In #learning, there is no #right or #wrong. Just continuous #improvement.
#QuoteADay #Day72 #edchat #edu #ASCD14 #lead #learn
I believe we spend too much time looking for right answers. When it comes to learning, there isn't anything that is wrong or right. It is all about the learning that takes place and simply getting better.
Yet, the current structure of our school system doesn't seem to champion this idea. Instead, a focus on grades, and what equates to a "right answer" is often spotlighted.
While there are some answers that are truly "right," and while there is some rationale to grades, the majority of the work we do falls into the gray area that isn't so much about being right/wrong or a hard/fast performance status as it is about growth. We have to view learning as an act of constant forward motion, learning as we go, and developing ourselves along a never-ending timeline.
If society accepted more of a continuous improvement perspective than one that simply celebrates who can be "correct" most often, I have no doubt that we would learn more and worry less. While we can't control all of society, we can change the way our schools look at learning. Simply put, we need to make sure that we are focused on the process and not the outcome. We want members of society who love the art and act of learning and who use outcomes to learn even more.
So it's about priorities, in a sense. When it comes to learning, is our priority the destination or how we get there? Can it be both? What do you think?
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 71
#Leaders never say "This can't be done." Instead, they ask, "How do we make this happen?" #edchat #edu #QuoteADay #Day71 #edreform
If you're going to be a leader in today's world, you're going to be dealing with fewer and fewer resources. But, the best leaders understand that an answer of "We can't do this" is never acceptable when it comes to worthwhile initiatives.
The most effective leaders know that that type of response is demoralizing and effectively destroys creative thinking.
Rather, those leaders who truly "get it" instead respond with a "How do we make this happen?" This response not only shows that the sky is the limit, but the steps towards getting to the sky are up to the stakeholders involved.
If you want to accomplish something grand, something truly amazing, you need at least two ingredients:
1. Innovative Thinking
2. Capacity
The only way you get those two is if you encourage people to think both inside and outside of the box, and adopt a "Never say never" attitude.
The best way to squash dreams is to tell people they can't happen. Why not let people dream in the hopes that even the most far-fetched goals can someday be reached?
Dream big. Reach higher. Lead better.
If you're going to be a leader in today's world, you're going to be dealing with fewer and fewer resources. But, the best leaders understand that an answer of "We can't do this" is never acceptable when it comes to worthwhile initiatives.
The most effective leaders know that that type of response is demoralizing and effectively destroys creative thinking.
Rather, those leaders who truly "get it" instead respond with a "How do we make this happen?" This response not only shows that the sky is the limit, but the steps towards getting to the sky are up to the stakeholders involved.
If you want to accomplish something grand, something truly amazing, you need at least two ingredients:
1. Innovative Thinking
2. Capacity
The only way you get those two is if you encourage people to think both inside and outside of the box, and adopt a "Never say never" attitude.
The best way to squash dreams is to tell people they can't happen. Why not let people dream in the hopes that even the most far-fetched goals can someday be reached?
Dream big. Reach higher. Lead better.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 70
#Lead with #feedback, #manage with #advice.
#QuoteADay #Day70 #edchat #edu #APlaceForEverything
Feedback and advice are incredibly different. Yet both are important to leadership today.
I had the opportunity to attend a great professional learning session with Giselle Martin-Kniep (@gisellemk1) and Jennifer Borgioli (@datadiva), both of LCI, last week, with the focus being on formative assessment.
One of the intriguing aspects of this session (and there were many) was taking a deeper look at the differences between feedback and advice. As we talked and looked at sample statements to decide how to categorize each, I began to think about the best situations for their use.
I'm a firm believer in every methodology having a place in education. I don't think there is a panacea in our realm of learning and leading, and I think too much reliance on any one instructional strategy or pedagogical ideal is detrimental to to the teaching process. Since every learner is different, we have to employ as many different tools as possible to make learning meaningful. Therefore, over-reliance is dangerous, and even some strategies that are often "pooh-poohed," like lecture, have their proper place in the learning scheme.
Advice, often a statement that details what should be changed, and many times, how, is useful when involved in a management situation. We need a change to happen, so we make a more directive note of how to do it. Those we share the advice with have the option to use that advice or not, but it is clear the advice is meant to elicit a specific change, despite the fact that the learner is, for the most part, taken out of the collaborative equation.
Feedback, on the other hand, has the potential for truly collaborative action. This information is borne by evidence-based details that may or may not convey next steps. The goal with well-designed feedback is to lead the learner to water, but let him/her figure out the steps necessary to drink. Often a well-placed question, a connection to another situation, or time to reflect, turns feedback into leadership development.
Therefore, depending on whether we need to manage a situation or build leadership capacity, both advice and feedback have a place in all leadership circles. The key is to remember when to use one or the other, because no matter what you do, you can't cultivate a leader (or become a better one) if you're simply giving (or getting) advice.
Feedback and advice are incredibly different. Yet both are important to leadership today.
