Our district recently held its annual Life Skills Kickball game. My friend, Elaine Smith, captured a whole bunch of pictures of kids, grown ups, and joy.
Sometimes, in the day to day business of school, one might forget the opportunities to experience joy. Doesn’t cost anything or much, and can be a choice.
We celebrated our Unified teams, with kickball, and the experience of joy.
Good day at work.
Thanks to Cami for this joyous blast from the past!
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” -Dr. Maya Angelou
Dr. Angelou has been on my mind lately. My wife and I are just back from a spring break trip to Washington DC. It was a 2 year postponed anniversary trip. It hit all the targets we love in a vacation. Nice place to stay, vibrant city, lots of museums, art, food, family, and friends.
The first place we visited was the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The impact this museum had on my wife and me was profound. The subject for a separate blogpost entirely.
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Dr. Angelou’s quote was in my mind leaving the museum. “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” Such an elegant, clear, and seemingly simple idea.
My wondering is when is ‘when’?
What has happened for doing better to commence? I was just chatting with my buddy Ben Ramirez, solving all the day’s and world’s concerns. I asked him. He contends that the ‘when’ is when you have learned something. A solid place to start. I fall back to Katz and Dack. “Professional learning results in a permanent change in thinking or behavior.” That seems like a pretty good indication of a ‘when’. When one’s thinking or behavior has been permanently changed, then do better.
What causes the permanent change in thinking or behavior other necessary for learning? The impact of a trusted friend’s thinking and influence? Reading something? Experiencing something? Hearing something?
Going through the museum, I had the words of a colleague in my mind. I thought about the balance between trauma and celebration. I thought about the opportunities kids of color have to be their authentic selves. I thought about the exhibits that prohibit photography.
Now I’m thinking about my when. And doing better.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” -Dr. Maya Angelou
Been awhile since I have written in the old blog! Back in business now. And what a great way to be back. I have three books on deck by some of my favorite authors! Here’s the first.
Collective Teacher Efficacy refers to,” educators’ shared beliefs that through their combined efforts they can positively influence student outcomes, including those of students who are disengaged, unmotivated, and/or disadvantaged.” (Donohoo, 2017)
Two years ago, we hosted Jenni Donohoo in our district. She talked to us about the stunning research behind Collective Teacher Efficacy. John Hattie’s research routinely has CTE as the THE number one thing educators can do to improve the learning for kids. Something has an effect on learning if it has a score above .40 according to Hattie’s work, CTE has a score of 1.39.
Hattie’s research says CTE has proven to be more than three times more predictive of student achievement than SES. More than double the effect of prior achievement, and more than triple the effect of home environment and parental involvement.
Through my reading of this excellent book, I have come to understand that I had a ‘knowing stance’. A quote from a teacher in the book sounds a lot like me. ” I know everything I need to know in order to teach my students.” Ouch. And yikes.
A knowing stance is contrasted by a ‘learning stance’. Teachers continuing to learn. “Teachers’ professional learning is integral to school improvement because teacher learning influences classroom practice, an important predictor or student learning and achievement.”
One of the things that happens when one gets older is one realizes how much one actually doesn’t know. I’ll raise my hand here. I seem to know less and less each day. And want to learn more and more each day.
That’s a good thing. A learning stance. Check.
The Lighting of a Fire 