tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91145198118300554822024-03-14T06:42:16.808-07:00solveforwhyAlex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-65991499166585775242023-06-18T14:14:00.000-07:002023-06-18T14:14:05.001-07:00Who's It For, What's It For<p>It was just over <a href="https://solve4why.blogspot.com/2011/06/" target="_blank">twelve years ago</a> that I started writing this blog. I wanted to write for a few reasons, but the main reason was because I felt I had something to say. Recently I had the privilege of participating in and completing an amazing program - the <a href="https://altmba.com/" target="_blank">altMBA</a>. Among many, many things that I learned, one thing that stands out is this idea of asking myself, "Who's it for? What's it for?" (Seth Godin created the altMBA, and speaks of Who's It For and What's It For in several places. <a href="https://seths.blog/2015/12/decoding-who-is-it-for/" target="_blank">Here</a> is one of those.)</p><p>I didn't explicitly ask myself those questions twelve years ago. But while much has changed for me since then (more on that to come), thankfully some things have remained the same. Who is this blog for? What is this blog for? The answers are the same today as they were on June 3, 2011...</p><p>This blog is for anyone who wants to learn and grow.</p><p>This blog is for educators who are relentless in their passion to help others.</p><p>This blog is for me to write, because I love writing, I have a lot of ideas in my head, and I'm happier when the ideas get out of my head and get written down.</p><p>This blog is a place to talk about education and how we can make it better.</p><p>This blog is for challenging, questioning, and wondering.</p><p>This blog is for asking why, and trying to figure out why, and knowing that we might never figure it out.</p><p>Another thing that stands out from my time in the altMBA is the importance of shipping your work. This blog is for that, too, and I'll be shipping quite a bit more from here on out. Glad to be back - I hope you get something out of it. This blog is for you.</p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-84926531200506864522018-04-27T10:49:00.000-07:002018-04-27T10:49:15.502-07:00TGITIt has always bothered me when I've heard people make comments like, "It's almost Friday..." or "Only two more days until the weekend..." Yes, I get the idea of TGIF and the fact that the weekend represents non-work days, lazy mornings, and less responsibility. And while the comments may not be intended to indicate unhappiness, I believe that the overall sentiment they embody leans in that direction.<br />
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I worked with a teacher many years ago, and when I'd see him in the morning I'd ask him how he was doing. He'd always respond with, "It's only Wednesday." (Or Tuesday, or any other day but Friday.) It got me to thinking. What's wrong with Wednesdays? Wednesdays represent 14 percent of my week. Non-Friday workdays represent 4/7th of my week, a whopping 57% of my living and breathing days. Is there any reason why those days shouldn't be freaking awesome?!?! Is there any reason why I shouldn't be saying TGIW? After all, on every Wednesday that I wake up I get to go to a job I love, work diligently to impact others in a positive way, take deep breaths of clean air, take a hot shower under clean water, earn a living to support my family, and have countless opportunities to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p63os42Y38&ibss=1" target="_blank">laugh and think and, quite often, even cry</a>. <br />
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I stopped asking that teacher how he was doing. I decided that I'd never be one of those people who thanks God for Fridays. Thank God For Today. It's the only day I've got.Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-39803971814223260002016-01-05T09:14:00.000-08:002016-01-05T09:14:48.793-08:00Learning and DancingEllie is my oldest, and she is 5. Sometime in the past year or two she said to me, "Daddy, I don't ever want to stop learning and dancing." Once the goosebumps subsided and the tears of joy dried up, I composed myself and gave her a big hug and told her how proud of her I was and that I also hoped she would never stop learning and dancing. <br />
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Yesterday our superintendent forwarded us <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/26/nyregion/reforms-to-ease-students-stress-divide-a-new-jersey-school-district.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news" target="_blank">this article</a>. This is a discussion and a debate that has been going on for quite sometime now in our country, and one I've enjoyed engaging in (though not nearly enough publicly). I'm a vice principal at a public middle school, with aspirations of one day being a school principal. So what is my hope and vision for my students and my children?<br />
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Well, quite simply, I don't ever want them to stop learning and dancing. You see, Ellie feels that learning is fun. She has never been told what she was going to learn or even <i>that</i> she was going to learn. She has just gone about her business for the last 5+ years living life and learning to be a person. Ellie embraces learning the same way she embraces dancing - as something to be experienced and enjoyed. <br />
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We adults lose sight of that. We think we are so smart as to determine for someone else what they should learn and when they should learn it and at what pace they should learn it. (The word curriculum, ironically, is a Latin word which means "a race.") We are, as evidenced by Ellie, inherently born with a desire to learn. Our job as educators first and foremost should be, <i><b>must be</b></i>, to cultivate that desire, not to quench it. Once we have made that shift, we will view the debate about homework and honors classes and SAT scores from a very, very different perspective. <br />
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<br />Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-66987684443589800972015-09-15T14:12:00.003-07:002015-09-15T14:12:53.186-07:00#caedchat Part 2About a year-and-a-half ago I wrote <a href="http://solve4why.blogspot.com/2014/02/caedchat.html" target="_blank">this entry</a>, detailing my first experience with #edchats. Since then I have participated in several #edchats, including <a href="http://edbean.com/session-043-innovation-and-ideas-chat/" target="_blank">this one</a> that I was invited to because it was based on a talk I gave at a TEDx event!<br />
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As I said previously, these #edchats are an amazing way to develop professionally. I recently emailed our district leadership team to explain how #edchats work and encouraging them to participate. I participated in #caedchat this past Sunday evening and recorded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fToNeYCoQVc" target="_blank">THIS</a> screen capture of my phone as a way to show how #edchats work and also to illustrate the power of twitter as a tool for professional development.<br />
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Coincidentally, <a href="http://thejournal.com/articles/2015/09/11/how-to-build-your-pln-on-twitter.aspx?m=1" target="_blank">this article</a> came through my Twitter feed the very next day. Sure is a fun time to be an educator!Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-83860710388570498192015-08-27T15:33:00.001-07:002016-01-05T09:17:46.234-08:00Back to School - But DifferentCounting thirteen years of K-12 schooling, (so many I shouldn't say) eight years of college and graduate school, and eleven years as an educator, this past Monday was my 32nd first day of school. This year is different, however, because it is the first year I have my own child that is having <i>her</i> first day of school. Being a daddy makes everything different.<br />
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My first day at work the day after we found out we were pregnant with Ellie was different. My students were no longer just my students; they were someone else's children. The drive home from the hospital with Ellie was different; I had never been such a cautious driver. So while the first day of school this year brought many of the same feelings it has brought in past years, it also brought new feelings. With that, I offer this letter to all educators from all mommies and daddies, especially this one.<br />
