Eric C. Sheninger's Blog, page 18

Efficacy in Professional Learning

There are countless ways to grow and improve. At the individual level, intrinsic motivation drives educators to actively seek opportunities that support their diverse learning interests and needs. Social media has played a considerable role in this area over the years, demonstrating the power of Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) with learning anytime, anywhere, and with anyone.  Speaking from experience, I have significantly benefited from not only engaging in digital spaces but taking what I have learned and applying it to my practice, which I can readily show when asked or communicate through my blog. Being a lifelong learner in the digital age is quite empowering.

While PLNs have grown in popularity, the most popular form of professional learning embraced by schools and districts still consists of more traditional pathways, such as bringing in guest speakers, workshops, or holding annual events.  The investment in these options makes sense as variables such as time and cost can be absorbed through various funding sources while ensuring the entire staff is receives the training.  Professional development days, mostly packed into the beginning of the academic year, are still the preferred mode to support staff while adhering to specific mandates.  Everyone should be asking: Do these current pathways actually lead to changes in practice at scale?

I have written in the past about the need to move from professional development (PD) to professional learning.  Any investment made should lead to efficacy. While mandate-focused trainings do very little to inspire the masses, one-and-done and drive-by events likewise do very little to provide educators with strategies to effectively implement the ideas or show what they look like in practice. Inspiration packed into one day typically fades when reality sets in shortly after.  Motivation does matter, and I am all for keynote speakers or conference-like events as long as there is an underlying plan to ensure educators get what they need to succeed throughout the year. This is what leads to change—not a single person or standalone PD day.

Efficacy is about showing the impact of investments made in professional learning.  It can be broken down into two different categories: planning and implementation.  To set the stage for efficacy, we need to be cognizant of the rationale for why a particular initiative or strategy is being invested in and how it will benefit learners through improved outcomes.  

A solid professional learning plan is:

Research-alignedOngoingJob-embedded

A plan is only as good as its implementation. In Digital Leadership, I shared a strategic planning process that can help set the stage for impactful professional learning.  The visual provides key guiding questions and essential elements to consider to help determine efficacy.  Now the challenge and opportunity are to make it happen. 

Effective implementation relies on:

Continuous feedbackAccountability for growthEvidence of impact

Coaching is a critical component as it provides continual support for teachers and administrators while addressing all the essential planning and implementation components. The key is to remember that coaching alone will not lead to sustainable and scalable change. That requires each school or district to build in their own feedback and accountability measures while curating evidence to show impact over time in relation to improved learner outcomes, both qualitative and quantitative.

Recently I have been involved in several ongoing projects where districts have not only made the pertinent investments but have also integrated the planning and implementation components.  For example, I partnered with Jackson County School System in Georgia to work with all their school leaders over the summer on Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms.  Over the course of the year, I am on-site in the role of coach to provide ongoing and job-embedded feedback to show efficacy. While I saw many amazing examples of innovative practices at scale, I was very impressed with East Jackson Elementary School.  Through many classroom visits, I was able to see direct evidence of how the leadership team took personalized learning strategies that I presented over the summer, formulated a plan, and implemented them with fidelity. Below are a few examples. 

The same can be said for the Juab School District in Utah.  Well over a year ago, I facilitated a district-wide workshop on personalized learning, followed up with job-embedded coaching and targeted sessions.  Recently I was back again, visiting classrooms to provide feedback. There was so much growth, and I can’t begin to explain how proud I am of these teachers and administrators. Below are a few highlights.

It is essential to understand the underlying principles of effective professional learning. Whether you are a teacher or administrator, you must advocate for supports that will help you succeed. I always advise schools and districts to poll their staff and then develop a comprehensive plan that will lead to efficacy, either internally or with external help. An outside lens can overcome internal bias and provide an honest assessment of where you truly are while guiding you to your desired destination. No matter the path chosen, the key is to get it right. 

Seeking Out Feedback

Growth is a never-ending journey. While there is no one best way to get better at what we do, I think we can all agree that feedback is a necessity no matter the path taken. For it to impact practice, it should be practical, specific, timely, and facilitated in a positive fashion.  While we know how important feedback is to our growth, the question becomes how often do we receive it in some form?  I shared the following in a past post:

Feedback can be a catalyst for motivation, engagement, and finding answers to questions or problems. First and foremost, we must be open to it in some form. One way to move the needle is to seek it out from a variety of perspectives. 

