Reminiscing!
As I sit here today thinking about my sons, especially Andrew since it is his birthday, I am reminded of how precious children are. I don’t believe there is a mother on this earth that loves her children any more than I love mine. Not saying they can’t love them the same as I love mine, but doubt anyone can love them more. My family and I had a terrible accident in 1998, and Andrew (who was 9 at the time) was killed as a result of the accident. Yes, we were devastated and changed forever.
In one evening we went from the loud, yelling, and often screaming, rambunctious household with two boys (who were 16 months apart in age) to the single thudding sound of a lone child trying to make the goal with his basketball. Yes, as providence would have it, Gideon (our youngest) went from the baby of the family to the only living child in a split second of time.
Seriously, my husband and I probably broke every rule in the child-rearing department after Andrew’s death. I know I spoiled Gideon. I would have killed to protect him, and probably will still kill to protect him although he is almost 21, which brings me to the point of my blog. Our children in America deserve protection.
Love the kids!
I love children. I firmly believe in protecting, training, and providing for them. And regardless of whether it has been in my own home, church, or school, I have always been an advocate of children. If you want to see me get upset (and I know there are those who may read this blog who may say, “we see that enough.”) then let me see a child who is neglected, abused, or hurt because of the actions of an adult.
When I taught, I looked at every child as though he/she was my own. That included discipline when I felt it was needed. For a time, I was in a school district that allowed corporal punishment, and yes I had a paddle (actually several paddles). They were useless in reality. Kids would beg me to paddle them so they could sign THE BIG O. A few years ago my principal at the time needed a paddle (teachers were no longer allowed to paddle at this time, yet I still had THE BIG O as a reminder of the old days). He asked to borrow my paddle, so I let him. He kept it for several months, and one night some of the students broke into the school. Guess what was part of the stolen goods. THE BIG O. Wish I knew who had it. I would love to have it back to remember all my students, because they all signed it whether they had ever been paddled or not.
THE BIG O is a reminder to me that all kids want to be loved. I had said many times to my students, “I discipline you because I love you.” Well, that was important to them. They wanted to be loved. YES, even middle schoolers. They wanted you to care. If you don’t believe kids think deeply, just ask them to tell you what they think. One time I used this to start the day with my kids (not everything in my class had to be about science). I asked them to finish this old adage with their own “TRUE” ending: Sticks and stone may break my bones, but your words .... You would be so surprised to see how insightful middle school students can be. I was amazed at the responses I got from them. I have them filed away somewhere in a Word Doc. One day I will publish them.
It is my firm belief that all teachers should first love children, then their content areas. And trust me, kids can spot a “fake” from a hundred miles away. My students always knew those teachers who cared, and those who just taught for the job. And they didn’t mind telling you. They were quite observant. They could tell you who was having a bad day; who they thought was flirting with another teacher; who was getting a divorce; which teachers hated each other. If we could have just channeled all their observations into productive learning, what great minds would we have today. I would like to think that we did in many ways.
Enable learning!
Call me an enabler if you want, I hated to give a child a bad grade. I would retest, give them an opportunity to correct their answers for partial credit, extend deadlines, and do whatever it took for them to learn in my class. Why? Because learning was the point, not punishment. These are kids in TRAINING! We often forget this. We extend to children punishment and consequences that we ourselves try to get away from in life.
Kids need advocates, and they need real people in their lives. They do not need to see hypocrisy in adults. Don’t penalize them for being late on assignments, when you are late for work every day. Don’t penalize them for needing extra time on a test, when you ask for extensions on your bills or loans. Don’t scold them for asking for a grade replacement when you enter into bankruptcy or reduced payments to pay off your obligations. Be real to them.
Be the example!
If you are going to set high expectations for your students (and I did this on a regular basis), set high expectations for yourself. Don’t be mediocre and expect exceptionality from your students. Don’t expect them to “wow” you on a paper when you bore them to tears with your staged, monotone lessons. Model exceptionality for them, or don’t be surprised when you get status quo from them. I believe kids are mirror images into the souls of the adults around them. If you want better kids, be a better example.
Students all across this great country need teachers who will rise up and take charge of their learning. Do not expect society to provide the solutions; do not expect the government to provide the solutions (although their funding is nice); do not expect parents to provide the solutions. You are the highly trained professional charged with invoking student learning. DO YOUR JOB! And do it with dignity and honor. Take pride in the noblest profession on earth.
Be the change agent!
Our society is fragile. There are many, many issues which could lead to the destruction of our civilization. One thing that can help change the destructive course of a civilization is KNOWLEDGE. As teachers, you have the capability of imparting KNOWLEDGE to your students. Yet, before they will listen to you, you must have their trust. Build trust in your students. Let them know you are an adult that they can count on. Show them your weaknesses. Ask them to help you with your weaknesses as you help them through theirs. Be real to them. Love them. And provide them with the greatest opportunity in the world to be successful. That’s all I ever asked from my sons' teachers. That’s what I tried to give every parent’s child who became one of my students. This is how we overcome the challenges in our schools today! This is how we embark on educational reform in America. ONE TEACHER AT A TIME IMPACTING ONE STUDENT AT A TIME, YET CHANGING THE COURSE OF EDUCATION FOR ALL.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
What Teachers Want!!
Much has been said about Mel Gibson lately. Is his professional acting career over? Well, I am sure he will always have a following. My mind did go back to a movie from a few years back, What Women Want! (2000). If you didn’t see it, the storyline went something like this. Mel (I don’t remember his movie character’s name) was struck by lightning one night, and the next day he began to hear what women thought. As a result, he helped some women, lied to some women, and stole the thoughts of the one woman so much smarter than he was, and on and on… Funny thing is that he almost lost his own mind trying to listen to what goes on in a woman’s head. I could have told him that! Men will never fully understand a woman’s thinking processes. There really is no use in trying to get women all figured out. “It ain’t gonna happen!” We are too complex! or perhaps I should say “intricately designed!”