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Dear Educator,<br />
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Today you take my most prized possession into your hands. There is nothing I wouldn't do for her. Nothing. If you are a parent you understand what I feel for her. If you are not, it is nearly impossible to describe. She's my world. And now, she's under your watch.<br />
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She is a human, and therefore inherently deserving of respect, kindness, and patience. I know how tough your job is. I know firsthand. Please, always give her the respect, kindness, and patience she deserves.<br />
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She is eager to learn. She once said to me, "Daddy, I never want to stop learning and dancing." I hope that spirit never dissipates. I fear that it will. But you can help with this! Inspire her, challenge her, believe in her. Appeal to her natural curiousity. Remember that she came into this world knowing nothing and being able to do nothing (besides cry, eat, and poop). From there, without any lesson plans, she learned to walk, talk, sing, count, dance, laugh, and think. She chose to learn how to do each of those, and so many more, on her own. Please help me keep that spirit burning.<br />
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She is unique. As many first-time parents do, we watched her progress as an infant to a toddler and compared her to other children. Is she talking yet? Should she be walking yet? My child knows where her toes are! However, we quickly came to realize that none of that matters. She would develop as she would develop. She may be better than her elbow-partner at math and not-better-than her table group at science. She may be shy in class, or (more likely) may want to answer every question. Regardless, she is unique. There are no other models of her. Please remember that.<br />
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And finally, she is mine. As I said, there is nothing I wouldn't do for her. Sirens sound different when you become a parent, because even though you know your wife and daughter are at home safe and sound, you wonder - could that be my family? So please, I beg of you, keep her safe. Watch over her, because during those hours that she is with you, I cannot.<br />
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Thank you so much. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate it.<br />
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Respectfully,<br />
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Ellie's Daddy<br />
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Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-71279615316153511772015-08-18T19:29:00.000-07:002015-08-18T19:29:03.202-07:00Tough Day, Good DayMost days I love my job, but today was a tough day. Ironically it was a tough day because it was a good day.<div>
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This year we implemented <a href="http://www.boomerangproject.com/web/what-web" target="_blank">WEB</a> at our school. WEB stands for Where Everybody Belongs, and it is a program where 8th graders serve as mentors for the incoming 6th graders. The year is kicked off with a highly energetic assembly that welcomes the 6th graders to their new school. Highly energetic is actually low-balling it. It's wild.</div>
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My job today was to facilitate the assembly, a task I thoroughly enjoy. I get to feel like I'm equal parts stand-up comedian, singer, motivational speaker, and, of course, vice principal. I got up early today, was at school by 6:15 am getting things prepared, and by 8:30 am the assembly had started. We finished around 11:45 am, and by 12:30 pm I was having lunch with our leadership team and planning our back to school professional development day. That ended at 1:30 and I worked for a few more hours. At roughly 5:45 pm I pulled out of the parking lot.</div>
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This isn't to complain, by any means. (Side note, if it was to complain, I'd be <a href="http://www.acomplaintfreeworld.org/" target="_blank">switching my bracelet.</a>) Sure it was a physically tough and exhausting day, but that isn't why I said in the beginning it was a tough day. It was a tough day because I came home and struggled as a daddy.</div>
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My kids are 5, 3, and 1. They don't care that Daddy spent his morning rallying 320 kids to cheer, dance, laugh, sing, and feel welcomed. They don't care that Daddy's morning was filled with screaming and clapping and silliness. And they don't understand that when I came home I just couldn't bear to be around any more noise. They didn't get my best tonight. As a matter of fact, they didn't get much at all of me tonight. I played a little, cuddled a little, but mostly I just sat, and after a while I had to step away because after today the noise was just too loud. </div>
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That may sound cruel. "What kind of dad is this guy?!" There's nothing in the world more important to me than my children, and that certainly includes my job. I just love my kids so much, and I hate that I struggled with them tonight.</div>
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But, and this is a very big but...(and I cannot lie),</div>
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I'm thankful. If I have to struggle with my kids once every now and then due to the fact that I have a job that doesn't feel like a job, that's okay. If a rare struggle as a daddy is a part of getting to wake up every morning and never feel like I'm going to work, that's okay. If one bad night means that I'm going to come home 100 other nights inspired, thankful, grateful, and enthused because I've got an amazing career, that's okay. It's okay because when my children visit me at school they get to see Daddy smiling, laughing, and enjoying his job. </div>
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So I guess sometimes tough days are good days.</div>
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Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-18398238912049999222014-09-11T21:33:00.004-07:002014-09-11T21:34:19.551-07:00Attention to DetailA friend of mine had the opportunity to listen to one of the directors of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frozen_(2013_film)">Frozen</a> speak about prepping for the movie. Prior to creating the animation they took people to South Dakota during the winter. They wanted to film a woman walking uphill in the snow. They found out that there is a unique way by which her foot sunk in the snow with each step. They videotaped this, and in looking at the video also analyzed the way her hair swayed as she walked.<br />
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Chip Kelly, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, has incorporated science into his coaching. An article on <a href="http://grantland.com/features/chip-kelly-philadelphia-eagles-nfl-influence/">grantland.com</a> discusses how he uses the "latest wearable player-tracking technology" and monitors "resulting data in real time to determine how players and when they become injury risks." Another article I read about him discussed how he monitors their sleep habits with the same technology, using the resulting data to determine how rested they are as practices and games approach.<br />
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This kind of attention to detail cultivates excellence. What would this look like in schools? What's stopping teachers from videotaping every lesson (every practice I participated in while playing college football was taped and reviewed) and sitting with colleagues to analyze? What's stopping administrators from having a colleague shadow them and take notes along the way, and then sitting and reflecting at the end of the day, or during intervals throughout the day, to see what went well and what needs improvement? <br />
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What would this look like in your school? And how would you make time for it?<br />
