The Best Feedback a Principal Could Get

The following post appeared on the blog of Robert Dillon. In this piece he describes what he saw at New Milford High School during his visit while the students were present the Friday before the Edscape Conference.  His reflection has been posted with permission below. Make sure to follow Robert on Twitter (@ideaguy42). I have also added some of my personal thoughts at the bottom of this post.

There have been a thousand stories about the journey of New Milford High School toward being a connected school. All of them contain nuggets of truth that are worth exploring if you are an educational leader searching for a road map to a more dynamic, connected school, but I think that there is a larger story at New Milford that gets less attention, but most likely is the driving engine of change that allows for excellence on a daily basis.

Image credit: http://www.njmls.com/NJ/BERGEN/NEW%20MILFORD-community-information

Recently, New Milford High School hosted their annual edcamp-like Saturday learning conference called Edscape. Leading into this Saturday, I had an opportunity to spend most of Friday in the halls of New Milford with students and staff observing the climate and learning throughout the day. My greatest take away from this informal time at New Milford was the deep sense of trust in the building. The principal trusted his administrative team. The staff trusted that the principal was supporting their work. The students trusted the teachers. The teachers trusted the students. The maintenance crew trusted building leadership. Trust. Trust, Trust. It was everywhere to be seen. From the evacuation drill that had students walking through the community, to the senior flex period that gave them more freedom, to the decisions that teachers were making with their instruction. Buried behind the headlines was this organic sense of trust in the building. I'm certain that there are some teachers in the building that aren't completely feeling this trust, but it is there in a way that is magnified beyond most buildings.

The second piece of New Milford that sits below the surface, beyond the television coverage, blog posts, awards, and energy of its dynamic principal, is the diversity at New Milford. This building was filled with an incredibly rich group of students. I had the opportunity to talk with three incredible students about a project that we are working on together, and they were amazing. I saw diversity under the Friday night lights on the football field, and I saw diversity in the cafeteria. New Milford isn't a sterile environment with a homogeneous population that can succeed no matter the inputs. It is a real school with real problems and real struggles to make success possible. The diversity also breeds a need for innovation. There is a sense of urgency to serve this diverse population, and there is an empathy for the needs of the students in the building.

Edscape was an incredible learning event for me. Getting a chance to meet old and new friends, finding new resources and ideas, and presenting about some of the things in which I'm passionate, but the story of my trip to New Jersey was that success for New Milford and most schools lies below the surface in the deep roots of the school, the roots that honor diversity and the roots that foster trust.

I could not be more proud of the collaborative work being done at NMHS.  As a Principal having it acknowledged this way by a colleague from another state and locally is priceless.  We do not have all the answers at NMHS.  We do not have the funds to do many of the things that we dream about.  What we do have is a commitment to build a culture that focuses on our students while providing them with a meaningful learning experience.  

This post was the first of a few Edscape reflections that really impacted me professionally and personally.  It is always great to receive feedback from colleagues that you admire as their work has had such a profound influence on mine.  As today is my 39th birthday I think that George Couros might have provided the best gift from a non-family member with his thoughts on how I lead.  His reflection and feedback really put into perspective why I do what I do, how much I love working for New Milford High School, and the vital role that my Personal Learning Network (PLN) has on my professional practice.

The Impact of #Edscape

This past Saturday (10/19) marked the fourth annual Edscape Conference held at New Milford High School in NJ.  The idea for this event evolved from a dire need to fill a void in the type of innovative learning experiences that educators were craving.  As a result, a partnership between Teq and New Milford HS was formed to provide a cost-effective, meaningful learning experience for attendees.   Attendees could take ideas and strategies presented during hour long sessions and implement them immediately upon return to their schools and districts.  Each year hundreds of educators from across the country descend upon my school to take part in Edscape in what I hope will be one of the best learning experiences of their year.  I realize this is a lofty goal, but if I am to ask fellow colleagues, educators, and friends to give up time with their families on a Saturday and travel great distances then I had better be able to deliver. Based upon early feedback it seems like we did.

