What Would Be Amazing?

This past spring, I asked if I could change my focus in the district where I work. For 14 years I served as the instructional tech coordinator. I wanted to emphasize instruction more, regardless whether tech was involved. I was glad to find the district administrators were open to the change.

So as I've been planning instructional coaching meetings with individuals, this question came to mind:  What would be amazing?

I have spent most of my career with "doing something amazing" as my end goal. But I learned that everyone in education has slightly to drastically different ideas of what "amazing" would look like.

What are some things that would happen in your district that would catch your attention as amazing? What would happen in your classroom that would make you say, "Wow"? What could your students do that would be labeled amazing?

I want to start conversations with that question. I want to learn if those amazing things they tell me would be done by the teacher I'm meeting with, by their principals, or by the students. Would other people think they're amazing? Would I think they're amazing?

Whatever the answer is, it won't be as important as what it reveals. Such an answer speaks volumes about things like:

• What does quality work look like?
• Who's responsible to make amazing things happen?
• Who has to (or we think has to) do their part before we will move to do ours?
• What really matters in the job we do every day?

For example, I worked with one teacher who dreamed up an impressive project last year when I challenged her to do something amazing. I fully expected to do all the dreaming myself, but she did research and came up with something that inspired another teacher from another district to do something similar. 

On the other hand, I've talked with some teachers over the years who imagine an amazing day as a classroom full of compliant students. Or maybe a test where everyone gets a high score. I'm not saying those aren't amazing things, but I'm saying a person's answer to the question speaks volumes about our starting place. 

If we don't ask, and if we don't identify these big differences in expectations, we very likely will assume we're all trying to get to the same place. We'll likely be upset with how poorly one thing is going, when others think everything is great.

So part of my reflection time this summer has been spent answering that question for myself. What would be an amazing result in the first weeks of my new position? What will be amazing at the end of first semester? Or the school year? 

Give it a try and see what list you come up with. Share it with your colleagues, and have them answer it too.

8 Years of Teaching Like an Artist

 

In 2013 I started writing about teaching like an artist. It was such a time of refreshing for me. As I wrote in my previous post (which is several months old now) it has been more of a struggle to maintain the vision and keep this blog alive lately. 

The Way of the Artist, which I so often lifted up, is to dream big, do the work and share it. Looking at my creative pursuits, I haven't abandoned that. I just have lost the vision for teaching like an artist. 

Somewhat that's true because I have found some promising pursuits in other areas. I'm actually having a little success with game designs again. I've been writing fiction and loving it.

But I also have less vision for teaching like an artist because I don't know that it ever panned out. In terms of inspiring students and teachers, it didn't pan out in any big way. I wanted so badly to see that. I worked for it and expected it, just like you'd expect fire to spread if you dropped a match on a pile of newspaper. 

Instead, the routine of what school has always been won out. A year and a half of COVID didn't help, of course. But even before the virus gained attention on the horizon, I had nearly given up hope.

Last week I was talking to a friend about this. We were discussing just how much we can influence the drive that our students have to succeed. She told me she can't be that kind of person who gives up on trying. That's nice, I guess, but I'd really like to know. I like to be motivated by more than just my chemical make-up. Is it worth holding on, trying again, and giving up other things to do the work?

I told her that in the moment I usually find the energy to keep the dream alive. At school, when it's time to talk to students, yes, I try to inspire. It's much harder to get excited about that outside of school, though. I'm more likely to look back on 27 years of teaching and wonder if the others were right. Those teachers who lived by the contract, tried mostly to just meet the bare minimum, and spent every free minute doing what they liked outside of school, were they the smart ones?

I haven't given up. I look forward to some opportunities I know are coming in this new school year. But I have to consciously do that. I have to will it. Hopefully by year nine I'll have better stories to tell.

Thinking About Fun and Fulfillment

My wife recently went on a two week mission trip to another country to work with kids in an orphanage. Due to security, the visit had a high degree of secrecy to it. The conditions there (though improving) were still deplorable.

I was telling a colleague about it and she commented, "That doesn't even sound fun!"

I assured her my wife didn't intend it to be fun. Of course, she knew that and I'm sure her statement came out that way only because it was a passing conversation. This post was not sparked simply because she said the word "fun". That came to mind, though, as I reflected on my recent efforts and the conversations around me.

