Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you are saying.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Everyone has the capacity to lead, but every effective educator knows that no matter how willing and able they are to lead the way, they cannot do it alone; they must work in a way that not only encourages others to follow but also creates more opportunities for others to lead. They are committed to modeling behaviors and attitudes which contribute positively to the culture of their school community or education in general with the belief that any individual can make a significant impact upon an organization. The work that is expected in our schools today from those who work there to serve students, parents, and the community requires more of a connected leadership approach that is transparent and based on a foundation of trust. Moreover, it requires an approach that is purposeful and values not only each member of the organization itself—from every student to every teacher—but also every stakeholder outside the organization, including parents, community members, and other connected educators.
Connected learners model the way for others. They look around and know the shadow they are casting. They know they cannot ask students and colleagues to do what they are not willing to do themselves. Whether they work in a classroom or in the principal’s office, they model a collaborative culture in which every member of the team feels inspired to reach outside their comfort zone and take a risk. They are open and forthcoming with their thoughts and words. We know their passions, what they believe in, and what they stand for by the actions they take and the practices they model on a daily basis. Their focus remains strictly on the impact these actions and practices have on their students or team members, rather than how they impact them personally. Connected learners recognize that the success of any classroom, program, school, or school community is based on the premise that with the right mindset we can accomplish anything and that we must model not only the right mindset but also the corresponding behaviors and attitudes to reap the most positive cultural shifts. Connected educators know—like Emerson so wisely pointed out many years ago—that our actions speak much louder than our words and that to positively impact others we must model the way.
“Connected learners model the way for others.… They know they cannot ask students and colleagues to do what they are not willing to do themselves.”
Modeling the way is not just a catchphrase, but a conduit to unlimited possibilities for connected learners everywhere to strengthen their school cultures by setting a positive example. In their best selling book, Kouzes and Posner identified what they termed “five exemplary leadership practices,” the first of which they called “Model the Way” (2003b, p. 41). In our visits to hundreds of schools and thousands of classrooms within these schools, we have found that the very best teachers model for students what they, in turn, expect from them. Similarly, the best school leaders with whom we have worked intentionally model the attitudes, behaviors, and commitments they expect from the teachers they serve. By modeling the way, teachers and leaders encourage those they teach and lead to behave according to shared values so that they can achieve a shared vision for excellence. Watching what you say, leading by example, making sure your actions align with how you act, and reinforcing the behaviors you want to see are all important aspects of modeling the way. Leadership in our schools and in our classrooms is based on relationships that must be nurtured. Connected educators model these relationship skills with the students they teach and the colleagues with whom they interact.
Keep in mind that we operate under the premise that teachers are leaders and leaders are teachers. Likewise, connected teachers are connected leaders and vice versa. Often, once an educator in a school or district begins realizing the power and encouragement that comes from being connected to a supportive PLN, they set a goal to enlist others in the schools and districts they serve to become connected with a PLN as well. To do so, they make sure to model the way, placing a premium on cultivating relationships with both their building teams as well as their extended network of colleagues, as was shared in the previous chapter. They value the learning and personal reflection that come from these relationships and give of their time and energy to nurture them. They are constantly sharing and engaging in professional dialogue with their peers and supervisors while bringing a positive voice to their work environment on a daily basis. Many connected educators with whom we have interacted believe fervently that one person can make a difference in the lives of others and they operate under a philosophy of “no blame, no fault … but, also, no excuses” when things do not go as planned. If they are faced with a difficult problem, they focus not on blame, fault, or excuses, but on brainstorming specific solutions designed to address the problem. When it comes to modeling the way for colleagues who may be interested in connecting with others, they know that the support they provide cannot be limited to a one-time event. Getting started as a connected educator is much like anything else worth doing: it takes time and effort on the front end.
When first getting started as a connected educator—or, on a larger scale, as a connected school community—problems will arise. One such problem that is sure to arise is students misusing social media in some way that is harmful to themselves, other students, or the school in general. How we respond when such things occur can determine whether it happens more or less frequently in the future. To clarify this point let us share an example that we have observed in schools that do not support or embrace connected learning.
