Personalized and Standardized: The Tension

I've doing a lot of thinking and reading lately about the idea of personlized learning.

 I am struggling with a concrete definition and vision for how such a concept can be implemented within schools and within our school system.

The word itself - personalized - tends to throw me off.  For example, is the idea personalized learning congruent with personal learning?  Furthermore, how does personalized learning "look" within a standards based education system (where the curricular learning outcomes are prescribed)?

Powell and Powell,  in a recent Ed Leadership article are clear in their opinion:

A curriculum without learning standards has neither rigor nor credibility.  It virtually ensures confusion and mediocrity. 

As I think about this, I tend to agree.  As a society we have a vested interest in determining what skills and knowledge we want our youth to acquire.

I don't think the "show up and learn what you want" type of "personal learning" is in our collective best interest.

So how does personalization interact effectively within a standardized system?

Curriculum Reform 
I have written about this topic before.  I believe this will be the spark we need to reform our system.  In essence, we need to ask ourselves "what is worth knowing".  Many have written about 21st Century Skills and competencies so I won't belabor the point.

Nonetheless, I believe that we need to adopt a thematic and skills based model of curriculum.  In the Powell and Powell article they talk about "a shift to concepts" in curriculum.  The authors go on to ask a series of questions to determine the value of any chosen concept:

Does the concept have enduring value? Does the concept  reside at the heart of the discipline?  Does the concept require analysis?  Does it have the potential to engage students?


These are great questions.  As we look to update curriculum I think they are questions that should be kept in mind.

Assessment Practices
I believe that sound assessment and grading practices are at the heart of any personalized learning system (not technology).

Assessment practices that identify the individual needs, challenges and strengths of each learner will drive personalized learning (I am essentially talking about formative assessment here).

In the same Powell and Powell article  , the authors definitively state that the "form of assessment can usually be personalized, but the criteria should not be".  They go to write "the criteria we use to evaluate students' achievement should not be differentiated.; we should hold all students to the same high standards."

I have mixed feeling about this statement.  Firstly, not all assessment is the same.  In our effective use of formative assessment we may need to differentiate some of the criteria  for individual learners.  I also think we need to be careful when we talk about "high standards."  Any talk about "high standards" need to be commonly understood and applied - particularly when it comes to the assessment and evaluation of students.   To best achieve this I would suggest the following practices:

• Outcomes Based Grading - linking grades to learning outcomes in a deliberate and concrete way. I recommend reading this great article from ASCD on standards based grading. In my opinion this is the best way to authentically capture student grades that are consistent and reliable. The students in Mr. Seltzer's class deserve to be graded according to the mandated learning outcomes -consistently applied within a school and/or department.  (A disclaimer: Attaching letter grades and percentages is not the best of way to measure and inspire learning. Nonetheless our current education "system" requires us to do so.)

• School Wide Grading Protocols - Having clear and common expectations when grading students is something we have implemented at our school. You may want to see our school's grading policy here

• Collaborative Grading - Teachers coming together to examine, review and grade student work promotes collaboration, common standards, and consistency.

As I navigate the changing landscape of education I am becoming keenly aware of the necessary tensions between personalization and standardization.  It is within this tension that reform needs to occur.

BE the change....don't just talk about it

Here is a story about Gandhi that resonates with me: 

During 1930′s, a young boy had become obsessed with eating sugar. His mother was very upset with this. But no matter how much she scolded him and tried to break his habit, he continued to satisfy his sweet tooth. Totally frustrated, she decided to take her son to see his idol – Mahatma Gandhi; perhaps her son would listen to him.
She walked miles, for hours under scorching sun to finally reach Gandhi’s ashram. There, she shared with Gandhi her predicament. -
“Bapu, my son eats too much sugar. It is not good for his health. Would you please advise him to stop eating it?”
Gandhi listened to the woman carefully, thought for a while and replied,
“Please come back after two weeks. I will talk to your son.”
The woman looked perplexed and wondered why had he not asked the boy to stop eating sugar right away. She took the boy by the hand and went home.
Two weeks later they revisited Gandhi. Gandhi looked directly at the boy and said,
“Boy, you should stop eating sugar. It is not good for your health.”
The boy nodded and promised he would not continue this habit any longer. The boy’s mother was puzzled. She turned to Gandhi and asked,
“Bapu, Why didn’t you tell him that two weeks ago when I brought him here to see you?”
Gandhi smiled,
“Mother, two weeks ago I was eating a lot of sugar myself.”