One of the tenants of the Edscape Conference is the focus on the work of practitioners. The selection of the keynote, as well as the majority of the sessions, places an emphasis on innovative work taking place in schools across the country and beyond. It is my feeling that in a time when the national rhetoric is quite negative towards education, nothing is more inspiring and uplifting than focusing on the innovative and impactful work being done by passionate educators.  My only regret with Edscape is that I did not get to sit in on any sessions or engage attendees in as many conversations that I would have liked.  I guess this comes with the territory when hosting a conference at your school.  However, I have been digesting feedback that I have received either through email, in person, or the #Edscape hashtag and would just like to point out a few highlights from the event.  Below are some identifiable characteristics that I believe portray the success and impact of Edscape:

• NMHS Students – I could not have been more proud of my students and how they represented my school.  Attendee after attendee commented how helpful, respectful, and enthusiastic they were.   Next year I will look for even more ways to get my students involved with Edscape.
• The Learning – Edscape is all about professional learning.  This occurred during sessions, over conversations in lunch, in the hallways between sessions, and afterwards at the networking reception held at Jersey Boys Grill.  Each session focused on applicable takeaways that educators could implement upon their return to their schools. What was even more powerful though was the learning that took place during conversations on professional practice and through the connections that were made throughout the day. Many attendees expressed the need to a two-day conference going forward as there were too many quality sessions that they wanted to attend. You can check out all of the sessions that were offered HERE.
• Facility – I love my school building and numerous attendees echoed this. The original building where the majority of the sessions were held was built in 1928 and you can see that from the architecture.  We continue to work on transforming learning spaces with the money that we have. At NMHS we had adequate technology available, charging stations that our students regularly use, and superior WiFi (ask any attendee).  At our max we had over 650 devices connected to the open WiFi and not one issue. There were so many complimentary comments about the charging stations, WiFi, grounds, mission statements visible in classrooms, student work displayed on walls, and the larger television that streams announcements when you enter the school.  I feel a school is the best place to engage educators in professional learning.
• Attendees – There were close to 400 educators from 11 different states (NJ, RI, NY, CT, PA, MD, AR, MO, OH, VA, TX) as well as Canada. Numerous stakeholder groups were represented such as teachers, assistant principals, principals, curriculum directors, assistant superintendents, board of education members, parents, and members of the NJ Department of Education.  I am humbled by the fact that so many attendees and presenters traveled great distances to be at Edscape.  What was even rewarding was seeing everyone learning side by side to improve their practices and move the profession forward.
• Global Impact – The keynote by George Couros as well as the Connected Educator panel was streamed live by Teachercast and viewed by over 500 people worldwide.  If you have not viewed his keynote you can see a recording of it HERE.  The #Edscape hashtag was trending #1 throughout the day on Twitter.  

Edscape has and always will be a labor of love for me.  The excitement, passion, and innovative work I witness each year are the catalysts needed for change in my opinion.  Edscape is not a revolutionary event in itself.  It is the ideas and strategies that educators take with them from the event and eventually implement that have the capacity to be revolutionary.  On a side note I can’t thank George Couros enough for delivering a keynote that made attendees, laugh, cry, and think.  Spending time with him at the Jets game yesterday and introducing him to tailgating was an added bonus. 

Lastly, thanks to all of YOU that inspire me each day to put on Edscape. On that note I would love to hear what your major takeaways were from the event this past Saturday.  What did we do right and what can we improve? Feel free to leave a link to your Edscape reflection in the comments if you have or plan to write one.  Planning for Edscape 2014 for next October is now under way so mark your calendars for Saturday 10/18/14.  We will soon be setting a date and then select a keynote (suggestions appreciated).  The call for proposals will go out in the spring so stay tuned. If you have any leads on sponsors for next year feel free to secure them on my behalf or send me an email. 

Be the change that you wish to see in education!

The An Estuary #Edscape Scavenger Hunt!

The following post is an Edscape announcement from one of our sponsors.

This year at Edscape, An Estuary will be running the first ever Sanderling Scavenger Hunt! 

Sanderling is a mobile field journal that lets teachers collect badges as they document their professional learning and take part in a lively social community based around education. The Sanderling Edscape Scavenger Hunt will allow us to collaboratively document all of the awesome things going on a Edscape and make new connections in the process.

Those who complete the Edscape Scavenger Hunt will be rewarded with the Sanderling Edscape Badge and the first 50 to complete the hunt will receive additional refreshment tickets for the An Estuary Networking Reception at Jersey Boys Grill.

To get signed up go to www.sanderling.io and use the code "edscape13" to register. (For those of you on Android devices, you can download Sanderling in the Google Play Store.) Once you are registered be sure to find the "Learn to Use Sanderling" Course and the "Edscape 2013" Course and click "Join this Course" on each one. Once you have joined the courses, go to your Field Journal and get started on the "Learn to Use Sanderling" Course so you are ready for tomorrow's Edscape Scavenger Hunt!

