Innovation, Ego, Autonomy & Irrelevance

"So what innovative initiatives is your school undertaking?"

I was recently asked the above question by a fellow educator.

This caused me to pause.  I rambled a few things off.  But to be honest, the questions threw me off.

It made me uneasy.  What follows are some thoughts, ramblings and questions regarding innovation, autonomy and leadership ego.

What is driving the innovation?

Are we searching for "innovation" for innovation's sake?

I often wonder about school wide "innovations".  What is driving the innovation? What are the precursors to implementation?  Who do the innovations benefit the most?

Why are we doing what we are doing?

Are we driven by a greater purpose?  Our mission?  Our vision?

It is really about innovation?  Is it rooted in student learning?

Is the innovation about creating engaging learning experiences for students?

Is the innovation about creating learning conditions that are motivating for students?

Is innovation about creating an environment where every student feels connected and safe?

I'm aware that, when it comes to being the "leader" at my school, it is about checking by ego at the door.

What is best, easy, comfortable, familiar or trendy for me,  may not be what is best for the students and school community.

As principal, I need to give up my need to be "relevant" for the sake of being "irrelevant" if it means doing what is best for students.  As Henri Nouwen writes:

"The leaders of the future will be those who dare to claim their irrelevance in the contemporary world as a divine vocation..."

I would suggest that innovation driven by personality and ego is toxic and doomed to be unsustainable.

Autonomy & Innovation

I also wonder about the place of autonomy (student & teacher) when it comes to innovation. I agree that motivation is rooted in autonomy. But can there be too much autonomy?

I like  the image of a river flowing.  A river is free to flow and meander.  However, the river is given its shape and direction by its banks.  Without the banks, the river becomes a puddle or lake.


What is the role of leadership in providing the "banks of a river"?  In my opinion, this is a critical aspect of leadership - to provide the delicate balance of enough autonomy within an agreed up "preferred future".


The bottom line is that innovation and autonomy needs to be rooted in what is best for students and their individual success.

Still figuring it out.....any thoughts?

BYOD Leadership Implications

Our school has embraced a Bring Your Own Technology/Device approach to enhancing the use of technology for our students and teachers.

For the past two years we have had a soft or "organic" launch to this policy.  For this coming fall, we officially launch our BYOD initiative.

As we prepare for an anticipated surge in personal devices, there are some important details that needed to be addressed.  I'll call them leadership implications.

Leadership Implications of a BYOD policy

1. Being clear on the "Why"? Is it congruent with our school culture, values and mission?

In our case BYOD makes the most sense. It leverages much of the hardware that many students and families already possess. It gives choice to parents - one of our fundamental values is "parents as the first and primary educators".  Furthermore, our school culture is rich with a sense of trust between teachers and students.

2. Network Infrastructure

We have invested a tremendous amount of energy and resources to establish a stable and robust wifi and wired infrastructure. We can handle over 4,000 wifi devices at one time (we have 550 staff & students) with reasonable speed and efficiency.

3. Unpacking Digital Citizenship


As the use of technology grows and as teachers increasingly require students to use and access digital media so does the need to model and teach digital literacy.  This is not the sole responsibility of a select group of teachers.

For this coming school year we have hired a new teacher/"tech-brarian" that will assist staff (and students) in acquiring the necessary digital literacy skills to be proficient to transfer those to students.

In addition, over the past few years we endeavored to systematically implement a digital citizenship learning plan for our students through specific lessons in certain classes, grade level workshops or school wide assemblies.  We feel it is important not to take an "ad hoc" approach to teaching this very important topic.

We have also been communicating to our parents about how they can support their children becoming digitally responsible citizens.  We have hosted various parent meetings and constantly update our school website for related resources.

4. Communicating Expectations to the Community

It is critically important that we communicate why we think a BYOD approach to technology is important.  We also need to set some clear expectations for students, teachers and parents as how and when devices should be used.