As parent and an educator this story is one I carry with me daily. It is not without personal challenge. For example when I tell me children to limit their "screen time", I'm keenly aware that I need to limit my own (this can be really difficult when the Canucks are on television).

So it goes for schools and the adults who work within them.

Schools need to be places of integrity.

Schools, inspired by integrity, align the day to day expectations required of students with day to day expectations required of teachers.

We need to my mindful that the expectations we have for teachers and students are congruent.

Young people are particularly astute at seeing right through hypocrisy

Here are few potential double standards that can occur in schools:

Falling Short of Expectations 
When, as teachers, we are overly punitive with students who fall short of our expectations......we need to be mindful of how we, as teachers expect to be treated when life happens and we can't meet expectations.

Mobile devices
I am noticing more and more adults in schools checking their mobile devices at school.  I do.  How do we treat students who do the same?

Balanced Work Load
Most working adults are very mindful of their workloads. As principal, I am extremely mindful of not "piling on" the work for teachers. How mindful are we of the workload we give our students?

Boring Workshops
As a principal I want my pro-d (learning) to be engaging and relevant to my needs.  Often times, if I'm attending a workshop and that falls short of being relevant or engaging, I might get up and leave.  We need to be mindful of making the learning relevant and engaging for our students.

Students require modeling more that lectures. Students require teachers who have high and realistic expectations but who are also highly empathetic to the human condition.

In my opinion, schools and teachers who value this type of integrity have a greater likelihood of developing safe, nurturing, and engaged learning communities.

As Gandhi says:

Be The Change You Want To See.....

Dear Teacher Applicant

This is the time of year when I start to look at hiring potential teachers for next year.  So to  those teachers that we will be interviewing, I share with you the following questions to consider and reflect upon:

1. During the interview, demonstrate (don't just tell us) how you have, or how you intend to use various forms of assessment to assist your students in their learning.  Please be informed that we have a school grading policy that emphasizes assessment as tool for learning, rather than stick for measuring.
2. A core value at our school is that students come to us with a multitude of gifts, talents and blessings.  Demonstrate how you have, or how you intend, to engage the diverse group of learners who will look to you for inspiration, guidance and passion.  
3. At our school we are obsessed with answering one, basic and fundamental question - "how do we respond when students don't learn?"  With this in mind, how do you see yourself engaging with our Pyramid of Interventions?
4. Given the variety of talents, interests and passions of our students, we provide a multitude of experiences for them both inside and outside the classroom.  It is expected that teachers get involved in the extra-curricular life of the school.  How will you enrich our extra-curricular programs for our students? 
5. In an information and knowledge rich world, how have you, or how do you intend to add meaning and a depth of understanding and relevance for your students?  
6. Demonstrate how you have, or how you intend use technology (e.g. web 2.0 tools) to assist your students in being more engaged, to create and to collaborate?  
7. We value  and nourish our teachers as learners and collaborators.  Please describe what current professional learning you are engaged in.  You might want to share what medium you are using to keep this learning current and engaging for yourself.
8. Demonstrate how you look beyond a "students can't" attitude.
9. Demonstrate how you are an innovative teacher.  Don't be afraid to tell us about something you tried and failed at.  Tell us what you learned from that experience.
10. Within our school's "Ethos of Us", demonstrate how you have, or how you intend, in some cases, "get out of the way of students" and, in other situations, "hold your students hands".  Within this context, demonstrate how you have, or how you intend build confidence in each of your students.
11. Paint of picture of yourself as a "soul builder" of students.  As a Catholic School we have a profound mission that goes beyond just teaching curriculum.  Each of the students in your care, at any given time is "loving something, fighting something or losing something" (Mike Patin) .  Again, demonstrate how you have, or how you intend to nurture and build each every precious soul in your care.
12. Parents are the first educators of their children.   They do the best they can.  Demonstrate how you have, or how you intend to engage and communicate with parents, to assist you, in the educating of their child.

This list is not meant to scare or intimidate and we certainly don't expect perfection.  We do however, expect all our teachers to embrace best practice, to share in the mission and vision of our school and to see our students as  gifts.

