7 Questions

As I look back on 2015, I will forever remember it as a year that proved most challenging to me, both personally and professionally. I look ahead, with two takeaways that will drive my learning into 2016:

• We are doing better than we think.

• We must always strive to do better.

I invite you to apply these two principles to the learning organizations to which we belong. Contemplating these ideas has left me with 7 takeaways from a series of memorable learning experiences I had in 2015. Each experience leads with a question, which I challenge readers who, like I, are engaged in Learning Leadership to answer. 

  

#NASSP15

Are we, as school leaders meeting our communities where they are?  

In February 2015, I was fortunate to attend my first-ever National conference, #NASSP Ignite, held in San Diego, California. As a Connected Educator, this experience was as personally fulfilling as it was professionally nourishing. If you'd like to read more about my takeaways from the event, which led me on a professional learning journey, you can read about it here: Coaches.

The Ignite Conference affirmed an important aspect of leadership, having the ability to see things from both the macro-level and the micro-level. Many of the sessions featured a focus on an overarching leadership-theme; and high-impact actions that yielded large-scale results. While this appeared substantial and, at times, overwhelming, my most meaningful takeaways were building-blocks that focused on small, intentional decisions and actions that impacted one conversation, one relationship, or one priority.

These were the things I brought back to my school and now share daily, weekly, and monthly, with our teachers, our community, and our students. But can we ever really be satisfied with how well we deliver meaningful best practices that positively impact our learning communities? 

#EdcampLI

What can we do to preserve, protect, and grow the good things happening in our learning communities?

In October 2015, it was my privilege to return as a member of the organizing team for the 2nd annual #Edcamp Long Island. This is one amazing example of friends...yes, friends...who join together, in celebrating our collective commitment to sharing best practices in learning, teaching, and leading. Our inaugural event in 2014 had it's share of excitement, since we had all wondered about the relative success of launching an event like this, for a community of learners in the Long Island area. You can read more about my first impressions of Edcamp here: Who Did You Help This Year?

The 2015 version had an even more profound impact on my thinking. I realized that the relationships that have been formed with the core group of people who are fully invested in both active self-reflection and serving the greater-good of education became the foundations for helping others see the value in collaborative practices of Edcamp. However, this year, I was particularly moved by one session that continues to challenge my thinking. It was entitled, "How Can We Keep the Edcamp Model from Jumping the Shark?" The notion of Edcamp experiencing a premature decline in value and in quality, even before it has the opportunity to evoke a much-needed paradigm shift, is an actual concern I have as an educator. 

Knowing who is involved in such a movement on international, national, and local levels provides hope that this grassroots movement will remain pure, while continuing to push the traditional educational mindset. Knowing what is valued and why it's important will keep the focus on progress steadily moving forward. Clear your calendar for Saturday, October 1, 2016 and secure your ticket now: http://edcampli.weebly.com/. Edcamp Long Island 2016 is sure to resonate with you and with your team's personal learning, teaching, and leading, in the new school year to come. Join us!

#EdcampLdr

Where do opportunities lie in balancing an open invitation to learning, while nourishing evolving mindsets and practices?  

In July, I discovered a new-found appreciation for professional development and professional learning. Each is important to the work we do in our school systems. But while professional development is a necessity to meet foundational public school requirements and mandates aimed at school improvement and success, professional learning is about a human connection that deepens our abilities to synthesize what we learn. The more active our learning processes are, the deeper and more meaningful our learning is. And that, I find, is as true for adults as it is for children. For more on the #EdcampLdr experience in New York, please read here: Let Learning Lead .

For me, this fuse was lit at #EdcampLI, a flame was fed at #EdcampNASSP, and the fire of professional learning continues to smolder, spark, and burn bright with every interaction I have with generous, student-centered and learning-centered professional learners.

#EdcampVoxer

How do we model appropriate use of technology as tools for professional learning?

In the days leading up to what's referred to as Winter Recess, I was made aware of the opportunity to be part of a great experiment, uniting educators using a combination of three powerful vehicles of professional learning: Edcamp, Voxer, and Twitter.

