These are the Times that Demand Bold, Innovative Action

It’s Time to Explore New Ways of Doing Things

“We are now in turbulent, “stormy” times.  If we try to hunker down and play it safe, we are going to be destroyed.  These are the times that demand bold, innovative action.  We have to find new and better ways to serve our customers [students], ways we never even imagined existed.”

“The challenge is to drag ourselves out of our nice comfortable little boxes that we know so well and explore new routes, new ways of looking at everything, new ways of doing things.  It feels safe being in that cozy little box we know so well, but it is dangerous.”

“...the individual or the company [school/school district] in the most danger is the one that doesn’t change, the one that tries to “play it safe” by staying in the harbor it knows so well.”

Innovation in Education

When the above quote is read in the context of K-12 education in 2018 and with just two clarifying terms in brackets, this quote appears to be a call to action to move away from the status quo at a more rapid pace and determine more innovative ways to meet the needs of today’s learners.  At the end of this post, I will reveal the actual source, date and context of the quote.

K-12 education is in the midst of a wave of changes.  Innovation is now the buzzword as schools are considering and trying new ways to become more innovative.  But, what does innovative really mean?  In North Dakota, Senate Bill 2186 was passed in 2017 to encourage local districts to create an innovative education program.  Grand Forks Public Schools then created an Innovations Committee, including students, to reimagine how learning could be even better for our students.

Other than some pockets, K-12 education is an institution that is deeply entrenched in a teacher-centered culture.  Within the teacher-centered culture, pockets of innovative and learner-centered practices are taking place.  But, system-wide shifts towards a more innovative culture have been elusive. So how does a greater shift occur to reimagine schools that work better for our students and their future?

A Ship in Harbor Is Safe, but That Is Not What Ships Are Built For

“A ship in the harbor is not always safe.  And besides, that really isn’t what ships are built for.  They were built to discover new trade routes, new worlds.  They were built to be used.  And besides, it’s a whole lot more exciting and more fun sailing them on the open sea than just sitting them on a little harbor.  And what’s life about anyhow, if not to venture forth and expand our horizons?”

The students on the GFPS Innovations Committee have provided thoughtful insight for a more innovative educational experience.  As students lament on the current system, phrases such as “get through,” “play school,” and “knowing what to do to get the grade” should be acted on immediately.  Our students know what safe is all about.  They are more interested in relevant and active learning experiences.  K-12 education has played it safe for too long, so it’s time to move the ship out of the harbor and navigate it to new routes and worlds of student empowerment.

Navigating the Ship

How do we get there?  Where is there?  According to Will Richardson, leadership is imperative.  “It’s the difference between leadership and management.  Management is making sure the ship runs smoothly and we don’t get into any big trouble or head for the the rocks.  Leadership really is saying we have to keep the ship moving.  We have to constantly navigate.  We have to constantly try to figure out what a better path is or what a better course is for whatever destination we are trying to get to.  The work of leadership is to keep redefining the destination.  That requires a learning culture and not just a teaching culture.” (Modern Learners Podcast #39 – Using Adaptive Change Methods to Revolutionize Education)

But it is not just the school leader that is responsible for the course and destination to reimagine more innovative learning opportunities for our students.  Teachers, staff, and students should all be empowered to be navigators on this journey as well; to find and create better and more innovative routes.  We are all responsible for the innovative culture we create in our classrooms, in our schools and within our district.

It’s Time to Leave the Harbor

Reimagining education means leaving the harbor, charting a new course, and navigating as a team to a new destination.  Let’s discover new routes, new worlds and new opportunities for our students to explore.  For far too long, education has been about safety; keeping our students in the “harbor” where it is safe and making our students all fit into a very similar box.  While at the same time, our students are asking for more agency in their education.  Let’s create the conditions necessary to allow our students to leave the harbor, with our navigational guidance, to chart their own course.  As education is reimagined, let’s find ways to allow our students to discover new routes and worlds which more appropriately prepares them for their future.  Let’s discover and be open to new ways for education to be a joyful adventure for all students.

[John A Shedd, an author and professor, first coined the quote “A ship in the harbor…” in 1928, in his book Salt from My Attic.  In 1995, office supply corporation Quill CEO Jack Miller made a presentation to his management group.  Miller laid out the vision and strategy through the year 2000, including doubling the size of the company.  The quotes in this blog are taken from Jack Miller’s speech to his management team.  Quill Corporation was acquired in 1998 by Staples, Inc. for approximately $685 million.]

That Moment When Failure Leads to Success

The attempts to water ski for the first time continued with similar results each time; a fall.  Those who have tried to water ski for the first time understand the process of numerous failed attempts followed eventually (hopefully) by a successful or even partially successful run.  It is not natural to get pulled out of the water by a rope attached to a boat with your feet attached to flat planks.

