George Couros

Time 2020-07-15 10:03:39

Web Name: George Couros

WebSite: http://georgecouros.ca

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Posted in: Developing and Facilitating Leadership, Fostering Effective Relationships, Leading a Learning Community, Learner-Driven/Evidence-Informed, Master Learner/Master Educator, The Core of Innovative Teaching and Learning Tagged: 3 types of learning crucial for educators, Educational Leadership, innovate inside the box, innovative teaching and learning, professional development, professional learning, the innovator's mindset Hopes for School as a Parent #Podcast July 7, 2020 by George 2 Comments We are so glad to have welcomed a new daughter to our family that just turned one month old this week. Georgia and Kallea have been such a blessing in my life, and I am appreciative of this time that I get to be home to catch moments I feel I missed in the past.As I think about my dual role as an educator and parent, I have shared these two things that I feel are necessary for all parents to know about their child s experience in any school:In my most recent podcast, I discuss these two items, as well as what I hope my children feel about their school experience.  You can watch the full podcast on YouTube, or listen on Spotify, Soundcloud, or Apple Podcasts.You can also check out the original post from July 2019 that this podcast is based on below.My daughter Kallea is almost three, and being a father has been the greatest blessing of my life.  Being a dad is tough, and I feel like I have been crying non-stop for three years with either sad or happy tears.Watching her grow up is fascinating, and I notice how incredible of a learner she is and how she has moments of great independence already, but can be followed up immediately by a need for support.Here s the deal I have no clue how well she will do academically in school. She is incredibly smart in my eyes, but I genuinely believe that some of the smartest kids in school may struggle academically, and we need to appreciate and celebrate the intelligence and gifts they bring to our communities every single day.Here are three things that I hope for my own children, as well as all learners, feel in their school experience.1. Will she feel valued in school?2. Will her teachers look to find and bring out her talents and strengths, or only focus on developing things she struggles to do?3. If she misses time in school, will she feel that her contributions are missed?These are hopes I not only have for my daughters, but they are things that I strive for in my work for every single student during their entire time in education. I know nothing is ever that simple, but these are three questions I think about often. Of course, nothing will ever be 100%, and we all struggle to be the best we can be (I have realized this as a parent), but these three questions are ones that I believe could have a significant impact on all kids, as well as our staff. Posted in: Creating Empowered Learning Experiences, Fostering Effective Relationships, Relationships, The Core of Innovative Teaching and Learning Tagged: education leadership, georgia couros, innovative teaching and learning, kallea couros, parent hopes for education, what do parents want from their child's school The Numb Feeling of Emergency Remote Teaching June 29, 2020 by George 5 Comments I saw my brother, Dr. Alec Couros, share this short and powerful video by Liv McNeil. Please take three minutes to watch it:An incredible video by a student to show one person s experience during emergency remote teaching. I have had a lot of conversations with educators about their students during the past few months. The comments have ranged from students thriving during this time to struggling way beyond what this video shows.  To be honest, the same can be said for many adults.  When we talk about social-emotional learning, we too often are focused on the students, but do we ensure that we are taking care of the needs of the adults in a profession that is so emotionally taxing?It is exceptionally easy to lose sight of the many personal struggles of the adults when we don t see them beyond Zoom meetings and social media posts.  My own rule is to always err on the side of positive as I don t know what any other person is going through, especially on the other side of a screen.  I am not perfect in that regard, but I do always keep this thought in my mind.A few  random thoughts and questions to consider about this video:1. What are the reasons that some have thrived during emergency remote teaching in their learning, and how do we grow from that learning? Why have many struggled, and what do we do to ensure that we excel in any setting, whether virtual or face-to-face, both students and adults?The tweet below is an excellent reminder that there are things we can learn from this time:2. How do we ensure that we take care of the social-emotional needs of our students when they return to school, no matter what form that looks like in the fall? I know that a lot of people are trying to figure out ways to keep our students physically safe and discussing physical-distancing procedures, but we should also consider taking care of social-emotional needs in the planning.3. Please also consider the above questions and thoughts for staff.  It would be bad practice to assume that everyone is okay after the most stressful year that I can remember.  