Ender's Game and Education

I rarely read fiction, but this week I picked up the novel Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.  Since the movie just came out on DVD, I decided to read the book before hitting RedBox.  Without creating a spoiler, the plot of the novel revolves around a young man named Andrew “Ender” Wiggin who just happens to be a very gifted child.  At a young age, the world government decides to train him to be a commander in their battle against creatures known as buggers.  These beings had attacked Earth in the past and now the focus of mankind was on preventing a future attack while always being prepared for another war.  The novel revolves around Ender’s training and preparation for entering the bugger wars as a battle ready leader who can face any situation and be effective.  In the novel, Card, in my opinion, describes many parallels to education, some positive and some negative.  Again, as I go through these insights, I will try not to spoil the novel.  If you haven’t read it, you might want to stop now, read the novel, and come back after doing so.  

1. Not all children have the same gifts. In the novel, Ender is a brilliant strategist who has the ability to think on his feet and act quickly.  His brother and sister, Peter and Valentine, on the other hand, have the gift for expressing themselves through writing and for being opinion leaders. In education, we sometimes forget that children are different and try to teach them the same things in the same ways. Instead of differentiating instruction, we teach all children using the same methods and then wonder why some get it and some don’t.  We also often require all children to produce the same products to show their grasp of new knowledge and skills.  If we truly understood that children were different, we would stop using a cookie cutter model for education and start developing instructional units based on the needs of the individual children.  
2. Children, when given the opportunity, will amaze us. - Colonel Graff, the headmaster of Battle School where Ender attends, decides to let him face difficult situations without adult assistance.  He does this to see how Ender will respond and react.  Now, I don’t recommend leaving kids to their own devices without any adult help, but I do believe that, too often, we contain children’s ideas and do not let them try out new strategies simply because their ideas are not what we’ve always done.  When we allow children to try new ways to solve problems, we are giving them the freedom to explore and learn.  In doing so, we are creating thinkers.  Thinkers who are able to implement their ideas will always do more than simple direction followers.
3. Always hold high expectations for children.  - Throughout the book, Colonel Graff continuously raises the bar on Ender.  As soon as he meets one challenge, another is added.  This process is nonstop for young Ender and, while he often resents it, he still pushes himself to meet each challenge head-on.  As educators, we need to expect our students to do more than just the minimum.  In fact, we should keep the bar high and expect them to be better and do better than they themselves think they can.  Now, that doesn’t mean that the bar will always be in the same place for each child.  Some will start at different levels than others.  Some will have the bar raised quickly while others will take more time to achieve success. Either way, the expectation that the student will be successful must always be there.  If we don’t believe that our students will achieve success, it will show in how we treat them and they will, in most cases, respond accordingly.
4. Don’t do for kids what they can do for themselves. - While this adage is taken to extremes in the novel, it should be a factor in every classroom.  As educators, we often do for children what they should be doing for themselves.  This may involve actions such as offering help before it asked for or giving too much help when it is requested.  There are times when kids do need help and often don’t know how to ask for it, but more often, adults let kids off the hook by doing things for them.  
5. Let kids be kids. - Unfortunately, this is not done in the novel.  Kids need time in their day to simply play.  In fact, I believe that children often learn as much during play as they do during class.  It is on the playground where positive skills such as playing fair, sharing, and working together are often either learned or reinforced.  It is easy, in the midst of the core curriculum, to forget that we are working with children and that they need time to just be children.
6. Allow children to apply new learning in as real a situation as possible. - In Battle School, Ender and his schoolmates regularly apply what they are learning in mock battles.  These battles allow them to reinforce strategies they have been learning all week.  In the classroom, it is not always possible to recreate real world situations, but we need to try and come as close as possible for our students benefit.  With the introduction of technology to many campuses, it is becoming easier to create these situations.  In fact, it is sometimes possible to have students work on real projects with schools, businesses, universities, and others both near home or halfway around the world.  When we allow students to do real work, we are not only helping them reinforce the learning, but are also showing them the relevance of that learning.
7. Trust your students to do their best. - In the novel, Ender places great trust in his subordinates.  He trusts them so much that he allows them the freedom to develop strategies on the battlefield and to adjust to changing situations within an established framework.  In the classroom, we should treat our students like we want them to be, not necessarily as they are.  Sometimes this is not easy, especially with difficult children.  However, they will never grow if we don’t give them a chance.  This doesn’t mean that we don’t have classroom rules, expectations, and procedures.  It does mean that we teach these structures and trust our students to work within them until they demonstrate otherwise.  Some years ago, I ran a computer based science lab.  Teachers would bring their students to the lab and they would work on various experiments.  Many times, teachers would tell me I was crazy if I thought their students would be successful, especially when we were using items such as bunsen burners or acids.  But, they were successful.  I believe this was because I taught them safe lab techniques and then expected them to follow them.  I trusted them to use the equipment safely, to follow safety procedures, and to do their best work every time.  Such trust and respect led to results. 