If you are not receiving enough feedback to either spark or sustain your growth, how are you seek it out?  I can definitely improve in this area, and I really didn’t think about it much until an experience with Jackson County Schools in Georgia.  One of the site visits took us to East Jackson Comprehensive High School, where I observed one of the best math lessons ever.  In a nutshell, the teacher created a courtroom experience where students dove into the concepts in a relevant way. Various roles were assigned, such as jury members, prosecution, and defense, where the class used evidence to determine whether or not math problems were solved correctly. The teacher was thoroughly immersed in the lesson himself as the judge with a wig and all.  As part of my notes, I wrote that this was an experience students would remember for a very long time.

Even though the lesson was amazing, it was not the best part.  Near the end, the teacher took off his wig and, as a form of closure, asked the students for feedback to improve the activity in the future.  The responses were fantastic and included more challenging problems, finding ways to get the jury more involved during deliberation, and finding ways for all students to report out.  I couldn’t applaud enough the teacher’s willingness to be vulnerable coupled with a sincere desire to improve. To top it all off, this was also a great example of using student voice to personalize the learning experience without technology.

There are so many valuable lessons that each of us can take away from the teacher above related to effective teaching and learning, but also practical ways to seek out feedback and act on it routinely. Here are six ideas to consider:

Seize every opportunity: Don’t wait for someone else to provide you with feedback. If you do, there is a chance you might be waiting for a while. Listen intently: After asking for feedback, take in all that is provided to you. Make sure your body language clearly shows that you are paying attention and genuinely care about what is said. It goes without saying that being “present” is vital.Clarify points: After listening, verbalize what has been suggested to you while using questions to make sure that the points that have been made are clear. Doing so also shows that you were listening.Be appreciative: If you want honest feedback on a regular basis, people need to know you care. It is also essential to understand that sometimes providing ways to improve to a peer or superior in position isn’t easy for some to provide. By showing appreciation, it sets the stage for others to make efforts to seek you out to engage in feedback conversations instead of the other way aroundWrite usable points down: You don’t have to agree with everything that is provided to you. Write everything down, process, and then reflect on what has value.Take action: The value of feedback lies in how it is used to grow and improve.  If it is given and nothing changes, then don’t be surprised if people stop providing it or, worse yet, turn to criticism.

Seeking out feedback is a simple act that anyone can engage in to grow. Always look to seize the moment. The real work begins once you use it to be the best iteration of yourself for those you serve.

 

Setting the Stage for Current and Future Learner Success

The traditional goal of any education system is to prepare students for either college or careers. Over the years, I would say that while this view still holds value, the context has changed dramatically.  The world has radically evolved as a result of constantly advancing technology and the COVID-19 pandemic.  With knowledge readily available and the means to seamlessly engage in digital spaces now the norm, educators need to keep pace and ensure that the strategies they use will serve learners well into the future. While this might seem like a monumental task, it is not as difficult as one might think. 

While preparation for college and careers might remain a focus, it is important to understand that there is no uniform recipe for success as this varies significantly between different learners.  Herein lies both a challenge and opportunity for educators.  As I shared in Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms, our world needs students who have the competencies to replace conventional ideas with innovative solutions to authentic problems. There are many different pathways to accomplish this goal that I discuss in detail in the book. However, a more holistic approach can be taken to set the stage for developing a learner’s ability to accomplish any aim or purpose they set out to achieve.

When designing lessons, projects, or assessments, consider whether or not they empower learners to:

Engage in problem-solvingCollaborate with peersThink critically and creatively Communicate clearly and accurately Develop open-mindedness Make real-world applicationsReflect on learningAnalyze, reason, and evaluate

Setting the stage for learner success requires a commitment beyond just the people that have direct contact with students.  It is important to note that administrators play a crucial role in how they support their teachers with feedback on the elements listed above.  Pedagogical leadership can pave the way.