Many school leaders across the country adopt a lock and block approach when it comes to the use in school of social media tools such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. They often do so with the best intentions, of course; at the same time, they often do so by assuming the worst about people and treating all people within the school as if they were bad, instead of taking the opposite approach and treating everyone within the school as if they were good—in other words, expecting students and staff to do what is right, not wrong. They often hide behind the following hypothetical to make their decisions: “What if…?” What if a student links to an inappropriate website? What if a student tweets something inappropriate about another student or staff member? What if a student spends all of their time searching Facebook instead of doing their classwork? What if they break into the school’s network?
The truth is that these things are going to happen. Your response dictates how you overcome these concerns. Too often our response is to want to take away the tools and resources that we believe are the root cause of these behaviors, as was the case in the Los Angeles Unified School District in September of 2013 when students at Roosevelt High School figured out a way to hack the security system so they could use their school-issued iPads without school filtering restrictions (Silva, 2013). Only one week after being issued the iPads, students could access personal Facebook accounts and surf the web for inappropriate sites. When school officials discovered the security breach, their first response was to stop distribution of iPads to other students in the district. We realize that problems arise as technology becomes increasingly available in our schools. We also realize that as educators, we should treat such instances as teachable moments. Certainly, students should be held accountable for conduct that is detrimental to them or others. The answer is not, however, to take away tools that we think will help them become more prepared for college and careers. Just as we should not take a textbook away from a student who defaces it, we cannot and must not respond by taking away technology from students who misuse it.
The concern with the scenario above is that all students were ultimately denied access to a digital tool because of the actions of a few, in this case, approximately three hundred out of hundreds of thousands of students enrolled in the district. Connected school leaders recognize that living in a connected world comes with challenges, but rather than hide from those challenges, they embrace them. They view these experiences as learning opportunities and as a way to build relationships with students they previously may not have known. They model a mindset that focuses on teaching, rather than punishment, by reaching out to students to understand why they did what they did and then work together to come up with an alternative solution. Ultimately, connected educators operate under a 95/5 rule, which means they do not make decisions based on the fear of what 5% of the population might do (which usually means challenging authority or school policies) but on the knowledge of what is best for the other 95% who rarely, if ever, break school rules.
In Chapter 3, we discussed the pride and value many connected leaders find in sharing the story of their schools. They focus on the importance of bringing their school community closer together by trusting their students and staff with an open access mindset, allowing them to brand their school through the use of readily available social media tools. They take every opportunity to integrate a curriculum that focuses on digital leadership and citizenship with students in the school in order to protect a student’s digital profile. They create school hashtags and highlight student and staff tweets on video screens throughout the school. They display Twitter feeds on large projector screens in auditoriums during student assemblies to gather feedback and give students a voice in their school. They use backchannels like Today’s Meet (see www.todaysmeet.com) during faculty meetings to gather questions and encourage dialogue and discussion. When asked who monitors the tweets and pictures that are placed on display to make sure they are appropriate, the common response from connected educators is the students, staff, and school community monitor themselves. And when an issue does occur, they hold students accountable by teaching the importance of protecting their digital footprint, rather than focusing on punishing the student. Ultimately, this approach leads to fewer and fewer incidents of concerns associated with technology and social media in our schools. Within a school culture that models and expects every member of the school community to look out for one another and values the voice of each member of that community, the mindset they operate under is: what we model is largely what we get. There are times, despite our very best efforts at modeling ourselves on what we expect from others, when we will be disappointed and will be faced with students behaving inappropriately. When these incidents occur, how we respond as connected educators is our choice and ours alone. The choice we make sets the stage for future patterns of behavior. If we choose to respond with a blanket approach, treating all students with suspicion and distrust, we are likely to encourage more of the same. If, on the other hand, we choose to respond by treating all students as if they were good and modeling the way, eventually we establish a culture in which more and more students follow the way we are modeling.
“If … we choose to respond by treating all students as if they were good and modeling the way, eventually we establish a culture in which more and more students follow the way we are modeling.”
