Stretch Education - Blog

Book Review - How to Personalize Learning

4/5/2017

Personalized learning helps develop agency, ownership, and a growth mindset - all vital qualities in education today. But how exactly do you transform a traditional classroom into a personalized learning environment? In their latest book How to Personalize Learning, Barbara Bray and Kathleen McClaskey give you a roadmap for the journey.

This is a well-researched and immensely practical book. The authors explain complex ideas drawn from Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles in easy to understand terms such as “Access, Engage, and Express.” They provide activities, conversation starters, and links to online resources. They also give you access to downloadable templates for the Learner Profile, Personal Learning Backpack, Personal Learning Plan, Class Learning Snapshot, and Class Learning Toolkit. Teachers can then customize these templates for individual learners in their classroom.

How to Personalize Learning is written for teachers at every stage of the journey. If you’re just getting started, this book can introduce you to simple tools to help you discover the learner in every child. If you’re already familiar with personalized learning, the “Delve into Deeper Learning” and “Create a Culture of Learning” sections might provide the insights you need to take your classroom to the next level.

No matter where you are on the personalized learning journey, remember that even the smallest change can have a huge impact. How to Personalize Learning will give you the insights, tools, and encouragement you need to courageously take that next step.

Book Review: The Innovator's Mindset

5/29/2016

What is innovation?

Is it possible for schools to become places where innovation is the cultural norm?

George Couros, author of The Innovator's Mindset, describes innovation as the process of creating something new and better, either by inventing a new idea or iterating on an existing idea. He takes us a step beyond Carol Dweck’s concept of growth mindset, where the learner believes that if they work hard and practice, they can grow their abilities, intelligence and talents.

Couros begins with this concept, then iterates and improves on it: “The innovator’s mindset can be defined as the belief that the abilities, intelligence, and talents are developed so that they lead to the creation of new and better ideas” (emphasis mine). He shifts the focus to becoming a creator, rather than simply a consumer of knowledge, because “the learning happens when we take what we know and make something out of it.”

Too often in education, innovation only occurs in pockets. Sometimes “innovation” simply becomes a buzzword used by organizations to appear current or relevant. The Innovator’s Mindset provides us with an antidote – this book is packed with thought-provoking questions, simple but powerful examples of success, and contains the key to getting innovative traction in our schools.

Good Questions
Here are a few thought-provoking questions that Couros raises in his book:

“...one question I have asked many educators is, 'In our world today, what is a student more likely going to need to be able to write: an essay or a blog post?' This question pushes some people to a place of discomfort (which is the point), but it also makes them think about what’s relevant to today’s educational needs. It isn’t an either/or question. It’s a question designed to make us think about why we do what we do.”

“We are spending so much time telling our students about what they can’t do that we have lost focus on what we can do. Imagine if every time you talked about the ability to write with a pencil, you only focused on telling kids not to stab one another with the tool. What would you really inspire in your students? Creativity? Unlikely. Fear? Almost certainly.”

Simple but Powerful Examples of Innovation
In 2011, Couros was named Division Principal of Innovative Teaching and Learning for his school district. The position was brand new; district leadership didn’t want to re-title an existing position and end up doing the same old things. Couros explains, “we knew that a gap existed between what we were doing and what we needed to do… we needed to think differently.”

He focused on building empathic relationships, connecting with a global network of educators, and sharing resources with teachers and administrators. Some of his conversations sparked simple changes that led to transformative results. For example, when a science teacher named Lisa asked how she could update her traditional mitosis lesson, Couros suggested she follow the Twitter hashtag #scichat so she could tap into ideas from other educators. Since Lisa was new to Twitter, he also showed her a YouTube video called “Twitter in 60 Seconds.”

Lisa wanted to give her students new and better learning experiences, so she took an innovative risk. She showed the video to her students and asked “Could you do this for mitosis?” Although she wasn't sure if she could create the video herself, she knew her students probably could figure it out. A week later, she sent Couros a copy of a student-produced video called “Mitosis in 60 seconds.” By adopting an innovator’s mindset, Lisa and her students found a powerful new way to teach and learn the existing curriculum, and it had a transformative effect on the rest of their school year. She later said it was the first time every single student in her class passed the course.

Key Concepts: Narrow Your Focus AND Share Your Learning with Others
Couros learned the hard way that introducing too many apps and tools at once can overwhelm educators, and actually can make them less productive. After that first difficult year, they decided to carefully select just a few tools, so the educators could master them, use them for their own professional development, and effectively implement them in the classroom.

