teachers differentiate to meet the needs of our students.

So, here we have a coin.  On one side we reflect with satisfaction that for many years we have effectively served the needs of the students of SPS; on the other side we are challenged with the next steps to continue improving our practice to meet the needs of the students of tomorrow.

No matter what side of the coin we ponder, the SPS Learning Model provides a common language for conversations about the work we all love to do.

Perhaps that will be its greatest legacy!