20% Time - Learning Update

This year we have modeled some of our pro-d on Google's 20% time.  You can read the details here.

Throughout this process, participants have been asked to "share their learning" in a Google Doc.   Some of the self directed and self chosen areas of inquiry include: Literacy Instruction, Personalized Learning, Technology Integration, Student Motivation and Problem Based Learning.  

I am convinced that professional learning which is learner driven, job embedded and meaningful to the day to day work that teachers do, will have the biggest impact on the intrinsic motivation of teachers and have the best chance of increasing student engagement and achievement.

As we approach the mid-way point in the year I thought I would share some the insights and discoveries from  each of the learning teams:   

Literacy Team
Based on some hard data (the RAD Test) a decision was made to focus on reading strategies for our grade 8 students. The team hopes see improvement in the students comprehension and analysis skills.

Each team member has selected an instructional strategy from the Developing Readers Resource focused on reading strategies, and implement this in their grade 8 course.

• English – unpacking text, prediction, reading between lines will be a focus, although the English department felt that they already focus on reading strategies within their courses.
• Social Studies – Use the SQ4R, outline notes and focus on teaching students how to use a textbook 
• Science – SQ4R will be used and students will be taught how to use their textbooks
• Math – will focus on teaching students strategies or reading word problems. They will also review how to use their textbooks. 
• French – will review features of the textbook and also use KWL

Personalized Learning Team
Ministry Document: Personalized Learning in BC
Latest Ministry Document: Students Must be at the Centre of Learning

Big Picture View:

• That all students are part of a larger community and how do they fit into this community
• Previously learning was compartmentalized and the document suggests that we open doors or break down walls so that students can learn in a more holistic manner in order to make learning more meaningful...a movement towards interdisciplinary approach
• The document begins with the need to develop competency in reading, writing and numeracy skills....from an early age
• These are ongoing skills that need to be focused on throughout students’ education and at the same time personalized learning will help students build an array of other skills...”a shift from what you know to what you can do”
• As teachers we need to un-pack these skills then apply them to individual students so that they can apply these skills to their learning (contextualized learning)
• This change will have to begin with empowering teachers have the autonomy to be experts – not to be bound by documents

Technology Integration

Covered topics

• email migration preview
• student emails and setting up class distribution lists
• using Twitter
• connecting laptops via USB to HDMI
• using Weebly.com to create free class websites 
• Poll Everywhere (www.polleverywhere.com)
• Online file folders

Future Learning

• Online file folders 
• Google Docs 
• Calendar use and sharing 
• QR Codes - Video resources onto text
• Clarification of cloud, what it is (theory)
• How to scan resources - 
• How to use the copier to turn pages into PDFs. 
• How to turn PDFs into editable text.
• This is particularly useful to modifying exams and handouts where the original computer file is not availble.
• Presentation Resources for Teachers and Kids (The Paperless Un-Poster)
• glogster.com - easy alternative to paper posters
• sliderocket.com - analytics integration for tracking views... potential for newsletter

Student Motivation
The primary realization so far - student motivation is complex and involves a large number of factors, very few of which are under our control!

The team has settled on a two pronged approach: a review of the current literature and a student survey of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that motivate them. For the lit review, we’re reading Tuned Out, by Karen Hume and Drive by Daniel Pink. Hume’s work is focused on education and motivational issues in secondary school, while Pink deals with the business world and increasing productivity. We think that both will offer useful perspectives.

The student survey is in the design phase. The Entrepreneurship 12 class is drafting questions designed to elicit both what students self-report as motivational and the factors that actually do “push” them to achieve. Additionally, a future survey will poll teachers for their ideas on what motivates students. A comparison of all three data sets should be of interest to staff.

Problem Based Learning
Most teachers apply some of the PBL concepts on a daily basis its quite difficult to do it consistently and requires quite a bit of planning. There is also a misconception that PBL is the same as discovery learning. Unlike discovery learning, in PBL there should be extremely focused lesson objects and the expectation should still be for students to meet course PLOs.