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<br />Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-82834653659508377872014-09-02T09:23:00.002-07:002014-09-02T09:23:59.997-07:00Power Windows Saying we need more technology in schools is like saying we need every car to have power windows. Sure, the air is going to get into the car quicker, but it's still the same air.<div>
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To assume that more technology is going to result in more learning is inaccurate. I've had the fortune of working with and/or watching some genuinely awesome teachers during my career. A grand total of zero of them were awesome due to the use of technology, and a grand total of zero of them would experience a decrease in awesomeness as a result of a loss of technology. They are awesome for a number of reasons, none of which have anything to do with technology. Unless...</div>
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Unless they understand that technology is simply a tool to be used to strengthen their students' knowledge and develop their students' skills. Unless they use twitter and blogs to widen their professional learning network and expose themselves to a variety of resources. Unless they utilize technology to empower their students to think creatively and critically.</div>
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If we don't do these things, and so much more, we're just rolling up the car windows faster on a cold day.</div>
Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-28605769021766832122014-08-25T17:22:00.000-07:002014-08-25T17:22:05.949-07:00New Job, Same ResponsibilitiesToday represents the first day of school at my new site, Mendenhall Middle School. When people ask how I feel about being at a middle school (after 10+ years at high schools), my most common response has been, "Well, it's nice to finally be taller than the majority of my students." But of course, there's a lot more to it than that.<br />
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When I say "same responsibilities" I'm not referring to job duties. Those fall into a column on a spreadsheet and have names like <i>master schedule</i> or <i>facilities</i> or <i>testing coordinator</i>. I don't see those as responsibilities. They're just part of what I do each day and throughout the year.<br />
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My responsibilities are far greater, and include:<br />
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Keeping students and staff safe.<br />
Supporting teachers.<br />
Communicating with families.<br />
Making kids smile.<br />
Listening.<br />
Laughing.<br />
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There's more. But those are the first that come to mind. And probably the most important. <br />
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And with that, I think I've started more than enough sentences with a conjunction. Til' next time...<br />
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<br />Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-34655271502861406172014-02-24T08:04:00.003-08:002014-02-24T08:04:26.501-08:00#caedchatMy first full-time teaching gig started February 2004. That puts me 10 years into this whole education thing. I don't think I could have imagined 10 years ago that my best professional development would revolve around a hashtag.<br />
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Twitter has proven to be my favorite and most productive way of learning about my profession. It took me a while to get the hang of it, but now I can't imagine my life as an educator without it. Twitter allows me to connect with passionate and unbelievably competent educators around the globe on a daily basis. During my first few years of teaching I felt isolated. I'd reach out to like-minded teachers in my district but only collaborated during workshops and district meetings. We'd go to conferences and return inspired (and with lots of email addresses), but once back into the daily process of the job the emails would become less and less frequent. Then I started blogging.<br />
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Well, reading blogs. <a href="http://blog.mrmeyer.com/">Dan's</a> came first. And his led me to many others. All of a sudden I was reading about the ideas of a teacher in Wisconsin and realizing that I was having the same ideas. I could contact that teacher and work together to make our idea better. We could share strategies about implementation and reflect on our experiences.<br />
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Twitter took it to a whole 'nother level. Twitter took all those blog authors and put them in one place. Twitter allowed those authors to share a thought or a link or a resource instantly. Twitter connected me to everyone those authors were connected to. And now I'm part of #caedchat.<br />
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#caedchat is a weekly discussion on Twitter for educators in California. Moderators ask a series of questions and participants respond with Tweets. Last night was my favorite #caedchat. The topic was Design Thinking and the conversation was invigorating. I first heard about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Change-Design-Transforms-Organizations-Innovation/dp/0061766089">Change by Design</a> through <a href="http://practicaltheory.org/blog/">Chris Lehmann's</a> blog. I read the book, loved it, and began to incorporate the principles into my daily work. However, I can't say that I ever expected that it would be the topic of a conversation I'd be having online with hundreds of educators I'd never met. I was hooked in with these educators around the state (and outside of it, I'm sure) who were brainstorming about bringing Design Thinking to our classrooms and our school systems. Incredible. <br />
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Professional development used to be something I'd "go to." A conference. A workshop. Twitter brings it to me. #progress<br />
<br />Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-65592101325163725932014-01-08T14:15:00.002-08:002014-01-08T14:17:02.258-08:00ThankfulYears ago at a bachelor's party a group of the participants were gambling. I wasn't. One of them asked why I don't gamble. Other than the fact that I don't like the risk of losing money, I shared my main reason:<br />
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"My job. I get my highs and lows everyday I'm in the classroom. I don't feel a need to search for excitement or thrills on the weekend."<br />
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A couple of weeks ago one of my buddies was in town visiting. We got to talking about exercising, what types of things we enjoy. This is a guy with whom I played high school and college football. Like many former athletes we miss the camaraderie and level of competition that come along with a sport like college football. It's a high that's tough to replicate. He said, of his morning workouts, "There's not many times that, like sports, I can get so 'in the moment' where I'm not thinking of anything else. My morning workout is about as close to that as I can get." My reply was that I get that everyday in my job. <br />
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I'm so thankful that I don't have to search for that. I rarely feel as though I'm going to work. There are days I'm so inspired I get goose bumps and there are days I'm so emotional I'm brought to tears. And when the weekends come I usually want and need to get away from it. And I'm thankful for that. Because on Monday I get to do it all again.<br />
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<br />Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-56370968172582032222013-09-05T16:22:00.000-07:002013-09-05T20:17:44.466-07:00Leinwand Would Be Proud<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steve Leinwand wrote "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Accessible-Mathematics-Instructional-Student-Achievement/dp/0325026564">Accessible Mathematics</a>." To quote the description on Amazon, "...Leinwand shows how small shifts in the good teaching you already do can make a big difference in student learning." I read the book, loved it, and summarized and shared the ten shifts for the math teachers at our site. Today during classroom visits I saw one of our teachers knocking it out of the park. Read on...</span><br />
