Concluding Thoughts...

Effective Schools Model encourages all schools to reevaluate leadership roles, expectations, the school-wide mission, and student progress.  Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the above elements will allow schools to create an effective plan with the goal of closing the educational gap.  Being able to work towards a specific, data collectable goal will close the educational gap.

I will leave you with wise final thoughts from "What Effective Schools Do: Re-Envisioning the Correlates".  "Begin with the end in mind, design down, and deliver up...the entire effective schools movement that began in the late 1960s has had a single end in mind- learning for all."

The importance of effective communication

The study of effective schools aimed at providing set requirements for an effective program.  Much of what I know about adult education is through experiences at work and through my studies at CSU.  My studies at CSU are primarily based online.  Thus, communicating effectively is essential.

"Poor communication was the single most frequently cited factor undermining the respondents' trust in their leaders.  Many respondents felt that school leaders did not communicate clear policies and expectations, and failed to share their vision and values with the staff." (pg. 59).

Thus, when we are responsible for adult education, in whatever form that may evolve, clear communication of expectations, goals, activities, and support will be viable to success of our programs.

The AET program at CSU has provided me with nothing but positive experiences.  My advisor is easily accessible via the phone and email.  Often messages are returned within 24 hours.  Positive advertising for the program is sent out throughout the year promoting new certificates, classes, or job opportunities.  

Communication at my school is primarily based on face to face contact.  The administration begins each meeting with a clear objective and a to-do list of how we will progress through the meeting in order to meet the objective.  Luckily, I am surrounded by effective communicators.

Can you share an idea where a break down in communication caused issues for you at school or work?

Attributing Student Failure to External Factors

"When staff members lack the belief in and commitment to learning for all, they will attribute student failure to external factors," (p. 15).

Failing to succeed in an online environment could be a result of lack of effort, failure to connect to other students and the facilitator, limited time online/with materials, or student ability.  Many master's level courses differentiate by choice (student select projects by individual interest).  Outside of differentiating by choice, is there room for differentiating in collegiate level courses?  After all, we hold students to a rigorous level where all must have the ability to synthesize and apply information to their own lives.

Design Down

"Begin with the end in mind, design down, and deliver up."

If we head into our classroom each day with this mentality, imagine the greatness that could ensue!  With a clear vision and means to the end, we would be amply prepared and then able to assess success at the end of each session.

I enjoy this quote.

Have a great afternoon,
Ashley

Third-Party Observer: Does this fit into an online classroom?

This week's 'Ah-Ha' moment involves reflection and the use of a third party observer.  While I feel as if it's nearly impossible to gauge accuracy through scheduled third party observes, I do think hear about other's perceptions are valuable to all facilitators.  What one person sees as effective may actually benefit when smashed with another's idea.

"It is amazing how access to credible data about issues and concerns can change the nature and tone of conversation in a school staff.  Sometimes the best way to solve a problem that is detracting from the mission of learning is to make the familiar strange" (p. 113).

Making the familiar strange:
Allow others in your classroom
Answer questions about your practice you may not usually ask yourself during self-reflection
Use new ideas/Merge your old ideas with a third-party observer's ideas

How could a third party observation be more creditable and useful than an observation in a traditional classroom?

I feel as if announced observations change the way a teacher preps for a lesson. I'm confident in my skills and believe I use best practices each day.  However, I may pay more attention to the verbage of my objective on the board when I know a third party will be visiting my classroom.

In an online setting, perhaps a useful tool for improving facilitator practice would be random observations (unannounced checking of posts, student/facilitator contact, quality of questions, etc).

Ashley

Strong Leadership

Sandy's comment on my School Wide Efficacy post (about secret shoppers in a classroom to monitor in an unannounced manner) had me searching through my book for more information about leadership, progress monitoring, and collection of data.