Voxer and Twitter are two tools that I've come to appreciate. As a school leader who is dedicated to reflective leadership, goal-setting, improvement, and exchanging best practices with others, each has provided an "any time, any place" means of connecting with the best human resources across the state, the region, and the globe. 

But of late, I find myself challenged by the question as to whether Twitter and Voxer are tools...or communities. After much thought on this, I can say these remain tools. In my opinion, and in my experience, the communities that exist come as a result of the relationships that we form as a result of initial and varied use of the tools. 

As an example, with regular use of tools like Twitter and Voxer, we often encounter other educators who face similar circumstances, achieve similar successes, and in some cases, navigate comparable struggles. And often, we are challenged to look deeply and differently at sides of a situation and allow it to push us past our comfort zones, driving us to be better, for others. But something I wonder is, are we growing comfortable with using these tools as a means to validate our work or are we using these tools to synthesize our learning push our thinking further?

I am edging ever closer to finding balance in my personal and professional life. But I've always viewed being an educator as a lifestyle, not a job. As a result, carving time for professional learning has added quality to my lifework. Portions of my daily commute are allocated for professional interactions using Voxer. And segments of my waking hours are scheduled for one-way (reading and sharing) or two-way learning (a Twitter chat, for example). I am reminded often, when I come across someone new to these tools, that they will always be available to us, and we shouldn't sacrifice real-time meaningful personal engagement for what we mistaken for this same thing. And we should commit ourselves to resisting the urge to succumb to the superficial tendencies that these tools (or those people who use them) sometimes invite. The best way to do this? Hold ourselves accountable for actionable outcomes based on the learning dialogue in which we choose to engage.    

#CELI15            #TWTSummit             #LILIT15

How do we create safe spaces to celebrate the great things happening in our classrooms and our school communities? 

Within our schools, our teacher leaders are opening classroom doors and welcoming visitors to join them in sharing the success of our students. Beyond our classrooms, these educators are investing time to tell a story, of what's happening in their classrooms and in their schools. Three events this year in which this was evident was the Long Island Connected Educators Summit in March, the Talks With Teachers Summit in October, and the Long Island Literacy Leaders' Forum in December. 

#CELI15

The Long Island Connect Educators Summit, held in the Howitt Middle School in Farmingdale, New York, fulfilled it's promise to inspire. The 21st Century could very well be a time in which competition could very easily prevail in schools that lead. This day, with this team served as yet another example of how collaboration trumps competition. On a snowy Saturday morning, Dr. Bill Brennan (@DrBillBrennan)
and his team hosted a day focused on sharing how innovation can positively impact student engagement and achievement. Best of all, on day when all attendees were willing to sit and learn because of the captivating style and format of the day, the afternoon was opened up to workshop participants, so newcomers could experience, first-hand, how, as author David Weinberger expressed, "experts are everywhere" and "the smartest person in the room is the room". This balance of leadership, community-building, and innovation undoubtedly served as a springboard: to relationship-building.

#TWTSummit

Several years ago, I was fortunate to meet Brian Sztabnik (@TalksWTeachers), a high school English teacher from Long Island, and co-founder of Talks With Teachers. As an avid consumer of his podcast, I found myself listening to his interviews with his guests, while on my daily work commute or while running on the treadmill. This fall, I was fortunate to attend the Talks with Teachers Summit. If you know Brian, you are familiar with his warm, genuine, and authentic message: to inspire, to share, and to build community. Brian is a role model in teacher-leadership, as he models the impact one teacher can have on both an individual learner and an expansive community of learners, whether in a high school English classroom or a collaborative learning space established for adult learners. The work that Brian does continues to resonate deeply with me. Follow the work of Talks with Teachers on Twitter by listening to the podcast, and visit the  Talks with Teachers website.

#LILit15 

JoEllen McCarthy (@JoEllenMcCarthy) is one of the most passionate, positive, humble, and learner-centered people you will ever meet. And my final "official" professional learning experience of 2015 involved learning with and learning from JoEllen's example. She's got a way of wrapping us around the most important themes in our schools - safety, trust, relationships - through the written and spoken word. This is a rare and inspiring quality that we can all associate with "the best teacher we ever had". So why not commit ourselves to becoming that teacher for our students, in 2016? What's stopping us?