While the elements above are undoubtedly essential, it should be noted that not every lesson, assignment, or assessment will include all of these.  Hence the need to develop a system of norms that can be implemented routinely that will either directly address or set the stage for disruptive thinking.  Below is a checklist of sorts containing questions that can be used to reflect on daily practice and serve as a means for growth:

Rigor – How are all learners being challenged to think through scaffolded questions and tasks? Is the work that they engage in thoughtful and providing an opportunity for discourse and collaboration? Relevance – How are learners applying their thinking in meaningful and purposeful ways? Are they afforded the opportunity to leverage authentic resources and make interdisciplinary connections between various concepts?Empowerment – Do learners own their experience in the classroom or school through personalized strategies that promote voice, choice, path, pace, and place? Are they able to access and use a variety of tools to construct new knowledge and demonstrate what they have learned? How has the learning environment changed to respond to individual strengths and weaknesses? 

Ensuring current and future learner success doesn’t rely on a technology tool or a passing fad.  It is achieved through a dynamic combination of strategies that future-proof learning for all kids so that they can thrive in a disruptive world.  Try not to overthink things. Even though the world will continue to change rapidly, you have the knowledge, tools, and mindset to equip kids and put them all on a path towards success. 

A Five-Step Process for Resolving Conflict

When it comes to a thriving school culture, many factors can derail progress. While lack of resources, too many mandates, unclear vision, and a lack of accountability might be at the top of the list, I feel that conflict, especially internal, possesses the greatest threat to achieving goals and improving outcomes.  While this has always been a part of human nature, it is interesting to observe how it plays out at an individual level. Some people avoid conflict at all costs, while others actively look to incite it for reasons that don't make much sense. Regardless of one's stance on the issue, the result can erode culture. 

I wish I could say that conflict is avoidable, but the fact of the matter is that it is not. Conflict materializes when one person or group perceives that someone else or others have taken actions to adversely affect something that is cared about. The adverse effects can include lapses in productivity, leaving for another position, work disruptions, falling behind on deadlines, absenteeism, and emotional stress. It goes without saying that none of these potential outcomes are positive. Thus, it is crucial for all educators to have a plan to address conflict using a proactive approach. While the purpose of this post focuses on adult interactions, the same methodology explained below can be used to help resolve issues between students. 

"When you have a conflict, that means that there are truths that have to be addressed on each side of the conflict. And when you have a conflict, then it's an educational process to try to resolve the conflict. And to resolve that, you have to get people on both sides of the conflict involved so that they can dialogue." - Dolores Huerta

Here is a simple five-step process that can be used to resolve conflict.

Identify the issue or problem: Typical catalysts include gossip, unclear communication, insensitivity, bullying, misunderstandings, and poor work ethic. As mentioned previously, some people live to start and sustaining conflict. If this is the case, it is vital to be proactive in dealing with these people so that they don't constantly erode culture.  Sometimes the best resolution, in this case, is termination. 

Determine the feelings at play – Every catalyst that sparks conflict is fueled by various feelings such as anger, animosity, hurt, embarrassment, fear, and frustration. Knowing what feelings are being triggered is critical for the next step.

Figure out the impact of the issue or problem – Earlier in this post, I identified some general negative impacts associated with conflict. Other topics such as individual performance, group dynamics, relationships with students and families can materialize. Once the specific issue or problem is identified, a course of action can be put in place. 

Facilitate a mediation: Once all pertinent information is gathered, get people in a room, allow them to air their concerns, ensure there is equity in terms of speaking time, and listen intently without passing judgment. Mediation is about both parties airing their grievances to set up reconciliation through an agreed-upon resolution.  

Work to a resolution – Here is where you need to be actively involved and embrace the role of negotiator.  A solid first step is to help the parties understand their way of dealing with conflict.  Only then can a resolution be achieved.  Consider using the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI).  There are five major styles of conflict management—collaborating, competing, avoiding, accommodating, and compromising. The end goal is to have each party agree on a resolution where they see a mutual benefit and the impediment to a positive culture is removed.

Effectively identifying, understanding, and managing conflict is critical to both organization and individual success.  In the end, the overall goal is to control issues that can spiral out of control. However, conflict resolution can also lead to setting up more positive outcomes related to culture once people or groups learn to understand and appreciate one another more. After all, some of the best ideas materialize through conflict. 

