Taboo of Social Media in Schools!!?!

 Over the past few weeks there has been much news about policies being developed to curb the social media experience between teachers and students. It poses many ethical and moral questions to a significant part of the population, especially the mainline purists and puritans controlling the media throughout the country, but the reality is still there; social media is a significant tool for educational purposes. To avoid it, encourages the movement, to understand it and facilitate it for constructive educational purposes is to be part of the 21st Century.

Case in point is the new law that has recently been promulgated in Missouri banning social media interactions between teachers and students. Specifically, #SB54 of the Missouri legislature forbids teachers from communicating privately with a student using a non-work social media account or website. Any discussion between a teacher and student online must be completely public and transparent.[1]

The inference is quite clear, though. There are bad people in the world that do nasty things in perverting the welfare of children. But, they are in every corner of society, not just on the Internet. They are in the community, in churches, in movie theaters, and malls, as well as online. The issue is how to support the creative act of working through social media to express one’s ideas and to write in a constructive manner. The key reference to the law above is to find a way to do so that is “public and transparent”. [2]

But, first, let’s rationalize and define the barriers of good and bad social media practice. These are bad uses of social media experiences:

• Barrow County, Ga.: an English teacher sued to get her job back after being fired when someone anonymously told school officials that a student accessed the teacher's page and viewed photos of her drinking alcohol. The district couldn't prove a student ever viewed the page.

• Brooklyn, N.Y.: a fifth-grade teacher, faces termination after saying she hated her students and that a trip to the beach would be good for them, a day after a 12-year-old student drowned there on a school trip.

• Brownsville, Pa.: a high school Spanish teacher, was suspended (but later reinstated) over a photo taken at a bachelorette party that showed her posing with a stripper.

• Cohasset, Mass.: a high school math and science teacher, resigned after parents saw Facebook posts, which the teacher thought were private, where she called district residents "arrogant and snobby."[3]

Here is an outstanding and positive use of social media:

Bethany Fenyus, an eighth-grade language arts teacher at Steel Valley Middle School, said she decided to create a class Twitter page for its potential educational benefits. Steel Valley doesn't have a policy regarding social media use, but Fenyus got permission from her superintendent and principal to set up the account. She had parents sign an informational sheet acknowledging that she intended the page to be used for educational purposes and that she wasn't personally responsible for how students used it.
She said she's never had a problem with any tweets.

"I've told them that I'm getting everything you're tweeting so remember to keep it appropriate," Fenyus said.
Fenyus said she'll send tweets from a vacation spot in hopes that students might go online and learn more about the place. She'll also let students know about education shows on the History Channel.
"I'll tweet something that I think they'd find interesting or is educational," she said.[4]

A big difference between the top examples and the one from the enterprising and constructive leader of 21st Century learning at Steel Valley Middle School, right?

Kudos to the administrators from Bethany’s school district for having the fortitude to allow this young teacher to use the social media tool to interact with students, and continue to write and express their thoughts and ideas. Kudos to the teacher for being so skillful in considering all of the dangers and pitfalls for something like this, and then designing a format to allow an open, transparent communication process through the media.

This is an example of 21^st Century thinking and learning. I sincerely hope others will be daring enough.

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[1] Heaton, B. (2011, August 3). Social media between students and teachers restricted. Retrieved from http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?reqstyleid=2&mode=form&reqsrcid=APAWebPage&more=yes&nameCnt=1

[2] Ibid.

[3] Weigand, J. (2011, August 18). Pitfalls await teachers who publicize lives on social media. Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Retrieved from http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_752099.html?_s_icmp=NetworkHeadlines

[4] Ibid.

Promote the best, shoot the rest!!

There is a story that the great Baroque composer, George Frederic Handel, was displeased with a soprano soloist that was performing one of his works at a rehearsal. Handel became so incensed that he picked her up and threatened to throw her out of a window. I suppose this is the extreme example of the title of this blog: “promote the best, shoot the rest”.

The first 25 years of my career I was a music teacher, trained and disciplined in the performance and execution of music. My conservatory-style training was more of a humanistic experience since I was being trained to be a “music educator”. In this setting an aspiring music candidate is still expected to demonstrate discipline, diligence, and above all technique and mastery of the literature for one’s major instrument. This also meant auditioning, auditioning and more auditioning to climb that proverbial “pyramid of musical excellence” to become the best in your field.

There was a time in public education where this philosophy was quite prevalent. Music teachers seeking glory and pursuit of the consummate musical performance attempted to mimic the likes of Arturo Toscanini, William Revelli and others of dictatorial manner and style. They were labeled the greatest music educators of all time, when all they really were could be compressed in the likes of a dictator or unfeeling slave driver.