Anyway, I liked the title, and I got to thinking about teachers. Since I am a coaching consultant for schools, I often get to tell teachers what I think should be done or shouldn’t be done to improve student learning. However, after spending 20 consecutive days with teachers this past spring, I got to thinking about a remarkable idea. I wonder if anyone ever asks the teachers what they want. What do they want for their students? What do they want for their own professional dreams? What do they want from the community? What do they want from folks like me who think they know the answers to complicated dynamics found in their classrooms? Okay, so, you know I think I have the answers, right? Of course you know I do, or else why would I write about it? There are several things I believe teachers want, and yes, I am going to eventually share them with you.
1. Teachers want to be treated as the professionals they were trained to be! (Oh my, it is time for the S.B. Odom Soapbox Speech of the night!). Seriously, think about it. Teachers spend at least 3 ½ to 4 years learning how to teach and the content needed to deliver to students. Most in today’s society continue to educate themselves through a graduate program which is typically 18 months to 2 years in length. Wait a second! That is a grand total of 5 to 7 years of post secondary training. AND the typical Medical Degree takes how long!?! When was the last time we walked into the medical doctor’s office and questioned, “Are you highly qualified to make this diagnosis? When did you have your last board test? What is the level of proficiency in your medical professional treatments of your patients? How many of your patients have died in the last year? How many unsuccessful patients did you treat? Where is the lab work from their tests? What did you do about the lab work? What interventions did you provide? Did you make all your patients take the same medications regardless of their different body chemistries?” Yeah, I think you get the picture.
I believe instead of pointing an accusing finger at the most noble profession in America, we need to ask, “What can I do to help you?” I believe we should help them develop a network to tap into the greatest intellectual “think tank” in the world. Do we dare be so audacious to think teachers cannot provide viable solutions to the educational problems today? What I think teachers want is for someone to say, “Tell me what you are experiencing in your classroom. Give me examples of the specific challenges you face, and let me see if I can help you find solutions. Let me hear what you are saying first, before I make suggestions or tell you what you need to do.”
2. Teachers want to be able to do what they are trained to do – TEACH! So when did we allow the “main thing” to no longer be the “main thing?” Teachers love to train children. Why else would they submit themselves to the scrutiny of the public all year? They want to do a great job. However, the target is forever moving. Would somebody please stop moving the target? Or, if the target just has to move, can we at least provide the teachers with the target practice they need to be successful? I often find when someone takes the time to help teachers decipher all the mandates of the state departments of education, they look at you and say, “THANK YOU! For the first time in my teaching career, this finally makes sense!”
I fully believe the reason teachers have become so dependent on textbooks is because we stripped them of their ability to lead, and told them they must follow the proven path (Not quite sure who proved it, but let’s follow it anyway! After all, Texas and California are doing it.) I have great respect for men and women who dedicate themselves to the calling of providing children with information they can translate into knowledge. However, I do not believe there is a textbook in print that can adequately teach any child everything he/she needs to know about a subject or course content area. And I believe when we follow recipes for education (textbook-driven recipes), we should not be surprised when we get status quo students (You know, like the store-bought cake mixes versus the home-made cake that is better than…Well, you know!). If we want the free thinking that made America what it is today, we need to get off the brakes and allow teachers to take hold of the throttle.
And finally (for tonight)
3. Teachers want the ability to cleanse their profession of quacks and naysayers! Had so many ineffective, non-productive people not been allowed to hide behind laws, such as tenure, the teaching profession would not be suffering the way it is today. True teachers, with passion and purpose, do not need to be driven: they are more capable of driving the educational system than anyone alive. If our government would fund excellence, cut non-productivity, and reward men and women who live to teach, the public educational system in America would not have to have legislation like NCLB overseeing its every move. When is enough going to be enough? I believe not until the passion-driven educators in this country stand up and say, “ENOUGH!” will we see a true watershed in American Education.
Once the quacks are gone, educators can then restructure American Education to meet the needs of the American people. We need a system which makes us global, specialized, differentiated, and competitive. We do not need drones. We need diversity! We need skills! I think about the building of Solomon’s Temple (about 1000 BC, or 587 BCE). Look at all the various people needed to build this magnificent temple: men to cut the great cedars; men to transport the cedars; carpenters; woodcarvers; cloth makers; dye experts; stone masons; architects; goldsmiths; bronze makers; and the list could go on for days. So, my question is, “Are we preparing our children for the 21st Century, or are we forcing them to remain in the past?” What skills do children of the 21st Century need? Are we building a stone temple? What is the next frontier? What will the future hold in terms of knowledge and technology? See, real bonafide teachers understand education must evolve with society. They understand they must produce thinkers and doers for the civilization we all love so dearly to survive. Yet, we inundate them with meaningless 2nd century paperwork. There are many people in today’s society who want to shuffle paper. Hire them to do the paperwork! Let teachers TEACH!
Conclusion to the Soapbox Speech
We all know public education has a myriad of problems. It is a complex system with an utopian ideology in a pragmatic reality. If we want our teachers to be successful, then we must provide them with the tools for success. More importantly, we need to “hear” what they are saying to us. Or perhaps they should just sit back and watch us speed headlong into Hades with all our legislation, stimulus funding for multiplied billions thrown to the wind without a plan, and oversized Band-Aids trying to hold back the existential meltdown of our educational system overseen by politicians and interest groups. Eventually, perhaps, someone will remember why the teaching profession was important in the first place and will cry out for the noble giants to come to the rescue! Maybe, just maybe, by that point, everyone else will step back, and let the educational professionals do their jobs!
