Why Are Connections so Important

While trolling through Twitter recently, I stumbled across a Tweet that described classroom management as 'more class and less management!' I couldn't help but think to myself the power this simple statement possessed. While we might think today's students need more management, what they really need are more people to believe in them and their dreams! As Tom Hierck puts it, "we need to stop talking about students by their deficits."

It becomes rather easy to shine our light on misbehavior, achievement gaps, and learning deficits in our classrooms. The struggle to balance instruction with empathy and class is real. However, when you enter a classroom that places the emphasis on connections, you can feel the positive energy in the air. Why is it that students thrive in a classroom in which their teacher genuinely cares? How is it that students from a variety of backgrounds and educational predispositions can grow leaps and bounds in  a room with more class? It's my opinion that it all boils down to one simple concept - CONNECTIONS!

Today's teacher encounters students with a wide range of baggage - emotional, socioeconomic, relational, stress, anxiety, and many more. Yet, the best classroom teachers find a way to make each and every student feel welcome and encouraged to learn. However, in order to do so, these teachers have found a way to make a connection with their students, thus knowing how to motivate and encourage each and every student in their class.

While it's not an easy feat to accomplish, the greatest teachers work valiantly to ensure that every student sees his/her value. These teachers know their likes and dislikes, their triggers, their happy places, and what they are doing this coming weekend. Great teachers find a way to look past the blatantly obvious deficits and choose to focus on the positive that each child can provide to the class. It's not easy! It is necessary to foster a classroom that places less on emphasis on getting it right and more emphasis on continuous growth and learning.

Sometimes, teachers are the only light of hope for students. We might be the one person that believes in them and knows that they are capable of great things. We must be willing to look past mistakes and blemishes and focus on what is possible. Teachers must not be afraid of daring students to go beyond whatever what was once thought of as impossible.

Each and every student needs a teacher that believes in him/her. Someone that tells them it's okay to make a mistake, you can do it, and I believe in you. Take the time to make connections with your students, putting relationships ahead of curriculum, putting students before standards. You want to see your students be successful - then focus on the connections you are making with them!

4-C's of Learning

Recently, I have been doing a great deal of reflecting on what it means to learn - not just for students but for professionals as well. While many will admit that 'learning never stops', few will actively seek out opportunities to grow and learn. Unfortunately, the skills of the 20th century, along with the learning styles of old, will not motivate a learner to change old habits, nor support creativity and innovation. A radical change in what learning means and why, when, where, and how learning is done needs to occur. To fail to see that a change is needed is to fail all learners at all levels.

Through my own reflection and studying the likes of Daniel Pink (Motivation), Howard Gardner (5 Minds for the Future), and Jason Bretzmann (Personalized PD), I have come to develop what I call The 4-C's of Learning: Connections, Customization, Curiosity, and Collaboration. As I continue to explore the implications the 4-C's could have on learning, I feel that is an excellent time to share what I have so far, reflect on the process, and gather feedback from all types of learners!

CONNECTIONS: The late Aristotle is quoted as saying, "Educating the mind without educating the Heart is no education at all." This fundamental belief is what I feel should be the root of all learning experiences. As I see it, connections consist of two main elements - connections to people and connections to content. The ability to connect with people provides an opportunity to look into one's heart. I am a firm believer that we cannot teach WHAT if we do not know the WHY behind a learner. To understand the why takes time and effort - an effort to get to know someone's character, values, goals, and ambitions. Whether the connection is Educator-Student, Educator-Educator, Manager-Employee, we must be willing to look deeper than the surface to help learners develop a strong foundation for the learning process.

When talking about connecting to the content, we strive to find purpose in what we are learning. Daniel Pink defines purpose as "the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves." Our individual purpose and passions lie within our hearts. The more passionate about a topic we are, the more inclined we are to find a solution on our own. Unfortunately, much of education today (both formal and professional development) uses a 'one size fits all' approach. If we are to truly move education forward, we must encourage and design opportunities for learners to be creative and innovative. This means we must be adapt at thinking outside the box and designing learning opportunities that are individualized.

