Disruptive Theory-Disruption Matters

What is disruptive innovation theory? In a nutshell, disruptive innovation is a tool for change! Innovative disruption takes place when a new model of business or application is created that enters a market and provides new opportunity. It is easiest to explain by giving a few concrete examples. We used to go downtown to go shopping then Walmart and Target came along and disrupted the existing retail market, then Amazon and eBay came along and disrupted the existing market again. Also, at one time if you were involved with computers, you were highly trained and needed to be wealthy to have one, then along came the PC and disrupted the market. Disruption provides access, makes things affordable and helps consumers do things more easily and effectively.  One thing that is seen over and over in this disruption is that the organization that currently holds the market share isn't able to make the changes that the innovative organization entering the market has made. The organization that becomes outdated and irrelevant has set their own model up so it can't handle making the change needed to stay competitive.

Now how about education? Well this organization is a classic example of how an existing organization has been set up in a way that it also can not innovate and change internally. Some disruptive innovation that we have seen in the last decade is the increase in Charter Schools and alternative schools. These schools haven't really created the innovative disruption that has been able to change how we educate our children. According to recent research the disruption in education is now coming at us full speed with technology. This does not mean just adding computers to the classroom, but allowing students to learn outside the confines of an outdated school building. The disruption is coming and it's coming in the form of online learning. What will the current structure of school look like in 5 years.....stay tuned!

CUE = Choice

I can always count on learning many new things when I attend CUE conferences. As a matter of fact, I usually have to leave before the end of the day because my brain can not absorb any more information. CUE is the perfect example of differentiation for educators. I like this model so much that I now conduct my professional development with my staff using this model. I have set up multiple choice sessions that teachers can choose to attend. It is critical to meet all learners where they are and that holds true for educators. We talk about differentiation in the student classroom and as an administrator I am committed to providing this type of choice training to as many teachers as I can. Education is changing rapidly and we don't have time to be sending a few teachers to learn, we must get this training to all educators. The thing that impressed me the most at SDCUE was that most of the presenters were local teachers. The majority of the attendees were also teachers. We should rename this conference 'Teachers teaching Teachers'

Invictus-The 16th Man

The movie Invictus presents Nelson Mandela's life from prison to World Cup Rugby victory in a Hollywood portrayal. The 16th Man, a documentary represents a more authentic look into the struggles and successes of Nelson Mandela's actual life that lead him to prison, his years there, and his courageous rise to leadership. This documentary weaves politics and showcases the 'Springbok', South African's national rugby team. His greatest asset developed in prison was patience. He remained stedfast during his rise in power with a calm and committed demeanor. He did not demand trust from the whites or the blacks, he earned it every step of the way.  With years of Apartheid, tensions were high all over South Africa. The blacks were counting on Mandela to not only reverse these laws, but to favor their cause. For a while it looked as though Mandela was siding with the white way. He saw an opportunity that not many diid. He saw a way to unite all South Africans through Rugby. The impact of Mandela's brilliant relationship building helped transition the country from segregation to integration. For Mandela to bridge these relationships between races with sports and with out a racial war, will go down in history as one of the greatest leadership strategies ever implemented.

As a leader, I honor his bravery and know I will simply never be challenged to any extreme. I have had several political challenges though, and I take stock in Mandela's bravery. I have learned if you believe in your cause and know it is is the right thing then you must remain stedfast in commitment. My cause is always to put children first and I am willing to endure a fight against those whose politics get in the way of what is best for children.

Clay Shirkey - Cognitive Surplus & Changing the World

What is a culture of generosity and how can it be used to improve education? What does it mean to say, "Free cultures get what they celebrate?" How can you as a leader affect what you celebrate?

A culture of generosity creates and shares resources that have civic value. In our free access to created and shared ideas, we must differentiate between what is quality and what is throw away. Shirkey defines the cute, clever and LOL as having communal value and those shared sources that benefit society as having civic value. When designing for generosity we need to use digital technology to develop human capital and intellectual capital through this great social networking opportunity. The Ushahidi Platform is a perfect example of pundits designing for generosity. There is a vast spectrum between mediocre and quality. We end up spending too much valuable time sifting through it all. In education, we are in a rapidly changing environment. There is much work to be done and I feel that we need each other more than ever. Utilizing tools such as Twitter could affect change by connecting educators and enabling us to expanding our learning collaboratively. As I lead my organization, I need to be mindful to create and share sources that have real value. Creating teams and networks at the site and district level will enable us to build cognitive surplus and improve learning for all students.

