10 Things You Should Know About Distance Learning 

For the past few years deeper learning, or DL, has been making its way to classrooms everywhere. Due to the current challenges facing the world and the world of education, those two letters have now come to mean something completely different, distance learning. What wasn't on anyone's mind a month ago and what seemed like an impossible task less than three weeks ago, has quickly become a daily routine for many. Although far from perfect and certainly not anything like being in school, distance learning has forced us to look at our practices from many different perspectives and got me thinking...

It's okay to make mistakes. I have long believed that as educators there is nothing wrong with showing students we are not the keepers of all knowledge, in fact, acknowledging our opportunities for growth and modeling the learning process is cause for celebration. Distance learning has forced us to embrace this mindset.

Communication has never been so important. The necessary changes to our routines that we've had to accept have been stressful for many, however consistent messaging and accurate dissemination of information makes a world of difference. What we say and how we say it matters now more than ever.

Patience. Distance learning has been placed in everyone's toolbox literally overnight. That "everyone" includes teachers, parents, students, administrators, paraprofessionals, office staff, school committee, and community members. If you are involved with distance learning in any way, I can guarantee you that today you will cross virtual paths with someone who seems to be able to do it all better, and someone who feels that way about you.

Don't pretend that it's just like being in school because it isn't. This is different, very, very different. I wish I could outline all the ways it's a deviation from the norm, but I haven't even begun to enumerate them. The point is to embrace the current reality and use your strengths and creativity to make it work for the students.

Have an open mind. Gone are the days of struggling to locate resources in order to meet the needs of your student. There may be many more challenges and unknowns due to the shift to distance learning but there are also a plethora of solutions. Embrace new ideas and different ways of thinking that are presented to you.

Support from colleagues is an essential piece to making distance learning work. For years now we have been saying they we need to view student as "ours" not "mine", this is our chance to prove it. The task before us to too broad to take on alone, we need to rely on one another in order to make it work.

Honest and respectful dialogue should be encouraged. We are all in this together but we will most likely not all be in agreement on how to do it all the time. It is essential that we maintain an environment that allows for individuals to share their thoughts and ideas through appropriate forums and without fear.

Organization and keeping up with digital communication is no longer a luxury. If your email inboxes and drives aren't getting full, you might want to check if your internet is connected. In these times of constant change and updates, it is crucial that people get timely responses. There can be some negative consequences if correspondences get lost or ignored.

Trust. Now that educators are in everyone's homes and families are in every classroom, an entirely new level of transparency has been revealed. All parties involved are getting a peak behind the curtain. Discretion and responsibility must be exercised as our personal and professional lives have become less private.

Professional relationships are being formed. Without the physical barriers of rooms and with the absolute necessity to collaborate, colleagues who may not ordinarily cross paths are now seeking one another out. Furthermore, distance learning has created opportunities for leaders among our learning communities to emerge.

10 Things You Want Parents to Take Away from Open House

On the eve of my 50th open house (24 as a parent and 26 as an educator) I wanted to reflect on what exactly it is that teachers hope to convey at these yearly events and what is it that parents need to hear.  For some reason open house is the one event that still gives me butterflies, but not as much as it did when I was a twenty-three year old first year teacher. Of course it is important to provide parents with information about routines and policies, dates, schedules, and information about homework, and you should.  However those details can most likely be found on a website, but there are plenty of things a teacher can share with parents that can only be captured in person.

10 Things You Want Parents to Take Away from Open House

• That you have a passion for teaching
  
• That you will report just as many (if not more!) positives than negatives

• That you have taken the time to get to know their child
• That you are human
• That you are a professional
• That you care about their child
• That you have the support of your peers and supervisors
• That you know where you students need to be and you have a plan to get them there
• That you will answer their questions and listen to their concerns
• That you will be a positive role model for their child

Just Say No... to No Talking

One of the most vivid memories of my own early schooling was from third grade. Like most teachers, Mrs. Cohen would often and routinely move seats to create new groups. On one particular day I recall her saying to me, "It doesn't matter if I put you next to a paper bag you're going to talk to it". No, I was not traumatized by this and it did not mean that Mrs. Cohen was a bad teacher or an awful person. With this list I will attempt to look at and make a case that it was actually a compliment and perhaps even something I should wear it as badge of honor. Over the past decade I have had the opportunity to observe teachers and students in hundreds of classrooms from preschool to grade 12 as a coach and as an evaluator. I have noticed that too many times teachers correlate the success of a lesson or the behavior of students to how much talking is going on. Lots of talking = bad, no talking = good. Although I encourage discussion and debate of controversial topics, it should go without saying that there is no place for hurtful or hateful language in any classroom. With that said, lots of talking can be a great thing and here are 10 reasons why.