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This was an Algebra II class and the second half of the period was going to consist of an assessment on parent functions, transformations, and domain and range. I walked in during the first half and the teacher was reviewing a few homework problems. The problems had been done up on the board by students.</span><br />
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3. Use multiple representations of mathematical
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leinwand encourages frequent use of the number line. The students had graphed and our teacher was meticulous about the accuracy of their graphing. She touched on scale, the need to put labels when a point was graphed so that we could understand where that point was in relation to the other parts of the graph. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leinwand encourages frequent use for students to draw or show and then describe what is drawn or shown. As she went through each problem she dialogued with the student about what the graph looked like, why a point was here, why it curved like that. Again, the students had drawn the graphs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leinwand encourages teachers to use pictorial representations to help students visualize the mathematics they are learning. Our teacher used her arm to represent this:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgTxD8GDVqCKGd3berTkx3NUWPNmv8X1RozLrx2azO7pgr9eBn2eITNteQtvwOwzPUj_2vdJHGQeu4caf4N8F1ZjsfbAJE5-Dc-8LqJfzhZHsMpkAzGQZaLCUims0udgiyOVWnkP2owg/s1600/photo+-+Version+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBgTxD8GDVqCKGd3berTkx3NUWPNmv8X1RozLrx2azO7pgr9eBn2eITNteQtvwOwzPUj_2vdJHGQeu4caf4N8F1ZjsfbAJE5-Dc-8LqJfzhZHsMpkAzGQZaLCUims0udgiyOVWnkP2owg/s1600/photo+-+Version+2.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course she had the kids stand up and do it themselves. She didn't stop there. She offered two other way for the kids to quickly remember the shape of this graph, one of them being, "Think of an eyebrow." I bet the kids remembered the shape of this graph on the assessment!</span></div>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Create language-rich classroom routines. <!--EndFragment--></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leinwand emphasizes that students and teacher explanations should make frequent and precise use of mathematics terms, vocabulary, and notation. As our teacher reviewed the domain and range of the parent functions she reiterated that <i>the kids chose</i> what notation to use. She made sure to dialogue with the students about the names of the notation (set-builder notation versus interval notation). "What does a bracket represent versus a parentheses? What is another method we could use to represent this range?"</span></div>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Take every available opportunity to support the
development of number sense. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was SO COOL! Leinwand calls for frequent discussion and modeling about how to use number sense to "outsmart" the problem. A student had graphed the function:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsq5FM7BiSaHxQ5UMfbwsoC0S2vy4MetsPkuD8Da5nDbGphRAcqL9sCkHWbuapyv31PMLcGgeM3CwpvpJcQFNSrKYZHkk4Ae1hy5f76eSC8mrPRQ9OHiJzymVPFSfh01R0FoWeXSn8m20/s1600/photo%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsq5FM7BiSaHxQ5UMfbwsoC0S2vy4MetsPkuD8Da5nDbGphRAcqL9sCkHWbuapyv31PMLcGgeM3CwpvpJcQFNSrKYZHkk4Ae1hy5f76eSC8mrPRQ9OHiJzymVPFSfh01R0FoWeXSn8m20/s1600/photo%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is simply a linear graph shifted square root of 2 down on the y-axis. Square root of 2 is approximately 1.4 (which our teacher allowed the student to use as the estimation, another small shift Leinwand encourages). The student had used a table to create values for her graph:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Vs3eFhoTgJwNSFtuHuqHMUHXfSh1_UTp2KRGVmOB69Iy6VGwVyX3Rwy8LApdsY8tKub-2sZP2WVPCc8xJGrIRRbj-LCYZnts5T69EyYIwOl3ybZByiC7iguCCdd-T2QfY9ru3HHhaAI/s1600/photo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Vs3eFhoTgJwNSFtuHuqHMUHXfSh1_UTp2KRGVmOB69Iy6VGwVyX3Rwy8LApdsY8tKub-2sZP2WVPCc8xJGrIRRbj-LCYZnts5T69EyYIwOl3ybZByiC7iguCCdd-T2QfY9ru3HHhaAI/s1600/photo+1.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This created a bit of a messy graph, though not inaccurate. Our teacher emphasized that students could choose ANY values they want for x. Our student chose those five values for x. Our teacher then asked the class what would happen if we chose these two values:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrfXZIdCjPTFSeMo7KFkKawrmzOw7FQlD0JCSYJJ1rh8ZM1WZTgllp_mZzRFaXaDb4kQN-g7udRgL3Bg8KDRoZQbdRlMp1dWRDT5VVI2fG29U8oBEy-ekTW8rg0UTROGcM9XYoFy2Bp8/s1600/photo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrfXZIdCjPTFSeMo7KFkKawrmzOw7FQlD0JCSYJJ1rh8ZM1WZTgllp_mZzRFaXaDb4kQN-g7udRgL3Bg8KDRoZQbdRlMp1dWRDT5VVI2fG29U8oBEy-ekTW8rg0UTROGcM9XYoFy2Bp8/s1600/photo+2.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which of course leads us to this graph:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfC-2s6ZjFzzch4SiomGXlf9eJHcNsoYGyw609A6-qQyr3y2riS6xNxDgvMTtowG7LrP-y5nw7X6GwIGKQ1VUnBwZPg04sHU3_9_rBavEffnH94RYERvwqRXcPeuP6HdboElCVu5kePqY/s1600/photo+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfC-2s6ZjFzzch4SiomGXlf9eJHcNsoYGyw609A6-qQyr3y2riS6xNxDgvMTtowG7LrP-y5nw7X6GwIGKQ1VUnBwZPg04sHU3_9_rBavEffnH94RYERvwqRXcPeuP6HdboElCVu5kePqY/s1600/photo+3.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Math problem, consider yourself outsmarted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She used several of the other small shifts throughout the time I was in the room. And this was only homework review/assessment prep! This was teaching at its finest and I am so proud of our teacher for taking these small shifts and intentionally putting them into her daily practice. I know the kids are benefitting because of it.</span></div>
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Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-83544551722050416772013-08-16T17:28:00.000-07:002013-09-05T16:25:01.861-07:00Why Testing Could Ruin The Common CoreA statement from <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/16/education/new-education-standards-face-growing-opposition.html?_r=0">this article</a> describes the intention of the Common Core Standards:<br />
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"The standards, which were written by a panel of experts convened by governors and state superintendents, focus on critical thinking and analysis rather than memorization and formulas."</div>
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This is good. Reflecting on the notion that anyone was at anytime focusing on memorization and formulas when teaching our kids is scary. But why was the focus on memorization and formulas? Because that's what the tests valued. That's what the tests measured. So what else would the teachers be compelled to focus on?</div>
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The thing is, you can't test critical thinking. You can't test analysis. At least not by a standardized test. Because thinking critically and analyzing are not standard.</div>
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What will end up happening is teachers will begin to learn what the new standardized tests measure. Will these new tests be better than the current iteration? Probably. But they won't measure what they are <i>intended</i> to measure. So teachers will adapt. They'll teach their students to recognize what the tests are asking for. They'll develop testing strategies for a different kind of test, but still a standardized test that is scored by artificial intelligence. And that kind of test will never truly measure what our kids can and should learn.</div>
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This is a shame, because the intention of the Common Core is legit. Of course we should focus on critical thinking and analysis rather than memorization and formulas. But quit worrying about how to measure it and how we compare to other countries that are worrying about how to measure it. I think Goodhart's Law is appropriate:</div>
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"When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure."<br />
