Just a thought

Education isn't an assembly line and minds aren't model T's.

Action Research Consolation

Okay, so things didn't go the way I planned. I didn't get everything I wanted out of my action research project. In fact, just like life can throw you a curve my Action research threw me a few.

The only thing I have as consolation is the change I was trying to make happen, while initiated by my actions, and stalled by "leadership" continued to happen as more people saw the value of it and THEY communicated to the leadership. At some point I discovered that what was out of MY control, was well within theirs. I have had to be flexible enough in my own leadership to let go, and let others carry the change.

Now that it is nearing end and as I prepare to move on to greener pastures I am able to see what I initiated being put forth by leadership as a good idea for all staff to invest time and energy in in the coming years.

Balancing act

"My candle burns at both ends


It will not last the night."


Edna St. Vincent Millay

Time 4 Mentoring?

It was interesting to discover this pearl of wisdom... almost as if mentoring itself needs to be allocated an employment status.

One of the greatest hurdles faculty identify to the actualization of mentoring is lack of time. Workloads shaped by teaching loads, large classes with attendant grading, along with publication and service expectations literally vacuum out a faculty member's discretionary time, particularly on campus. If mentoring is to occur, schools will need to allocate resources in such a way that faculty loads allow time for mentoring. In some schools, special funding is secured in order to fund the loading required for mentoring (www.csusm.edu/faculty_mentoring/AboutFMP.htm).

Action Research

Been struggling with the Latest ARP draft, not so much the content as the progress. The action part.
I decided to and I have met with the building secretaries at the Elementary schools since they are the most "experienced" users of the system in general terms and have been the central repository for all grading information for report cards and such. It is likely they will be asked questions about the gradebook trial and it is only fair, (and smart) to keep them informed as well.
The response was positive and discussion did bring up some more points to consider.
One of the primary difficulties is the timing. there is only one full grading period left to use. I have done some one on one with some but not all the teachers, and still and not sure even the small group will be fully ready. This alters my plan somewhat. I will post some of the text notes I have been keeping at a later time.