Be Brave And Celebrate It

One of the most effective tools for anyone working with a group of people is to be very, very comfortable with uncomfortable silence.   Usually, a speech, meeting or class gets off-track when the person leading it seems to be bothered when no one is responding to a question or statement.  That awkward pause, that SILENCE, can be very unnerving.

What often happens?  Well, we answer it ourselves, of course.  And that takes away any incentive for anyone in that group to respond afterwards.  ”Wait long enough – he’ll answer it himself” will be in the minds of every participant.

When you do that, you remove the expectation of participation.   They’ll remember it.

My technique is very simple – early on in a speech or inservice or planning meeting, I will ask a very specific question.

And, I wait for a response.

If no one responds, I wait some more.

Then, if no one wants to say anything, I say with a smile “You know, I’m very good with uncomfortable silence.”  And I keep waiting.

Almost every time, FINALLY someone gets up the nerve to be brave and share a thought.  And then, the gates open.  The feedback starts coming.

If no one answers after all this; put the question in the parking lot for later in the event or get them into groups to talk about it first.  DON’T answer it for them.  If necessary, people are more apt to open up first in a smaller group to chew on a question or an idea.  Then, ask the question again of the groups and you will get their feedback because they have started talking and want to share what they talked about.

If you work with groups in any way, shape or form, use uncomfortable silence as a tool to get people talking and sharing.  Open a door for someone to Be Brave, and keep it open until someone walks through.  Then, Celebrate It by getting the group to acknowledge the bravery it took to share that opinion or feedback.

You’ll be amazed at how your events change when you expect people to participate!

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Hi, folks,

I’m looking for some help – please give feedback…I’ve posted this in various online boards and am looking to tap your vast expertise.

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I had the privilege of working at my kids’ school today in Stony Plain.  The goal?  Having teachers visit each other’s classrooms as part of their PLC activities, to see how they were using their SMARTBoards with their kids.

If you were following my tweets today via @tapankov, you would have gotten an idea of what I was following.  But, above the great conversations I saw today around what was happening in these classrooms I saw something that, quite honestly, I hadn’t seen before.

Now, I’ve seen a LOT of things happen with SMARTBoards, from truly remarkable to absolutely horrifying.  But, for some reason, I had never seen this done.  Maybe I just haven’t been in the right rooms to see it, but you’d think after the hundreds I HAVE been in, I would have encountered it at least once by now.

What did I see?  It was very simple.  I saw an element of a concept being learned that had absolutely no structure for the kids, and they were asked to build it on the SMARTBoard – specifically, in SMART Notebook.

The kids were learning about the difference between 2D, 3D and prism shapes.  The Notebook activity was downloaded from the Exchange, and some of what happened in the class was what I’d call “standard” interaction with the content.  There were good discussions happening about the concept, examples on the Notebook pages, and so forth.

However, the teacher decided to throw in something else, and this one thing made all the difference in the world.  She created a page with a whole slew of shapes, all jumbled in a pile.

The class’ task?  Sort them out and create the rules for sorting them out, based on what they just learned.

Now, some of you may read this and think, “Man, you must be kidding.  You’ve never seen that before?”.  Of course I have.  The thing is this – I’d never seem someone use their SMARTBoard to do it that way.  Everything teachers are taught in PD (and I’ve done it many times) is the idea of creating marvellous, pretty, flashy templates to organize things – Venn Diagrams, tables, and the ever-popular vortex.

When the kids were presented with this activity at the SMARTBoard, with no structure whatsoever and given the responsibility to provide it, the discussion and activity AROUND the concept was fascinating to behold.  One of the tweets I sent out today was:

“Folks, your kids will use a SMARTBoard if they own what’s on it-find ways for them to develop and share what’s on there as much as possible.”

These kids OWNED that concept.  Why?  Because a teacher was brave enough to remove the structure from to and made them build it themselves.  They took control of it and through collaborative efforts and inquiry, they eventually created the structure to understand that concept.
Teachers using Notebook (and teachers, period), take notice – you don’t have to have fancy templates for everything you do.   That was by far the best overall learning and engagement I’ve seen with a classroom with a  SMARTBoard for a long time.

To roughly quote the teacher:  “Why would I want to do all that work?  I want THEM to do it and show me what they learned.”

Amen and hallelujah.

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Since digital communication today is an anytime, anywhere thing, how do you set parameters on how it is part of your daily lives, and that of your students? 

When I say parameters, I don’t necessarily mean rules.   Rules are meant to restrict – philosophy is meant to guide.

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I’m hoping to tap into your experiences to help with a presentation I’m building. 

It’s called “The Space Between” – about the use of technology to communication and how your students and friends and family are using the space between the stimulus (an e-mail, text, blog post, tweet, etc.) and their response to it.

I’m hoping to get good and not-so-good stories, but most of all, I want to hear what you all see out there right now in how anytime, anywhere communication is being used and how critical that space inbetween is these days.

If possible, I would be very happy to call you directly and also, if you’d be willing, to record yourself on video talking about the experience. 