The above are a few of the parallels to educational practice that I found in the book Ender’s Game.  These are mostly positive.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of negatives as well.  If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend it.  If you have read it, I’m sure you can come up with other correlations beyond those above.  I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts.  

A Typical Day?

A Typical Day?

How would you describe a typical day in the life of a school administrator?   That is, I'm afraid, the $10,000 question.  So far, I've never met anyone with an exact answer.  As I drove home from work tonight reflecting on the day, I must admit, I don't have one either. Each day is new and different and has its own set of challenges and triumphs.  I don't believe there is a typical day.

With that said, I'd like to go through one day in my week.  Today, for that matter.  First, a little background.  I serve as Assistant Principal for Student Management in a rural Title I school with approximately 740 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. As of this writing, I've been in this position six months. The learning curve feels like a straight line.  Straight up.  I contend that this is the hardest job I've ever loved.

Now to that "typical" day: 

7:15 am - Arrive at school.  Immediately proceed to duty station and begin greeting kids as they walk to  their homeroom classes.  

7:45 am - 1st Bell rings for kids to go into classes.  Quickly monitor halls, open locked doors if necessary, and make sure kids are in classes.

7:55 am - Proceed to office.  Log in to computer and then encourage the two kids who are getting ready  to help with announcements.

8:00 am - Give my "Project Wisdom" daily message on the morning announcements.

8:10 am - Monitor halls as I walk to a teacher's classroom for a formal observation.  Conduct observation, taking copious notes that will not only help with the evaluation, but also give me ideas to share with other teachers. 

9:05 am - Proceed to office.  Return two parent phone calls and begin calling down students for disciplinary referrals.

10:10 am - Receive phone call from a father who apologizes for the short notice, but could he serve in our WatchDOGS program that day since he got off unexpectedly.  Agree to the request and quickly make a schedule.  Take a call from a parent.

10:15 am - Meet with a set of parents about a discipline issue.  Invite the parents to visit their child's class anytime and sign the Dad up for WatchDOGS.  

10:30 am  - Receive WatchDOGS dad, go through short orientation, take a photo with child, and show him around the school.  Drop him off at his child's classroom and proceed back to office to continue with student management issues.  

11:20 am - Enter cafeteria and take pictures of fellow AP getting Silly Stringed by students as part of a fundraiser.  Realize that my turn is coming and run back into office to look for plastic bag to put over my hair. 

11:30 am - Lunch Duty

11:55 am - Cover my head with Wal-Mart bag and proceed to stage for my turn at getting covered with Silly String ($1 for a two second spray or $4 for a can).  Realize very quickly that the line for a shot at me is very long, kids can hit the face with total accuracy, and Silly String is full of alcohol.  Notice that many of the "sprayers" are also the kids who regularly visit my office.  I smile at them as they enjoy their payback.  

12:10 pm - Finally leave stage covered with Silly String.  Make it to office, wash up, change clothes, and eat lunch. 

12:40 pm - Return to cafeteria to take pictures of building principal getting her turn in the Silly String chair.  Notice that she has covered her body with a plastic bag. Smart idea!

12:45 pm - Return to cafeteria to make sure that the stage is set for our 1st semester awards ceremony.  Make sure the microphone works, go over the list of names, and check that the stage is not slippery from the silly string 

12:55 pm - Return to office and continue with student management issues.  

1:30 pm - Enter the cafeteria and start to greet parents arriving for awards ceremony.  Spend a few minutes visiting with each.  

1:40 pm - Announce for teachers to bring students to cafeteria to begin awards ceremony.  Return to stage for one final check before all classes arrive.  Continue to greet parents and visit with them.

2:00 pm - Awards ceremony.  Serve as MC as students cross the stage to receive their awards and put them on.   (We chose to give Dogtags instead of certificates)

2:45 pm - Finish awards ceremony.  Return to office and meet with several students about discipline issues.  Visit a class to clarify some information about a student management concern.

3:15 pm - Start Bus Duty.

4:08 pm - End bus duty.  Accompany WatchDOGS volunteer back to office to sign up for another day and then proceed to faculty meeting, already in progress.

5:00 pm - Faculty meeting ends. Spend a few minutes helping a colleague understand one of the key points in the meeting.  

