Cross-posted at www.kwhobbes.wordpress.com

Over the past few weeks I’ve been doing some reading, when I have a few moments, both online and the hardcopy book/magazine version. There have been a few different things that have me pondering and wondering about what we are doing in school and how things will change and when we’ll get around to looking at how change will affect what we do at school.

Being rather overwhelmed with a number of different managerial tasks these past few weeks and having to increase my teaching time, I really haven’t had time to focus on the educational leadership side of what I do. However, this past week at our last Administrators’ meeting, we were asked to do a number of things that really have me thinking about school, learning and the whole paradigm shift thing.

Portfolio - My Administrative Story

We’ve been asked to gather together different artifacts and categorize them under different headings to demonstrate various aspects of our leadership. Everything from shared leadership to continuous learning is part of this portfolio. Of course, being the keener that I am, I began to put my portfolio together a few years ago knowing that it is going to be essential if I were to search for a new position. However, I hadn’t put all the innards in their right places so last weekend I took some time and sifted through my collection of artifacts that I had assembled. What I found noteworthy was: I had a number of items that demonstrated continuous learning, contributions to educational learning, leadership and community, leadership and school and the various activities in my present school with which I have been involved. What was missing? Pictures. I don’t have a single photo of my actions and what I’ve been doing over the past 5 years. Actually, I have few pictures of my teaching and administrative journey. Contrast this with the portfolio of a young teacher and their is a huge difference.

So I lack photos. But in this culture of the picture, where everyone is snapping digital pics with their cameras or phones and then posting them or saving them, it would seem that photos are essential to telling the story of one’s life/career. Without the pics there is an empty spot where coloured glossies should be showing what was happening. Especially now when you can take, oh, 4000 pics on a single card and stash them on your harddrive or upload them to Flickr or Picassa, it is even easier to gather the visual story of one’s life and put it together for others to see.

Is it Really That Important?
Are visual representations really that important in a portfolio? My small investigation into this has produced a resounding YES! In fact, they are as important as all the letters and other items since they demonstration interactions or actions that cannot be conveyed as easily in words. Saying you do community work and a set of photos showing you do community work do have a different affect. Not only that, but they create a longer lasting impression for the person that is viewing.

The Shifting Paradigm

People are mostly visual - or so I’ve been told by a number of people especially my wife who has commented more than once “Do I need to draw you a picture?” Visuals help us in remembering things, in making connections and, if you are like me, reminding me of things to do. Funny how my wife telling me to take out the garbage three times isn’t nearly as affective as the visual of opening the shower to find the garbage bag. (And, no, I didn’t ask her why she didn’t take it out herself. If the garbage bag ends up in the shower, get the message and just take it out.)

So, while I’ve been waiting in hockey rinks this weekend, I pondered how this shift should be affecting how we do things in school and I came up with these things;

- we need to take advantage of the visual tools of the web to help students create connections instead of giving them notes on the connections. There are enough mind mapping tools out there that the only excuse we have for not using them is they are blocked.
- we should be getting students to incorporate more visuals into their storytelling and their demonstrations of knowledge. Let’s face it, a picture says so much and the right picture/chart/diagram can make clear something that is hard to put into words. With the number of creative commons available photos and such, students should be learning to bring the word and picture together just like we see in textbooks!
- bullet point slides are dead and we, as educators, need to take advantage of the tools available to pose questions that push students to think and challenge their present knowledge. All teachers should be learning the art of the presentation and then using it to engage students in questions that challenge them, are present and have some connection to their lives.
- use visuals to help students make connections between their lives and what is happening in school.
- be open to students’ desire to share their knowledge in a number of ways. This doesn’t mean that they don’t have to write well but, instead, we encourage them to give story to the visuals they select.
- connect dots, create webs, draw inferences - use the visual to communicate with everyone in school - not just the parents. One of my favourite scenes from a movie is when, in Teachers, Nick Noltee has given a young student, Ralph Macchio, an assignment and allowed him to use a camera to take pictures and present the information visually in a slideshow. Really, that movie was before its time - I still recommend all teachers watch it as it captures all that could be but isn’t. Best teacher - Richard Mulligan - awesome!!
- draw on the visual to make connections - help to make things real by giving visual examples of history, literature, social problems, mathematical problems, science and the rest. And if we can’t find a visual, have students create it.