“Focusing on a few key things promotes innovation in teaching and learning,” says Couros. “And this sharp focus allows you to do more – with less confusion, frustration, and stress.”

In his district, they narrowed their focus to three main tools:
1) Google Apps for Education
2) Blogs used as digital portfolios (both for students and educators)
3) Twitter for professional learning

His team knew that if they wanted innovative students, they would need to become innovative educators. So following Couros’ example, each of them began using blogs as digital portfolios to track their own professional learning and showcase their work. They later rolled out this project in the classroom, and now over 10,000 students maintain their own digital portfolios showcasing their work from Kindergarten through 12th grade. (See bit.ly/blogasportfolio for more information on how they accomplished this).

Couros also emphasizes that it’s vital to share your learning with others. You can do this in a variety of ways including blogs, Twitter, face-to-face conversations, and school/district communication. “Sharing our stories about our learning and the ways we empower students helps us make the emotional connections that drives change,” says Couros. “If I feel something, I am more likely to change my behaviors and beliefs than if I am simply acquiring facts.”

My Own Iteration: Invest in Yourself as a Learner
In The Innovator’s Mindset, Couros challenges his readers to consider how they can individualize education for students by asking themselves the question “‘What is best for this learner?’”

I’d like to take that one step further and challenge you to plug yourself into the equation and ask:

What do I most want to learn?
How do I learn best?

Who do I want to learn from?

Then invest in yourself, knowing the way you learn will differ from the way others learn. Do you learn best when you read a book, attend a conference, or take an online class? Does your learning accelerate when you get on Twitter or write a blog post?

Leave a comment below and share how you plan to stretch your own learning! You can also connect with me on Twitter as @StretchEducate or via the Stretch Education Facebook page.

Those of you who love to read might want to check out Craig Kemp's list of the Top 8 Professional Reads for Educators (2016). The Innovator's Mindset was recently voted #1 by educators from 13 different countries around the world.

GROW - My #OneWord for 2016

1/11/2016

When growth is slow and days are dim, remember there will be a Day
When a carpet of color will cover the earth, and Beauty will come to stay.

Instead of a New Year’s resolution this year, I have just One Word -- Grow.
Grow…. Send roots down, when the ground is hard and the winter cold.
Grow…. Send leaves up, catch the sun’s rays, rejoice in rain.
Grow…. Bloom and become, wonder and wait, persevere and play.

To grow in every way: personally, professionally, spiritually, emotionally.
To absorb Growth Mindset thoughts.
To allow myself to be changed.

What is your One Word for 2016? Learn more at GetOneWord.com #OneWord2016
For more info on Growth Mindset: Teaching Growth Mindset by Vicki Davis and Sylvia Duckworth

Bridging the Educator Digital Divide

10/25/2015

“How can we help more educators get connected?"

It's a BIG question that raises many other questions. What does the term "connected educator” actually mean? What are the benefits of being connected? How can teachers find time to connect when they already face so many other pressures?

Good questions that are worth exploring... Over the last several years, many educators have started using social media tools such as Twitter, Voxer, and Google Groups to grow professionally, share resources, and acquire new skills at a rapid pace. But only a fraction of the educational community is actually connected. Many people still haven't tapped into this vibrant, new way of learning. This is creating a huge digital divide.

How will this digital divide among educators impact students in the future? If you're already connected, here's one simple thing that you can do to help more educators connect.

I’d like to challenge you to look an old problem in a new way. The vast majority of educators still work within silos in their classrooms. Some may be reluctant to use Twitter because they believe it’s mainly a place for celebrities and teenagers to gossip. Others may be intimidated at the thought of having to learn yet another digital tool.

What if we reached out to these unconnected educators where they already are?

One way we could begin bridging this digital divide is through a common language. Many unconnected educators have started using Facebook to connect with family and friends. Even those who are uncomfortable with Twitter often check Facebook several times a day… they might even be Facebook friends with you.

Although Facebook may seem like a “novice” platform to those who are using more sophisticated social media tools, it does provide a common meeting ground. What if we used Facebook to share professional learning posts so more educators can be included in the conversation?

It’s easy to do and it doesn’t take much time -- yet this one simple action could have a far-reaching effect. Since many educational pages already curate content specifically formatted for Facebook, all you have to do is click “share” and those posts will automatically show up in your colleagues’ news feeds. By doing this, you’re modeling for them what it means to be a connected educator, because connected educators share information. You can use Facebook to scaffold their learning and to spark some good face-to-face conversations.