• Talking helps increase vocabulary
  
  
• If someone is talking, that means someone is practicing listening
  
  
• Conversation helps build relationships
  
  
• Encouraging students to speak will help them find their voice
  
  
• Discussion is a great way to review and better understand concepts
  
  
• Sharing ideas out loud is a way to test out theories and gather feedback from others
  
  
• When your class is talking it is an opportunity for you to gather information about what they know
  
  
• Talking leads to collaboration
  
  
• If learners are in an environment that encourages the sharing of ideas they are more likely to take risks and contribute to the discussion
  
  
• When we communicate we feel more connected to those around us

The Red Sox are the best team in baseball and 10 other hard truths I have had to come to terms with

Yes, the Red Sox are the best team in baseball and for this New York Yankees fan it has been difficult to watch.  However at the end of the day, the Red Sox were truly a great and dominant team.  It may be difficult to admit, but the evidence is clear and the parade is justified...119 wins and a World Series title.

Here is a list of 10 truths about education that some may find difficult to come to terms with, however the evidence tells us that they warrant our attention.

• School schedules need to change to meet the needs of our students

• Many past practices simply need to be abandoned

• We need to take a hard look at how we collaborate and find ways to tap into our colleagues expertise and experience

• The impact that social emotional learning has on academic achievement is real

• Doing more of something isn't always better

• Money alone cannot close the gaps for our learners

• Some homework assignments do more harm than good

• Meetings need to be well planned, short, and focused

• Documentation and data collection has become an essential part of our profession
  
• We need to have high expectations for all students

25 Years Burning Down the Road...Some Things Just Don't Change

This is my 25th year in education.  Some novice teachers who are reading this may say, wow, that's a lot.  On the other hand, fellow veteran teachers with even more experience may say, "Yeah, so what?"

I recently attended my 25 year college reunion and predictably there was a lot of reminiscing.  Looking back is typically what you do when you reach a milestone.  We look back and may smile, shed a tear, or probably cringe. We also realize how much has changed. During my first years of teaching the notion of emails, flipped and virtual learning, cell phones, iPads, Chromebooks, and smart watches were unfathomable.  And yes, I am one of those old timers that can still remember the moist feeling of a freshly mimeographed piece of paper!

It's easy to look back and see how many things have changed.  Particularly in education we often view those changes as progress.  It is more of a challenge to look back and see what has remained the same.  Let's recognize and celebrate certain practices that we know are, and always have been, right for our students.

10 Things that are as true today as they were 25 years ago

• Building relationships is an important part of everything we do and can help students achieve their goals.  As teachers we are expected to follow the curriculum, build and manage procedures, create a stimulating learning environment, individualize instruction, foster social emotional learning, encourage collaboration, and about a thousand other things.  Is this even possible?  Absolutely, if you have a group of learners that are all on board.  They most certainly will be if you take the time to get to know and establish a relationship with each one of them.
  
  
• Smile.  Yes, this is a simple gesture that can yield great results. When you greet students with a warm, inviting  smile, you have connected with them in a way that will help them to be better prepared to learn.  And when you are seeing them off at the end of the day, a smile is telling them that you are looking forward to seeing them tomorrow.
  
  
• Responsibility needs to be given a chance to grow and the only way to do that is to provide learners with opportunities to flex that muscle.  When we shift responsibility to the learner we are building confidence and independence.  When individuals. of any age take ownership of their learning, they are more invested and have likely to develop intrinsic motivation to succeed.
  

• The process is just as (if not more) important as the final product.  Think back to that diorama you made in 3rd grade, that trifold board in fifth, that essay you wrote in 9th,  or that presentation you gave in college.  Now ask yourself what you remember most about them and when did the learning happen.  We know this as adult learners and should be sharing this philosophy with our students.
  
  
• Recognizing and capturing that teachable moment is important, however so is establishing an environment that allows students to create their own teachable moments.  When students are excited and engaged about what they are learning and we allow them the time and space to choose how they want to learn it, every moment becomes teachable.
  