We need more 365 programs in school

I’m not sure if everyone is aware of the 365 picture meme or whatever it is now but it has people take a picture each day and post it. Many people I know from my PLN are taking part and, from all accounts, it’s a great way to begin to take time to focus on the world around in a visual manner. Kind of a “Stop and smell the roses” idea. So, why aren’t we doing this in classes? Why aren’t we having students take pictures that reflect whatever we are studying and have them comment on them? Or, finding photos that they can use (CC available) and putting together conversations using different online tools and getting feedback? What’s holding us back from taking advantage of the mushrooming explosion of online photos that are available to the public or having students use their own to build knowledge, bridging between in-school and out-school.

We need to begin to take advantage of these tools and this shift to the visual. For the first time we have inexpensive and easy access to visuals and images that could add so much to what we are doing in school. Combine these with the ability to record audio that goes along with the visuals and we have a powerful one/two combination that we are not using enough in school but is so vital in the social networks in which people are involved. Writing is powerful but, as we begin to explore the possibilities of the visual and audio, we need to embrace these and incorporate them.

This Dilbert cartoon says so much! http://www.dilbert.com/2009-03-07/

What are we waiting for? What’s keeping us from surging ahead? Why does it seem there is denial that it is possible and available?

I’m not sure but I know I’ll be seeing how I can do this more in my own teaching.

Kelly Christopherson

Posted by LeaderTalk Contributor at 4:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

This week, on Thursday at 10:00 am in an obscure room in downtown Saskatoon I will be delivering my third presentation. Now, my record of presentations is, well, unknown since I really didn’t get any feedback from the previous two. I’ve made a note to make sure I leave comment pages for the participants so I have something with which to work.

My presentation if focused on PLN - Professional/Personal Learning Networks. For me, both are so interwoven that I don’t bother separating them. Professional/Personal have intermixed with many of my personal pursuits also impacting my professional life. I am a technology kind of guy, always looking at the newest thing or looking for ways to get my personal and professional life to mingle more seamlessly so that I actually have a greater sense of how the two mix, allowing me to squeeze more time out of the professional for my own use. I especially need this now as I’ve had to pick up a few classes for a few weeks until a replacement teacher can be found. Using tools to organize is a whole post on its own!

My ideas for developing this presentation have been captured over at www.pln.wetpaint.com and it is open for anyone who would like to add ideas to what/how a PLN can influence and help each of us, both personally and professionally. I’ve already had a few people drop by and add their names. I’m looking for some more input about things that people really find are essential for developing a PLN.

My PLN Development

My own journey has been one of many side-trips and wanderings all over the place. I’m a tech explorer, looking and trying different things to see if they will work in an environment like education. I’m always trying to figure out how to add to my personal learning and then, if it fits, bring it over into the world of education. I began with blogging. My first venture was a discussion over on Will Richardson’s blog where I really questioned how all these tools and ideas would filter into a system that was already overfull. How were teachers, whose lives were mostly dominated by other working pressures, going to find the necessary time to bring about any type of significant change. Well, I can tell you that 3 years later and hundreds of discussions later and I’m still asking that question. I’m still searching for a way to bring the tools to the classroom teacher in such a way that they aren’t crushed by the enormity of what is being asked of them.

All those tools!

As I wandered all over the place and looked at different tools, I saw that the tools were endless, as were the possibilities for their use. Now, this presented an even greater dilemma for me as I began to realize that teachers weren’t always the keenest of learners. In fact, education has been going strong for years with very little change precisely because educators aren’t really open to new learning. They like new things that fit into what they are already doing or new ideas that enhance what they are already doing as long as the learning isn’t too long and the implementation is fairly straightforward. So as I looked at podcasts, blogs, surveys, mind-mapping, timelines plus some of the flat-classroom projects, I realized that there was a great chasm between these new tools, and the teachers using them, and where, in fact, most teachers were in their relation to using these new tools.

