Balancing Act

Wouldn’t it be nice if for one day we could be Marty Mcfly and jump in a time machine?  We could travel to the future and get a glimpse at what life will be like in the years ahead.  Maybe we would go back and rewrite our past.  We could know today what tomorrow will be like.  We could get a glimpse at future technologies and come back and educate our students accordingly.

Technology is the application of knowledge for practical use.  What good though is technology without the driving force of human beings behind it?  Steve Jobs said “Technology is nothing. What’s important is that you have faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools, they’ll do wonderful things with them.”

I cannot think of a better quote that summarizes my beliefs of technology than that of what you just read above.  As an administrator, I fight a constant battle in my head each and everyday about the use of technology in our school building.  I read articles about 1:1 schools and BYOD schools.  I read through polices on the usage of cellphones in school.  I’m in constant contact with individuals on whether or not my school building can continue to handle the bandwidth allotted to us. On top of all this, I’m also in charge of the school budget.  How do I balance technology and the budget while maintaining an education system that produces College and Career Ready students?

It is a difficult task but the key word in the equation is “students.”  The decisions we make, as educators, must be based on what is best for our kids.  A decision that is not made in the best interest of our students is a bad decision.  What technology can we bring into the school that will engage our students and invoke creativity?  What technology can we bring into the school that will help students explore the world at their fingertips, and entice them to think critically?  What technology can we provide to our students that will enrich communication, and provide for collaboration across all barriers?

The questions above need to be the driving force for school districts.  Every profession both currently and in the future will need to have individuals that can think critically, be creative, work well with others, and communicate.  These are the characteristics schools need to build on within their walls.  If current technologies can help propel this, then school districts need to budget accordingly.

We cannot however, lose site of the value of the human being.  Steve Jobs is right.  We must value and put faith in our people.  Humans have made technology possible.  We need to continue to foster the building of relationships within our organizations.  If you put this as priority number one, and supply them with the tools (technology) to be successful as priority number two, you will have created an atmosphere conducive for success. 

As the world around us continues to change at a rapid pace we must not become complacent.  We need to continue with a sense of urgency and act like sponges in a sink full of opportunities. I read a quote recently that compared technology information to that of someone drinking from a fire hydrant.  As funny is that may be, it is completely true.  We cannot consume it all at once, and trying to do so would completely drain us as individuals.  We must take it little by little, and keep the best interest of our students in our hearts and minds. 

Now if you will excuse me, my Marty Mcfly paragraph gave me the itch to go watch the movie for the 25^th time of my life.

Travis Jordan

Superintendent

Griggs County Central School District #18

@Supt_Jordan

Homework

Homework

A few days ago I took part in an educational chat on Twitter via the hashtag #wyoedchat (Wyoming Education Chat).  The topic for the evening was “Homework.”  I love taking part in educational chats via Twitter.  It gives me a chance to not only share my ideas, but learn from others as well.  Beings this chat inspired me to blog, I think it is fair to say that it was quite inspirational.

I know what your thinking…what exactly is it about “homework” that would be inspirational.  Well, you see, that’s just it…nothing in my eyes in regards to homework is inspirational.  To get us started let me lead with this question.  The question is directed at educators.  Do you give homework for the sake of meeting a deadline, or do you give homework for the sake of mastering a skill?

There is a big difference between the two; one being productive and the other being the mirror opposite.  I recently read an article that stated that on average a high school teacher assigns 3.5 hours of homework a week for a student.  If you break it down to a typical student with a typical class load, you come up with approximately 3.5 hours per night that a student does homework.

That is an enormous amount of time doing homework.  How many of you get the opportunity to sit down and eat as a family?  How many of you have family game night?  If you do, keep doing it.  We have so much going on these days that we rarely ever get to have family time.  Family time is important and limited, as those of you that have or have had children in school already know.  We must embrace each and every moment we get to spend time with our loved ones.

Teachers; please make sure that the work you send home with your students is for enrichment and to enhance a skill.  Some work outside of the classroom setting is healthy, but it must be an extension of the learning that is taking place in the classroom.  Assigning students to read is completely appropriate and healthy.  Assigning a worksheet for the sake of students meeting a deadline is counter-productive.  Homework should be an extension of the learning environment in the classroom and it should look different for every child. 

