WHAT WILL BE YOUR LEGACY?

As professionals we are often focused on the work that we have to accomplish and rarely do we take the time to reflect on the impact made on the lives that we've touched. At times it is difficult to fit this in our busy schedules but it is imperative we make reflection a priority.

We work in a fast paced environment where immediate results are the norm. Often we tend to make decisions that are either erroneous or irrelevant resulting in catastrophic situations that could have been easily prevented. Nevertheless we should persist to do what is right!

A few weeks ago I was at an event for a good friend. One who was with me through my most difficult time. She taught me a lot about the profession and relationships. I was flabbergasted at her accomplishments! Why? She lived what she preached and managed to remain extremely humble. You could feel the love, respect, and admiration at the function. She truly touched lives.

So let me ask.....what will be your legacy? How have you impacted the lives around you? Are you just focused on surviving each day? Does your work extend beyond your present circumstances? Do you just do things to please people around you or because it is right?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

A FAILURE TO CONNECT

As an educator it is difficult to hear or be a witness when students are not having a good experience at school. You just want to reach out and make everything right..............

How can you help to bring about change if those at the top are convinced that "all is well"?

Students feel disenfranchised, disconnected, and worst do not trust those who should have their best interest at heart. 

This failure to connect has produced a rather negative school climate where interactions are purely punitive, unsafe, and cold. Can one assume that learning is taking place? 

Does a school exist? 

Research has shown repeatedly that students learn from teachers who they trust and whom they believe genuinely care about them. Further, it is imperative that their psychosocial emotional needs be met. Learning takes place when people feel connected and there is structure. 

Did Linda Cliatt-Wayman get it right? What are the lessons to be learnt here? How do we move forward?

Have a Productive Week!

Petreno

A SCHOOL ON THE BRINK

A few weeks ago I was at an event to kick start Homecoming. Since it is a shared campus all the schools in the building were present in the
auditorium.

At the beginning of the ceremony, the mistress of ceremony(mc) publicly acknowledged the respective administrative body of each school. When the names of a given school administration were called the
student body was strangely quiet. They were even a few "boos" scattered here and there.

I was both mortified and embarrassed! The students have clearly made known how they feel about their administrators. Can it further be elaborated that this was how they felt about their school........teachers included! I could not help but to think.......Have the adults in that given school failed to connect with the students?Is this a school on the brink?

I was deeply troubled. If this is the current reality, can it be said that those students have a school? Is there learning taking place in the classrooms? What good is it if the
students don't feel "good" about their school? What are they really trying to tell us?
Are we listening? What can we do about it?

The students have stopped cheering.

Who will champion their cause? Let's get the students cheering again!

Have a great week.

Petreno

TEACHING MY HEART OUT!

For the last few weeks I have been teaching my heart out. In planning and delivering my lessons I gave my best. All the knowledge, techniques, skills, and yes the "bag of tricks" amassed over the years were brought into play. I thought I had it all covered but alas was I wrong! I was confident that I could step in and make changes immediately. This was far from the truth!

How many times have you underestimated the situations that you are experiencing? What was your initial reaction? How did you move forward? Why was it important for you to find a resolution? Did this experience impact your future actions?

This year I have been given a unique population and was asked to help them achieve their academic goals. Initially I had declined but later decided to accept the task. After teaching this group for the past few weeks I gave them an assessment. I was floored when I saw the results. They did horribly! 

Where did I go wrong? 

I was tempted to take this personally. I am of course a perfectionist! This however was the wrong approach. In today's world we are being expected to own failure.....If the students don't learn, the teachers didn't teach".....how often have you heard this? I can say after teaching my heart out, I knew they got it based on their feedback on exits, classwork, conversations, and discussions. There is an excellent classroom climate, teacher and student share a commendable rapport, students have been provided with the necessary tools for working.......so exactly what went wrong????....

After carefully and thoroughly reflecting, I came to the conclusion that these students have gotten accustomed to failure and in fact look forward to failing. They have been so beaten by prior experiences that they are living other's belief for them. Nothing is more powerful and damaging than when students believe their teachers "don't expect them to pass" and it's business as usual! 

Currently, my agenda is to change this paradigm. I am so happy that I am experiencing this "challenge". I am in absolute agreement with Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs a Champion!

