Category: UCDSB

learning to lead, leading to learn (part 2/3)

8/20/2017

Welcome back to Flipping the Focus.

In the second post of this 3-part series, I will be sharing the culmination of my professional learning community (PLC) work done over the course of the last two years of informal leadership: Creating Dynamic & Collaborative Learning Communities in Education.

An introduction to this work is presented below. The full report, following the introduction, is presented in a document reader and has been attached as a pdf.

The foci for the posts in this 3-part series are as follows:

Part 1: My current position and learning regarding effective leadership (read more)
Part 2 (this post): Reporting on cycles of inquiry, co-leading a professional learning community (PLC), 2015-17
Part 3: Contemplating the future of/for school-level leadership

(This future piece of writing--Part 3--will most likely be broken down into two parts--both parts posted before the end of 2017. As I will be entering into a new leadership role in September (Learning Partner-Upper Canada DSB; helping to lead and support professional and student learning), I will be reflecting upon connections between my experiences and the competencies of Ontario's Leadership Framework.)

In advance, thank you for your readership and engagement in Flipping the Focus. I invite and encourage you to comment and provide feedback on the report provided: your contributions will help me along my journey into learning about the role of the principal and school-level leadership. Also, if something resonates with you, feel free to share your thinking, as it will contribute to the learning of others.

Thank you.

Sincerely & Collegially Yours,

Chris Stewart, OCT
Learning Partner-Upper Canada DSB, 2017-18

Report: Introduction to Creating Dynamic & Collaborative Learning Communities in Education

1.1-Innovation for Continuous School Improvement
Innovation. This is a term that continues to be espoused as an ingredient, vital to the continuous improvement of student learning. In fact, Fullan (2013) writes that “…when students experience innovative teaching practices, they are more likely to develop and demonstrate the skills needed for life and work.” And like many school districts (e.g., Upper Canada DSB), their mission is to prepare all students for a successful life.

It follows that not only should innovative teaching practices be defined, but that it is questioned as to how such practices can permeate school-level leadership (and teaching) for the benefit of professional educators and their students—ultimately, teachers and students need to make innovation their agenda.

When we consider innovative teaching practices, Hattie identifies several factors that have impact on improving teaching and learning (in Fullan, 2013). For example, teacher-related factors that result in better student performance include the following: expert knowledge and understanding of content, facilitating student learning to deeper outcomes, effective use of assessment (including guiding students to becoming better assessors of their own learning), paying attention to affective factors of learning, and validating impacts of teaching strategies on student learning.

With regards to Hattie’s research, it has been shown that teacher-related factors have the most profound effect on student learning, and to arrive at re-culturing school environments to embracing innovation, Robinson (2011) points to leaders having a significant impact. In fact, of the several actions that can be taken, leading teacher, professional learning is most important (effect size: 0.84) next to establishing goals/expectations and ensuring quality teaching (effect size: 0.42; both). And when leaders effectively engage in co-constructing conditions for teacher professional learning, Hargreaves has found that this dimension of school-level leadership has just as much impact upon student learning as teacher-related factors (presentation by Coulombe & Corlyon, 2017).

With this view on innovation in teaching and learning, and with district mandates for schools and professionals to consistently and effectively engage in continuous improvement, school administrators and teacher leaders have the important responsibility of not only mobilizing knowledge of these practices, but to earnestly work to culturing innovation in their schools. The larger question then, to help innovation permeate school culture, is...How?

How can school-level leadership work with their teachers to create a team-based approach to supporting and growing student engagement and achievement?

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developing through Assets: Initiating the School-based Flip to supporting Pl in mathematics

3/22/2015

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Welcome back to Flipping the Focus

In the last post, I shared some additional thoughts regarding digital leadership by sharing my developing experience with using the web-based, story-telling platform, Storify. Also, mathematics teacher, Kyle Pearce (Ministry-funded 1:1 project, Tap Into Teen Minds) shared his experiences with the pdf annotation tool, GoodNotes. You can access Kyle's comments, along with those made by others regarding other digital technology tools for the classroom, using the button provided (see right).

Today's post takes us into the realms and intersections of educational leadership, teacher professional learning, and of course, flipping our role from teacher to facilitator-collaborator. Throughout, I've inserted some prompts to consider information and/or to engage in reflection. If there are parts of this post which you're connecting with, are curious about, and/or have challenged your thinking/beliefs, please feel free to help build our community of professional learning by leaving a comment (comment button located at the end of this post).