For a couple other reasons, this was a tough week at work. Sometimes the challenges can make me wonder if I'm doing something wrong. Am I making it harder than it needs to be? This is especially true when others seem to be having a lot more fun.

Is there an important job at hand or should I just lighten up?

I mean, it's always easy to point to someone else and blame them for how things are. If they'd carry their weight, this would be such a pain, right? Why should any of us work harder than they are?

You can only do so much.

You have to take care of you.

Got plans this weekend? Just two more days!

That doesn't even sound fun.

It's tough to keep a straight course when my job requires me to converse with people on both sides of the divide. Sometimes I'm with people who look at the mission and together we feel we're making progress. Other times I'm the one laughing the least and have nothing exciting to share about the most recent weekend or vacation. ("Well, I updated those spreadsheets and made a couple tutorials....")

If I only had myself to think about, this would be easier. It wouldn't be the first time I'd throw my own heart and soul into a cause that's probably already beyond lost. I'm okay with hoping against hope.

But my job also requires me at times to teach young adults what it takes to succeed in life. I have my own two kids. I don't want to mess them up with my poor judgment in these matters.

I have to lead and (though it seems silly to say right now) inspire adults. Who am I fooling? Myself of them?

So this morning I reflected on all this. I wanted to write something, maybe just for my own notes, to sort it out.

I (once again and for the moment) concluded that fun can be a cheap substitute for fulfillment. Maybe not always, but maybe more than ever we settle for it when we could have had more in time.

"At least you had fun," we say.

This morning I'll keep going and I'll hold out for fulfillment even if it's not fun. I'll even do it with some enthusiasm.

Even if it seems I'm the only one.

Is It Worth Giving Up a Weekend?

"Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, you ought to set up a life you don’t need to escape from." -Seth Godin

I've worked as an instructional tech trainer for ten years now. I've learned many people just assume technology should save us time. It's so obvious to them that it goes without saying. The automatic question in their mind is How can this thing help me save time or make my job easier?

When the tool looks complicated instead, or if the resulting project we could complete with it seems too daunting, well, why would anyone bother with that?

Of course, a lot of tech does make life easier and it gets jobs done faster. But for all those people using tech to save time and make it easy, there are a few who see what amazing things can be accomplished with tech plus hard work.

Why settle for average?

The most memorable projects I've done exhausted me. They surprised me with how much work they involved. Like the time I gave up most of my holiday break editing the music videos I made with fifth graders, they can make me wonder if I'm crazy.

But that's what it takes to accomplish something amazing.

And we do all want amazing, don't we?

Finding Strength to Do the Real Work of Teaching

I love to ask teachers questions that get all of us thinking. By using the right questions, we can learn from each other and from ourselves through reflection. If you’re interested more about good questions for reflection, please see:

• My free digital journal guide, 31 Days of Teaching Like an Artist.
• Five Thought Provoking Questions for Teacher PD, PLCs or Reflection
• A Note to Myself as a First Year Teacher

In this post I raise one such question: How do you keep going when teaching gets tough? I’ll answer it myself first, then I’ll present the answers I received from an informal survey I gave to my extended PLN on Twitter.

Photo credit: DSC_1342 via photopin (license)

Doing the Real Work

The second step of The Way of the Artist is to do the work to make your dream into reality. There is no way around it. Some days great art demands sheer effort to push through. Everything else has to be put on hold. The final product becomes a work of art, in the truest sense of work.

Good teachers know that real teaching also demands that kind of effort. 

I reject any advice for success that promises an easier path. I've spoken with teachers who think they're doing something wrong when it requires so much. I say it might be a sign they're on the right track.

Certainly it's not always exhausting. But it's a challenge to lead our students through deep, personal learning experiences within the constraints of a largely outdated system. We often discover it takes more from us than we expected to give. And while we keep the classroom going daily, we must constantly improve our craft to keep pace with the change of our times.

I have so much respect for those teachers who, in these circumstances, do this hard work and regularly make a positive impact. I like to ask them what the do to press on even when the job gets tough.

Of those I know personally, they've told me things like they rely on God or they stay focused on the students. Many seek affirming relationships. A few press on, carefully tracking the years or days to retirement.