Have a Fantastic Week.

Petreno

THE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES 1

Summer is gone but still we reminisce about what there was and what should have been. As educators there are certain lies we tell ourselves. Though the act of lying should not be condoned oftentimes we opt for what makes our lives easier - more of a survival technique. 

Lie # 1: We will be using our summer for resting.
Truth: We use the time to catch up on all those things that we did not get a chance to do during the school year. In fact we may have even scheduled a few professional development here and there!

Lie # 2: We will not be involved in anything related to school.
Truth: We may have discovered that a cursory glance through our email reminds us up a seminar that we have signed up for that is related to our practice or reading an article that brings us "back to school"! It may also be something as simple as organizing your home office or work space and "wham" you are transported back to school. Then again, there are those of us who love our students so much we decide to do summer school just because.......

Lie # 3: We will not be thinking about students or practice.
Truth: Biggest lie of all! We are always thinking about how we can improve the lives of our students even beyond the walls of the classroom. Just take a look at the personal learning networks (PLNs) on twitter and the various summer boot camps for teachers!

Lie # 4: What happens in school, stays in school.
Truth: Every thing that happens in school shapes our core beliefs and practice. We are school. We go to school every day! 

Alas, without even realizing, summer came and went. You have spent the entire summer planning and preparing for the new school year. There are some for whom this is not true and this will show as the school year unravels.

Tom Hierck says it best......
".....even in the quietest moments  of relaxation, it doesn't take much for the mind of the professional educator to wander to thoughts of students past and present. Being an educator is not a profession, it's a PASSION."

So what's your biggest lie? Please do share!

Have a Great Week.

Petreno

THE LIES WE TELL OURSELVES 2

AAAhhh the lies we tell ourselves.......

It's so great to be back! Really? I started working on this blog during the summer. I thought that I would have long days just languishing around not doing much but was I in for a surprise!

I made the mistake of coming up with a schedule and a list of things that I'd like to accomplish. This list suddenly ballooned. I got myself in a situation where I had to prioritize. One of my biggest lesson this summer was learning to let go......it's ok not to be in control all the time. Isn't that what summer should be about for us educators?

In fact, I had the greatest lessons too. I found out that I learned more in a relaxed state. I was able to truly make connections between what I taught and the real world that were powerful. I have gained a much better insight into how students learn and how to help them better by thinking outside of the box. Most of all I have rediscovered who I am as a learner and is determined to help my students do the same.

I am more invigorated and excited about this year. Like Will Smith in Men In Black, let us not give reigns to our curiosity but use it to guide us as we do what we love....TEACH......despite the prevailing conditions.

How was your summer?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

SCHOOL'S OUT! ARE YOU?

The 2014 -2015 school year has ended! This year was filled with a lot of challenges and changes. I was exposed to a number of new learning experiences which I must admit will impact my pedagogy in the future. As we met for the last time as a faculty I had to restrain myself.

It was kind of strange because a part of you just wanted to run, skip, and shout for joy......and that's exactly what I did at the end of the meeting!

I worked hard and now I am prepared to play hard after getting some much needed sleep. 




Though I would like to entertain the idea of "spending the whole summer in bed" like Chip there are things we have to do as teachers to prepare ourselves for the upcoming school year including professional development. 

Until then, I will be languishing on the beach soaking up some sun while enjoying music and food. 

How about you? School's out! Are you?

Petreno

WHY BOTHER?

As the school year comes to a close, final exams are being administered. Students are also preparing for state exams at the high school level and the jitters about passing or failing becomes a reality. How do we help those who have not been doing as well as they should have during the year to pass? Conversely, how can we help those who have been trying their best to do the right thing but end up failing anyway? Why bother?

This is a question that comes to mind at the end of a marking period, semester, and the school year. Why bother? For some teachers, this would not be an issue if students were paying attention, completing homework, taking advantage of all available services outside of the classroom such as tutoring and prep classes. Whereas students feel overwhelmed with all the expectations both in and out of school that they feel that giving up is their best option. How do we change this paradigm? Is there something that we all can do to create a win win situation? Can we set each other up for success?

It's the end of the year so why bother? 