It is hard to take care of students when the adults are struggling.I know many districts are addressing the above questions and thoughts, and I know I would appreciate that as a staff member.  The video by Liv McNeil would be a powerful one to watch with staff and discuss. I just wanted to share it with you all.Here are some final thoughts of advice when I discussed creating a New and Better Normal. I hope it helps: Posted in: Embodying Visionary Leadership, Leading a Learning Community, Learner-Driven/Evidence-Informed, Master Learner/Master Educator, Relationships, The Core of Innovative Teaching and Learning Tagged: how are you doing, how can i help, liv mcneil, numb, numb video, social emotional learning, student video, student work 5 Points To Get Across in a Teaching Interview #Podcast June 22, 2020 by George 3 Comments In the post 5 Points To Get Across in a Teaching Interview from 2018, I wanted to share some ideas for people going through the education interview process.  No matter what questions are being asked, I think we can still bring up some key points that highlight our thoughts on education.  In the accompanying podcast, I share three ideas that will help candidates thrive in an interview, such as the importance of making candidates feel comfortable and welcome, ensuring that the process is less like an interview and more conversational and that all people being interviewed grow from the process.You can check out the full podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, or Youtube, and/or read the post below.I applied for a job at a historical park when I was in university, and I was excited about the opportunity to be a tour guide and share some history with visitors. Eager to get the chance, I went through the interview and thought I was doing well.  Then they asked me this question, and I will never forget it.  The interviewer held up a pencil and said, Pretend you are telling the history of this pencil to a group.  Go!   Right away, I shared that I didn t know anything about the history of the pencil, and the interviewer said, Make it up then! I stumbled along, making stuff up that was utterly incoherent and had a Billy Madison debate moment where nothing I made any sense and everyone in the room was dumber for listening to what I had shared.To this day, I still think the question was stupid and more of a gotcha moment. It was not helpful for the interviewers to determine if I was a good fit for the job because I would hope that any of the histories that I would have shared at the park would have been accurate, not something I made up on the spot.As I have seen interviews in education, I have seen some of this disconnect as well.  Asking teachers to teach a lesson to a panel, when we are looking for more collaborative learning in classrooms or groups that don t talk to applicants and have conversations but shoot rapid-fire questions their way.  If you are going to get the best educator for your school, you have to do your best to see how they are in an environment that is most like your school or the school you want to create.As someone who is being interviewed, you don t ask the questions, but that doesn t mean you can t guide the conversations, though.  Some people I have interviewed and some that have interviewed me, keep coming back to specific themes, no matter the questions.  When working with educators that are about to have interviews or newer teachers, I encourage them to have some focus points for interviews that they will come back to throughout the questions.  Here are five key points that I would suggest you consider revisiting throughout an interview:1. You have a focus on relationships first (staff and students). One of my favorite principals in the world stated that if you were exceptional with connections but weak with content, you could last a longer in education than if the reverse is true.  Of course, we want educators with both, but focusing on the relationship piece is paramount, this goes beyond students as well. I know some very gifted educators, who are great with children but struggle with other adults.  The focus is on finding school teachers, educators that are focused on the benefit of every child in the school, not only ones they teach directly. If the word relationships does not come up in your interview, I would be concerned.2. You have a willingness to grow and learn.   Whatever you know now, should be less than what you know in a year. Somehow in the interview, it is important to give examples of times that you grew through your career as a teacher and learner. You could have been a fantastic teacher ten years ago, but if nothing has changed, you can now be irrelevant.  Growth is necessary as individuals, or will not happen at the organizational level.3. You have access to knowledge outside of yourself. Collaboration is key in education, so if you are limited to your thoughts and ideas, so is your classroom.  Face-to-face collaboration is crucial, but how can you learn outside of your local community? For this post, I asked people for thoughts that I could share for this post:If you were interviewing a teacher for your school, what things would you like to hear from them? Would love to know your thoughts.— George Couros (@gcouros) April 15, 2018If you read the responses, you will see that there are so many great ideas that go beyond this post.  If you want to provide world-class education, you have to take advantage of access across the world.4. You are passionate about the content you teach.  