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Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-44410493888615958782013-08-02T13:37:00.001-07:002019-03-12T09:46:47.256-07:00Dark, Massive Asteroid...So I see this headline online this morning:<br />
<br />
"Dark, massive asteroid to fly by Earth on May 31st."<br />
<br />
And immediately I'm asking questions:<br />
<br />
How close will it be? Will I be able to see it? How do they know when it's going to fly by Earth? How big is the asteroid? Is Bruce Willis going to have to save us?<br />
<br />
At this point I haven't even read the article yet. I <a href="https://phys.org/news/2013-05-dark-massive-asteroid-earth.html">click on it</a> and read, and now I've got more questions:<br />
<br />
How did they figure out that the asteroid is 1.7 miles long? How do they know it's orbital path? If one theory is that it flew close enough to the sun to torch it but not destroy it, how close was that? How can they tell it will be 3.6 million miles away from us? Radio antennas are used to view the asteroid; how do those work?<br />
<br />
8-10 questions, just like that. What if we asked our students to read the title of the article and list all the questions that come to mind? We could then have them read the body of the article and list all the questions that come to mind. Then spend the next month at school utilizing all your "instructional time" learning the answers to those questions. Use the Internet. Use your teachers. Use the library. Use each other. Call the Jet Propulsion Lab and ask them questions. Call my buddy who is an Assistant Principal at La Canada High School where students have parents who work at JPL and ask him if he knows anyone who can help. Just ask. And find out.<br />
<br />
What if they blogged about the process along the way? Captured video? Created a documentary? What if they presented the math they learned to their classmates? What if they summarized the process and submitted that summary as an assessment?<br />
<br />
What if school were like <i>that</i>?<br />
<br />
<br />Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-76398647148717383652013-08-02T13:34:00.003-07:002013-08-02T13:34:54.774-07:00Instancy and Critical Thinking"When I was your age I walked 5 miles to school, uphill both ways, in the snow..."<br />
<br />
I think most of us heard some form of this when we were kids, even if it was just in jest. I write this post with that in mind, amazed (and a bit embarrassed) by the fact that I'm at a point in my life where I'm going to talk about how different it was when I was a kid.<br />
<br />
I love technology and all its benefits. I utilize it non-stop. But there's something to be said about the <i>instancy</i> of our world and how it has negatively impacted critical thinking. <br />
<br />
I can vividly remember one of the first times I realized I was thinking critically. Maybe it wasn't critical thinking, it might have just been simple problem solving. And I'm sure I had problem solved many times before this one instance, but in this particular case I consciously realized I had solved a problem on my own. <br />
<br />
I had a walkman. It played tapes. I don't know how old I was at the time, maybe 7 or 8. It had three buttons: play, stop, and fast forward. I wanted to hear a song again and I didn't want to listen to the entire rest of the side of the tape, <i>and</i> the entirety of the other side, before hearing it. Short of me taking the tape out and twirling the rotor with my finger, I had to find a more efficient way to do this. Somehow it hit me...if I switch the tape to the other side and press fast forward, that would be the same as rewinding it on this side. I was proud of myself. <br />
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Technology changed that. A more expensive walkman had a rewind button. Then cds came out. Instead of rewinding to a song I could just hit one button and it would immediately go back to the beginning of the song. Amazing! But with the advancements in technology, leading to <i>instantly</i> rewinding my song, there was a loss of problem solving. A loss of the need to think critically. <br />
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I think this has happened in a lot of areas in our lives. I used to have my best friends' phone numbers memorized. I'm sure that was a small exercise of the brain. My phone does that for me now. Going on a trip I'd do the navigation myself. An app does that for me now. Things that took some time are now done instantly. And more often than not, done for us. In many ways this is a great thing, but not in all ways.<br />
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I wouldn't trade the advances in technology for the times of yesteryear. But as an educator, and as a dad, it's crucially important that we allow our kids opportunities to exercise their intrinsic ability to decipher, think, wonder, and solve. You'd think that because the world is moving so much faster we'd have more time to think, but the opposite is true. The instancy has taken thinking away from us. We've got to be aware of this and intentionally put it back into the lives of our kids.<br />
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<br />Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-91066382197324971762013-03-31T20:57:00.004-07:002023-06-21T17:40:18.880-07:00Kobe Sucks?!?!There's a group of freshmen boys that I try to check in with everyday. They all sit together for lunch at the same bench. They're sweet, funny, and curious. They sort of remind me of me as a freshman, though that's not why I check in with them. They're on the right path, and I guess me checking in daily is my way of ensuring that they stay on that path. We talk about all kinds of things, but the other day I walked over and one of them hit me with this:<br />
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"Kobe sucks."<br />
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I guess I should have inquired more, because for all I know he had a piece of overcooked meat the night before and was forever tainted. But I had a feeling what he meant, so I immediately engaged. "Define sucks." The others saw me jumping into the ring and gathered around to watch. Slowly I took the youngster's argument from, "Kobe sucks," to something more substantial, "Look at his shooting percentage, it's terrible." Okay then, "Define terrible." <br />
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We went back and forth for a while, with me not defending Kobe so much as I was working to get the young debater to base his arguments on facts and even validated opinion versus simple hyperbole. And he was PASSIONATE. I mean, we could have gone on for days. He got into why he believes LeBron is better than Kobe (I didn't let on that I actually agree) and that Jordan couldn't stop LeBron (I agreed here, pointing out that Jordan is 50 and definitely couldn't stop LeBron). I was a freshman in high school almost 25 years ago and I was having the same argument with my friends about Magic and Jordan. I was PASSIONATE! However, I was quite uninterested in school. Not that these boys are uninterested in school. Most of them are far better students than I was. But I don't think they're as passionate about school as they (or at least this one in particular) are about debating LeBron versus Kobe. Can we change that?<br />
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Not if we don't give them the chance to have their own ideas. Not if we don't allow them to experience the curriculum on their terms. Not if we talk at them instead of to them. Or even better we could talk very little at all and ask them questions that would get them doing the talking. Or <i>even better</i> we could teach them to ask the questions so that they'd have a genuine desire to go find the answers. <br />