Self-experimentation

I decided to see how these tools might be integrated. What was the timeline and time frame for bringing these tools into the classroom? Each day, I would wander into my classroom, usually around the right time, and spend about 50 minutes with a group of students. I tried out different ideas with my own students. I blogged, did podcasts, created mind-maps, used various SmartBoard lessons, used video, created video, experimented with different tools to create sounds. Some were successful and some were disasters. I truly like using blogs and creating podcasts but there is a need to have students create genuine learning responses which isn’t always that easy. Because many of the students are being exposed to these tools for the first time, I’d have to help them along by showing them the way these things worked in an educational setting.

Being an administrator means that most of my energy goes into administrating which doesn’t always leave time for greater development of teaching ideas even when I can see the possibilities. Time, as I’ve mentioned earlier, is something that I must use extremely carefully, especially when I’m teaching.

The Growth of a PLN

My PLN has really evolved this past year as I’ve added more blogs to my RSS reader of choice, Google Reader. I’ve also added a few news aggregators on my ipod touch and moved from Twitter to Plurk as my social network of choice. I’ve been able to develop a larger ichat group of educator and expanded my Skype contacts. I’ve been using itunes for various educational podcasts and subscribing to those that give me ideas, tips and suggestions to further develop myself. The one area that I’ve found very lacking is administration. I don’t find blogs of too many administrators and even few places where administrators can gather to share. My own version of this EdAdministrator2.0 is slowly growing but I do find that its growth isn’t like other nings I have been working in. I’ve had a number of people join but the discussions and exchanges aren’t picking up as quickly as in other nings. My reason for this is that administrators maybe don’t discuss their jobs, thoughts or opinions as much as teachers. Or maybe they’re just too busy!

Whatever the tools I’m using, the whole idea is about growing and cultivating a connection with other people. The easiest way to do this is through a network such as Plurk. It allows you to connect and discuss with other people who have similar interests. Whether you join Plurk or that other network, you have to remember that whatever you put up there can be seen by EVERYONE! Remember, just like an email, you don’t get to convey the tone of messages. If you think something might not belong in that forum of discussion, you’re probably right. For me, I’ve made all my discussions private - people can only see what I put out there if they are a friend and I’m careful about whom I friend. The same goes for your blogging or whatever you write on the net - it’s all visible. Like the saying goes “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t walk around naked.”

Tools for growing a PLN

This is the tough part since there are so many different tools. The primary things, I believe, that are important are joining a social network like Plurk and joining the conversation. It’s easier than trying to get noticed on a blog. I would then recommend a RSS reader like Google Reader. Using one isn’t too difficult. Once you have that in place, begin to search for blogs that have subjects that you find interesting. You can check my blogroll or go to a few of those I have listed and search theirs! A third tool that I think is essential is an online bookmarking site. I use both delicious and diigo. This just helps you to save great sites and ideas. I also use Evernote to save clips and make notes about things I find interesting. Like all tools, it looked cool but I had to find who to use it productively before it became part of my everyday work. To see more of my ideas about developing a PLN, go to www.pln.wetpaint.com and check out what’s there. As usual, all this is a work in progress.

Kelly Christopherson

Posted by LeaderTalk Contributor at 2:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I’ve often been asked how I can deal with a student a number of times without allowing what has gone on in the past affect each new encounter. Along the same lines, I sometimes have people tell me that they don’t want to disclose a student’s name for fear of repercussions that might take place because of what is being said. Both of these situations, and many others, came to mind when I was reading the entry over at principalspage. Now, the discussion that takes place there is somewhat tongue-in-cheek but it did resonate with me since it is something that many people wonder and ask about. How do administrators deal with all the things that happen without it letting them affect them?

