How has your definition of curriculum been shaped by the course readings and discussions? How and why has your definition of curriculum changed?
When I started this course, six weeks ago, I thought I knew how to define curriculum. I remember in my posting asking the question “Is it what the State wants our students to learn or is it what we want them to learn?” I did not know that there were so many different definitions for curriculum. Posner defines curriculum as that “which gives the basic lesson to be followed, and includes objectives, sequence, and materials. This is the curriculum upon which accountability is based.” Glathorn defines curriculum as that which is “found in written guides, lesson units, and scope and sequence documents.” The Partnership for 21st Century defines curriculum as, “essentially a design, or roadmap for learning, and as such focuses on knowledge and skills that are judged important to learn.”
I felt that these were all starting points in defining the idea on which curriculum is based. However, as I progressed through the course, I realized curriculum is more than just a roadmap and that what these definitions omit is something essential to the concept that is the substantial planning that goes into that document that teachers use in the classroom
It is clear that there are three essential elements that make up a curriculum: the written, the taught, and the tested. It is also evident that all three work in tandem. The written curriculum is the information in curriculum guides, state standards documents, and textbooks. The taught curriculum is what is actually taught by the teacher in the classroom, while the tested curriculum is the knowledge and understanding we assess. All three parts must be in harmony with each other so that the teacher knows what to teach, how to teach, and how to assess the students. I have come to understand that in order for the curriculum to be successful, when writing the plan there must be collaboration between teachers and the curriculum writers.
It is also clear as the world changes we must be flexible about how the curriculum will guide our students in the contemporary world. The Partnership for 21st Century calls on school: “to adopt a 21st century curriculum that blends thinking and innovation skills, information, media, and ICT literacy; and life and career skills in context of core academic subjects and across interdisciplinary themes” and “to employ methods of 21st century instruction that integrate innovative and research-proven teaching strategies, modern learning technologies, and real world resources and contexts.
Upon reflection I have come to understand the importance of preparing our students for the world in which they must live and how we must tailor our instruction to make them more successful in that world. We again confront new challenges in the composition of what makes for the best curriculum. As I was reading our local paper, The Maryland Independent, I can across a very interesting article titled; High-tech teaching tools offer options for schools: http://www.somdnews.com/stories/02182011/indytop172159_32398.shtml
It describes how technology is helping a Title 1 school in Charles County, Maryland to help disadvantaged students.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Individual Reflection Log-Week 6
As a school administrator and instructional leader, what instructional technology would you expect to see in the written, taught, and tested curriculum of a school or school district striving to meet the needs of 21st century learners?
As an administrator or instructional leader, I would make sure that the teachers are inserting technology in their everyday lessons. In the written curriculum, I would expect to see specific links that attach themselves to the concepts being taught. One such site especially useful for the reading curriculum is Discovery Education. Through Discovery Education’s United Streaming, students get information on a specific topic. Another excellent tool is Safari Montage which relates to topics being taught. There are reading websites such as myskillstutor, to help with reading comprehension. There are math websites, such as FASSTMath, aaamath, and first in math to help with solving word problems. Also valuable is Pete’s PowerPoint Station which offers teachers power points on specific topics.
In the taught curriculum the teacher has to take the information that is written and apply it to the lesson being taught. The absence of the links would require the teacher in order to make the lesson whole to do a great deal of research to prepare the lesson. As an administrator I would review how all the technological elements are woven together to enhance learning.
In the tested curriculum, I would expect assessments to determine whether the students use technology to grasp the concepts. To determine this, mapping software, mapskills concepts science skills and the worldwide web could be harnessed. It is my belief that technology when used properly can greatly enhance students who are visual learners with conceptual learning.
What instructional technology would you promote to differentiate instruction for all learners? Consider some of the tools and strategies outlined in the Jacobs' text.
Stewart in her article states that: “For the first time in history, our students have the capacity to produce high-quality products that rival those of a professional production company.”
(p.126) It is important that when we use technology, we are using it to help the students understand the concept. Blogs are an especially good use of technology for differentiated instruction. Blogs, I have found, are most helpful in encouraging students to articulate their ideas and through their use their thoughts are expressed more vibrantly Similarly iTunes are useful in helping students to understand music better. They listen to the stories, the rhythm, and the way beats are put together.
