On The Importance of Social Studies...

I've had many conversations about the 4 C's  with other educators both online and in person and throughout these conversations, I've continuously returned to the idea of how so much of what is advocated for in the 4 C's and in the NETP, should all be found in a high quality social studies program. What you might be thinking at this juncture is "go figure, a social studies teacher is saying social studies is important." Yes, I am....but humor me for a moment, if you will. 

Social studies cannot be effectively taught without including critical thinking about the motives of historical figures, government officials, economic actors, or psychological theorists; it cannot be effectively taught without teaching students how to effectively communicate with others, especially those they disagree with; it cannot be effectively taught without looking at how different groups of people today and throughout history work cooperatively and collaboratively to accomplish amazing (and sometimes terrible) things; and it can't be effectively taught without looking at all the different advances that have happened as a result of hard work and creativity throughout history in every single field that have made our world what it is today, for better or worse.

When I think about how much of education trends today emphasize the use of technology to realize the 4 C's across the curriculum, I return to my assertion that the 4 C's are the fundamentals of a high quality social studies program; great social studies programs have been helping kids realize the 4 C's long before anyone coined the term "4 C's." In her book The Death and Life of the Great American School System, Diane Ravitch states that she has a "...deep belief in the value of a rich, coherent school curriculum, especially in history and literature." (p. 2) It is through history and literature (and, I would add, all the social studies) that many of the soft skills or non-cognitive learning skills are encountered and honed. The emphasis on STEM in the past decade as well as the shift to a focus/emphasis on math, language arts (sans a heavy emphasis on literature), and science over the past thirty years has left our society lacking in the 4 C's, interpersonal skills, as well as intrapersonal skills that should be part of any high quality social studies program. Technology can help students master these skills but when it comes down to it, interacting with other humans in a kind, productive, thoughtful fashion is a skill that is transferrable across mediums from face to face to Facebook.

Though I've found no strong evidence of causation anywhere in the literature, I suggest that, based upon my own observations, there is very strong relationship between the decline in the role of social studies education in our schools (due to the focus on math, science, and language arts) and the increase in partisanship, nasty civil discourse, and the inability of individuals to compromise. 

Any current education policy emphasizing STEM focused curriculum and standardized testing focused on math, science, and language usage needs to take a moment and reflect on what is being given up if these things continue to be obsessed over. Our approach to education needs to change to one that is more holistic if we are going to function as a society because, in the words of one of my wise colleagues, "The true test of a child's education is not the GPA, ACT/SAT or other trivial academic recognition. Rather, it's how that child uses that education to improve themselves and the communities they live in." 

Coaching sports in a new age of education

About a year and a half ago, I concluded an end of the year meeting with my basketball team and fellow coaches by announcing that, after four years as the junior varsity coach, I would not be returning in that capacity next year. The reaction was as I expected: Shocked looks, tears, and a little bit of anger and resentment, especially from the underclassmen. This was certainly not an easy decision; I absolutely loved coaching high school girls basketball and I loved all of my players dearly. The rationale behind this decision had three distinct parts-

• Family
• Professional development/educational advancement/job satisfaction
• Increased workload

The family reason is simple for most people to understand and, in my decision making process, played the largest role; I have a young daughter and other members of my family frequently call upon me for a wide variety of assistance. The professional development and educational advancement is also fairly straightforward; I am currently pursuing my masters degree and anyone who has engaged in a similar venture knows how much work this is. The third reason is a bit less clear for many people, mostly, I think, due to the fact that the majority of people don't have a full appreciation and understanding of what teachers do every single day.

Before I dive into further expansion of these points, especially the third one, I want to make it absolutely clear that this is not meant to be a rant on the state of education nor a list of complaints. Even though there are some things I don't necessarily like about my job, I continue to assert that I have the best job in the world! What follows is an attempt at a collection of observations and reflections. In a way, it is also a response to the many, many people who, to this day, continue to ask me the following three questions:

1. Why did you stop coaching? Answer: Keep reading.
2. Do you miss it? Answer: Terribly.
3. When will you start coaching again? Answer: Mmmm...maybe someday but probably not for a very long time.