I had the opportunity to attend a great professional learning session with Giselle Martin-Kniep (@gisellemk1) and Jennifer Borgioli (@datadiva), both of LCI, last week, with the focus being on formative assessment.
One of the intriguing aspects of this session (and there were many) was taking a deeper look at the differences between feedback and advice. As we talked and looked at sample statements to decide how to categorize each, I began to think about the best situations for their use.
I'm a firm believer in every methodology having a place in education. I don't think there is a panacea in our realm of learning and leading, and I think too much reliance on any one instructional strategy or pedagogical ideal is detrimental to to the teaching process. Since every learner is different, we have to employ as many different tools as possible to make learning meaningful. Therefore, over-reliance is dangerous, and even some strategies that are often "pooh-poohed," like lecture, have their proper place in the learning scheme.
Advice, often a statement that details what should be changed, and many times, how, is useful when involved in a management situation. We need a change to happen, so we make a more directive note of how to do it. Those we share the advice with have the option to use that advice or not, but it is clear the advice is meant to elicit a specific change, despite the fact that the learner is, for the most part, taken out of the collaborative equation.
Feedback, on the other hand, has the potential for truly collaborative action. This information is borne by evidence-based details that may or may not convey next steps. The goal with well-designed feedback is to lead the learner to water, but let him/her figure out the steps necessary to drink. Often a well-placed question, a connection to another situation, or time to reflect, turns feedback into leadership development.
Therefore, depending on whether we need to manage a situation or build leadership capacity, both advice and feedback have a place in all leadership circles. The key is to remember when to use one or the other, because no matter what you do, you can't cultivate a leader (or become a better one) if you're simply giving (or getting) advice.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 69
You can't always get what you want, but you should always want what you get. #QuoteADay #Day69 #edchat #edu #learn #lead #AimHigh #ReachHigh
While I'm not a tremendous Rolling Stones fan, I can't help but wholeheartedly agree with the difficulty in always getting what you want. That being said, we need to fashion our goals in such a way that when we do get something, it is an outcome we truly wanted (if not expected).
This takes some work.
It isn't so much that creating goals is a challenge, but creating goals that are meaningful and that align with your vision and mission can be fairly daunting. To address this, we need to make sure that the goals we create paint a picture of where we want to be, and the "how do we get there" part of our work is clear with easy to follow steps.
We also must make sure that we separate wants from needs. Our goals must focus on priorities, and if there is time (or room) for true "wants" then we can build those in.
Finally, we can't forget the importance of evaluation; taking a deep look at what we got, and seeing how it ties in to our wants and needs. If our evaluation shows that things don't line up, then it is back to the drawing board.
Knowing that we'll never get everything we want means that when we do achieve something, when we do reach a benchmark we've set, we definitely want to feel good about the end result. After all, if that isn't the case, then why bother having "wants" at all?
While I'm not a tremendous Rolling Stones fan, I can't help but wholeheartedly agree with the difficulty in always getting what you want. That being said, we need to fashion our goals in such a way that when we do get something, it is an outcome we truly wanted (if not expected).
This takes some work.
It isn't so much that creating goals is a challenge, but creating goals that are meaningful and that align with your vision and mission can be fairly daunting. To address this, we need to make sure that the goals we create paint a picture of where we want to be, and the "how do we get there" part of our work is clear with easy to follow steps.
We also must make sure that we separate wants from needs. Our goals must focus on priorities, and if there is time (or room) for true "wants" then we can build those in.
Finally, we can't forget the importance of evaluation; taking a deep look at what we got, and seeing how it ties in to our wants and needs. If our evaluation shows that things don't line up, then it is back to the drawing board.
Knowing that we'll never get everything we want means that when we do achieve something, when we do reach a benchmark we've set, we definitely want to feel good about the end result. After all, if that isn't the case, then why bother having "wants" at all?
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 68
The true #learner welcomes "I Don't Know" not for it's finality, but rather for the #discovery it leads to. #QuoteADay #Day68 #edchat #edu
I tend to like the response of "I Don't Know." It is a welcome, of sorts, to me to embark on a path of discovery, because what we don't yet know is simply something that should be added to our "To Learn" checklist.
Whether working with children or adults, we need to treat an answer of "I Don't Know" for what it is worth. It isn't a response that should be viewed as having finality. Rather, we need to treat it as the first step towards enlightenment.
One of our goals as leaders and learners is to help others seen that every "I Don't Know" is a mystery waiting to be solved, an idea waiting to be conjured, and a destination waiting to be visited. "I Don't Know" isn't a "bad" response, or one to be given just by those trying to get out of giving an answer (in fact, these folks are the last ones who should be saying it). Instead, it is a response we should expect and hope for from all those we encounter, for it has the potential to posit a voyage of exploration and growth.
So, feel comfortable and confident shouting "I Don't Know" from the rooftops.
Just make sure that when you do, you realize you've just made a promise to yourself to find out.
I tend to like the response of "I Don't Know." It is a welcome, of sorts, to me to embark on a path of discovery, because what we don't yet know is simply something that should be added to our "To Learn" checklist.