Stepping down from the soapbox!
Until the next wave of passion explodes!
S.B. Odom
Anyway, I liked the title, and I got to thinking about teachers. Since I am a coaching consultant for schools, I often get to tell teachers what I think should be done or shouldn’t be done to improve student learning. However, after spending 20 consecutive days with teachers this past spring, I got to thinking about a remarkable idea. I wonder if anyone ever asks the teachers what they want. What do they want for their students? What do they want for their own professional dreams? What do they want from the community? What do they want from folks like me who think they know the answers to complicated dynamics found in their classrooms? Okay, so, you know I think I have the answers, right? Of course you know I do, or else why would I write about it? There are several things I believe teachers want, and yes, I am going to eventually share them with you.
1. Teachers want to be treated as the professionals they were trained to be! (Oh my, it is time for the S.B. Odom Soapbox Speech of the night!). Seriously, think about it. Teachers spend at least 3 ½ to 4 years learning how to teach and the content needed to deliver to students. Most in today’s society continue to educate themselves through a graduate program which is typically 18 months to 2 years in length. Wait a second! That is a grand total of 5 to 7 years of post secondary training. AND the typical Medical Degree takes how long!?! When was the last time we walked into the medical doctor’s office and questioned, “Are you highly qualified to make this diagnosis? When did you have your last board test? What is the level of proficiency in your medical professional treatments of your patients? How many of your patients have died in the last year? How many unsuccessful patients did you treat? Where is the lab work from their tests? What did you do about the lab work? What interventions did you provide? Did you make all your patients take the same medications regardless of their different body chemistries?” Yeah, I think you get the picture.
I believe instead of pointing an accusing finger at the most noble profession in America, we need to ask, “What can I do to help you?” I believe we should help them develop a network to tap into the greatest intellectual “think tank” in the world. Do we dare be so audacious to think teachers cannot provide viable solutions to the educational problems today? What I think teachers want is for someone to say, “Tell me what you are experiencing in your classroom. Give me examples of the specific challenges you face, and let me see if I can help you find solutions. Let me hear what you are saying first, before I make suggestions or tell you what you need to do.”
2. Teachers want to be able to do what they are trained to do – TEACH! So when did we allow the “main thing” to no longer be the “main thing?” Teachers love to train children. Why else would they submit themselves to the scrutiny of the public all year? They want to do a great job. However, the target is forever moving. Would somebody please stop moving the target? Or, if the target just has to move, can we at least provide the teachers with the target practice they need to be successful? I often find when someone takes the time to help teachers decipher all the mandates of the state departments of education, they look at you and say, “THANK YOU! For the first time in my teaching career, this finally makes sense!”
I fully believe the reason teachers have become so dependent on textbooks is because we stripped them of their ability to lead, and told them they must follow the proven path (Not quite sure who proved it, but let’s follow it anyway! After all, Texas and California are doing it.) I have great respect for men and women who dedicate themselves to the calling of providing children with information they can translate into knowledge. However, I do not believe there is a textbook in print that can adequately teach any child everything he/she needs to know about a subject or course content area. And I believe when we follow recipes for education (textbook-driven recipes), we should not be surprised when we get status quo students (You know, like the store-bought cake mixes versus the home-made cake that is better than…Well, you know!). If we want the free thinking that made America what it is today, we need to get off the brakes and allow teachers to take hold of the throttle.
And finally (for tonight)
3. Teachers want the ability to cleanse their profession of quacks and naysayers! Had so many ineffective, non-productive people not been allowed to hide behind laws, such as tenure, the teaching profession would not be suffering the way it is today. True teachers, with passion and purpose, do not need to be driven: they are more capable of driving the educational system than anyone alive. If our government would fund excellence, cut non-productivity, and reward men and women who live to teach, the public educational system in America would not have to have legislation like NCLB overseeing its every move. When is enough going to be enough? I believe not until the passion-driven educators in this country stand up and say, “ENOUGH!” will we see a true watershed in American Education.
Once the quacks are gone, educators can then restructure American Education to meet the needs of the American people. We need a system which makes us global, specialized, differentiated, and competitive. We do not need drones. We need diversity! We need skills! I think about the building of Solomon’s Temple (about 1000 BC, or 587 BCE). Look at all the various people needed to build this magnificent temple: men to cut the great cedars; men to transport the cedars; carpenters; woodcarvers; cloth makers; dye experts; stone masons; architects; goldsmiths; bronze makers; and the list could go on for days. So, my question is, “Are we preparing our children for the 21st Century, or are we forcing them to remain in the past?” What skills do children of the 21st Century need? Are we building a stone temple? What is the next frontier? What will the future hold in terms of knowledge and technology? See, real bonafide teachers understand education must evolve with society. They understand they must produce thinkers and doers for the civilization we all love so dearly to survive. Yet, we inundate them with meaningless 2nd century paperwork. There are many people in today’s society who want to shuffle paper. Hire them to do the paperwork! Let teachers TEACH!
Conclusion to the Soapbox Speech
We all know public education has a myriad of problems. It is a complex system with an utopian ideology in a pragmatic reality. If we want our teachers to be successful, then we must provide them with the tools for success. More importantly, we need to “hear” what they are saying to us. Or perhaps they should just sit back and watch us speed headlong into Hades with all our legislation, stimulus funding for multiplied billions thrown to the wind without a plan, and oversized Band-Aids trying to hold back the existential meltdown of our educational system overseen by politicians and interest groups. Eventually, perhaps, someone will remember why the teaching profession was important in the first place and will cry out for the noble giants to come to the rescue! Maybe, just maybe, by that point, everyone else will step back, and let the educational professionals do their jobs!
