It would be nice if K-State, KU and Wichita State athletic wins were the most prevalent headlines featuring the State of Kansas.  Unfortunately, Kansas has had its share of national headlines lately with some of the decisions being made in the legislature and by the governor, bills being proposed, and issues being raised.  And this is just about education!  

There have been several other headlines generated from our economic policies that stripped our schools of much needed funds, forced additional hardships on those who need our help, and bills passed that  included legalized discrimination as part of public policy (which thankfully has since been voted down).  It makes for a hotly contested election season; one that will be loaded with vitriol and misleading information.  It is time for Kansas voters to be informed.  It is time to teach our kids how to think critically so they can be informed citizens and not swayed by the influence of big money, attention grabbing headlines, and the faulty thinking and actions of our leaders.  This is not a made-for-TV reality show.  This is real life.  These are our children at stake.

Today's headline that grabbed my attention came from the Lawrence Journal World:  Area Legislator Hopes to Halt Common Core in its Tracks.  Wow! Another attempt to derail something in education that has been approved by the Kansas State Board of Education and is currently being implemented in schools across Kansas!  So I clicked on the link and began to read (you can too by clicking on the article title).  Much to my disdain, but unfortunately not a huge surprise, was the notion that the representative in question (who thankfully does not live in my district), put this bill before the House Education Committee which would nullify Common Core ELA (English/Language Arts) and Math, as well as the Next Generation Science Standards and prohibit any school from administering tests aligned to those standards.  Seriously?  

But here's the kicker, and I quote:  "The Common Core standards, I do believe, are not addressing the problems of the children," Dove said.  It's not the standards themselves that worry him.  In fact, he said, "I haven't seen the actual content of the Common Core.  However I do not believe it is within the scope of our federal government to put something together when it comes to education," Dove continued. End quote.  

Well here are a couple of lessons from the Common Core ELA Standards for this legislator if he chooses to read them before his bill is voted on: 

From the Reading Anchor Standard #1:  Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.

How can you make logical inferences about Common Core if you haven't read the text?  We want to teach our children to read the text and be able to cite evidence to support what they believe to be true.  Perhaps the adults in their life should model this skill.

From the Speaking and Listening Anchor Standard #3:  Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.

I am hesitant to make judgments based on the quotes in one article, but on the surface it appears that this legislator's beef is with the political view that the federal government should not tell states (Kansas) or local schools what to teach. Well they didn't and if this legislator had been listening, or reading, or doing his homework, he would know this by now.

If you haven't taken a look at the Common Core Standards - do it now.  You don't have to be an educational expert to read the ELA Anchor Standards (page 10). Look at the verbs they are asking kids to do - "read closely, examine, analyze, make inferences, integrate and evaluate content."  

Or look on page 6 of the Math Standards for the 8 Standards of Mathematical Practice that reach across all content areas.  What business doesn't want their employees to make sense of problems, reason, construct viable arguments, persevere, etc.?

Kansas parents and citizens are finally starting to hear the voice of reason and are beginning to stand up to the special interests and misinformed people that would undermine our educational foundation and reduce the effectiveness of Kansas educators.  If that happens, Kansas kids lose; businesses lose; and Kansas will become irrelevant, known only for the Wizard of Oz, some basketball wins, and a place to pass through on the way to Colorado.  We are better than that.  We have a beautiful state with wonderful people and caring educators who work hard and want what's best for kids.  Unfortunately we have some leaders who don't believe we know how to think for ourselves so someone outside our state must tell us how to think, vote, and act. 

I, for one, think the lessons to be learned from Kansas leaders making today's headlines are that if you practiced the knowledge and skills offered in the Common Core framework, we wouldn't be having this divided political mess we are in right now.   Stay informed.  Keep Educating Yourself.

Rigor....by definition it means to challenge; to prove difficult; to be a hardship; or to require special effort to attain a goal.  

Wow!  Rigor sounds like it could be pretty unpleasant, harsh, even scary ... But I'm finding  it's something we should value in our personal lives, in education, and in our work world too.  This is the 2nd of a 3 part blog series on The 3 R's: Rigor, Relevance and Relationships where I will explore why Rigor should be embraced instead of erased.

Rigor ramps up our thinking, our interest, and our energy.  But rigor scares us... because it can be hard.  Yet it's during those times of challenge or hardship that we often find out who our true friends are... the ones who stand beside us, support us, and help us overcome the obstacles in our path.  In times of adversity, we band together with others to solve a problem, to offer ideas, or get ideas, because in most cases "all of us are better than one of us!"