CUSTOMIZED: Perhaps the most difficult C to understand, customized learning helps to put the control of learning in the learners hands. In order to relinquish the ownership however, a deep and last connection needs to have been developed. To help a learner understand how learning can be applied to a variety of areas in their life, educators need to know what the learners purpose and passion are! Daniel Pink refers to this element as autonomy, "the urge to direct our own learning." When given more control over directing your own learning, a learner tends to become more motivated to see the learning process through to the end.

In traditional learning settings, I see this phenomena taking place in giving learners choices in how to display learning has occurred - what I like to call "Letting Your Students Drive".  In giving learners options related to displaying what they have learned, you give them ownership in developing a product they are proud of and willing to share with others. Likewise, you provide student an opportunity to use any number of the talents the posses.

In his book 'Personalized PD', Jason Bretzmann talks about Honor Professionalism. "These people know what they are doing. It's why they were hired, and why they are still here. They probably know what they need next." Why is it that institutions feel the need to dictate and hand-cuff educators in their own learning and development? When we let go of the reins and hand over the ownership. learning becomes a behavior, not a barrier!

CURIOSITY: After providing a framework to create lasting connections and customized learning experiences, educators will find it much easier to spark curiosity in their learners - curiosity to learn beyond a text book, curiosity to be creative and innovative, and curiosity to know how to search for answers when they don't know what they are looking for. Far too often, educators get in the way of curiosity and stifle any ingenuity that may be brewing. The more we can sit back and provide learners the opportunity to drive their learning, the more ownership they take for what is learned, particularly from failure. 

Encouraging learning through failure requires reflection. Reflection allows learners to identify where they started and where they hope their goals will take them. High quality reflection encourages learners to identify pieces of the puzzle along the journey that might need to be modified or changed all together. Without reflection, learners are often doomed to repeat history. When learners are able to identify historical blunders, they become inclined to look outside the box and think differently than those before them.

COLLABORATION: The world around us continues to evolve and change as we know it. For the 2015-2016 school year, the Green Bay (WI) School District become a majority minority school - 51% of the students are of a minority! This trend will only continue to rise. Educators must be prepared to teach all students about the diverse work force they will encounter, preparing them to work with people from all walks of life. In providing a framework to show that everyone has worth, educators must strategically plan for group activities that support this initiative. In doing so, educators also prepare learners for the difficult situations and conversations they will undoubtedly encounter.

Professionals must also understand the value collaboration plays in their own learning process. Too often, we feel the need to try and reinvent the wheel, or apply as many band aides to a problem as possible, guessing which solution worked the best. We need to harness the potential of collaboration and be willing to share what we tried, what worked, and what failed. All of education needs to understand that WE is more important than ME and learners are OURS not mine!

As I continue to reflect on my own learning through this adventure, I am encouraged by the many educators that are already practicing the 4-C's in their own lives. As we continue to forge ahead into the world of the unknown, educators will be forced to teach differently, think differently, and lead differently.

I welcome and look forward to any feedback, comments, and/or suggestions anyone might have. This truly is an adventure that WE are all embarking on together!

Cliff Goodacre - cliffgoodacre@gmail.com

A Growth Mindset

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Higher Learning Commission's Annual Conference in Chicago. The conference, which focused heavily on accreditation for institutes of higher education, also included several breakout sessions on assessment practices. The last session I attended at the conference, "Using the Growth Mindset to Encourage Faculty & Staff Use of Assessment" was outstanding.

Led by Dr. Eric Haas, Psychology Faculty member at Maricopa Community College, the session provided great context for how instructors ought to approach learning and assessment at all levels of education. After providing data to show that anxiety surrounds assessment, as well as how a fixed mindset can sometimes be detrimental to learning, Dr. Haas provided a wonderful synopsis of the value of teaching every student as if they have a growth mindset.

In order for any educator to effectively teach students, we must all come to one fundamental conclusion: Assessment IS NOT the goal; it is a tool! Learning IS the goal! Learning, the process by which students grow, is at the fundamental core of what every educator does. Educators at every level often spend countless hours focusing on students that are far below grade level or ability. We work effortlessly to help them be successful, sometimes with success while others not so successful.