How we respond when things do not go the way we plan is our choice. How we inspire is our choice, too. Successful educators believe in the notion that success breeds success, but more importantly, they realize that personal growth is a critical factor in ongoing and enduring success. What made us successful in the past may not keep us successful in the future, but if we are continuously learning and growing, we learn how to succeed in a society that is ever-changing. Connected educators model the way in this area by pursuing learning opportunities in a variety of ways and working to inspire others to behave likewise. They recognize that change is, rather ironically, here to stay. Many educators understand that being a member of a connected community that is largely online can be a complex undertaking and that staying the course is not without its challenges. Most who are able to persevere have a passion for teaching and learning and creating environments in which great things can happen. Learning spaces that are caring, open, and engaging spaces tend to promote innovation and creativity, traits we hope to instill within the students who populate them. Connected educators inspire their students and colleagues by recognizing every success begins with failure. They model through their actions that it is acceptable to fail and that risk-taking is encouraged.
“What made us successful in the past may not keep us successful in the future, but if we are continuously learning and growing, we learn how to succeed in a society that is ever-changing.”
Today’s schools cannot have a one-size-fits-all approach to getting students and adults to perform at high levels. Therefore, connected leaders and teachers together must find ways to model the importance of leading and learning with a sense of passion, purpose, and pride. Teachers are fulfilled when they believe the work they are doing makes a difference in the lives of the students they teach. Students also want to have a more far-reaching influence by taking on social issues within their community and across the globe. They want to fight for causes that are significant and have a greater impact on the world they will one day lead.
One such connected young student whom we have gotten to know through our PLN is Zak Malamed (@zakmal), who is a junior at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. Two years ago, Zak founded #stuvoice, an online Twitter chat for students, as a platform where students could express their own views regarding educational topics affecting them in this country. Zak moderates #stuvoice each Monday evening at 8:30 EST. According to Malamed,
Every student needs to take ownership over the direction of their own life. Too often we try to place students in leadership positions but this leads to them not leading for themselves, but, instead, following a trajectory that others have set out for them. This is not really true student voice. We ask students to lead this event or lead this club, but we don’t allow them to choose the route the organization or how the learning experience should go, rather it is already pre-determined for them. This is not real world, valuable, experience. So we set out as an organization and the movement of student voice to create a platform for students to be voices for themselves. We don’t tell students what issues they should be advocating for or what issues should be important to them. Instead, Student Voice gives them the platform to decide for themselves so together they can make change. We believe we have made this integration of student voice more practical for us to choose who we want to be rather than be told what by others (adults) who we should be. We want to be independent and own our own learning through our early years. We want a more open learning model and this is why we believe Student Voice is so important and how it is helping transform education as a whole.
As connected educators, we strive to inspire our students to be lifelong learners who are invested in their own education. Zak is an example of one such student who, in turn, is inspiring other students around the world to find their own voice and inspiration.
Teachers also need to feel empowered to believe their voice matters and that they have the autonomy and flexibility to make decisions regarding how they deliver curriculum, instruction, and assessments to their students. Our very best educators believe in a guaranteed and viable curriculum for all students as a matter of fairness and equal access. Connected educators believe in this, too, though they also believe in allowing for autonomy in how we get students from where they are to where they need to get to, so that they display mastery of agreed-upon performance standards. They want to feel supported and trust that these decisions to engage students in more authentic real-world learning experiences will not be held against them by administrators who insist on one instructional style for all. Just as it is the case that we must personalize learning for individual students, we must also allow for personalized teaching and learning for our teachers. With an ever-increasing emphasis being placed on standardized test scores in school districts across the country and with teachers being held increasingly accountable for their students’ performance on such tests, this is a legitimate concern in some school communities. Connected educators inspire those they teach and lead to find ways that work best for them. Mark Pisel (@mpise12), a business teacher in Iowa, shared the following insights about how he inspires students to learn:
My philosophy has always been to point students in the right direction and then get out of their way. I have found that students really enjoy going out and discovering information and trying to learn through trial and error rather than me just telling them exactly what to do all of the time. I want them to have their own experience that is unique and personal. Watching my students’ progress has been fun. We are connecting with students and schools all over the world through Twitter and student blogs. Social media has allowed our learning to go to a higher level and the interactions we have had with other students from countries as far away as Saudi Arabia has been inspiring. We are now looking at ways to crowdsource our work and keep the students engaged in their learning. I really appreciate how our administration supports our teaching. Every time we come to them with an idea we never hear, “Oh, we can’t do that here” or “That will never work.” Instead, what we get is, “How can we help you make this happen?” And that mindset is not only refreshing, but inspiring, and makes us want to go out and do more for our students and our school.
