*This is a reflection post required for my JHU-ISTE Leadership program.

For this assignment, I was required to conduct a full clinical observation cycle with a teacher.  I conducted a pre-observation conference, a classroom observation, and a post-observation conference.  I was required to video the post-observation conference, and the following are my notes regarding what I observed as I reviewed the recording.

*  What strengths and/or improvement areas did you notice about the environment and tone of the post-observation?
The post-observation conference I participated in was conducted in a staff meeting room.  The room was an ideal location as it was quiet and conducive to this type of conversation.  I sat at a table across from the teacher I observed.  I noticed that I gave the teacher quite a bit of nonverbal feedback, and I would say I might have given too much of this at times.  I didn’t realize how much I nod my head in agreement when I’m in a conversation such as this, and I think I might need to find a way to reduce the frequency in order to increase the effectiveness of this technique.  I also offered a variety of verbal feedback throughout the conversation to ensure the teacher knew I was tracking and listening intently as she spoke.  I spoke in a clear, effective manner, and I believe my tone and inflection were both professional and relaxed.  I feel the way I engaged in the conversation would be a strength, and I believe I made the teacher feel comfortable and at ease while she shared her thoughts.  One area I can target for improvement was my periodic glances at my computer screen.  I did this to make sure I was moving us along the five domains that were to be discussed, as well as make observations from the notes I recorded.  Looking back at the video, I realize that doing this is an acceptable practice, but I have to make sure I don’t do it too early before the other person has finished a thought or sentence.  I don’t’ want to appear that I’m rushing the conversation or only thinking about how I’m going to transition into the next topic.

* What strengths and/or improvement areas did you notice in the conference about strategies to improve instruction?
As part of this observation, I collected data on how many times the teacher used a filler/transition word.  I shared this data with the teacher, and it came as a surprise how often she used such a word during the lesson.  The rest of the conversation was focused on the lesson as well as the teaching style and opportunities for students to engage learning the teacher generally employs with her students.  We discussed strengths and a couple areas that might be targeted for future growth, and the teacher noted at the end of the conference how helpful the discussion was for her.  While I pointed out specifics that I noted in the classroom, I also discussed in broad terms the educational philosophies and strategies I saw the teacher employ.  The conversation allowed for the teacher to reflect on her practice, and several goals were established as a result of the conference.

* In the conference, which behavior did you seem to predominantly use?  Do you think this was an appropriate approach given the developmental level of the teacher? Briefly explain
During this conference, I primarily used listening, clarifying, encouraging, and reflecting with the teacher.  She falls near the collaborative end of the continuum of behaviors, and while she is still a teacher with only two years teaching experience, she already uses sound practice and strategies to engage her students in her classroom.  There wasn’t any cause for concern, and the manner in which she taught and then reflected in the post-observation conference made any potential utilization of a more directive approach unnecessary.

This was an excellent experience for me personally.  The teacher I observed and I discussed how helpful it would be for all teachers to engage in a peer-coaching experience.  The information I gained about myself as an observer, and the information the teacher gained as a result were quite profound.  I look forward to the opportunity to use what I learned from this experience in the future.

Thanks to philcampbell for the use of the Flickr image.

*This is a reflection post required for my JHU-ISTE Leadership program.

This week we were asked to evaluate various room arrangements found within a classroom.  It is quite intriguing to explore the various ways teachers choose to set up a classroom and what it communicates about the methodologies and pedagogical practice in play in a given setting.  It seems there is great variety in the methods teachers use when determining exactly what setup to utilize, and the practice yields a myriad of implications for students as they engage the learning process.

The tradition room arrangement with students all sitting in rows is decreasing in frequency from my observations.  More unique arrangements are being utilized in an attempt to foster more collaborative learning environments.  There are certainly still classrooms that employ the traditional, and it seems that set up is more common at the secondary level than at the elementary.  I believe this is the case for a multitude of reasons, one major reason being fewer teachers actually have their own classrooms in middle and high schools, thus, there is less opportunity to change the environment entirely to meet the teacher’s style.

It was quite apparent that most of the rooms that held a traditional arrangement, and did so for the duration of a class, were more invested in the direct instruction model.  Some teachers did begin in the traditional arrangement, but then allowed for movement of the arrangement once group work or partner work began.  Rooms that were arranged in a more unique manner were often centered around student discussion or student inquiry, and there was little time spent on specific direct instruction.  One room even had students getting comfortable in bean bags and non-traditional seats, almost like something seen in a library, and when I was in the classroom, a Socratic discussion was taking place amongst the students about a specific piece of literature.

It was clear that in most cases, the teachers accounted for the daily traffic patterns that take place in a class period.  The traditional setting has students moving only when they entered the classroom to take their seats and then again when they left the classroom.  The unique arrangements often had students moving freely throughout the class, and the furniture may have served as obstacles in a given arrangement, but the students didn’t seem bothered by this in the least.  One room was arranged in a double horse-shoe shape, and students in the center were constrained somewhat by the outer portion of the horseshoe.  This seemed to bother some of the students as they weren’t able to move their seats or move away from their desks freely.

This exercise proved quite interesting.  I was intrigued at how much I learned about a teacher simply by observing the arrangement of his or her space.  I’m sure many supervisors observe the same when conducting formal or even informal observations of a teacher.  I wonder how responsive teachers would be to dedicating a staff meeting or a portion of an inservice day to discuss and explore potential variety in the arrangements of a class.  I would also gather that supervisors could use what they observe about class arrangements to provide specific staff development in the learning and teaching practices that may result from various arrangements.