Content knowledge is crucial to any teaching position, but if you are in education, we all know the teacher that knows their content inside out but is unable to share that knowledge with their classroom. Having a passion for what you teach, though, can become contagious.  If kids see you love your subject, it is probable; it will become contagious.5. Education is a calling, not a career. Why did you become a teacher? The prevailing sentiment is that teachers do not get into it for the money, but I also think about the mental tax teachers pay and how much we feel alongside our students.  This doesn t mean that a teacher should only care about teaching; they should have outside interests as well. But if you don t LOVE the job, it could eat you alive or wear you down.The five above are vital points that I think are important to get across in an interview, no matter the question, but are a personal preference.  What would be some of the ideas that you would want to ensure you were to get across in a teaching interview?Just some thoughts swirling around in my mind In the past few weeks, I have been discussing social-emotional learning and mental health with guests such as Tony Sinanis, Jody Carrington, and Mandy Froehlich. Why would I discuss these topics on a podcast about Innovation in education?This is from The Innovator s Mindset :“ at the heart of innovation are people, not stuff. If we always keep that truth at the forefront of our work, we are more likely to create an innovative culture.”What has come to the forefront of everything that is going on right now in and out of education is that people are at the heart of learning and innovation.  It isn t technology. It isn t a cool new program. It isn t any initiative. It is people. People bring great ideas and learning to life and humanity to our schools. Being human, when we are so focused on digital tools, is more critical than ever. This has always been true, but it is more apparent than ever.I know many schools across the world of education have emphasized social-emotional learning for their students, but what is more apparent than ever, is that it can t be a nice-to-have initiative but a necessity. Dr. Jody Carrington, the author of Kids These Days, talks in-depth about the compassion fatigue that all staff in education face:Taking care of one another in education is less about programs and more about recognizing what we do to cause unnecessary stress and anxiety on our staff, and what we can do to lift those that we serve. Consider asking these questions more often (thanks, Joe Sanfelippo!):How are you doing?What do you need?What can I take off your plate?Even those that seem to be fine could benefit from having the answers to those questions being heard.I have always tried to focus on doing what is best for kids in education, but what is truly best is making sure the adults who work with the kids have what they need to succeed and to feel whole.You can listen to the whole podcast on this topic with some added stories on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, Spotify, on YouTube.One of the comments I keep hearing over and over again during this time goes something like, It has been amazing to see teachers try so many things that they haven t done before.   Some even sharing a sense of surprise in others that are now using technology. Have you watched people try things that you were surprised they would try?  A few things I have been thinking about:1. Change is way easier to make happen when it is the only choice.2. Perhaps for many, there was never a direct resistance to using technology but more of an uncertainty of how the use of technology would benefit students positively?3. Maybe people weren t slow to change; perhaps they didn t see the value?We often look at why people don t change and think of it as their problem instead of our problem.   Someone once shared with me, Teachers aren t afraid of change. They are afraid of wasting their time on something that won t benefit kids.   That makes a lot of sense to me.I have said this often:You can t make others change. You can only create the conditions where change is more likely to happen.We cannot assume that our way is what is best for kids, but someone else s methods aren t. Many educators have been doing it different than others, but it has also been productive.Using terms like irrelevant when talking about someone s practice doesn t help. Nor does suggesting the idea that traditional is synonymous with bad. That doesn t usually start a conversation but is more likely to end it. I am guilty of both of these things and have been working hard to get better with my language.But one thing we should learn from this crisis is that a majority of educators will do what is best for kids, even when it is insanely hard to do so.  We also have to recognize that what is best for kids is different for each student, as could be our perception of what best looks like.I have focused less on trying to change others and more on sharing ideas and listening to different perspectives. I believe there is a lot that others can learn from me, but I also think (and this is most important), that there is a lot that I can learn from others.I have learned that listening and understanding the experience and perspective of others is more effective in creating those conditions where change is more likely to happen than simply assuming my way is the only right way.When we go back to whatever school looks like in the future, just remember the overwhelming evidence that the majority of people will change to do what is needed to help kids.  