As Much As It Takes

Another amazing day of learning, sharing and eating too much.  The morning was full of intense discussions about the hot topics in education right now: reform, the Common Core, teacher evaluations teacher value in America and how our voice can have an impact.   Janice Poda from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) spoke to us about the State of the States.  She shared a little about Gates Foundation MET (Measures of Effective Teaching Project) Report and how it was eye opening in terms of what works for teacher evaluation as well as student assessment.  I immediately downloaded it - but haven't gotten used to reading 40 pages on a computer yet - so I will be posting my reflections on this later!  Peter McWalters, a fellow Rochesterian, and also a consultant for CCSSO, was gritty in his discussion of where we are headed in education, I found this refreshing.  He highlighted that there have been years of reform movements in the US, but they have all been impulse techniques.  Now we have come fill circle and we are realizing "Its the teacher....stupid."  Meaning what really makes a difference in our student and school successes is the teacher in the classroom.  One might jump to say that if there are failing schools and students then the teacher should be removed.  On the contrary, "we can't fire away to Finland" as Peter states, but rather work to improve what we have.  Each one of us sitting in the audience represents the best in our state, yet we all know and feel that we have so much to learn and improve on.  We ALL as educators need to be on a continuous improvement model to better serve our students.   What does continuous improvement mean exactly?  Well, one of my peers compared it so eloquently to updating the apps on your iPhone.  You continually do it, not because the older app is bad or wrong, but to improve slightly on the model that is there.  You don't throw out the app, you simply update it.  Teacher evaluation should be based on a continuous improvement model.  Just as we work to take each of our students and move them forward in their learning and assess their progress, we should take ourselves forward as well. Scott Palmer of Education Counsel, LLC, pointed out that we can't reform education in a way that is "anti-teacher."

Since his focus is educational policy in Washington D.C., Scott spent a lot of time discussing the Common Core standards.  I listened quite intently during this conversation that has been coming up again and again during our conference.  As of today, 45 states have adopted the Common Core standards set up by the CCSSO and the State Governors.  Alaska is one of the 5 that has not!  For better or worse, Alaska is quite a diverse and independent state that feels the Common Core doesn't meet the needs of our students.  However, I am left wondering what that means for us.  Where will we settle out in the long term?  Will we be slighted from funding for not jumping on board, will we lose opportunities for our students, will our students be comparable with other states?  I look forward to hunting down Minnesota, Virginia an Texas to hear their thoughts since they are also opting out.

Scott also spoke about the lack of value for education in the US compared to other countries and that it was a cultural norm.  I immediately wondered if a paradigm shift was necessary.  I say we should just get away from the word "education," since it seems to be such an impassioned term and let us substitute the word knowledge.  How can anyone deny the value of knowledge?  Let us be the "facilitators of knowledge" for our youth and for each other!

After our postprandial depression (a.k.a food coma), the day shifted to learning about our year of opportunity.  Just the mere mention of our Washington trip and I get goose bumps.  We are tentatively scheduled for April 23rd-27th, but being an election year that could change at a moments notice, so no plane tickets yet.  We then heard that the most exciting and sleepless week of our year will be in Alabama in July at Space Camp.  We will get to experience weightlessness (and a lot of vomiting I imagine).  An unexpected surprise was a special invite to the Education Commission of the States National Forum in Georgia in early July.  We are all invited to share in workshops on education policy and reform and that is an exciting opportunity.  Instead of being spoken to, we will get to use our voices to lead transformation. 

Sarah Brown Wessling then shared a wonderful resource that I am excited to share with all my fellow educators, the Teacher Channel.  You are probably saying, "oh, I have already been there, its teacher tube."  But it is so much more!  It is a non-profit organization that works to video inspiring and effective teachers in their classrooms.  There are a variety of videos, but what I love most is that there are a variety of uncut videos as well.  Seeing real teachers in their classes that aren't perfect, just like our own.  I have always said that my dream professional development would be to take a year off and attend classrooms around the state and country in all content areas and grade levels so that I could truly learn how to be a better teacher.   Obviously that will have to remain a dream, but I feel this resource really gets me a step closer.  I have only watched a few videos but I recommend sifting through it, its enlightening!

After all this writing you would think my day would be over, that just brought us to 3pm!  We boarded buses at 5:30 and drove to Dealey Plaza, the site of the JFK assassination.  It was a somber spot for a dinner, in the floor above where Lee Harvey Oswald fired his shot.  The somber mood was quickly turned around by the beautiful sunset, the amazing food and the surprised and overjoyed faces of my colleagues as they learned about the University of Phoenix, Teach It Forward scholarship we get to give away to a student of a our choice.  It has everyone abuzz as we end for the evening, what a life changing gift we get to give.

What stuck with me the most today was a quote from George W. Bush.  If you know me, you are probably very confused that a quote from Bush was meaningful to me.  When asked many years ago about how much the war on terrorism was going to cost us, President Bush replied, "As much as it takes."  I would like to apply that quote to education.  First of all, can you imagine if our government or our country had that perspective on education?  How much will it cost to turn our schools around and not leave any child behind?  Shouldn't the answer be, "as much as it takes?"  How much should we as educators be willing to do to turn our profession into the most respected in the country?  Shouldn't the answer be, "as much as it takes?"  How much am I willing to do to have a positive impact on my students and help them move forward in their learning.  The answer is, as much as it takes!