(A note added after writing this whole thing...This is not a short blog entry. It started out short and simple enough and then it turned into something more than just a reflection on education things. It became an extremely cathartic venture...so it gets a little intense at times.)

If you are a teacher in Wisconsin (or anywhere for that matter) you can appreciate (for better or worse) the variety of new initiatives and duties that seem to be constantly added to our job description. I like to think that I am a pretty good teacher. I do some things very well. I am also pretty bad at some things but I continue to strive to get better at all aspects of my teaching. This striving to improve through the development of skills and improvement of knowledge can be difficult when trying to fit it in between lesson planning, correcting assessments, writing and revising curriculum, attending meetings of all types, engaging students in lessons, interacting with students in a mentor role, writing letters of recommendation, writing a PDP, SLO, and PPG, and so many of the other things that every teacher does every single day. New initiatives, changing attitudes towards education, and the bipolarity of state and national lawmaking bodies continue to create distractions of greater and greater magnitude that unfairly divert the attention of teachers away from the thing that we love the most- actually teaching kids.

I don't know any good teacher who puts in their forty hours a week and then heads home; I would argue that good teachers spend far more time working outside of the actual "work day" than anyone in any other profession. Now, take this busy schedule and throw in coaching a high school sport. Many schools have either a contractual or unspoken expectation that teachers should coach an athletic team or advise a club. Coaching and advising are fantastic things that can have a tremendous positive impact on the life of a child but how can these duties fit into the current way of doing education? How can we expect someone to maintain high levels of performance while providing a positive experience for kids in the classroom and on the field of competition when doing both well would require them to put in 65+ hours of work in each week? I cannot adequately express the level of admiration I have for those teachers who are able to get the job done both in the classroom and on the field of athletic competition. I, unfortunately, am not one of those teachers. I once aspired to be an amazing father and husband, a rock star teacher, and a state caliber basketball coach. However, early in my high school coaching career and especially after my daughter was born, I began to recognize moments when all of these things started to succumb to mediocrity.

At first, the thing that suffered was my teaching. Late-night returns from distant away games meant less time to complete grading and prepare for the next day's lesson. Putting these things off meant a poorer educational experience the next day for my students. Doing this every once in a while sometimes turned into consecutive days. I was not okay with this. So, in order to try to make-up for it, I would get up super early (3am) or stay up super late (3am) to get ahead or, more often, catch-up. This well-intentioned plan, however, led to even more problems: Crankiness during the school day, tiredness during the school day, crankiness during practice, tiredness during practice, crankiness at home, and then pass out from exhaustion at 7pm after getting home from practice at 6pm. What started to happen was, in my attempt to be a great husband, teacher, and coach, I was starting to kind of suck in all three.

My daughter was born in the spring after my third season coaching JV girls basketball in my current district. For many months leading up to the start of the next season, my wife and I discussed my role in the basketball program, if any, would be best for our family. We reached the conclusion that it would be best for our family if I did not coach. Then, in what can only be described as the biggest violation of the trust and cooperative approach to decision making we had established in our ten years of being together, I unilaterally decided to continue coaching in the upcoming season, much to my wife's dismay. I thought "This won't be that bad" and "I know so many coaches who have done this! I'll be fine" and countless other attempts at rationalizing my decision. With hindsight, I now know that I was wrong...big time.