Baker states: “In the 21st century, “text” and “literacy” are not limited to words on the page They also apply to still and moving images, such as photographs, television, and film.” He goes on to say that being literate today means understanding wikis, blogs, nings, digital media, and other emerging technologies. (p. 133) All these tools can help with differentiated instruction by giving the students ownership of their own work.
Another piece of technology that would be helpful is the Digital Portfolio. Digital Portfolio allows students to showcase their work. As they move through the year the collect artifacts and add them to their portfolios. By year’s end they will have produced a piece of work of which they can be proud, something which is meaningful to them.
What instructional technology would you promote to differentiate instruction for all learners? Consider some of the tools and strategies outlined in the Jacobs' text.
Stewart in her article states that: “For the first time in history, our students have the capacity to produce high-quality products that rival those of a professional production company.”
(p.126) It is important that when we use technology, we are using it to help the students understand the concept. Blogs are an especially good use of technology for differentiated instruction. Blogs, I have found, are most helpful in encouraging students to articulate their ideas and through their use their thoughts are expressed more vibrantly Similarly iTunes are useful in helping students to understand music better. They listen to the stories, the rhythm, and the way beats are put together.
Baker states: “In the 21st century, “text” and “literacy” are not limited to words on the page They also apply to still and moving images, such as photographs, television, and film.” He goes on to say that being literate today means understanding wikis, blogs, nings, digital media, and other emerging technologies. (p. 133) All these tools can help with differentiated instruction by giving the students ownership of their own work.
Another piece of technology that would be helpful is the Digital Portfolio. Digital Portfolio allows students to showcase their work. As they move through the year the collect artifacts and add them to their portfolios. By year’s end they will have produced a piece of work of which they can be proud, something which is meaningful to them.
Baker writes, “Unfortunately, many K-12 educators have yet to realize the benefits of teaching students with and about non-print media, what is today recognized as an important part of ‘media literacy.’” (p.133) Teachers need to become aware of the vast and changing array of technology that is coming available to them. By selectively incorporating the most relevant of those technologies into their teaching, they will have acquired powerful new tools to assist them in making instruction more interesting to students and to enabling students to become more proficient.
References:
Jacobs, H. H. (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World. Alexandria, Virginia : ASCD.
As an administrator or instructional leader, I would make sure that the teachers are inserting technology in their everyday lessons. In the written curriculum, I would expect to see specific links that attach themselves to the concepts being taught. One such site especially useful for the reading curriculum is Discovery Education. Through Discovery Education’s United Streaming, students get information on a specific topic. Another excellent tool is Safari Montage which relates to topics being taught. There are reading websites such as myskillstutor, to help with reading comprehension. There are math websites, such as FASSTMath, aaamath, and first in math to help with solving word problems. Also valuable is Pete’s PowerPoint Station which offers teachers power points on specific topics.
In the taught curriculum the teacher has to take the information that is written and apply it to the lesson being taught. The absence of the links would require the teacher in order to make the lesson whole to do a great deal of research to prepare the lesson. As an administrator I would review how all the technological elements are woven together to enhance learning.
In the tested curriculum, I would expect assessments to determine whether the students use technology to grasp the concepts. To determine this, mapping software, mapskills concepts science skills and the worldwide web could be harnessed. It is my belief that technology when used properly can greatly enhance students who are visual learners with conceptual learning.
What instructional technology would you promote to differentiate instruction for all learners? Consider some of the tools and strategies outlined in the Jacobs' text.
Stewart in her article states that: “For the first time in history, our students have the capacity to produce high-quality products that rival those of a professional production company.”
(p.126) It is important that when we use technology, we are using it to help the students understand the concept. Blogs are an especially good use of technology for differentiated instruction. Blogs, I have found, are most helpful in encouraging students to articulate their ideas and through their use their thoughts are expressed more vibrantly Similarly iTunes are useful in helping students to understand music better. They listen to the stories, the rhythm, and the way beats are put together.
Baker states: “In the 21st century, “text” and “literacy” are not limited to words on the page They also apply to still and moving images, such as photographs, television, and film.” He goes on to say that being literate today means understanding wikis, blogs, nings, digital media, and other emerging technologies. (p. 133) All these tools can help with differentiated instruction by giving the students ownership of their own work.