Stepping down from the soapbox!
Until the next wave of passion explodes!
S.B. Odom
Saturday, June 26, 2010
At Risk: Three Interventions to Abolish It
So...I've been thinking again...I was privileged to be a session presenter at the recent CLAS conference at the Mobile Convention/Riverview Center. I was asked to speak about At Risk indicators and how administrators can use their STI software to develop methods to flag and intervene for students with multiple indicators for being at risk. I had a wonderful co-presenter, Dafne Stokes. Without her, I would have been lost as to how to use the software. It has been several years since I have looked at data management software.
As I studied for the presentation, I realized that I had many "at risk" indicators in my own life. Strangely enough, I never thought about myself as "at risk" growing up. In my session, one lady asked the question, "Why did the boy I know wind up in jail, and you wind up in front of us speaking when you both had similar "at risk" factors?" That got me to thinking... (I know, dangerous...) Why did I never feel "at risk?" Three key interventions were in place.
First, my MOTHER...She had a way about letting you know she didn't allow you to be less than your best, (and it often included a trip to the peach tree.) My mom believed in rewards and punishment. If I did well, I was always rewarded; if I didn't do well...let's just say I got acquainted with the peach orchard only a few times. Thankfully I was a quick study. My younger sister, not so much...
Mom provided me with opportunities to be successful. I don't remember her studying with me too many times, but I do remember her checking my work. I certainly remember her checking my report card. Mom decided that we didn't need entertainment from television in our home, so reading became my past time. I could read a short novel in a single night. I used to read at least five books a week. I have been to many countries, and was swooned by many magical knights, princes, and cowboys. So, I am a proponent of fiction. You would be surprised how much you can learn from a great love story.
Second, my TEACHERS and ADMINISTRATORS... I remember every teacher I ever had. They all made a huge impact on my life. They were my role models, my heroes and heroines. They pushed me; challenged me; debated me; but most importantly, they cared about my success as a student. Some of them are the reasons I chose to pursue a teaching career with a science focus.
My educational experience was in a rural school without a whole lot of enrichment opportunities, but what we didn’t have in technology, we made up for in innovativeness and creativity. We may not have been able to “watch” great scientific experiments through media and technology, but we lived it. Bug collections (I can’t believe I actually euthanized all those little guys.), leaf collections (never forget the poison ivy), DNA molecules out of gum drops, and dissecting pigs while selling Krispy Kreme donuts out of the same room for our yearbook fundraiser. Yeah, probably shouldn’t divulge all that information, but hey, the statue of limitations is probably exceeded.
Finally, my FAITH… I truly believe the faith I have in God as well as myself has played an important role in my life. The purpose of this blog is not to get in a theological debate with anyone; I just know how important my faith has been in my life. I know it has been faith that has pulled me through many dark places in my life. So while some may choose to discredit its importance for them, it was critical for me.
I have also believed in myself and my capabilities. I am a firm believer in intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, self-regulated learning, and self-reflection. While I enjoy and even solicit the approval of others, I am most concerned with my own self-worth. Self-love is important. Even the scriptures admonish us to “love you neighbor as yourself.” Self-preservation is probably one of the most powerful forces in nature.
So, what keeps one person in route to success while others fail…Family, Faculty, and Faith…We should never underestimate the power of any or all of these powerful influences in our lives. What should happen if one or more is lacking? We should reinforce students with intensive help where we exist. If we are family, we should support our kids with everything we have (I try to practice what I preach.); if we are faculty, we need to individualize every student and know their limitations and risk factors; we should also believe in the possibilities for our students and ourselves.
No matter what roles we have in the lives of students, we need to recognize the importance of the role. I firmly believe every movement in the universe affects all remaining atoms of matter. What are your movements doing to the universe? What are your movements doing for the At Risk kids in your life? Make your movements count...Gently start a reaction that moves them in the right directions for their lives.
SBO
As I studied for the presentation, I realized that I had many "at risk" indicators in my own life. Strangely enough, I never thought about myself as "at risk" growing up. In my session, one lady asked the question, "Why did the boy I know wind up in jail, and you wind up in front of us speaking when you both had similar "at risk" factors?" That got me to thinking... (I know, dangerous...) Why did I never feel "at risk?" Three key interventions were in place.
First, my MOTHER...She had a way about letting you know she didn't allow you to be less than your best, (and it often included a trip to the peach tree.) My mom believed in rewards and punishment. If I did well, I was always rewarded; if I didn't do well...let's just say I got acquainted with the peach orchard only a few times. Thankfully I was a quick study. My younger sister, not so much...
Mom provided me with opportunities to be successful. I don't remember her studying with me too many times, but I do remember her checking my work. I certainly remember her checking my report card. Mom decided that we didn't need entertainment from television in our home, so reading became my past time. I could read a short novel in a single night. I used to read at least five books a week. I have been to many countries, and was swooned by many magical knights, princes, and cowboys. So, I am a proponent of fiction. You would be surprised how much you can learn from a great love story.
Second, my TEACHERS and ADMINISTRATORS... I remember every teacher I ever had. They all made a huge impact on my life. They were my role models, my heroes and heroines. They pushed me; challenged me; debated me; but most importantly, they cared about my success as a student. Some of them are the reasons I chose to pursue a teaching career with a science focus.
My educational experience was in a rural school without a whole lot of enrichment opportunities, but what we didn’t have in technology, we made up for in innovativeness and creativity. We may not have been able to “watch” great scientific experiments through media and technology, but we lived it. Bug collections (I can’t believe I actually euthanized all those little guys.), leaf collections (never forget the poison ivy), DNA molecules out of gum drops, and dissecting pigs while selling Krispy Kreme donuts out of the same room for our yearbook fundraiser. Yeah, probably shouldn’t divulge all that information, but hey, the statue of limitations is probably exceeded.