At the start of that season, my daughter was just over six months old. In Wisconsin, basketball season lasts from November to March. My previous solutions to "balancing" my obligations would prove to be even more detrimental this time around: Infants don't really care if it's two in the morning and you've been up since 6am. Without going through too many details, basically what was happening was this: During that season, I did not like the teacher I was becoming... tired, disconnected, with pretty awful pedagogy; I did not like the coach I was...enthusiastic and present but constantly distracted by the many school tasks and things at home that had to get done; I did not like the husband I was becoming...tired, tired, and constantly doing work at home instead of upholding my end of the partnership that is marriage; and I absolutely hated the father I had become...absent. There was one particular week that season where we had three road games and, due to the fantastic wonder that is winter in Wisconsin, all movement on the roads was severely slowed. That week I arrived at school by 6:30am every day. School was done by 3:30. On the three game days that week, the next step was get on the bus. By 5:30pm, we were at our destination. JV game at 6:00pm. Varsity followed, sometimes 7:30pm, but sometimes closer to 7:45pm. Varsity game done...9ish...maybe. Get on the bus. 10:00pm, maybe, get back to school. Wait for all the kids to drive off or get picked up. Head to classroom to stare at the pile of stuff that didn't get done. Get in car and drive home. 11pm, hopefully, arrive home. Kiss my sleeping daughter goodnight. Kiss my sleeping wife goodnight. Pass out. Get up at 5am. Try to get some work done, get ready for school, and then start it all over again.

That week, I saw my daughter, when she was awake, for less than three hours total...and I hated myself for it. I fell asleep hoping she would wake up in the middle of the night wanting to be fed or simply held just so I could interact with her, see her smile, or maybe even hear her use her newly discovered voice. Friends and colleagues told me before and after that week things like "Oh, she won't remember you being gone, she's so young" and other attempts at intellectualization. But, I remember I was gone that week and I remember the many other times I was gone that season when I didn't get to give her a bath, or read her a story, or tell her what I tell her every night before leaving her side, "Goodnight, I love you and I always will no matter what." I remember hearing second-hand all the developmental milestones she reached while I was at practice, at a game, or staying late after practice to catch up on school work.

I love coaching. I love teaching. I love my daughter. I love my wife. In my attempt to be everything for all four, I failed to fulfill even my lowest standard of what was acceptable in each case. So, I had to make a choice. But, calling it a choice is a bit of a misnomer. Not being the best husband I can be was never an option, not being the best father I can be was never an option, and not striving to best fulfill my vocation of being a teacher, taking classes to improve my skills and knowledge to better challenge, inspire, encourage, and support my students every day, this too, was never an option. So, I had to stop coaching.

Earlier in my life, for the sake of my mental and physical health, I had to make a difficult decision between two things I loved. One of my mentors, who was usually flippant, sarcastic, and cheeky when dispensing wisdom, spoke with me when I was in his office one time, bawling my eyes out, being torn apart inside by the weight of the decision that had to be made. He talked with me in such a caring and sincere manner that I had never experienced before nor since and in that calm, caring manner he told me this: "Sometimes in life, you have to choose between two things you love. If you choose the first, you will love it. If you choose the second, you will love it. Isn't that wonderful?"

My decision to stop coaching was not one I arrived at lightly and, although my players were disappointed, I like to think that someday they will fully appreciate my decision. With the added demands put on teachers today, I fear more and more talented and dedicated teachers will make the same decision I did. I say "I fear this," because great teachers make great coaches. They know how kids learn, they know how to motivate kids, and, I guess quite simply, they know kids. I am still involved in activities working with kids outside of the classroom through sports officiating, our booster club, service activities, middle school rewards activities, and more but these things are not the same as coaching a group of kids, interacting with them closely every day for two (or more) intense hours, seeing their crazy side (and sometimes showing yours) on long road trips filled with would-you-rather questions and other inane time fillers. But for the sake of my mental, emotional, and physical health, I had to make a choice between two things I loved.

I chose my family and my vocation over coaching and it is wonderful.