5:10 pm -Return to office and begin putting teacher evaluation information into the computer.  During this time, help students in after-school program call home for a ride and field several calls from parents.

6:30 pm - Finish teacher evaluations.  Return two phone calls.  Review calendar and plan for next day.

6:50 pm - Clock in (Forgot to this morning), change starting time, and then clock out.  

6:55 pm - Leave the school building.  On the way home, reflect on what a typical day in my position consists.  Realize there really isn't one.  

Don't pass out matches

The other day, I read this quote on Twitter: "Instead of putting out fires....let's not pass out matches" (@daveburgess).  It's been haunting me ever since.  As a teacher and now an administrator, there are a lot of fires and potential fires that must be addressed daily.  But, I didn't enter this profession to be a fireman.  Instead, I want to be a teacher, a coach, a leader who makes a difference in the lives of teachers and students.  I would assume that most others in the profession feel the same way.

As I reflected on this statement, a couple of key ideas came to mind.  First of all, in my little sphere of influence, I have the opportunity to pass out a lot of matches...or not.  Second, I can't control what kindling others bring in the building with them, but I can often control whether it gets lit.

Or, in simple English, my actions can often control whether a situation becomes out of hand or whether it becomes a non-issue.  Also, there is no way for me to change what has happened to a person before they enter my building, but, by my actions, I can influence how they react to it. 

For example, in a typical classroom, behavior problems often occur when children are given too much extra (free) time or when they are unmonitored, such as when the teacher has their back to the class or is in the hallway with someone else.  They also occur when the work is at a level that is either too high or too low for the child.  These are examples of matches.  If a teacher can identify avoid these situations, then many behavioral issues can be avoided.

The same is true for principals and other leaders. As a principal, I have to reflect on my actions daily and plan how to avoid problem issues, especially when related to staff and parents.  If I can identify potential problem areas early, then I can either eliminate them or avoid causing them to grow.

Putting out fires is not a task I enjoy.  I would much rather spend my time helping teachers and students grow and developing positive working relationships with parents.  Therefore, I must determine early and often when I am potentially "lighting a match" that may lead to a future fire and do everything in my power to avoid that action.

WatchD.O.G.S. - Dads of Great Students

To Student:  How was your day today?
Student:  It was great. My Dad was here all day!

This school year, we have restarted WatchD.O.G.S. on our campus.  WatchD.O.G.S. is a program from the National Center for Fathering that focuses on getting fathers and father-figures involved in the school by having them serve for one entire day on their child's campus.  While on campus, these men serve in various capacities including tutoring, mentoring, assisting teachers in their classes, and generally being an "extra set of eyes" on the campus.  Since mid-October, we have had 10 men who have given one day to serve as a WatchD.O.G. and many more are on the calendar.  A couple have already served for two days and are signed up for more. 

As an administrator, what I like most about WatchD.O.G.S. is that is a turnkey initiative that doesn't require a lot of set up or follow through.  In fact, when done properly, several key men from the among the ranks, known as Top Dogs, can do most of the leg work after the initial start up.  As the campus coordinator, I simply make the men's daily schedule and make sure their day goes well. 

Last year, there were a few active WatchD.O.G.S. on the campus, but not as many as this year.  Part of that had to do with the recruitment process.  In order to be successful, the kickoff really needs to have food.  As I've proved many times, when you feed a man, he will come.  We went through 300 slices of pizza in 20 minutes during our kickoff event and had 55 men sign an interest form.  About 15 signed up for a day on the calendar during that event.  Of those who put their names on the calendar, only two did not show.  One was because of work commitments;  we haven't been able to reach the other one.  The second part of the equation was follow up.  Myself and the three Top Dogs made a call to all of the men who signed up that first night. 

A typical WatchD.O.G.S. day starts with morning duty, followed by an orientation and signing an agreement on each visit. Then, an announcement of the WatchD.O.G. is made and a picture is taken with their student.  (If they are a community volunteer, I always get several random students, usually those who don't have active fathers, to take a picture with them.)  After this, they are given their schedules for the day, have a building tour, and then go to the first class.  Lunch is on us and they are encouraged to sit with their child at the class table.  The end of the day involves a survey on the Fathers.com website followed by afternoon duty.  Their final task is to call the next day's WatchD.O.G. and remind them of their commitment. 