Students and teachers want leaders who pay attention to them and who genuinely care about them. They want more than just to be told what to do. They want objective feedback and coaching. They want partners who listen to them and mentor them, who inspire their performance. Connected leaders adhere to a mantra that says, “Don’t tell me why it can’t work; instead, let’s work together to find a way to make it happen.” Students and teachers want to know that their ideas are valued and supported rather than have the lid put on them. Connected leaders recognize this and model the way accordingly, creating a culture in which they choose to inspire the teachers they serve with the expectation that these teachers, in turn, inspire their students in a like manner.
Connected educators recognize and understand the value of cultivating a collaborative culture that supports and develops teachers and administrators in their pursuit of personal and professional growth. As leaders, it is our responsibility to cultivate a school culture where excellence is the foundation of all that we expect and do. As teachers, it is our responsibility to cultivate a classroom culture that does the same. We must constantly model the importance of focusing on both individual needs as well as the needs of our teams by fostering an environment that encourages a community of leaders coming together, where everyone’s talents are appreciated and valued and the focus is placed on advancing the students and school community they serve. Model teams incorporate three habits into their daily work: they dream big, get stuff done, and know how to have fun!
Connected leaders work diligently to provide meaningful, engaging, and collaborative learning experiences for their staff as part of their professional development by encouraging and supporting them to take ownership of their own learning and growth. They do this through a variety of methods, but they operate under the notion that the best experts exist among their own team. They utilize the talents of their own teaching staff when working together to plan building wide professional development that is relevant and engaging. In many instances, the formats that are created for professional learning are teacher-led formats where teachers set the agendas and determine the topics for discussion using an informal, grassroots model similar to Edcamps as described in Chapter 2. Other examples of ideas that connected educators have initiated in order to give teachers a greater voice and bring about a sense of ownership of their professional growth include site visits to local businesses to learn firsthand what skills are required in the workplace, site visits to other schools to see what is working well elsewhere, and teacher and school exchanges that foster a stronger PLN. Connected educators are also creating student and staff blogs as a tool for teaching, sharing, learning, and growing as a collaborative team. In connected schools, it is no longer an option for educators to work in isolation.
The Katy Independent School District (ISD), located in the Houston Metropolitan area, has been focusing on a more collaborative model for professional development for several years. Based on the work by Fullan (2014), Dr. Christine Caskey, Chief Academic Officer and Elisa Farris, Director of Professional Learning, have been working on a more systemic approach through what Fullan described as “Living Laboratories.” According to Caskey and Farris, the Katy ISD is bringing about a sense of togetherness by being more purposeful in how they structure their time together so that their work becomes more meaningful. These collaborative meetings, which they now refer to as “Co-Labs,” are designed to develop leadership capacity. The intent is to ensure that each leader is no longer working in isolation solely focused on making their campus stronger, but has a vested interest in the entire district being great. As Farris stated,
This time that we set aside together each month needs to be a time together where we roll up our sleeves, where we experiment, where we problem solve and talk through the challenges we are facing. And when things fail, as they are bound to do, we work through to find solutions together. We are committed to making the work and experience richer for all of us. By doing so, we will all be more successful as an entire organization.
(C. Caskey and E. Farris, personal communication, July 25, 2014)
We must expect our students, teachers, families, and community members to come together to take part in global conversations if we expect to influence change at a greater scale. The best way to make these expectations a reality is to model them ourselves through our daily actions, behaviors, words, and commitments. It is no longer about technology transforming education; rather, it is about our pedagogy transforming our students’ learning, a pedagogy that is based on what we collaboratively determine is best for students entering a connected workplace and connected world.
Connected educators believe that the key to making this transformational change lies in their ability to take the pockets of excellence that exist within the organizations they serve and replicating these pockets on a larger scale, connecting those who are having success in one area with others in the school or district hoping to achieve similar results. Over time, the roles reverse and the person who learns today leads someone else tomorrow, with the ultimate goal being a collaborative culture in which we all learn from each other, we all teach each other, and we all lead each other, moving from “pockets of excellence” to entire “networks of excellence,” networks made up of individual team members, each of whom understands that the success of the entire organization lies in their willingness to abandon their silos and work together as one cohesive team. Connected educators leading in these ways recognize this and model the way for others by operating under the mindset of “what we model is what we get.”