Ideas on Education Reform and Economics

I have been making my way through Diane Ravitch's The Death and Life of the Great American School System this summer and it has frequently started my brain on fire. I highly recommend this book to anyone regardless of whether or not they are directly involved in education. I am currently pursuing my masters degree and the eleventh chapter of Ravitch's book plus another short article was recently assigned for analysis and reflection. This chapter got me particularly fired-up and, until I have time to expand upon the ideas in the piece I submitted for assessment, I would like to share that reflection below.

The Purpose of Reform in Education

Travis Bassett

Any time a reform is undertaken in education, it must be done with a purpose that is clearly communicated; it must be ruminated upon extensively to ensure this purpose is, in fact, one that will actually lead to long-lasting improvement; and it must be implemented with fidelity and the realization that no single reform is a “silver bullet” (Ravitch, 2010, p. 229) that will fix all that ails public education in the United States. These are the main ideas presented in chapter eleven of Diane Ravitch’s The Death and Life of the Great American School System and Sandra Alberti’s article titled Making the Shifts (Ravitch, 2010; Alberti, 2013). Both present a quality argument for change and then do something that is rare in most “discussions” in today’s society about any reforms: They offer up logical, well-reasoned, attainable suggestions for how to achieve the ideals they so soundly argue are needed.

Diane Ravitch is particularly adept, throughout her book, at picking out the many afflictions of public education today, offering a scathing analysis for why each affliction has come to be, and then offering, in compelling fashion, a transformational, beneficial alternative and a foundation of a path that will lead to attainment of that transformation. Her focus and clear explanations of the complexity and multiplicity of the problems facing education today are sure to be embraced and greatly appreciated (with a shout of joy and sigh of relief, no doubt) by anyone acting in a “front line” capacity in education today. Ravitch states “The fundamentals of good education are to be found in the classroom, the home, the community, and the culture but reformers in our time continue to look for shortcuts and quick answers” (Ravitch, 2010, p. 225). Her ideas are also supremely accessible in part due to her rejection of polarizing approaches to reform while embracing the reality that problems are complex, solutions more so, and, because of this, society needs to work cooperatively to implement reforms in education to benefit all of our children for the sake of the future of that very society: “Without the effort to teach our common cultural heritage, we risk losing it and being left with nothing in common but an evanescent and often degraded popular culture” (Ravitch, 2010, p. 233).

Ravitch’s ideas and her approach to presenting those ideas are particularly worth engaging in today’s state of attitudes about and towards public education and the educators who undertake the economically essential task of providing society with well-informed, well-mannered, rational economic actors. Her points regarding the free market and how it is not “the right mechanism to supply public education” (Ravitch, 2010, p. 241) are especially salient. She further develops this critique elsewhere in the chapter when she states “Our schools will not improve if we entrust them to the magical powers of the market. Markets have winners and losers” (Ravitch, 2010, p. 227). This chapter, if not this entire book, should be required reading for anyone in government who thinks they know what is best for public education.

Nearly every day, all across our country, school children and adults recite the pledge of allegiance. The closing line, with liberty and justice for all, embodies the core of what the Founders tried to create in this great experiment we call America. That line cannot be realized unless every single child in our country has access to a high-quality education that prepares, challenges, and inspires them to be the citizens our Founders wished so dearly they would become.

Educator Effectiveness...not so bad?

SLO and Educator Effectiveness are two buzzwords that have been added to the educational lexicon in Wisconsin. If you aren't familiar with the current state of education in Wisconsin, we are experiencing great change in many different ways: Conversations about changes to how schools are funded; a media fueled perception that there is a battle over adopting the Common Core State Standards (when in fact the state school board association voted to move forward with implementing the common core); and the rocky implementation of a statewide educator effectiveness program; among many, many other changes.