Looking forward to seeing you Saturday 10/19 at New Milford HS!

The An Estuary Team

Edscape is Coming. Join Us and Innovate Now

The annual Edscape Conference will once again be held at New Milford High School in New Milford, NJ on Saturday October 19, 2013.  Hundreds of educators from over ten different states and Canada descended upon my school last year to learn together and network in an effort to move their respective school cultures down an innovative path.  Edscape evolved out of the need to provide educators with relevant, meaningful professional development focusing on digital learning and innovation that was in dire need for many.  This was the case for teachers in my District as well as those throughout the Tri-State area. 

Here is a description of the conference:

As the educational landscape changes schools must transform accordingly in order to prepare all learners with the skills, tools, and knowledge to be successful in the 21st Century. This requires a shift in instructional techniques that focus on critical thinking, inquiry, problem-solving, authentic contexts, and technology. Edscape is a conference intended to bring together passionate educators who firmly believe that innovation is essential to increasing student engagement and achievement. Innovation begins with a desire to change. Edscape will provide attendees with the inspiration, strategies, and the confidence to actively pursue a transformation in teaching and learning practices.  The theme of this year’s conference is “Innovation Now”. We will explore how learning environments can be established to promote critical thought, inquiry, problem solving, and creativity. Attendees will leave with a greater sense of how to authentically engage all learners through meaningful and relevant instruction.  The Edscape Conference will feature presentations and workshops by innovative educators who believe that change is essential to meet the diverse needs of all learners in the 21st Century. They will share best practices, success stories, applicable strategies, and pedagogical techniques that address the following:

• Meaningful, cost-effective professional growth opportunities to improve teaching and learning.
• Effective technology integration as a means to promote student creativity, apply knowledge, and increase engagement in the classroom.
• Design of authentic learning experiences to enhance critical thought, inquiry, problem-solving, and relevancy in the classroom.
• Essential leadership practices to articulate a vision for school improvement and begin the implementation process.

Other conference highlights include the following:

• 60 concurrent sessions
• Keynote by George Couros, an internationally-renowned educator and leader
• Featured presentations by Steven Anderson (@Web20classroom) and Shelly Terrell (@shellterrell)
• Numerous presentations by educators who routinely speak and present at national conferences including Adam Bellow. 
• Breakfast and lunch
• Fantastic networking opportunities
• An innovation lab to see firsthand some of the latest educational technology in action
• Giveaways

DON'T MISS OUT AND REGISTER TODAY! Check out the schedule HERE.

What Constitutes Good PD?

We can all agree that professional development is essential in any profession, especially education.  It is an opportunity to become better at what we do as well as gain knowledge on new pedagogical techniques, learning theories, leadership strategies, technologies, and federal/state mandates.  With budgets being continuously slashed across the country, districts are beginning to tighten their belts.  When this happens the first line item to get cut is professional development.  This has resulted in fewer and fewer opportunities for educators to attend out of district learning opportunities as there is no funding to support travel, registration fees, and expenses.  

Image credit: http://theevolutionofeducation.blogspot.com/2011/07/people-development-is-key-to.html

Professional development has now become the sole burden of school districts for better or worse.  It has become a tug of war, in a sense, as districts use this valuable time, which equates to only a day or two in many cases, to focus on organizational needs.  On the other hand, individual educators have specific needs and passions that they want to explore.  They want the freedom to chart their own learning course while receiving support from the organization to do so.  Quality professional development rests on the ability of the organization to not only meet their needs but also that of its constituents. 

Something has to give though.  The pieces of training that many educators are now forced to attend are usually driven by whatever the federal and state governments have mandated.  The key word here is forced.  Educators now have to attend mandate-driven workshops on new standards, teacher/principal evaluation changes, and using data.  Now, I am not saying that these things are not important, but it is hard as a professional to develop a love for learning when one has to succumb to daylong training with absolutely no authenticity.  Many more questions than answers materialize.  Will this help my students learn and achieve? Is this yet another flavor-of-the-month initiative? Is this a wise use of our time?

When the organization dominates the planning, agenda, and implementation of mandate-driven professional development, the end result is often catastrophic.  The most important element of PD is missing – the needs, desires, and passions of the learner.  Even in the absence of mandates, organizations seem to be out of touch with their stakeholders as session after session becomes death by PowerPoint and stacks of paper handouts. The dominating structure fulfills the goal of pumping as much information as possible into our heads, yet fails to inspire change.  