#NYEDchat

How do we expand the open invitation to learn? 

As we close out this calendar year, and open our new chapter in 2016, we are proud to have identified nearly a thousand connected educators in New York. If you are a New Yorker and you are reading this, please visit our growing list and refer other New Yorkers to subscribe to our diverse list of New York Connected Educators: NY Connected Educators.

Why is using Twitter to curate a list of educators of value to our work as educators? As a region, New York faces challenges unique to our region. Social media can and should be used in the following ways:

• to support our professional learning community that understands and appreciates these unique challenges 
• to meet challenges with a tenacious growth mindset
• to create a community of support and a space for resource sharing
• to promote the constant and unwavering pursuit of the personal best for our unique learning organizations.  

If you are focused on growing your own region-specific connected educator communities, I urge you to do so in 2016 - Together Everyone Achieves More!

#HBMSPride

Why do we lead?

The 2015 school year leaves me feeling impatiently optimistic, that in 2016 we can have an intentional focus on the potential of our students, our Faculty, our schools, and our school systems. But while Simon Sinek urges leaders to "Begin with the Why", I would add, that our "why" is actually our "who". And our who, are the most important learners in this complex equation, our students in our schools.

In Hampton Bays Middle School, this value is shared, expressed, and spreads daily throughout our Middle School Learning Community. Our Leadership Team works closely and tirelessly to communicate, collaborate, and to learn each and every day. We focus on matching strengths and passions, bringing people together under optimal conditions, and removing obstacles they may face, and contributing to the overall progress of our entire organization. And we use social media to invite our parents and community to join us in celebrating, sharing, and showcasing the good work of our students and teachers every day. Visit our school via Twitter @HamptonBays_MS and #HBMSPride. 

In closing out a year of Learning Leadership in 2015, I can feel reassured knowing that like learning, leadership is a journey not a destination...and I can't wait to see what challenges lie ahead in 2016!

So these were my takeaways from 2015...and my questions, heading into 2016. 

What are yours?

Why Do I Lead?

As a part of my ongoing personal-professional growth, I've made the commitment to serve as a Learning Leader for the School Administrator Virtual Mentor Program. If you use Twitter, please follow the #SAVMP hastag and my mentee, Brooke Maciag who can be found on Twitter at @brookemaciag .

Why Do I Lead? #SAVMP

That's a question that I ask myself each day. Some days, it's easy to answer. And some days it's a bit more of a challenge. But I've devised a menu of personal options that return me to answers. In some way, shape, or form, this question permeates my thinking every day, and it often finds it's way into my subconscious, where it marinates and it evolves. This blog post will attempt to provide some perspective on my answer to this question.

My favorite word in the English language is the word potential. In my time as a classroom teacher, a coach, a parent, a family member, a community member, and a school leader, this is a word that elicits an emotion inside of me that is indescribable. But, I can say, without reservation or hesitation, that it is why I do what I do, and of greater significance, it is why I am who I am.

I'm not perfect. I am a self-proclaimed work-in-progress. I'm doing better than I think, and I can always do better. But I also  know, with that mindset, that I remain open and acutely aware to where I grow and where I need to grow. And with that, I never quit, I expect the same of others around me, and I make every effort to surround myself with others who hold this value.

While I've always believed in this idea, the first time I truly appreciated it was when someone else led me through the process of being believed in. This person, who, to this day is a role model and a mentor to me, is selfless. This person has no ego. This person has personal values and convictions. And this person has a deep understanding of how to invest in others. 

Nearly ten years ago, I was someone who my mentor believed in had the potential...to lead.

I was a classroom teacher, who loved what I did. While I didn't necessarily know it or readily admit it, I was a teacher-leader. And I demonstrated qualities that someone else saw in me, as potential for what I might become. I didn't see it back then, and when it was presented to me, in concrete and in abstract ways, I denied it, I resisted it, and I rejected it. But I also seized every opportunity that was afforded, every growth opportunity that was presented. Because I believed in the cause, a cause that was bigger and more important than I was.

And today, these values have become a part of me. They influence my interactions with students, with parents, with teachers, with colleagues and with members of various communities with whom I interact regularly. These values impact my decisions on bringing people together around a cause as much as they do, in a one-one-one conversation in which trust and relationship-building are the focus of my attention. 

