The Final Five Characteristics

 In our full-day meeting on March 27, we made a final decision on the five categories that we felt defined the educator of the future.  Based on the research and input from outside sources, we settled on the following five caetegories:

Academically Prepared Instructor

Highland Park ISD's high academic expectations for its students require educators with

strong content knowledge.

 

Designer of Instruction and Facilitator of Learning

Advancements in brain research and information accessibility have changed the role of

teacher to that of facilitator, one who designs lessons that require active minds to persist in

challenging work.

 

Skilled Assessor

By fully and accurately assessing student learning, educators inform instruction, optimize

learning, and communicate progress. The educator for the future designs and implements

multiple forms of assessment that reflect each student's integrated story of progress and

performance.

Critical and Innovative Thinker

The world is transforming at an exponential rate. In order to meet the needs of learners, the educator for the future is adaptable and exhibits critical and innovative thinking skills.

Role Model

The educator for the future must serve as a positive role model of community and global citizenship and demonstrate effective interpersonal skills.

We made sure that each category had a brief desciption explaining our intention and vision for that characteristic.  Each category was then given a set of 5-8 descriptors to further explain the vision.  We struggled a lot of with wording and organization of the descriptors.  In the end, we sent the document to an editor from the Schlechty center and formed our own small internal editing committee to review the changes from the editor. 

Technology and Personal Skills

After each group presented and defended their theories and research, we felt like we had a good picture of what the educator of the future should look like.  It was evident that a lot of research had been done, but we still had several issues to break down as a group.  The first was the issue of technology.  Technology is obviously something that will be widely used in the future, as well as something that should be included in the classroom.  However, we debated on how much focus should be given to technology in our profile of an educator of the future.  On the one hand, it was argued that technology is one of many tools that should be used.  Teachers should choose the appropriate tools to teach, whether that tool be as simple as a handheld globe or as complex as google earth.  Some members argued that we should not specifically address technology because it is just one of many tools.  On the other hand, some group members argued that technology is here to stay and we need to specify it in our documents because we need teachers to realize that it is a kind of tool that future educators should be using.  There was even some discussion about whether or not technology should be a category by itself.  In the end, we decided that technology does need to be menioned but it should be embedded in the various attributes and their descriptions.  

The other issue that was brought up after the presentations was that of personal skills.  As educators we all know that building personal relationships with our students and the community around us, is a vital piece to student success.  We determined after some discussion, that a 6th group needed to form and research the importance of personal skills as they apply to the teaching world.  The following meeting would include a report from this new group and a group discussion on our combined research as a whole document. 

Back to the Blog

It's been awhile since I've blogged anything on here, but I just got over the latest hurdle in the action research project of the euducator for the future so I thought I would take a moment and reflect on where we've come from in the past couple months.  What I thought was going to be an easy action research project has really turned into quite a beast. As the action plan originally posted had planned our research has led us to 5 separate categories that we feel define the educator of the future:

·         Academically Prepared – Know the content

·         Skilled Assessors – Be able to effectively design and utilize formative and summative assessments (i.e. not just exams/tests)

·         Critical and Innovative Thinker – Model higher order thinking in the classroom and beyond

·         Adaptable – Be willing to take risks in the classroom as well as adapt to the changing needs of 21^st century learners (this has a strong focus on technological tools)

·         Teachers as Designers  - Design lessons in the way that promotes the desire of learning

Each member of the design team was given the opportunity to pick which category they would like to research.  Myself and 4 other members chose the "Teachers as Designers" group.  Honestly, I figured this would be the easiest for me since I work in the classroom every day and I love designing engaging lessons.  I had no idea how much I would learn from this little assignment.  We were given an hour long brainstorming time to discuss where we would like to focus each of our research.  After considering our prior readings and preliminary research we each decided to take one of the following categoies: Impact of Constructivism on 21st Century Learning, Current Brain Research as it Relates to Student Learning, Project-Based Learning (PBL), Current Practices at Our School.  My assigned topic was the impact of constructivism andI set out to reseach the likes of Dewey and Co.  Our research proved lengthy and our next meeting as a subgroup proved to be just as lenghthy.  We each came back with plenty of research.  I discovered how constructivism really is the basis for most of the popular 21st century teaching models.  Another member found brain research to prove that our brains are wired in a way that causes us to learn better if there is a "discovery" process invovled.  The member researching PBL connected her research to constructivism and displayed effective methods of using PBL in classrooms today.  Finally, our principal showed data she had collected on where many of our middle school teachers fall on the continium between constructivism and traditionalism.  We each had a lot to say so after our very lenghthy 3 hour meeting we concluded to set-up a  google power point presentation so that we could each polish up our research and confine it to 2-3 slides each to present to the district design team.  Up next in the next blog.... the presentation and design team feedback.