TECH TOOLS

A) Taking Action: A Plan for Improving Mathematics Education

To get things started, let's consider the recently-released A) 2014-15 Mathematics Action Plan (Ontario Ministry of Education, January 2015) for improving Mathematics education in Ontario, some factors that have been identified as contributing to B) gaps in students' developing mathematical understanding, as well as some facets of C) educational leadership. Altogether, these works might lend themselves to helping frame our thinking around how we can be further D) innovative to helping derive student-centred learning that impacts engagement in school and achievement.

1-TRY THIS
If you haven't yet had a chance to take a look at the Action Plan, I've posted it below for your perusal.

Take Action: Having reflected upon the plan, consider sharing what has resonated with you and/or connections you've made to practice by commenting to this post.

According to Ontario's Deputy Minister of Education, "...increasing mathematics achievement will remain as the Ministry of Education's first student achievement priority." Deputy Zegarac also asks that each school board in Ontario continues to work with the Ministry to "...go deeper with ... shared efforts through the ... Action Plan."

If you've been a part of system- and/or school-based collaborative inquiries, then we might be able to connect readily to one of the three areas of support listed: increased in-service supports and professional pedagogical learning. And as far as the various practices that can be used to provide such supports, it is recognized that there is no single, best practice to support the plan for improving student achievement. In more detail, the increased professional pedagogical learning can be broken down into the following aspects: mathematics content knowledge for teaching, pedagogical knowledge, effective assessment, and deep knowledge of the mathematics curriculum.

Among the various conversations that I have had with other educators around the topic of professional learning in mathematics, it seems as though we are working towards deepening our shared understanding of the four aspects through problem solving and communication in mathematics, as they are "central to doing and learning mathematics" (EduGAINS).

Case Study: Junior Mathematics Study, Upper Canada DSB

For example and representative of Foundational Principle #4 (Support Collaborative Professional Learning in Mathematics) in the Upper Canada DSB, the Junior Mathematics Study serves to help focus professional educators' learning largely through the lens of what occurs 'at the student desk.' By supporting teacher learning through classroom inquiry, we are deepening our content, pedagogical, and curriculum knowledge concurrently. Let's consider what activities constitute one cycle* of support for professional learning.

As schools gather together for a co-facilitated study day**, the day generally begins with a sharing of what inquiries are being explored and/or questions that have been arising within and across school teams to build in 'flow' from one cycle to another and to help the family of schools build capacity and strengthen relationships.

Typically, and following this opening exercise, with problem solving and communication in mind (as they relate to the lesson prompts being shared with students that day), educators take some time to read and/or view videos (research/expert-based), dialogue and discuss connections of research to practice. With a broadened perspective coming from external frameworks, it's time to 'try on' some of the mathematics for ourselves. During this time, educators reflect upon how they have tackled the problem (various ways) and to anticipate how their students might approach such a problem.

Prior to any classroom experience, we review the rationale and importance of remaining within a descriptive mode of observation (City et al., 2009)--taking time to sit with pairs of students, documenting and allowing students some space to think mathematically.

The classroom experience, as facilitated by mathematics resource teachers, provides students and teachers an opportunity to consider the complexity of teaching and learning mathematics. Instructional moves, student voice, classroom community, assessment for learning, questioning, responsiveness, and helping students to consolidate their thinking to forming new knowledge and developing problem solving skills are a variety of pedagogical factors under consideration.

Following one or more classroom experiences on the study day, classroom experiences are debriefed--describing observations of student thinking, co-planning consolidation of student thinking, anchoring into curriculum, resources, and/or external frameworks. And as the end of the day of study draws to a close, the day is summarized and the group breaks into their school teams to reflect upon the day. School teams will also think about their first follow-up half-day*** and consider what their 'in-between' work might be (e.g., consider how the group's study can be aligned with school-based practices) leading up to the their second, half-day*** of collaborative study.

Graphic: The Upper Canada DSB Junior Math Study Cycle

Definitions:

*Cycle = One cycle is composed of one, full day of group study; followed by two half-days*** of study in each of the schools that form the group. There are 6 cycles of study over the course of a year.

**Study Day (co-facilitated) = 4 to 5 schools meet at a host school site ((average of 3 teachers + administrator)/school).