Another piece of technology that would be helpful is the Digital Portfolio. Digital Portfolio allows students to showcase their work. As they move through the year the collect artifacts and add them to their portfolios. By year’s end they will have produced a piece of work of which they can be proud, something which is meaningful to them.
What instructional technology would you promote to differentiate instruction for all learners? Consider some of the tools and strategies outlined in the Jacobs' text.
Stewart in her article states that: “For the first time in history, our students have the capacity to produce high-quality products that rival those of a professional production company.”
(p.126) It is important that when we use technology, we are using it to help the students understand the concept. Blogs are an especially good use of technology for differentiated instruction. Blogs, I have found, are most helpful in encouraging students to articulate their ideas and through their use their thoughts are expressed more vibrantly Similarly iTunes are useful in helping students to understand music better. They listen to the stories, the rhythm, and the way beats are put together.
Baker states: “In the 21st century, “text” and “literacy” are not limited to words on the page They also apply to still and moving images, such as photographs, television, and film.” He goes on to say that being literate today means understanding wikis, blogs, nings, digital media, and other emerging technologies. (p. 133) All these tools can help with differentiated instruction by giving the students ownership of their own work.
Another piece of technology that would be helpful is the Digital Portfolio. Digital Portfolio allows students to showcase their work. As they move through the year the collect artifacts and add them to their portfolios. By year’s end they will have produced a piece of work of which they can be proud, something which is meaningful to them.
Baker writes, “Unfortunately, many K-12 educators have yet to realize the benefits of teaching students with and about non-print media, what is today recognized as an important part of ‘media literacy.’” (p.133) Teachers need to become aware of the vast and changing array of technology that is coming available to them. By selectively incorporating the most relevant of those technologies into their teaching, they will have acquired powerful new tools to assist them in making instruction more interesting to students and to enabling students to become more proficient.
References:Jacobs, H. H. (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World. Alexandria, Virginia : ASCD.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Individual Reflection
I believe that the purpose of a school and my place in it as a teacher is to provide the knowledge that will enrich the lives of students and to make learning a continuous process for them while expanding their imaginations to enable them to appreciate the many things life has to offer.
Reading and math are the critical subjects. They are the doorway to all other learning. They are the essential tools that students will need throughout their lives. A well-rounded student will also have to know history in order to learn from the past and have some concept on where our present is leading us. Further, in order to be good citizens it is important for students to have some knowledge of civics to understand their role in society. It is also desirable for students to know something about science in an age when technology is so important in everyday life. It is also my belief that a well educated student needs some exposure to art and music.
It’s been my experience that my students’ learning has been enriched greatly by field trips to cultural institutions. An especially powerful experience my class had was on the occasion of our field trip to the National Museum of the American Indian where they gained powerful insights into the many cultures of Native Americans.
In addition to learning concepts, students should be aware of how those concepts apply or are useful to us in everyday life. For example when learning math, students should be aware of the importance of understanding the use of money in the supermarket; of being aware of price and affordability of products they use; they should be able to calculate the amount of time it takes to run a mile or to drive to Baltimore or Washington from home in a given speed.
It troubles me when a sixth grader does not know basic multiplication or division facts. I see every day in class how students cannot solve math problems because they do not know these basic math facts. The other day I gave my sixth grade students a blank multiplication chart like the one below:
Reading and math are the critical subjects. They are the doorway to all other learning. They are the essential tools that students will need throughout their lives. A well-rounded student will also have to know history in order to learn from the past and have some concept on where our present is leading us. Further, in order to be good citizens it is important for students to have some knowledge of civics to understand their role in society. It is also desirable for students to know something about science in an age when technology is so important in everyday life. It is also my belief that a well educated student needs some exposure to art and music.
It’s been my experience that my students’ learning has been enriched greatly by field trips to cultural institutions. An especially powerful experience my class had was on the occasion of our field trip to the National Museum of the American Indian where they gained powerful insights into the many cultures of Native Americans.
In addition to learning concepts, students should be aware of how those concepts apply or are useful to us in everyday life. For example when learning math, students should be aware of the importance of understanding the use of money in the supermarket; of being aware of price and affordability of products they use; they should be able to calculate the amount of time it takes to run a mile or to drive to Baltimore or Washington from home in a given speed.