The teacher/coach in me appreciates an opportunity to assist when possible.  I’ve assisted many of my nieces and nephews to water ski through many failed attempts and successful outcomes.  Last summer, my nephew Cedar was going through the same process of failed attempts.  Throughout the attempts, I appreciated most his positive self-talk and willingness to try and try again.  After many unsuccessful attempts, his disappointment was evident but wouldn’t define his resolve.  Comments such as “I think I’ll get it this time” and “I was so close that time” lead to more opportunities to try again.

In an article titled “When Success Leads to Failure - The pressure to achieve academically is a crime against learning,” Jessica Lahey highlights the ways in which parents and educators, often unknowingly, teach children to fear failure.

“She knows that if she tries something challenging or new, and fails, that failure will be hard evidence that she’s not as smart as everyone keeps telling her she is. Better to be safe. Is that what we want? Kids who get straight As but hate learning? Kids who achieve academically, but are too afraid to take leaps into the unknown?” - Jessica Lahey

While knowing the frustration of not reaching a successful outcome, it is OK for our children to not “get something” on the first, fifth or even the twentieth try.  After Cedar’s many attempts to water ski, he successfully water skied.  Check it out:

Our goal as educators and parents is to remind ourselves that it’s OK for our children to not get, achieve, win, or complete something on the first try.  Consider the following:

1. If we allow students opportunities to explore their passions, they will provide an uncommon effort.  Voice, choice, student agency, and genius hour/time are all opportunities for children to explore their passions.
2. Allow students to be actively engaged in their learning.  Teachers and parents should do more coaching and guiding and less telling and talking.
3. Children have a natural curiosity and love of learning.  Educators should keep this alive throughout their K-12 education.  After all, “If students leave school less curious than when they started, we have failed them.” (George Couros)  More needs to be done to ensure learning is a joyful experience.
4. Children should not fear failure.  Failure is only a First Attempt In Learning.  Children need to be reassured from parents and educators that it’s OK to fail as long as they maintain a positive attitude and growth mindset.
5. Embrace failure as part of the learning process.  Prioritizing the learning process over merely the finished product will allow students to maintain a “work in progress” approach to improved iterations.

“...together we can help our kids rediscover their intellectual bravery, their enthusiasm for learning, and the resilience they need in order to grow into independent, competent adults. With a little luck, they will look back on their childhood and thank us; not just for our unwavering love, but for our willingness to put their long-term developmental and emotional needs before their short-term happiness. For our willingness to let their lives be just a little bit harder today so they will know how to face hardship tomorrow.” - Jessica Lahey

For Cedar, it was not just about a successful lap around the lake water skiing, but embracing opportunities with the right mindset that will last a lifetime.  I am looking forward to watching Cedar grow up as curious learner with his willingness to try new and challenging things, and continue to strive towards success even when faced with adversity and unsuccessful outcomes.

Reflections on my “Shadow a Student Challenge”

Two years ago, I participated in the “Shadow a Student Challenge” to gain insight into our high school students’ learning experience.  This experience had a lasting impact and I looked forward to another chance to shadow a student.  Therefore, I recently participated in the “Shadow a Student Challenge” by attending the classes of a high school student for one day.  Empathy was my purpose for this day as I looked beyond my assumptions and put myself in the shoes of our most important clients, our students.  I reminded myself to be curious, suspend judgment, and just observe.  At the end of the day, my goal was to have gained a better perspective of our students’ learning experience.

I am always cautious about making overgeneralizations.  One class on one particular day is not always representative of an entire semester or year long experience. Also, one day does not always represent the overall learning experience of students in our high schools or district.  That said, I can only share what I learned from my experience for one day.  One final note, I intentionally left out specific details including the teacher and class.

I appreciated my time at the school.  The students were polite and respectful in a very safe environment.  It was obvious most students were interested in doing well academically.  Also, teachers have established good connections and share a mutual respect with their students.

My district recently formed an Innovations Committee.  The starting point for the committee’s work focused on the question; “What do you believe and know about how students learn best in the modern world?”  From the responses, 3 themes emerged: active, relevant, and hands-on which I would infer to mean more learner-centered experiences.  Therefore, I thought about my observation experience in context of the 3 themes of a learner-centered experience.

Active
I think of “active” as any opportunity to move, collaborate with other students, and actively engaged in a curricular related assignments and projects.  Throughout the day, there were only a couple of opportunities for students to move from their desk.  Moving to work with a group or partner was noted in 3 of the 6 classes.  The best example of active learning was in the class in which students were randomly assigned a partner through a drawing and critical thinking exercise.  Students then worked with their partner on the problem and visual project.  I made a note in most classes; “sat for the entire class period.”  From my perspective as a “student” for the day, it was a long day of sitting and remaining focused on the information presented.  I wondered in most classes how teachers could incorporate some movement into their lesson and curricular content.  Click on Active Learning Strategies for some ideas.