Finally, my FAITH… I truly believe the faith I have in God as well as myself has played an important role in my life. The purpose of this blog is not to get in a theological debate with anyone; I just know how important my faith has been in my life. I know it has been faith that has pulled me through many dark places in my life. So while some may choose to discredit its importance for them, it was critical for me.
I have also believed in myself and my capabilities. I am a firm believer in intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, self-regulated learning, and self-reflection. While I enjoy and even solicit the approval of others, I am most concerned with my own self-worth. Self-love is important. Even the scriptures admonish us to “love you neighbor as yourself.” Self-preservation is probably one of the most powerful forces in nature.
So, what keeps one person in route to success while others fail…Family, Faculty, and Faith…We should never underestimate the power of any or all of these powerful influences in our lives. What should happen if one or more is lacking? We should reinforce students with intensive help where we exist. If we are family, we should support our kids with everything we have (I try to practice what I preach.); if we are faculty, we need to individualize every student and know their limitations and risk factors; we should also believe in the possibilities for our students and ourselves.
No matter what roles we have in the lives of students, we need to recognize the importance of the role. I firmly believe every movement in the universe affects all remaining atoms of matter. What are your movements doing to the universe? What are your movements doing for the At Risk kids in your life? Make your movements count...Gently start a reaction that moves them in the right directions for their lives.
SBO
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Multiple Intelligences and Branton Shearer
We had a great week in Mobile at our STIAchievement Services Summer Training. The last two days were especially great. Our guest speaker was Branton Shearer from Kent Ohio. Dr. Shearer is the creator of the MIDAS inventory for Multiple Intelligences (MI). OK, I am not the best tour guide in the world, and I took him to Dauphin Island. Not a good choice in my humble opinion. It was my first time to visit Dauphin Island as an adult. I should have taken him to Washington Co for a tour. I would have been a much better tour guide there.
Dr. Shearer did a great job with his multiple intelligences workshop. I learned so much about myself and about those around me. I cannot wait to get my certificate from him so I can begin sharing MI with others in the schools where I work. I truly believe in MI, and I know we would have better results in our schools if teachers used MI in their lesson planning more effectively.
We so often forget just how unique we all are as individuals, and as teachers, we tend to teach to those "like us". When I taught at Mae Eanes Middle School my first year as a teacher, I realized students had MI. When we utilize the fact that our students have MI in our classrooms, more learning can take place.
I believe the reasons I had the success I enjoyed with my students are directly related to the fact I understood a simple concept: Children are different. Children think differently. Our teaching should reflect those differences. Dr. Shearer validated so much of what I had believed and implemented as a teacher with his studies. Most funding sources today ask for Scientifically-research-based strategies. Well the MIDAS is scientifically based. He has thousands of profiles and many studies to prove the MIDAS has value and predictability on the MI of children and adult students.
However, like most educational strategies, the key is not in the profile itself. The key to the success of using MI profiling is to actually change instruction and student behavior based on the information the MIDAS provides.
I loved one of the quotes from Dr. Shearer's workshop. "It is not HOW SMART ARE YOU? but rather HOW ARE YOU SMART?" That is the question we should all be asking ourselves and our students. How are you smart?
Oh well, I have to call my mom and see if she will give me some of her flint rocks. Keep you guessing, unless you were at the workshop. Until next time... SBO
Dr. Shearer did a great job with his multiple intelligences workshop. I learned so much about myself and about those around me. I cannot wait to get my certificate from him so I can begin sharing MI with others in the schools where I work. I truly believe in MI, and I know we would have better results in our schools if teachers used MI in their lesson planning more effectively.
We so often forget just how unique we all are as individuals, and as teachers, we tend to teach to those "like us". When I taught at Mae Eanes Middle School my first year as a teacher, I realized students had MI. When we utilize the fact that our students have MI in our classrooms, more learning can take place.
I believe the reasons I had the success I enjoyed with my students are directly related to the fact I understood a simple concept: Children are different. Children think differently. Our teaching should reflect those differences. Dr. Shearer validated so much of what I had believed and implemented as a teacher with his studies. Most funding sources today ask for Scientifically-research-based strategies. Well the MIDAS is scientifically based. He has thousands of profiles and many studies to prove the MIDAS has value and predictability on the MI of children and adult students.
However, like most educational strategies, the key is not in the profile itself. The key to the success of using MI profiling is to actually change instruction and student behavior based on the information the MIDAS provides.
I loved one of the quotes from Dr. Shearer's workshop. "It is not HOW SMART ARE YOU? but rather HOW ARE YOU SMART?" That is the question we should all be asking ourselves and our students. How are you smart?
Oh well, I have to call my mom and see if she will give me some of her flint rocks. Keep you guessing, unless you were at the workshop. Until next time... SBO
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Standards-based Instruction
Standards-based Instruction
In my recent travels, I noticed something which intrigued me and caused me to start to think. I know…Dangerous! I continue to hear the rhetoric concerning standards-based instruction. Comments such as “We need to teach children more than simply what is required.” and “My students need to know more than what is on a test.” I concur! However, it would be a huge improvement if the students in trouble did learn what was required and exposed to what will be on the state-mandated assessments.
I started thinking about the term “standards-based instruction”. I think it has become antiquated. I do not believe it continues to carry the power it once had. I think a new term is needed to stir up excitement among educators. I have recently studied the progression of standards throughout the K-12 educational program of several states. There seems to be a huge disconnect between grade-to-grade instruction. While educators seem to understand the particular standards, grade-level expectations, student indicators of instruction, etc…, they are supposed to teach, it appears the educators do not see their particular assignment as a single point on the continuum of the students’ total education.
