Paying for Performance

The first time I saw Roland Fryer, a Harvard economist discuss cash based incentives for a group of African American students from poverty, I was appalled. I sat on my high horse in judgement over paying kids to care about learning. Why the desire to learn should be intrinsic, for after all, "Knowledge is power" and everyone wants to be powerful, right?

I was reminded in a conversation with an analytical that the world is built on incentives. I grew up with an allowance--so did my children and friends--not necessarily for getting good grades, but for being well behaved and completing chores and other responsibilities. So what's the difference? There probably isn't one.

But in my world and the world of my professional peers, we love learning, exploring new ideas, reading that latest book or article to expand our thinking. We can't wait to have time for those conversations where we agree and disagree and finally exhausted start searching for the next mind bender and extender. Never content to remain the same. Working among people who love to learn makes incentives for learning seem contrived and almost sacrilegious. Yet if we are a society of incentives, bonuses, and merit pay why shouldn't it extend to the kids.

Being "Cerebral"

Today I was asked to write a recommendation for someone I supervised several years ago. I was honored because I truly value her professionally. We spent some time talking and I drifted back to a time when we spent early mornings and late evenings having intellectual conversations. Although we often would do a "Seinfeld" and talk about nothing, she always challenged my thinking. She pondered the deep things and asked interesting questions that often remained unanswered. She was a real fine teacher and just as she challenged me, she challenged her kids. When she became a coordinator, she challenged the teachers and provided the kind of support that often got results where it mattered, in the classroom. Thinking was active for her. She pondered and paused until her thoughts were aligned and then she'd delve into a rich dialogue that always produced something profoundly engaging. My younger daughter calls it being "cerebral". Someone who thinks and stretches your thinking. Imagine the places kids could go if every teacher was "cerebral."

Goal Setting

I was reminded this morning of the importance of setting goals and persistence. We're about to take professional learning to new heights and I think it's going to be an exceptional endeavor. But we must revisit our goals and make sure we fulfill them as we consider setting new and realistic goals that are aligned with our mission. I'm having to slow down to speed up so that I don't move too far ahead of myself. I love the endless possibilities.

Students take the reins

In the 1960's the National Training Laboratories (now the NTL Institute of Alexandria, Virginia) did studies on retention of learning after students were exposed to various teaching methods. They found that students retain 90% of information after 24 hours when they teach others or immediately use the learning. (We use this learning pyramid in our training.) Despite the fact that we've known this information for over 40 years is an indicator of insanity (doing the same old things the same old way expecting different results). The latest edition of Educational Leadership speaks to students taking the reins by helping each other master new software programs, creating engaging alternative assessments, and making the most of collaborative online spaces. In this new environment, lesson planning will shift to designing collaborative projects that tap into cross curriculuar content, abstract concepts, and learning in meaningful ways. Podcasting oral histories, and documentaries will take the place of powerpoint presentations. As students use wikis and blogs they can also incorporate fan fiction into the mix.

All of this requires teachers who know how to make the most of online resources and staying true to the ethos of Web 2.0.

Roses and thorns

First lady Michelle Obama shared that since moving into the white house her family frequently has the opportunity to eat dinner together. All family members sum up the day's events by sharing roses and or thorns experiences. It brought back childhood memories when my family of 6 would also engage in a similar activity. Since all of my siblings loved to read, we tried sneaking books to the table, but my mother always disallowed it. We were required to sit up straight, use correct grammar, and wait our turn to speak. Once that was all over--we could cut up and have a cool time just being kids. I wonder how many families still sum up the day's events--I don't think very many since drive throughs have replaced family dinners and conversation. Too much time spent in traffic often contributes to the lack of home cooked meals thereby diminishing the need for dining room table talk--everybody grabs their portion out of the fast food bag and off they go.
How do children find out the opinions and beliefs of their parents if not around the dinner table. Doing homework? Riding to soccer practice? Right before they get tucked in? Do parents still tuck their children in bed at night? Say prayers with them? Or share positive affirmation? I wonder. I like the roses and thorns idea. Since everybody is copying the new first family, who knows, maybe summing up the day will become popular again.