The basics of Problem Based Learning involve 4 key features:
1) Students work in small groups
2) They are given a complex, real world problem they need to solve
3) They are provided with resources to find the answers
4) Teachers act as facilitators or guides rather than direct instructors

To work within these parameters and still meet all the curricular requirements was quite difficult. In particular I needed to ensure that students still got the required mathematical practice since this accounts for the bulk of what they do in Physics. Selecting an appropriate problem was probably the most difficult task. For the unit on Kinematics the problem the students were given was to design and plan a mission to Mars. For research resources I’ve been allowing students to bring lab tops, smart phones or other electronic resources to class and using the internet. At first I was worried that they would be off task, but I’ve been absolutely amazed with both the quality and quantity of their work. Right now I have about 8 different lessons planned; without going into too much detail I’ve included the first one which dealt with displacement & distance.

Sample - Trajectory to Mars Problem
How far away is Mars? What path will the space craft take to get to Mars?
When determining how far objects are in outer space (or anywhere) there are two important measurements: How far you move and how far you move from your starting location. (These are not always the same measurement!)

Some final thoughts
I have been amazed at the level of enthusiasm and engagement that our staff has displayed.  I cannot, yet (or ever),  quantify through quantitative data if student performance or engagement has improved as a result of this initiative.  I can, however, qualitatively guarantee that teachers have been highly motivated to learn something new in an effort to ultimately help our students become more engaged in their learning.  That's enough for me!

I am looking forward to our "Sharing Our Learning Day" in April, when each team will have the opportunity to share their discoveries and lead a discussion on a particular topic!

Communicating Learning NOT numbers

The parent - teacher interview (or parent phone call, email etc) starts with the typical question:

How is my child doing in your class?

What if we, as teachers, were prohibited from listing "numbers" as a response to this questions?  What should the response be?

I fully understand that some parents want letter grades to frame their child's learning (in most cases it's how their learning was measured as students).  Given this reality, a teacher might (and in some cases -should) indicate an overall  achievement indicator (letter grade if appropriate).

After that, the unpacking should begin....

Aside from communicating an overall achievement indicator, what if a teacher were not permitted to refer to numeric scores (this would include numbers or grades associated with particular assignments)?  After all what does 15/20, 16/20 or 18/20 really tell a parent about a child's learning?

So what might be some alternatives?  As a teacher you might:

• describe the student as a learner, thinker, writer, mathematician, scientist, artist, musician, etc - including some of their strengths and challenges.
• talk about particular skill development and/or gaps in skill.
• describe the student's literacy or numeracy skills in a way that is personalized and authentic
• talk about  specific gaps in knowledge
• speak about a specific learning plan - with specific interventions and supports that the parent might support you with, as  a classroom teacher.
• talk about how the student communicates in class.
• talk about patterns you are starting to notice about the students level of engagement (what's working what is not)
• listen deeply to the parent and learn something new about the student

(Feel free to add some of your alternatives below)

When all is said and done, communicating numbers, in most circumstances, means very little when it comes to communicating learning.

Peer Counseling: Making a Real Difference

As the issue of bullying in schools continues to draw the necessary attention and interventions, I am grateful for our Peer Counseling program at our school.  The school's Peer Counselling program provides a very important service to our students and plays a critical role in making St. Pat's a safe and caring school.  Ultimately the program gives students a tangible way for them to create a culture of safety, inclusion and safetly.
  
Below is a description of the program by St. Patrick Secondary school counselor V. Eckert.  Her description of the program was originally published in the Prairie Messenger.    

Student and peer counselor, Elizer, puts it this way:

 “My thoughts about peer counselling have changed. Before I thought the program was all about helping others, and now, I realize what it has done for me. I have learned to be less judgmental and more understanding when it comes to others telling their stories. I’ve learned to be empathic, gentle and humble. I feel blessed and grateful to those who selected me to be a PC, because without this experience, I don’t think I’d be the same person.” 

Every day teens go through hardships and pain that the rest of the world may never see. Peer counsellors are trained to reach out to those classmates and to help them overcome the challenges they face. The school counsellors skilfully match peer counselors (PCs) with those who seek support. A student may approach teachers, counsellors or PCs directly for peer assistance, or the service can be recommended to a student by an adult who perceives the teen is in need.

Beyond Counseling
In addition to the PCs’ responsibilities with individual students, they also help the counsellors organize workshops for the school community on such topics as anti-bullying, healthy relationships, alcohol and drug education and digital citizenship. They have the opportunity to work with volunteers and experts in the helping professions.