Taking the time to reflect on this question can give us insights into both teacher and student practices that can be used to inform instruction in the future. Did we differentiate enough, offered multiple entry points in our lessons, provided scaffolds? Were assignments challenging, timely, and fair? How did the school support the teaching/learning process? What can be done differently? Why did students not take advantage of the opportunities presented to them? Carefully examining the answers to these questions is critical.

Consequently, this end of year reflection will result in a plan of action that not only inspires and motivates but will empower you to become better at your art. Additionally, "thinking outside of the box" will provide a more enhanced instructional environment. 

Petreno

So......how did you do this year?

The 2014 -2015 school year is almost over. How did you do? What were your greatest challenge? How did you celebrate your successes? Did you achieve all your goals? Finally, were you able to adjust to changes without losing your "cool" and professionalism?

This year was challenging for me. There were a lot of changes! I had to adjust to trying new things, finding solutions to problems that worked only for a short while, and coping with the loss of a student and colleague. I was pushed to the limit and I must admit that throughout it all I learned some valuable lessons. Lessons about trust, believing in oneself, learning from failure, and to expect the unexpected!

In trying to survive the "daily grind" we may often forget the small things in life. Sometimes we fail to see the good in others but quickly see their shortcomings. Every day is a blessing and LIFE IS A GIFT TO BE SHARED. As teachers we are given opportunities to share our lives.      

Reflecting on this past year, let us be kind to ourselves. We impacted lives!

So.....how did you do this year?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

THE SUMMER CHALLENGE..........Engaging students as the summer approaches

Summer is fast approaching! Teaching at this time can be extremely challenging. The days are getting warmer and longer. Students are more interested in planning their summer escapades rather than being engaged in the classroom. While this is not true for all, there is a notable decline in students' motivation. This is even more evident at the high school level. 

Is it possible to increase students' motivation at this time of the year?

According to Allen Mendler, in engaging students we must examine our relationships with students, articulate the relevance of what is being taught, provide opportunities for students to demonstrate responsibility, plan for challenging activities that will allow students to experience success in a safe and fun atmosphere. The benefits of using these as guiding principles when you are planning for the next few weeks will yield positive results. You will be amazed at the level of your students' engagement and how much you have enjoyed the remainder of the year as well!

Engaging students  as the summer approaches can be a challenge but utilizing a few approaches such as Project Based Learning and Meaningful Engaged Learning may be a good start. 

How do you cope at this time of the year?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno 

Educating Students Who Live in Poverty

Last night I was privileged to be included among a group of educators recognized for the work that we have been doing with our diverse student population. Like all honorees, I was surprised and humbled as we sat and listened to how our work have impacted the community.

The event was organized by the District's Title 1 Executive Board Officers and General Parent Leaders' Council.Title 1 refers to the federal funding of schools in low income neighborhoods. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the purpose of Title 1 funding, “is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high quality education and reach, at minimum, proficiency on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.”

As I spoke to the other teachers present, I immediately recognized the passion we all shared for learning and seeing our students succeed. Though our profession requires dedication and a lot of hard work, we can all agree that we will continue to do what's best for our students. 

I would like to thank and encourage all teachers to continue to challenge, nurture, and prepare our children for the future. Educating students who live in poverty should be everyone's top priority. Let us continue to do what we can today for tomorrow. 

                                              

Happy Teacher's Appreciation Week!

Petreno

How Can We Create Safe Havens for Our Children?

A few days ago I witnessed a brawl among several students. I was impressed with the manner in which it was addressed by other peers who got involved in separating the parties. This was true citizenship! How can we create safe havens for our children?

One would have thought that schools would be immune from violence. However, this is not the case! Over the years we have heard of school shootings, mass massacre, and kidnappings. Why is the school no longer safe? How does this impact teaching and learning? Can learning take place in environments that are unsafe?

According to Maslow, the need for safety is imperative before self actualization can be achieved. This then require schools to pay close attention in creating an environment that is conducive to learning. The school has become a microcosm of society. As a result the schools will have to come up with novel ways to ensure that students feel safe. In some schools this is elusive. Is it then dependent on the adults in the schools to ensure that a safe haven is created?

The task becomes even more overwhelming in our inner city schools. Some schools have shown that the establishment of strong relationships with the community, parents, and students will impact safety. While in others safety is an issue and can be strongly correlated to the climate and adults' expectations of students in the building. Can this be the answer? If expectations are changed......can a safe haven be created?