Either way, as educators we need to continually help our students see that the path to success is not always linear. There are failures along the way, bumps that impede our process, and obstacles to overcome. However, along the way we LEARN that we can persevere and make improvements on things we have already tried. Like the old saying goes, 'No Pain - No Gain". We must be willing to put in the hard work to help all of our students be successful, encouraging them along the way. Help them to see that they are capable of anything they want to put their minds to.

Ironically, Dr. Haas' presentation really charged educators with having a growth mindset themselves. How easy would it be to continue doing what you've been doing because 'that's way I've always done it'? We must be willing to admit that we do not know what we do not know. The only way to grow is to learn - learn how we can become better educators, creating a place for all students to learn and grow WITH us, not from us!

Do you have a growth mindset?

My sketch notes from HLC Conference 2016.

Engaging the Gen. C Learner

I was recently given the opportunity to attend the Wisconsin Technical College System's 2016 Tech Expo at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wisconsin. The conference targeted faculty and staff that were interested in integrating technology to Enhance Teaching & Learning. I was especially intrigued by the keynote speaker, Dr. James May, who was an award winning Faculty Fellow for Innovation and Technology at Valencia College (FL). And he did not disappoint.

In an engaging, content rich, and powerful presentation, Dr. May encouraged participants to find a way to 'Engage Generation C with the Adjacent Possible". Dr. May described Generation C as “Generation C refers to Constantly Connected Citizens who are Creative, Capable, Content-Centric Curators, Copiers and Combiners who are Community-oriented, Collectively Communicative, Collaborative, and Co-developing Consumers of Common Content.” - via Allan J. Kimmel (teachertricks.org)

My Sketch Notes from Dr. James May's Session - Engaging Generation C with the Adjacent Possible 

While listening to Dr. May talk about how today's technology can provide so many possibilities, I found myself pondering how Flipped Learning can help open the door to the adjacent possible. How can Flipped Learning encourage learners to be Connected, Creative, Collaborative, Co-Developers, and Curators of their own learning? That's when it dawned on me - if we want students to develop these characteristics, we must also expect our educators to model them! 

You see, the age of your learner does not matter. When the transfer of ownership takes place between educator and learner, rich and life-changing learning occurs. Educators are too often constrained by the boundaries of institutional limitations, as well as their past experiences. To open the door to the adjacent possible, educators must be encouraged to explore beyond their boundaries and Create authentic learning for themselves and their learners. 

In a Connected, Content rich world, educators should Collaborate, Copy, Combine, and Collectively Communicate about what they are doing in their classrooms. Institutions should release the constraints of traditional learning and foster a growth mindset among their educators. Give educators more freedom to design their own Professional Development and Growth Plans. Begin to ask educators what they need to become better, what opportunities exist for them to improve. Transfer the ownership of learning and watch the Adjacent Possible expand to depths of all students!

Generation C - what a profound label to place on learners today! 

Flipped Learning to meet the Guiding Principles of Teaching & Learning

Wisconsin’s Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning inform the design and implementation of all academic standards. All educational initiatives are guided and impacted by important and often unstated attitudes or principles for teaching and learning. The Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning emerge from research and provide the touchstone for practices that truly affect the vision of every child a graduate prepared for college and career. The principles inform what happens in the classroom, the implementation and evaluation of programs, and remind us of our own expectations for students. (Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction)

While I have stepped away from the every day middle school math classroom, I am often caught reflecting upon the wide array of strategies and instructional practices shared with me at the college level. Furthermore, I continue to witness and recommend flipped learning to help create an active, engaged classroom that truly focuses on putting the students first and meeting their needs. Flipped learning, when done correctly, can provide students with such a vast array of opportunities to become successful in school and prepare them for what lies ahead.

As I was writing an article for the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators, I couldn't help but realize how flipped learning helped me to meet the guiding principles of teaching and learning that Wisconsin established: Every student has the right to learn, Instruction must be rigorous and relevant, Purposeful assessment drives instruction and affects learning, Learning is a collaborative responsibility, Students bring strengths and experiences to learning, and Responsive environments engage learners.

For the full article, click here.

Creating a Kahoot!