The New Gatekeepers

The New Gatekeepers. . . what the internet knows about me!

This video does a great job explaining the algorithmic ways in which information on the Internet is personalized for me! The first thing that came to mind was big brother really is watching, but my new big brother is Google, Facebook, etc. 

I think in some ways having my search's personalized probably saves me time and creates an efficiency factor that i find to be helpful. I am concerned, however, that this automated system will in time limit my perspective and narrow my opportunities to seek and learn news ways to view life in many ways. The world wide web is a massive place to visit and maneuver through. I hope that those in control of this service of personalization will consider how this really impacts society as a whole. It could lead to a type of segregation that could mirror how we actually live in reality. If you think about it how many different places do we go to eat, shop, play and explore? Most people live in a bubble anyway. I know I spend most of my time going to familiar places because they simply match my taste and needs. 

Drive-carrots/sticks and the benefits of autonomy

Discuss a time when you’ve seen one of the seven deadly flaws of carrots and sticks in action. What lessons might you or others learn from the experience? Have you seen instances when carrots and sticks have been effective. 

I work in a district that is for the most part high achieving. There are 3 Title I schools in the district and of course they have struggled with meeting AYP benchmarks. I have had a chance to spend 12 years as a classroom teacher and 3 years as an administrator in Title I schools. As an administrator I watched my teachers going above and beyond the call of duty to reach out to help the children who are socio-economically disadvantaged to make a difference. I work closely with the other principals in the district and compare my work load with theirs. It is quite astounding to see the difference in the way the different schools are treated. The school in our district with an API of 961 gets all the credit and accolades while the Title I schools get criticized for the lower scores. It is an example of the carrot and stick because those who make it reap the benefits because it is perceived as if they have done something special when in fact the affluent community sends the kids prepared and they due well in spite of the work being done. The Title I teachers are punished with threats of sanctions and penalties and the worst part public criticism.

In education I have seen carrots and sticks in place for students where I feel it is beneficial. The school I work at has two Special Day Classes and the behavior management strategies are positive and negative reinforcement. It is a great way for these students to learn the difference between following rules and braking rules in the area of remaining safe. Students with certain disabilities do well with rewards and consequences and when a teacher is managing many students at a time it is truly a safe way to approach behavior management.

As you think about your own best work, what aspect of autonomy has been most important to you? Autonomy over what you do (task), when you do it (time), how you do it (technique), or with whom you do it (team)?

I love direction from my superiors as well as feedback. I do like to do things at my own pace and in my own though. I work in a district that truly believes in the Pink philosophies, so I have autonomy on how I choose to do things at the site level. I receive support whenever I need it, but I am trusted to do my job and to me that is a great sign of respect. I love to develop programs and I am given carte blanche to do what I want most of the time, so I pretty much live my professional life with great amounts of autonomy.

learning in new media environments reflection

Dr. Michael Wesch's video  "Learning in New Media Environments." sends a powerful message to students, parents and educators that we must change the way we view the learning process for all learners. His explanation of shifting from being knowledgable to knowledge able describes how I feel about NCLB. We have spent the last decade maintaining an environment where children listen, memorize and then choose the correct multiple choice bubble. This low level of learning is not serving them or society for that matter. As I watch teachers in my district shifting gears and providing students with project based learning that requires communication, collaboration and creativity and critical thinking, I am hopeful that we can change how students engage in learning. I unfortunately leave these stimulating rooms and just down the hall is the sage on the stage with all the students in a row not saying a word....you could hear a pin drop and god forbid a student speaks out of turn they will be chastised in front of their peers. These shifts in education are going to take effort and will power. I am excited to view these inspirational videos and see that movements like this one  will change the face of education.

Visitor or Resident

Am I a visitor or a resident? I am most definitely a visitor! I go to the internet to retrieve information, access accounts, pay bills, and shop. I very rarely communicate in social networks. I do receive hundreds of emails a week and can hardly keep up. I do not find myself naturally interested in spending my nonworking hours on a computer. I  like to develop relationships face to face. Now that I am learning more about why I would want to engage in PLNs the more I can understand why people do. I am an extreme outdoors person and love to be away from technology. Is it my age or is it my lifestyle that is driving me away from my computer?