The Key To Change Is ACTION

"Time 4 Sum Aksion"

This morning I had one of the most professional fulfilling experiences of career in Education. Eric Sheninger, someone I learn a great deal from via connecting on Twitter and from reading his books and blog led professional learning at our school this morning.

Our time together this morning was centered on relationships, relevancy and rigor. through the lens of Instructional Design. Timely learning and connected to the work we've led for at Paris since I came on board in November (streamline a shared focus on the proven things that increase student achievement with depth over breadth, improve our instruction, utilize data to play what I call "small ball" to create frequent, intentional wins for all kids to accelerate growth and achievement and build a culture where relationships are front and center connecting to the heart before we connect to the head). Those connect directly to my 3 buckets as a leader - social-emotional learning and support, learning, and innovation. Those are my drivers, connected directly to my core values personally and professionally. Can't stress enough to leaders (current and aspiring) to know who you are and what your buckets are. 

I'll say this --- if your school and/or district is looking to improve outcomes for all learners --- bring in Eric Sheninger to support your work. I left this morning with an even deeper understanding of transforming learning and as a leader with concrete next steps to support all learners with the shifts towards authentic, deeper learning. Our teachers left with a clear understanding of how to make shifts in their instructional design and practice to transform the learning experience for all learners. It was awesome connecting with teachers this afternoon and hearing discussions around the learning from this morning and seeing evidence of the learning going into their lesson plans.

There is going to be a time, hopefully in the not too distant future, where I bring in Eric to support a school I'm leading throughout the school year. He's done remarkable work, particularly in the school system he resides in within Texas to support amazing learning. Listening to Eric speak today, bucket list item for me to go see schools where he lives and is providing direct support. I've seen the High Tech High Schools in San Diego. I'd love to see a public school where these transformational shifts are happening. 

Speaking directly to my friends in Colorado - you need to bring Eric in. I'm sorry, but the "reform retreads" that constantly get rolled out here in Colorado are from an archaic, compliance driven form of "doing school." We need to be in the business of "doing learning" in our schools and I can honestly say I've not left a learning session this fired up and ready to go in a long time. Check out Eric's website: http://ericsheninger.com 

Legit, I took 8 pages on notes just listening to Eric speak. So many takeaways --- I'll share a few notes I highlighted reflecting on Eric's visit......

• "If we aren't honest about where we are it's hard to improve"
• Ask your students: "How would you describe your school?" and "How would you describe me"? 
• "If kids aren't engaged they aren't learning"
• "The toughest adversary we all face is our own mindset"
• "What level of thinking are students engaged in?" and "how are they applying their thinking?"
• "Love your learners more than you love your subject"
• "What steps do you need to take to add more student agency into instruction?"
• "If assessment does not change, none of this matters"
• "How are kids applying what they learn?"
• "How are students connecting to other content areas?"
• "How do you hold yourselves accountable for growth and consistency?"
• Students need to know 1. Why do I need to know this? 2. How will I apply this? 3. What criteria will be used to tell me I did a good job?
• "What is the purpose of learning?" 
• "Getting kids to think is at the heart of increasing student achievement"
• "How can we change questioning to increase rigor?"
• "How does your work prepare kids for anything?"
• "How does your culture prepare kids for anything?"
• 'If you want to improve achievement you have to improve how you give feedback to your kids"

Eric's learning today for me connects directly to books I read over Spring Break related to innovation and learning. Those books are: 

Learner-Centered Innovation by Katie Martin

Empower by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani 

The Four O"Clock Faculty by Rich Czyz

Each book lends itself to the need to shift schools from "doing school" towards doing learning. #LCInnovation and #EmpowerBook speak directly to the shifting from teacher centered, compliance, test driven accountability to empowering learners to investigate how to make an impact on the ever-changing world through authentic tasks that inspire problem solvers and innovators. Both books provide insight into how make the shifts towards being a true deeper learning classroom or school. As Katie Martin writes "if we want to change how students learn, we must change how adults learn". Rich Czyz's #4OCF provides practical ideas for you to support changing the ways adults learn.

I've spent the last year plus researching, reading, and studying about transforming learning at the school and district level. The word that keeps coming to me is ACTION. You can have a passion for what you do and a desire to accomplish something --- but passion is worthless unless it's accompanied by ACTION. You cannot just want it, you have to go DO IT! 

We can talk all we want about transforming learning and all the contents within a district vision and action plan to make these transformational shifts --- ultimately --WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION AND DO THE WORK. We cannot be complacent and wait around for things to happen. We need to take initiative and hold ourselves accountable to the results.

Eric proposed this question today ---- "How has instruction changed to empower learners and improved results?" If instruction is not changing and results are not improving we aren't getting the results we desire for all learners. This is something we must monitor and be honest about. And, you will never get the results you desire personally or professionally waiting around to feel good before you do something. You cannot be in constant readiness, aiming but never firing because your emotions are preventing you from taking action. That reminds me of the Columbine Knolls pool and how every summer without fail I go to the pool on opening day and stick my toe in and pull it out, waiting for somehow the water to warm. Then I ease into the water, ever so slowly, trying to adjust, but being so tedious about my entry. Then, I finally go completely under the water. What are the kids around me doing? They are jumping right in the water.

JUMP RIGHT INTO THE WATER! 

Do something in order to feel good. Do something to make a difference in the life of your students. Do something to make a difference in your life. Action triggers emotion. If you are waiting for your emotion to trigger your actions you are slow out of the starting block and your competition is half way down the track towards the finish line. Your action determines your emotion. If you do the right thing, you will feel the right thing. Thinking doesn't achieve outcomes, only ACTIONS do. We cannot let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen.

The toughest enemy you will ever face in your entire life stares at you in the mirror every time you look into it. There is a saying we had back in Reno Location on Suffolk Street --- don't see about it, be about it. Take action. Be about IT. 

What's your IT? Who is your IT? How are you going to make IT happen?

Nothing is going to work unless you do.

Don't wait, LEAD.

#ALLIN

CJ