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I came upon <a href="http://what-if.xkcd.com/" target="_blank">this website</a> a while back and enjoyed one entry without looking around much more. Then I came upon it again recently and have been unable to pull myself away. What if school was more like this? What if we allowed kids to ask 'what if' and then dove in headfirst trying to figure out the answer? What if for homework we asked every kid to tweet a 'what if' question and then chose one and it became the focus for the week? How cool would that be?Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-74672575357533037832012-12-17T21:22:00.001-08:002012-12-17T21:22:10.495-08:00ReinventionTake the phone, try to act as if it never existed. Now reinvent it. You might come up with <a href="http://www.apple.com/iphone/?cid=wwa-us-kwg-iphone-00001&siclientid=5894&sessguid=a6e81bec-7d4f-4db2-918d-9e081102ffd8&userguid=a6e81bec-7d4f-4db2-918d-9e081102ffd8&permguid=a6e81bec-7d4f-4db2-918d-9e081102ffd8">this</a> or <a href="http://www.samsung.com/us/galaxy-s-3-smartphone/?cid=ppc-">this</a>. The television? As a kid I could have never imagined <a href="http://www.vizio.com/technology/via">this</a>. The modern corporation? <a href="http://www.google.com/intl/en/about/">Oh yeah</a>. But can the same be said for public education in America? If we were to completely reinvent it, pretending as if its genesis and subsequent evolution never happened, would the resulting reinvention still produce what we have today? I sure hope not.<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong. I'm a public educator and plan on being so for the rest of my working days. I just think we can be doing so much better. <br />
<br />
Other than the fact that we talk into it and hear someone talking from the other end, in what ways is the phone today the same as its ancestor? The television? The first remote control that my family had came with a WIRE! And this was 60 years <i>after</i> its creation. Google? I just don't see the factories of the late 1700s having day care, free sushi for lunch, and playrooms. But the American school system is by and large the same as it ever was. Just ask <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U">Sir Ken Robinson</a>. Why is this? <br />
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I have a theory...it's untested and based not whatsoever on research. Everything else I described above came to be because of the user. Phone users demanded a camera coupled with a calendar and an internet browser and a gazillion apps and a music player and unlimited texting. Watchers of television demanded flatter, crisper, 3D, streaming Netflix, a gazillion pixels. But school isn't created for the user. Not for today's users. <br />
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Today's users demand interaction, collaboration, stimulation. They demand opportunities to think and apply what is being learned to something that they can relate to. They demand change and movement. They crave compassion and want badly for their voices to be heard. But we're not listening.<br />
<br />
There's so much talk today about reforming education. Let's take it a step further. Let's reinvent it.Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-58837967932910020712012-10-30T21:04:00.002-07:002012-10-30T21:04:48.501-07:00By-Products<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
One of my passions is learning about organizations that achieve success by focusing on something other than what the success is traditionally measured by. Examples:</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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<ul>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">De La Salle Football, winningest high school football program in the history of the universe. They focus non-stop on commitment to and love for one's teammates. The traditional measure would be victories/championships.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">North Carolina Basketball (under Dean Smith). He focused on three things: Playing Hard, Playing Smart, Playing Together. Again, traditional measure would have been victories/championships.</li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;">Apple. Focus on creating the most innovative, user-friendly technology. Traditional measure would be company profits and sales numbers.</li>
</ul>
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Schools are measured against so many different parameters: test scores, average cumulative GPA of graduating classes, number of graduates attending 4-year universities, etc. But ultimately my belief is that a school, like the organizations I mentioned above, could and would achieve any traditionally measured success if they'd just focus relentlessly on deeper underlying principles. I just can't figure out what the heck they are. Until now. The other day, one finally hit me.</div>
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<b><i>High Expectations.</i></b></div>
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May not seem like much, but it's a philosophy, a belief. Something that we can all control no matter what the circumstances. Doesn't matter if a kid has personal issues, comes from a crappy background, if our classroom has too many kids, if our projector isn't working. We can focus relentlessly on holding ourselves and our students to high expectations. And we can define what high expectations means to us. What do high expectations look like in my classroom? In yours? In our collaboration? On our sports fields? In our weekly admin meetings?</div>
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But that's only one. I need a few more. Thoughts?</div>
</div>
Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-58843722808107574752012-10-25T17:38:00.002-07:002012-10-25T17:38:31.753-07:00WASCThis past Sunday through Wednesday I spent time at a high school on a WASC visit. <a href="http://www.acswasc.org/">WASC</a> stands for Western Association of Schools and Colleges and it is one of six regional accrediting associations in the United States. My role was to serve on a team that read and discussed a school's self-study, verified that what was stated in the report was actually happening on the campus, and offered feedback. My team <i>recommended</i> to WASC a term for accreditation and WASC makes the final decision. <div>
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<div>
A few of the teachers at the school asked me why I do it and my answer is simple. I do it because I want to learn. The WASC organization says that serving on a visiting committee is one of the best professional development opportunities around and I completely agree. A few years back an assistant principal suggested I serve on a visiting committee and now I've been on three: two full visits and one that was a one-day revisit. </div>
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It's an amazing process. The school being visited goes through an extensive reflection period, thoroughly looking at its entire program. A report is compiled, the previously mentioned self-study. The WASC visiting team then reads the self-study and meets for the first time on Sunday afternoon to discuss, share thoughts, and develop a schedule. Beginning later Sunday afternoon and continuing throughout Wednesday the visiting team:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>visits classrooms</li>
<li>meets with parent groups</li>
<li>meets with site leadership (department heads, administrative team)</li>
<li>visits classrooms</li>
<li>meets with focus area groups (school governance, curriculum, instruction, assessment, and school culture)</li>
<li>meets with student groups (leadership, an "ad-hoc" group where the visiting team selects students to get a decent snapshot of the student population as a whole)</li>
<li>meets the support staff</li>
<li>meets the counselors</li>
<li>visits classrooms</li>
<li>meets district folks and board members</li>
</ul>
<div>
...all the while discussing, reflecting, asking questions, answering questions. It's awesome.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As a full-time educator, and when I say full-time I'm not just referring to my contracted time but implying that for the most part I live and breathe my work, it's tough to find the time to step back reflect on my practice. WASC affords me the time away from work to do this, but to do it in an action-research setting. I'm reflecting on my work and my school and our progress by thoroughly examining another institution. By no means does that entail comparison. It's not at all about comparing the school I'm visiting with the school I'm at or any other school I've been to or worked for. It just helps, when reflecting on my work, to be immersed in the environment of work but not at my site. In those three days I see and hear and discuss so much. It would be impossible not to learn from that.</div>