Evaluation - Don't forget it!

The most revelatory insight for me in my course on action research dealt with learning how to evaluate the implementation of an action research plan.  While working through the CARE model tool (Harris, 2010, p. 99), I reflected on what is necessary to produce sustained improvement within schools.   This tool called for us to identify the best ways to evaluate the implemented recommendations of an action plan.  As I worked through this process, I found myself suggesting evaluation tools that used data and/or gave specific feedback using surveys or rubrics.   I had a bit a “break-through moment” when I realized that many of the action plans I have been apart of failed to set-up up a system to evaluate the change.  In my nine years of teaching, I have been a part of several experiences where an administration attempted to implement systemic plans for change.  When I look back at the plans that actually produced sustained improvement, I see a common denominator: they all had built-in evaluation tools to ensure that change was indeed taking place.  By using formative assessments throughout the change process, faculty and administrators could also adapt as needed.  This is a critical final piece of action research that I think is often left out of the process.  Evaluation is needed for accountability on many levels.  Without evaluation, there is no way to assess the success-level of the change process or to ensure that teachers are actually following through with what is asked of them.  Therefore, a pre-determined evaluation plan is absolutely necessary for the implementation of an action research plan.

Revised Action Research Plan

My meeting with my site supervisor went very well.  Since we are both members of the district design team, she already had a good understanding of the project we are working on together.  I had to infer much about the future plans of the design team to create the step-by-step breakdown of the action plan.  Since my site supervisor is campus principal and prominent member of the design team, she had a much stronger vision of the plan and where things would be going.  Thus, she was able to help me flesh out some of the steps I didn't originally foresee.  For example, she could suggest some more resources that she knows we are going to use such as the Schlechty Center, Marzano’s Classroom Instruction that Works, The Fundamental Five.  She also reminded me that I needed to add a step where we will seek the advice of stakeholders outside of our own design team.  This would include input from university faculty, parents, business leaders, and community leaders. I added this as step #7 in my action research plan.  I know from all of my research thus far that asking the community and other stakeholders for input is a vital step to any change process, so I was shocked that I forgot to add this step.  This just proved to me how important it is to have other people reviewing an action research plan. Beyond that she just addressed a few minor grammar and formatting issues that I corrected in the new plan.  I have copied the revised version of my action plan below to address the changes I made as result of my meeting (the changes are represented in red).  

_______________________________________________________________

Goal: Research how current educators need to adapt to meet the needs and interests of 21^st century students while still successfully preparing these students for life after graduation.

Action Steps	Persons Responsible	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1.       Setting the Foundation: Read articles relevant to 21st century learning and the state of education in the US and abroad	·         District Design Team ·         Brianna Riddell	Assigned Sept 21, 2012 Due Oct 11, 2012	Read the following articles: 1.       HPISD Visioning Document 2.        21st Century Student Outcomes and Support Systems 3.       The Most Daring Education Reform of All 4.       Redefining College Readiness 5.       What Socrates would Say	·         Meet with District Design Team to discuss relevance of each article to our district and needs ·         Summary Template for each article
2.       Divide District Design Team into 5 groups to research the following characteristics of educators: a.       Skilled Assessments b.      Creating Academically Prepared Students c.       Adaptability d.      Teachers as designers/explorers e.      Teachers being risk takers	My group is a part of the Teacher as designers research group	Assigned Oct 11 Due Nov 15, 2012	·         Project-based Learning Schools (Coppell’s New Tech High) ·         Buck Institute ·         Data on performance of students from PBL schools ·         Constructivist Theory ·         Lee Crockett Learning Fluencies ·         The Schlechty Center ·         Marzano’s Classroom Instruction that Works ·         The Fundamental Five	Meet as a research small group to discuss outcomes of research done with resources listed and evaluate which techniques should be focused on as a district - or -  if the original 5 characteristics of educators need to be added to or amended.   Also complete a side by side comparison of teacher characteristics based on research.
3.      Design team will share and evaluate the research done by individual groups and decide what further research is needed to formulate a profile of an educator for the future.	Design Team	December 4, 2012	·         Collection of studies done by individual groups	Through discussion, design team will evaluate the research done to confirm, amend, or delete characteristics of an educator.
4.      Agree upon a desired list of characteristics that define the educator of the future.  Use research to flesh out the details of how each of those characteristics should manifest themselves in HPISD employees.	Design Team	Complete by Wed January 23, 2013	·         Research and sources collected in in step 3	Final list of characteristics and descriptions to be approved by district superintendent
5.      Sub committees formed within District Design Team to work on descriptions of agreed upon characteristics of an educator	·         District Design Team ·         Brianna Riddell	Complete work by February 28, 2013	·         To be determined by group research…	Will be evaluated and edited by Design Team
6.      Design Team compiles list of characteristics with descriptors and drafts proposal for the “Profile of an Educator for the Future”	·         District Design Team ·         Brianna Riddell	Complete work by March 27, 2013	·         Compiled list of all sub groups characteristics and descriptions	Will be evaluated and edited by Design Team
7.      Design Team will seek additional input from broad-based groups.	·         Asst. Superintendent ·         District Design Team ·         Brianna Riddell	March – April 2013	·         University Faculty ·         Parents ·         Business Leaders ·         Community Leaders	Design team will evaluate and discuss input from broad-based group and include additional information in research
8.      Edit the format and wording for final “Profile of an Educator for the Future” pamphlet	Editing Sub Group of  District Design Team	Due by May 9, 2015	·         Last year’s Learner of a Profile for the Future pamphlet will serve as a guide	·         Design team will proof and edit final wording to be sent out for publishing ·         Board approval
9.      Publish “Profile of an Educator for the Future Pamphlet”	Asst. Superintendent and Communications Dept.	Summer 2013	·         Final copy of Educator for the Future Profile ·         Sources	Public evaluation: Parents will hold teachers and staff accountable to profile presented Internal evaluation:  Admin will use the new educator profile an assessment tool for current teachers and a hiring tool for future employees

