Sunday, March 6, 2011

Emerging Attributes of Effective Teaching

The UNI TQP Research Team has developed these models that we welcome feedback/input. We anticipate this model (to be revised upon informed feedback) to be used in guiding a pilot study and potential implications for future teacher preparation, mentoring and induction.

Again, your thoughtful, informed feedback is welcome.


Past



Present






Future

Thursday, March 3, 2011

When Logic Doesn't Seem Necessarily Logical

Ever since I started this position back in October I was told that Logic Models would need to be developed. I did a bit of background research on them, happened to be in a state science leadership team where we were developing one, attended a webinar on designing them, and read some materials forwarded to me about them. So I had some background about what they are, the components and even why they could prove valuable. The thing I lacked was experience developing them.

So by December I sat down and over a period of a couple days cranked out some ideas for Logic Models to guide the work of our grant. There are 3 goals to our grant and a total of 12 objectives under these goals. This seemed a logical enough place to start in my mind. So I did. There are 12 models anyway, not sure of the logic. Particularly when I think about the whole idea behind a Logic Model, to help in planning a project. How was I ever going to plan a five year project of this immensity alone? That is illogical.

Then on Tuesday our UNI TQP team met with the DE TQP team and the University of Iowa Evaluation team and got down to the (logical) business of Logic Models. Don Yarbrough started off the day with background information so that we were all (logically) on the same page, so to speak. His analogies were good for me and helped some. He likened Logic Models to an X-ray in that they show the anatomy and physiology of a project. The Bone Structure are the 5 features: needs & beneficiaries, resources & inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. When he used the phrase starting with the end in mind, I found a connection. It makes sense to start with a specific outcome and backwards map. Aha, I thought, I may be onto something. And then the non-logical point for me came. That is that Logic Models only make sense if they are in a deep level of detail. Wow, there goes the game for the random, non-sequential thinker that I am . . .

But back to the Logic Models. It does now make sense to not map for each of the objectives and it also makes sense that some of the outcomes will feed each other and some are parallel existers and influencers. As Don said, the process and the models are organic. I can live with that logic.

Now to the business of building models on things like Collaborative Team, Assessment Team, Faculty Recruitment, and Pilot Development. Logic Models, where did they ever get that name? How about Planning Maps? or Outcome Evaluation?

Wish me well as I sit down and try to pick up from where our group left off on Tuesday . . .

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Creed for Iowa's Department of Education

This was in the Iowa School Leader Update that I read today. I found it very interesting . . . 


THE DEPARTMENT’S CREED FOR IOWA … from Jason Glass, Director
Leadership 
Leadership is the confrontation of important problems in creative ways. Real leadership is not a title and it is not con-veyed via formal authority. Rather, it comes from those willing to seize the moments to make things better that pass most of us by every day. Our leaders are throughout this organization and push at the edges of their formal authority, stepping out to confront what needs to be done and enlisting others to join in the effort. 
Innovation 
Innovation happens when people take reasonable risks toward a greater goal and are willing to fail. But just trying and failing does not lead to innovation. We must be dedicated enough to learn, adapt, and try again until we succeed. Fear is the innovation killer. Fear paralyzes our creativity and our ability to function at our best. We must have the courage to risk in spite of our fears. In the long run, failing to grow and adapt is the most significant and persistent threat we face. 
Service 
This department’s highest value is service to others. We hold ourselves accountable to treating all those with whom we interact with dignity, respect, and love. Our paradigm is to build capacity and work with people to help them accomplish more than they could alone. Our role is not to oversee, but rather to be in service of. Real service is neither authoritarian nor enabling - it is empowering. 


The point about leadership leads me to something else I read today in Seth Godin's recent blog on Initiative. "Initiative is taken, not given." Love this! Reminds me of the many times that I begged for forgiveness rather than asked in advance for permission.

So, having said that, achieving a balance of allowing initiative without fear of being micro-managed may be the environment that effective teachers flourish in best.