The topic of “Math Facts” always comes up in discussions with math teachers. Have you ever heard this statement? “They do not know their multiplication or division facts; therefore I spend most of my time teaching my students those essential skills.” Forget the fact I probably don’t even know all my multiplication facts well enough to take a timed test, with an Associates, Bachelors, three Masters and a Ph.D. I couldn’t possibly be successful if I have forgotten what equals 7 x 8. (By the way, I always hated 6 x 9 and 7 x 8!) These math facts should be replicated year after year for memorization. Yet, you should not have to spend 6 weeks on them each year. I know: I’m on the proverbial “soapbox”.
Back to my thoughts…Standards-based Instruction…BORING Title… What could be done to stimulate our senses? What is a word? What about “progressive instruction?” Never mind…I “Googled” it; and Progressive Education is already taken. I have heard the terms “vertical” and “bridging”; and yet, they just do not seem to capture the essence of what I believe an education is supposed to complete for a student. What about Gradient Instruction? Positional Instruction? I guess I will have to think on the topic more. However, I do believe we need to connect the dots in education. We do not have yearly standards that are stand-alones. There are progressive measures in place whether we acknowledge them or not.
You know, when you think about it, learning a phone number is a relatively simple task (such as a math fact). However, if I don’t use a particular number for quite some time, I find myself forgetting it. Think about all the passwords you need for your computer and programs. How many times have you had to reset the password because you forgot? OK. I guess it is just me. The point is students and math facts are a lot like me and my passwords…Out of sight, out of mind. Yet, all I need is a reminder or a pattern in order for me to remember what I chose. Oh yeah, one of those questions!!! OK. Leaving the “math facts” soapbox for good!
I have much to say about the “Universal Screener” soapbox I have recently developed, but that will have to wait until another time…For now, I want a new word! I want to capture the essence of a child’s journey through his or her education. So, I will begin my thinking session now…What about you?
S.B. Odom, Ph.D.
In my recent travels, I noticed something which intrigued me and caused me to start to think. I know…Dangerous! I continue to hear the rhetoric concerning standards-based instruction. Comments such as “We need to teach children more than simply what is required.” and “My students need to know more than what is on a test.” I concur! However, it would be a huge improvement if the students in trouble did learn what was required and exposed to what will be on the state-mandated assessments.
I started thinking about the term “standards-based instruction”. I think it has become antiquated. I do not believe it continues to carry the power it once had. I think a new term is needed to stir up excitement among educators. I have recently studied the progression of standards throughout the K-12 educational program of several states. There seems to be a huge disconnect between grade-to-grade instruction. While educators seem to understand the particular standards, grade-level expectations, student indicators of instruction, etc…, they are supposed to teach, it appears the educators do not see their particular assignment as a single point on the continuum of the students’ total education.
The topic of “Math Facts” always comes up in discussions with math teachers. Have you ever heard this statement? “They do not know their multiplication or division facts; therefore I spend most of my time teaching my students those essential skills.” Forget the fact I probably don’t even know all my multiplication facts well enough to take a timed test, with an Associates, Bachelors, three Masters and a Ph.D. I couldn’t possibly be successful if I have forgotten what equals 7 x 8. (By the way, I always hated 6 x 9 and 7 x 8!) These math facts should be replicated year after year for memorization. Yet, you should not have to spend 6 weeks on them each year. I know: I’m on the proverbial “soapbox”.
Back to my thoughts…Standards-based Instruction…BORING Title… What could be done to stimulate our senses? What is a word? What about “progressive instruction?” Never mind…I “Googled” it; and Progressive Education is already taken. I have heard the terms “vertical” and “bridging”; and yet, they just do not seem to capture the essence of what I believe an education is supposed to complete for a student. What about Gradient Instruction? Positional Instruction? I guess I will have to think on the topic more. However, I do believe we need to connect the dots in education. We do not have yearly standards that are stand-alones. There are progressive measures in place whether we acknowledge them or not.
You know, when you think about it, learning a phone number is a relatively simple task (such as a math fact). However, if I don’t use a particular number for quite some time, I find myself forgetting it. Think about all the passwords you need for your computer and programs. How many times have you had to reset the password because you forgot? OK. I guess it is just me. The point is students and math facts are a lot like me and my passwords…Out of sight, out of mind. Yet, all I need is a reminder or a pattern in order for me to remember what I chose. Oh yeah, one of those questions!!! OK. Leaving the “math facts” soapbox for good!
I have much to say about the “Universal Screener” soapbox I have recently developed, but that will have to wait until another time…For now, I want a new word! I want to capture the essence of a child’s journey through his or her education. So, I will begin my thinking session now…What about you?
S.B. Odom, Ph.D.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Thinking today...Imagine that...Purple Cows... (Say What?)
When I travel, I almost always forget to pack a book in my purse to read on the airplane. Most of the time, this is not a bad thing. I can catch up on much needed sleep. I do often wonder if I snore, since my husband tells me I am quite the snorer at home. On my recent trip to Indiana and Michigan, I decided to visit the book store in the airport at Atlanta on my departing flight and the book store at Detroit on my return flight. I bought Purple Cow: Transform your business by being remarkable by Seth Godin on the first flight; and I bought Shut up, Stop whining, and Get a life by Larry Winget on the returning flight. Both were entertaining to say the least.