  
• Planning is not a bad word.  A group of construction workers didn't just show up one day with random materials and tools and build the structure you live in, yet your home is unique and has it's own characteristics.  So too are your lessons.  Let the curriculum guide you to where you need to get, but make a plan on how to get there that works for you and your learners.
  
  
• Collaborating with colleagues will help you grow professionally and help you better meet the needs of your students.  The how, when, and where you meet is irrelevant, it should be all about the what - as in what are you going to give and what are you going to get.  Listen to concerns your colleagues may have and don't just give answers and share stories, but rather ask questions that will lead them to the answers that might work for them.
  
  
• Using data to guide your work.  At the beginning of my career collecting data involved sticky notes, index cards, and a whole lot of time.  Today, collecting, analyzing, and using the data has never been easier, yet many in the field don't take full advantage of the tools we have available to us.  Relying on hunches and making spontaneous decisions are certainly part of teaching, but not when it comes to identifying areas of need and  providing targeted interventions.
  
  
• Accountability.  This one has evolved for me personally over time as I have transitioned from teacher to administrator, however the spirit of it has remained the same.  Holding all members of the learning community accountable is an essential part of establishing and maintaining trust.  Whether as a member of a committee or through your interactions with parents, students, colleagues, or administrators, following through on plans and holding yourself accountable goes a long way toward achieving personal and collective goals.
  
  
• Meaningful reflection is an important part of the learning process that shouldn't be overlooked.  Having students reflect on their work is certainly not a new practice and the benefits have been well documented.  It is however in danger of becoming stale and looked upon as something that just needs to be checked off at the end of an assignment. Students need to be trained to know what to look for, given the vocabulary to articulate it, and finally the opportunity to build upon their work.

How the Baseball Card Collectors Club Introduced Me to the Deeper Learning Competencies

I've been thinking a lot about what deeper learning means in today's classrooms and the many ways it might look. Some may think that deeper learning is a new concept or just the latest buzzword, but it certainly isn't. I was able to identify an example of a time that I experienced deeper learning as a student. It happened nearly 35 years ago and it helped me get through middle school during a time when I was struggling both academically and socially. The interesting thing is that the experience had nothing to do with an academics (or technology) but had everything to do with me becoming a better, more confident learner, thanks to a science teacher who had a passion for collecting baseball cards and started a club.

Baseball Cards and Deeper Learning

How the Baseball Card Collectors Club Introduced Me to the Deeper Learning Competencies

Content mastery- I loved the back of the baseball cards even more than the front because that's where the numbers were. Despite struggling in math class, I had no problem calculating batting averages in my head. I used division with ease to figure out how the result of a batter's plate appearance would impact his overall average .

Effective communication- The room we met in after school once a week was often filled with lively debates about who the best players of the day were and the advisor was very much a part of the discussion. One game we invented to rank players was called "Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame".

Critical thinking/Problem solving- Any card collector knows that trades are a great way to enhance your collection, the conundrum was always whether to consider a trade based on value or simply because you liked a certain team or player. A great deal of thought was put in before parting with any card.

Collaboration- As a group we made decisions about what to do at our meetings and came up with ways ways to make our hobby even more enjoyable. I remember working together as a group with our advisor to draft a letter to administration requesting a television so that we could watch a game in school on opening day.

Learning ho to learn- I did not enjoy reading at all as a youngster but I begged my parents to subscribe to the Providence Journal, not for the articles but because I absolutely HAD to have access to the box scores. I would read them, cut them out, sort, and memorize them like flash cards, a skill that would benefit me years later.

Academic mindset- My perception of the the other students in the club was that they were academically superior to me and I felt intimidated by them. Nevertheless, when it came to baseball knowledge I had a certain confidence. That confidence eventually transferred into other areas of my life in and out of school.

10 Simple things you can do that will help you have a great day

• Greet students at the door with a smile
  
• Pack yourself a healthy snack and lunch
  
• Remind yourself that you will make a positive impact on the lives of your students today
  
• Set a personal and professional goal
  
• Connect with a colleague
  
• Organize your work space
  
• Thank a staff member for their hard work
  
• Be sure every child leaves with a smile on their face and looking forward to the next day
  
• Take a moment to reflect on all that you accomplished