Closing the Digital Divide with an Emphasis on Learning

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Bridging the digital divide is a monumental task. It begins with providing learners with access to devices and high-quality Internet. For all the challenges it has placed on school systems, the pandemic managed to close the gap in this area significantly.  I watched some districts go 1:1 in a matter of days while also providing mobile hotspots for disadvantaged students.  While this represents a good start, there is much more to the process if the goal is to impact learning. With access to technology, there needs to be an equal focus on supporting educators on how to use it in a purposeful way that leads to improved outcomes.  Here is where Verizon is stepping up.

Connectivity is a lifeline to progress these days for students. Verizon is not only working to increase access to close the digital divide, but they are also providing critical support to improve learning. To that end, they recently launched Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, an amazing next-generation learning portal that is completely FREE! Highlights include the following:

Standards-aligned lesson plans across an array of content areas: There is a great deal to explore here. Each lesson contains an estimated time for completion, materials, technology to be used, and appropriate grade level. There are also learning outcomes aligned to Common Core, ISTE, and Next Generation Science Standards. As I explored, I also discovered full-length courses that students can take.Augmented and virtual reality apps (AR/VR) – Engagement is always on the minds of educators. With these tools, students can dive deeper into concepts while also collaborating with their peers. Using the camera on a mobile device, augmented reality overlays images/media over the real world. It is a social experience, as opposed to virtual reality, where a single student would wear goggles that would obstruct them from their surroundings. There is so much potential for these tools to engage and empower learners.Professional development – Through a partnership with Digital Promise, Verizon Innovative Learning HQ provides self-paced courses that educators can take on topics such as remote learning, hybrid instruction, digital inclusion, and blended learning. If the relevancy of the topics wasn’t enough, there is also an option for educators to be recognized for their learning. A unique aspect provided by Digital Promise is the ability to earn micro-credentials for certain completed sessions.  These asynchronous learning opportunities offer much-needed flexibility to educators. For more resources on remote and hybrid learning, be sure to check out my collection HERE.

As the world continues to change, learners need equitable access while educators require the tools and support to create powerful learning experiences.  These disruptive times have taught us not to prepare learners for something but to prepare them for anything! To accomplish this task, they will need technology and the means to use it in a purposeful way that develops critical competencies.  As I shared in Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms, learners need to be empowered to replace conventional ideas with innovative solutions to authentic problems. Hence the need to close the digital divide while making sure both learners and educators have the tools to support this goal.

Four Practical Ways to Blend

When it comes to blended learning, it is essential first to have an underlying understanding as to why this pedagogical strategy is valuable in the classroom. Let’s take a step back before diving into the nuts and bolts. Over the years, I have written a great deal about personalization, which is basically a shift from “what” to “who” as a means for students to demonstrate more ownership over their learning.  What is taught or on the test has little value if the diverse needs of learners aren’t addressed. The same could be said if all kids are learning the same thing at the same time in the same way.  

The path to equity begins with a vision where all learners get what they need when and where they need it, regardless of the learning environment.  This is the essence of personalization. While there are many strategies to personalize, blended pedagogies represent the most practical means.  While you don’t need technology to personalize, it is required to blend. Here is my definition shared in Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms that makes a distinction between instruction:

Blended instruction is what the teacher does with technology. Blended learning is where students use tech to have control over path, place, and pace.

Over time through my extensive work with schools, I have identified the four most practical ways to personalize through blended learning.  These include station rotation, choice activities, playlists, and the flipped approach. While each has unique benefits, they all help move teaching and learning from a state of equality to equity. The image below is my attempt to capture these significant changes.

I realized that I have separate posts and images on all four of these blended learning strategies and thought it might be a good idea to curate this information that educators have found valuable to create a resource. Below I have briefly summarized each approach and encourage you to click on the link for more detailed information.  

Station Rotation 

Students are grouped based on data and move through a variety of set activities typically consisting of targeted instruction with the teacher, collaborative exercises, independent work, and online tasks that are personalized for individual learners. The teacher establishes a block of time for each station, and students visit each one during a class period followed by some sort of forma¬tive assessment.

Choice Activities 

These allow students to select a set number of activities to complete from numerous options. Typically, they are arranged in a choice board or must-do/may-do format. Often a teacher will differentiate by having different versions. Students do not complete all of the activities.

Playlists 

A series of individualized assignments that students work through at their own pace while following the path of their choice. As students complete a task, they either color in the corre¬sponding box on a digital sheet next to their name or check off each box on a paper worksheet. Unlike choice activities, all tasks are completed. 