So, why do I lead? I lead because I believe in the potential in others. I believe in the potential in our learning organization and learning communities. And I continue to believe in my own potential. 

I'm doing better than I think. And I know I can always do better.

Why do YOU lead?

Road Trips

It may seem as if I've been "away" for awhile. I write this, apologetically, to a community of connected educators that has welcomed and embraced my contributions, my interactions, and my synthesis of ideas.

I'm back.

Have you ever taken a road trip?

Throughout periods of my youth, I was presented with opportunities to venture out on a number of memorable trips: a drive cross-country, backpacking through Europe, and more.

I am a regular guy. I was born and raised in a good home, with great parents, and a strong value for family and doing the right thing. I was never spoiled, and I wanted for nothing. I'm grateful for this, realizing now more than ever, this is an exception not a rule, for most kids today.

But I've often gravitated towards situations that resemble road trips. I do this, because they make me uncomfortable. They make me nervous. They are full of doses of uncertainty, unexpected challenges that call on us to assess, evaluate, problem solve, and navigate. Road trips have created anxiety, uncertainty, self-doubt, physical discomfort, and surprises...both good and bad.

Road trips encourage spontaneity, stave off boredom, and create opportunities for human interactions with people with whom we may otherwise wouldn't meet.

In education, we just don't take enough road trips.

I've always thought this, but feel it now more than ever. Maybe it's because I've been involved in education, in the professional sense, for half of my life. So I took a bit of a road trip, from August until now.

Road trips can be exhilarating.

They create opportunities for reflection, for self-assessment and evaluation, and for growth, both in real-time and after the fact. They create life-long memories and become a permanent part of us. Road trips help us to see who we are. They challenge us and they help us determine who we aspire to become.

Road trips can be isolating, at times, and in a self-induced kind of way. Road trips can be lonely.

I ventured out for many reasons, some intentional, some identifiable. Some reasons, I can only speculate. And some reasons, I can am still learning. What I do know is, there are many things I learned while out on my "road trip".

I'd like to share what I've learned about leading and about learning, on both my road trip and since I've been "back".

Leadership is about...

People

Some of my fondest moments have come from enriching personal-professional connections I've made throughout my career. This year, our 2nd Annual Edcamp Long Island once again proved that when we make a commitment to offer a space and time dedicated to learning, learners will commit themselves to what happens in that space, with others who have the same commitment.

• How are we doing this in our classrooms and our schools today?
• How can we help our schools evolve to become more of an inviting space where this can occur, and with greater frequency?

Priorities

This school year, I've openly committed myself to being a leader with three clear priorities: Communication, Collaboration, and Learning.

Daily: Each day, I have allocated time specifically to my own professional learning, aimed at curating resources that promote value for these three priorities. I engage with members of various learning communities, both in and out of the school building, some focused on middle school, both in and out of my geographical region. As individuals and in groups, we support one another, synthesize our practices, and accelerate learning together. We share the joys of learning and navigate the challenges of leadership. And so not to distract from my day-to-day responsibilities, this time is a scheduled segment of my daily commute. Each day also has a dedicated time to non-evaluative visits with students and with teachers. These visits provide context as to how teachers organize, manage, and monitor how to maximize the impact of sacred learning time, and create opportunities to see where resources exist and may be allocated for growth of our teachers.

Weekly: I share a weekly personal message in two different capacities: a Monday Memo for Faculty and a Parent Express Bulletin for parents. All of the resources that are shared serve to support adult learning that will build on our abilities to connect with one another for our students. For our teachers, the focus is on tools of efficiency. Maximizing time, promoting meaningful engagement, and accenting our appreciation for learners serves all members of our learning organization.

Monthly: Each month, I curate the collection of photos, messages, and images that are contributed by our dedicated staff members, so they can be shared with parents and community members. Technology is a tool, that when used in proper moderation, can invite our parents in, and create conditions in which a common dialogue is created and sustained, about the shared mission to be great for our students. Our schools want what's best for our students, and so do our families and our communities.

Listening

Tools such as Twitter and Voxer give users unique avenues for open communication. However, one thing that I continually keep in mind are the words of Stephen Covey: "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." This is crucial to leadership, whether we are in a face-to-face conversation with a professional colleague, or interacting via social media. We don't learn through speaking. We learn through listening, asking good questions, making meaningful contributions, and listening some more.

• Are we listening closely to those around us?
• Are we asking the right questions, and listening in ways that lead to shared meaning with others?

Results

Being part of different connected communities affords us access to generous experts, to boundless resources, and to unlimited time constraints. That being said, without a laser-light focus on our desired outcomes and the goals and action steps that lead to attaining our goals, this is pointless. But what are our desired outcomes? In our school, we focus on outcomes geared towards understanding and appreciating what it means to be an adolescent, or an adult charged with being an integral part of building a culture that supports the success of all learners.  

Community

The best educators proudly recognize the value and importance in sharing, celebrating, and showcasing our students' meaningful engagement in our schools. Our teachers recognize our obligations to our profession and our communities, and see the potential for using technology as a tool to open our doors to our students, our parents and families, and our communities.

There's a self-serving, self-absorbed side to taking a road trip, that if we're not careful, has a way of engulfing us and sabotaging our purpose. But when we keep our focus on what's most important - we uphold our responsibility as servant leaders. And that's what matters most.

Let Learning Lead

One year ago today, I took a leap of faith (and transparency...and vulnerability) and launched my personal-professional blog, Learning Leadership. [Here's where it all began; my first post: 5 People .]

I'm grateful to individual mentors, a blogging network, and a community of global learners for your support and feedback. Your generosity has shaped perspective and continues to shape my growth as a "Learning Leader".

Two weeks ago, Hampton Bays Middle School was one of 13 locations to host Edcamp Leadership. This opportunity came to our school and was a success due to the unwavering support of our District Leaders, the tenacity of dedicated educators, the principles of the Edcamp model, and the generosity of our sponsors. From planning, to implementation, to reflection, to action, this experience was a testament to the what results when organizations let learning lead.

On the morning of July 13, over 215 educators were registered to attend Edcamp Leadership NY: The Hamptons. And on a beautiful summer day, over 160 educators from all walks of life stepped away from their day-to-day work and life tasks and joined together to explore and share the Edcamp Experience. Participants traveled as far as Atlanta, Georgia, and others successfully navigated island-wide pockets of New York traffic. Individuals and teams of educators traveled from the farthest points of New York City, Upstate New York, Western and Eastern Long Island. Curious and passionate local East End educators ventured to our familiar state-of-the-art middle school.  Forward-thinking Edcamp "rookies" joined together with progressive Edcamp “lifers”. Regardless of region, school size, demographic or socioeconomic status, or individuals’ titles or organizational “rank”, a group of committed learners came out, determined to be part of a global event with local appeal, Edcamp Leadership NY: The Hamptons.

Why did this work?

Even if you've experienced an Edcamp before, seeing this day evolve is an indescribable phenomenon. As someone still relatively new to the model (Edcamp Leadership was my third “official” edcamp) there do seem to be some themes central to its success.

The following are my takeways:

1. It’s all about the people, people.

During the initial discussions and ongoing event planning leading up to July 13, the network of support was overwhelmingly positive. On the National level, Joe Mazza (@Joe_Mazza) and Hadley Ferguson (@hadleyjf) were instrumental, leading by example, demonstrating how Google, Voxer, and Twitter are essential tools for executing plans, effectively and efficiency. This set the tone, as other organizers built a community of support, trust, and help, sharing resources, ideas, and passion for making Edcamp Leadership a success at each and every location. Locally, our @EdcampLI Planning Team was on-point, securing details to bridge the success between the inaugural Edcamp Long Island last year, leading up to this year’s event on Saturday, October 3, 2015. A school-based planning team that included Scott Garofola (@MrGarofola), Matt Balistreri (@MattBalistreri), Samantha Renalds (@missrenalds), Rachel Kelsh (@MrsKelsh),  Debbie Olsen (@olsencrew), and Amy Brennan (@brennanamy) built momentum and ensured our communications were clear and our site was prepared to host a successful day of professional summer learning.