My Secrets to Success (or, at the very least, showing up for the struggle)

I don't have classes of my own anymore, but I still face discouragements and challenges common in education. The task of encouraging people (most often adults or young adults) to learn and to stretch wears me down at times. After more than 20 years in education, I learned, whether in the good or tough times, I need a daily routine to keep the right attitude for success.

My mornings start about 90 minutes before I have to leave for work. I believe teaching is a calling from God, so I start my day with a spiritual focus. I have a responsibility to teach in this place and time where I find myself, even when it doesn’t seem to fit me. I take time to read the Bible and pray. Through periods of depression and the many years I felt out of place teaching high school math, this is what got me through. I will continue to point to this foundation for any success I might achieve in my career.

My routine usually continues with a short workout. Through it I listen to worship music or other uplifting songs. Music is a passion and creative outlet that energizes me in profound ways.

I also make time for professional development and the big picture of education by going through Twitter and blogs I follow.

A shower and my 20 minute drive to work provide the opportunity for the big ideas to come. The visions and insights I get then stem from and fuel my passions. Whether on the job or as a side project, they can keep me excited for weeks at a time. When the daily job is tough, I look forward to what I might accomplish in the bigger picture through conferences, training and more.

As others will say below, I also rely on conversations with colleagues. I benefit greatly from continuing those conversations with my wife, who lets me express everything without the professional restraints required in the workplace!

Responses from Other Teachers

As I said, I posted this question to educators on Twitter. Thanks to everyone who anonymously submitted their thoughts. Also, thanks to Wesley Fryer for retweeting it and extending it beyond my reach!)

Almost all of the responses are from classroom teachers at different grade levels. Everyone except the last person still works in schools.

The themes of their answers are evident. Teachers get through the tough times by focusing on the positive things that are working and we rely on each other.

They also bring up a couple other less common practices that are great to consider.

Take a moment to read their responses in their own words. I phrased the question to them this way:

What are one or more things you do to keep pressing on when the work of teaching gets you down?

---
Teacher - Grades 5 and 6

There is always a good news story happening in a school. I focus on that.

---
Elementary Music Teacher

Take some time for me.

Remind myself that I don't have to keep teaching - usually the reminder reminds me that I actually do like it. Focus on the good things that happened that day and tell people about it.

Talk with a friend or - even better - a fellow teacher about it.

Read a book or watch something that takes me away from my life so I can have a more objective view of my struggles when I 'return' to my life.

Focus on taking care of myself. Making myself a priority makes me feel like the world won't end due to the fact I'm having a hard time.

Cuddle with my kid.

Laugh with my students.

Sometimes when I get so mad at my students that I want to yell, I speak in an accent instead - it works!

---
Director of Technology (Former Classroom STEM Teacher)

Find ways to laugh with co-workers & maintain a good sense of humor. Seek support of colleagues, both nearby in my building and virtually in my PLN.

---
Educator

I surround myself with positive colleagues who help me keep things in perspective.

---
English, Grammar, Linguistics Teacher

I remind myself of the sense of accomplishment I always get after finishing a tough project, telling myself I've gone through harder tests and succeeded. I remind myself of how far I've got so far.

---
Teacher

I pursued National Board Certification. It helped me refocus my energy and find my joy again!

---
High School Teacher

Thinking back to the successes my students have made

Thinking back to the great things have helped make happen in the classroom

Colleagues who are also friends

---
Teacher/Librarian

Go visit the kindergarten class - It makes me appreciated my older kids.

Take a break from marking and do something fun.

---
English Instructor

Devote the opening thirty minutes of every day to my PD -- If I'm sitting at my desk working, nobody knows what I'm working on.

Set up doable tasks for my breaks -- Grade four essays, populate my online class calendar for next month, etc.

---
Director of Technology

Look for small successes. Always be positive!

---
Art and Business Teacher

I talk to other teachers.

I put things into perspective and tell myself if i only reach one person, then I'm doing a good job.

Try to see things from a student's perspective.

Know and believe I can make a difference.

--
Teacher

Having a supporting learning network is huge; but having a will to improve above all else keeps me going!

