Education Perspectives

Bureaucracy in Schools

The article in the newspaper about GM Corp. initiating cultural change is significant.  It tells me that US corporations finally "get it"!  The old top-down, heirarchical slow-moving american corporate culture is breaking down and being replaced by a customer-centered culture where plausible risk-taking is embraced.  This is the change we need in order to survive globally.  Yet, the American school system seems to lag significantly behind this trend.

I'm part of the school bureaucracy, and here are the areas that frustrate me:

• Due to the bureaucratic rules and laws concocted by non-educators, school administrators and teachers are forced into a CYA (cover your ass) mentality.  For example, one mis-step with regard to a student with special needs could result in a giant law suit.  This effectively aligns the focus away from what is best for the student. 
• The inordinate amount of regulation aimed at public schools creates a "follow the rules" mentality.  Risk-taking is frowned upon.  When the rules take center-stage, innovation goes out the window. 
• In many states, especially Pennsylvania, teacher unions have too much power and political influence.  It is nearly impossible for a school district to furlough a teacher for poor classroom performance.  The grievance and arbitration process is set up to protect bad teachers.  I've seen it first-hand.....arbitrators rarely rule against a teacher, even in extreme cases.  As a result, school administrators and teachers spend large amounts of effort negotiating contracts, fighting grievances and dealing with legal issues.  The focus is not on students.

More bureaucracy, more regulation, more laws.  The only thing not happening is more education.  We need to take a subtractive approach to public education.  Sometimes, more is just more!  After 34 years in education, I get frustrated.  Then I see educators who make a difference despite having the cards stacked against them.  In this I take hope.

To every educator out there trying to make a difference in the lives of students, keep plugging!

Classroom Leadership

I just watched a wonderful TED Talk by Italy Talgam.  A former conductor, Mr. Talgam has reinvented himself as a conductor of people in business. 

While viewing it, I began thinking about the ultimate facilitators and leaders of the world, teachers!  With good leadership skills, teachers can become masters of what I call "discover-ology"; they let students find learing from within.  How much better is that than teachers who try only to impart information.  I call them "lecture-ologists". 

I've often witness "discover-ology" in a math class where I work.  The teacher inspires learning.

This talk is indeed inspiring as well.  Mr. Talgam's metaphor is indeed fitting.

Effective School Administrators

As some of you may know, I’m Chief Financial Officer at a local career school.  As far as school administrators go, the CFO/Business Manager is considered in a separate category from educational school administrators.  Generally, my job requires business acumen and a degree in accounting, business or management.  Educational administrators, however, generally come from the ranks of teachers.   And it has been my observation that a considerable number of educational administrators don’t become strong managers and leaders.  That of course depends on circumstance and position level.  But generally, that’s been my experience. 

Of course, teachers wishing to become administrators take college courses designed to help teachers become administrators, but I question the rigor and effectiveness of these programs.  I will elaborate with some opinion and observation:

• Principals who come from the ranks of teachers are generally very good at handling people due to their exposure to students.  Principals also have “been there, done that”.  This level of administrator is expected to collaborate with teachers, enhance the learning environment, deal with student situations, and operate their building effectively.  From my experience, people at this level are generally effective within the school environment.
• Superintendents and higher-level Directors generally move through the middle management ranks before getting to this level.  This level of school administrator is equivalent to a CEO.  They are expected to lead the district educationally, manage people, deal with a school board, understand school finances, operate the school(s) in a cost effective manner, deal with the public, and make strategic long-term decisions.  With notable exception, I believe the lack of management expertise and leadership capability becomes more evident at the Superintendent level.  The smart ones surround themselves with good people, keep their ego in check, and become excellent collaborators.  Much is expected of a school Superintendent.