It troubles me when a sixth grader does not know basic multiplication or division facts. I see every day in class how students cannot solve math problems because they do not know these basic math facts. The other day I gave my sixth grade students a blank multiplication chart like the one below:
I was surprised to see how many had difficulty completing the chart in the allotted time. This made me realize that they did not have the skills supposedly learned in previous years to successfully perform this task.
Reading is a key to all other learning and success in life. I am always aware of my students’ reading levels. I test my students by using Formative Assessments written by the County, and the Scholastic Reading Inventory Test to gauge their progress. However, I have some doubts that this is really a fully accurate measure of a student’s ability to read. As a child, I was encouraged to read by my parents and as a result developed a love of reading. Based on my own experience, I am convinced that without the incentives to read that I was provided with, I would not have pursued reading with such enthusiasm. In my own class I attempt to provide incentives to my students. We have a very attractive class library from which the students choose reading material each day for our 15 minutes of silent reading in class. I try to encourage parents to understand how important it is to stimulate their children’s to become readers. I find that when we are on the same wave length, I can make substantial progress.
If I were to use one of the five narratives from Postman, I would say that my job is like;
Word weavers/word makers
• Language is the driving force of what makes us human
• The purpose of schooling is to provide students with the mastery of language (Postman, pp.17-19)
Reading is a key to all other learning and success in life. I am always aware of my students’ reading levels. I test my students by using Formative Assessments written by the County, and the Scholastic Reading Inventory Test to gauge their progress. However, I have some doubts that this is really a fully accurate measure of a student’s ability to read. As a child, I was encouraged to read by my parents and as a result developed a love of reading. Based on my own experience, I am convinced that without the incentives to read that I was provided with, I would not have pursued reading with such enthusiasm. In my own class I attempt to provide incentives to my students. We have a very attractive class library from which the students choose reading material each day for our 15 minutes of silent reading in class. I try to encourage parents to understand how important it is to stimulate their children’s to become readers. I find that when we are on the same wave length, I can make substantial progress.
If I were to use one of the five narratives from Postman, I would say that my job is like;
Word weavers/word makers
• Language is the driving force of what makes us human
• The purpose of schooling is to provide students with the mastery of language (Postman, pp.17-19)
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Individual Reflection
For the post observation we sat in Ms. M’s class. We were surrounded by student work, anchor charts, and a wall just for the students’ work.
We sat across from each other as I conducted the post-observation. During the conference Ms. M was very energetic, did not hem or haw and answered all my questions like a pro. I started by asking her what she thought went right or wrong with her lesson and if there was anything she would have changed. Her answer was nothing. She was working on her vocabulary lesson, “Bringing Words to Life”; a power point that illustrates the high frequency vocabulary words of the story to be used was all planned out and had a reinforcement activity back at their desks to work on. The students were energetic and had been taught well how to go back to their seats and work on the reinforcement page of their vocabulary words.
She explained to them what was expected of them.
We were very comfortable. It was evident working with her that she was very comfortable with herself. During her observation, she was very involved with the students and enjoyed what she was doing. She was well prepared and her instruction showed it. The students were also very engaged with the lesson.
One area that I thought could be improved is giving the students a little more time to answer her questions about the vocabulary words. I feel she could have used a timer and given them a specific amount of time to turn and talk about the vocabulary words. One area that I was really impressed with was the use of hand motions to show the students when to come back together after discussing. Another aspect that I was impressed with was the use of a bell to get the students to calm down and come back together.
I used the pre-observation conference focus sheet of the Charlotte Danielson Frame Work for Teachers. It gave me insight into her class.
I was constantly praising her for the way she went about the lesson and how she had control of her students. Talking with the teacher, I could see that she was very confident of the way she presented her lesson.
In conclusion, I was very impressed with Ms. M’s lesson and I would recommend that she continues the same way in the future. While I was doing the post-observation I felt that I was encouraging her at times to continue to teach the material the way she was. I did encourage her to give her students more time or set a time limit when the students turn and share their answers. There was a collaborative approach with Ms. M on how she can improve her lesson. I feel this is important because as a novice teacher, she can benefit from other ideas.