Here are a few Facebook resources that you might want to check out:

Stretch Education - This Facebook page provides curated content from Twitter, blogs, and the web. It’s intentionally designed to encourage the unconnected educator who’s just getting started on the journey.
Kids Deserve It - This page was recently created by Adam Welcome and Todd Nesloney. Their excellent posts challenge conventional thinking and help educators become the best that they can be, because the kids deserve it.
Cool Cat Teacher - This page was created by Vicki Davis and includes a wide variety of technical tips and tutorials, as well as clips from her “Every Classroom Matters” BAM radio network show.

These are just a few of the many professional learning resources available on Facebook. You also might want to check out the Facebook posts curated by Edutopia, Lesson Planet, Personalize Learning, and Future Ready Schools.

3 Tips to Maximize Your Impact:

Get Posts Delivered to Your Facebook News Feed (ie. Your Facebook Home Page) Facebook recently changed the algorithm that determines what gets displayed in your news feed. So after you “Like” a page, be sure to occasionally “Like” or comment on a few of their posts as well. This tells Facebook that you want to continue seeing content from that page on a regular basis
Use Facebook to Scaffold Instruction for Other Social Media Platforms Since Facebook is already a familiar environment for most people, you can use it to introduce other social media tools like Twitter. For instance, there’s an easy-to-use tutorial called “Twitter 101” on the Stretch Education website. Simply share that link on your Facebook page, and others can learn to use Twitter too.
Consider Making Your Professional Learning Posts “Public” For the sake of privacy, many of us limit our personal Facebook posts to be visible only to our friends, and that’s a smart thing to do. But professional learning posts are different. In fact, they often contain information that we want to freely share with everyone, the way we do on Twitter. If you limit post visibility only to your friends, you limit how widely the information can be shared (the post can only be shared with your mutual friends). So you might want to consider making your professional learning posts visible to the public (here's a quick demo).

Let’s start sharing more professional learning posts on Facebook so that everyone can be part of the conversation. Let’s bridge this digital divide.

Kimberly Goh
Connect with me on Twitter at @StretchEducate or check out my website StretchEducation.com

Book Review: Make Learning Personal

10/7/2015

There are many hot topics in education right now and "personalized learning" is among the top trends. But what exactly does "personalized learning" mean? In their new book, Make Learning Personal, authors Barbara Bray and Kathleen McClaskey lay the groundwork for this remarkable shift in education. They clarify the confusing terminology: personalization is NOT the same as differentiation and individualization, and it's not a computer algorithm choosing the next best lesson for your students. Personalization IS about helping students become intrinsically motivated so they can drive their own learning. It's about student voice, choice, and authentic engagement. It's about helping them understand how they learn best, so they can become expert learners.

This is a deep, ground-breaking, and well-researched book. It's also extremely practical. The authors provide steps and tools to walk you through the process, as well as real-life examples from teachers and schools that have successfully navigated the road to becoming personalized learning environments. I particularly enjoyed the section entitled "Why Personalize Learning?" (Chapter 5) which highlights important topics such as Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Growth Mindset, flexible learning spaces, connectivity, and the many challenges we face in education today. This book is a MUST READ for educators -- highly recommended.

Also be sure to check out the 5 W's of Personalized Learning online course!

Memories, Moments & Magic #ISTE2015

7/6/2015

I just got back from my first International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in Philadelpia, and I have to say -- it was filled with moments that I will never forget. Yes, there were over 18,000 people in attendance, and yes, at times the sheer number of sessions seemed overwhelming.

Josh Stumpenhorst nailed this truth in his closing keynote speech: attending a conference of this magnitude forces you way out of your comfort zone. I was grateful I got to connect with so many people via Twitter before I got to ISTE. It was wonderful to finally meet many people who I previously only knew through social media -- people like Tom Murray, Angela Maiers,Tom Whitby and Kevin Honeycutt.

Some of my favorite moments happened during the HackEd unconference (pictured above). This event was held the day before ISTE started, and was organized by Steve Hargadon and the #isteunplugged team. The discussions were lively EdCamp-style conversations, with topics ranging from Makerspaces to Personalized Learning. In the afternoon, I got to participate in a discussion on gamification with Michael Matera, Tom Kilgore and Steve Issacs. Part of the magic of HackEd is its informal structure (I missed the final session because I got caught up in an epic conversation with Chris Aviles about some of his upcoming projects). There were many good memories created that day.