________________________

This final response is from someone who eventually found their place in education outside of the school setting. Many of us have considered such a move and there's certainly nothing wrong with the decision to leave. Obviously the conventional path of a teacher is not the only road to success and fulfillment.

Former Middle School Social Studies Teacher - Now the Chief Academics Officer in an Ed-Tech Start-Up

I used to scroll through teaching jobs overseas - I had taught English in China right after college and traveled a lot so these bookmarks with job posting were my little escape route after a horrible team meeting.

When the teaching got me down so deep that I could no longer see the ladder up, I turned in my letter of resignation. It was relief and joy that I felt (I even went shopping and bought a new Coach purse!).

Thoughts on 'Most Likely to Succeed'

This post first appeared on my Classroom Games and Tech blog.

I first heard about Most Likely to Succeed about six months ago when organizing some staff professional development for project-based learning. I watched the trailer and all the sound bites gave me chills. The things the teachers and the experts were saying in the film were all the best things I was discovering in the job as I was implementing project-based learning.

A few weeks ago, while my mind has been swirling with ideas for my upcoming conference sessions, I was thrilled to learn they were screening the movie at a nearby college. My wife and I were able to watch it tonight.

I won't give a detailed review of the movie. I would want to watch it again and dig into a few claims before I would do that. I want to get a few thoughts out, though.

To provide some background, the film contrasts the traditional education system with innovative teaching methods and organization of High Tech High. What's wrong with the current system and the promises of the new approaches to teaching come out through interviews with familiar faces like Sal Khan and Ken Robinson as well as staff of High Tech High and experts in business.

I enjoyed it thoroughly from start to finish. I want to watch it again as soon as I can. Every educator should watch it the first chance they get. It raises excellent questions and even if you think some of the visions were too idealistic or that High Tech High is too unrealistic, it offers at least a glimmer of hope for what education can be. Seeing the students perform or show their work in the exhibitions was powerful.

As someone who has been working in ed-tech now for almost eight years, a lot of the points were nothing new. Yes, the current system was originally designed over 100 years ago with a purpose of turning out good factory workers. Yes, computers are making many jobs obsolete and we don't know exactly what careers will even be available for today's K - 12 students.

Some of these insights will be new to many, though, and what I appreciate most is the film made them loud and clear. Viewers will be forced to think about the questions that are raised. Teachers will have to form convictions.

One of my favorite statements came from Dr. Eric Mazur. He raised the question of why we test students the way we do when we know the posture and restrictions of a student taking a test is never what we see anyone doing in the world of work. I have a lot of respect for Mazur's work and it's something I've pointed out myself. He put it brilliantly.

I enjoyed how it let parents and students provide the counterargument to the ideal world of High Tech High. Parents of the students who attended the school asked great questions of the teachers about the lack of course content. In one school, the students banded together against their innovative math teacher and said they just want to be prepared for college, not necessarily life. In some cases the teachers didn't have much to say in return.

The film ultimately portrayed a decision between these extremes as a gamble for the parents. The facts are simply not in yet as to which is better. As a parent, I waver on this myself. The traditional and the innovative approaches have some benefits. Is a good balance possible? If not, which is best? What about the majority of us who don't have a very innovative option for our children anyway?

But the biggest question in my mind during the film was this: Who decides what matters?

Is development of "soft skills" like empathy and leadership more important than the broad exposure to traditional content? Do we let the government decide the standards by which schools are measured? Or do we listen to Sal Khan and the rep from Google, as they talk about what the most forward-thinking companies should be looking for in their employees? Do SAT scores matter just because they matter to colleges?

I look forward to exploring these questions with administrators in my district and with my colleagues. I hope the film will be widely available soon. At least parts of it will be excellent for use in class. I want to hear what students have to say.

Let's keep the conversation going with a focus on being the best educators we can be.

_________________

I'm doing a challenge this month to post on one of my blogs every day. It's in preparation for my conference session, The Way of the Google Drive. Be sure to follow me on Twitter or on either blog to keep up with the "thoughts and tools to inspire". 

Click here to see all the posts from Teaching Like an Artist with the tag The Way of the Google Drive.

Art and Risk

I've heard it said if there is no risk, there is no art.

The juggler has to take on just one more pin than he's completely comfortable with. The big song has to include the highest note the vocalist can hit. The performance has to take the performer and the audience to the edge of certainty.