Relevant
I think of “relevant” as ways to connect students to the real world; their world.  Throughout the day, there were a few occasions when the curriculum was relevant for students.  The best example I observed was when the curricular content was directly connected to current events.  Students embraced the opportunity to share their opinions in a lively discussion and ask questions.  A missed opportunity was noted when a teacher stated to the students during a lecture; “I could put you on the Chromebooks now and you could Google [curricular topic] and you would get a list to better understand what I am referring to.”  But, time was not allocated for this opportunity so the teacher proceeded with the lecture and notes.  With lecture being at the top of the learning pyramid at 5%, I referred to this as a missed opportunity because I believe students could have been provided a few minutes to conduct a quick research on the topic followed by a discussion on what was learned.  Relevancy is enhanced when student agency and autonomy are embedded into learning.  

Hands-On
I think of “hands-on” as project-based and student-centered.  From what I observed, many of the learning activities were teacher led other than a few exceptions.  The best example I observed was when students worked on a problem with a partner and demonstrated their learning through creating a visual answer to the problem.  This activity was both project and problem-based in nature.  The students were highly engaged throughout this activity.  A missed opportunity was noted when a teacher conducted a "show and tell" with a series of objects to identify.  Each object was shown to the class while the students took notes.  The semi-engaging part of the lesson was the discussion and questions asked by the teacher.  But, I could only wonder if students were given some guidelines of attributes to look for, would the students be able to work with a partner to conduct their own research to determine the name of each object?  Instead of telling first, learning might be enhanced by allowing students to explore the attributes of each object, list their academic conjecture and provide evidence to defend their conclusion. The names of the objects could then be revealed followed by a rich discussion.

My goal in participating in the "Shadow a Student Challenge” was to  gain a better perspective of our high school students’ learning experience.  I thought back to my days as a high school student and wondered how much has really changed since the 1980’s.

As an overarching theme from the day, I wondered how high school can become more learner-centered.  Even small changes and efforts could move classrooms from being “school” to places of “learning.”  What if we asked our students how they learn best and made adjustments accordingly?  What if we asked ourselves if our practices work better for teachers or for our students?  What if we took some time to ask ourselves what we truly believe about how students learn?  What if we reflected on the “10 Characteristics of Learner-Centered Experiences” list below by Katie Martin (@katiemartinedu) and started by ensuring at least 2 characteristics are present in each class period?  Our students are asking for more active, relevant, and hand-on learning, so I believe we owe it to our students to take the next step.

The How and Why of Change

After reading a blog post by Bruce Dixon titled "2018-The Year For Living Dangerously"  and another one by Will Richardson "Stop Asking How," I ordered the book The Answer to How is Yes - Acting on What Matters by Peter Block.  After the first several pages, I appreciate how Block underscores why change can be so challenging.  “We may not know all of the How, but Why we must change is now so urgent, we can no longer ignore it.”

In Bruce’s blog post, he poses the question: What failures are you most afraid of?

To be very honest, I am most afraid of failing our students.  This fear includes failing to move from the status quo.  While I work in a very good district, I know the learning experiences could be significantly enhanced for our students who will echo the same sentiment.  They have many ideas, but we need to ask the question, listen intently, be prepared to hear their reality and then act on their recommendations.  I know my district is not unique with pockets of innovative learning, but a district-wide culture of innovation remains ellusive.  It reminds me of a quote by Jim Collins; “Good is the enemy of great.”  If we are already good, why do we need to move from the status quo?

In Will’s blog post, he poses the question:  What is the one burning question about education and schools that most keeps you up at night?

My question to answer the question is: “Why isn’t more being urgently done to address the student engagement issue in high school?”  The 2016 Gallup Poll on student engagement depicts what our students are telling us.  If high school students consistently posted standardized test scores just over 30%, there would be widespread concern and urgent corrective action.  Why isn't student engagement a similar or even higher priority?  Students desire school and learning to be more relevant, hands-on, and engaging.  Are we listening and changing accordingly?

These two timely blog posts resonated with me as I wrestle with the question; “How can we recreate school, revisit how students learn in the modern world, and ensure an innovative learning experience for all?”  Our district is undertaking a monumental task to address the question through our newly created district innovations committee.  Prior to our first meeting, we started with a discussion on the question; “What do you believe and know about how students learn best in the modern world?”  At our second meeting, we just started to scratch the surface by posing the question; “If we had a blank slate and we could create a high school track for kids, what would it look like?”  Students, teachers, principals, and district administrators were highly engaged in dreaming big, without limitations.  The ideas highlighted the reasons WHY change is so very important.  We will eventually have to address How?, but we must keep in mind “the how shouldn’t be about a recipe or formula, the HOW should come from a commitment from...being bold and ambitious, taking risks, because the WHY is that important.” (Bruce Dixon)

No one has all the answers.  If we had the answers we, along with many other schools and districts, would have changed a long time ago.  Change is difficult.  Here is a shout out to our district innovations committee and the challenging work that lies ahead.  Let's strive to move well beyond good, to great!  Are we going to wait for “...someone to write the script for what to do next, or is it possible that this year, in 2018, [we] are prepared to take the first steps, [our] first steps to school change?” (Bruce Dixon)