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Additionally I get to spend time with other passionate educators. On this visit there were eight of us: a retired principal, an assistant superintendent of HR, two high school principals, two teachers, one counselor, and myself. Get that many inspired educators together examining an institution and some serious learning is bound to happen!</div>
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All in all it's a fantastic experience and I recommend any educator who is interested in improving join a WASC team. </div>
Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-62082595799632698222012-08-08T21:16:00.001-07:002012-09-08T09:26:52.229-07:00Start With GradingTo increase student learning, start with grading.<br />
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The conversation about grading has many entry points, but get the conversation going. What does an A in World History represent? What does a D represent? Have those discussions and DO NOT take them lightly. Too much depends on it.<br />
<br />
We're both applying for admission to Stanford. Nearly EVERYTHING about our applications are identical: good grades, extracurricular activities, obstacles overcome, leadership demonstrated. But I got a C+ in Calculus and you got a B+. You get accepted. But why?<br />
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Turns out your Calculus teacher incorporated things like classroom participation and homework completion into his grading policies. You barely had a "basic" understanding of the concepts within the Calculus curriculum. But you turned in every homework assignment, went in for extra tutoring, always raised your hand in class. I, on the other hand, had a teacher who utilized Standards Based Grading. My grade was (as close as possible to) 100% indicative of my mastery of the concepts. Homework completion and classroom participation had no bearing whatsoever on my grade. Simply what I learned and did not learn. My C+ had me on the borderline between a basic understanding and a proficient one. But you got accepted because some admissions counselor at Stanford had to trust your teacher over mine.<br />
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So grades matter a lot. But more importantly they drive what we teach and how we teach it. If we value the effort our students are making to learn we choose to assess them based strictly on whether or not they have demonstrated their knowledge and skills. We take the time to create grading procedures that are a clear indication and reflection of knowledge and ability. We are concerned about the students not only in our classroom but those in the classroom next to us, and in the classroom in the state next to ours. Because we want all students to have a fair chance to compete for the college/career of their choice. So we sit with colleagues and ask them about their grading policies, and what concepts they are going to teach this year, and how they will teach those concepts so that the kids will learn, and how they will assess that learning.<br />
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Then we create assessments that enable and empower and inform our students. We see them not just as potential receivers of knowledge but as co-creators of their education. We know that our assessments must provide them with information about where they are weak and where they are strong. We allow for multiple avenues of assessment because we understand that different people learn (and demonstrate that learning) in very different ways. And this leads us to talk more; to our students, to our colleagues, to our coaches. We want to do better for our kids. They become our partners in this journey. We become dedicated to doing better for them.<br />
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Slowly our pacing becomes common with others in our department, in our district, and in our state. We see that it would be a disservice to give any less to our students than what they deserve. We start to blog and tweet and share best practices for instruction, collaborative learning, formative assessments. Our students begin to recognize how much we care. Our dedication to their progress increases exponentially, and we do things like give them our cell phone number and tell them that they can text us when they are confused about a homework assignment. Never...never...NEVER is a grade punitive. Instead of coming to us and saying, "What can I do to raise my grade?" they are now coming to us and stating, "I need help understanding the causes and consequences of The American Revolution." And we are inspired when we hear this!<br />
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This happens because we started talking about grading.Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-72925211075722288652012-08-01T20:34:00.000-07:002012-08-01T20:34:34.847-07:00Second Base for the YankeesA friend once said, when describing a job change he had made, "I went from playing second base for the Milwaukee Brewers to playing second base for the New York Yankees." I understood the analogy, and as he continued to describe his new company he said things like:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Top to bottom they value their people.</li>
<li>I've never been involved with an organization that was all about the right things.</li>
<li>Every cent of my _____ will be with this company, not because I receive a discount but because of how strongly I feel about the company and what it stands for.</li>
</ul>
<div>
Needless to say I was envious. At the time the only organization I had ever been associated with that made me feel that way was <a href="http://www.boomerangproject.com/">The Boomerang Project</a>, and that was only as having attended one of their trainings to be a Link Crew Coordinator at the high school I was working at. But I knew they were amazing, and eventually I was fortunate to be chosen to serve as one of their "coaches." However that was a side-job, so while much of it gave me goose bumps it only represented 1/100th of my professional life, at most. But I feel like I recently got traded...</div>
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This isn't to say anything negative about my previous work experiences. I am proud to say that I've worked with countless dedicated, passionate and qualified people. But Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District is the Yankees, and I'm honored to be a ball boy, if that's what they want of me. The people I work with and for are <i>incredible</i>: inspirational, wondrously intelligent, funny, real, honest, passionate. It truly is an amazing place to work, and I'm forever thankful for whatever landed me here. </div>
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<br /></div>Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-45338090388154803432012-07-16T16:20:00.000-07:002012-07-16T16:20:01.153-07:00Design and StoryA few years back the good people at <a href="http://www.boomerangproject.com/">The Boomerang Project</a> recommended <a href="http://www.danpink.com/whole-new-mind">"A Whole New Mind"</a> by Daniel Pink. If you click on that link you'll see a brief description stating that the book "...reveals the six essential aptitudes on which professional success and personal fulfillment now depend..." According to Pink two of those aptitudes are <i>design</i> and <i>story</i>. I enjoyed the book and have found it quite useful.<br />
<br />
This past February my wife and I decided that it was time for me to start applying for a full-time administrative position. In 6+ years at a traditional high school as a Math Teacher I had gained valuable experience with things like serving on the staff leadership team, serving on <a href="http://www.acswasc.org/">WASC</a> visiting teams, coaching, etc. During the last 2 years I was the Lead Teacher at a small charter school and it was during this time that I gained invaluable administrative experience working on school discipline, coordinating the administration of standardized exams, developing curriculum, leading professional development, etc. However, as "Lead Teacher" I wasn't officially an administrator, so I knew that when applying I'd be viewed as not having enough experience. I had to do something that would separate me from the pack.<br />
