Fair but Not Equal

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As I mentioned yesterday I will be writing a four part series of blog posts on differentiation. This is the first post in that series.

One of the myths about differentiation is that, "how can you do that because you are making things easier for those students"

This is a misunderstood myth about differentiation. Rather differentiation is making things fair and  leveling the playing the field if you will.  To believe in this myth is like saying a student who wear glasses has an unfair advantage over students who don't wear glasses. I don't think anyone would ever say that, and by the same means differentiated instruction is giving the students who need "glasses" what they need to succeed.

Kelly Tenkely, a good friend mine, gave the following analogy; No parent would expect all the students in a first grade class to all loose their baby teeth at the same time. Yet parents and sometimes teachers expect all students to be able to read at the same time.  Imagine a parent being upset that other students in the class have lost more baby teeth than their child.

Therefore we do accept this idea and concept of fair but not equal but for some reason when it comes to teaching we believe everything has to be equal.

Picture: jewishspecialneeds.blogspot.com

I came across the following Edutopia post written two years ago

"Fair Isn’t Equal: Seven Classroom Tips"

Here are some key points the author makes: 

" If you ask students what are the most important qualities they like in teachers, one of the universally top-mentioned is fairness. Teachers and schools strive to be fair and build programs and polices based on this value. 

But what is fair? Many define it as treating everyone the same, but I would argue that doing so is the most unfair way to treat students. Students are not the same. They have different motivations for their choices, different needs, different causes for misbehavior and different goals. I think this is good, because wouldn't the world be very boring if we were all the same?

The most glaring example of the misunderstanding between fair and equal is in progressive consequence organization. The first violation results in the same consequence for all; the second infraction, more severe, is still the same for all. This continues throughout the sequence. A vast majority of schools and classes use this model. There is great danger in using progressive consequence schemes. No one would go to a doctor who treats all headaches the same, since the cause for one may be allergies and the other a tumor. Identical treatment for two students who don't do homework for different reasons -- one who has to help at the family business after school, and one who watches too much television -- is no different than that crazy doctor with the single cure for all headaches."  

Our goal is for all of our students to succeed and for some that's giving them the tools
 ( "glasses" ) to help them.  Does the whole class need "glasses" NO!  is that being Fair ? The answer is YES 

Differentiation isn't making things easier or letting students off the hook rather it is insuring all the students have the same chance to succeed. In a strange way but making things FAIR  while at the time may not always be equal but by doing so we are giving all of our students an EQUAL chance to succeed 

A NEW CHALLENGE

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Over the last few months I have tried to get back into blogging and started a 30 day blog challenge which was great for me personally but also was a way for me to connect with some amazing educators. To be honest for a number of reasons I have slacked off a bit as of late. I have also made an effort to promote and put time into my consulting business Star Educational Consulting. I have also put out 5 bi-weekly newsletters and I am working on a Star Educational Magazine as well.

I was talking to a good friend last night who told me that I need more of a focus to my publications and at the same time i also need to get motivated to blog and write more. Her advise was spot on.

So I am creating a new challenge for myself. Over the next month I will take 4 topics and write 5 blog posts about each topic. These posts will also be incorporated into my upcoming newsletters.

The topics I have chosen are:

Differentiated Instruction

Creativity and Innovation

Education Technology/ Blended Learning

Educational Leadership

If anyone wants to join me on this challenge and collaborate on ideas, posts, and future topics I would open to such collaboration.

I would also  be willing to have people as guest authors most their thoughts on my blog.

So if you are interested please reach out as I think through connecting and collaborating we all grow and  become better.

Here's to my next challenge. Stay tuned!

Akevy

Developing a Growth Mindset with Your Students

picture: www.huffingtonpost.com 

Many of you know that I am very passionate about the idea and importance of a growth mindset. Heroes a guest blog from a friend of mine Mrs Becky Walker a friend and colleague who teachers in Memphis . Becky began her career in the field of education in 2000.  In addition to classroom teaching in upper elementary and middle school grade levels, she has taught gifted education and science education for grades one through six.  She has also served as a mentor teacher and instructional coach.  She is currently teaching sixth grade at Margolin Hebrew Academy in Memphis, TN.  

Here is an article she wrote for the school newsletter:

Over the summer, I read a book called Mindset by Carol Dweck (http://mindsetonline.com/).  The book centers on the two mindsets that the author identifies and explains: the growth mindset and the fixed mindset.  