We sat across from each other as I conducted the post-observation. During the conference Ms. M was very energetic, did not hem or haw and answered all my questions like a pro. I started by asking her what she thought went right or wrong with her lesson and if there was anything she would have changed. Her answer was nothing. She was working on her vocabulary lesson, “Bringing Words to Life”; a power point that illustrates the high frequency vocabulary words of the story to be used was all planned out and had a reinforcement activity back at their desks to work on. The students were energetic and had been taught well how to go back to their seats and work on the reinforcement page of their vocabulary words.
She explained to them what was expected of them.
We were very comfortable. It was evident working with her that she was very comfortable with herself. During her observation, she was very involved with the students and enjoyed what she was doing. She was well prepared and her instruction showed it. The students were also very engaged with the lesson.
One area that I thought could be improved is giving the students a little more time to answer her questions about the vocabulary words. I feel she could have used a timer and given them a specific amount of time to turn and talk about the vocabulary words. One area that I was really impressed with was the use of hand motions to show the students when to come back together after discussing. Another aspect that I was impressed with was the use of a bell to get the students to calm down and come back together.
I used the pre-observation conference focus sheet of the Charlotte Danielson Frame Work for Teachers. It gave me insight into her class.
I was constantly praising her for the way she went about the lesson and how she had control of her students. Talking with the teacher, I could see that she was very confident of the way she presented her lesson.
In conclusion, I was very impressed with Ms. M’s lesson and I would recommend that she continues the same way in the future. While I was doing the post-observation I felt that I was encouraging her at times to continue to teach the material the way she was. I did encourage her to give her students more time or set a time limit when the students turn and share their answers. There was a collaborative approach with Ms. M on how she can improve her lesson. I feel this is important because as a novice teacher, she can benefit from other ideas.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Room Arrangements
This past week I became more aware of different room arrangements in the school in which I teach. Unlike the common classroom arrangement which I experienced as a child where walls set classroom boundaries, my school is an open area school where we “build” our classrooms out of furniture. The following image of the entry way to our Area III illustrates how bookcases and blackboards serve to demarcate classroom boundaries. To the right and left of this entry way there are two Fifth Grade Special Needs classrooms and two Sixth Grade general education classrooms.
At my school we have a large Special Needs population. One Special Needs teacher chose to arrange desks in her room clustered in groups of five. The second teacher in this classroom placed her desk in the back of the room. The students’s desks were close to the front of the room. I found that this arrangment made it difficult for me to navigate around these clustered desks to get to the board. There was a round table where small group instruction was held. I would say that this classroom was arranged in a very traditinal way. In the Special Needs classroom, the computers were set along the far wall. They were easily accessible to the students; however, I found that because of the crowding of desks students did not have adequate room to work.
In a First Grade class, the teacher had set up her classroom with long tables in a traditional manner. As is illustrated in the image below, there is spaciousness in this classroom that makes student learning very comfortable. This classroom is easy to move around in for both students and teacher and allows students to work well collaboratively. In addition to the work areas, the teacher had an area where she did her group work.
At my school we have a large Special Needs population. One Special Needs teacher chose to arrange desks in her room clustered in groups of five. The second teacher in this classroom placed her desk in the back of the room. The students’s desks were close to the front of the room. I found that this arrangment made it difficult for me to navigate around these clustered desks to get to the board. There was a round table where small group instruction was held. I would say that this classroom was arranged in a very traditinal way. In the Special Needs classroom, the computers were set along the far wall. They were easily accessible to the students; however, I found that because of the crowding of desks students did not have adequate room to work.
In a First Grade class, the teacher had set up her classroom with long tables in a traditional manner. As is illustrated in the image below, there is spaciousness in this classroom that makes student learning very comfortable. This classroom is easy to move around in for both students and teacher and allows students to work well collaboratively. In addition to the work areas, the teacher had an area where she did her group work.
Another classroom had an area set up for cooperative learning. I found this area very hard to navigate because of the proximity of furniture in the room. The seating arrangement was cramped making it difficult for students to concentrate on their own work. It would be difficult to supervise students at this reading center because of the lack of room. However, when I compared it to another classroom, I noted that the computers were easier to access and that the small group center was more conducive to student learning.
My own classroom is arranged in a U shape with an entrance for me to get to my work table. My desk located in the back of the room in the left hand corner.