***Half-days (co-facilitated) = Each school receives two, additional half-days of support for math study in their respective schools. The first half-day allows the school to engage in the group lesson from the Study Day. The second half-day is differentiated to provide opportunities for schools to engage in additional activities to help support professional and student learning in mathematics.

B) Factors Contributing to Gaps in Practice and Student Learning

The sustained support of collaborative professional learning in mathematics, as exemplified across nine district school boards (EOSDN: Eastern Ontario Staff Development Network), is critical to transferring learning into teacher practice (Professor Don Klinger, Queen's University).

As a part of a presentation made to the Council of Directors of Education (i.e., on the day following the release of the 2014-15 Action Plan), Mary Jean Gallagher (Chief Student Achievement Officer, Assistant Deputy Minister, Student Achievement Division), brought forward "...hypotheses and supporting evidence regarding the causes contributing to declining mathematics performance, as measured by EQAO assessments in grades 3 and 6." The information provided was submitted by 110 knowledgeable others invited to share their expertise. Based on 44 submissions, five themes emerged from an analysis made by Ministry staff. The themes or "gaps" are as follows: Approach, Conceptual/Contextual, Engagement/Confidence, Measurement, and Curriculum/Resources.

2-TRY THIS
a) Take a moment to scroll through the following set of slides to familiarize yourself with the five themes ("gaps").

E.g., Upper Canada Connection: As evidenced by the success of the first year of our network of collaborative professional learning, I believe that we are engaging in a form of learning that has the potential to help professional educators work with/counter each of the gaps mentioned (above).

b) Try scrolling through the slides a second time. Think about how the professional learning and practice you're engaging in works to minimize these gap factors.

Take Action: Contribute your thinking by sharing through commenting to this post.

3-CONSIDER THIS
Alternatively, ...

is it possible that we might be able to see these factors as descriptions of assets...of partially-grasped ideas/plans in action?
Through sustained professional learning and transferring learning to practice, do we see these factors as themes for the development of the "instructional core?"

C) Educational Leadership

Thus far, much has been said about system-directed professional learning in mathematics, but as indicated in the 2014-15 Action Plan and in Paying Attention to Mathematics (K-12), the "instructional core" is also strengthened when instructional leadership, at the school-level, helps to foster high-quality teaching and learning. Through effective leadership, aligning school goals with systemic direction can further support a professional learning model that can counter the "gaps"/move learning forward by describing assets gained working through these themes.

As of late, something that I've been wondering about is what it takes to effectively lead strengthening of the instructional core.

What practices have the greatest impact on its improvement?

Recently, our team of mathematics facilitators was reviewing some of Viviane Robinson's (Academic Director, University of Auckland Centre of Educational Leadership) work (pictured below) regarding leadership practices that impact the quality of teaching and learning.

The graphic, below, indicates 5 dimensions of student-centred leadership--"leadership that makes a difference to the equity and excellence of student outcomes." Each of these dimensions impacts the development of high quality teaching and learning in schools. The second graphic depicts the effect size of each of these dimensions. Readily observable is the relatively larger effect size for "Leading teacher learning and development." Viviane describes this dimension as "[l]eadership that not only promotes but directly participates with teachers in formal or informal professional learning."

A Note on Effect Size: 0.4 is representative of the average impact/effect that one would expect to occur from one year of schooling.

As per this definition, "Leading teacher learning and development" has a significantly greater impact on student learning outcomes than any of the remaining dimensions.

4-CONSIDER THIS

Is this what you would expect? Why or why not?

TRY THIS

Have you had experiences that confirm this or otherwise? Consider sharing your expertise by commenting to this post.
For further reading about leadership that participates with teachers in professional learning, consider Principals as Co-learners: Supporting the Promise of Collaborative Inquiry

Graphic: Leadership Dimensions

Graphic: Effect Sizes for the Five Leadership Dimensions

Five Dimensions of Student-Centred Leadership (Robinson & Emstad)

D) Innovating Practice that Cultivates Student-Centred Learning

Giving consideration to going deeper with the provincial mathematics action plan to address the "gaps" identified and to the impact that leadership can have when leaders are not only promoting but directly participating with teachers, ...