21st Century education does not have the luxury or the patience espoused by these types of teachers. I often wondered how these grand maestri of the glorious age of high music education could deal with differentiated instruction, a student on the spectrum that possessed amazing aural acuity, the disabled child that performed the instrument so well but in an uncoventional manner to accommodate his/her disability. I am not sure these "glory hound" music dictators can deal with differentiation. If it prevents the band from getting that “gold” medal performance than that child cannot be in the group. We have all heard this situation before.

There is no room in education for these dinosaurs anymore. Any administrator that hires this kind of a teacher, that has no understanding of differentiation, no patience with children that are classified or have an ESL background, or any child that wants to learn at another level of ability, deserves the problems they will have in this 21st Century of learning. Let me give you a hint...law suit, impartial hearing, lack of a free and appropriate education.

I know about this kind of teacher very well, because not only was I tormented by this kind of educator, and worked with many that exhibited this behavior regularly, I was also a teacher of this style, until I saw the light! On becoming a building principal I began to see an ugly reflection of myself in the behaviors of these teachers. 

I knew of two wonderful children that experienced this torment. Kevin and Michael, both children of special needs, but people that exhibited amazing musical acuity and rhythmic sense. Despite their needs, music was something they could do very well. I remember the fight I had with arrogant music teachers that did not want them in their rehearsals for fear their ensembles would have a diminished chance for the GOLD medal. I saw two kids that were amazingly gifted and talented in their own special way, and a unique opportunity to be a part of a wonderful musical experience. Sadly, the fight with these teachers was too much and I gave in to their egos. But, I taught these kids myself whenever I could. And I know in their way they appreciated the music making. Kevin completed his education at our district and whenever I see him in the community always has a big smile for me with recollection of the music we made together. Michael passed away a few weeks ago from complications due to his disability. He was a beautiful and gifted human being that taught me much about differentiation. Working with these two kids were the high point of my 25 years as a music teacher!
We need to teach children from where they are and bring them along in a welcoming and patient manner that protects and nurtures the child, not frightens and torments them from ever trying. Teachers can no longer be the center of attention, the bearer of learning. 21st Century learning requires a new and patient " facilitator of learning". Be that kind of educator for your students.

Dedicated to Kevin and Michael, my mentors!!

Open Season on Public Schools

A major responsibility of a school leader is to face the fiscal issues that can underlie the needs of your school district, and manage things in a responsible and accountable manner. The challenge of leading a school program amidst the recession we are in has tasked many school administrators. With unsupportive remarks from Governors in Wisconsin, New Jersey and New York it is no wonder there is an uproar against public education in general. There is part of me that cannot help feel that this is a planned strategy among politicians in general to shift the focus off of the crooks and greedy individuals that created this "great recession" and blame it on public employees. This is all some big diversionary ruse that provides cover to the Wall Street bankers and incompetent legislators that allowed them to rob the American people of their savings and their futures. Blame the public schools for this crisis and everyone guilty gets off free. Sounds like it would make a great movie. Isn't there one out there called the Adjustment Bureau? Maybe we are all in this movie looking out on our distorted reality.

Well, let's face some reality issues we can deal with. Blaming the incompetent elected officials at all levels will not solve the problems. As school administrators we have to deal in the reality of providing a sound education to every child that walks into our school each day. In some cases that means being able to provide all kinds of services, such as health, nutrition, social work, counseling, as well as ELA, math, and other key areas for a complete education. Many of our states also mandate that the people to provide these services and programs need to be certified/licensed and possessing a comprehensive educational program summarized in degree programs such as Bachelors and Masters degrees. This is approximately 8 years of education beyond high school and some of us even possess National Board Certification and Doctoral degrees, capping off the time spent being trained in our vocation around 10-12 years of study. The financial commitment made by anyone that enters this career in 2011 money is well into the six figure area, with huge loans covering a massive debt in order to teach and work with our country's most important resource, our children. And still, we are accused of being paid too much?

There was a great article in Education Week recently that articulates this issue very well.

"Why do we think less of teachers? Teaching is no less portable a profession than medicine, and if teachers don't like what they're getting in one place, they can take their talents elsewhere. This should be the core argument of educators in Wisconsin, Indiana, and elsewhere: If we underpay teachers, they will leave, and they'll be replaced by subpar people who have fewer options. The quality of our education system will suffer, and we'll have to either pay much more to attract talent in the future, or we'll have to pay the consequences of an inferior education system in the long run, such as higher rates of incarceration and unemployment. I believe that educators should be paid well and treated well. But it's critical to frame this as a human capital issue, not a workers' rights issue. The public is not sympathetic to workers' rights, because everyone is a worker, and most people do not have nearly the level of "rights" that teachers and other unionized public-sector employees enjoy." (.Baeder, J. (February 27, 2011). Pay Cuts for Professionals: On Human Capital, Not Workers' Rights. EDUCATION WEEK retrieved February 27, 2011 at http://bit.ly/dVeFq9).

Isn't that what the bigger issue is? We have seen our career as educators devalued in the eyes of those people that need our expertise most. How swiftly the tides change!