What are your thoughts?

Petreno

Learners for Life

A few weeks ago I was privy to a conversation among a group of students discussing the value of their current educational experience. The essence of their discussion was that they are essentially doing whatever it takes to pass their classes so that they can graduate. I could not help but to think that these students were in "survival mode". They further admitted that they do not remember what they have done in most classes.

Though I can identify with these students I can vividly remember some of the fun times I had in some of my classes and the indelible learning experiences that I shared with my peers. Looking back, I now realize that these lessons were ones in which I could relate to my everyday reality involving various "hands-on" as well as "minds-on" activities. These lessons were taught with a passion by creative teachers who never failed to piqued your imagination or stretched you to your mental limits. They were always "setting us up for success". As a result there was a thirst for more knowledge. On the other hand, there were those classes that you dreaded and time just seemed to drag. These were of course the least intellectually stimulating!

I know it is a struggle in today's classroom to accommodate all the given dictates that at times squeezes the joy out of learning but how can we bring the "wow" factor back.... not only for the students but ourselves? What can we do to show students that learning is fun? Most importantly, will we be able to develop and sustain independent, critical thinking lifelong learners? 

Or will we be constantly plagued with questions similar to this parent as a result of student apathy?

The task is not an easy one but I believe one in which we can begin to change one student at a time by getting to know them individually, not superficially through data but in simple ingenuous ways similar to #IWishMyTeacherKnew. The challenge will ultimately be in addressing students' needs.

As you prepare for the coming week let's think about how we can truly nurture learners for life.

Please Save Our Students from the Grading Conundrum!!!

Have you ever been accused of "the grade you gave me?" I was confronted with this issue when I first started teaching in an urban high school. I was appalled! Simply because I have always based students' grades on the quality of work submitted by the criteria given in the associated rubric. Their final grade was then calculated using the weightings given in the grading policy. I learnt early that I had to be transparent with respect to students' grades. Thus, I have been able to escape the scathing remarks similar to the one above.

Last Thursday and Friday were our Parent Teachers' conference. On Friday morning I was approached by several students regarding the grades they received on their report cards. They were angry! I remained silent as they expressed their frustrations. On the inside I was getting extremely aggravated. I struggled to stay both positive and neutral because they were talking about my colleagues.

I was deeply disturbed because these students were mostly top performers who took pride in their academic accomplishments. One student had a program change at the beginning of the semester because of failing one class. Though this solved one problem it created a situation where two classes were failed this marking period. When probed, the student disclosed inability to focus in one class due to distractions and the other because of a failure to turn in ONE assignment! Other issues included grades that do not reflect work being done, students' led to believe that they were passing, and alleged unequal treatment.

I encouraged the students to respectfully approach their teachers to have a discussion about how they can improve their performance in the future. I suggested they ask for as well as take tangible evidences such as work being done to focus the discussion. Hopefully, this will help to alleviate the grading conundrum. 

Additionally, though there is a grading policy and the existence of an online website that both students and parents can access grades and other information, these are grossly underutilized. How can we save our students from the grading conundrum? Will grade conferencing help? Having systems in place is simply not enough! These systems need to be monitored and evaluated periodically for effectiveness. 

It is imperative that this be addressed. I was scared for a moment on Friday when some students dejectedly revealed that they did not have reasons to continue their studies, they will just drop out. It seemed as if they had lost hope and given up. Is this what we want?

Have a Fabulous Week!

Petreno

A Teacher's Worth......Priceless!!!

On Friday, we gathered in the conference room to congratulate and say farewell to a fellow member of staff. As I sat there I reminisced on the times that we had together. It was a humbling experience as well as a remarkable learning moment.

The Principal began by sharing his first encounter with the staff member which was followed by multiple recounts by others. It was interesting  to note how many lives this individual had touched including students. One may have thought that the actions recanted were those that would have been publicly recognized but the recollections depicted that small acts of kindness and thoughtfulness are what really matters.  

This was truly powerful! Despite the haste to meet last minute deadlines, mark papers, submit grades, complete reports, write lessons plans, or planning for other activities, let us take time out to appreciate and spend time with others. We may never know how much it may mean to them. Imagine if we all engage in small acts of kindness? Wouldn't our work environment be more pleasant? There would be a feeling of togetherness and harmony despite differences. When this becomes  the norm it will further be transmitted to the students and eventually become entrenched in the culture of the school.