As a former classroom teacher, principal, and Dad myself, I see the value of having positive male role models in the school.  On our campus of 740 students, there are only 12 full-time adult males including the custodians.   These men all work to be positive role models to our children, but we can use all the help we can get.  I won't go into the statistics of the impact of Dads in children's lives.  Many of these are available on the www.fathers.com website.  I have noticed that, very often, the kids will respond differently to the WatchD.O.G.S. than to the men who work on the campus.  In fact, many act completely different when these men are around.  Some even seem to struggle with the fact that a man who may be a family friend, church member, or other relationship is on the campus.  It is as though the disconnect some have developed between school and community behavior is suddenly challenged.  It is enlightening and often amusing to watch.  

It may sound as though I am a paid advocate for WatchD.O.G.S., but really I am only a school leader looking to do whatever it takes to positively impact the education and social lives of each child who walks through the doors of our building.  This program is one part of that challenge.  In the short time I have been actively involved, I have seen the benefits of having men on campus who care about kids (their own and others) and are willing to take of their time to serve the children and staff of the school.  I've also seen the benefit to both the Dad and the student.  Dad's get to be a part of the world their child lives in 180 days a year and children get to have Dad in that world for a day.  As the 5th grade child who is quoted at the beginning of this post, it is great to have Dad around all day. 

While I don't have quantifiable evidence of the positive effects of the program (I'm currently doing action research on WatchD.O.G.S. and discipline referrals), I do know that I've seen positive effects on both students and teachers.  If you are a school leader looking to increase parental involvement in your school, I strongly encourage looking at the WatchD.O.G.S. as one alternative.  More info can be found at www.fathers.com. Click on the WatchD.O.G.S. link at the top.  I would also be happy to share more of my own experiences if anyone is interested.

As a final note, my own son is on the campus with me.  I plan to take a day off myself and serve as WatchD.O.G.  Why?  Because he asked me to and I want to be a great Dad and role model. 

Tag Team Teaching (Pedagogy and classroom management)

I admit it! I'm a wrestling fan. Not greco-roman, but the sports entertainment version.  I enjoy watching it on TV, but what I really enjoy is a good live show.  Every time a local promotion comes through our small town, you can guarantee I will be there and most likely at ringside.  One of the most exciting matches on any card is a tag team bout.  Pairs of wrestlers on each team work together in order to win the match and pin their opponent(s) to the floor. When done well, the winning team works like clockwork and makes the whole match appear easy.  However, when they don't work together or one gets knocked out of action, a tag team can quickly fall apart and a loss is certain.

So, what does tag-team wrestling have to with teaching?   There are two components that must be in place and work together before any real learning takes place.  These are pedagogy and classroom management.  I once had a principal tell me that, if the lesson was engaging enough, the students would not act up.  I believed him, but I was young and very impressionable then.  Now, after 17 years, I know that great lessons are combinations of effective teaching strategies and classroom management procedures.  These two must work together to ensure the desired learning occurs. In an out of control classroom, little learning will take place even when the best teaching strategies are in place. 

Now, I'll admit I have rarely seen an out of control or even a poorly managed classroom where great pedogogy was being used.  But, I have seen teachers who had a good grasp of academic strategies but could not effectively teach because the classroom was poorly managed.  I have also seen well managed classrooms (quiet, procedures in place, kids actively engaged) where little real learning was occuring.  Without both components, the other team (ignorance and behavior problems) always wins. 

Great teachers are adapt at both pedagogy and management. And they have more than one or two strategies.  Watch an entertaining wrestler and you'll see a variety of moves depending on the situation they are in.  Teachers must have multiple teaching and management strategies in their toolbag before they step into the classroom and they must be prepared to alter these strategies (especially classroom management techniques) if the situation warrants.  Preparation is the key to success.  For the teacher, this means constantly learning through reading, observing, asking questions, attending staff development and then putting new approaches into place. Administrators and lead teachers must also be prepared to help teachers develop the necessary pedogological and management techniques they need to be successful.  The administrator/lead teacher is like the coach (or manager in wrestling) who is always there to help the teacher improve. 

While the analogy used in this post may be stretching it a bit, the reality is that there are new teachers entering the field (and veterans as well) who lack either the knowledge of pedagogy or the classroom management skills to be effective the moment they hit the ground.  This doesn't mean they won't be good (or even excellent) teachers.  It does mean that they need the support, training, and encouragement to develop their skills and become better at employing this winning tag team combination. 

First Twitter Chat #savmp

What have I been missing all this time?  Just finished my first Twitter chat (#sbgchat) and it feels like I am on an adrenaline rush.  Probably am.  The ideas were flowing so quickly that it was impossible to keep up.  My finite little world expanded as I read and added to the conversation, in this case, about standards based grading.  Now, I am no expert on this topic.  In fact, I am a novice, but this post isn't about the topic.  Instead, it's about the learning that took place as so many great minds got together in one place to discuss positive educational practices.  Practitioners and academics alike added to the discussion as each shared their unique insight and perspectives.  As a result, the topic (in the form of short questions from the moderators) could be hashed out extensively.  Ideas and action steps were left open for the world to see with very little off-task chatter.  This is what professional development should look like.