Of course, once the official ISTE conference started, it was learning 24/7. I especially enjoyed hearing from Tom Whitby, Suzie Boss, and the Edutopia bloggers. Other highlights included the TeacherCast Designing Digital-Age Learning Experiences panel (moderated by the infamous @wokkapatue), and Personalized Learning discussions with Barbara Bray. But perhaps one of my strongest memories was watching Tom Murray moderate the #FutureReady panel. I've been following Tom's journey since the day he was tapped to lead this initiative, and now over 2,000 district superintendents have signed the Future Ready pledge, with more signing on every day. It was incredible to see how far the #FutureReady movement has come, and to be able to watch it happen live at ISTE 2015.

In the midst of all this learning, I did get out to have some fun at the Otus concert at the Hard Rock Cafe, with Kevin Honeycutt and the Tweetwood Mac Band. That led to another magic moment -- check out this rare film footage of Jerry Blumengarten, aka Cybraryman, singing lead in "I Love Rock and Roll":

Before I sign off, I want to give a special shout out to someone who really made ISTE special this year. Peggy George was so welcoming to me and provided many tips on how to prepare. It seemed like Peggy was everywhere, helping out behind the scenes, or greeting people with her sunny smile. This is her last year at ISTE, and I know she's had a lot to do with shaping the culture of this conference. Thank you, Peggy! We appreciate all that you do.

So those are just a few of my magic moments from ISTE 2015.
What about you? Do you have any special #ISTE2015 memories to share?

What are You Reading this Summer?

6/6/2015

What are you reading this summer? Here are a few books on my list:
All Hands on Deck - Tools for Connecting Educators, Parents and Communities --- Brad Currie
Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools --- Michael B. Horn, Heather Staker
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking --- Susan Cain

I just read the most excellent post by Vicki Davis about why we need to rest. Everyone needs to take time and recharge their batteries, especially after a long school year. That's one of the main reasons I love summer - because I get a little more time for reflection and reading.

That book list up there? To some people, that list might look like work, but to me, it looks like fun... These are some of the books I've been "meaning to get around to" all year long.... and it's not my complete list. There will be other books too: fiction, fun, inspiration, maybe even a little poetry... Everyone's list looks different. The point is, it's YOUR list!

We have the whole summer ahead of us! What books are you planning to read?

Spotting the Superheroes

3/20/2015

It’s not always easy to spot superheroes. Quite often they disguise themselves as ordinary citizens (remember mild-mannered Clark Kent?) and they are usually so humble that their good deeds may go unnoticed. Yet many of them live in our midst, working hard every day to make this world a better place. Today, it is my honor to shine the spotlight on a team of incredible superheroes - Principal Todd Nesloney and his staff at Navasota Intermediate School in Texas.

Todd served as a teacher for several years before coming to Navasota Intermediate as Principal in 2014. In just eight short months, he and his staff have transformed the school culture into a place overflowing with innovation and creativity. The students now think of themselves as young superheroes who love to learn. I asked some of the teachers and staff to share how they’ve grown professionally this year and how this has impacted the students. Listen to what some of these grownup superheroes had to say:

“So far this year, I have learned that taking chances and going outside of your box is one important trait of a great educator. With each ‘crazy’ idea, I am met with support and encouragement. Todd not only encourages and supports these ideas, but practices it in his own career. We are lucky to call him our Lead Learner!”
- Allison Boswell @BoswellAllison

“This year I have been able to fail and learn a lot about my students and myself. I have been able to take risks and discover different ways to impact students. My students’ excitement to create and share really is growing. Just the other day one wanted to stay a few minutes longer the day before spring break when she was getting picked up early. She was working on using our swivel camera for making a quick presentation on what leadership was. Totally her idea and a great way to share her thoughts with the world. Her mom had to wait for her to finish and spring break started a little late.”
- Michael Donnelly @mrdonnelly3

“The biggest change that I see is that our children smile, make eye contact and love giving hugs. You didn't see much of any of that in August! Even some of our toughest boys have now shared their loving side, and what beautiful smiles they have. We still have many gaps to fill educationally, but we have children that want to learn more, want to be at school and know they are valued. It's currently our Spring Break, I really miss those kids and can't wait to see them again on Monday!”
- Kelly Kastner (Math Interventionist) @kellykastner

“Todd Nesloney is everyone's biggest fan. His support and enthusiasm for innovative thinking and passionate teaching has pushed all of us toward our potential… Our reading initiative truly has lit a fire for literacy in our students. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a student try to walk to the bus while reading….”
- Aaron Marvel (Instructional Coach) @TeachinglilJohn