Flipped Approach

Students watch a short, direct instruction video or consume other forms of content outside of school at their own pace while communicating with peers and teachers using online tools. While in school, students work to actively apply what they have learned through concept engagement and empowering learning activities with assistance from the teacher.

All the blended learning strategies listed above allow educators to better use their time with students while opening the door to more significant equity through personalization.  It is important to remember that instruction still plays an important role, especially in terms of setting up the blended pathway of choice. It is up to the teacher to determine when and the extent to which each strategy is implemented.

Trust is a Leader's Best Friend

When I began the journey to become a school administrator many years ago, I took the typical courses that were required.  These focused on topics such as school law, instructional leadership, change management, school finance, and curriculum development, among many others. While I felt adequately prepared when I finally became a building leader, I quickly realized how valuable the on-the-job training was to my growth. Truth be told, no book or course can replace authentic experience. 

Leadership is hard. Initiating and sustaining change is even harder. Below are some thoughts I shared a few years back:

It is difficult to adequately prepare any leader for the challenges they will face as well as the decisions that will have to be made.  There are so many unique variables that just cannot be taught.  It’s tough work knowing that difficult decisions will have to be made at times, including letting staff go.  Making decisions in a time of crisis is also a topic that is regularly explored in leadership courses.  The solutions addressed always sound great in theory, but their application typically isn’t very practical.   Talking the talk must be accompanied by walking the walk. That’s the hard part. It’s relatively easy for people to tell others what they should do. However, true leaders go through the challenging work of showing how it can be done. Accomplishments and success are earned through the actions that are taken that result in evidence of improvement.   Leaders know that it is not the work of one person that moves an organization in a positive direction but rather the collective efforts of all. 

Knowing the inherent difficulties in leading, it is critical to developing an understanding of what can stymie or ensure success.  Relationships are of utmost importance, but these do not materialize out of thin air.  Trust is a leader’s best friend. Recently my publishers Jeff Zoul and Jimmy Casas, shared their views on the topic.  I encourage you to give the piece a read, as it contains some valuable insight.  As I work as a leadership coach in schools, the topic of trust comes up all the time.  The following seven elements are critical in building and sustaining trust: empathy, delegation, consensus, transparency, autonomy, feedback, and communication. 

Empathy through kindness, compassion, and gratitude is fundamental to creating powerful relationships.  Whether it is a simple thank you, consoling a staff member, or handwritten notes of appreciation, using a consistent empathetic lens pays dividends ten times over.

Delegation builds capacity by empowering others to take a leadership role. If a leader tries to do everything by themselves, the result can lead to mistrust.  Look for opportunities to develop the leadership potential in your staff.

Consensus values the input of others when implementing large-scale initiatives. When warranted, use a committee approach or create a district or school-based leadership team that contains a wide range of staff to garner input. 

Transparency validates major decisions using research and data. When there is clarity as to why decisions are made, the seeds of trust begin to take root. Transparency also infers personal accountability by a leader if things don’t work out, as a unilateral decision is made when needed.

Autonomy creates a culture that promotes the freedom to take risks and fail forward. In Disruptive Thinking, I highlighted how autonomy helps educators move beyond their fears, which leads to a pursuit of innovative practices.  Additionally, influential leaders know when to get out of the way of their staff and let them flourish. 

Feedback that is timely, specific, consistent, actionable, and focuses on a dialogue sets the stage for growth. Trust develops when leaders are always looking for ways to help their staff improve or avoid pitfalls. 

Communication, when done effectively, relies on getting the right information out at the right time using the right medium.  While disseminating information consistently and with clarity is critical, non-verbal means such as listening and body language are just as, if not more, necessary.  As I shared in Digital Leadership, you won’t find an effective leader who is not an effective communicator.

All of the elements above help a leader build trust amongst staff resulting in a positive school culture. While there is no single silver bullet, consider where there is an opportunity for growth and the actions that need to be taken to either build or strengthen relationships through trust. 

The 6 Dimensions of Disruptive Thinkers

What is really needed for success in the world today?  I think this might be the million-dollar question. Even though it is difficult, if not impossible, to predict the future, we can examine current trends and societal forces to determine the competencies that learners need to thrive.  While some will remain the same, others will evolve or change completely depending on the disruption at the moment. What I think we can all agree on is that in the face of disruptive forces, conditions in classrooms need to empower learners to replace conventional ideas with innovative solutions to authentic problems.  This is how I define disruptive thinking.