The final part of my observation was focused on the computers available in a given classroom.  Here again there was great variety.  Some classes had four or five computer stations sitting on tables at the back of the room.  Other classrooms shared a pod of computers in a common area just outside several classrooms.  Some classes had checked out a computer cart of laptops, and they were using those resources during the lesson at their individual desks.  There was great variety of setups depending on the physical setup of a given school.

It would be interesting to continue with this observation activity in the future as resources and pedagogy change to see if the change results in new ways to think of arranging the learning environment.

Thanks to Courosa for the use of the Flickr image.

*This is a reflection post required for my JHU-ISTE Leadership program.  As always, if the topic is of no interest to you, feel free to skip on by.

This reflection asked us to answer the following three questions:

How do you define transformational leadership based on your reading?
How can transformational leadership impact the way an administrator leads a school?
How can transformational leadership impact the school administrator as he/she leads integrating technology with instruction?

There are some leaders who ascribe to a “pull” style of leadership.  They stand atop the pyramid of an institution, look forward, and try to pull the pyramid along with them as they take each step toward the vision they have cast for the institution.  This is often referred to as “command” leadership, and while it can certainly be an effective way to move an institution in increments, it is not always the most empowering method for the constituents working within the walls of the pyramid.

There are other leaders who find themselves standing at the bottom of an inverted pyramid.  It is their goal to see the needs of the constituents, as well as the needs of the institution as a whole, and push each individual in a manner that effectively moves both the person within and the institution as a whole.  This is often referenced as servant leadership, and it often dismantles the notion of “leader as manager” and instead fosters leadership with the multitude of constituents in the pyramid.

Servant leadership can also directly lead to “transformational leadership.”  Leonard Burrello speaks directly to the idea of transformational leadership in his book, Educating All Students Together.  Burrello states that transformational leaders need to be less concerned with leading for the sake of compliance and linear system stability and equilibrium, but rather, such leaders should look to increase constituent’s investment and enrollment in the institution’s vision.  Michael Fullan has also written a great deal on this subject, and he states that transformational leaders should build the whole of the institution into each individual.  All people have a voice and input in the direction and execution of the institution’s vision.

When applying this concept to education, one can readily see how an atmosphere of networked learning can occur.  The overall investment and health of the educational institution will be experienced throughout as all members of the community are involved in decision making and implementation of specified goals.  If a building administrator seeks transformational leadership, learning will likely take the lead, and opportunity will abound for all in the system to grow and learn together.

I believe a transformational leader will also allow the institution to adapt as culture and educational practices adapt to better engage the process of learning.  The leader will allow new practices to emerge, and I would postulate that utilizing Argyis’s model of double loop learning for an institution would be an excellent opportunity for organizational learning and growth.  This model would certainly be an impetus for change, and given the present resources emerging and established technologies present, the members of the institution would find themselves tapping into the potential power that technology proffers.  The leader will also focus on the pedagogical questions of implementing technology, and he or she will not seek to implement technology for any contrived mandate or false pretense of doing so solely for the sake of the implementation.

I believe this sort of transformational leadership is exactly the way I want to lead an institution I might have the honor of leading in the future.

Thanks to Bluedrakon for the use of the Flickr image.

*This is a reflection post for my JHU program.  If you’d rather pass on this one and catch up with me in the future, I’ll understand completely.

As part of the JHU-ISTE leadership program, we are required to take a two week online orientation course.  The purpose of the course is to get us acclimated and prepared to be successful with the format of an online learning environment.  Overall, I think the course was a nice way to get people comfortable with the layout and for me, it was a chance to remember what it’s like to be a student in a structured system again.  I’ve grown rather comfortable with writing what I want to write and discussing things I want to discuss, and those things change a bit when you go back into a classroom, be it online or of a more traditional ilk.

In order to complete the orientation, I have to answer the following questions.

Now that you have a good sense of the types of online activities and the rhythms of an active participant, what steps will you take to be successful in this program?

I will say that being part of an online learning program takes great discipline.  Even when there are deadlines posted for work to be completed, there still remains a much more fluid feeling to the completion of the work.  If time isn’t allocated throughout the week to keep up on the reading, discussion forums, formal writing pieces, assessments, etc., the task of completing that which needs to be completed becomes nearly overwhelming.  For myself, I know I must dedicate a specific set of time blocks each week in which I will complete my work.

How will you be a contributing member of your team? How will team activities impact your time management?

This portion of the course will prove to be both rewarding and challenging as working with others is an excellent opportunity for personal growth while remaining a source of challenge for time management.  If the other members of the team have a schedule that doesn’t coincide one with the others, it may prove difficult to accomplish the learning goals for a specific project.  I will strive to remain flexible and always willing to share my thoughts and ideas with the group.

What have you learned about your communication style? How will this impact you as an online learner?

While I absolutely love to write on most occasions, using something like an online classroom certainly makes me miss certain aspects of face to face communication.  I believe as we continue to advance the way we engage learning online, there will eventually come a day when video conferencing or visual chatting will become more prevalent.  There is simply something about hearing a person’s voice and seeing their nonverbal communications that writing can’t replicate.  I will look for opportunities in this program to utilize, or perhaps even introduce where appropriate, such an experience.

Where do you still need additional support?

At this point, I can only pray for the stamina to make it through this next year.  I’m looking forward to the learning, and for those of you who actually read this post, I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned with all of you.

Thanks to retro traveler for the use of the Flickr image.