What is it that we are doing/could be doing differently in our schools to help improve students' educational experience and achievement?
What can we innovate to meet the demands of transitioning to a practice that supports student-centred leadership and learning? And these demands are real and important to pay attention to. In fact, upon examination of a listing of Hattie's effect sizes, student-centred learning approaches (e.g., self-report grades, 1.44; acceleration, 0.88; meta-cognitive strategies, 0.69) seem to have an impact relatively greater to a variety of other approaches--approaches that we might categorize as being more teacher-driven.

In a September 2014 interview with Professionally Speaking, Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/University of Toronto, Michael Fullan, made a statement how project-based and flipped learning are strategies that could help students to further deepen their understanding.

In fact, there is a growing number of educators who are sharing their perspectives as to how flipped learning is not only transforming their practice but is resulting in increased student engagement, and in some cases, achievement (Bergmann & Sams, 2014; Flumerfelt & Green, 2013; Horn, 2013; Kim et al., 2014; McEvoy et al., 2014).
_______________________________________________________________________________

QUESTION
What is it about the flipped learning strategy that has educators and their students pushing the boundaries of teaching and learning and resulting in greater engagement and achievement?
________________________________________________________________________________

I believe the answer (as you might find through the references listed at the end of this post) lies in the manifestation of a shared and social endeavour (collaborative, purposeful learning)...a learning strategy that puts learning into the time and space of the student (autonomous, mastery learning)...and described by the Flipped Learning Network as ...

"... a pedagogical approach in which direct instruction moves from the group learning space to the individual learning space, and the resulting group space is transformed into a dynamic, interactive learning environment where the educator guides students as they apply concepts and engage creatively in the subject matter."

The dynamic and interactive nature of this learning environment is supported when students and teachers blend on-line with face-to-face learning components. The on-line component can involve video delivery of content and/or instruction; the face-to-face component, discussion feeding into and resulting from students engaging in collaborative problem solving.

Ultimately, flipped learning has the potential to reinforce student-centred learning—learning where students can interact with content at their own pace, in their own place and time, and work towards deepening their understanding. In my professional experience as a classroom teacher, I designed, implemented, sustained, and measured the outcomes of a flipped classroom model in a senior mathematics course (2013). Through the co-learning experience (i.e., with students), we refined the model so that it helped them to best meet their expectations of learning. For example, shortening instructional videos and providing templates for creating summaries were students' suggestions used in refining and renewing the process we were following.

E) Getting Started with Innovation

Alright. Where to begin?

The beginning or initiation might be to consider our own efficacy regarding planning and implementing a flipped classroom approach to differentiating the learning process for our students.

Sometimes, we need to have a variety of different types of experiences to feel that we can really impact student engagement and achievement by trying something new. As described by Bandura (1977), there are certain kinds of professional learning experiences that we need to experience to help impact student learning (and our own). These include vicarious, social persuasion, affective feedback, and mastery experiences.

vicarious experience = an experience that includes observing teachers and/or students 'trying on' something that is new to the observer
social persuasion = believing that one can try something new because others are trying it and experiencing some success (builds collective efficacy)
affective feedback = experiencing positive and encouraging feedback from students and/or colleagues (e.g., a student describing how helpful a particular technique was to their learning)
mastery experience = an experience where, having had an opportunity to practice/develop (possibly) a particular pedagogical strategy, an educator senses that there is 'flow' to a lesson, students are engaged and learning.

Co-pioneer of Flipped Learning, Jon Bergmann, hosts a radio show called "The FlipSide." Through the interviews that Jon conducts, various aspects of the flipped classroom are explored through the experiences of educators working through the model in their practice.

5-CONSIDER THIS
Below, I've included links to three podcasts and excerpted descriptions of each of them. This is but one way that we might readily, through this forum, gain some 'experience' (vicarious and/or social) with flipped learning. For instance, you might be wondering about the successes and/or challenges associated with the strategy.

Take Action:

Listen to any or all of the podcasts provided.
Having reflected upon these educators' experiences, consider sharing what has resonated with you and/or connections you've made to practice by commenting to this post.
Consider commenting about mindset also. Do you feel like there are some 'hurdles' that you'd have to clear before trying a flipped lesson, or do you feel like you'd be clearing 'hurdles' through the process of trying a flipped lesson?

Podcast: http://www.jackstreet.com/jackstreet/WFLP.Kirch.cfm

"Crystal Kirch is a high school math teacher from Southern California who has transformed her classes with a flipped learning model over the last three years. She enjoys sharing her journey with other educators through her blog, Flipping With Kirch (flippingwithkirch.blogspot.com) handle is @crystalkirch."