Please contact me at james@tapankov.com or post your story on a blog (here or your own) to share it with everyone.

Thanks!

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Yesterday, I had a Twitter chat with @Nunavut_Teacher – great guy.  We got onto the topic of the recent discussions around the EduBlogs award nominations.  He is definitely someone who believes in the idea that recognizing everyone for their efforts and the growth of the group as a whole.  Fantastic.

When I thought about it, I started to realize that awards are a type of summative assessment. They are a reflection of an end point – what happened before the award was given.  Trouble is, sometimes it can negatively influence what happens AFTER the award is given – like it does for some students.

What seems to happen is that once certain people are officially recognized with awards for their work or ideas, they stop growing for a while.  Maybe they see the award as a confirmation that they’ve reached the height of their craft, and continued growth might not be necessary – at least, not for a while.

Follow the careers of some Oscar winners after their recognition.  You’ll see many examples of this concept (Cuba Gooding Jr., I’m looking at you).

Do you know where I’ve sometimes seen a parallel in education – specifically, in Alberta?  It’s the Edwin Parr award, for outstanding first-year teachers.

I don’t have a problem with the award, itself.  What I DO have a problem with is the fact that it is giving an award to someone who is just getting started in their craft.  If I’d been teaching for a year and got an award, I might’ve been tempted to think I’d had the craft down pat, and not be very inclined to look at alternate points of view or practice.  That’s a part of human nature, I think – get by on what we can, especially if it’s validated that way.

I think that’s a deadly way for anyone to think these days.

However, in the end, an award is what it is – something to which WE attribute value, but doesn’t in itself hold much value.  Really, awards are personal and professional currency, a value indicator that we can use to “officially” prove worth – a summative assessment.

Given all the talk around the Twitterverse of the value of formative assessment, I can understand why some people like @Nunavut_Teacher are feeling as they do – an award is contrary to the idea that evaluation is an ongoing process, not a finite measurement.  That applies to blogs, too – mine included.

My thought is that instead of viewing awards as a negative in and of themselves, we should look at how to formulate processes that support the continued growth of award winners AFTER the fact.

That, to me, is how you focus on the ongoing development of an idea or a person that is recognized for their efforts and impact – give them reasons to KEEP growing.

To all the award winners out there, congratulations.  Take the recognition for what it is – a snapshot in time. Look at the picture, put it in the album, pat yourself on the back (and those who helped you) and move on.

BBACI,

James

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This morning, I saw a video link on CNN’s homepage that caught my attention – a report by Anderson Cooper about a school board meeting yesterday where a man named Clay Duke stood up near the end of the meeting, pulled out a gun, and after a conversation with the superintendent, started shooting.

Now, in regards to my Retweet Pledge, I would ask that if you retweet this post, please make sure you watch the video in its entirety before you do – maybe even twice.  It is disturbing, so please be aware of this first. The meeting was being broadcast on the Internet live, so imagine what anyone watching it was thinking at the time:

Incredible Acts Of Bravery

During the event, in which the man asked all women to leave, one of the female board members, Ginger Littleton, came back and, amazingly, snuck up and tried to whack the man’s gun out of his hand with her purse.  Almost just as amazingly, he didn’t shoot her when it didn’t work.

What was very impressive to me after that was how the superintendent, Bill Husfeld (sp?) engages the man in discussion and tried to get him to let everyone else go, so they can talk about the man’s grievance.  Apparently, he was upset that his wife’s job had been cut at the district (not overly clear how or why) and that the superintendent had put in a tax that he didn’t like.

So, on all levels, this is a very scary situation.  This is someone with a pistol, obviously upset, and trying to make a statement.  Bad combination all around.

One of the things that stood out for me, though, is what seems to finally trigger (no pun intended) the actual firing of the gun.  For me, this is where the space between the stimulus and response is THE biggest determiner in how our lives run…and, unfortunately, how sometimes our lives end.

The superintendent, after pleading for this man to let everyone else go and defending his policies to the gunman, eventually asks the gunman if he is looking for the police to come in to kill him.

Once the gunman hears that, he tells the group “I’m gonna die today” and seems to then make up his mind to start shooting.  That turns out to be one of the last things he does.

Amazingly, even firing point blank at the superintendent and the others, he hit NO one.  And then, the man himself was shot from someone behind him.  The report says that while on the ground, he ends up taking his own life.

If you watch the video, you’re probably struck by a question:  who shot him?  Well, it turns out it was a contracted security guard (a retired detective) a that heard the first shots and came running and shot the gunman shortly afterwards.  His aim was much better than the gunman’s.

An armed security guard at a school board office.

Wow.

Regardless, in the end, what this video showed (without knowing much back story) was an incredibly brave superintendent who tried his best to talk the gunman down, to save the people around him.  He even offered to go with him if he’d let the others go.

I can’t imagine what I’d do in a similar situation.  What would you do?  How brave would you be?  Even if you could be that brave, how would you celebrate THIS bravery?    It’s clear to me that my definition of “Celebrate It” in my philosophy needs clarification on what celebrating bravery can mean.