I also have a long table in the back of the room which I use when working with small groups in reading and math. I find that this arrangement makes for a spaciousness that allows me to reach students easily and keeps students’ concentration on their own work at a maximum. I have used this classroom arrangement for the past two years. I am one of the few teachers in the building that is fortunate enough to have a window in my teaching space.
The way teachers arrange their classrooms should be a personal choice. However, teachers should know what works for other teachers and be flexible enough to change classroom arrangements if they do not seem to working in the way intended. Whatever choice a teacher makes, the classroom should have an inviting climate to encourage student learning. It is imperative to avoid crowding. There should be ample space between students’ desks, special work areas, and computer stations, providing for an easy movement from one area to another. Colleagues told me that within the different classroom arrangements, they provide special seating for students who need to be closer to the board for reasons of hearing or seeing, and for those students who need closer proximity to the teacher’s desk because of behavioral problems.
Last year our school received 2.1 million dollars from the State of Maryland for classroom renovations which included putting up walls to separate classes. Although it has been decided to go ahead with these renovations, to this date there has been no action taken. The putting of walls would change in a dramatic way our teaching styles. Principal and teachers are waiting eagerly for this change to come about and replace the open space.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Change
Change: Based on your understanding of the Marzano reading, which of the 21 responsibilities and day-to-day management of a school are most necessary for second-order change? How does the complexity of second order change demand a very thoughtful and flexible administrator?
In chapter five, Two Types of change, Marzano lays out seven steps to be successful in second order change:
1. Knowledge of Curriculum, instruction, and Assessment-The principal has to be aware of what the curriculum is asking for, know what the instructional and assessment practices are of then innovation and provide guidance where necessary.
2. Optimizer-The principal has to be able to force behind the innovation and believe that his/her staff will follow.
3. Intellectual Stimulation-Being able teach the staff what he or she knows about the innovation.
4. Change Agent-The principal is able to challenge the status quo.
5. Monitoring/Evaluating-He/she is constantly watching and checking for the work being done.
6. Flexibility-Being able to put his/her input into the discussion when needed
7. Ideals and beliefs-That the innovation is based on their beliefs.
I feel that these seven second order changes are important because no principal can be successful if they have to use all twenty one of the first order.
It is interesting to look back at the week two Balanced Report that I took. When I got my results, I was surprised that I fell into second order. It was an interesting exercise and it showed me how hard it is to run a school day after day. One area that I scored low on was flexibility. I have to learn how listen to staff and be able to listen to other ideas.
An administrator in my opinion has to be able to listen to his/her staff and take their ideas to be successful. Running a day to day operation is not easy and to borrow a nautical term it “takes all hands on deck” to be successful. Marzano states that “When involved in the day-to-day first-order changes and corrections that face a school faces, the school leader must attend to all 21 responsibilities as regular of managing the school. When involved in second-order change initiatives that are dramatic departures from the past, the leader must emphasize 7 responsibilities.” (Marzano 2005) It is the dramatic departure from the norm that makes it difficult.
In chapter five, Two Types of change, Marzano lays out seven steps to be successful in second order change:
1. Knowledge of Curriculum, instruction, and Assessment-The principal has to be aware of what the curriculum is asking for, know what the instructional and assessment practices are of then innovation and provide guidance where necessary.
2. Optimizer-The principal has to be able to force behind the innovation and believe that his/her staff will follow.
3. Intellectual Stimulation-Being able teach the staff what he or she knows about the innovation.
4. Change Agent-The principal is able to challenge the status quo.
5. Monitoring/Evaluating-He/she is constantly watching and checking for the work being done.
6. Flexibility-Being able to put his/her input into the discussion when needed
7. Ideals and beliefs-That the innovation is based on their beliefs.
I feel that these seven second order changes are important because no principal can be successful if they have to use all twenty one of the first order.
It is interesting to look back at the week two Balanced Report that I took. When I got my results, I was surprised that I fell into second order. It was an interesting exercise and it showed me how hard it is to run a school day after day. One area that I scored low on was flexibility. I have to learn how listen to staff and be able to listen to other ideas.