Rigor gives meaning to what we do, adding depth to our feeling of success because we overcame a difficult task.   I love to win, and will never turn down a win, but when you win a close game, come from behind, or knock off a top ranked opponent, the victory becomes sweeter because of the rigor of the game.  When things are too easy, we get bored.  When things are rigorous, we pay attention because we have to concentrate in order to understand.

I think about the role rigor plays in my relationships as well.  My husband and I are better together when we have a project... the project provides challenge, interest, and requires us to achieve a goal.  I find this true with my friends too.  Even when we just meet for lunch, if we have a problem to tackle, I am better for it because of the perspective I gain from my friend.  We stereotype retirees as sitting in their rocking chairs on the front porch, but frequently they need to find more meaning in their lives so they may opt to get another job, volunteer, or find projects that require significant effort.  That keeps them relevant and involved with others.  

Consider the role rigor plays in good health.  A rigorous exercise program keeps us physically healthy.  Word games and puzzles challenge our brains and forestall the effects of aging.  You gain much from a little sweat and some difficult thinking.  While our goal is often to make something easier to manage, easy is not always the best path to success.

But can we have too much rigor?  Of course, but balancing the need for rigor against the frustration of too much rigor is a distinction we must make, and something we must not be afraid to do.  Rigor implies hard work.  Rigor scares us.  Rigor makes us uncomfortable when we don't know the answer.  Rigor is often the first thing to be cast aside because it's a quick fix.  Expectations slide as we water down the content or the process so that the goal becomes easier to obtain.  It is a given that challenges must be developmentally appropriate, but sometimes we under estimate what challenges we can present or accept because we have doubts or lack the background knowledge.  In our  effort to be helpful, reduce stress, or save time, we often sacrifice or chip away at the challenge of the situation and the result may not be what we'd actually hoped for.  In a classroom we might find teachers reducing assignments, planning simpler activities, or choosing a text resource that has a lower reading level.  But did that really accomplish the learning goal?   Why not keep the rigor, but teach them HOW to deal with the presented challenges?

The Common Core State Standards, now called College and Career Ready Standards in Kansas, require the infusion of rigor in curriculum.  That scares some people.... both within and outside of education.  Yes, it will be challenging as teachers to learn to teach like that (again) and for students to learn how to use what they know, but the end result will make both the teaching and the learning more meaningful.  Relevance (the next topic in this 3 part blog series) and Relationships (the previous topic) will be enhanced by the increased rigor as we come together to promote higher thinking levels, problem solving, and application of knowledge and skills.  Rigor will require thinking, effort, and perseverance... traits that will be helpful to our students into higher education or the work world.  Learning must be active, engaging, meaningful, and challenging.  We must embrace the challenges and allow them to take us to new heights!

What would rigor look like in the classroom?  Students would be asking questions, using higher level thinking to analyze, synthesize, evaluate and revise.  Teachers would be facilitators of learning instead of the sole deliverer of the knowledge (the person doing the work is doing the learning).  Problem solving would be a regular occurrence - and not just in math!  Project based learning and performance assessment would be the norm.  That means fewer worksheets and fewer multiple choice tests (all students are now breathing a collective sigh of relief!). Active engagement in the learning would make that learning more fun, effective, and meaningful.  Writing and technology would be used to enhance learning and demonstrate understanding.  Subjects would be integrated instead of compartmentalized (what I learn in math could be applied to science!).  Learning is applied and transferred to real life situations.  Suddenly rigor becomes relevant!

So I encourage you to give Rigor another look.... face demands head on and enjoy great satisfaction when you achieve those goals.  And don't forget to celebrate your success! 

The Bill Snyder way.  Like it or not, it works.  His way turned around the worst program in college football and resurrected it after he retired and came back to coach again.  And his way has stood the test of time.  It works.  Like Madeline Hunter's lesson plan design or AA's 12 Step Program... it is time tested and there is data to validate the claims.

I've spent the last several weeks reading and viewing everything I can about Bill Snyder and the success K-State football is enjoying right now. Right off the bat I should admit that I bleed purple.  K-State purple.  I have a letter jacket and a class ring because I played softball for K-State back in the day.  I have loved my Wildcats for many, many years.  Are there greater fans who give more money and are more vocal?  Definitely.  But there isn't anyone who loves the "K-State way" more than I do.  OK.  Let's put that to rest and focus on what we can learn from the Bill Snyder way of doing things.

