Taking Personalized Learning Personal

When I think about personalized learning I see two faces- my own girls. One daughter is a junior in college and the other is a senior in high school. They will both be graduates at the school I have been an educator at for the last 13 years. All through their k-12 educational experience they struggled with math. On and off (more on than off) I hired tutors to help them to feel more confident in the math classes they took. With tutors in their life studying for exams became less tearful. I couldn’t help but ask myself “how is the current system of math instruction not working for my girls and other students like them?” “Why do my girls not understand concepts in class?” When I think of personalized learning, I see my girls and what it could have done for them to make them feel like more confident learners.

As an instructional technologist for my school system I am constantly looking for innovative ways to enhance learning and help teachers become more effective. An opportunity was placed before me that has caused me to become a champion for personalized learning like never before. Three schools across the United States were coming together to look for ways to lower the cost of education through a blended learning math prototype. I was asked to be a part of this pilot as technology support. Our school, in Chattanooga, Tennessee would be a trailblazer.

It started simply with a below average 5th grade math class. The teacher felt overwhelmed by their lack of progress. We turned it into a blended learning station rotation class with the use of technology to fill gaps. The increase in test scores were phenomenal but what stuck with me was the confidence building I saw. I wanted to baby step into blended learning- this is what transpired: https://youtu.be/q_bk38syWfE

In 2015 those three schools came together to prototype blended learning math using the model of a lead teacher and paraprofessionals in the classroom. Each school looked at it a bit differently due to individuality of the schools. For Chattanooga Christian School, our teachers started off in a blended learning station rotation model with modality stations such as teacher instructed, hands on, technology instruction, gaming, inquiry based.

Our teachers created icons to help students navigate the day for movement in the classroom. They also used a LMS for instructions. It didn’t take long for the educators in the classroom to see they had students that could move forward and some that needed additional time. They decided to allow for personalized learning to take place with some constraints as far as pacing. Those moving ahead were often given opportunities to go deeper and those lagging behind were given calendar dates to get things done by.  It wasn’t an easy year. At the end of the year the lead teacher looked at me and said, “I’ve been teaching for 17 years and I never saw the cracks that my students were falling through. Please don’t make me go back to teaching traditionally again.” It still gives me goosebumps. Especially considering I thought she might quit on me at any moment during the school year! Here are testimonials from 2 students: https://youtu.be/XQFBb6Nmmug

In the 2016-2017 school year we are in year two of the prototype with two school systems still involved and 40 students in the classrooms with one lead teacher and 2 para-professionals. The educators in the room have found a rhythm and other math teachers are questioning positively “what’s happening in that room and how can I be a part of it?” I believe in personalized learning and think that maybe some students might become confident math learners because of the trailblazing these amazing teachers are doing at our school. I believe the culture of being grade driven students is changing to competency driven in this pilot. I believe these students have been given a glimpse at being in charge of their path of learning and seeing it for the process it is. I'm interested to see where the future takes us.

Educators Need Safety to Share Their Story

Teachers need to feel safe in sharing their story. Teachers are doing amazing things in their classrooms. I don't know who first said "if you don't tell your story someone else will" and I even looked it up to give credit where credit is due but what I found as it's been said many, many times. Which means there are many, many people that have experienced what this means.  

I remember the first time it happened to me in an educational setting. I was sitting in a room at the beginning of the school year with all the K-12 teachers in our school system and it was rhetorically asked by the speaker "why do we teach computers to elementary students in a standalone setting? Why doesn't it support what is happening in the classroom?

I wanted to stand up and scream "that's not true! It does! I'm doing my best to make it   with the classroom learning!" but it wasn't one of those situations where I felt could do that and as I felt tears stinging my eyes, my friend and co-teacher sitting right next to me patted me on the knee and said "it's OK, we know how you actually teach." 

This was before the age of social media. It was basically in a setting of silo'd teachers doing their best day after day with very little adult contact. That was the culture of the day.

But that's not today's culture. Sometimes when I walk into a classroom students don't even look up because they are so used to other adults coming in and out supporting, aiding, watching what's going on that it's the norm.

I think maybe because of my past I have wholeheartedly chosen to share the amazing things going on in education with the world whenever I can. I believe 100% that someone's telling your story and it might as well be you so it will be correct. Sharing your story via blogs and/or using social media, or face to face with other educators helps create a system of transparency that parents and students seem to appreciate.

But very often other educators look at me and say "wow you really do a lot of sharing of the things that you guys have going on in the elementary school but I'm scared to do it. It's risky, what if I say something that is taken the wrong way? or that someone doesn't like?"

I honestly sat there complexed. What would you be saying people might take the wrong way? And then I realized I've had those moments-moments where I needed to explain a little bit about what was going on to help people understand better what our goals and standards were. But I never feel like I've had my hand slapped for something I've shared. I have been questioned but I don't have a problem with that. And as an innovator, I should be questioned. No educator should have free reign. There should be some boundaries. I'll be honest I think my sharing has brought me more positive results as an educator than negative. I love telling our story at our school because I love our school. If I post something that someone doesn't agree with (which has happened), or that is misinterpreted (which definitely has happened), they have to know my heart. I am an educator who passionately believes in her students and the faculty at my school. Our story is a great one and I'm proud to show it. 

It makes me sad to hear about other educators not feeling safe to share their stories. How I long for everyone to have the freedom and feel a school culture that gives them the safety to share, to not be criticized for thinking or feeling differently on a subject. I think as long as we don't bash other's thoughts and we share kindly and in a way that does not harm our school's reputation then administrators should welcome educators that have good things to share and are willing to share.

 Over the past year I've really tried to strive to share the positives as I'm walking down hallways, as I'm looking in classrooms, as I'm seeing people interact, as I'm teaching, as I'm watching students learn and watching children play. Educators and schools get bad wraps every single day. It's time to create a culture where teachers feel safe to share the good things going on. Let's do it! Grab a hashtag for your school and GO! I've adopted #ccslearns and invite other CCS teachers to get on this hashtag's share train!  What's yours?