Educational Discourse

Well, I finally got around to doing some yard work this weekend. I was able to dethatch my lawn and fertilize it just before we had rain so, if things work out, I should be cutting twice a week in a week or so! My daughter and I also did some flower planting and did some discussion of what we are going to do with our front yard once we finish in the back with the grass growing. She’s turning into quite the gardener. I also discussed the option of a garden with my sons but they weren’t real keen on having to give up camping to weed so maybe next year.

Today, we had our Early Dismissal and staff meeting. Now, our ED have been working with PLC’s. The last few we have been discussing and working on our School Improvement Learning Plan. This SLIP is required and must be created in collaboration with our School Community Council and sent to the School Division Board for approval. Now, last month, members of our SCC met with the staff to look at developing the SLIP around the area of Safe and Caring School Environment. We looked at the four components and created an area of focus that will be part of our SLIP for the next year. The meeting was a success and has brought school and community together in a few ways.

Today, I had the groups focus on what, they as staff, would like to see as part of the SLIP and where we could go from here. In groups they discussed this and reviewed what they had done. Now, although I think that was a good exercise, what I thought was more productive is that, at their tables, they were to also brainstorm ideas for PD so that we could use our ED more effectively. As they were winding down their discussions, I heard things like “using more technology, doing more with video, using the technology we have better…” which was good. I also know that I have two teachers interested in doing a cross-continent learning experience and I have one teacher interested in doing something with the science project linked to the space station. What is really great, is that teachers are looking at how technology is going to enhance what they are doing and seeing how it will make the learning experience better and not just using the technology for its own sake.

Now, these just didn’t happen. In fact, I’ve been planting seeds since I arrived. I have suggesting that teachers check out some ideas and software but they were too busy or had too many other things to do. So, instead of insisting on big things, I insisted they use email and eliminated the paper memo. I’ve now insisted that they use the staff wiki to list all their activities so everyone can check to see what is going on. We’ve avoided two near scheduling disasters because of it. I’ve started a memo page on the wiki and it will grow. I’m also beginning to question our use of staff meetings and wondering if I could not use some type of software to “transmit” the information to the staff instead of meeting in a f2f meeting. I think this is possible and could reduce the “telling” going on at the staff meeting and we could focus on PD mini-lessons with a topic for the month although I do not want to eliminate the discussions we have because many of them are needed.  Other topics include discussing professional reading or working in our PLC’s on school data or streamlining our attendance and other functions to eliminate paper. There are many topics that fit well with what we are doing as a school but it is good to see that using technology is beginning to be part of the discussion and teachers are interested and enthused.

Planting seeds. It takes so much time to grow and can be really frustrating waiting. I’ve learned if you give them too much water, they drown and die, too little water and they wither up and die. As a gardener you cannot make them grow. You need to weed and take care to make sure that bugs and insects aren’t destroying them and, sometimes, natural events take place that are out of your control. But, with persistence and patience, things take root and grow and you begin to see the fruits of your labour. Growing technology use in the school is not much different. There have been times I’ve wanted to give up and toss in the shovel. However, with the examples I’ve shown and the things that we have done, teachers are really beginning to see the benefit to their students of using technology for all sorts of learning.

I’ve also noticed this same thing in my admin PLC where our group has a wiki we are going to use to brainstorm our ideas for our topics. We are then going to have a conference meeting via the net in order to discuss what we are doing. This, hopefully, will show them that all this is possible and can be done no matter who they are and it can cut down on things like driving just to do some committee work.

Now, like all growing, there are weeds that will pop up but one cannot allow them to overrun the garden. By weeds, I mean things like lack of time, technical problems, uncooperative software, uncooperative students and all sorts of other things. These will happen but if we deal with them, working to try to eliminate them or reduce their numbers, the seeds will grow and flourish and eventually, hopefully, choke out the weeds.

My students always tell me I use metaphors and analogies way too much. However, I’ve learned that in using them, people can relate to something that is really foreign to them  through something with which they are familiar. I began doing this three years ago and, finally, I’m seeing something come up. I don’t know how it will grow but if I don’t tend it and nurture it, then it may not survive.  There are many factors out of my control. As a principal, I’m in the same situation. So, I’ve planted more seeds, having staff as a whole look at areas of PD that they feel would benefit them in the school. Hopefully, some of this will be technology.

Finally, I’ve been doing some conversing with Durff , someone I met through the Horizon Project and we have been discussing having an online “workshop” that would be for technology people who are at the beginner stage and wanting  to progress. Now, my idea was to gather some people who are using technology and have them demonstrate and then answer questions about use of various tools and things they have learned. Just out of curiosity, would anyone be interested in: a) attending such a “workshop” format and b) helping with such a workshop. I’m thinking that many of the things that are done could be saved and posted for use by others later but, in my experience, having a live person to ask questions and use the tools really helps. It would be like a Digital Camp for grown-ups. Let me know what you think.