I think for today I will talk about Purple Cow... As I perused through the books in the little book shop, this book caught my eye. On the front cover there is a picture of a purple Jersey or Holstein (I can't ever tell the difference.) and the book is purple and white (like the cows). Yes, it caught my eye...Great marketing strategy on Godin's part. The book is all about marketing your products and services such that people will notice and buy. The whole jist of the book is to make what you have to offer REMARKABLE (a.k.a the Purple Cow!). I haven't finished the book yet. (I forgot to tell you how ADHD I can be. I am the world's worst person to start something, then lay it down to move on to something else.) However, from the first 100 pages (currently on page 101), I think I understand. I need a Purple Cow! (I certainly hope my husband does not read this and think it is approval for him to try to go buy one. He loves to buy cows, and while a Purple Cow is what I need, it is not what HE NEEDS. He will not understand the metaphor!)
As Chief Academic Officer (CAO) for STIAchievement Services, it is my responsibility to make sure our little division has a Purple Cow. What can make us unique? Where is our niche? What do we have to offer that is remarkable? These are the questions that began to bombard my mind as I tried to read through the Purple Cow. I find my mind very distracting when I am trying to read. It won't "Shut Up!" The thoughts just keep on coming. It even has a bad habit of doing this when people try to talk to me. It is really rude. However, these thoughts just kept coming concerning STIAS. Here are some of the analogies I came up with as I compared Godin's thoughts to my thoughts. (Yes it is a little scary!)
"Tastes like Chicken" isn't a compliment!! (Godin) Wow! what a cool quote... So, if our Achievement Services just "tastes" like the other meats out there (consulting and coaching entities) then we really haven't done anything worthy of notation. Hmmm... something to think about and "chew on" (keeping with the cow analogy here.) Godin talks about Ideaviruses and Sneezers in his book. STIAS needs a lot of ideaviruses and then sneezers to spread them. So, as CAO, I got to thinking about our ideaviruses...what do we have to "spread" through the sneezers? Whatever our ideaviruses are, they have to be...REMARKABLE! I know what I think our ideaviruses are, but the truth will come to light when I see how well they are "sneezed".
CHEATING (Godin) All the big guys are doing it...(i.e. JetBlue, Starbucks, Vanguard, Amazon.com, Google, Wendy's, HBO) They are not "playing by the rules" (Godin), so what about Achievement Services... I like the old cliche' "all's fair in love and war", and I'd like to add "all's fair in love, war, and business!" I never really saw myself as a business woman before until now. I was always in public education, and as all public educators know, we work freely without thought of profitability. Not so in the business world... However, now that I have seen the "other" side, I will have to say it is not always as rosy as it seems, and there are a lot of people "cheating" (a term we educators hate). So, now for the first time in my life, I am considering the concept! (OK, maybe not the first time.) I am considering "throwing out the rule books" and finding our "purple cow".
The problem with the Purple Cow is FEAR... (Godin) I love the cliche' "I ain't skeered!", and Oh, yes we are... We are always afraid of what others will think. We question ourselves all the time. What if I do this? or What will they think of me if I do that? To quote my mentor Patsy Sheffield, "Sometimes you just have to put on your big girl panties and do it." Be fearless! Courageous! If they aren't noticing you now, what will be the problem if they don't notice your purple cow, or if they do notice it and talk about you. At least they will be talking. According to Godin, negative criticism can prove to be equally as motivating and important as positive criticism. A virus is a virus... And it spreads... So, stop the "Fear Factor" and put yourself out there. Build (or birth) your Purple Cow!
Safe is Risky (Godin) Since the inception of AS, we have been following the leaders...Staying in formation like a bunch of Canadian Geese flying south (Godin), but it is time to be Risky! We need to break formation and develop our own ... say it out loud...say it with emphasis...PURPLE COW! So what if no one else is doing it. As much as I love research... it is always OLD... By the time you actually read research, the moment has past and something new and vibrant is needed. BE THE RESEARCH! When I left tenure from Mobile County as a science teacher to become a school improvement specialist in Choctaw County, I was practicing RISKY BEHAVIOR... But it was one of the most rewarding adventures I have ever done. I have lifetime friendships because of that particular move. When I left the public educational system and retirement for the private sector with no promise of tenure or security, it was RISKY BEHAVIOR, but I love it. (Not sayin' I have absolutely no regrets, just sayin' I love my new risky behavior!) I made a promise to myself that this year (the 41st year of my life) I am going to push myself to go beyond the normal for me. I have officially entered the mid-life crisis era of my life, and I WANT CHALLENGE! I want to live! I want a thrilling life full of RISKY BEHAVIOR. And my job has taken me up on my challenge! For AS, we need to take risks in order to be successful. If we only do the status quo, we always will be faced with others who have more resources and who can do it better. So, forget the status quo! Let's go WHITE WATER RAFTING! (I know this is not a cow analogy, but it is risky!)
Well, I have talked enough about my dream for a Purple Cow today. I need to actually start working on it. I welcome your thoughts and comments!
S.B. Odom
I think for today I will talk about Purple Cow... As I perused through the books in the little book shop, this book caught my eye. On the front cover there is a picture of a purple Jersey or Holstein (I can't ever tell the difference.) and the book is purple and white (like the cows). Yes, it caught my eye...Great marketing strategy on Godin's part. The book is all about marketing your products and services such that people will notice and buy. The whole jist of the book is to make what you have to offer REMARKABLE (a.k.a the Purple Cow!). I haven't finished the book yet. (I forgot to tell you how ADHD I can be. I am the world's worst person to start something, then lay it down to move on to something else.) However, from the first 100 pages (currently on page 101), I think I understand. I need a Purple Cow! (I certainly hope my husband does not read this and think it is approval for him to try to go buy one. He loves to buy cows, and while a Purple Cow is what I need, it is not what HE NEEDS. He will not understand the metaphor!)