If you took a poll of every person in the world that has received a worksheet and you simply asked, “how many of you liked doing the worksheet?”  What do you think the response would be?  The point being; we must engage our students.  If the curriculum in the classroom is real, relevant and rigorous (the new 3 r’s in my mind), then the work at home must also reflect this. 

As we enter the Thanksgiving Holiday I can’t help but be thankful for the moments that I was able to sit down with my family each and every school night and have supper (dinner – correct terminology).  I can’t help but be thankful for all the times I spent with my family when I was growing up.  These are moments that we can not get back.  These are the moments that we can only re-create with our current families.  But this is nearly impossible if we have to add in 3.5 hours of homework into a family schedule that is bombarded by piano recital, basketball practice, church activities, after-school club, gymnastics, 4-H, parent work schedule, etc.  The list goes on and on and on and I could keep writing but it’s time for me to go have supper with my family.  

Wishing you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.  And like I've alway said - If you are feeling stressed this time of year.  If you are having bad days, and nothing seems to go right.  Just think what it would be like if you were a Turkey.

Travis Jordan

Superintendent

Twitter:  @Supt_Jordan

  

Behind the Data

Behind the Data

I can’t help but think our focus in education seems to be in the wrong place some times.  I know that this is a bold statement to make – especially coming from a school administrator, but I’d like to give you some thoughts as to why I think we need to shift our focus.

Standardization seems to be a word that is talked about often in the educational setting.  Students take standardized tests to measure achievement towards Adequate Yearly Progress.  Tell me this.  How many standardized students do you know?  What is a standard student?  Are all students the same?

As I attend conferences and meetings in my field I constantly hear what needs to be done to close achievement gaps.  We talk about data, and get asked the question; what does the data say?  We have gone from data poor to data rich in education in just a few short years.  Don’t get me wrong though, having data is much more of a benefit that not having it.  Data gives us something to go by, however, data in itself is just information, the faces behind the data must be our focus.

A school can choose any curriculum that it wants.  It can implement a million programs, but the reality of these is that they do not come with a magic wand, that (if waved), will automatically produce soundly educated students.   We must focus on the child first.  What makes a student learn?  How do we motivate students?  Once we have done this, then we can bring in relevant curriculum and programs that focus on critical content.

Howard Gardner (Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education – Harvard Graduate School of Education) is a guy that I have come to admire in recent years.  He has written several books that focus on the various different intelligences that each of us possess.  His Theory of Multiple Intelligences surrounds the idea that each of our students learns in a different capacity.  Some students are linguistic, others might be mathematical or logical.  In any event, we must allow our children to learn in a way that caters to their needs.

If you are not motivated, how likely are you to learn?  Bad example time…I attended Lamaze classes with my wife as we were eagerly anticipating the birth of our first child.  Although, I was motivated to become a dad for the first time, I was not motivated to breathe heavily for practice.  Needless to say I wasn’t much help to my wife.  The point being, if you are not motivated you will not learn.

We must shift the focus.  Education must be deeper than data.   We live in a world that is currently on a technology fast track.  The world will look much different five years from now.  Our Elementary children will take jobs that haven’t been invented yet.  We must teach critical content and real world competencies.  We must do this in a student-centered environment where today’s students have control of their own learning and todays teachers offer guidance and support.

Teachers today must be able challenge students to think outside of the box.  They must allow children to think critically and work together.  Teachers must allow for communication and innovation.  We need to ask the tough questions and then give students the tools they need to find a solution.  When it comes to assessments and achievement tests, we need to allow children options to show mastery.  I could write an essay to show mastery, or maybe I could act it out.  Maybe I could write a song, sing a song, or build a structure.  The point, we can take many different directions to get to our destination, why don’t we allow children to do the same in school.