Instead of wondering why others won t change, focus more on what led to the incredible change we have seen a focus on doing what is best for kids.  Keep that in the forefront of our conversations, and we will always be on the right track.The above quote is something I am known for.Not just the quote, but the ability to find positive and opportunities in tough situations.I am not sure if I would consider myself an optimist, but I have worked to become a solution-focused person. Sometimes, I do force myself to be positive because I know if I am not, it can spiral into something negative that can be long-lasting.In a recent email I shared with a group, I started with the following: If you are reading this, you made it through the week! It might have been rough but we are here now.  That is something to be grateful for. I had received some feedback delivered in a kind way about that statement.  It was noted that I usually share comments that are more focused on thriving in situations, not just surviving.   To be honest, that opening statement I made was more of a projection of my week, than it was on anyone else s.  I should have shared the image below instead, which would have been an accurate representation of how I felt last week (and part of this week as well):So why am I bringing this up?Because it is okay to have crappy days; that is part of being human.  It is okay to say, today sucked and try again tomorrow. I have learned to be grateful for every day, but sometimes, I don t want to be thankful for today at this very moment.  I need to be able to say without guilt  that today sucked. I need to own it and try to move on.As I was talking to a group of educators, I shared that I was having a rough week and was feeling frustrated.  One of the teachers in the group immediately told me the following: I liked that you shared you were having a rough day because you are Mr. Positive. It validated for me that it is okay to struggle. We need to be able to share that we are struggling, even while trying to be solution-focused.  The problem so many educators face is that we often take care of others, that we often forget to take care of ourselves and give ourselves grace.  I wrote about this in  Innovate Inside the Box :Understand that some days will not work out the way you want them to, so it is okay to start again tomorrow. I have had bad days as a teacher and administrator and as a human. You can go home and cry (you will sometimes) and be frustrated, but there is always the next day. You will not have to get the most out of every kid, every single day. Think of it this way: If one of your students has a bad day, would you push them to stay at school until the day turned “good”? Or would you perhaps encourage them to step back and start again tomorrow? The ability to “get back up” is something we want to teach our kids, so it is okay to do the same. Sometimes walking away, taking a break, doing something else, and starting again tomorrow is the best thing to do.I don t believe that we always need to be inspiring in our roles. Sometimes putting on a brave face is less effective in leading others than it is to share your struggles. People need to know it is okay to struggle, and that doesn t make us any less grateful, just more real.I just need to remind myself that I can t help others unless I am okay. No pep talks from me today, but I appreciate you listening (reading).You can listen to the full podcast discussing the post below on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, or watch it on YouTube. I read a comment on a feedback form that said something like, These are great ideas, but how do they apply to teaching math?  Every educator, including myself, wants ideas and examples directly to the work that they do.  This is human nature.  But on the other hand, one of the things that I have always focused on is how do I create those connections myself and make my learning personal?  I shared this quote by Stephen Downes in The Innovator s Mindset, and it has always resonated with me:For example, I find value in every professional learning opportunity that I attend because I do my best to create meaning for myself.  The ideas might not be directly applicable to what I do, but I make the learning personal by creating my own connections.In Innovate Inside the Box, I discuss the importance of being observant and how that is a necessary skill in our world today:As more and more information is thrown our way and the “noise” becomes louder, the ability to slow down, listen, find great information, and make deep connections is becoming much more essential; for example, if you are new to a social media platform, finding relevant and meaningful information feels a lot like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It seems impossible and overwhelming. The skill of finding nuggets of wisdom and powerful links to information is one that you develop over time. And it’s a skill that directly relates to two of the “21st Century Literacies” as presented by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE):• Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information • Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multimedia texts In short, these literacies rely on our (and our students’) ability to be observant of the right information—not all the information. Being observant requires critical thinking as we decide and decipher what to listen to.The ability to be observant, where we find and create our connections, is a crucial characteristic of The Innovators Mindset. It is the ability to find ideas and create learning for one s self.Years ago, when I used to be a basketball referee, I wanted to do an incredible job. As a huge basketball fan, I have watched 1000 s of games in my lifetime, but when I became an official, I no longer watched the games, but I watched the referees. I would learn from the way they move, how they interact with coaches and the players, how they would make calls, amongst many aspects of the game. What I noticed was that I could learn from referees that were at the top of their game, and ones that struggled. I would also watch referees in different sports where I wasn t an official.  