My definition of “Be Brave” – to think AND act in a manner that reflects good values and character (I know, I need to work this a bit – “good” may not be the best word here)

My definition of ‘Celebrate It” – the ability to acknowledge bravery in ways that help us, and others, be brave again – to continue BEING brave.

How would YOU define “Be Brave And Celebrate It”?

BBACI,

James

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I saw a tweet today from @outonalim (Janine Lim), who is an amazing videoconferencing (VC) facilitator and creator of Read Around The Planet:

“#RAP2011 stats: 314 registrations; TX 92, NY 49, MI 31, OH 25, WV 24; international: UK 6, AB 2, MB 5″

What?  Two in Alberta? TWO?

Folks, we had a VC AISI initiative for three years not long ago.  We hosted an international conference on VC in 2008 in Banff.  We had TONS of fantastic projects for learners to connect and share in wonderful ways.

What’s happened, Alberta?  Why has VC seemed to have dropped off of the map in many ways over the last few years?

Please, please, if you have VC in your district (and you probably do) find a way to get your class involved in this great project.  If I’ve ever been involved in a VC project that is organized and ready to go, this is it.

One of the things I think I’m going to offer in January via my new company is a “Dust off the VC” session – to help remind everyone that they have a very valuable tool that fits into meaningful learning, especially in the era of Skype and Twitter and Facebook.

Here’s the link to Read Around The Planet – check it out:

http://www.twice.cc/read/

I’m serious – what has happened?  Why has VC fallen SO far off the radar in Alberta?  Why, on my travels in the past months, have many people come to me and said their VC units are collecting dust in their districts?

Looking for some answers – and some solutions…

BBACI,

James

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So, today, I started my Retweet Pledge in earnest, and hit my first example of what I thought might happen…

Analyzing the context of a tweet, that I might want to retweet, is hard work.

Take, for example, this tweet I saw from @gcouros this morning:

“Student Learning | Wright’sRoom http://bit.ly/dWccLH Awesome”

It led to a link to Shelly Wright’s blog, and a great post on her adventures of learning and how she wants to help  her students understand the process of learning, not just the outcomes.  Sounds easy – retweet it out now, right?

Well, not really, if I follow my pledge.  Shelly included a great little video of an evolving cartoon drawing of Sir Ken Robinson’s idea of Changing Education Paradigms.  Fantastic – and 11 minutes long.

However, I picked up a few things I wouldn’t have if I DIDN’T watch it all.  First of all, I’d love to meet the person doing the animating.  I bet he (the hairy hand gives it away) did a lot of doodling in his notebook at school.  As well, it expanded on Ken’s belief of why the debate of ADHD is a function of this – in order to get kids through the traditional model of school, with all of the information available around them, they are being anesthetized to keep them in their seats and make it through the day of boring, sit and get learning.

Hmm…..interesting.

So, after watching that for 11 minutes, I kept reading and saw a link to Will Richardson’s article in the Huffington Post  “My Kids Are Illiterate.  Most Likely, Yours Are Too”.

So, I took the time to read that one, too, and that one gave me some food for thought, too.

Know what I’m starting to realize?  I might have to put some parameters on how DEEP I go into a tweet before I decide to retweet it or not.  Maybe I have to designate when I have to tweet something of my own instead…

I think I need some help with this.

What parameters do YOU use when you retweet?

BBACI,

James

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I’m working on a session called “The Space Between” that I’ll start presenting at some teacher’s conventions in February.  The idea came from Dr. Viktor Frankl’s book “Man’s Search For Meaning” – that in the space between stimulus and response, we choose our freedom and the direction of our lives.

I’d like to ask any of you out there to help me!  Please take a moment to share via your own blog post or responding to mine, an instance where you:

- encountered a stimulus, then

- used that space between wisely, unwisely, or not at all,

- what your response was,

- what happened, and

- what you learned from it.

So, along those lines, I’ve decided to put a little experiment into place, and invite you to join My Retweet Pledge:

Retweet Pledge - “I pledge to only retweet that which I review fully first.”

What does this mean?  It means, every time I see something I want to retweet, especially when attached to a blog, TED video, website article, and so forth, I will ONLY retweet something after fully examining its message and context – to see if it’s something I really WANT to retweet.

So, if I’m going to retweet someone with a TED video attached, I’m going to watch the whole thing first before, and even IF, I do retweet.

If someone tweets a blog post link, I’m going to read the WHOLE post before, and even IF, I do retweet.

What do I hope to learn?  I want to explore how using that space between (examining the tweet fully) the stimulus (seeing an interesting tweet) and response (retweeting it out) influences that response. Maybe, just maybe, my response will change, depending on what I learn in the space between.  Maybe yours will, too.

Think of how many times you’ve retweeted something just because it looked interesting.  Did you really know what you were retweeting?  Did it really reflect your understanding of it?  Twitter may be designed as a quick way of sharing information and ideas, but we should also take the time to explore them before we further them on in the Twitterverse.

If you do take the Retweet Pledge, please share it here or tweet with the hashtag  #bbaci, which stands for “Be Brave And Celebrate It!”.

BBACI,

James

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