For example at our school, as a general rule, all personal and school owned devices must be used as a tool to enhance student learning and for positive communications.

We communicate the the following guidelines to parents and students:

Electronic devices should be used to promote genuine learning, research and positive communication - not for such things as academic dishonesty (cheating) and/or hurtful and disrespectful communications

Devices should be used at the appropriate time, with the teacher’s permission. Your device should not be a source of distraction or disruption of the teaching-learning environment. When a not required by a teacher, personal electronic devices are to be kept out-of-sight and turned off.

When using a device, be mindful that you are not violating another person’s reasonable expectation of privacy. The taking of pictures, videos without a person’s permission is not permitted.

Take care of your devices. Be mindful of securing them. Put your name of your device. Do not share any passwords etc.

6. Empowering and Supporting Teachers
Any BYOD policy will only be as effective the teachers who model its appropriate use and who can fully utilize the power of technology to engage students in their learning.

Giving time to for teachers to play and learn with technology is important.  We have increased our collaboration time in the hope that they will be empowered to implement technology in their classes.  Many have responded positively.

We also want teachers to bring devices to school that they are comfortable using in their teaching and learning.  Next year we will implement a teacher technology subsidy program, whereby teachers can apply for a subsidy to assist them in the purchase of personal device that will also be used at school.

7. Autonomy, Choice and Commonality

A BYOD policy, at its core, is based on autonomy and choice. As a school we don't prescribe the type or brand of device. We do, however, recommend certain specifications (i.e. wifi, internet browsing, word processing, etc).

There is, however a some need for a "common space" when it comes to the digital learning. For example we have given all students a school based (& lifetime) email address, common username and login interface, common cloud based storage and file sharing.

But herein lies the delicate balance. We also want to value autonomy and choice for teachers and students when comes to their teaching an learning space. When you walk into some of our classes you will see various digital tools used by different teachers and students.

In addition, parents, for a variety of reasons, may choose to not send their child to school with a device.  As a school we have the obligation to provide an alternative.  We already a number of school laptops that can be issued to students as well as large number of networked computers that students can access.

8. Be Patient with the Messy
Will there be bumps and hiccups along the way?  We have already experienced a few.  Just a few a weeks ago a few teachers discovered some potentially concerning comments on a social media site regarding a few members of our community.   Rather than overreact and  "ban", "take away", or "shut down"  - the teacher had a conversation with the student in question about  their "digital footprint" and the impact their comments were having on others.  (This, of course, high lights the importance of having adults in this space who can model and teach appropriate on-line behavior).  The student learned something and the material "removed".

Might  there by upcoming issues with our BYOD policy?  My guess is yes.

We need to continue to be thoughtful, strategic and patient as we continue to grow our BYOD approach to technology at our school.

Feel free to share some other BYOD implementation strategies.  Still figuring it out......

Stop the Edu BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!

 Edu-Babble.  Edu-Speak.  I'll call it Edu-Blah, Blah, Blah.  A sample of the "blah" goes something like this:

"As teaching practitioners in the 21st century, we need to be pedagogically sound  - embracing practices and values such as assessment for learning, grading for learning, 21st century skills, personalized learning, differentiated instruction, individualized instruction and self regulation............(cue the eyes rolling, yawns, head scratching and/or glazed looks from all the non-educators - and even some educators)" 

We do ourselves, as educators, a huge a disservice when we attempt to use "Edu Blah" to communicate with  our students, parents and greater communities.

We lose them.  

And if we, as educators (and schools), can't communicate our own "story" effectively, we run the risk of creating a communication void or vacuum- leaving it to someone else to potentially distort or misrepresent.   Case in point - the recent "no zero's" story in Edmonton".

 Now before I go any further, I will declare that I can "edu blah, blah" with the best of them.  

Today I come clean.  I would like offer up some "edu blah's" and coinciding plain language definition:

Formative Assessment

Long before any "grade" is assigned to a student, teachers (and other students) give students descriptive feedback regarding their work.  The more detailed the feedback the better. "Good job" doesn't cut it and neither do numbers and/or letter grades.