On the front lines of this endeavor are educators tasked with balancing mandated curriculum and testing with the responsibility to prepare students for college and careers. The former can result in perceived roadblocks to accomplishing the latter.  Success relies on instructional strategies and pedagogical techniques that both engage and empower students to dive deep into standards and concepts while applying them in meaningful ways.  While there is a time and place for content to be disseminated through instruction, the key to accomplishing all that educators are tasked with is how the learning experience develops a student’s ability to think and do in relation to the current and future workforce.

In Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms, I identified six dimensions of disruptive thinking. Now I didn’t refer to them as these in the book, but the purpose of my blogging is to share my reflections and expand on ideas. Maybe dimensions aren’t the proper term, but to create a culture of disruptive thinking in a classroom or school, learning should result in students developing into:

Creative scholars generate and explore ideas and make original con­nections. They try different ways to tackle a problem, working with others to find imaginative solutions and outcomes that are of value.

Reflective learners evaluate their strengths and limitations, setting realistic goals with criteria for success. They monitor their performance and progress, inviting feedback from others and making changes to fur­ther their learning.

Collaborative workers engage confidently with others, adapting to different contexts and taking responsibility for their own role on the team. They listen to and take into account different perspectives. They form collaborative relationships, resolving issues to reach agreed-upon outcomes.

Active engagers readily explore issues that affect them and those around them. They actively engage in the life of their school, college, workplace, or wider community by taking responsible action to improve others as well as themselves.

Self-directed managers organize themselves, showing personal responsibility, initiative, creativity, and enterprise with a commitment to learning and self-improvement. They actively embrace change, respond positively to new priorities, cope with challenges and look for growth opportunities.

Autonomous inquirers process and evaluate information in their investigations, planning what to do and how to go about it. They make informed and well-reasoned decisions while recognizing that others may have different beliefs and attitudes.

Preparation just for promotion, graduation, or an exam doesn’t serve the best interests of kids. Each of the dimensions above allows for students to explore the curriculum in relevant and authentic ways while more than adequately preparing them for any standardized test they are forced to take. Each plays a critical component in fostering a disruptive thinking mindset. More importantly, they empower learners to develop essential competencies that will serve them well no matter the chosen path in life.

Incorporating these are not as difficult as you think as they naturally result when sound pedagogical strategies are employed, such as cooperative, personalized, problem-based, blended, and project-based learning, just to name a few. Many can also be developed or amplified through extracurricular programs, virtual courses, independent study, and work-study options.  Disruptive thinkers are what the world will always need. Let’s make sure they are readily available.

No Act of Kindness is a Wasted Effort

I fly a lot. Even during the heart of the pandemic, I was on the road coaching in numerous school districts as part of long-term projects.  Now things are absolutely crazy but in a good way. Job-embedded and ongoing professional learning is being prioritized in schools, which means my travel is back to pre-pandemic levels.  As much as I love what I do, being away from the comforts of home is stressful.  Any little perk I can get is well received as it makes it a tad bit easier to be away from home.  Herein lies the reason why I am loyal to one airline.

From my lens, loyalty has its benefits.  Thus, I tend to fly United no matter what. The only time a different airline is selected is because I have no other choice if I want to get to that location without having to drive a long distance once I land. On a recent Sunday, I headed from Houston, TX to Omaha, NE to kick off the year for Papillion La Vista Community Schools. Usually, I head out earlier in the day, but on this occasion, I opted to take a late flight out so I could spend time with my family.  Once on the plane, I did what I usually do – sleep. Work also manages to get done at some point, but for some reason, I am out cold taxiing to the runway.

I must have been extremely exhausted as I slept the entire flight.  As the plane landed, I quickly drank some water and gathered my belongings. A flight attendant named David handed me a postcard with a handwritten note and thanked me for my loyalty on the way out.  I can’t begin to express how much this meant to me. The life of a road warrior isn’t for the faint of heart.  It can actually get quite depressing at times as well as tiring.  David’s random act of kindness did not go unnoticed. In fact, it has been on my mind each time I board a United plane.  Below is a picture of the note.