An administrator in my opinion has to be able to listen to his/her staff and take their ideas to be successful. Running a day to day operation is not easy and to borrow a nautical term it “takes all hands on deck” to be successful. Marzano states that “When involved in the day-to-day first-order changes and corrections that face a school faces, the school leader must attend to all 21 responsibilities as regular of managing the school. When involved in second-order change initiatives that are dramatic departures from the past, the leader must emphasize 7 responsibilities.” (Marzano 2005) It is the dramatic departure from the norm that makes it difficult.
Culture
Culture: What impact does the creation of a positive school culture have on school reform?
“A school culture influences the ways people think, feel, and act.” (Peterson n.d.) School culture is very important in many ways. One way is making the school an inviting and welcoming place. Without a positive school culture, school reform would be very hard. The students, teachers and administration have to work together to make a school an interesting place to grow and learn. My school is divided into different areas. My area is Area III where there are two sixth grade content area teachers, and two students with disabilities teachers. When I walked into the area, the color on the bulletin boards and the teachers rooms makes me smile, I was happy to be there. I feel, just Area III, we have a positive culture for the kids to learn in.
I feel school culture and school reform go hand in hand. In the SEDAL Voices from the Field: Success in School Reform , the narrator states, “An environment of trust is vital for the risk taking that is not only inherent, but also encouraged in successful school reform programs. School leaders are often the most important people in setting the proper atmosphere for learning. They are called upon to listen and pay attention to what is happening at every level inside the school. Dr. Hord goes on to say, “Leaders are highly important in the establishment of a context for change. While they do not do all the work by themselves, what they do is to engage the staff with them in sharing a vision of where they want to go and how they're going to get there so that they learn together."
I feel you cannot have one without the other. In Marzano’s Doing the Right Work he quotes Elmore. Elmore states “that the school reform effort in the United States is plagued by falsehoods, one of which is that schools fail because teachers and administrators don’t work hard enough.” (Elmore 2003) This is where I feel a positive school culture comes in. Staff has to work together to be successful.
"Culture does not change because we desire to change it. Culture changes when the organization is transformed; the culture reflects the realities of people working together every day."Frances Hesselbein
The Key to Cultural Transformation, Leader to Leader (Spring 1999)
References:
Peterson.K.D. Positve or Negative. JSD Summer 2002 National Staff Development Council 15
Marzano R. Two Types of Change. School leadership that Works from Research to Results;
McREL 2005 Denver Colorado
SEDAL Voices from the Field
“A school culture influences the ways people think, feel, and act.” (Peterson n.d.) School culture is very important in many ways. One way is making the school an inviting and welcoming place. Without a positive school culture, school reform would be very hard. The students, teachers and administration have to work together to make a school an interesting place to grow and learn. My school is divided into different areas. My area is Area III where there are two sixth grade content area teachers, and two students with disabilities teachers. When I walked into the area, the color on the bulletin boards and the teachers rooms makes me smile, I was happy to be there. I feel, just Area III, we have a positive culture for the kids to learn in.
I feel school culture and school reform go hand in hand. In the SEDAL Voices from the Field: Success in School Reform , the narrator states, “An environment of trust is vital for the risk taking that is not only inherent, but also encouraged in successful school reform programs. School leaders are often the most important people in setting the proper atmosphere for learning. They are called upon to listen and pay attention to what is happening at every level inside the school. Dr. Hord goes on to say, “Leaders are highly important in the establishment of a context for change. While they do not do all the work by themselves, what they do is to engage the staff with them in sharing a vision of where they want to go and how they're going to get there so that they learn together."
I feel you cannot have one without the other. In Marzano’s Doing the Right Work he quotes Elmore. Elmore states “that the school reform effort in the United States is plagued by falsehoods, one of which is that schools fail because teachers and administrators don’t work hard enough.” (Elmore 2003) This is where I feel a positive school culture comes in. Staff has to work together to be successful.
"Culture does not change because we desire to change it. Culture changes when the organization is transformed; the culture reflects the realities of people working together every day."Frances Hesselbein
The Key to Cultural Transformation, Leader to Leader (Spring 1999)
References:
Peterson.K.D. Positve or Negative. JSD Summer 2002 National Staff Development Council 15
Marzano R. Two Types of Change. School leadership that Works from Research to Results;
McREL 2005 Denver Colorado
SEDAL Voices from the Field
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