I’m not a standard person and neither are you.  I’m unique and so are you.  I’m good at some things and not so good at others.  You can reciprocate that back to me as well.  We all have the things inside us that drive us and motivate us.  If we allow our students to tap into their strengths – we will see achievement gaps narrow.  The data will look better, and it will be because we focused on the face first.

I believe that we are making strides in the right direction.  We are starting to individualize education.   Classroom desks are being replaced with Maker Spaces.  “Sit and Get” education is becoming a thing of the past.  We must continue with a sense of urgency.  College and Career Ready students are those that are well rounded in content and equipped with adequate social skills. 

As we move forward, we need to make it a priority that achievement tests are offered to our students through a variety of different mediums.  Let the students pick the assessment, and I guarantee you positive results.  

Travis Jordan

Email:  travis.jordan@k12.nd.us
Twitter: @Supt_Jordan
Facebook:  Search Mr. Jordan's Blogs

What game are you playing?

What game are you playing?

Two of the best decisions that I ever made in my life were to become a basketball coach and to resign as a basketball coach.  As contradictory as it may seem, hopefully it will all make sense in just a short while.

The first decision came after I decided to put my NBA career on hold.  I came to realize that a 5-inch vertical (give or take an inch depending up the type of floor), coupled with a 20.6 second 40-meter dash just wasn’t going to cut it.  I could score though, however it seemed to come more naturally to me during warm-ups.

I had a dream (as I’m sure some of you had the same dream).  I was going to be an NBA star.  When I graduated from high school I was given a choice.  I could go on and play college basketball or I could become a coach.  This is when I decided that my NBA career could be put on hold…hold... and still holding at age 33. 

I started my coaching career as I was attending college.  I loved coaching.  It was a way for me to still be around the game, but also help me make a difference in someone’s life.  Little did I know however, I was also making a difference in my life.

You see, Travis Jordan the coach was a much different person than Travis Jordan the individual.  As a coach, I was completely consumed with winning.  Do whatever it takes to ensure my team scored more points at the end of the night than the opponents.  I was vocal.  I was intense.  I hollered at officials, and hollered at my players.  I spent more time hollering than I did coaching.  My passion for winning brought about an alter ego in me that I did not like. 

After 11 years coaching at one level or another I decided that I did not like Coach Jordan.  Instead, I decided that I was going to focus on teaching and obtaining my Masters in Educational Leadership.  It is during this time that I realized the world is bigger than basketball.  I realized that being a “life coach” and educator was far more important to me than being a basketball coach.

The “Life Coach” in me would like to share with you some ideas for the upcoming sports season.  Whether you are a coach, parent, player, or fan I believe we can all live by these.   If you become an avid follower of these principles, I believe you will be well on your way to winning “life’s” game and not just a basketball game.

Coaches; it is ok to be demanding without being demeaning.  Although you may think winning the game is the most important goal in the moment, winning the game of life is even more important.  Look for teachable moments.  You may have to sacrifice a win on the court, to emphasize a win elsewhere.  What would be better; winning the championship with an undefeated record, or winning the championship with one or two losses?  You can answer that question later, but it’s something for you to think about.  Sometimes we need to see losses as wins.  A failed play at the end of the game is something that occurs in the thousands in a person’s life.  Coach the teachable moments and with any luck you will have a winning team on the court, and undoubtedly a winning team off the court.

Parents; let your child play, and your coach…coach.  Although we would like to give our children a GPS that will lead them all on paved roads, and heading in the right direction; it might be more beneficial to give them a compass.  Let them find their own way, and pave their own roads.  Be there as a support if they get knocked off the road.  Be the fuel that keeps their engines on the road.  Love them when they win, and love them more when they lose.  Turn over the sport to your child; it’s his/her rodeo.  You have ridden the bull before.  The following is a short four-question true/false quiz.  If you answer true to any of the questions you need to rethink your involvement in the sport.

1.     I critique my child or my child’s coach after the game.

2.     I try to solve my child’s problems for them.

3.     My child gets mad or embarrassed when he hears me in the stands.

4.     I tell my child that he/she should be playing more and the coach does not know what he/she is doing.

Be a support for your child.  Pick them up when they fall down.  Hug them when they need a hug.  Love them unconditionally.  Show them that sport can be a great metaphor for life.  Wins and losses are a reality.  Failure is ok and bouncing back shows and builds character.

