Chapter 8 in TPCK- the arts

In a time where teachers are being asked to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all learners, regardless of ability, the arts in an elementary classroom is more important than ever. Because the national standards cross disciplines in all content areas, it is 'safe' for us to spend time finding ways for students to develop voice and passion through all forms of art. I find, however, that this is not the case in most classrooms within my district. Whether it be from the lack of knowledge or lack of time, teachers who do integrate art do so in a sporadic, often meaningless way...For example, this fall, when the playground was littered with leaves of vibrant colors and beautiful shapes, one teacher chose to embrace the season by allowing her students to trace, cut and color prefabbed leaves. These kids were 3rd graders!!!! Ten years ago, when I was a first grade teacher, students approached Christmas in my classroom with a sense of excitement and wonder. We took an opportunity to make gifts for families based on what individual students wished to create. As a result, we learned to sew, choreographed dances, wrote poetry and songs, painted self-portraits. I can't tell you, as a parent, how many 'kit gifts' bought from Oriental Trading I have had under my tree lately. My children never seem to excited to have me open these gifts. Instead, they spend hours at home creating their own 'mom and dad' gifts from scratch. This year, my favorite gift was from my 10 year old son. He had made me a pillow, sewn together with duck tape, stuffed with paper towels.
The idea of exposing children to virtual galleries, art-based instruction on the web, and such programs as Band-in-a-Box is important if we are to teach children to use technology so that they can express themselves in a wide variety of ways. With art programs being cut across the nation, it is now even more important than ever for us to take on leadership roles so that the arts continues to improve the quality of children's lives...

Chapter 3 - Literacy in TPCK

While I worked to develop a research proposal last term, I focused much of my attention on the connection between motivation and attitude in terms of literacy learning. As an elementary literacy teacher, looking to motivate students who struggle can be a challenge. By integrating technology into my pedagogy, I can energize and inspire while at the same time redefine what literacy means to my students in today’s society. Although not well versed in the examples of using technology in a language arts program, I feel that any of the TPAC suggestions would support my goals. As always, I will need to look for professional development so that my understanding of the tools is sufficient so that I may place them into my bag of tricks. I especially liked the idea of using technology in order to integrate more student-centered models of instruction into my classroom.
When thinking of specific uses of technology in my literacy program, I found myself intrigues with the comics program. Especially for younger readers who rely on illustrations to help construct meaning, comics are tools that provide opportunities for students to develop stories with little or no text. The written component of a comic can be introduced when the early reader is ready to connect words with images. What a fantastic way for early readers to create stories with visual support while at the same time differentiate the experience for those who are ready to integrate more text into their own writing.

philosophy

As I walk onto the grounds of my ideal school, parents are digging up gladiola bulbs in our community garden to store for next year’s plantings. Upon entering the lobby at the start of the day, colorful student-centered artwork jumps out at me. The principal is on one knee, greeting a kindergartener with a hug and a smile. A group of fifth grade students are shepherding hungry youngsters into the cafeteria for a free breakfast. A collection of teachers from various grade levels is meeting in the glass-enclosed conference room as part of a bi-weekly book talk on So You Have to Teach Math? by Marilyn Burns. The environment strikes me as one rich in community, in relationships, and in collegiality.

Parents are extremely involved in supporting teachers and students. Their expertise is apparent in the abundance of fall root vegetables grown in the after-school garden project. Computer labs have become rich in curriculum-based lessons as a result of parent support and training. Parents help run a writing workshop lab, conferencing with students of all ages on their works in progress. The importance of tapping into what others know and finding ways of making it accessible is the key to developing a community of learners and a community of leaders.

Students have many leadership roles in my ideal school. Fifth graders are trained to take care of the accounting associated with lunch and milk money. A group of fourth graders, along with the principal, attended a full-day workshop on recycling and are implementing a school-wide program. Struggling third grade readers are beginning to develop confidence as they read to kindergarteners in cozy chairs each morning in the Title I room. Being entrusted with important roles within a school allows for student growth and leadership.