The best advice I can offer as an educator that is approaching the end of my career is that administrators have to support their teachers and encourage them to get through this criticism by doing what they do so well, each day. Make the education of their students special and the most important thing in that child's day. Maybe there might be a future governor in that class that will remember the importance of that wonderful teacher, and that great school experience, and maybe her or his actions will speak from the positive experiences they had in school, and not the bitterness engendered from the current elected officials of our society.

Internet vs. Textbooks

"The Internet doesn’t steal our humanity, it reflects it. The Internet doesn’t get inside us, it shows what’s inside us." (Rose, J. How social media is having a positive impact on our culture. Retrieved February 25, 2010 at

http://mashable.com/2011/02/23/social-media-culture/).

I love the Internet. It is exciting, impressive, and my own oracle of Delphi (so to speak). This morning I was watching the the 1962 version of Mutiny on the Bounty. I had my iPad with me as I watched it, and I searched the Internet learning as much as I could about the story, the real information about the crew, where they settled, what became of the descendants of the mutineers, and whatever happened to Captain Bligh! (I believe Heidi Hayes Jacobs would call this processing the essential questions of personal curriculum map!)

I find myself multi-tasking with the Internet to enhance my understanding of a movie plot or information about the actors and actresses in the story. It adds an incredible third dimension to my appreciation of the movie, or a show, or the news.

I remember hearing noted futurist and technologist Alan November tell my doctoral class at Seton Hall, that technology is about information. How to use it, find it, and learn from it.

Isn't that what our students in school should be doing?

Maybe they are, to some extent, in their own way, but when I observe a teacher lecturing a blackboard or an overhead projector, using a pointless PowerPoint, or "controlling" a self-opinionated perspective on some issue, all to prepare his/her students for the TEST, I wonder how useless our 21st Century Schools have become. In fact, I would refrain from describing them as 21st Century, and more a throwback to a 19th Century schoolmaster image.

Diane Lewis, Director of Technology in Seminole County Schools, states that if you can Google it, why teach it? Instead, we should be showing students how to use the technology to research and use information. (Mellon, E. (2011 February). Virtually Possible. District Administration. Retrieved February 26, 2011 at http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=2688&p=2#0).

Active engagement with resources now available on the Internet can open a world of resources for our students. Why we still rely on useless textbooks that are static and never evolving with up-to-date information is beyond my comprehension. Is it fear that keeps us from pushing our students further to the point where they might know more than our teachers?

Schools of the future need to harness the energy of the Internet and begin facilitating the next level of learning for our students.

Dealing With School Change

Dealing with Change

In 1842 William A. Alcott, a now forgotten member of that legendary American family of letters, wrote a series of articles for the Connecticut Common School Journal, asking teachers across America to make use of the newest educational technology : He wrote: [and I quote] "A black board, in every school house, is as indispensably necessary as a stove or fireplace; and in large schools several of them might be useful."

He continues:

"Slates are as necessary as black boards, and even more so. But they are liable to be broken, it will be said, as to render it expensive to parents to keep their children supplied with them."

"[Why] are books necessary at all, when the pupils are furnished with slates? “

"Change" is a bitter pill to swallow.

As we all continue our work of leading dynamic 21st Century schools, how often does the preceding comment come back to haunt us? Anyone committed to innovating their schools will feel this twinge of regret when the first comments of resistance start coming in from teachers who are scared of doing things differently.

In Jennifer Miller's February 23, 2011 blog Leading Change, Change Management and the Law of Diminishing Returns, the following lines open the post:

"People HATE change.

They loathe and despise it. They see it, abhor it and team up to fight it.

Mind you, not all people, all the time. But certainly most people, much of the time."

This past school year, I decided it was time to move our school district towards a 1:1 learning initiative using personal technology devices and replacing the rarely used textbooks that our students haul around. The access to the Internet and exploiting the interest our students have for technology and researching their interests would have opened a new world of educational opportunities.

The plan was researched and developed by our administrators and teachers working collaboratively in planning every step of the transition. When it was announced, the naysayers came forward and began standing in the way. When we engaged these few teachers that were resistant and critical of the change effort in a collaborative forum, designed to discuss their concerns, the key themes coming from their comments were:

Teachers lack of classroom control.

Teachers inability to be the center of learning.

Teachers scared they will be unable to direct the learning.

Teachers scared they will not be able to be as tech smart as the students..

The greatest impediment to leading change in schools are teachers that lack the motivation to think out of the box. Teachers who will not let go of absolute control. They restrain children with emotional strings of fear keeping their students from pursuing learning on their own terms.

Have you ever observed a high school math teacher lecture a blackboard while explaining a problem?

The challenge of 21st Century schools will be to inspire and motivate teachers to truly be mentors of learning and not controller of absolute learning. As Heidi Hayes Jacobs reminds us, we need to risk doing new things if we wish to motivate children to become all they are capable of becoming.