The memories were continued being shared as the room emptied leaving a few adults and students. I was impressed when I heard past students recalling some of the lessons that they have learned while under tutelage as they made real world connections......Priceless! I must confess that I got a few lesson ideas too. If I had to express my experience it would be the following:-

Don't underestimate the effect you have on others. It may make or break them. Be good to everyone including yourself but most of all be genuine!

What will be your acts of kindness?

Enjoy Your Week!

Petreno

Gone too Soon!

Last week our school community was rocked with the loss of a student to violence. Students both past and present as well as faculty members were shaken to the core. The interesting fact was that this student was not considered popular but was admired for the qualities that he embodied.

What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now forever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind.

William Wordsworth

Everyone spoke about the zest  with which he pursued his passion and admitted that he was a positive role model for them. As we grappled with the thought of not seeing his smile and quiet demeanor we celebrated his life and what he meant to those lives that he had touched.

And so as we move forward the hope is that his positive influence will not diminish but further fuel and ignite the passion of all including faculty to strive for excellence in all endeavors. He left his mark, though so young. Gone too soon!

What will be yours?

Life is short. Let us live each day as if it will be our last.

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

Student Improvement vs. Academic Excellence

"I can't! I don't know this! I am going to give up! I'm going to drop out!"........"This is just too much!" These are just some of the expressions we hear from our more  mature, demotivated, and challenging students. The younger students tend to "zone out" or disrupt our lessons. How many Calvins do you teach? In desperation we may respond like Ms. Wormwood but is there a different way?

I was recently reading the book WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING for Challenging Kids by Chris Biffle. He introduces several ideas on how we can engage challenging students and maintain both an effective and positive classroom management style as well as environment. The ideas proposed are relevant especially today when we are striving to develop independent learners. Additionally, the methods presented may be particularly useful if we find ourselves in situations where there are not strict measures in place to address student discipline. The activities introduced are fun packed while simultaneously teaching discipline among other things.

According to Biffle

"......if a student's whole brain is involved in learning, there isn't any mental area left over for challenging behavior." 

More interestingly, I became more engrossed in reading when he  mentioned that "our best students do just enough to get by and our weakest students, because they know they can't win bail out." We see this in Calvin's final response and probably in our own classrooms. Biffle suggests that an environment that supports students in trying to beat their personal best is more advantageous than focusing on academic excellence. This is rather motivating! He further defends this by stating:

"If we focus on student improvement in academic activities and social growth, then scores on state tests will take care of themselves. Nothing will produce higher tests results than a class of students who are continuously striving to break their own personal records. In WBT, we want to set up a system in which every kid has an equal chance for success."

Does this seem too good to be true?

Academic excellence is predicated on testing. We live in an era that relies on testing. As a result, I strongly believe that the effect they should have is being lost on our students. They simply view taking a test synonymous to eating and drinking. There is no time for second thoughts or preparation. 

Is this what we want? What are your thoughts? 

Have a thought-provoking week!

Petreno

Are We Truly Interested in the Future of Our Children?

How can we ensure that every child is given a "fair" chance to succeed in today's society? Do we just sit back and do nothing? According to Plato "the direction in which education starts a man will determine his future in life". What then is the message being given when knowingly deceptive plans are being envisaged that will not benefit our children? 

Are we just concerned with statistics? Using figures to look good so that it can be said because of our "work" we have "improved" or exceeded the expected to the detriment of our children? Again, we are cautioned by Plato that "a good decision is based on knowledge and not numbers".

When do we begin to subscribe to our moral and ethical beliefs about what is fair and just?

The real question is DO WE REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN?

We stand on the crux of change or demise. As we end our celebration of Black History let us think of the moral and ethical issues that are confronting us today. There are no easy answers! In addressing the freshman class at Wiley College in The Great Debaters, James Farmer Sr shared that he believed that they were the most privileged people in America because they have the most important job of educating young people. Similarly, let us move forward and do the same. 

Have a Great Week!

Petreno  

ARE WE PREPARED TO TEACH DIFFERENT GROUPS OF LEARNERS?