Trust among colleagues is visibly apparent in my school. Mrs. Smith is having lunch with Mr. Jones today so she can get feedback on a new science lesson she had asked him to observe. Mr. Wight has asked Ms. Birch to stay late and eat dinner together so they can discuss why so many fifth graders are having difficulty remembering multiplication facts. The faculty meeting I observe takes place in Mrs. Green’s first grade classroom. We sit in her students’ itsy-bitsy chairs while listening to her describe Responsive Classroom techniques for positive discipline strategies. The agenda for this month’s staff development early release Wednesday is discussed and established. Teachers truly seem to enjoy working with and learning from one another. There is a genuine sense of collegiality.

I walk out of the faculty meeting with Ms. Benny, the principal, and ask for a few minutes of her time. We sit down on a cushioned window seat overlooking the playing fields. I inquire about her role as an administrator in this rural 300-student elementary school. “Well, I don’t define myself as an administrator. I am one of the many leaders of this school. I believe in my staff, in my students, and in my parents. They share in the leadership right along with me. As the principal, however, I must be thoughtful and aware of what it takes to encourage a community of learners and of leaders. I articulate our school’s vision very clearly in just about everything I do. I relinquish some of the decision-making to my teachers, my students, and my parents. I am more than willing to share in the failures of decisions that have been made. I give credit where credit is due. Finally, I honestly believe that every one of my teachers has the capacity to lead. As part of my evaluation procedure, I have conversations with staff about individual goals. I ask each teacher to think about a component of the school for which he or she would like to take some responsibility.” I thank Ms. Benny for sharing with me a school in which I would be proud to have my own young children attend.

The aforementioned vignette illustrates the most important aspects of my philosophy of successful school leadership. They include the relevance of fostering collegial relationships, the creation of a school environment in which everyone has opportunities to lead, and the development of a learning community supported by parents. The significance of my ideas, how they are philosophically grounded in educational theory, and how I can apply my theory ethically into practice will be the focus of this essay. Although I am just beginning to develop a philosophy of technology’s ethical place in elementary schools, I will also provide suggestions of ways to integrate technology into my leadership so that there is equal access for all members of the school community.

Collegiality exists in a school when the following behaviors can be observed; adults are talking with one another about teaching, adults are observing each other’s teaching and leading, adults are actively engaged in working on curriculum, and adults are teaching each other what they know about their own craft. Providing equal opportunities for staff members to learn from one another is important if growth is to occur at any level. John Dewey believes that in education there must be an emphasis on interaction. In his writings on democracy in schools, he describes the need for community members to communicate and inquire in order to construct knowledge (Noddings, 2007, p. 36).

As Dewey writes, experience is educative if it produces more growth (p. 26). However, to ensure that growth is meaningful, teachers must develop clear objectives and aims. To help facilitate collegial educative interactions, I would incorporate his model of thinking and problem solving into the process. First, Dewey believes that a problem must be defined. What needs to be improved? Second, a hypothesis is developed. Third, a plan of action is devised in order to test the hypothesis. The plan is enacted and then a reflection on the process occurs (p. 30). The reflective piece is extremely important and I worry that this step could be omitted, most likely due to time constraints. As Socrates believed, self-knowledge is basic to all knowledge (p.7). Understanding our own role in a process is important to our own development and growth.

A school cannot hope to tackle every problem identified by members of its community. Issues would be identified through a variety of means – grade level meetings, staff meetings, informal conversations. If teachers are to be provided opportunities to collaborate, the experiences must be thoughtful and purposeful, with clear aims. In order for this to happen, the school administrator must ask and answer the following questions. How can I afford groups enough time to delve deeply into the problem? Scheduling release time during the day is difficult, but often the best solution. How can I provide teachers with the materials they need in order to problem solve? The Parent/Teacher Organization has monies available for small projects. What if teachers don’t want to participate? Collegiality cannot be forced upon anyone. However, knowing the staff’s strengths and passions is a starting point. Having conversations with individual teachers about concerns or asking for suggestions is sometimes enough to empower a teacher so that he or she wants to help affect change, whether it be on an issue such as scheduling or assisting a colleague in developing a lesson on measuring one’s carbon footprint.