Technology sometimes removes the human element from kind gestures.  The note David wrote would not have had the same impact or value if it had been in the form of an email or text.  Now I am not saying these gestures aren’t effective, but if you can go with a more traditional option the act of kindness can be amplified.  In our busy lives, we often overlook the little things. David took a few minutes out of his day to be kind, and it mattered.

Never miss an opportunity to show gratitude or bestow kindness on another person. Small, selfless acts like these don’t take much effort but can totally change the trajectory of other people and maybe even yours.

Whether you are a teacher or an administrator, the little time it takes to bestow kindness on a student, colleague, or parent could be the best few minutes of their day and possibly yours.  Even though texting and email are the convenient approaches, consider these options:

Handwritten note or Post ItCard with a personal messageFood, especially sweetsA small, inexpensive gift that has meaningPhone or video callDrop by a classroom, office, home, or anywhere else physicallyCover a class for a teacher or colleague

No act of kindness is a wasted effort. With the pandemic still negatively impacting the lives of so many, going the extra mile to be nice and show gratitude is worth its weight in gold. While the business of life often gets in the way, making consistent efforts to show kindness is what the world can always use a little bit more of, especially right now.

Disruptive Thinking: Making it a Reality

It has been a wild and bumpy ride during the pandemic, but through it all, we have witnessed firsthand the resilience of educators across the world. While COVID-19 represented the most disruptive force ever to impact the field of education, educators did what they always do – go above and beyond for kids and each other.  They have and continue to make lemonade out of a never-ending supply of lemons.  Challenges were once viewed as obstacles. Now they are seen as opportunities to innovate.

A golden age of transformation is upon us and the time to act is now.  By leveraging the lessons learned during the pandemic as well as from recent disruptors such as Amazon, Netflix, Uber, DoorDash, and Airbnb, educators can plan and work to future-proof learning for all kids. To do so, the right mindset and strategies are needed to create classroom cultures where learners are empowered to replace conventional ideas with innovative solutions to authentic solutions.  This is the essence of preparation for now and the unknown, something that is woven throughout Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms. As I have said for years and emphasized in the book, “Don’t prepare learners for something. Prepare them for anything!”

When it comes to change, there is always a dominant focus on the why.  At this point, I think every teacher and administrator has some context, especially in light of the pandemic, as to the need to rethink practice. Many people get hung up on how to effectively implement innovative strategies that lead to new and improved results aligned to research and based on actual evidence. Herein lies the driving force that compelled me to write the book.  

Below are some of the ways the book can help you make disruptive thinking a reality in your classroom, school, district, or organization.

Summary

Broken into four parts, this book combines stories, insight from thousands of school visits, practical strategies, research, lessons from the pandemic, and examples from classrooms to assist educators in transforming their practice. The parts are:

Rethinking “normal”Rethinking learningRethinking the learnerRethinking our mindset

Each chapter ends with a “disruptive challenge” designed to do just that: challenge educators to disrupt in some way their current thinking or professional practices.

Supplemental resources

Over time things change. Knowing this compelled me to reflect on how to create a relevant resource that would evolve over time. I have been blogging since the book was published to align updated content, ideas, and strategies to each chapter to deliver on this goal. I have also developed new graphics to support educators as they work to help their learners become disruptive thinkers.  To this end, a Pinterest board materialized that is updated regularly. As I learn and reflect through my work in schools, my goal is to keep this link fresh with innovative content.

Study guide

I can’t speak highly enough about ConnectEDD as they have been a true partner as a publisher. Not only do they support their authors, but they are building a vibrant community. To that end, a comprehensive study guide can be found on their site.  If you are looking to grow individually or collectively as part of a book study, be sure to have this resource on hand. Impressive bulk discounts are also available. For more information, email info@connecteddpublishing.com.

Hashtag

Trying to develop a short, catchy hashtag (#) that no one else is using extensively is a challenge these days. In the end, we came up with #DisruptiveThink.  The overall purpose is for educators to share their questions, reflections, and innovative practices they have implemented on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.  It also represents a convenient way for me to interact with readers at any time, even if my social media handle isn’t included.

Disruption represents a continuous call to action as forces that radically change society will always be in play. We have the ultimate antidote: employing a mindset and strategies that equip learners with needed competencies and the ability always to be prepared. The solution is disruptive thinking.