For weeks now, I 've been trying to build up a PLN (Personal Learning Network) using Twitter and tonight that network grew by leaps and bounds.  While I will likely never meet most of the people I follow, their ideas are always there for me to learn from and many have been open to inquiries and comments as I seek to grow professionally while building my own presence online.  As this presence expands, I hope to add to the professional learning of others while continuing to grow myself.  The give and take is what makes this network so inspiring. 

BTW, I noticed today that a post from this blog was tweeted. It caught me by surprise and was a great end to a long day.  It's good to know someone is reading these posts.  I hope they are helpful. 

Lessons from the first four weeks #SAVMP

Four weeks on the job..... So, what have I learned? 

First off, time is a precious commodity.  Administrators have more to do than time allows and many on the campus want and need some of that time.  Therefore, a balance has to be struck so that staff feel supported, but important administrative duties are also completed in a timely manner.  I am still working on this balance.  I'm getting better, but I'm still spending too much time after school finishing up daily agenda items and planning.

Student discipline can make or break a beginning administrator.  One of my major roles as Assistant Principal over Student Management is discipline.  In this role, I have to investigate discipline referrals, listen to students tell their side of the story, and then determine consequences based on evidence.  In some cases, this is very simple as the student simply tells what they did. At other times, however, a deeper investigation is needed in order to get to the truth.  In some of these cases, there is more involved than was initially reported and extra time is required to sort through the details and come to a fair, but effective conclusion.  All of this can be time consuming and take time away from other important matters.  It is of the utmost importance that discipline management be addressed in a proactive, not a reactive manner if it is to be successful.  I am finding that, the more proactive I am, the less discipline problems I have to deal with.  At present, I am working on several projects with various committees to focus on positive behavior as well as get more parents involved on the campus.  Through this process along with continual relationship building, positive reinforcement, monitoring, training, and enforcement, I expect the number of discipline referrals to be reduced as the year continues.

Have thick skin.  At times, people will say and do things that don't make sense or are meant to be hurtful.  This is even more so the higher up you go.  So far, I have been called or at least insinuated to be a number of things I won't mention.  If I let it bother me, I wouldn't sleep at night.  But, I've determined that, when people say things that are hurtful, I will either listen and let them vent or stop the conversation and pick it up at another time when emotions have calmed down.  Either way, I have to stay in control of myself and recognize that most of the venom is not really directed at me.  I just happen to be the one who is there when it starts.  In addition, I would rather be the brunt of it than someone on staff. 

The more time you spend among kids, the less discipline problems you have.  On the days when I can be in the hallways and the classrooms, whether to observe or to simply interact, I've discovered that the number of referrals go down.  By being out and about, I am able to stop a lot of issues before they begin. Of course, my ultimate goal is to help students learn to self correct and take care of their problems before they escalate, in the meantime, this strategy works.

Listening is a key function of the position.  When I am out and about, I make time to stop and talk to students and staff as much as possible.  Often this is only cursory conversation, but every once in a while someone will open up and share their thoughts and concerns.  In  doing so, I am able to encourage them or maybe lead them in the direction of a solution.  I might also be able to stop a fight before it starts or get a new perspective on a problem.  In the office, I have to listen carefully to students, especially those who are in for discipline referrals.  Most times, they know that they have done wrong, but they just want someone to listen to them.  In doing so, we can often work together to develop a solution to problem behavior instead of simply apply a punishment.  Parents also need someone to listen to them.  They may be having the same problems with the kids that we are and are at their wits end.  In this case, providing a nonjudgmental listening ear may be just what they need.  As a classroom teacher, I didn't feel as though I had as much time to listen as I would have liked.  I had lessons to deliver and results to achieve.  Now that I'm in the office, I realize that, had I listened more, I might have been even more successful. 

Education is the greatest job on Earth.  Of course, I knew this already, but it is even more vivid now that I can see things from a broader perspective. As an administrator and leader, I get to influence the lives of hundreds of people both for now and potentially for years to come. How many other professions can make that claim?  At the same time, I realize the great responsibility that has been placed on me and my colleagues.  I must be prepared to do what is right for every child every day and ensure that each is able to be as successful as possible while under my watch.  What a great responsibility and privilege!!!!