The rules and the game weren t the same, but I could create and connect my learning.I took this same attitude toward professional learning. What I learned from learning as a referee, I applied to my knowledge as an educator. Yes, the PD might not be specifically targeted toward what I do, but what could I learn and create for myself?Taking ownership of our own learning is more necessary than ever for our students and ourselves. Katie Martin shares the following in her post Why a Sense of Purpose Matters More Than Ever for Remote Learning :“As we emerge on the other side of this crisis, although there may be gaps in content knowledge and skills, I will be content knowing that my kids are more resilient and they understand that life is unpredictable but have skills to navigate and cope when things don’t turn out as expected.” Great educators, at all levels, can provide ideas and inspiration. Still, I genuinely believe the most important thing we can develop in others is the ability to create learning for themselves.  Learning is more powerful long term when we can create it for ourselves.Although this podcast on 4 Non-Negotiables was recorded long before schools moved to Emergency Remote Teaching, these ideas still apply, but may look different.  As you read the post below or listen to the podcast, consider these questions:You can listen to the full podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or Soundcloud, or check out the original post from 2016 below.As my daughter just passed her fourth month in this world, it is incredible to see how curious she is about the world.  Her wide eyes seemingly notice everything around her, and watching her try new things, the notion that children are born curious and learners, has only been re-emphasized in watching her development.This has made me think a lot about what I want school to be for her, and all students right now. This post on Characteristics of a Great School inspired me to try my hand to solidify my thoughts on the topic. Although many people that I know that become parents, change their views on schools, I think mine has been reaffirmed in what I believe is essential.  Although I have some ideas below, I would love to hear your thoughts as well.1. They are a welcoming and warm environment. As someone who goes into schools often, I can get a feeling of the culture within a few minutes. Whether it is talking to the secretary, or seeing what is on the walls when I walk into the building, the culture permeates through all pores of the building.  In my own experience as a student, one of my favorite people in school was the custodian.  He went out of his way every day to talk to the students, learn about them, and have a good relationship.  Every adult makes every child feel important, whether it is making connections with them during supervision or acknowledging them as you pass them in the hallway.  I believe this starts with the principal, but it is something that should be expected from all staff. Learn names, make kids feel welcome and valued, and create a space where students want to be.  Without this, other factors don t matter much.2. They develop students as good people and learners. Building on the above point, it is imperative that we not only develop kids as learners but as great people.  Many would argue that this is the role of the parents/guardians at home, and although I agree it is imperative at home, it is not the responsibility of either home or school, it is that we develop both. It truly takes a village.  In this excellent video (below) of students learning to speak English by connecting with seniors in a retirement home in Chicago, it ends beautifully with this quote, more than better students, better people .  As I have always said,  if schools only teach students the curriculum, we have failed them.  This is not to say that people and students will not make mistakes, but that they develop empathy and understanding for others, and learn to become considerate and kind for others as well.  As you can see below, both becoming a learner and a better person, can be taught at the same time.3.  They model the learning they expect from their students. One of my favorite quotes that I have heard recently is, We expect innovation from every organization except the ones we work in. (Unknown)  As many people discuss, the continuous growth that is expected from all professionals should be expected from educators as well.  I have seen tremendous growth in schools in the past five years, and I think the biggest reason for this is access to one another.  There are no better people to learn from regarding any profession than those currently working within that same field. With so many educators at all levels sharing what they are doing, there has been a significant shift in what is happening in many schools.  