Podcast: http://www.jackstreet.com/jackstreet/WFLP.Meyer.cfm

"Amanda Meyer has been teaching High School students in rural Minnesota for over ten years. She employs aspects of project-based learning, inquiry, and flipped learning in her Biology, Anatomy, and College Biology classes."

Podcast: http://www.jackstreet.com/jackstreet/WFLP.avon.cfm

"Nicole Avon, twitter handle @AvonPhysics, teaches a Flipped Physics Class at Mars Area High School (site of FlipCon14), where she has been a teacher for 11 years."

In the "Take Action" activity (above), I provided a reflection prompt regarding how we might consider addressing challenges/clearing 'hurdles' with flipped learning. Recently, I got together with a few colleagues who are currently teaching Intermediate Mathematics (Grades 7 to 10) and who had expressed interest in learning about the strategy of flipped learning.

During the course of our discussion, we covered such themes as pedagogical approach, engagement, measurement, and curriculum/resources--these themes just so happen to be ;) the gap factors associated with the Provincial Action Plan and/or, if you like, themes/assets to guide improvement of the "instructional core."

You can see these themes in the first column of the table that I've provided below--"Innovating Towards Student-Centred Leadership: Learning through the 'Flip.'" The table summarizes the discussion, next steps, and lead change agent(s) for each next step.

Table-Innovating Towards Student-Centred Leadership: Learning through the 'Flip'

Upon examination of the discussion details (table, above and below), you can see that there are pedagogical and logistical challenges being highlighted. Under "Next Steps," resolutions or next steps have been proposed to seeing that the achievement factors are able to further impact student learning. Lastly, the final column lists those individuals who might have the most change influence to starting to move the learning (flipped) forward. For example, if we consider student engagement, then there is a shared leadership amongst teachers, administrators, and parents to helping create, implement, and sustain a successful flipped learning model.

6-CONSIDER THIS
If you take a second look at the final column of the table(s) above, you'll notice that teachers, administrators, and parents have a proposed role in helping to move learning forward. But...we're missing one critical element, or rather 'group' element, to more fully understanding the complexity of teaching and learning--our students!

Take Action: Alright...please share a few, final thoughts.

One more time, take a look at the themes, discussion, and next steps for any or all parts of the table. Where would you/how would you incorporate student voice/choice/input/leadership/etc so that you could list "students" as a group responsible for leading/influencing change?
If there doesn't seem to be a part of the table that fits your thinking about incorporating student leadership, what 'part' would you devise and why? Explain how you incorporate student leadership.

F) Some Concluding Thoughts

As this post has developed, we've had an opportunity to reflect upon improving the "instructional core" from a variety of perspectives--provincial-, system-, school-, and classroom-based perspectives--only to see the innovation of flipped learning fold back on/fold into where we started--an action plan for improving achievement in mathematics. I believe that the development of this post and the mention of using a blended model of learning (i.e., flipped learning) is consistent with this plan: "...as far as the various practices that can be used to provide such supports, it is recognized that there is no single, best practice to support the plan for improving student achievement" (2014-15 Mathematics Action Plan).

So what will it take to move us forward? Even if it's just one of us?

There is a shared responsibility around leading the 'charge,' but it appears as though building momentum can come from the following:

"increasing in-service supports and professional pedagogical learning" (Action Plan)
Let's add that the pedagogical learning is done through the lenses of problem solving and communication in mathematics (EduGAINS)
identifying and working with learning assets from the five themes: approach, conceptual/contextual, engagement/confidence, measurement, and curriculum/resources (Mary Jean Gallagher, Action Plan)
focusing leadership initiatives around teacher learning and development (Viviane Robinson)
To the leadership aspect, let's add that teacher learning and development is done through collaborative inquiry (Principals as Co-learners; sustained support to transfer learning into practice, Don Klinger-Queen's University)
Through effective leadership, let's cultivate innovation that puts student learning not only at the forefront but makes learning student-centred (Robinson, Hattie)
For culturing innovation, let's try a variety of approaches--inquiry-based, project-based, and flipped learning (Michael Fullan)
To see that flipped learning has an impact on student learning, we need to build our own efficacy...best done through collaboration and with support from others. And as part of the group of 'others,' let's not forget our most important audience and contributing collaborators--our students

Thanks, in advance, for your participation with Flipping the Focus.