Summative Assessment

Anything that a student does to demonstrate what they have learned.   It gives a teacher evidence of a student's learning.

Differentiated Instruction

We all learn differently.  Teachers reflect this reality in their teaching.

Rubrics/Criteria/Exemplars

Tools teachers use to assist students in determining what is expected of them.

Personalized Learning

Giving students more control of their learning.  Putting students in the drivers seat.

Rigour

More thinking, problem solving and "doing".  Less memorizing.

Letter Grades

An imperfect way to report student learning.

No Zero Policies
Students that chronically struggle to produce the required evidence of their learning are the most at risk to "slip through the cracks" in school.  Assigning these students a zero does nothing to support them nor teach them the required skills and work habits to be responsible learners. Finding ways to ensure they do the work is the right thing to do.  

Professional Learning Communities 

Teachers need to come together to solve something, produce something or share something related to their teaching.  When they do this, they become better teachers  - benefiting all students

PLN (Personal Learning Network)

See above.

Digital Literacy

Making sure we all know how to appropriately use the internet and the devices that connect to it. 

21st Century Learning

The world is a changing place.  Schools need to reflect this changing reality.

21st Century Skills

Thinking, collaborating, creating, filtering, problem solving and a little bit memorizing too.

BYOD/BYOT

Bring your own device/technology to school.  Students and teachers have it, why not let them use it?

Stakeholders/Educational Partners

All the people involved in educating our students.

I invite all my fellow educators to add to this list.  We need to reclaim our message.  Our communities require this of us.

Saying "YES" to Foster Innovation

When I think about some the exciting, relevant and engaging "learning initiatives" that have occurred at our school over the past several years, I think about the incredibly talented people (teachers, students and parents) who have made them possible.

When it comes to using technology to enhance learning, I think about teachers who see the potential of technology to make learning more engaging for students.

From my perspective, as principal, it's been about creating a safe place for teachers to "play" with technology in the classroom.

It's been about saying "yes" more than "no" to the early adopters within our community.

I still remember the day when one of our teachers - @maricelignacio - came to see me about having her students use their phones in class to access Twitter as a tool for engagement in the English classroom.  Our policy, at the time, banned cell phones in class.  (The fact that we had a robust wifi network to handle this request is thanks to @pholowka1)

I said "yes" to this request.  I understood that with that "yes", I agreed to take on some important responsibilities.  As principal I had to explain my decision and defend the teacher from concerned stakeholders.

As the principal, I feel that if I want to encourage and create  a culture of innovation, I need to create a safe place for teachers.  It requires the creation a safe "playground" for teachers to "play".  It requires giving them time, resources and access to a vibrant learning network.

Mistakes will be made and lessons will be learned.  It is during these challenging times that I need to stand behind my "yes".

My "yes" cannot be conditional.  Supporting teachers, as innovators, even when things don't go as planned, goes a long way towards creating the conditions for innovation in schools.

Slipping Through The Cracks: Does School Size Matter?

As a high school principal, this time of year comes with mixed emotions. On the one hand,  I am excited for the Gr. 12 students to leave our school, for them to fully extend their wings and make a positive difference in the world.  On the other hand, I am a little sad to say "good bye" to the so many awesome young people who we have seen mature and grow into inspiring young adults.

Last week, we hosted our annual Graduation Dinner & Dance.  This is an occasion where the community comes together to celebrate high school graduation.  To start the evening, I have the distinct pleasure of introducing each member of the class as they enter the ballroom.

As I introduced each student, I had a rush of memories.  With each student came a different story.

I realized that for this class, like the others before them, each person comes to end of high school with an individual story and coinciding journey.

For the some the journey is relatively smooth, for others the journey has been extremely bumpy - from turmoil, loss, disappointment and sadness to great joy, laughter and success.