Effective professional development is:

• Meaningful
• Relevant
• Allowing educators to choose what they what to learn about
• Accommodating to different learning styles
• Providing time to apply what has been learned
• Focused on one initiative as opposed to many simultaneously
• Organized in a way that time to apply what has been learned is provided
• Convenient in the sense that learning can take place at any time from anywhere
• Cost-effective
• Embedded into the school day if possible
• Accessed through available technology
• Resulting in observable outcomes related to changes in professional practice and student achievement

The list above includes some lofty, but necessary, expectations of professional development today.  So where do we begin?  Below are some effective strategies, ideas, and learning opportunities that will provide you and your school the means to invigorate professional development to get real results. Each is hyperlinked to additional information.

• Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s)
• Personal Learning Networks (PLN’s)
• Professional Growth Periods (PGP’s)
• Edcamps (For an introduction to Edcamp click HERE)

In this day and age, we must take control of our own learning if organizations are not providing and/or supporting meaningful PD opportunities.  The three pathways above provide practical, cost-effective, and accessible means to improve professional practice. Nothing is more important than our own learning if we are to not only meet the demands of the profession, but also the needs of our students. Great teachers do not wait for PD days!

So what did I miss?  What are some other issues with professional development? Can you provide other innovative and effective PD options?

Getting Professional Development Right

We have all had our own unique horror stories when it comes to professional development.  From a one size fits all approach, to unqualified presenters that lack passion, to leaving a session or entire day for that matter with no applicable ideas and strategies to implement into practice - poor professional development has left many scars.  Another glaring void has been the availability of quality opportunities to learn about the latest Web 2.0 tools or innovative pedagogical techniques that have begun to take hold in small pockets across the country.   Up unto recently many of the best hands-on, authentic learning opportunities for educators were restricted to large conference events that were out of the financial reach for many to take advantage of.  These reasons in combination with a few others served as a catalyst for the Edscape Conference.

This past Saturday marked the third year that a conference was held at my school.  The first year it was called TSETC and was subsequently re-branded and refined into the current event.  Regardless of the event name the ultimate goal has remained steadfast - to provide relevant, meaningful, and applicable learning opportunities that will inspire participants to break out of their comfort zones and innovate now.  We have taken what we think are some of the most effective and desirable components of a quality professional development experience and rolled it into one action packed day typically reserved for mainstream events.

I have seen firsthand the impact that Edscape has had on my staff and the new ideas that have been readily implemented immediately after the event.  We specifically seek out a keynote that will not only resonate with a diverse audience, but also inspire participants to take action.  Vicki Davis shattered every expectation we had with her remarkable presentation and has set the bar very high for next year.  The over 50 concurrent sessions focused more on the "how"as opposed to the "why" to integrate tools and innovative pedagogical techniques.  It is one thing for me to share my opinion as it could tend to be a bit biased, but the voices of others provide a powerful, unbiased perspective.  Below are some of the reflections and thoughts on Edscape that have begun to surface

• Edscape Conference 2012 by Gretel DeRuiter

• Edscape: My Choice, My PD by Tony Sinanis

• Edscape Reflection: It's More Than Just the Tools by David Britten

• Vicki Davis Edscape Keynote by Sandy Kendell

• The Edscape Conference by Michele Haiken

• A Look Back at Edscape by Brad Currie

• Edscape Conference October 13, 2012 by Jen Slingland

• Edscape 2012 by Meredith Martin 

• Edscape Reflection by Jennifer Orr

• My Edscape Journey by Brian Nichols

Approximately 350 educators from 10 different states and Canada joined us at Edscape this year.  Please mark your calendars for Edscape 2013, which will again be held at New Milford High School on Saturday October 19, 2013.  If you have any ideas for an electrifying keynote please add your suggestion in the comments section below.  Again, thanks to everyone who attended and/or assisted with this event.

Be the Change You Want to See in Education

“Be the change you want to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi

On a beautiful Saturday morning in October hundreds of educators from numerous states in the Northeast descended upon New Milford High School for a day of learning, connecting, and reflecting at The Edscape Conference.   As I addressed the crowd to begin the event I was in awe of all the passionate educators who took the time to gather on a weekend for the sole purpose of getting better at their craft in order to better meet the needs of their students.  Do the reformers know or even care about events like this?  I’m guessing it wasn’t even a blip on their radar as there wasn’t a single session on standardization, accountability, performance pay, or the Common Core.  Instead session after session provided educators with fresh ideas, proven strategies, invaluable connections, and the confidence to pursue innovation. 