Sincerely Yours,

Chris Stewart, OCT
Program Resource Teacher-Mathematics
Upper Canada DSB, Brockville, ON

G) References & Further Reading

Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2014). Flipped learning: Gateway to student engagement (1st ed., pp. 21-38). Eugene: ISTE

City, E. et al. (2009). Instructional rounds in education: A network approach to improving teaching and learning. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Education Press.

Flumerfelt, S., & Green, G. (2013). Using lean in the flipped classroom for at risk students. Educational Technology & Society, 16(1), 356-366. Retrieved January 27, 2015, from Academic Search Complete.

Hamdan, N., McKnight, P., McKnight, K., & Arfstrom, K. (n.d.). The flipped learning model: A white paper based on the literature review titled "a review of flipped learning". Retrieved from http://researchnetwork.pearson.com/wp-content/uploads/WhitePaper_FlippedLearning.pdf

Horn, M. (2013). The transformational potential of flipped classrooms: Different strokes for different folks. Education Next, 78-79.

Kim, S., Park, N., & Joo, K. (2014). Effects of flipped classroom based on smart learning on self-directed and collaborative learning. International Journal of Control and Automation, 7(12), 69-80. Retrieved January 27, 2015, from Academic Search Complete.

McEvoy, C. S., et al. (2014). Use of medical students in a flipped classroom programme in nutrition education for fourth grade school students. Health Education Journal, 1-9. Retrieved February 21, 2015, from hej.sagepub.com

Self-efficacy defined. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2015, from http://www.uky.edu/~eushe2/Bandura/BanEncy.html

What is Flipped Learning? (2014, March 12). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from
http://flippedlearning.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=92

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"Exploring & Sharing Digital Leadership" Gets an update

2/10/2015

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Introduction

Welcome back to Flipping the Focus.

In a previous post, I wrote about Exploring & Sharing Digital Leadership. In this post, I'd like to re-visit this topic with some news and an addition to a resource that will be helpful to teacher practice as follows:

Provide followers with a web-based 'capture' of some recent (Feb 7-15) professional learning that several Upper Canada DSB teachers and administrators took part in
An update to a shared, Google doc that provides a brief review of how teachers and students can interact with specific digital technologies to deepen learning

In the News: UCDSB Professional Learning

On Feb 7, UCDSB administrators, teachers, and Program staff took part in a Microsoft (MSFT) Education Summit hosted at Queen's University. The day focused on introducing Onenote basics, delivering an overview of Office 365, and providing several break-out sessions hosted by those who have been trying out these digital technologies in their schools.

Below, I have captured a few tweets from the day and added some captions using a web-based tool called Storify. With Storify, you can grab tweets, posts, pics, and more from the web, annotate, and organize them into a storyline. Once complete, you can share your story via social media, embed on your website, and/or export.

I'm happy to include this in this post so as to shed some light on the professional learning that was engaging for my colleagues and I, and I'm also pleased to be able to share some of my learning with what is a new web 2.0 tool for me--Storify!

This is, to me, part of the essence to Exploring & Sharing Digital Leadership. Through collaboration--sharing your own experiences with digital technologies and engaging in dialogue--we collectively stand to gain much towards helping our students. As motivational speaker, J.D. Cunningham (LearnStyle) explained at the Education Summit (Kingston, Feb 7-15), we're augmenting the learning students are doing by helping them identify digital technologies that match their learning preferences (i.e., styles).

This forum, along with many other blogs, can be great ways that we can collaborate. To account for the sharing of experiences, you can comment to this post (at the bottom of this post) and/or contribute to the shared, editable document (available here). As far as dialogue is concerned, commenting back-and-forth through this forum is but one means; another, involves posting tweets to Twitter using the hashtag #diglead. Questions and comments can also be directed to flippingthefocus@gmail.com--lots of ways to connect!

'Tapping into' GoodNotes: Sharing Digital Leadership

In an effort to extend my learning and ability to bring the learning of others about exploring and sharing digital leadership, I recently reached out to a new professional learning colleague, Kyle Pearce, to contribute to the shared, editable document that can support others in their journey to incorporating digital technologies into their practice.

Before going into his contribution, for which I am very thankful, I thought that I might take a moment to introduce Kyle to you. Kyle is a Mathematics teacher from the Greater Essex County District School Board, Apple Distinguished Educator and Trainer, as well as a Google Certified Teacher. In Greater Essex, he is also an Intermediate Math Coach and leading a Ministry-funded 1:1 iPad project called Tap Into Teen Minds.

In his 1:1 iPad class, Kyle's students use an app called GoodNotes (created by Time Base Technology, Ltd.)--a great tool for annotating PDFs. By clicking on the image below, you'll be taken to Kyle's comments. In those comments, there is a link to a posting that he has created to provide some GoodNotes to teachers and students.

Table-Digital Tools to Deepen Teaching & Learning

GoodNotes - 4

Shared, editable Google Doc highlighting the various ways that digital tools can be used to deepen student learning

In Closing ...

I hope that you have found this post not only informative but helpful in your journey towards helping students deepen their learning through the effective use of technology. If you have been using Storify, GoodNotes, and/or other apps/web 2.0/computer programs in your classroom to experiment with pedagogy and practice, I would love it if you could contribute to our learning community at Flipping the Focus.

There are several, easy ways to get involved:

contribute to the Google Doc featured (above) on an ongoing basis
join our Diigo (details in the January 2015 blog posts) group (badge, see above right)
add your name and a few other details to the Flipped PLN Finder registry
consider collaborating around flipping professional development through Flipped PL
participate as a guest blogger on Flipping the Focus. Send your post to flippingthefocus@gmail.com along with a short bio, link to your site, etc. Upon approval, your bio will be added to the side-bar (see right) and post made to this page.
leave a comment to this post (form, below)

Looking ahead, we'll reflect upon the growing number of contributions being made to Exploring & Sharing Digital Leadership along with their potential impact. For late February, stay tuned for more details regarding Flipped PL--flipping components of professional learning for educators.

Sincerely Yours,

Chris Stewart
Program Resource Teacher-Mathematics
Upper Canada District School Board
Brockville, Ontario

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Why I Teach Math: A Reflection (or Two)

2/10/2015

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Welcome back to Flipping the Focus

Last time, the FtF community was introduced to an opportunity to building capacity through exploring and sharing its knowledge and experiences regarding digital leadership. The shared, Google doc has been updated with a contribution from one of my colleagues, Connie Boros. Connie has provided some details and links to resources to help teachers and students develop facility with OneNote. Contributions regarding Chalkup (Web 2.0) and Voxer (app) are on their way ...

Today, I digress from digital leadership to something else--the reflective practitioner. Through my role as a Program Resource Teacher, I find that I'm very privileged to be receiving what a close colleague of mine describes as, "a day of professional learning, everyday." Last week, as I was rummaging through a few folders on my laptop, I stumbled upon a personal reflection about the teaching of mathematics that I had penned about four years ago (to put this into perspective, I am in my 13th year as a professional educator) to a not-yet-imagined professional learning community/network. This reflection sent me into a period of reflection--an important aspect of teacher professional learning--and I thought that I would share this with our learning community.

Without any précis or foreshadowing, here it is:

From a time not so long ago ...

A smile.
The look of satisfaction.
“A-ha!”

Each of these responses can be the result of solving a challenging math problem. As far as life goes, it’s riddled with challenges. What better challenge than to solve a problem that is outside of the realm of every subject?

Granted…I have some ‘math-ability’ and an intrinsic appreciation for the subject, but even with these qualities, would I be in this role today? Likely not; I had some inspiring teachers who believed in my abilities—that I had something more to offer. They challenged me to think beyond any current circumstance to solve problems.

I’ve been teaching math at ND for nearly 9 years and have loved every moment of the ride. To be practising a hobby during the regular workday…what could be better?

Many students have come and gone. Some have expressed that they’re not the ‘math type’. That’s okay, but I would continue to encourage them not to shut the door on math. Remember, math is a human endeavour—it’s been around forever, as much of our history has been created through this subject, and it continues to be something that both young and old can discover.

Go through the discovery process. Be challenged. Be enlightened. Be more with mathematics, as the world will challenge you to be math literate.

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. C. Stewart

Thoughts for Today?

As a reflective practitioner, I thought that I would add some new thinking (as comments, additions; in-line) to the reflection, above. The additions are representative of some of the thinking/learning that I've done, but I'm anticipating that, even as I engage in this process, I will determine some new goals--short- and long-term. If new goals are to come out of the act of reflection, I will share them in the "Some Final Thoughts" section (below).