Having worked within a consortium, and after 34 years, I’ve had the opportunity to deal with many Superintendents.  One in particular stands out as one of the exceptions.  This gentleman is considered to be the “go-to” Superintendent in this area, and expectedly has moved through the ranks of teacher, Principal and now Superintendent.  He is, however, different than most in that he spent years in the insurance business and has a great deal of business acumen.  He is also extremely intelligent and could easily operate at the CEO level in private industry.  Not all Superintendents are at his level of leadership and expertise; he is one of the best I’ve worked with.  The Superintendent is always on the firing line, and the job requires a leadership mentality.

I would love some reader feedback on this issue.  All of you teachers and school administrators out there please speak up and share your thoughts on this subject. 

I know how difficult it is to be an effective a school administrator, and my opinion could be mistaken, misinformed or too narrow!  Am I being too cynical?

Feel free to comment below.

Facts are Stubborn Things

I place a great deal of importance on one word; credibility.  Because when you think about it, almost everything we do in our business, educational and personal lives revolve around seeking and attaining interpersonal credibility.  Credibility is important to people, whether they are choosing a physician or choosing a spouse.  And it is essential for positive change, from the negotiating table to the supper table; from the board room to the classroom! I believe credibility is the equilibrium in all human relationships.

John Adams hit upon the foundation of credibility when he said; “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence”. 

In our media-driven society, people attempt to skew facts and evidence.  And sometimes, even when the facts and evidence are clear, interpretations involve our wishes, inclinations and passions.  Either way, the truth can become elusive.  Based on my experience, here is a quick-list of credibility items I’ve learned the hard way;

• Keep digging until the facts and evidence are as clear as possible. There are no short-cuts.
• Once you have a clear view of the facts, accept them as unchangeable reality! In plain language, don’t bullshit yourself.
• Do your best to represent the situation clearly to others without sugar-coat. In plain language, don’t bullshit others.
• Above all, when people who lack credibility try to manipulate you, don’t retaliate in-kind. When you do that, your credibility also becomes suspect and very little can be accomplished. An Eye-for-an-Eye mentality rarely bears fruit!

These may seem simple, yet the difficult part comes not in the idea, but in the action.  Credibility also involves “kaizen”, or continuous improvement.  Like many things in life, it is more about the process than the goal.  It is a process I’m learning through experience.

Facts are indeed stubborn things!

Hands-On Learning with Video Games

Here is a great video about hands-on learning through video games. Thanks to Dan Pink for this great piece. 

Educational Leadership

The career school where I work is the CTC of Lackawanna County located in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  The building is the Henry J. Dende Center, named after a truly incredible man.  He was an admired community leader and he laid the groundwork for the school which opened its doors in September, 1973.  Henry actually left public office in 1970, but he passed the torch to another proponent of vocational education, Alfred Sporer (my Dad).  He and my Dad were very close friends.  Henry Dende passed away in 2001, and my Dad passed in 2006.  This was a wonderful generation of people, and Henry Dende was no exception!

I had the pleasure of knowing Henry and his family.  His wife, Prospine Dende (PK) is present at many CTC functions and maintains a keen interest in the school her husband made possible.  I reference 2 articles that were published in the Polish American journal here.  Like many true leaders, Mr. Dende was humbled by public service and always had the student’s he served foremost in his mind. 

Henry was a printer and journalist, and he understood the importance of hands-on learning.  He was a man who truly loved education, and he followed his passion for helping others throughout his life.  His life serves as a great example for all of us.

Hands-On Learning

In a prior post, I briefly touched on the Career and Technical Education (CTE) methodology of "Tell me...Show me...Let me do it."  This multi-sensory method of teaching doesn't work in a straight line, rather it's a self-reinforcing process.  I've seen it in action, and I can tell you that it is en-grained in every CTE program.  The training facilities are set up in a way which is conducive to the process, with a classroom adjacent or very near the hands-on instructional area. 