“I have grown as a professional in many ways this year. One way that has been achieved is through the comfort I have in knowing I will be supported by my principal and administration team to try new things with my class. Our principal and admin team has allowed us to expand our teaching by providing numerous workshops, online chats, and outside speakers coming in to offer individual ideas and advice. I feel I can really make a difference because of the confidence and support our principal and admin team provides.”
- Erin Nelson @erinnelson25

“Since the beginning, Todd has led by example as Lead Learner for our campus. His innovative ideas, his passion for student learning, and his high energy have created a campus culture that has moved our school forward. I am proud to serve as his assistant and partner in this quest.”
- Terry Garrett (NIS Assistant Principal) @terrycgarrett

“Experiences this year have led me to grow professionally/emotionally. I have a commitment to this community. Student needs are most important - I feel like I need to be a Superhero to them: educate, protect and celebrate students and teachers... I have developed a greater compassion for people this year.” #YouMatter
- Kathy French (Librarian Learner) @ofancyfrench

“It is with confidence that I say...I have never seen such passion, enthusiasm, and commitment from an administrator in my 23 years in public education. It has been my privilege and pleasure to support the work of Todd Nesloney at Navasota Intermediate School. I am proud to say that ‘You Matter, Todd’ and thank you for all you do.”
- Kevin Bradford (Special Education Teacher) @bradfordkevin66

Do you know an educator who is a superhero? If so, shine the spotlight on them by writing them a note, blogging about them, or drop by their office to tell them how much they matter to you. Then share their story on social media with #EduLS hashtag!

The Educator Learning Series challenge: #EduLS
http://educatorlearningseries.blogspot.com/2015/03/celebrate-someone.html

"Bite-Sized" Professional Learning

2/25/2015

Book Review: "Reinventing Writing"

2/7/2015

"Writing is being reinvented. This does not mean you are irrelevant."
- From Reinventing Writing by Vicki Davis

Vicki Davis understands teachers. She's a long-time teacher herself, runs an award-winning internet radio show called "Every Classroom Matters," and mentors hundreds of teachers through her blog at coolcatteacher.com. So it's no surprise that her book Reinventing Writing is tailored for the busy, dedicated teacher who wants to learn more about 21st-century digital tools but isn't quite sure where to start. Vicki begins the book with these words of encouragement: "The things you have been doing are important and have value. We just do it differently now. The basic concepts you've always taught are still there; they're just being taught differently."

Vicki helps readers find their bearings by showing how each digital tool in the book is analogous to a common writing tool that teachers already understand. Paper has been reinvented as ePaper and eBooks. Notetaking has transformed from a three-ring binder to a digital notebook. Index cards are similar to social bookmarking, and your trusty filing cabinet has been recreated as a cloud synching service. Remember when you first used a word processor? Now word processors have been reinvented as cloud writing apps that automatically save your work for you.

The world of publishing student work has changed too. Students are no longer confined to writing journals or reports that will only be read by the teacher. Now they can blog about their findings, so their research can be published for a much wider audience. Group reports have always been a challenge, because it is difficult to tell how much each student contributes to the report. Now with the advent of the Wiki, students can write a collaborative report, comment on various sections and lines, and each student's contribution can be easily seen by the teacher through revision tracking history.

Vicki introduces teachers to powerful pre-writing tools such as graphic organizers and mind mapping software. She also explains how illustrations in the digital age now include powerful communication vehicles such as infographics. She dedicates a large portion of her book to discussing digital citizenship - issues such as copyright and online student safety. The final few sections of the book have great titles and equally great content: "Making Your Job Easier: Building Writing Communities Where Students Love to Learn" and "Stay Sane, Stay Innovative: An Action Plan for a Lifetime of Innovation in the Classroom."

Reinventing Writing does not disappoint. It is deep enough to serve as a resource for the more tech-savvy teacher, yet is easy to understand and accessible enough for the teacher who is just starting out. Each time Vicki presents a tool, she gives practical examples of how it can be used in the classroom. She continually encourages her readers not to feel overwhelmed, to focus on learning only a few tools at a time. These words from the final section of the book capture the essence of this encouragement:

"Realize technology's place and that it is there. Technology is more than a person. Technology is more than a company. It isn't a being to be worshipped like the ancient Egyptians worshipped the Nile. It can, however, be channeled to water growth in our lives.... To ignore the river of technology is foolish. To attempt to drink it all in is impossible. So, the best attitude about technology is to coexist with it and use it to make lives better."

I highly recommend Reinventing Writing for anyone who wants to learn more about digital tools. If you've started reading this book or if you've already finished it, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts!