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April 30, 2006

Systems Thinking In Education

What is systems thinking and how does it apply in the classroom?  Systems thinking encourages one to step back and see the whole picture, rather than focusing on just its parts. It is an attempt to see the "forest" as well as the "trees."  Systems thinking in the classroom can include an integrated and thematic curriculum, aligned goals and measures and ensuring that all parts of the classroom are working together toward.

In the classroom, systems thinking explores the interdependencies among the elements of a system, looking for patterns rather than memorizing isolated facts. Systems thinking encourages creativity, questioning and problem solving.  Systems thinking involves shifting attention 

  • from the parts to the whole, 
  • from objects to relationships, 
  • from structures to processes, 
  • from hierarchies to networks,
  • from the rational to the intuitive, 
  • from analysis to synthesis, 
  • from linear to non-linear thinking.

What's your definition of systems thinking?  What role does systems thinking have in the classroom?  Can systems thinking increase academic achievement?

Jay

Other resources about systems thinking:

Posted by Jay Marino at 07:54 PM | | Comments (5)

April 23, 2006

What is "Quality In Education"?

So what is "Quality in Education?"  This is an interesting question, isn't it?  It is likely that your definition of quality and mine is different, based on our background knowledge, context and personal experiences.  So when we talk about it, are we talking about the same thing?  Probably not.

Webster's definition of quality is "An inherent or distinguishing characteristic; a property."  My definition of quality is "value as perceived by the customer".  In other words, to each his own definition of what quality really means.   As mentioned in prior blog entries -until a school district (school, classroom or teacher) can define quality and describe what it looks like, sounds like and feels like- it won't be able to accomplish it. 

To me, quality in education means "being better tomorrow that we are today, being better next week, next month and next year than we are this week, this month and this year."  In other words, quality in education is a journey, defined by the individual and organization.

What does "quality in education" mean to you?  Have you defined quality in your school?  How do you define it?  What is your plan to obtain quality?

Jay

Posted by Jay Marino at 11:07 AM | | Comments (2)

April 16, 2006

How S.M.A.R.T. Are Your Goals?

A core process of quality and continuous improvement is goal setting.  Goals provide direction and focus.  Goals are something that you want to achieve in the future- or as Webster defines: "The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; an objective."  One way to set goals is to utilize the "SMART" goal format which stands for: 

S pecific: Who? What? Where?
M easurable: How will the goal be measured?
A ttainable: Is the goal realistic, yet challenging?
R esults-oriented: Is the goal consistent with other goals established and fits with your immediate and long-range plans?
T ime-bound: Is it trackable and allows for monitoring of progress?

SMART goals provide focus and define exactly what the “future state” looks like and how it will be measured.  Often, SMART goals are the “big, hairy audacious, critical-few” goals that need to be worked on (The Most Important Ones!).   Goals should be derived from data and should focus on the greatest areas in need of improvement.  In other words...  If all you did was spend time on the identified SMART goals, the time would be well-spent. 

View a Power Point presentation to learn how to write SMART goals, see examples of SMART goals and download a SMART goal template used in the Cedar Rapids Community School District.  Learn More- SMART Goals Websites:

 

How do you write goals in your school or district?  Have you used the SMART goal format and what have been your experiences?  What role does goal setting have in your school or classroom?

Jay

Posted by Jay Marino at 09:57 AM | | Comments (3)

April 11, 2006

What Role Does the School Board Play in Continuous Improvement?

Over the past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the National School Board Association (NSBA) conference in Chicago, IL.  As I attended sessions and conversed with school board members from around the country, I became more aware of the important role that they play regarding quality and continuous improvement in education.

If quality and continuous improvement are going to outlast the revolving door of superintendents and central office administrators, the board of education has to determine that quality in education is critical to the success of the school district.  One resource I found helpful to this end is the NSBA key Work of School Boards publications.

The NSBA's "Key Work" of school boards- is rooted in systematic theory that holds that no action is accomplished in isolation. This means that as one Key Work area is intentionally or unintentionally addressed, other Key Work areas necessarily are affected. Working effectively together, the Key Work components can optimize a local school board's ability to make positive and lasting school district improvements. The Key Work of School Boards is a framework of eight essential key action areas that focus and guide schools boards in their efforts to improve student achievement. The eight areas include:

  • Vision
  • Standards
  • Assessment
  • Accountability
  • Alignment
  • Climate
  • Collaborative Relationships
  • Continuous Improvement

If local school boards were to focus on these elements (in particular: Vision, Alignment and Continuous Improvement), they would create a culture of quality that would withstand any changes to the leadership of the school system.  I believe that school leaders need to involve the board of education in the development of a vision of continuous improvment supported by a quality focus.  Through board development and direct inolvement in the establishment of a "quality vision", school districts can endure the journey of quality and continuous improvement.

How supportive is your board of education when it comes to quality and continuous improvement?  What methods do school administrators use to help school boards create sustaining visions and district direction?  What role does the board of education play in quality?

Jay

 

Posted by Jay Marino at 03:32 PM | | Comments (0)

April 04, 2006

Seeking Input... What "Quality in Education" Topics Are You Interested In?

As I ponder what to blog about next... I wondered if you (call yourselves stakeholders or even customers) would have input on future blog topics.  After all, effective organizations know their stakeholder requirements and expectations.  I figured that maybe I should try modeling that concept.

Share your thoughts!  Regarding quality in education- What are those "big, hairy, audacious issues" that need to be debated in this forum?  What are you passionate about that others could comment on?

In search of stakeholder input- let me know what your thoughts are on future blog topics.

Jay

 

Posted by Jay Marino at 04:19 PM | | Comments (3)

April 01, 2006

How's Your Instrumentation?

Would you get into an airplane with a pilot who throws a blanket over the cockpit instruments & dials and says "I'll fly by instinct and feel"?  If the pilot can't see the instrumentation to know the altitude, air speed and direction, how will she get from point "A" to point "B"?  Isn't responsive and sensitive instrumentation and measurement necessary to make adjustments in flight?

I compare this to classrooms and schools who do not have instrumentation that tells them if they are on track for getting from point "A" to point "B". In a previous blog entry, I discussed the concept of a classroom data center, which is essentially instrumentation for the classroom.  It is intended to provide real-time data on key measures and indicators of achievement in the classroom.  The class uses this data center to collect key data on key measures in the classroom such as: homework completion; student attendance; math computation; reading comprehension, etc.  In turn, school districts utilize a balanced scorecard to serve as instrumentation to determine if progress is being made on the strategic plan (See previous blog entry on balanced scorecards).

Classroom Data Center Example

Learn more about classroom data centers

If teachers aren't using a classroom data center to involve students in the process of monitoring and measuring progress, what are they using?  What instrumentation do you use in your classroom, school or district?  How do you make "in-process" adjustments to ensure you get from point "A" to point "B" without getting off track?

Jay

 

Posted by Jay Marino at 07:27 AM | | Comments (0)