Let me illustrate this using a few applications:

• My prior post talks about Welding Technology.  The only way to learn welding is by doing it!  Students get theory, demonstration and hands-on...lots of hands-on.  Anyone who has tried to weld can tell you how frustrating it can be; try welding overhead or pipe welding.  You cannot learn the process from a book or even with demonstration.  The hands-on part is the "clincher"!
• If you watch an experienced industrial electrician bend conduit, the process looks easy.  It isn't! Working with conduit, especially IMC and Rigid (see pic right), requires mathematical skill, mechanical skill and lots of practice.  Again, theory and demonstration come into play, but without hands-on practice, you can't learn to work with electrical pipe.  The experienced electrical instructor at my school, Bob Hassaj, teaches students about series/parallel circuits and demonstrates it as well.  But students don't fully understand until they get a chance to apply the thought process to a mock-up situation.  Series/Parallel circuits are the basis for most electricity, including motor controls.  But the real learning happens when the hands-on part takes place.  Mr. Hassaj requires a demonstrated skill level in every aspect of the trade from his students.
• Have you ever watched an experienced cosmetologist cut hair?  You can't cut hair without first spending hours practicing.  The term "hair dresser" doesn't begin to describe the skill needed to be a licensed cosmetologist!  Our school offers program operated by two teachers, Yolanda Martinelli and Christine Menechini.  Both of these professionals have a cosmetology teaching license, and the program is intense as well as demanding.  The students don't just put in hours; these 2 teachers demand a demonstrated skill level!  Again, the hands-on portion is the focus.
• Each year around this time, I hear the pounding sound of hammers when I walk by the Plumbing/Heating shop area.  The sound is the students using a "swedge" tool and hammer to expand pipe for subsequent soldering practice.  The process not only prepares the pipe for soldering practice, but it teaches the hand/eye coordination and strength needed to hit a swedge tool while holding the pipe in one hand and swinging a hammer with the other. The students also need to measure the 1/2" depth needed.  As instructor Jack Munley explained to me, although using fittings would be easier, it would be more expensive and would not incorporate the various hands-on skills involved in this exercise.  Jack is a certified Master Plumber and teacher, plus has many years of experience operating his own business. 

There are many examples I could use from my school, because the "tell me...show me...let me do it" methodology is en-grained in every program there.  Working with trade professionals who have the ability to teach is indeed gratifying.  To me, being a trade professional and a teacher as well is a rare quality!

"I Love you More than my Dog"

I recently read a book that compelled some thoughts about how our educational system could soar!  The book is “I Love You More Than my Dog; Five Decisions That Drive Extreme Customer Loyalty in Good Times and Bad” by Jeanne Bliss.

Based on her experiences in what she calls “beloved companies”, Jeanne outlines the culture of very successful companies, and she explores how decisions made by those companies build a culture of customer loyalty.  She explores the human side of business in a way that drills to the core of every organization; an approach that truly values people; an approach where employees and customers have value; an approach devoid of bureaucracy.

I’d like to take Jeanne’s 5 decisions and talk about parallels to education.

Decision 1 – “Beloved companies decide to believe…they believe their employees and their customers.  And they practice this by suspending cynicism.”  Imagine what might happen if schools were free to decide to believe in their teachers and their students!  What if schools could place the stringent rules in the background and actually believe in and support teachers?  What if teachers were encouraged to believe in their students?  I submit that our current system of education discourages that culture. Although many teachers do embrace that idea, the system hinders and discourages a fertile learning culture.

Decision 2 – “Beloved companies decide with clarity and purpose…(they) take the time to be clear about what their unique promise is for their customers lives.”  All schools have a mission statement, but how many public schools actually decide to create an experience for their students?  How many decisions in a school system are about policy, procedure, rules and expectations; and how many decisions directly address creating an engaging culture for student learning?  Having worked in a school for over 30 years, I can tell you that the decision scale is tipped toward bureaucracy.