Athletes; understand that if you are not coachable, you are not employable.  You don’t have to like everyone around you, but you must be adaptable.  You must be able to work well with others.  You must be able to sacrifice personal gain for team achievement.  A good player can score, but a great player can get his/her teammates to score.

Speaking of scoring understand that many life lessons come from sport and they help to shape you as a person.  The things you learn on the court such as teamwork, perseverance, preparation, etc. will help you score in life.  Embrace every moment and seek out the positive in every situation.

Fans; cheer the youngsters on.  Applaud great plays and sympathize on the not so great.  Understand that refs do make mistakes.  They’re doing their best and it is nearly impossible to have a mistake free game.  Don’t holler at the coach.  It is impossible to play more than five individuals at a time during a basketball game.  This leaves more than five sitting on the bench.  It happens.  It’s life.  Support your team (and the opponents) in a sportsman-like manner at all times.

I may have made the decision to stop coaching basketball, but I will never stop coaching life.  Coaches, parents, athletes, fans please never stop coaching life.  Our children need and depend on us.  As the fall sports season approaches hand over a compass to your child and watch them carve out their own journey.  We can all be winners at “life’s” game if we put our minds to it.

A Tribute

Phil Jackson said it best when he stated, “The strength of the team is each individual member, and the strength of each member is the team.”  For an organization to run properly, each of it’s parts must work to their full potential.   This is true for the educational setting as well.

Often times in education, an outsider looks in and sees a teacher and group of students.  They may see the classroom that they have a connection to, or maybe a sports team.   This is just a fraction of the school.  A school has many important parts.  The working parts and how they are intertwined to make a school function often go unnoticed.

How about the custodial staff, foods service workers, bus drivers, administrative assistants, para-professionals, the board of education, etc.  Each and every one of these individuals plays an important role in the function of the school.  They are a key ingredient to the recipe of education.  An Oreo cookie wouldn’t be what it is without the white filling in the middle.  Monster cookies would be less monster like if the M&M’s were absent.  You get my point.

Creating a sound educational experience for students would not be possible without the men and women whom we often times take for granted.  Each plays a vital role in the education of our youth.  Each and every employee of a school district has the opportunity to impact children just as a teacher does.

Two days ago Griggs County lost a very special person.  She was an Administrative Assistant for our district, but was much more than that to all the people that knew her.  Frankly, she made everyone’s life better.  She came to work with a smile, and left work with the same smile.  She never complained, and taught all of us valuable life lessons. 

She worked tirelessly to ensure that she met the needs of every student, and every teacher, and all others.  I often times told her that it was O.K. to say no once in awhile. 

But you see, this was not her nature.  She cared for the sick.  She troubleshooted gradebook dilemas.  She counted box tops.  She fulfilled teacher requisitions.  I could go on and on, but most importantly she filled our hearts with joy.

All that came in contact with her will miss her.  Although she wasn’t in the classroom, she was one of the best teachers in our building.  She taught me so much, and forever I will be indebted to her.  I’m a better administrator because of her, and most importantly a better person.  Thank you for all that you contributed to not only Griggs County Central, but to the communities we represent.  You will forever be missed, but you will live on in all the individuals you have touched.

Do me a favor.  Thank the people in your schools that don’t always get the recognition.  They are working just as hard as those in the classrooms.  Appreciate the people that work endless hours behind the scenes to ensure teachers and students are given the tools and resources they need to be successful.  These people are the glue that makes everything else stick.  Phil Jackson’s quote is right on.  The strength of a school is the strength of each individual within it.  Thank you to all of the support staff at Griggs County Central.  Thank you for being the M&M’s in our Monster Cookies.

This blog is dedicated to Sandy Hanson.  A person that has had a significant impact on my life.  A person whom I will never forget and owe so much.  You will always be near the top of my most influential people list.  Thank you.  God needed an administrative assistant, and he knew we had one of the best.  His work just got a lot easier with you by his side.