Are you looking for a fun, interactive assessment tool to use with your students in your Flipped Classroom? Do you want to know if your students completed their pre-class assignment or reading? Would you like an item analysis for questions and topics your students are struggling with? If you've answered yes to any of these questions, then I have a great solution for you!

Welcome to KAHOOT! Create, play, and share fun learning games for any subject, for all ages, for FREE! Kahoot gives users the ability to create an interactive, game-based assessment. Similar to playing trivia at Buffalo Wild Wings, Kahoot asks participants to answer questions correctly in a timely manner. The quicker you know the answer, the more points you are awarded. Use pictures, videos, and generate your own questions and answers. Download game results to analyze your students' progress or how well a question was written.

Kahoot is redefining formative assessment in the 21st century classroom! Check out my video tutorial below for directions on how to create your first Kahoot, or use this attached file!

Death of the Textbook

When given the ability to be creative and unique, students will often rise above and beyond the task given to them. One of the most rewarding parts of my role at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is that I get to facilitate a teaching methods course, helping varying levels of instructors explore new and innovative methods of instruction. I am a big believer in modeling through my instruction how instructors can help their students become successful. Often, our instructors are asked to reflect on their weekly learning plan by answering several questions. When replying, we leave the reply format open - in that instructors can choose the vehicle in which they choose to respond (i.e. journal entry, power point, podcast, video reflection, etc.)

Giving your students the ability to choose their vehicle empowers them to be creative, unique, and problem solve all on their own. What follows is one of the best reflections I have ever read by one of NWTC's part-time instructors, Jenny Holtebeck. Jenny, and English Language Learners instructor, used her creativity to reply to the questions: what are the benefits of technology to help promote/maximize learning and what is one watch out about technology?

NEW YORK TIMES OBITUARY FOR THE TRADITIONAL TEXTBOOK, WRITTEN BY A REPORTER COVERING THE FUNERAL
By: Jenny Holtebeck

After more than 400 years of service to the educational community, the Traditional Textbook passed away recently due to disuse.  It is believed that the Textbook’s spouse, the Teacher Manual, has also gone to glory. 

Born in America in 1690 under the name The New England Primer, the Textbook has also been known to its loved ones by many other names:  The McGuffey Reader, Principles of Biology, Math Expressions, etc.  The Textbook was known for providing students with accurate information about a subject in a clear, concise format.  It was also passionate about being well organized, teaching generations of pupils how to use a table of contents, glossary, and index. 

The Textbook is survived by its children, various forms of educational technology.  These glamorous offspring have vowed to continue their parents’ goal of promoting and maximizing learning, they explained during their joint eulogy.  “It helps that there are so many of us,” explained one child, the Power Point Presentation.  “We can do so much more than our parents because we all have different purposes.  Like, I can present information like my parents did, but I like to do it in a more graphic way.  Charts, pictures, bullet points, ya know?  Some people really respond to that.” 

Power Point’s sibling, a Teacher Tube Video, put it another way.  “Those of us in the younger generation can appeal to more learning styles.  I address the needs of auditory and visual learners.  And my brother, the Math Manipulative, is very effective with somatic learners.” 

“I give people experience with the tools they will use in their jobs,” added Design Software.  “Some of my former students have kept in touch with me for years after graduation because they find me so useful.” 

His sister, the Government Database concluded by saying, “Our parents were great, but the information I have is always up-to-date.  We’ll miss our parents, but we really believe they would want us to continue their work.” 

Unfortunately, the funeral was interrupted at this point by a loss of wi-fi, which rendered Teacher Tube Video and Government Database unable to communicate with the mourners.  Shortly after, Power Point Presentation displayed the Blue Screen of Death, a medical condition it periodically suffers from.  The funeral officiant was unable to revive the Power Point Presentation, and had to resort to her back-up plan for the eulogy, which was to write the important points on a chalkboard.  The chalkboard was a surprise guest at the funeral, since it had not been seen for almost a decade and was presumed dead.  One can only reminisce about how the Traditional Textbook would have risen to the occasion.

Talk about owning a reflection and making it your own. Students, and instructors alike, want their work to shine. When given the ability to use their own skills and talents, they will give you something you never expected. Perhaps it's time to get out of their way and let them drive!