I always refer to The Way of the Artist as dreaming big, doing the work and sharing the result.

After that big dream, when the work starts, risk is always present. There is always the possibility that it won't come together. Maybe you misjudged the value of the original idea or the level of your talent. Maybe there isn't enough time to make it happen.

Along with the work required to create, there is the battle within against doubt and uncertainty.

The bigger the risk, the bigger the chance for amazing art.

It's funny how easy it is nowadays for me to commit myself to something and then spend a good number of hours terrified that it won't come together. I'm referring specifically to email or other online communication. I send out messages way too soon after I get my big ideas.

This conference session feels like that sometimes. In the slow pace of a summer morning I read the call for proposals for miGoogle 2015. It was easy to dream up something big. I imagined the session I always wanted to attend and wrote and submitted a nice sounding description in no time. Within minutes, I also wrote three colleagues asking them to join me. I was pumped.

I'm still looking forward to the session, don't get me wrong. I still think it will be amazing.

But some unexpected things came up in the district this week. I've been busy with other projects. It all adds up to distraction. When I sit down now to work on the conference or to write this blog, it's way too easy to start to wonder what I got myself into. I wonder if it's going to work.

I admit that in weak moments, it scares me to the point where I want to bail. I start thinking of ways out. (I know by now there are no good options for escape from this one!)

When I stop to think about it, though, I'm glad for the doubt and the risk. It's a sign that it could be every bit the work of art I envisioned that morning. It's the possibility of failure that makes it exciting to give it a try. It's the anticipation that builds friendship among those of us presenting.

We're in it together and if it works, it will be something to tell about.

Just thinking about school...

When is the last time you experienced something like this with a lesson? What would it take to make more learning experiences like this?

_________________

I'm doing a challenge this month to post on one of my blogs every day. It's in preparation for my conference session, The Way of the Google Drive. Be sure to follow me on Twitter or on either blog to keep up with the "thoughts and tools to inspire". 

Click here to see all the posts from this blog with the tag The Way of the Google Drive.

 photo credit: Karl Saliter via photopin (license)

Doing the Real Work of Art

The second step in the Way of the Artist is to do the work required to make our dreams real. This is hard work and, at times, it will seem to be beyond what we can handle.

While I think everyone can be an artist to some extent, we know most people are not. Many who are still will fail inspire as many people as they could. This isn't due to a lack of dreams. From my observations, it's because the work is difficult and they have learned another way to cope.

On the path to real art, there's no way around the work. Though we want to believe that talent and lucky breaks will make our experience easy, they almost certainly will not.

Now we all have heard those successful people who tell how things fell in place for them. If they're actually being honest, we have to be impressed by their stories only for the fact that they are so rare. Most artists can tell of toil, effort and cost required to craft their art.

We must not hold on to those few counterexamples as signs that getting it right means the going will be smooth. It's like winning the lottery. Somehow it happens to a few, but most who play just lose a ton of money hoping for luck to come. Believe the lie of easy success and you'll soon see challenges as a sign you're off course.

Instead, those challenges and obstacles could well be the mile markers on your path to fulfillment.

When it comes to teaching, I reject any methods or approach that promises an easier road. Good teaching that inspires and transforms lives is difficult work that will cost a great deal. 

We all had dreams in our heads of the great teachers we wanted to be and those dreams still matter. Only real work can turn them into anything close to reality. It's through that work that we make lessons and we make learning happen, but it is also through those struggles that we ourselves are being made.

That is painful.

And it can hurt when we give everything, yet feel it didn't make a difference. It's hard to give up time and feel we missing out on those things our colleagues are enjoying.

But I want to encourage you that there is strength in becoming the person you were meant to be. I don't hear many people talk about this, but I have found it to be true. It can be energizing.

For me it is a spiritual matter and I have to call it as I see it. It's God's leading. When I can trust that I'm on track in the way I should go, I find the hope and strength necessary to press on.

_________________________

I'm doing a challenge this month to post on one of my blogs every day. It's in preparation for my conference session, The Way of the Google Drive. Be sure to follow me on Twitter or on either blog to keep up with the "thoughts and tools to inspire". 

Click here to see all the posts from this blog with the tag The Way of the Google Drive.