As the co-host I had the luxury of popping in on every single session to get a feel for the presenter and the learning environment that he or she had established.  What I saw in each room were engaged educators eager to learn and open their minds to the possibilities that the 21^st Century presents.  From Diana Laufenberg’s keynote, to the exciting hands-on sessions provided by Teq, to the inspiring discussions at lunch, Edscape was about transforming schools in a way that benefits all of our students.  

So how should school be structured and operate?   This is something that must be decided by those in the trenches (teachers, administrators), stakeholders (parents, BOE), and most importantly the students.   As Diana described so eloquently schools should be inquiry-driven, student-centered, relevant, foster creativity, community-based, and emphasize mentoring.  I could go on and on, but I am fortunate that members of my PLN and the media (The Record and Patch) have already shared detailed reflections and analysis on Edscape.  Please take the time to read their thoughts, which portray an event that I was honored to be a part of: 

• #Edscape by Tom Whitby
• Edscape Reflections by Maureen Devlin
• My First Conference Experience by Ms. Sullivan
• The 3 Ls of #Edscape by Lyn Hilt
• #Edscape by Michelle Lampinen
• Edscape 2011: A Retrospective by Lisa Fusco

When reading the powerful quote by Gandhi at the beginning of this post, I believe that the greatest takeaway from the Edscape Conference was that individual educators need to be the change that we want to see in education.  The reform talk and subsequent push is not going to subside anytime in the near future, but each of us has the capacity to initiate positive change in order to create a teaching and learning culture that pushes our students to think critically, unleash their creativity, actively solve problems, promotes service, and inspires students to challenge themselves.  This is the type of reform that I want to be a part of.  Thankfully, this is my reality. 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!!!! Edscape will once again be held at New Milford High School on Saturday October 13, 2012.   

(A special thank you goes out to Teq.  Without this educational partner, Edcape would not have happened or been a success.)

Edscape 2011: Innovation Now

Last fall I hosted a conference at my school that turned out to be a great success.  The idea was to create an event at a high school like no other in the area where passionate presenters and a major conference feel would have attendees leave inspired to initiate innovative change in their instructional practices.    Building upon last year's event I am proud to officially announce Edscape 2011 will be taking place at New Milford High School on Saturday October 15, 2011.  The site just went live this week so there will be many exciting updates in the near future.  For those that attended last year our goal is to provide an even better learning experience!

Edscape 2011 is a conference intended to bring together passionate educators who firmly believe that innovation is essential to increasing student engagement and achievement. Innovation begins with a desire to change. Edscape 2011 will provide attendees with the inspiration, strategies, and the confidence to actively pursue a transformation in teaching and learning practices.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Innovation Now”.  We will explore how learning environments can be established to promote critical thought, inquiry, problem solving, and creativity. Attendees will leave with a greater sense of how to authentically engage all learners through meaningful and relevant instruction.

The 2011 Eduscape Conference will feature presentations and workshops by innovative educators who believe that change is essential to meet the diverse needs of all learners in the 21st Century. They will share best practices, success stories, applicable strategies, and pedagogical techniques that address the following:

• Meaningful, cost-effective professional growth opportunities to improve teaching and learning.
• Effective technology integration as a means to promote student creativity, apply knowledge, and increase engagement in the classroom.
• Design of authentic learning experiences to enhance critical thought, inquiry, problem-solving, and relevancy in the classroom.
• Essential leadership practices to articulate a vision for school improvement and begin the implementation process.

Highlights for Attendees

• Learning about exciting, free Web 2.0 tools
• Hearing from esteemed educators who are innovating now
• Leaving with an array of applicable strategies and ideas to being the change process
• Complimentary breakfast and lunch
• Networking opportunities
• Sharing of best practices by other school districts, teachers, and administrators
• Opportunity for hands-on experiences with innovative digital tools

One major change this year is the $35 registration fee.  As many of you might recall last year's event was free.  The problem with this was that 575 people registered, extra food was ordered, and then 100 people didn't show up.  With all this being said I can guarantee that $35 is a steal considering we will still have a vetted keynote, exceptional presenters, giveaways, an interactive innovation learning lab, and delicious food (breakfast/lunch) just like last year.  We will be accepting proposals to present up until July 15, 2011.  If you have procrastinated now is the time to submit.  You can access the form to submit a proposal here.  Stay tuned for hotel information, updated sponsors, and other exciting events associated with Edscape 2011.