Froebel’s emphasis on nurturance and growth as the kindergarten level lends itself well to the development of collegiality (p.21). As a leader, I would use his metaphor of learners being like flowers, needing to unfold and grow to create a strong climate of trust and sharing among my staff (p.21). Understanding that teachers are in need of support and reassurance so that they begin to feel capable of supporting one other is extremely important if healthy school communities are to unfold and children are to learn. To encourage open communication, I would create a faculty blog that would be accessible to teachers and other support staff. On the blog, teachers would be encouraged to share ideas, suggestions and concerns with me. I would follow up to posts either by responding to the school community as a whole on the blog or to have a more intimate conversation with one or more staff members. I would also model healthy examples of posts, making sure that teachers understood the importance of being respectful of all members of the school community.

In a community rich in learning and collegiality, leadership opportunities will arise naturally among members of a school community. Taking charge provides for endless prospects in terms of learning. Dewey believes that the greater the involvement of students in their own schooling, the more powerful and rewarding the outcomes (p. 25). I believe that teachers and students must be afforded opportunities to take responsibility within their own learning environment and that everyone has the potential to lead.

As a teacher leader in my district, I am continually looking for opportunities for staff and students alike to take on responsibilities. In his own school, Pestalozzi “demonstrated that poor children, well cared for and skillfully taught, could learn as much as wealthier children” (p. 19). I agree with this philosophy and take it one step further by believing that all students, regardless of academic ability, have the potential to take on leadership roles. I created a Book Swap Shop to allow for more access to books in households. This was my sole intended outcome. However, after staffing the shop with trained 4^th and 5^th grade Title I students, I soon realized that an unintended outcome existed that was just as, if not more, powerful. My Title I students thrive in their role as employees. At first, faculty was concerned that this population of students may not be reliable or that certain individuals may not follow through with their obligations to me. However, teachers have come to view these children as being capable of taking on more responsible roles in their own classrooms.

Although Title I children are not as stigmatized as the special education population, there is a certain stigma attached to needing extra math and reading support. The Book Swap Shop experience provides for social acceptance among peer groups. It fits with Dewey’s push for mutual support and the encouragement of associated living (p. 38). Providing leadership opportunities for a population of students that is not always recognized as having leadership potential is important if there is to be equal access to these roles.

Like Dewey, I believe that teachers must be afforded opportunities to work together in order to solve common problems so that schools continue to improve. As a member of the Language Arts Committee, I struggled over the lack of a strong spelling component in our literacy curriculum at the elementary level. As a lifelong learner myself, I chose to delve into possible solutions to the problem, searching out resources and possible solutions. I came across a program that incorporated word studies, vocabulary development, and editing skills that seemed like a perfect fit for what our students needed in spelling instruction. A workshop outlining the program happened to be scheduled in Portland. After meeting with all teachers about the potential impact of the curriculum, a group of us attended the conference. The group of teachers who were present felt so strongly about the potential benefits that they asked to bring their new knowledge back to colleagues. By providing them with time to inform other staff members about the spelling philosophy and instruction, these teachers began to take on a leadership role. They took their enthusiasm into their own classrooms and piloted the program. Other teachers became interested and wanted to observe lessons. Time was provided for staff to discuss these lessons so that questions could be answered and concerns addressed. The intended outcome of this endeavor was for our district to look closely at spelling curricula. The unintended outcome was that teachers, some of whom taught spelling through a very antiquated approach, began to see themselves as spelling specialists – to whom others could come for suggestions and guidance. No one was forced to attend the initial conference. No one was forced to pilot the program. No one was forced to observe teaching or engage in pedagogic discussion. However, all teachers did choose to sign on to adopt the curriculum brought to the district by a small group of leaders.