Follow 5: These five educators from our PLN stand as models in the area we have written about in this chapter: understanding that what we model is what we get. We have listed their names along with their Twitter “handles.” We encourage you to follow these exemplary educators on Twitter and interact with them to enhance your life as a connected educator. Here are short insights from these experts in the field on the importance of modeling the way.
1. Brad Currie (@bradmcurrie). K-8 Supervisor of Instruction/ Middle School Vice Principal in New Jersey. Brad is the co-founder and co-moderator of #satchat, a chat for current and emerging school leaders that takes place every Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. EST. According to Currie,
Being an educator in the connected era provides an opportunity to establish relationships with some of the best minds in the education industry on a worldwide scale. For me it has been a game-changer in terms of the access I have to thought leaders and innovators who share best practice ideas and resources on a daily basis. The more people share on social media platforms such as Twitter, the better chance this will trickle down to our classrooms and impact student success. Connecting with like-minded individuals on various social media platforms has allowed me to grow in ways once thought unimaginable. It is no longer an option for educators to remain disconnected from all that is happening in the virtual world around. Social media has provided educators with a vehicle to transcend how they grow professionally and, ultimately, how they will promote the success of all students.
2. Dr. Joe Clark (@DrJoeClark). Superintendent, Nordonia Hills City Schools, Northfield, Ohio. Dr. Clark is co-moderator of #ptchat, a forum for parents and teacher partnerships. According to Clark,
I try to model the expectations I have for all educators in our district through my presence on Twitter, which I use to promote school events, brag about teachers and students, and share educational, inspirational, or leadership posts or news. I also try to model the way for others by blogging regularly (http://drjoeclarkblog.wordpress.com/). I encourage all superintendents to get involved with Twitter and blogging as two ways to model lifelong learning for others. Start an account, post some district news, follow Twitter all-stars, and follow some chats. Get your feet wet and soon you’ll be immersed in all Twitter and blogging have to offer.
3. John Carver (@JohnCCarver). Superintendent, Howard-Winneshiek Community School District. John regularly follows #2020howardwinn, #edchat, #satchat, #IAedchat, #satchathack, and #vanmeter on Twitter. According to Carver,
We are at a “printing press” moment in the history of mankind. Digital devices and connections to the internet are transforming teaching and learning. School leaders must model the way by embracing the changes we face and showing others how crucial it is that leaders/learners are always growing, sharing, and sharpening their thinking, connecting with educational change agents globally and participating in the global education conversation.
4. Amber Teamann (@8amber8). Assistant Principal, Watkins Elementary School, Wylie, Texas. Amber is the moderator of #tichat. According to Teamann,
Twitter is a tool that should be personalized to fit your needs. Not comfortable sharing? Lurk, learn, then lead! I am able to share with my colleagues relevant and timely resources to help them grow in addition to maintaining my mantra that the smartest person in the room is the room. I want my “room” to model being lifelong learners!
5. Dominique Dynes (@dominiquedynes). Dominique is a sixth grade social studies teacher in Guadalajara, Mexico. She is also a Google Certified Teacher. Dominique is the founder and co-moderator of #mexedchat, which takes place on the second and fourth Monday of each month from 9 to 10 p.m. CST. According to Dynes,
Twitter changed my life as a teacher by allowing me to get connected with educators around the world. I often hear teachers say that our jobs can be very isolating and too overwhelming to find time for professional growth. Twitter chats are a great way to get motivated about what’s happening in education and to constantly learn with peers all over the globe. The educators I’ve met on Twitter have really changed my vision of global collaboration and daily encourage me to never stop growing. As a founder of #mexedchat, one of the first bilingual ed chats on Twitter, it has been inspiring to feel the passion for what is going on in our schools in Latin America while we connect with one another each month.
Find 5: We have found these five online resources to be particularly useful in reflecting on the power of modeling, particularly with students and staff. These are links to resources that we have learned about via our own PLN and that we have used ourselves to improve some aspect of our job performance or expand our thinking in this important area:
Take 5: We conclude each chapter by recommending five action steps you can take to get started or continue on your path as a connected educator. Here are five steps we suggest you take to ensure you are constantly modeling how you expect others to behave and placing a premium on inspiring others inside and outside your organization.