ETLC - Fall 2014

Our department just launched the Ed Tech Learning Challenge - Fall 2014. This cohort consist of teachers with 15+ years of experience and who want to learn the basics of technology to use in their classroom. Teachers volunteered to participate for the 3 month challenge. The challenge consists of 3 smaller challenges revolving around Google Drive, SMART Boards & Twitter. Each challenge is delivered via Google Classroom and consist of a challenge, discussion questions and a reflection face to face meeting.

Thus far, the reviews are good. It is definitely a new experience for many, as they are use to "sit and get" professional development. This is a self paced, any time professional development.

Self - Regulation

I always get the "What type of classroom management do you use?" Then when I respond with Self-Regulation, they look at me puzzled. What is that? Really in a Kindergarten class? My response is YES! I come from the psychology world and my view on relationships and classroom management are 180 degrees different from what teacher prep programs teach.

I'm not going to give you a psychological definition of self-regulation. I define it as figuring out what will make you successful in whatever you are doing. Can you teach kids this? ABSOLUTELY! For example, if a student takes away the scissors from another student and that student gets upset. 

Life lesson #1, your actions effect others. 

Life Lesson #2, you chose your actions and responses to those actions.

Life Lesson #3, sometimes you have to say you're sorry.

Life Lesson #4, you do not always get your way. We all live in this world together and have to get along!

The list of life lessons goes on and on. Self-Regulation is also about coping skills, choosing how we respond to others and take care of ourselves. I always had a desk in the back of the classroom and students could go back there one at a time to chill, get away from others. They would use this as needed to help them make positive choices. It was NOT a punishment. As adults, we all need to get away sometimes and this was an "escape" for students. It was funny to watch them, because a student would go back there for 5-10 minutes and then rejoin the class when they were ready to go. I figure we all have those "bad" days and if 5 minutes away can help them focus for the other 7 hours of school....I'm all for that!

By allowing students to regulate their own behaviors, we need to move away from the "I'm the teacher and I'm in 100% control" mindset. First, control is an illusion. Second, how do you work collaboratively if one person is trying to control the entire group?

Self-Regulation is a 21st century life skill and ultimately, isn't that what we are trying to prepare our students for??? When students self regulate, we create a space for where students are empowered and can help facilitate their own learning process.

Change

In the psychology world, there are various ways to view change. Even though there are different ways to look at change, all agree to some extent that change is a process. In some cases it is a very distinct process. So if we generalize from a psychological perspective, here is what it might look like.

1. Identify the problem
2. Identify strengths and resources
3. Develop an intervention
4. Sell the intervention idea
5. Reflect and follow up

Okay, that's great and all but let's take it in another direction and apply those steps to education. In schools we are EXCELLENT at identifying a problem. We are getting much better at identifying strengths and resources to help our students. We use RTI to develop some sort of intervention and we spend months and sometimes years working these interventions We then sell the intervention... nope what do we do with those interventions. We follow the prescription but do we ever get buy in? Buy in from the student? Buy in from the parents? Buy in from other teachers? How do we reframe that intervention to meet the worldview of the student, parent and community? Okay, we know we need work on that, but let's move on! We reflect and follow up. Well, not so much. Do we actually spent time collaborating about the intervention and reflecting upon those ideas? Do we modify the interventions? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Who's idea do we base our modifications off of? Student's? Teacher's? Parent's? Marzano's? Ahh, too many parties involves, right?

So, the main difference between the psychology world and education world is in the final steps of the change process. Selling the intervention to multiple perspectives and following up after a reflection period. 

How do we develop a culture which sells or {markets} the interventions and then respects the process enough to follow through with reflection?

Teachers are Awesome

Many times, you only hear the negative stuff about teachers, but today, I saw the awesome side of teachers! This school was working on their data presentations during planning time...yes, that's right folks, during planning time! They were working on this during their only "free" time during the school day, choosing to not make copies or prep for other lesson during this time. The teachers had so much pride in their students and their work. They added pictures, videos and music to give this data a more humanistic feel. There was no complaining or whining, just hard work today and excitement once it was completed! Thanks for a great day "un-named" campus! There are so many good things happening in OKCPS which we need to highlight! #okcps #awesomeness #teachersrock #ilovemyjob