Are you prepared to deal with diverse learners in the classroom? How do you determine your state of readiness? Can you ascertain the different learning groups present in your classroom? What are some of the strategies you currently use? How do you ensure that the educational process is fair and offers a variety of multiple entry points?

Recently, I was in a meeting where the academic performance of different sub groups were being discussed. As I surveyed the room I couldn't help thinking of both the students and teachers. If we are to succeed in helping these students to attain academic success it will require us to do things differently. The needs of these various learners must be addressed. Here lies our greatest challenge!

How do we proceed to ensure that the needs of these students are met? What are some of the programs or strategies that need to be in place to support our teachers, parents, and  students? Alternately, is it fair to assume that there are some teachers who are unable to do this successfully whether or not they are appropriately equipped? 

Over the years, I have observed that resistance to change comes in many forms. This includes placing the blame on students, equipment, programs, administrative support, as well as parents.

I am also reminded of the following quote from Bo Bennett:

"An excuse becomes an obstacle in your journey to success when it is made in place of your best effort or when it is used as the object of the blame."

So what will it be? Are you prepared to deal with diverse learners in your classroom? 

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

What Are You Willing To Do?

Last week we had our first faculty meeting for the Spring Semester. As I sat there, I was trying to figure out who would be the first to raise a legitimate concern that is impacting the instructional process. 

In approximately half an hour after the principal had discussed the data for the previous school year I got an answer. A teacher questioned the current procedure for addressing disruptive students. An example of a student being disruptive was proffered as well as how the teacher proceeded to manage the situation. While the teacher was articulating the problem there were a few teachers who gasped and whispered under their breath...."I don't have that problem!" Thus implying that it is the teacher's fault or simply classroom management issues. There were also those teachers who were experiencing the same problem who did not speak up in support of their colleague. 

We have all had those days when we have to deal with a disruptive student and sometimes there is need for immediate resolution or else the situation will impact the teaching/learning process. How then, do we move from it's not my problem but yours? How do we come together as a team to help each other? Ultimately, the instructional process must be preserved at all cost. Learning will simply not take place if there is disruption!

I was dismayed! Earlier that morning I read the article "Nine Reasons Teachers are Unwilling to Stand Up for Their Profession" by Nancy Flanagan in Education Week. She started off by quoting a teacher from Michigan:

"When I speak the truth in meetings about what is happening in public education, I am met with silence from my fellow teachers. It is the silence that is so maddening. I realize not everybody is as bold as me, but still—shouldn't the people working in this profession care about this profession? Beyond the four walls of their own classrooms? Am I crazy or what?" 

It is so amazing! I have often wondered why this is the case if we are all about impacting the lives of children. Ms. Flanagan gave some mind-boggling reasons for this including fear, "it could never happen here" syndrome, lack of information or misinformation, and teachers are too busy or distracted. How do we overcome these to move forward?

What are you willing to do for your students and colleagues?

Have a Fabulous Week!

Petreno

The Fate of Public Education

This week I spent a lot of time reflecting on public education. I am concerned about the students, parents, teachers, administrators, education policy makers, politicians, and the community. I came to the conclusion that the fate of public education is the responsibility of all. If this is the case, how then, do we work together to ensure that every child is successful?

Ever so often we hear of goals being set regarding literacy and numeracy of our children. Yet as the timelines for reaching these goals are being approached the data shows that there is no way these goals will be reached. What went wrong? Were the goals doomed to fail because of lack of participation of all stakeholders? Could the answer lie in implementation? Or a shortage of expertise and resources? Is it fair to say there may be other hidden agendas that will only become exposed in failure? Where are the checks and balances?

The inability to honestly address these concerns will lead to rather critical problems in the future. The fate of public education will require all to act. If we believe that all will be well and do nothing the pending result will be the ultimate failure of our children as we have been witnessing. The manner in which our society responds will indicate what we truly value.

How can I make a difference?

How can you make a difference?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

I Believe..........

Do you believe all students can be successful despite their challenges? How important are their successes to you? Does their success depend on your actions? Are students fearful that you do not have their best interest at heart?

While sitting down with a group of colleagues to discuss students' performance and grades, I could not help but to wonder if we all shared the same goals of helping students to succeed. Why is it so difficult to look beyond personal agendas to do what is right? Where does integrity, professionalism, and the need to see students succeed become top priority?