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I put design and story together and somehow came up with the idea of creating a video. I contacted former students, parents of current students, friends and associates, former/current colleagues and former supervisors and humbly asked them to make a short video of themselves completing the following statement: Alex would make a(n) __________ school leader because __________. The videos were incredible! I put them together in iMovie and came up with a 4-minute compilation that told a story about who I am as an educational leader. I uploaded the video and in each application and cover letter included a link.<br />
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The video certainly opened a lot of doors for me. One deputy superintendent remarked that he had never seen anything like it before and asked me if he could use it in a Masters class he teaches. I do believe that it played a significant role in me landing my current position. I've never thought of myself as much of a right-brainer but I guess an old dog can learn a few new tricks.<br />
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(I'm a little hesitant to include a link to the video because while it was a purposeful and effective way of marketing myself for a job it feels a bit pretentious to just put it out there. But, if it can help others market themselves and learn something then I think it's worth it. Click <a href="https://vimeo.com/40916182">here</a>.)<br />
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<br />Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-73395729705722015372012-07-07T20:36:00.000-07:002012-07-07T20:36:07.053-07:00Learning by Doing<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935542095/ref=asc_df_19355420952087267?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=1935542095&hvpos=1o1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6092199981161622125&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=" target="_blank">Learning by Doing</a> is, according to the subtitle, A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work. It is also what my daughters do every day. Ellie is 2. Lucy is 9 months. <br />
<br />
Ten minutes ago we were getting them ready for bed and Lucy was playing in her room. She's pulling herself up to a standing position now. Seeing her do this makes me incredibly proud, especially considering the lengths I went to for her to accomplish this task. First I spent no small amount of time meticulously planning a lesson that I would eventually present to her. TSWBAT stand. In doing so I created a learning objective that would be visible at all times during the lesson. I backwards mapped: Lucy standing would be the performance task she'd demonstrate. I considered and included her prior knowledge while planning the lesson. Once Lucy was quietly seated at her desk (on time, before the bell rang, with all necessary materials) we jumped into the anticipatory set. The lecture began, during which I periodically checked for understanding. Individual practice ensued, followed by constructive feedback, and of course some formative assessment. <br />
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Ridiculous, huh? Two years and nine months ago we started trying for children. Here we are now, two beautiful and wonderful daughters later, and to be honest I think we're doing great. We've talked to people, read some books here and there, but mostly we are Learning by Doing. Just like Ellie and Lucy do nearly every moment of every day. <br />
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What would our schools look like if we "did" History, Math, English, the Arts, the Sciences, Foreign Languages, Wood Shop and Auto Shop? We begin our lives Learning by Doing and for an unfortunate, inordinate amount of time we stop doing and are taught. Once that is over we get back to doing and find ourselves more interested, more intrigued, better educated. Can we possibly make those schooling years more productive? More fun?Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-58953942101209621752012-07-07T20:19:00.000-07:002012-07-07T20:19:02.693-07:00The Damian ParadoxMy (career) life is pretty much dedicated to education. I love it. Love reading about it, thinking about it, talking about it, debating about it. My hope is that when my time comes to retire that I'll look back and feel satisfied with the contributions I made towards education, the positive effect I had on lives (students and colleagues), and the small but significant change I impacted upon the system. But that may not happen because of The Damian Paradox.<br />
<br />
Damian is one of my best buddies. I've known him since sixth grade, when he moved to our neighborhood. Damian is by all measures, and this is genuinely unbiased, successful. He has spent the past ten or so years in the life insurance industry and while I don't know the specifics of the amount of money he has made I do know that he spends a great deal of his time at the golf course. But of course money isn't what defines successful. Damian is active in politics and once said to me that he would love to spend his time backing a candidate that he truly believes in. He is knowledgeable on MANY subjects and would be comfortable at a table with economists, politicians, educators, lawyers, businessmen, and many others. Every time we talk he's telling me about a new book he's read, and the books are rarely fiction. He's athletic, curious, inquisitive, intelligent, and reflective. He's also not a high school or college graduate.<br />
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As I mentioned we met in sixth grade but it wasn't until tenth grade that I knew he was smarter than me. Our World History teacher was having a finals cram session and a bunch of us were packed into a classroom one day after school. 99% of us were furiously scribbling notes as the teacher was reviewing what would be on the test. The 1% was Damian. He was sitting in the back row, slouched in his desk with no pen or paper, answering every question and recalling every pertinent fact.<br />
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Damian played two seasons of football at a local junior college and transferred to a small 4-year college to finish off his career. In a weird twist of events I ended up playing the last season of my college football career with him at his school. We were roommates during that season and to say that he skipped class a lot is like saying LeBron James is somewhat athletic. One day he showed up in the dining commons with a backpack on...I just started laughing. The backpack was empty. He said that he was wearing it because he wanted to be like the other students. He finished his time at the school without graduating.<br />
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Yet since "finishing" college he has coached college football, passed his Series 7 exam (licensing him to buy and sell securities), gotten married, purchased a fabulous home, joined a prestigious country club, traveled the world, earned an incredible living, and is one of the best examples I've seen of a "lifelong learner." He's also got great perspective. Upon seeing Damian in a top-of-the-line Mercedes one of our friends (who is in the Navy) commented, "Someone is doing well." Damian's reply, "Yeah, but I don't have lifetime health benefits."<br />
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Once again, by all measures Damian is doing well. VERY well. But school, as typically defined, did not do this for him. He didn't graduate high school or college. His G.P.A. in both was subpar. So why and how is he so successful? And is he truly a paradox or could we all achieve what we've achieved without fulfilling the requirements to graduate high school and/or college? And if we could, what does that say for my dedication to education?Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9114519811830055482.post-27635071858054075292012-06-25T20:15:00.002-07:002012-06-25T20:15:42.902-07:00The "A Team"I was hired to serve as a Vice Principal at Livermore High School and I couldn't possibly be more excited. Today our admin team spent the day collaborating, building our rapport, discussing roles, and sharing ideas. We are led by an amazing individual and I am honored to be a part of this dynamic, innovative and dedicated team. <br />
<br />
This is a new chapter in my career as an educator and I can't wait to turn the pages to see what is coming next...Alex Eckerthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02892481810824499698noreply@blogger.com2