Whether working with children or adults, we need to treat an answer of "I Don't Know" for what it is worth. It isn't a response that should be viewed as having finality. Rather, we need to treat it as the first step towards enlightenment.
One of our goals as leaders and learners is to help others seen that every "I Don't Know" is a mystery waiting to be solved, an idea waiting to be conjured, and a destination waiting to be visited. "I Don't Know" isn't a "bad" response, or one to be given just by those trying to get out of giving an answer (in fact, these folks are the last ones who should be saying it). Instead, it is a response we should expect and hope for from all those we encounter, for it has the potential to posit a voyage of exploration and growth.
So, feel comfortable and confident shouting "I Don't Know" from the rooftops.
Just make sure that when you do, you realize you've just made a promise to yourself to find out.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 67
Laugh by yourself and feel good. Laugh with others and feel great. #QuoteADay #Day67 #edchat #edu #HaveFun #EnjoyLife #Learn #Lead
Over the last few days I've had a number of opportunities to do some great laughing. We all need to laugh more. The world is a serious place, and leaders often wear the weight of multiple worlds on their shoulders.
Whether with others or by ourselves, laughter is a mind and body healer. We can use laughter to forget our troubles while also using it to strengthen relationships.
While laughing alone can buoy our spirits, laughing with others solidifies the bonds that are needed for true community. With so many struggles in the world today, interjecting humor into our learning and leading is a necessity. Humans (and many other species) have the capacity to laugh; it's truly natural to do so.
Leading and learning is an intense job. It requires a sound mind, quick reflexes, and a stone resolve. Why not help the body and mind recharge with a bit of laughter?
As a random aside, my wife just told me to google "The Fox Song" and watch it as I worked on this post. Though I cringed more than I laughed, I certainly had a few chuckles. And that's a good thing. Feel free to watch, but be warned, it's weird: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE&feature=kp.
Over the last few days I've had a number of opportunities to do some great laughing. We all need to laugh more. The world is a serious place, and leaders often wear the weight of multiple worlds on their shoulders.
Whether with others or by ourselves, laughter is a mind and body healer. We can use laughter to forget our troubles while also using it to strengthen relationships.
While laughing alone can buoy our spirits, laughing with others solidifies the bonds that are needed for true community. With so many struggles in the world today, interjecting humor into our learning and leading is a necessity. Humans (and many other species) have the capacity to laugh; it's truly natural to do so.
Leading and learning is an intense job. It requires a sound mind, quick reflexes, and a stone resolve. Why not help the body and mind recharge with a bit of laughter?
As a random aside, my wife just told me to google "The Fox Song" and watch it as I worked on this post. Though I cringed more than I laughed, I certainly had a few chuckles. And that's a good thing. Feel free to watch, but be warned, it's weird: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE&feature=kp.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Quote-A-Day: Day 66
All leaders get #angry + #frustrated. The best #leaders use those feelings to determine what's wrong + fix it.#QuoteADay #Day66 #edchat #edu
Anger and frustration are natural feelings. We've all been in situations where those feelings arise.
And, we all handle those feelings differently. Some of us act out, being transparent to those around us while also causing angst and fear. Others of us keep the emotions inside, continuing as normal without letting others see us sweat. Is there a right or wrong way to handle frustration?
Yes, but likely not in the way you might think.
Regardless of whether you explode or tuck those feelings away, the worst way to deal with frustration and anger is to not use it to your, and your community's, advantage.
We get angry because we see things as being inequitable, unfair, unsafe, etc. We need to delve into those scenarios to pick out what has truly gone wrong, and once we have that data, act to change things or to fix them. Anger and frustration can be motivating, and as long as the plan to change brings people to a better place than previously, motivation built on negative feelings can have a tremendously positive effect.
That doesn't mean that the situation is resolved when the anger resides. Some scenarios in education take months and years to address. But, we must act, and we must use the anger and frustration that the scenario has caused to move us in a direction that supports positive change.
Anger and frustration are natural feelings. We've all been in situations where those feelings arise.
And, we all handle those feelings differently. Some of us act out, being transparent to those around us while also causing angst and fear. Others of us keep the emotions inside, continuing as normal without letting others see us sweat. Is there a right or wrong way to handle frustration?
Yes, but likely not in the way you might think.
Regardless of whether you explode or tuck those feelings away, the worst way to deal with frustration and anger is to not use it to your, and your community's, advantage.
We get angry because we see things as being inequitable, unfair, unsafe, etc. We need to delve into those scenarios to pick out what has truly gone wrong, and once we have that data, act to change things or to fix them. Anger and frustration can be motivating, and as long as the plan to change brings people to a better place than previously, motivation built on negative feelings can have a tremendously positive effect.
That doesn't mean that the situation is resolved when the anger resides. Some scenarios in education take months and years to address. But, we must act, and we must use the anger and frustration that the scenario has caused to move us in a direction that supports positive change.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)