2. It begins with “Why?” and lets learners decide, “How?”.

July 13 was a success because learners drove the learning. The session board was filled with high-tech, low-tech, and no-tech learning options, offering something for everyone. And if the session didn’t meet the learner’s needs, participants were reminded to use “the law of two feet”. 

Everyone's Edcamp Experience is different, and meaninful in his/her own way. For me, there were five memorable learning takeaways that day:

~ Members of the #NYEDchat moderating team including Carol Varsalona (@cvarsalona), Starr Sackstein (@mssackstein), Blanca Duarte (@blancaedu), Lisa Meade (@LisaMeade23), and Dan McCabe (@danieldmccabe) kicked off breakfast with a series of compelling prompts and interviews about Teacher Leadership.

~ Don Gately (@donald_gately) and Danielle Gately (@dmgately) co-facilitated a session on creating work-life balance (an ideal topic for summer learning!)

~ Via Google Hangout, first-year Principal Tim Dawkins (@Tim_Dawks) led a discussion on how we use digital tools such as Voxer for 21st Century professional mentoring. Out-of-state and off-site participation from LaQuita Outlaw (@DrLOutlaw), Jay Posick (@posickj), and Lisa Meade served to remind that how we lead and how we learn are lifestyle-based and can happen anytime and anywhere we choose.

~ Ed Kemnitzer (@kemnitzer3), Joseph Wiener (@JMWiener), and Dan McCabe co-facilitated a spirited session of “Rocks or Sucks” in collaboration with session facilitators from Edcamp Boston via Google Hangout.

~ Passionate learning role models such as Bonnie McClelland (@BMcClelland24), JoEllen McCarthy (@JoEllenMcCarthy), and Audra Beberman (@AudraB_EdTech) reminded us that our work as educators is passion-based and our role in the learning process is to create conditions for our students’ success within and beyond the classroom walls.

3. Learning is a process, not an event.

July 13 was an inspiring day. The surge of momentum reminds us that learning is not something that should have a start and end time. By our very nature, learning is social and we are driven by intrinsic factors. But while a day such as this may ignite passion, the self-direction that drives the day’s learning is something we all need to invest some time reflecting upon, and determining next steps to act. While this will look differently in each District, school, and classroom, embracing elements of the Edcamp model in our learning organizations will shift our perceptions of what learning is and what it can (and maybe should) become.

As one of the many members of the National and local organizing teams, it was truly a privilege to see the details that go into an event such as this, and what results when collaboration, central to the process, is both a driving force and an outcome of the process. It's ironic to think that this opportunity was presented at a restaurant dinner table while I attended a National conference, NASSP Ignite. The possibility was tossed out in a manner where some of the best, most authentic learning and change happens: in individual, relaxed, small-group conversations.

Fast forward five months from those initial informal discussions in San Diego on how Edcamp Leadership was going to be both a global event, and New York was destined to be one of the locations, and you have Edcamp Leadership NY: The Hamptons. It was a day to remember; a shared and celebrated day of professional learning and leadership.

So the question is, if you have attended an Edcamp, what have you (or will you) bring back to your District, school, or classroom tomorrow?  

Finding Our Element - Part 2: Lessons from One Another

Part 2: Lessons from One Another

This is a continuation of a post...to read Part 1, please click here: 

http://dennisschug.blogspot.com/2014/08/finding-our-element.html

“We are all born with extraordinary powers of imagination, intelligence, feeling, intuition, spirituality, and of physical and sensory awareness.”

- Sir Ken Robinson

Growing up, I was what most teachers probably considered the textbook definition of a good student – I worked hard and I followed the rules. For most of my adult life, I’ve been a dedicated teacher. But not until this summer can I honestly say that I truly became a learner.

Late last spring, I attended a conference that brought New York educators together to talk literacy and learning. I was there to expand my perspective in meeting the challenges of successful Common Core implementation. I was also there because I was eager to officially meet two members of coveted “PLN”, Carol Varsalona and Emily Peterson. To that point, the interactions I had with each were limited to Twitter chats. But I knew that I held Carol and Emily both in such high professional regard, based on our exchanges capped at 140 characters. The work each does for students is what created my excitement to meet face-to-face.