As teachers expect students to grow and become comfortable with change, this needs to be modeled in what we do every day.  Harold Jarche shared this quote with me from David Shaffer;A professional is anyone who does work that cannot be standardized easily and who continuously welcomes challenges at the cutting edge of his or her expertise.Educators need to put their learning at the forefront to ensure that schools go beyond being relevant to students. Still, they immerse students in the reality of their current world, while preparing them for the future.4. They stoke curiosity, not extinguish it.  School should not be the end of learning, but only part of the beginning.  Do our students develop an insatiable curiosity to grow, ask questions, challenge ideas, create, innovate, collaborate, and become the problem finders and solvers now and in the future?  When some adults say to me, young people are just smarter with technology, I tell them directly, not at all they are just more willing to try.  My fear is that willingness to poke around, ask questions, and press buttons to see what happens eventually is schooled out of them.  As Amanda Lang shares in her book, The Power Of Why: Simple Questions That Lead to Success, curiosity leads to intelligence:Curiosity is, therefore, strongly correlated with intelligence. For instance, one longitudinal study of 1,795 kids measured intelligence and curiosity when they were three years old, and then again eight years later. Researchers found that kids who had been equally intelligent at age three were, at eleven, no longer equal. The ones who’d been more curious at three were now also more intelligent, which isn’t terribly surprising when you consider how curiosity drives the acquisition of knowledge. The more interested and alert and engaged you are, the more you’re likely to learn and retain. In fact, highly curious kids scored a full twelve points higher on IQ tests than less curious kids did.We do not need to spark the fire of curiosity of kids in school; they show up curious from day one. We just need to be sure that we fan the flame and not extinguish it.As we often talk about 21st Century Schools and preparing students for the future, I think the above list is just as applicable today as it was when I went to school. The world just looks different, and like the rest of the world changes along with it, schools need to ensure that these foundational ideas do not become obsolete by depending upon the same delivery that has been used years prior.  Schools should not only embrace change but if we are to stay relevant, they must also consistently create it for the sake of students today and in the future.In this post, I was able to share some thoughts on a tweet by Weston Kieschnick in the post below.  You can also check the expanded ideas on my podcast, as well as YouTube. Later this week, I will post a conversation I had with Weston on this topic as well.Check out the podcast on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, or Spotify, or you can watch it on YouTube as well.I was scrolling through Instagram, and I noticed this post by my friend Weston Kieschnick.Something about it caught my attention.  Of course, I agree about the part that teachers are working harder than ever.  But the accountability part stuck out to me.  I believe that teachers are working as hard as they are right now because they are accountable to the right things.The needs, passions, and strengths of their students.The needs of their families and the community.The needs of their colleagues.Yet the word accountability is often linked to scores and tests. But with those things being temporarily removed in many situations, you see a focus and energy put into areas that will have an impact on learners in more valuable ways, even in a challenging time.And it is not that educators haven t always been focused on these things. But with all of the extras and, sometimes, the focus on scores and data, the genuinely life-changing work is harder to do.One of the terms I have always struggled with is data-driven.   I do believe that anyone who uses this term wants to help kids, and I always assume the best, but we should never be driven by data, but by the people in front of us that we serve.I shared the importance of being Learner-Driven, Evidence-Informed in Innovate Inside the Box: focusing on learner-driven, evidence-informed practices does not mean we forgo either “academic” or “non-academic” learning; it means that all of these experiences are important to our students’ success.Data is not a bad thing, although I do prefer the much more encompassing term of evidence. We should just never be driven by it.So with standardize tests removed, it is easier to focus on the right things. But what about when our students come back to school? Administrators have a significant impact on where the focus goes in a school or district, but we do not have to give up test scores to focus on the whole child.  I truly believe the following:When we focus on the learner, the score will go up. If we focus on the score, we can lose our students in the process.I saw this tweet from @AlixeKirouac about students doing a type of virtual Identity Day (I shared this idea and others in this post on student-led learning during Emergency Remote Teaching ) where they were able to share their passions:Some of the Experts in our class (Pt.1 of 2)

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