Dewey believed that enlarging social connections must play a significant role in education (p. 39). There are many important relationships within a school, including parent-teacher, parent-principal, and parent-parent. “Having parents involved in schools can narrow cultural gaps that arise when parents are held at arm’s length or feel apathetic toward a school or their children’s learning” (Deal and Peterson, 1999, page 132). Schools need parent connections in order to flourish. Parents must see the importance of schools and convey this to their children and schools must understand different parent perspectives. Educators must be aware that a parent’s hesitation to get involved may be because they are unsure of what their roles could potentially involve. Parents may also have difficulty trusting schools if their experiences as students were negative. Cultivating relationships while keeping in mind that all parents have the ability to support the learning community is vital.

When Dewey spoke of the development of democracy in schools, he argued that schools must encourage community members to communicate and inquire and to assist in the construction of knowledge (Noddings, 2007, p. 36). To help develop relationships with parents so that they want to become involved in the community, I invite them to observe my lessons with their children. They spend thirty minutes observing how I interact with their child, the language I use to foster independence, the strategies used to teach new information, and the materials I integrate into lessons. We then spend time talking about what the parent noticed and answer any questions that he or she may have. It is during this visit that I explain the importance of the home/school journal that I use to further cultivate my connection with them. As these observations happen with one parent at a time, the climate is safe for the parent to ask questions and voice concerns. This meeting marks the beginning of a relationship that more often than not, develops into a long-term partnership. Most of my parents begin to volunteer for opportunities that have little to do with their child’s academics. Last year, families helped support a 4^th grade talent show and walked with students during recess as a part of our school-wide exercise program.

It is the responsibility of teachers and administrators to create efforts to involve parents: parent handbooks, back-to-school nights, principal chats, school advisory committees, and parent centers. In order for a successful connection to be made, the efforts must be meaningful and purposeful and consistent quality communication is essential.

Parent/teacher communication is vital in order for connections to form. Kathy Cassidy, a Canadian first grade teacher, created a classroom blog

(http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=1337). Mrs. Cassidy uses technology such as YouTube, journal writing, classroom links, and digital photographs in order to communicate classroom happenings with families. Families are invited to make comments to the blog, thus fostering more communication. I would make this technology available to parents who may not have access to computers in the home by inviting them in once a week so that their children can log on at a classroom computer and help them navigate through the technology.

When a school community consists of diverse cultures, it is even more important to find ways to help families feel comfortable enough to want to participate in the education of their children. Using on-line resources, faculty and staff could learn to speak some key phrases in various languages spoken in the homes of students. Developing welcoming parent centers in schools where parents can come meet with teachers over a cup of coffee, share concerns with other parents, or borrow resources could also work to develop parent involvement.

Parents who are uncomfortable or unwilling to volunteer should not be pushed to get involved. However, schools have a responsibility to help cultivate relationships among all of its members. Again, I agree with Dewey’s belief that mutual support within in a community is healthy (p.37). In schools, as in life, people must have every opportunity “ to communicate freely across the lines of class, religion, race and region. Whenever groups withdraw from connection, isolate themselves, and become exclusive, democracy is endangered” (p. 37). The active involvement of all members of a school is a responsibility that an administrator must take seriously.

The parents of my students helped create the Book Swap Shop. They weeded through the donated titles, sorted books into categories, stocked shelves, made posters and became strong supporters of the project. Parents who may not have the resources to stock their home libraries, began to feel comfortable asking to take a book or two home to share with their child.

A strong leader has many responsibilities if a school is to meet and exceed expectations at all levels. I believe that far too much emphasis has been given to reforming schools from the outside. Policies and mandates are often detached from the real goings-on in schools. We must rely on the members of an existing school community to facilitate change. Change emanating from within is more powerful, more meaningful, and I believe, more permanent. Relying on students, staff and parents to make important decisions, question accepted practices, and work together to create a culture accepting of all of its members will produce a place of experiences that will foster growth. As Dewey believed, “education is synonymous with growth. Growth leads to further growth” (p. 26). Relationships within a school have an incredible impact on student and adult learning. Community leadership and learning are essential to the development of all students. As an administrator, I would work to; foster collegial relationships, create a school environment in which everyone has opportunities to lead, and develop a learning community supported by parents.