Now my comment, very tongue-in-cheek, is part of 11 other comments that get at the heart of what it means to be an educator - we are in this because of the children. Underlying all that we do is the idea that we want what is best for all of the students that walk through the doors each day. As one of the comments says:

There are reasons why people yell at us, why kids are mad at us, and why we are criticized. A sensitive person will look for the underlying reasons and the hidden agendas. A person who has turned off his feelings for the sake of self-preservation is at risk of missing what others may need in terms of help or attitude adjustments. This is the kind of person who becomes cold, jaded, and insensitive in other areas of life, as well. Those are not desirable qualities of an effective school administrator. Dave Sherman

This is, really, where one needs to do some deep self-reflection. Although no one likes to be called names, yelled at and a host of other things, it is being able to see beyond that and glean the small bits of truth that will help an administrator become better. Over my career as an administrator, I’ve made some mistakes but my goal is to learn from each of them in order not to make that particular mistake again. The same goes when someone is upset or mad because of something I’ve done or decided. It is part of what I do that requires me to reflect on the situation to see what exactly I might do next time to create a different ending to the situation. My goal, always, is to create a win-win situation. It doesn’t always happen and it might take a few tries to come to a place where the two sides can begin to see a win-win taking place.

So how am I able to deal with all these situations without letting what has happened before colour the present situation? Mostly, by making each day a new one, by moving on from a situation once it has been dealt with and not allowing it to tarnish the present. I’m learning each day just like each of the students, I hope, and trying to do better. That means that I don’t have all the answers all the time. It also means that, as I learn more, I see how I have done things and know that there must be a change in order to address what is happening. I am a work in progress!

I also know that many of the students can ‘t do this and for many of them, they will continue to hold onto their feelings long after something has taken place. This also means that if I have to meet with them again, I must be aware that most likely, I’ll have to also deal with what happened in the past, as well as, what is happening right now. This can be difficult and, as I learn, I become better at focusing on the moment - dealing with what is happening and working to bring all those involved into the “NOW” so that the situation doesn’t become a rehashing of previous meetings.

As many of the people who commented on the principalspage entry stated, it does take a certain person to be able to allow some of the things to just flush away. It can be learned over time but you have to understand that early on in your career. One of my greatest mistakes was trying to make everyone happy. It just doesn’t work and not only is there a possiblity that most of the people involved won’t be happy but I’ll also be miserable and that is not the way I want to spend my life.

As an administrator, we are given a number of things for which we must be responsible. We are tasked with many different areas to supervise and watch over. We encounter the spectrum of personalities and must learn to work with each in a manner that demonstrates our desire to build the best school community that we can. Sometimes we make mistakes and they dog us but that is the nature of what we do. Turning off our feelings won’t eliminate these but learning to see the grains of sand and turn them into pearls is something that administrators should be trying to accomplish. Wanting the best for all students is paramount as we deal with the many different things that cross our paths. Learning to not take what happens personally is important but retaining that sense of self is crucial to maintaining the balance needed when making difficult decisions. Because we are tasked with dealing with all the people involved in education, to some degree, administrators have a role unlike any other in education. It is not one that is easy, is often misunderstood and sometimes involves having to make decisions that are not popular. I’m still trying to find that combination of being able to make difficult decisions and being popular. It hasn’t happened yet. I do know that the more I learn to listen to all members of the learning community, the easier it is to have conversations that move toward win-win.

One of things that I tell students when dealing with a difficult situation is that I’m not a principal to be popular which is absolutely true. I choose to be a principal because I of my belief that the present and future are sitting in the classrooms of our schools and there needs to be someone who can make the difficult decisions that will help them learn and grow, see the world in a new way and be challenged to be their best. Sometimes I do have to leave my feelings at the door. Sometimes I do have to accept that I won’t be liked because of the decisions I have to make, that sometimes I will be called names and there will be things said about me. But, there are times when I can see changes and I hear from students what they’ve learned and I am affirmed in what I’m doing. Those aren’t always that often but when they happen they strengthen my conviction about why I chose to be an administrator.

Kelly Christopherson

Posted by LeaderTalk Contributor at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)