Distinguished+Lecture+Series+Reflection

** Mary **** Emily Bryan Middle School ** The NET GENERATION is differently motivated to learn---our system is obsolete. This generation is accustomed to instant gratification using the internet for 1. friendship 2. interest---self driven, self directed learning 3. a tool for self expression. They are constantly creating and multi-tasking EXCEPT at school. Fear and respect does not drive their relationship with teachers---they want a coaching relationship Advice: 3 Cornerstones of school “Re-invention” 1. Holding ourselves accountable for what matters most 2. Doing the NEW WORK teaching and testing the skills that matter most (critical thinking, communication, and collaboration) 3. Doing the NEW WORK in new ways---teachers on teams, video teaching, creating relationships so every student has an adult advocate for his or her success. // BEST TAKE AWAY:  // // Don’t teach the basics and then give them an incentive to go deeper---give them a reason to learn, and then teach the basics so they can want to go deeper. // __** Distinguished Lecture: Growing and Supporting Instructional Leadership in Schools---  ****  Michael Knapp  **__ Shift of leadership in schools New work in education is: Which requires: // BEST TAKE AWAY: When you start to feel pushback, you are moving in the direction of the need…that is the critical moment to communicate more and invite more people into the discussion. //
 * Raquel Babb **
 * DPDC Representative **
 * Distinguished Lecture Series **
 * __Keynote Speaker Tony Wagner/Questions and Answers__ **
 * Principal role shifts from procedure/budget/discipline to instructional coach
 * Teacher role shifts from professor to coach with invested relationships
 * Student role shifts from simple receiver to active participant
 * Grounding instruction in data
 * Orienting instruction in growing diversity
 * Working in instructional teams
 * Searching for latent leadership talent in school staffs
 * Inviting leaders
 * Investing time and funds in training leaders
 * Repurposing roles in schools to provide time for leaders to train and lead

// BEST TAKE AWAYS:A man of sound bites to remember  // // We find leaders when we look for people who light up when they are around talented people. //  In your building, look for that faculty member who gets passionate about a speaker or topic---even groups of them who together have that spark. In your classroom, look for students who like to lead or who grasp concepts so that you can use those students to create a collaborative culture in your classroom. // We need to be RELENTLESSLY CONSISTENT. //  What is good for our administrators is good for our teachers is good for our students---we need to do the research and set the plan in motion and stick with it. // READY-FIRE-AIM  // Decide what problem you need to address and start working on it…make adjustments after your start taking action. You can’t wait for the perfect plan to drop into your lap---you have to respond to the data as you go   This VERY MOVING production focused on two elementary inner city schools but it also showed the realities of life as a principal and teachers in schools just starting the PLC process. Would be a great leadership training for LEAP and current principals and might be eye-opening for current teachers to see what leading a PLC school is really like. __** Distinguished Lecture: NSDC’s National Study on the State of Professional Learning: Phase 2  ****  Linda Darling-Hammond  **__ This speaker highlighted the need for better professional development for teachers in the United States. Other countries have teachers spending ½ days in professional collaboration and the other ½ day teaching---their students do NOT attend school for so long during the day, but summer breaks are shorter. // BEST TAKE AWAY: clear standards, constant feedback, and opportunities for revising work is how the business world does it---WHY AREN’T WE DOING IT THE SAME WAY? // Harlem Children’s Zone 1. from birth to college---uses incentives (gift cards for formula/diapers) to get mothers of newborns into the early childhood programs and follows its students through college---they return to work in the Zone as role models 2. not afraid of incentives---had an obesity problem, brought in doctors, nutritionists, psychiatrists, social workers and finally a businessman who suggested forming teams of families with a lead teacher and sending them all to Disney World if they met their goal---it worked 3. involving the community---the business owners and residents know the Zone is THEIRS---and when he seeks support for security or other needs, they are invested in keeping their neighborhood 4. all students, even those with learning disabilities, leave his preschool program performing AT grade level for kindergarten…the sooner we can get them, the better 5. importance of role models---our African American males only have sports figures and rap stars---they don’t see successful businessmen splashed all over the media so we have to make sure they see them // BEST TAKE AWAY: Whatever it takes---if it takes money, find it….if it takes manpower, recruit it…if it takes passion, have it…just do whatever it takes. //
 * __Keynote Speaker Michael Fullen/Questions and Answers__ **
 * __Film Screening of THE PRINCIPAL STORY/Question and Answers with Keynote Panelists__ **
 * __Frederick Brown, Todd Lending, David Mrazek, Tresa Dunbar, Kerry Purcell__ **
 * __Keynote Speaker Geoffrey Canada/Questions and Answers__ **