In any state's education system there are countless buzzwords and acronyms that can make a conversation between two teachers sound like they're speaking in a foreign tongue: RtI, EEN, IEP, TREK, ESL, ELL, these are just a few! The latest acronym to be added to this conversation in Wisconsin is SLO or Student Learning Objective. This is part of the Educator Effectiveness initiative that will be used to assess if students are actually learning and if teachers are actually doing their jobs of educating. For the sake of brevity, I'm not going to get into the fact that there are so many things teachers do to impact kids that cannot be measured or even observed. However, there are things that can be measured that, if teachers are effective educators, we should be able to chart, observe, and analyze growth and gains among students. Do I like completing the volumes of forms required for this new initiative?- Nope. Do I think that the many, many hours I have spent and will spend completing these forms could be better spent preparing awesome lessons for my classes?- Oh boy, do I!!! Does the entire process frustrate me and increase stress levels?- Heck yes!!

Even though this process is stressful, time consuming, and frustrating, after some reflection, I've come to realize that there might be some merit to it. I was asked recently if I thought this process was making me a better teacher. My gut reaction was: "Absolutely not!!!" But then, I stepped back to examine what I have done so far and how it has forced me to take a good hard look at what I do in my classroom. Further conversation with my principal led to even greater reflection on the process and I have come to realize that the complaints I had and those I heard from many of my colleagues sound very familiar...

During a pre-formal observation conference with my principal, I came to the realization that the complaints I had and those I heard from other teachers are extremely similar to the complaints we hear from our students. Here are the three most common complaints:

1. I don't understand what I'm supposed to do!!! No one told me exactly what we are supposed to do!!! If I get this wrong, it's not my fault!!!- When a student unloads like this in class, my response includes parts of the following: "Did you listen to the directions? Did you read the directions carefully? They are right there on the assignment. I explained them when I handed out the assignment and I asked if anyone had any questions. Did you ask a question to gain clarification? Did you try to find the answer in another source? The directions are also posted on the class calendar and I clarified a few things in an email after class." Regardless of the students answers to these inquiries, I always follow it up with this: "When you got frustrated or needed help, did you come find me? Or, if it was outside of the school day, did you email me?" The answer to this is overwhelmingly "No." I have heard this same basic complaints about the Educator Effectiveness process and the same response could be used: There are extensive resources available through the DPI, WEAC, and from people in our own buildings. Did you read them? Did you ask questions? Or, did you just throw your hands in the air and give up? We certainly would not want our students to do the latter, so why should we?
2. What is the point of doing this? This is sooooo stupid? I will never use this ever again!!!- Sometimes you have to do things that you might not enjoy doing and you might not understand why you should do it but you have to do it anyway. This is the lesson educators have tried to impart on students throughout history. Kids, especially teens, think they know what is best for them when it comes to, well, pretty much everything. But, we as teachers, with our superior knowledge, experience, and extensive training have a much better idea of what is best. Might this same lesson be applied to how we approach Educator Effectiveness? The realization I have come to is that someone (actually a whole group of someones) with far higher levels of education and a vastly superior understanding of the education system developed this program of Educator Effectiveness. I would hope that they wouldn't engage in creating this program if they did not find any value in it just as good teachers don't engage students in lessons that don't actually serve a purpose.
3. Why do I have to write about what I learned??? I already did the assignment!!! What's the point???- We ask students to not only think, but also think about their thinking and also reflect on their learning. We expect kids to be reflective and thoughtful about their learning so they can grow and continue to improve as students. So, why do we get up in arms when asked to reflect upon the things we do as teachers? I attended Viterbo University and it was there that I had the value of being a reflective practitioner pounded into my brain: Did the lesson work? Yes? Why? How do I know? Did the kids actually learn? Prove it. Every teacher should be able to prove that their students learned: The Educator Effectiveness program makes you prove it.

Im still not sure what my final position will be on the Educator Effectiveness program but I do know these three things: The process is making me think about what I plan to do in my classroom; it's making me reflect on what I have done in my classroom; and it is definitely not a perfect way to determine who is and is not a good teacher. 

What are your thoughts on or experiences with Educator Effectiveness? Share them in the comments below!