Regardless of the type of journey, I was honoured, as a their principal, to have some insight into each students  respective journey.  To be invited along - so to speak.

I felt equally assured in knowing that the students had other teachers whom they formed even deeper relationships with.

As I reflected on this, I  also wondered if  our relatively small size, (just over 500 students in Grades 8 to 12) as a school, puts us at an advantage in our ability to foster meaningful relationships with our students?  Our smaller size allows us, teachers and administrators, to intervene and respond to all situations (big & small) as they arise.

We often say that "no student falls through the cracks".  This is a good and necessary reality for our community.

For what it's worth - I do think that school size matters.

I'd be interested in hearing from others and their thoughts on this.....does school size matter?

Social Media: Shining a Needed Spotlight

When I began my career as an administrator, back in the day when Microsoft MSN ruled the day, virtually all student conflict either started or was exacerbated via social media.

Jaded by these experiences, I perceived social media as sewer-like place for human interaction.  A dark place for mundane, useless and sometimes "crappy", negative and hurtful interactions.

This view of social media continued  even as Facebook became king.

And then something happened on October 23, 2010.  I, myself, decided to take the plunge into that self-described "sewer".  I entered the social media space with Twitter.

Today I am here to officially recant my previous views and beliefs regarding social media .  Since that October day, not only have I embraced social media in a multitude of ways, I have also been supportive of our school fully engaging with social media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr)

And it's not just me and the school.  More and more teachers have signed on.  They are using social media to connect with, communicate with and engage students (and parents) and their learning.

As a result something remarkable has happened.  A bright light has been shone on that previously unknown and dark "sewer-like" place.


Seemingly, as more adults engage with social media- the more the students realize that they need to pay attention to their own digital tattoo (footprint, legacy, reputation, etc).

Students now can see the modelling of appropriate interactions in the digital world by those whom they respect and look up to in the  face to face world.  Nothing is more effective than when we, as teachers, lead the way with integrity.

As a principal I feel more empowered and more informed to speak to students and parents about all aspects of "digital citizenship".  I can give advice and tips based on first hand experience.

I can also provide a testimonial about how social media, if used appropriately, can be such a powerful and positive force for learning and connecting.  

As teaching professionals we have an obligation to shine a bright light on social media - our students require this from us!

A 21st Century School Rooted in Community

A few days ago, the Ministry of Education in British Columbia released two videos highlighting a few Catholic Independent Schools in the Lower Mainland.  The first video highlights how some schools are using technology to empower learning.   The other video illustrates how schools are personalizing learning for their diverse group of students.

Since the release of the video I have received many messages about being "the technology school", or the "technology principal".  I understand these labels and, I suppose on the surface, they are true.


And yet these videos (and my messages) are incomplete


The untold story of these videos, as it relates to my school community, is that our success lies in our sense of community, which is rooted in faith. 

Tom Hierck, who school visited our school, recently and wrote the following reflection:  

I was particularly impressed by the commitment to create meaningful relationships and a culture of caring. From my viewpoint that's the biggest reason the school has a 100% graduation rate….

Our school has a special faith-filled spirit that consistently celebrates and embraces community.  This is evident in the joy with which teachers, students and parents share their gifts in the many service opportunities available. 

We personalize and individualize teaching so that all students have the opportunity to meet learning outcomes across the curricula. The school is proud that it has worked hard for over 15 years to achieve 100% graduation. I believe that our graduates are fuelled by the desire to be lifelong learners, to serve creatively and humbly and to promote the power of community in the world.

I am grateful that we had the opportunity to share our story through these videos.  I proud of our students and staff and the hard work they put forth on a daily basis.  I also realize that there were many other schools that could have been highlighted.

The students and teachers of the 21^st century version of our school reap the rewards of learning and teaching in community and know to respect that these are the  legacy of a previous century where our illustrious alumni, teachers and religious, fostered those seeds of community that endure so profoundly today.