Entering the conference room, I sensed an unexpected rush of adrenaline coming over me. I could immediately feel the impact of my personal connections, intensified by social media. Carol welcomed guests, and extended an invitation for others to join the learning she is part of moderating on #NYedchat. Simultaneously, I could see on my device that there was a lively backchannel occurring during this meeting on a related hash tag. I could sense the room…and the world becoming instantly smaller. And there was a current running through the room that could be attributed to one thing: passion.

If you've yet to experience something like this, it's not easy to put into words. For almost a year, we'd interacted with one another, sharing an excitement for connecting with other learners who work tirelessly for our kids and for our learning communities. To connect, in person, delivered me to the true purpose of social media and the role it can play in education: it’s about sharing – sharing values, sharing resources, but best of all, sharing passion that collectively celebrates progress in our school communities. This initial experience inspired me to reconsider learning – my own professional learning.

We are Architects…of our Learning.

In the Educational Leadership article, “Architects of Summer”, Carol Ann Tomlinson warmly declares summer as a season of renewal and recharge for educators, as time away from school, learning something new, exploring something that enhances professional practice, and recalibration of one’s ethical compass are centerpieces. Interpreting these principles as a “connected educator,” has brought me to discover a true community of learners. This article was shared that day, by Carol, but its themes have remained with me ever since.

This summer, as an Architect of 

Connected Learning, I’ve:

1.     Revisited a leadership classic, Good to Great, by Jim Collins, and devoured a classic in-the-making, Digital Leadership, by visionary, Eric Sheninger, recognizing the place each firmly holds in leadership team development and administrative licensing programs, due to each author’s strong core values and proven recipes for success.

2.     Partnered with a group of Middle Level Educators to better understand teens’ use of social media, while considering how to best share our learning with parents of middle schoolers.

3.     Co-organized and co-moderated a Twitter chat that provided a new appreciation for all that goes into my favorite regular chats, and the care and dedication on the part of the moderating teams. The preparation, transparency, and vulnerability in timely professional dialogue made this nothing short of an exhilarating experience.

4.     Interacted with innovative thinkers to expand my perspective on traditional school institutions like homework, meetings, and the power of the written word. What I learned was less about rejecting “the way we’ve always done it” and more about taking measures to consider steps needed to improve teaching, learning, and communication among members of our learning organizations.  

5.    Discovered the power of personalized professional support and enrichment. Having a daily commute that equals at least seven hours weekly, cellphone conversations and tools like Voxer have allowed me to connect with innovators, worldwide, whose professional work I greatly admire.

6.     Joined a blogging community willing to share resources, perspectives, and part of themselves that inspired me to take my most significant professional risk to date: sharing my voice. The outpouring of support, encouragement, and feedback has been heartwarming, and serves as a reminder as to why we must make time to provide those among our learning organizations with feedback.  

7.    Collaborated with a team of Long Island educators, eager to experience learning together, through an autonomous, choice-centered means: Edcamp. There’s much to be shared and celebrated in our schools, and we are just scratching the surface. Being a connected educator has afforded me the privilege to take part in conversations that are pushing the limits of conventional thinking and our definitions of passion-driven professional growth.

The best is yet to come…

In our role as learning leaders, we have the complex dual challenge to maintain an awareness of “the big picture” while remaining acutely in-tune with the details that will lead our learning organizations to expanding potential that benefits our students. But how do we do this? It starts by giving ourselves the permission to rediscover, reshape, and redefine those elements for which we are most passionate, remembering, we are learners, first. Passion-driven leadership fuels us to nourish our own learning appetites, allows us to help others to find and fuel their passions, and supports the success and culture of our organizations and the people who comprise it.

In The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything, Sir Ken Robinson correlates determining and pursuing work with our individual talents and passions. Time with my son provides a window for how this looks for our children, every day. And time and relationships I have developed as a connected educator has assured me that finding my own element is the key to my own sense of well-being and success, which, in turn, can fuel learning for our students and communities.  Undoubtedly, embracing personal learning experiences is what will continue to shift our perspectives on our life’s work and purpose, as Learning Leaders.

The most important thing I discovered about learning this summer?

It begins...with us.