Beliefs and Decision-Making

In several of my courses we talk about personal belief systems and how they shape the way we do our work and make decisions. The challenge is that in any school people often hold different beliefs, grounded in their own unique experiences. This leads to some pretty intense discussions about beliefs, about ethics, and about "right and wrong." I'm always looking for ways to extend the discussion and provide school leaders with tools they can use to think about the different beliefs present among their teachers, staff and community.

This week I saw an article on edutopia that was especially helpful in thinking about this issue. The article, Teacher Collaboration: When Belief Systems Collide, by Elena Aguilar, is built on Garmston & Costa's work in Cognitive Coaching where they discussed the ideologies that shape educators' decision-making. I want to share the article and hope you find it useful to think about your own personal "ideology" and how it shapes what you do and how you see the work, and motives, of others in your school and community.

As always, I'd welcome your thoughts about this topic.

Supporting Homeless Students

Schools have a legal, as well as an ethical, obligation to serve homeless students. While the McKinney-Vento Act, now a part of NCLB, identifies the requirements, it doesn't offer practical suggestions that teachers can use to work with homeless students and their families. I recently read an article from AMLE (Association for Middle Level Education) that suggests 10 things teachers can do to support homeless students. I found it incredibly useful and will be using it in many of my classes.

I'd enjoy hearing from you about how you, your school or district addresses the needs of homeless students and their families.

Resources on Copyright Law

One of the most frequent questions in my school law class is about copyright. Technology provides instant access to all sorts of resources many of them copyrighted. Many of my students are unclear about what they can use in their classrooms and schools. Interestingly, music and performing arts teachers are among the most knowledgeable primarily because they deal with the issue all the time when selecting music or a play to perform. It's just part of their training.

So I'm always looking for resources that can help people understand what can, and what cannot, be used and how they can assure that their school complies with the requirements of the copyright act. Recently eSchoolNews published an article that provides readers with tips for understanding the copyright law. It's a clear concise guide on the topic. You'll need to have a subscription to eSchoolNews to access the entire article but it is FREE.

COMPASS Model of School Change

I work with lots of principals and teachers on ways to improve their school. Often they're looking for the one tool or strategy that will make their school better. But I've grown to appreciate that school improvement is far more complex and involves an integrated set of strategies. Because I'm always looking for a good metaphor to share with groups a colleague, Barbara Blackburn, and I developed The COMPASS Model. We like the idea of a compass because it is a very useful tool. It can guide and direct us. It can help us get back on track if we're lost and it always points toward true north.

Our model includes seven components.

C - Creating a Positive and Supportive Culture
O - Ownership and Shared Vision
M - Managing Data
P - Professional Development
A - Advocacy
S - Shared Accountability
S - Structures and Organization

In posts over the next few weeks I'll explore each of the seven components in more detail. You can learn more about The COMPASS Model by watching this short video I prepared for one of my classes and by reading Rigorous Schools and Classrooms: Leading the Way available from Eye on Education. We also wrote a companion book Rigor in Your School: A Toolkit for Leaders that shares almost one hundred tools that leaders can use to improve their school.

As always I'd enjoy hearing from you about how you work to improve your schools. 

Strategies for Student Success

I'm always looking for great ideas to share with teachers and principals. Last week I read Reducing the Risk, Increasing the Promise by Sherrel Bergmann and Judith Brough. I was touched by the stories they shared of students with such promise who were at risk of failing in school. The authors identify six essential social skills that contribute to student success---resilience, resourcefulness, responsibility, relationships, respect and the ability to read.

But the most important feature of this book is the useful set of strategies and tools to help students reduce risk and increase promise. Every chapter provides ideas that teachers and families can immediately use to help students develop each of the six essential skills.

Reducing the Risk, Increasing the Promise is the latest in a useful series of books by Bergmann and Brough. Others include Teach Me--I Dare You!, Lead Me--I Dare You! and Teach My Kid--I Dare You! All are available from Eye on Education. 

Misconceptions About Today's Youth

I'm fortunate to have lots of time to spend with my grandchildren. Watching them grow has reawakened an interest in how people learn, the sorts of things that stimulate their learning, and the way they process and make sense of things. Too often we act on incomplete information or misconceptions. As a former middle school teacher and principal I'm keenly aware of how misconceptions about students can shape the response of adults. eSchool News recently included a story about common misconceptions about today's youth. The article debunks some beliefs that are commonly held about today's students. Included are five myths that are just not accurate.

• They're all tech-savvy.
• They're disengaged.
• They're not good communicators.
• Students from poor families can't succeed.
• They're never outdoors.

This article really made me think about the myths we carry around with us about youth. Our beliefs shape the way we teach and interact with students. We must assure that they are accurate and that we don't judge students, and their potential, based on misconceptions.

I'd welcome your thoughts about today's youth and the power of beliefs to shape the way we lead our lives.

Small "Houses" Make a Difference for Students

I've always been fascinated by the way schools are organized. That's because the structure of schools can create enormous possibilities for positive relationships between students and between students and teachers, can open up opportunities for powerful learning and can take large schools and create a more personalized environment. Recently I read a story about the "small house" system at Danville (IL) High School. Danville High is a school with many students from low-income families. Mobility is high. They also failed to make adequate yearly progress. So, Danville High School needed to rethink how they served students.

This story from The News-Gazette, a local newspaper serving Danville, describes the four small houses including the Freshman House designed to help 9th graders make a smooth transition from middle school. It's an interesting approach and one that has already had a positive impact on students and their experience in high school. Achievement is up. Attendance has improved. The graduation rate is the highest ever and both dropouts and suspensions have declined.

I'd enjoy hearing from you about your experience with small houses or other structures that positively impact student learning.