Is Education Half Full or Half Empty?

Are you optimistic or pessimistic about education in our country? If you listen to the Main Stream Media, there is nothing good about education. Teachers are terrible, administrators are clueless, and students don't care. We pay teachers too much money, we aren't teaching the right stuff and there is NO HOPE! Everyone has a solution and everyone predicts doom and gloom. They're all experts. Politicians, Parents, and Community members all know the answer. It's kind of like me watching a Yankee game. When they are losing, I should get a call from Girardi asking my advice! Since I'm a fan, I also am an expert.

I may not be an expert in education either, but I live in the trenches and that gives me the right to say: "I love what's happening in education right now!" I refuse to go as far to say the system is broken. Several people, and people I highly respect, say we should scrap the entire system and start over. That is crazy. Do we need to make some changes? Yes. Can we make those changes within our current system? Yes. Will we make the changes and get better? ABSOLUTELY, YES!

Our education system is living in a time where information is available everywhere. I can't believe people are criticizing education for "being behind" in reference to adapting to the available resources we now have. Are you kidding? The speed at which change is occuring is AMAZING. As I surf the web and discover new resources every day, my head is spinning. We live in a social media, connected, information driven world. These areas are exploding at an exponential pace. Who CAN keep up?

I see schools working hard to make changes and making them quickly. At GHS, we went 1 to 1 last year. Many schools in our area are moving in that direction. NO, that's not a silver bullet. Nobody has claimed it would be. Technology isn't an answer, it's a step along the path. Our goal is to provide our students with the best education they can get. With technology we have access to amazing resources to help prepare our students for their future. With these new resources we are ALL hoping to engage our students at a different level. We hope to spark something to excite our kids to solve the problems which face us today. 


More important than technology is the amount of deep analysis going on at my school and schools across the country. We are looking for new and better ways to help prepare our kids for the future. While I believe the Common Core miss the point of changes needed in education, it's amazing that educators nationwide are working from the same set of standards. Not only are we looking at what we teach, we are looking at HOW we are teaching. Although I see problems with evaluations systems for educators, it has already been successful. WE are trying to get better, as a profession. With competition, our schools are working to improve. We have done amazing things with less funding and reduced staff levels.


Yep, I AM excited about education. The glass is filling and, in my opinion, will be overflowing! I can't wait to see what this new year will bring. 

FLIPPING, One size does NOT fit all!

          It's been about a week since my return from ISTE 2012. I loved the conference. As a first time attendee, I gained a wealth of information. As a matter of fact, it will be awhile until I can digest everything I learned. One of my goals at ISTE was to find out more about the FLIPPED Classroom. I am a new Tech Integration Coach and am heading BACK to the Classroom as a Math Teacher. I have been an administrator for the past 11 years and have decided to head back to my first love: "The Classroom".

          Since January I have been curious about the FLIPPED model of teaching. I thought this NEW model might be just what I was looking for. I have a vision to completely redo mathematics teaching. For too many years, we have focused on the abstract and done a poor job REALLY preparing our students for life outside the walls of our school.  In my search, I have heard FLIPPED teaching as a way to continue with traditional Math while giving more classroom time for REAL MATH. WOW! wouldn't that be great. I attended several ISTE sessions on FLIPPING. I was unimpressed, to say the least. I attended a round table style presentation with 9 proponents of flipping. Let's just say I didn't have any "Wow, I should be doing this" moments. We have a teacher at my school who has experimented with flipping his class this year. His thoughts were less than convincing. (View his journal at  The Flipped Journal. The more I've researched, the more I realize FLIPPING is not the answer. Although "FLIPPERS" tell you this method is NOT about the videos, most of the models I've seen ARE. I have researched MANY Math Videos across the web. From Khan to Sophia to a multitude of selections. The videos I've seen are average at best. Not to "toot" my own horn, but I'm a lot better LECTURER than Sal Khan. With my 20 years in education, I think I have more experience at presenting Math material than he does. But, is that what I want? Do I want to just be a DYNAMIC LECTURE style teacher? Do I want to be the DELIVERER of all MATH for my students. Shouldn't the question be, "What's best for my students?"

So, what's the answer? What IS BEST for my students?

I have come up with a plan. I'm a big fan of Will Richardson willrichardson.com, Yong Zhao - zhaolearning.com , Dan Meyer - Dan Meyer Blog, Mike Schmoker - mikeschmoker.com, and numerous twitterites! I have combined many of their thoughts to form my own blend of learning. Here are my key thoughts:

1. Reduced Standards - The test is killing our students creativity. I don't teach "Common" students, so the common core won't be the focus. I will not put the common core ahead of the needs of my students. I will not be held hostage to a test. We will focus on Math across the curriculum. What that means is that some of the "Core" will have to go. I will teach with depth. Teach Less, Learn More.

2. Simple, Simple, Simple - Along with reducing the standards, we will focus on what students really need. In Mike Schmoker's Book "Focus" he has a great formula I will use as my standards. I will FOCUS on:  Adequate amounts of Essential Math Content, Intellectual/Thinking Skills, and Authentic Literacy. That's pretty simple.

 3. Student-Centered -- The reason why American Education is the best Education system in the world? WE CARE ABOUT OUR STUDENTS. Yong Zhao PROVED we are the best. (Here is a link to his video at ISTE. Well worth watching.  ISTE KEYNOTE. WE (students/teacher) will build important relationships. WE will decide where to go. WE will struggle with thinking, learning, and inquiring, TOGETHER. I will concentrate on WHO I teach, not WHAT I teach.

4. PBL - Student's learn best when they are actively participating in real life, authentic problem solving situations. I'm not talking about contrived situations that are focused around learning abstract content. I'm talking about practicing what they will come across upon graduation. WE will create driving questions. WE will decide what problems and approaches will be used. The problems are the places of real learning.

5. Connections -- I am excited about helping my students make connections outside the walls of my classroom. I am not the keeper of all knowledge. There is an entire world out there at the fingertips of my students. We will make connections worldwide to help us learn. We will use all means possible to connect.


6. BLENDED / Personal Learning -- Students aren't the same. They learn differently, have different interests, and different backgrounds. Using Videos, games, producing products, writing, reading, thinking, sharing, collaborating, Pencil/Paper, and Technology will be used as the tools. Our goals will be to LEARN by what ever means possible. I love Khan's practice/coaching system. I will use it as ONE of my tools. His videos are helpful when I can't be there to help as are numerous other online tools. Mindcraft is a great game for learning. Global connections with Twitter and other social media sites are exciting. One method is not good for all situations or for all people. I need to learn the tools available to help my students. I need to be a life long learner for the good of my students. WE WILL Blend all of these tools into a great learning environment.

7. Failure -- In my early days as an educator, I was so worried about failing. Now that I'm SEASONED (another word for OLD), I am not intimidated by failure. We need to teach students failure is ok. We can learn as much from our mistakes as our successes. We will adjust and adapt. We will fail and get right back up again to face another day!

8. Constant Improvement -- I expect my students to grow, to learn. I need to grow and learn. I need to act as an athletic coach. I need to look for every way possible for me to improve as a teacher. Improving as a teacher has direct impact on my students. If I'm a better teacher my students will be better prepared for LIFE. Constant Improvement is a must!