Becoming a PC
Aspiring peer counselor must go through a thorough application process which includes writing compositions outlining their personal characteristics, their experience helping others and their reasons for wanting to serve the school community in this way.   All applicants are interviewed by a team comprised of a sponsor teacher who works with the program, the two school counsellors and veteran PCs.

Important Skills
The peer counsellor training is vital and takes place during a two-day retreat. Deep listening is the main skill that peer counsellors cultivate. St. Benedict calls on his followers to: “Listen with the ears of your heart.” Peer counsellors say they are taught not just to hear words, but to listen to the deeper messages. They emphasize the importance of giving their counselees empathic responses, showing in both words and body language that they have heard. Their goal is to help their peers seek solutions to their own problems, not make them dependent. PCs are trained not to give advice but to empower those they assist.

“I try to hear the silent things people are saying,” Jennifer says, “and try to offer others a secure environment in which to share. I take pride in my commitment to confidentiality.”

According to Kim:

“Many of our peers look up to us and know that all they say to us is confidential, unless they reveal that they plan to hurt others or themselves; then we have to share that information with a trained counsellor. We let our counselees know the limits of confidentiality before each session.”

Meeting with peers
Peer counsellors schedule time to meet with peers before school, during break, at lunch time and after school. However, if a student is in crisis, a meeting may take place during school time with teachers’ approval.

Dalton, a Grade 11 PC, reports he often observes his counselees around the school to get information on how they are doing. For example, he says he has seen a counselee become more positive, show new confidence interacting with others and become less self-focused following his involvement.

Grace, another PC,  says the work requires a lot of learning about how to adapt to different counselees, yet, she states, she finds it constantly rewarding.  Kim, another PC, describes her growth this way: “I need to balance my own life and problems to be there for others, and I need to step away from my own life accepting that I am not the centre of the universe.”

Students often suggest that having someone trustworthy to talk to about personal issues is helpful and assists them to get through their problems. With the help of a PC, one teen said she was able to release emotions she didn’t even know were stored up inside her. Workshop participants appreciate the PCs’ presentations and say they come to realize that there is always someone there to help. A graduated PC said he valued how peer counselling is never done, unlike finishing a course.

Finally, parents appreciate the life skills development which they say is intrinsically valuable to their children.

I would like to thank all he teachers, parents, community professionals and students who work tirelessly to make this program so effective and our school such a safe and caring place to work and learn. 

Reflections & Feedback from Camp

I would like to express a heartfelt thank-you to the organizers of Ed Camp Delta.  It was a day rich with conversation, questions and ideas.


I was fortunate enough to attend the event with many of the colleagues I work with.  For most teachers, this was their first time attending an edcamp.  Here is snapshot of some of the feedback:

What did you like about the Ed Camp model of professional development?

• participant driven
• chance to hear from other pracitioners in the field
• It was great having students and parents present
• the success of this model of pro-d is rooted in choice.  Teachers choosing to attend on their own time.
• The tech support was very good and essential.  The google docs for each session are a great collection of thoughts and ideas
• It was driven by educators’ desire to better themselves (versus the professional speaker and vendor circuit which is often the backbone of big education conferences).  Ed. Camp has a very altruistic feel.
• I like the organic nature of ed-camp
• It was a great networking experience

What are some suggestions for improvement?

• facilitator preparation often determines the success of a session.  
• Maybe fewer but bigger sessions?  
• Would this work for a conference where teachers “must” attend instead of choose to attend?  
•  I wonder how Ed. Camp would fit into the formalized pro-d system we have now for teachers.  Somehow I think there would need to be adjustments on both ends (Ed. Camp structure and concept of teacher pro-d) for it to work on a larger scale.
• in order to get full value we must engage in some professional reading/learning on our own
• discussions often did not lead to solutions or next steps since there did not seem to be many "experts". From a practical standpoint I did not walk away with any new learning's we could take to our classrooms

As a school we are thinking about adopting aspects of the edcamp model of pro-d  for an upcoming professional day.  I certainly welcome other suggestions, ideas and reflections.....

On a personal note, it was great to have some "face time" with some colleagues I primarily interact with on Twitter (this includes a pre-edcamp "get together" the night before).  I really appreciate my expanded (and ever expanding)  network of colleagues and friends.  


I want to thank all the participants who attended and added to the many rich conversations.  


Looking forward to my next edcamp already.....