Individuals with a fixed mindset believe that people are endowed with a certain level of intelligence, certain personality traits, and or even a certain moral fiber.  They don't believe that much can be done to change these things about a person.  Those with a fixed mindset are concerned about being judged and therefore strive to prove that they are worthy.  Success for them comes from proving that they are smart enough, good enough, etc.  They must be validated and often fear having their deficiencies exposed.  This fear is driven by the fixed mindset – the belief that having to work at something or (even worse) failing at something, means you aren’t smart or talented after all.  

Individuals with a growth mindset believe that success is about developing themselves.  In direct contrast to the fixed mindset, the idea is that putting forth effort is what you do to become smarter, better, etc.  This type of thinking allows people to continue to improve their minds, their skills, their talents.  Even when an outcome isn’t what they had wished for, they are able to see value in the experience, learn from their mistakes, and move forward.  This is not to say that failure isn’t just as painful for people with a growth mindset.  What is does mean, however, is that they learn to work hard and overcome obstacles, rather than letting the failure define them and destroy their self-esteem.  

So what does this have to do with sixth grade? Everything.

Dweck states that “as parent, teachers, and coaches, our mission is developing people’s potential.”  Clearly, the growth mindset is focused on doing just that.  As a teacher, I have always tried to acknowledge my students’ efforts, but this book really provided so much clarity about how and why this has such an impact. It is critical that the students know how much hard work and perseverance are valued in the classroom.  This is often a very difficult concept for students who are accustomed to catching on quickly and doing well without much effort.  If they have a fixed mindset, they may feel that being challenged –or doing anything requiring effort – means they aren’t as smart as they thought.  They may be afraid to risk failing.  

Dweck also makes a great point about “yet.”  The kids don’t come to school because they already know everything; they come to school to learn.  When they tell me that they don’t know how to do something, I remind them about “yet.”  The sixth graders and I have talked about this repeatedly throughout the year already, and it’s become a key word for us anytime they start to reach that level of discomfort that comes from being asked to try something they fear will result in failure.  I remind them that they don’t know how to do it yet, but that they are at school to learn.

Of course, it is not enough to discuss with them the need to take risks with their learning and to ask them to trust the concept of “yet.”  As their teacher, I have to provide the type of learning environment that fosters this type of classroom culture, gives students ownership of their learning, and keeps the dialogue open surrounding the concept of success.   The classroom is ours, though, not mine, and the students have been very open and willing to participate in the process of developing the classroom in this way.  Already, their growth mindsets are making a difference, and as we continue along our journey through sixth grade, I look forward to the opportunity to see them thrive.

ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

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I know that Connected educators month ended a few days ago. One of the things that I am probably most proud of was the creation of our 30 day blog challenge and the Facebook page created as part of that challenge. Yesterday the following post Inquire Within was posted on the page. The post got me thinking as many of the posts on the page do.

I think we are all aware of the need to create deep and meaningful learning experiences. These experiences are ones that must include innovative and creative ideas, critical thinking, inquiry learning and questioning.

There are many ways to invigorate these ideas into our daily lessons. The ways may be a subject of a future blog post.

However what is clear that we need to focus on the questions. Both the questions that we ask our students and the questions that we want to encourage our students to ask. Therefore we need to move away fro questions that lead to simple answers based on fact and move towards questions of WHY.

In writing this blog post there seemed to be a correlation between the types of questions we focused on and the different mindsets.  One who looks at the big picture and asks WHY would seem to have or at least be willing to develop a Growth Mindset while being limited to simple yes or no questions or basic fact questions would show that the person believes they are stuck or limited in their ability to grow and would suggest a fixed mindset.

Then I came across the following post on twitter today.
"Growth Mindset: Personal Accountability and Reflection"

The post talks about accountability and self reflection by students int order to foster or help them develop a Growth Mindset. The author provides a checklist of questions. The post is a worthy read but here is an excerpt from the post:

"In response to these experiences, I developed a Personal Accountability and Reflection series of questions.  I will suggest that students use this “checklist” in order to develop and enhance their growth mindsets through personal accountability and reflection.