I've always believed strong leadership may generate a love-hate relationship between the leadership team and a classroom facilitator/teacher.  While we must feel as if our leadership team has a positive efficacy towards us, without proper data collection and analysis, we cannot assure students and facilitators are using best practices, or gaining the most possible out of each educational minute.

In adult education, the university, facilitators, and students are stakeholders.  Individual needs must be assessed and established before a class can fulfill those needs.  By progress monitoring curriculum, interaction/instruction, and satisfaction, a university can determine a programs effectiveness.  "The systems approach to leading learning in the schools demands effective leadership.  Schools need leaders with a passion for the learning mission, an understanding of the traditions within schools, and the courage to confront the system," (p. 64).

CSU's AET program offers us ample reflection opportunities through pre and post course surveys.  Because we do not retake classes after we rate a program, who holds program planners accountable for taking our concerns and turning them into affective improvements/changes?

School-Wide Efficacy

Wow, I was moved while reading today.  While digging deeper into what effective schools do, I read about establishing a school-wide efficacy, or confidence.  Because we should all be working towards school-wide goals, it makes sense to establish consistency in practice and trust in one another.

I know what I need to do in my Language Arts classroom.  I must create a safe environment conducive to learning, give each student an equal educational opportunity, differentiate, and assess progress.  At the same time, I should support school-wide goals, rules, and expectations.  I feel as if I accomplish these items.  However, I do feel like school-wide efficacy may be lacking.  Meaning, I do not believe 100% of our staff is implementing all rules, using each instructional minute wisely, or believing in the power to educate all students.  I cannot say with confidence that each teacher at my school is teaching with the passion needed to close the educational gap.  With this said, I must not add to a positive school-wide efficacy.

So how can we ensure each teacher is "successful" in their individual classroom?  (Success being based on implementing school-wide expectations, closing the gap, and providing a safe environment) How can we build confidence in one another at a job site?

An Effective School Defined

Chapter one opens with a definition of 'effective school.'  Interestingly enough, it is also repeated on page 15.  Without a true understanding of what effective schools are, how they progress, and what is required of a staff, it will be hard to follow and comment on this blog.  SO, here's a definition according to, What Effective Schools Do: Re-Envisioning the Correlates.  "The effective school is characterized by high overall student achievement with no significant gaps in that achievement across the major subgroups in the student population.  The effective school is built on a foundation of high expectations, strong leadership, unwavering commitment to learning for all, collaboration, differentiated instruction, and frequent monitoring of student progress," (2011, p. 15).

While I was initially turned on to this book by my principal, I can't help but notice the significance of the work and the ability of the messages to be applied to higher education and  workforce education.  While studying at CSU, I'm constantly driven by amazing class facilitators to collaborate, to fulfill high expectations of self-directed learning outside of the classroom, and to recognize and address the varying learning styles amongst ourselves, or future students.  With the AET degree, we have the ability to teach, facilitate learning, or mentor "learners" in a million settings.  What has intrigued me throughout the program is the number of ways each of us envisions using the degree.  Students will continue working to educate employees of corporate America; some will strive to stay on top of their careers at local community colleges; still, others will take educational leadership roles and positions we've yet to discover.

While the need for education varies, the strong pillars remain: "learning-for-all mission, the focus on results, and the twin pillars of quality and equity," (p. 15).

Looking back at the definition for effective schools, how could these core concepts relate to your employer?  Future employer?  Life experiences?

What Effective Schools Do: Re-envisioning the Correlates

I'm elated to disclose my new position at OCMS.  For the 2011-2012 school year, I am a mentor teacher!  This means I will teach my Reading 3 kiddos for four hours a day, and I will mentor and co-teach a small group of teachers for the remaining three hours.  Because of this new responsibility, I am eager to brush up on the most effective strategies for instruction and working with adults.  A wise woman advised me to read this book.  As I venture through the material, I will be posting ideas, favorite quotes, application questions/strategies, and more on this blog.  Feel free to comment and add insight.

Best regards,

Ashley