Action Research Plan

Below I have posted my current action research plan.  I'm sure it will be amended a lot along the way, but you must start someone.  Also, sorry for some format issues.  The blog didn't like the table :)

Goal: Research how current educators need to adapt to meet the needs and interests of 21st century students while still successfully preparing these students for life after graduation.

Action Steps	Persons Responsible	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1.       Setting the Foundation: Read articles relevant to 21st century learning and the state of education in the US and abroad	Myself and entire district design team	Assigned Sept 21, 2012 Due Oct 11, 2012	Read the following articles: 1.       HPISD Visioning Document 2.        21st Century Student Outcomes and Support Systems 3.       The Most Daring Education Reform of All 4.       Redefining College Readiness 5.       What Socrates would Say	Meet with District Design Team to discuss relevance of each article to our district and needs
2.       Divide District Design Team into 5 groups to research the following characteristics of educators: a.       Skilled Assessments b.      Creating Academically Prepared Students c.       Adaptability d.      Teachers as designers/explorers e.      Teachers being risk takers	My group was a part of the Teacher as designers research group – Persons involved	Assigned Oct 11 Due Nov 15, 2012	·         Project-based Learning Schools (Coppell’s New Tech High) ·         Buck Institute ·         Data on performance of students from PBL schools ·         Constructivist Theory ·         Lee Crockett Learning Fluencies	Meet as a research small group to discuss outcomes of research done with resources listed and evaluate which techniques should be focused on as a district - or -  if the original 5 characteristics of educators need to be added to or amended.
3.      Design team will share and evaluate the research done by individual groups and decide what further research is needed to formulate a profile of an educator for the future.	Whole Design Team	December 4, 2012	·         Collection of studies done by individual groups	Through discussion, design team will evaluate the research done to confirm, amend, or delete characteristics of an educator.
4.      Agree upon a desired list of characteristics that define the educator of the future.  Use research to flesh out the details of how each of those characteristics should manifest themselves in HPISD employees.	Design Team	Complete by Wed January 23, 2013	·         Research and sources collected in in step 3	Final list of characteristics and descriptions to be approved by district superintendents
5.      Sub committees formed within District Design Team to work on descriptions of agreed upon characteristics of an educator	Myself and the Design Team	Complete work by February 28, 2013	·         To be determined by group research…	Will be evaluated and edited by Design Team
6.      Design Team compiles list of characteristics with descriptors and drafts proposal for the “Profile of an Educator for the Future”	Myself and Design Team	Complete work by March 27, 2013	·         Compiled list of all sub groups characteristics and descriptions	Will be evaluated and edited by Design Team
7.      Edit the format and wording for final “Profile of an Educator for the Future” pamphlet	Editing Sub Group of  District Design Team	Due by May 9, 2015	·         Last year’s Learner of a Profile for the Future pamphlet will serve as a template	Design team will proof and edit final wording to be sent out for publishing
8.      Publish “Profile of an Educator for the Future Pamphlet”	Asst. Superintendent and Communications Dept.	Summer 2013	·         Final copy of Educator for the Future Profile ·         Sources	Public evaluation: Parents will hold teachers and staff accountable to profile presented Internal evaluation:  Admin will use the new educator profile an assessment tool for current teachers and a hiring tool for future employees