• Did I work as hard as I could have?
• Did I set and maintain high standards for myself?
• Did I spend enough time to do quality work?
• Did I regulate my procrastination, distractions, and temptations in order to complete my work?
• Did I make good use of available resources?
• Did I ask questions if I needed help?
• Did I review and re-review my work for possible errors?
• Did I consider best practices for similar work?
• Is my work something for which I am proud – that I would proudly show to a large, global audience? "

What also struck me is the importance of asking the right questions.

Questions are the key not only to a depend more meaningful learning experience but to developing the proper mindset needed accomplish our learning goals.

NO WORDS BUT MAYBE AN EXTRA HUG

Today for me was one of those  days where you question certain thing and you are shaken to the core.
It started when I learned that a valued member of my PLN and a friend lost her fiancee suddenly just  two weeks before their wedding. I was speechless and words can't even express how I feel let alone what she must be going through.
Then I heard about terrorist attacks in Ottawa and in Jerusalem. In the latter a 3 month old baby was killed.

I know that G-D has a plan even if we don't understand or know the reason.

What shook me was the fact that we  shouldn't take anything for granted. And secondly here  I am complaining or feeling bad that I haven't been asked to give a key note, I haven't published , or my business hasn't taken off and I have been out of work for over year.  That all seems trivial in light of these other tragedies. Thank G-D my family is well we have roof over heads and food on the table.

So maybe there are some words. Tell your friends how much they mean to you, tell the people you love, that you love them and give your kids and extra hug tonight because we should take nothing for granted.

What Makes You a Connected Educator

October is connected Educators month. I would consider myself a Connected Educator.

• I am very active on Twitter 
• I participates in Twitter chats and actually started one #jedchat 
• I started a 30 blog day blog challenge and created a page on Facebook for others to join and share 
• I actively blog and try to comment on blog posts
• I have presented at conferences 
• I have developed an amazing PLN and many of whom are actually very good friends

All of the above has made me a better educator, lifelong learner, friend, parent and spouse. I don't regret it for one second in fact I question at times where I would be without twitter and without my PLN.

However lets take a peak on the dark side. ( Again I am grateful to my PLN and my friends so this is not geared towards any individuals)

What if I wasn't as connected on line?

What if I only lurked on Twitter and blogged once in a while ?

Yes I have presented at conferences but have never given a keynote nor been able to work out a deal to publish ( yes some of that is my fault) 

 To be honest I have asked these questions 

Am I really connected and what would be different if I was a bit less connected? 

I think we need to view being connected a little differently. 

Being connected should not be measured by how many twitter followers you have, or by how many times you blog or by how many books you have published or by how many keynotes you give.

But rather how you connect with your peers and your students.

• Do you connect so that you can learn more, or share ideas with others 
• Do you connect so that you can grow as a educator and person 
• Do you connect so that you can maximize your students potential 
• When you connect do you make people feel that they matter 

I am sure there are other things we can and should measure but if you answered yes to the last set of ideas then I believe you are truly a connected educator 

NO END

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The weekend was the end of the Jewish holiday season. It culminated with the holiday known as Simchat Torah. On this holiday we sing and dance with the Torah Scrolls as we celebrate finishing the cycle of reading all five books of the Torah. However immediately after completing the final verse the very next thing we do is read the opening verses in Genesis about the creation of the world. There is never and end to the learning and depth of Torah study and therefore right when we "finish" we start again to show that there really is never and end and we can always learn more.

It is one of the beautiful things to me about the Torah and Torah study is that the same verses that we teach to a second and third grade and understood at that level can be read and understood by people at any age each and their own level. 

What at an amazing message to educators, leaders and lifelong learners. Ones learning never ends and the thirst for knowledge is constant and ongoing. Things that you learned at a young  age can be learned again with a deeper appreciation and meaning. 

How? How does one or can one accomplish this especially if there is end, how can feel accomplished?

My Rabbi this week shared the following idea. We have a tradition that each week we read the weekly Torah portion twice and once with a commentary. He suggested two things:

1. Each year pick a commentary that speaks to you and interests you 

2. Write down at least one idea that you could use and incorporate in your daily lives. 

I want to sort of expand and put in terms that all educators and lifelong learners can use. 

1. READ READ READ 

2. find something a topic or an idea that interests you ( makes the reading more enjoyable) 

3. Jot down or blog or tweet at least one takeaway from something that you read. 

Then even though ones quest and journey of learning never ends by following these steps you make the learning real practical and will be in my opinion motivated to continue on the journey.