Should students be prevented from getting the credit they need because of our preconceived ideas of the students' attitudes and behavior towards us? Does excellent classroom management equate to "learning"? If a student manages to complete all the tasks that are assigned by a teacher but failed to do them correctly get a higher grade than a student who may have done far less and have managed to demonstrate superior quality of work? Or should the ability to apply concepts to novel situations appropriately aligned to standards be indicators of learning? 

According to Rick Wormeli (2006) a grade is supposed to be accurate, undiluted indicator of a student's mastery of learning standards. That's it. It is not meant to be a part of a reward, motivation, or behavioral contract system. If the grade is distorted by weaving in a student's personal misbehavior, character, and work habit, it cannot be used to successfully provide feedback, document progress, or inform instructional decisions regarding that student- the primary reasons we grade. Interesting isn't it? 

On further reflection, I thought about the facilitation of the learning process. Were students given all the help they needed to successfully complete assigned work? How were they encouraged when they found these tasks to be too challenging? Did the facilitators just turned their backs because students told them "they were fine"? Or did they persist in offering help? Thereby, sending the message that "This matters and your success is important to me!" Thus helping students to see that "someone really cares". 

How can we really make student success a real priority?

Several years ago a research was done about "Changing the Odds for Student Success: What Matters Most. It was interesting that though the findings were nothing new it helps us to really hone in on how we can help our students succeed.

I believe that although students will push us to our limits, we must always remember our real purpose for choosing our profession. Once we adhere to our core values we will do whatever to takes to secure students' success in a fair and ethical manner.

What do you believe?

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

How Committed Are You?

Are you always at work on time? Do you know your job well enough? Are you dependable and trustworthy? Do you volunteer for challenging assignments? When do you leave? How committed are you?

Over the years I have watched myself change and grow as a result of my experiences. The lessons I have learnt were harsh at times but nevertheless they have helped me to see things differently and make better decisions.

One such lesson is about commitment. It would often seem that the people who are less committed are the ones who tend to get the promotions and accolades whereas those who are truly committed get kicked to the curb. In one such experience I overheard several leaders referring to the students in their schools in condescending terms. I was deeply appalled and disappointed! In most of these cases these people know how to play the "game". They are at work on time, know what to say, exceptional pretenders (they pretend to know what to do and how to do it when in fact they know nothing) and often volunteer for assignments for the record. This is where it gets messy! 

A lack of true commitment ultimately impact student success and achievement. It may also lead to low morale, poor self esteem, and hopelessness among both faculty and students. These can eventually cause those who are more highly motivated and committed to either move on or just accept the status quo.

How do you remain committed? Please do share!

Have a Great Week!

Petreno

The Journey Begins Today!

It's the start of a new year and for some there are hopes of new dreams and challenges. For others it is a matter of survival trying to navigate all the pressure and stress to get the job done. Here we are faced with choices. Do we give in to the stress and pressure or do we choose how we will respond that will benefit not just us but others around us? 

A few years ago while doing my post graduate studies, we were introduced to FISH! a managerial/leadership book authored by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen. I remembered getting so engrossed in reading that it took me only a few hours to complete. My favorite part was when Mary Jane who had recently gotten a managerial promotion on the infamous third floor department known for being a toxic energy dump lost her husband and found herself being a single mom. After a thorough self introspection she discovered that ".... she had lost faith in her ability to survive in the world." It was then she also affirmed..."I'm a survivor, I've proven that. I will be alright, whatever happens. It's time to clean up the toxic energy dump." p 45 

Similarly, we can choose the path we intend to take. Mary Jane discovered four key principles on her journey which were learnt during visits to Pike Place Fish (a real fish market in Seattle). These are:-

1. Choose your attitude there is always a choice about the way you do your work, even if there is not a choice about the work itself.
2. Play. Play makes the job more pleasant, fun, and enjoyable.
3. Make their day. Celebrate both small and big accomplishments. Go out of your way to do something special.
4. Be present. It is important to be alert and perceptive when interacting with others. Ensure that you are 100% attentive.

How will your journey begin today? Will you allow your circumstances to dictate the outcome?

Go Fish!

Petreno