Double-Take ...

A smile.
The look of satisfaction.
“A-ha!”
("I like learning math this way.")

Each of these responses can be the result of solving a challenging math problem. [And when problems (Ontario Ministry of Education (OME) monograph) are open, accessible and authentic, students are given time to work together, are encouraged to communicate their thinking, and collaboration occurs to construct meaning (OME monograph) of the mathematics at hand, students begin to enjoy mathematics, see its relevance, and improve their achievement. For example, take Dan Meyer's 3-Act Math Tasks: Who wouldn't want to engage in learning mathematics that's rooted in such problems? Check out what Dan has shared, here, via a Google Spreadsheet]. As far as life goes, it’s riddled with challenges. What better challenge than to solve a problem that is outside of the realm of every subject? [By persisting with challenges, students stand a much better chance at developing 21C (infographic below) skills that will allow them to find personal satisfaction through their contributions to others.]

21C Infographic (from Achieving Excellence, OME)

Ontario Students Achieving Excellence: Video

Granted…I have some ‘math-ability’ and an intrinsic appreciation for the subject, but even with these qualities, would I be in this role today? Likely not; I had some inspiring teachers who believed in my (not developed as-of-yet) abilities—that I had something more to offer. (Despite challenging work, setbacks, self-doubt, and the occasional entrapment by performance), they challenged me to think beyond any current circumstance to solve problems. [Today, I've grown to understand that I have been developing a growth mindset--a personal belief that I have the ability to effect change in my learning outcomes--achieving excellence through hard work, persistence, and a 'can-do' attitude (see video below; Carol Dweck, Growth Mindset).]

Video: The Growth Mindset

I’ve been teaching math at ND (North Dundas District High School) for nearly 9 years and have loved every moment of the ride. To be practising a hobby [really ... taking leisure in the immensity of the devotion to collaborating with students around non-mutually exclusive aspects of learning--relationships, content and curiosity (Bergmann & Sams, 2014)] during the regular workday…what could be better?

Many students have come and gone. Some have expressed that they’re not the ‘math type’. That’s okay (for the moment), but I would continue to encourage them not to shut the door on math. [Everyone has the potential to achieve at the highest levels in mathematics (Dr. Jo Boaler, below).] Remember, math is a human endeavour (, binding us together)—it’s been around forever, as much of our history has been created (and understood) through this subject, and it continues to be something that both young and old can discover [, enjoy and share with others. For example, take the TED Talk on The Mathematics of History: Jean-Baptiste Michel (below) delivers a captivating account of how Mathematics is helping us to understand the evolution of humanity through its history--language as one marker of this process.]

Jo Boaler (www.youcubed.org)

Video: Jean-Baptiste Michel

Go through the discovery process (, and work hard to construct meaning amongst your peers). Be challenged (, as your mind will grow through making mistakes, questioning errors, and pushing your thinking to understand). Be enlightened. Be more with mathematics (everyone can achieve at the highest of levels), as the world will challenge you to be math literate [having great fluency and flexibility to work with numbers as well as the ability to apply problem solving processes (pictured, below) to solving problems].

Mathematical Process Skills (Ontario Curriculum)

Yours Sincerely,

Mr. C. Stewart

Some Final Thoughts

We can accomplish much, alongside our students, to helping them improve their learning outcomes if we truly live and love learning together. What is it that you've been learning about your students? What is it that you're wondering about your students? What should you do to go where they are (i.e., re: student thinking)? These are just a few questions to prompt reflection and to help us learn, collaboratively, through FTF.

Please feel free to respond to this post with your reflections, comments and/or questions. Based on the number and depth of additions I made to my 'old' reflection, I know that I have learned ... that I have changed my understanding of what constitutes good, formative assessment, student achievement, the conditions necessary for the effective teaching of mathematics, and that collaboration will be key for student-teacher relationships moving forward.

Next Time on FtF ...

Next time, FTF continues the exploration and sharing of digital leadership. In the meanwhile, if you'd like to learn more about this exploration and/or contribute to it, you can access the Google Doc here.

Sincerely Yours,

Chris Stewart, OCT
Program Resource Teacher-Mathematics
Upper Canada DSB
Brockville, ON

Additional Source:
Bergmann, J., & Sams, A. (2014). Flipped learning: Gateway to student engagement (1st ed., pp. 21-38). Eugene: ISTE.

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