As Chief Academic Officer (CAO) for STIAchievement Services, it is my responsibility to make sure our little division has a Purple Cow. What can make us unique? Where is our niche? What do we have to offer that is remarkable? These are the questions that began to bombard my mind as I tried to read through the Purple Cow. I find my mind very distracting when I am trying to read. It won't "Shut Up!" The thoughts just keep on coming. It even has a bad habit of doing this when people try to talk to me. It is really rude. However, these thoughts just kept coming concerning STIAS. Here are some of the analogies I came up with as I compared Godin's thoughts to my thoughts. (Yes it is a little scary!)
"Tastes like Chicken" isn't a compliment!! (Godin) Wow! what a cool quote... So, if our Achievement Services just "tastes" like the other meats out there (consulting and coaching entities) then we really haven't done anything worthy of notation. Hmmm... something to think about and "chew on" (keeping with the cow analogy here.) Godin talks about Ideaviruses and Sneezers in his book. STIAS needs a lot of ideaviruses and then sneezers to spread them. So, as CAO, I got to thinking about our ideaviruses...what do we have to "spread" through the sneezers? Whatever our ideaviruses are, they have to be...REMARKABLE! I know what I think our ideaviruses are, but the truth will come to light when I see how well they are "sneezed".
CHEATING (Godin) All the big guys are doing it...(i.e. JetBlue, Starbucks, Vanguard, Amazon.com, Google, Wendy's, HBO) They are not "playing by the rules" (Godin), so what about Achievement Services... I like the old cliche' "all's fair in love and war", and I'd like to add "all's fair in love, war, and business!" I never really saw myself as a business woman before until now. I was always in public education, and as all public educators know, we work freely without thought of profitability. Not so in the business world... However, now that I have seen the "other" side, I will have to say it is not always as rosy as it seems, and there are a lot of people "cheating" (a term we educators hate). So, now for the first time in my life, I am considering the concept! (OK, maybe not the first time.) I am considering "throwing out the rule books" and finding our "purple cow".
The problem with the Purple Cow is FEAR... (Godin) I love the cliche' "I ain't skeered!", and Oh, yes we are... We are always afraid of what others will think. We question ourselves all the time. What if I do this? or What will they think of me if I do that? To quote my mentor Patsy Sheffield, "Sometimes you just have to put on your big girl panties and do it." Be fearless! Courageous! If they aren't noticing you now, what will be the problem if they don't notice your purple cow, or if they do notice it and talk about you. At least they will be talking. According to Godin, negative criticism can prove to be equally as motivating and important as positive criticism. A virus is a virus... And it spreads... So, stop the "Fear Factor" and put yourself out there. Build (or birth) your Purple Cow!
Safe is Risky (Godin) Since the inception of AS, we have been following the leaders...Staying in formation like a bunch of Canadian Geese flying south (Godin), but it is time to be Risky! We need to break formation and develop our own ... say it out loud...say it with emphasis...PURPLE COW! So what if no one else is doing it. As much as I love research... it is always OLD... By the time you actually read research, the moment has past and something new and vibrant is needed. BE THE RESEARCH! When I left tenure from Mobile County as a science teacher to become a school improvement specialist in Choctaw County, I was practicing RISKY BEHAVIOR... But it was one of the most rewarding adventures I have ever done. I have lifetime friendships because of that particular move. When I left the public educational system and retirement for the private sector with no promise of tenure or security, it was RISKY BEHAVIOR, but I love it. (Not sayin' I have absolutely no regrets, just sayin' I love my new risky behavior!) I made a promise to myself that this year (the 41st year of my life) I am going to push myself to go beyond the normal for me. I have officially entered the mid-life crisis era of my life, and I WANT CHALLENGE! I want to live! I want a thrilling life full of RISKY BEHAVIOR. And my job has taken me up on my challenge! For AS, we need to take risks in order to be successful. If we only do the status quo, we always will be faced with others who have more resources and who can do it better. So, forget the status quo! Let's go WHITE WATER RAFTING! (I know this is not a cow analogy, but it is risky!)
Well, I have talked enough about my dream for a Purple Cow today. I need to actually start working on it. I welcome your thoughts and comments!
S.B. Odom
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Curriculum Maps
I have been working tonight, with one of my colleagues, on a template for a curriculum/instructional map. I have looked at many different templates and examples, and the more I look, the more uncertain I am of what needs to be included in the map. Basically, I would like to create a single sheet of paper with as much information as possible available to teachers in a given instant.
I think the best model is the old "KISS" model. Recently at a coach's training conference, the attendees and I tried to come up with a better slogan for the "KISS" model. I think the best I heard was "Keep it simple, Sugar!" Anyway, a simplistic model is really best. And that is the model we plan to use with our clients this week.
Key elements of a map: Grade, Course, Timeframe, Standards, Vocabulary, Instructional Strategies, Information from High Stakes test, % Mastery
We will also collaborate with the clients to make sure they have "buy-in". We will see how well tomorrow takes its course.
Until next time...
SBO
I think the best model is the old "KISS" model. Recently at a coach's training conference, the attendees and I tried to come up with a better slogan for the "KISS" model. I think the best I heard was "Keep it simple, Sugar!" Anyway, a simplistic model is really best. And that is the model we plan to use with our clients this week.
Key elements of a map: Grade, Course, Timeframe, Standards, Vocabulary, Instructional Strategies, Information from High Stakes test, % Mastery
We will also collaborate with the clients to make sure they have "buy-in". We will see how well tomorrow takes its course.
Until next time...
SBO
Saturday, April 24, 2010
My First Blog
I am creating a new blog which I will begin to use to post my research in American Public Education. Educating students is my passion, and I want to be able to provide educators with solutions to the problems which plague our educational systems in America.
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