Decision 3 – “Beloved companies decide to be real…(they) shed their fancy packaging and break down barriers between big company, little customer.”  Good teachers know how to create a collaborative classroom, and good teachers know that in order to connect with their students, the need to operate at a student level.  Good teachers know how to be friendly with their students while maintaining a good teacher/student decorum.  Yet the system emphasizes rules and encourages teachers to create a “big teacher/little student” environment.  Imagine if teachers could be free to work within a culture where collaboration is encouraged!

Decision 4 – “Beloved companies decide to be there…for customers in ways that are important to them…(they) gladly do the hard work.”  Many teachers work hard and are there for students, being sure students understand, not just memorize.  But the system promotes strict union rules which can create an atmosphere where such teachers might be ridiculed and admonished because they go the extra mile for students.  And teacher unions are NOT to blame!  The system creates a culture which places the bureaucracy ahead of the student, and it is the bureaucracy that creates the need for union rules.

Decision 5 – “Beloved companies decide to say sorry…(they) accept accountability when the chips are down.” The American school system equates accountability to test scores!  Test scores drive funding and stigmatize schools. This system has very little regard for what students are actually learning and understanding.  When we are reminded of the sad state of American schools, we make more rules and enforce more “accountability”.  It is time to scrap or completely revise No Child Left Behind; NCLB does not work!  It creates more focus on test scores and less focus on learning.  Stop and think about how a student might feel when the newspaper publishes school rankings, and their school ranks last! 

Check out Matt May’s blog article about schools in Finland.  Best schools in the world, yet they have the least amount of rules.  Finland takes a human approach to learning, and it works!

Jeanne Bliss’s book compelled some thoughts, and it is worthwhile reading for anyone.  Sure, the ideas make sense for companies and schools.  But really, Jeanne’s book succinctly relates the GOLDEN RULE.  It puts people first.  And that message is universal!

Online Learning - Guest Post

One subject I haven't touched upon is Distance Learning.  Adrienne Carlson offers some good advice for those considering this option.

How to Gain Practical Knowledge When Learning Online

There are various advantages to studying online, the most significant of them being that you can earn and learn at the same time and that you can set your own schedules to a certain extent. But then, this method of knowledge delivery has its share of drawbacks too, and unless you are extremely dedicated, possess excellent time management skills, and have the determination to succeed, you’re not going to be able to juggle too many balls without dropping one or more of them.

Besides these obvious disadvantages, there is the also the fact that you don’t really gain any hands-on experience when you choose to study through a computer and an Internet connection, so this becomes something of a problem when you choose subjects that require a fair amount of practical knowledge. In order to counter this disadvantage and use online education to its full potential, here’s what you can do:

• Choose a subject that you’re really interested in: When you pick a subject that you’re passionate about, you learn it by hook or by crook. No one has to force you to complete assignments and turn in your papers on time. Besides, you also find ways to look for more information related to the subject instead of focusing on your study material alone. And if you need any practical knowledge, your interest alone is enough to allow you to learn without the guidance of a teacher or an expert. You learn how to do stuff through trial and error, and with the relevant and complementary theoretical knowledge, it’s easy enough to gain a practical mastery over the subject.
• Find people near you who have a certain amount of expertise: If the subject is difficult and not easily learnt on your own, see if you know anyone who has taken a similar course or is knowledgeable in the subject. When it comes to gaining practical knowledge, it’s easier to do so when you observe someone at work and then practice on your own till you’re confident about your skills.
• Look for alternative resources: Some courses offer step by step instructions for practical lessons, so you could utilize them to your advantage. Or if you find work as an intern in a relevant industry, it is easy to gain practical knowledge and also put it to use in a way that makes financial sense.

No matter how good your theoretical lessons are, if you want to gain practical knowledge when studying online, you must practice your skills regularly and until you gain enough expertise in them. Practice makes perfect, so keep at it. 

This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of online degrees. Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson83@yahoo.com

Intrinsic Motivation

Below is a TED talk by Dan Pink.  He advocates an approach toward motivating people that has a firm basis in science.  The implications toward education are enormous!