Change is Hard!

Change is hard!  When one spends years practicing a skill, to unlearn that skill and perform in a different way is difficult at best!  Let's take riding a bike, for example.  See what happens when you make one small change - turning the handlebar left makes the bike go right, and turning the handlebar right makes the bike go left...

Through training and support, funded by Raise Your Hand Texas, Birdville ISD is asking teachers to rethink the way they plan for and implement learning experiences for students.  We believe that one-size-fits-all actually fits no one, and are therefore working to personalize learning for all students through Blended Learning.

This year English Language Arts teachers at Richland and Haltom High Schools are working to personalize learning through station rotations and flipped learning models.  A demonstration classroom has been identified at each campus and we will soon welcome visitors to these campuses to see first hand the transformation that is taking place.  These two campuses will be in their second year of implementation.

At Shannon High School, we will launch year one of flex blended learning in all content areas.  A personalized student experience will be realized with online learning experiences, a mentoring program, and a revised campus schedule to facilitate the anticipated transformation.

To learn more about Birdville's implementation, view our blended pillars here.

For questions or comments, please contact cheryl.mcknight@birdvilleschools.net, Blended Learning Project Manager.

Blended Learning Hits a Homerun!

Yesterday I met Payge Scoggins, freshman at Richland High School.  Payge and the freshman class at the three Birdville ISD High Schools are the first group of students to experience blended learning in their English Language Arts classrooms.  Blended is being implemented in Birdville ISD as a result of being awarded the Raising Blended Learners grant in April 2016.

This spring rather than completing a traditional research paper project, teachers Kate Chambers and Heather Palmer instead engaged their students in a research based Passion Project.  A focus of blended learning is to personalize learning for students and engage them in relevant learning experiences.  Kudos to all Birdville teachers striving to do exactly that each day!

Payge says, "I decided to put together this softball game event at first for a school project but soon it became even more special and meaningful to me.  My dream for my future career is to work with kids and adults who are disabled or have special needs.  My passion is to play softball so I thought I could put the two together and create this charity softball game.  All the donations we receive will go to the Special Olympics foundation."

Each member of the girls' softball team partnered with a special needs student and all enjoyed a fun game of softball - batting, running the bases, and playing the field.  One of the special needs students sang the National Anthem just before Laura Holt, Director of Special Education, threw out the first pitch.  NBC-5 covered the event and you can see the story here: http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/Richland-Softball-Game-Raises-Money-for-Special-Olympics_Dallas-Fort-Worth-425404194.html

Payge saw an opportunity and hit a homerun by planning and coordinating the first Richland Charity Softball Game, raising $448 for Special Olympics.

See the Richland High Facebook story here:

Celebrating Successes!

Birdville ISD is implementing a Raising Blended Learners grant initiative.  There are many definitions and iterations of blended.  Our focus is to create student-centered learning environments in which students are authentically engaged in the learning process.  This can occur when both students and teachers are actively using data to determine progress and next steps in the learning cycle.  Students must become active participants in the process and remain the focus of all planning and professional learning that occurs.

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia.  It is not a blended learning environment; however what I observed fits into blended models being implemented in Birdville.  Students at RCA are highly engaged in rigorous, student-centered activities every minute of the school day, and are learning at least two grade levels above.  RCA serves students with all needs and learning styles - it is not a gifted academy comprised of only high-achieving students.  In fact, many students enter the academy below grade level; yet in by the time they leave are performing at very high levels.  

What I bring back to Birdville from this experience is that blended provides an opportunity for our teachers to receive additional professional learning and support that will allow us to completely shift the way students in our classrooms interact with content achieve results similar to RCA.  I believe Birdville teachers are among the best and have exceptional content knowledge and strategies. Through blended, we are adding more opportunities to increase rigor and engagement.  

We are nearing the end of the school year, and our first year of iteration of blended learning.  There have been lessons learned and successes noted.  As we continue to plan and iterate for the 2017-18 school year we must take time to step back and celebrate our successes!  Students have shared that their English class is different, more fun, and that they know their teachers really care about them.  Teachers report that through blended learning they see higher levels of engagement and have shifted teacher practices to keep the student at the center of planning and instruction.  School leaders are supporting teachers and students throughout this process to enhance the learning environments and provide time for professional learning and planning. We are still early in the game, learning, and responding to needs but the future is bright. Thank you Birdville teacher, deans, coaches, and school and district leaders for your continued passion toward creating the best possible experience for our students!

From Consumption to Creation

Today we complete week two of the 2016-17 school year!  I was asked to share advice for a new teacher last night.  The excitement and adrenaline of starting a new career is quickly dwindling.  With the exception of maybe one, all of the teachers in our blended implementation are not first year teachers.  In fact, may of them would be considered seasoned veterans.  These teachers have been seen as masters of their trade.  They've earned that title and respect!  However, right now, some of them are feeling the anxiety of a new new teacher because they have accepted the challenge of changing the way instruction looks in the classroom and focusing on student-center, personalized, blended learning.  This transformation will not happen overnight, or in just a few weeks.  It will take months of practice, trying new strategies, failing, and trying something new.

My advice for any new teachers, and blended teachers is this:

1. Take care of yourself!  Develop a consistent routine of eating, sleeping, and exercising.
2. Remember why you chose to be a teacher - kids need adults who are passionate about them - socially, emotionally, and academically.
3. Take one day at a time and celebrate successes along the way.
4. Share the responsibility of designing learning experiences with your team.  No one should work in isolation.
5. And finally, shift your mindset to begin thinking of learning as creation, not consumption.  Provide opportunities for students to discover and learn.  Shift the responsibility of learning from the teacher to the student.  Ultimately, the students should be working harder that the teacher.