People are in awe of K-State's current success and recent resurgence, and many have jumped on this bandwagon.  In a world full of fast technology and new ways of doing familiar things, Coach Snyder has found a way to be successful doing what he knows best even with today's kids who have never known what it's like to not have a cell phone or to play music on albums or  tapes.  No one says he hasn't changed his schemes to better utilize his talent or learned to use some of the new technology to scout and recruit, but he still relies on values, skills, and work ethic that are now part of the new Common Core.  We are seeing a resurgence of those work values that Bill Snyder has never abandoned.   He has a plan; he has a successful way of doing it; and he sticks to it.  He models his expectations and he demands accountability by being respectful and true to his beliefs. 

Bill Snyder is no different than other great coaches who have excelled in their field like Pat Summit of Tennessee and the legendary John Wooden of UCLA.  Their expectations, work ethic, and commitment were paralleled by few but admired by all. The only exception to that may be that he's done it with less than 5 star talent, but rather with recruits who have a 5 star work ethic.   

What can we, in education, learn from Coach Snyder?  He is, after all, a teacher first; a a leader of students; and an educator to all of us.

I read an article in my ASCD brief the other day that talked about the way we have gone about implementing Common Core.  The author pointed out that CCSS was essentially given to teachers and schools as the "what" before we gave them the "why" and the "how."  Wouldn't it have been easier to implement if we didn't get the cart before the horse?  I'll bet Bill Snyder doesn't do that.

Coach Snyder has 16 Goals for Success.  What are they, you ask?  To quote from the K-State website:  

The 16 goals form the foundation for success, and create the work ethic and discipline that goes with them. With players and coaches from all backgrounds, having a single set of core values unifies them under one vision. If each adheres to the goals as individuals, then team success will follow.

Snyder believes the 16 goals are not only critical to success on the field, but also in everyday life. Once someone has dedicated themselves to doing things the right way, their chance of success in any field is dramatically increased.

Without the 16 Goals for Success, there is no "why" or "how."  These add meaning to the content of football and give everyone a common place from which to teach and learn.

So what about schools?  How could we use this?  We have many frameworks that would allow us to properly train teachers to implement whatever curricula or strategy we want them to.  But too often, we just say "here it is and make it happen" without setting them up to succeed.  We also have good intentions when we teach students desired content.  But they too need to know "why" and "how" so that the content becomes meaningful and transferable to the real world.  After all, isn't that why we have kids go to school, so they can take what they have learned and use it in their adult lives?  What would happen if we posted and lived by the 16 Goals for Success?  

Let's address a few of these goals:
Commitment:  I think we can all agree, that this is a necessary element for anything to succeed whether it's in a school or in a relationship.  What does it take to be committed?  What happens if this goal is overlooked?

Unselfishness:  We have to be a team to be successful.  No jealousy.  Be willing to share knowledge and ideas and skills.  Not needing the credit, just happy to help.

Unity.  Coming together through thick and thin; helping one another; shouldering the responsibility together; never pointing fingers. Common language and common goals.

Great Effort:  Working hard to improve, to learn, to succeed is a lifetime skill we can all use in every facet of our lives.  No great relationship exists without great effort.  No success is sustained without continued effort.  And it starts with "I".  

Enthusiasm:  Get excited!  Enthusiasm spreads quickly!  Just as the negative attitude is contagious, so is the enthusiasm that one has for a project, the topic, or even the day!  That's one reason K-State exceeds expectations - we are all enthusiastic about our brand - and it shows!  So in school, it is time well spent to get all stakeholders to get on the enthusiasm bandwagon!  Be proud!  Be exited!  Let it show!

Improvement:  This is the last goal I will emphasize because it is the quest to improve that keeps us growing, learning, and moving forward.  As Coach Snyder says nearly every day and in every interview, "We're just trying to get a little bit better everyday."  That sounds like a realistic goal and something each of us can control, whether we're in a game on the field or in the game of life.

So tomorrow, K-State takes on another ranked team. The Big XII title  and a chance at the national title, are on the line.  Talk about high stakes testing!  But their focus will be on improvement, understanding that the winning will take care of itself.  And on Monday, schools everywhere will start their week learning new things, hopefully with the quest in mind that everyone can get better everyday.  Those that have a plan in place to address all aspects of teaching and learning, to provide support for both teachers and students to be successful, and who focus on improvement will succeed.  There are moments and days where we will stumble, but built into our plan is the expectation to get up and try again.  

The Bill Snyder Way.... Racing to the top one step at a time.  It's time we took not just a page from Bill's book on how to produce success, but just implement the whole book!

Who is that looking back at you in the mirror?  Or have you even bothered to look? Why is it that we educators often think of reflection as an enemy instead of a friend?

Self reflection is one of the keys to improvement.  Cooks use it; coaches use it; inventors and scientists use it.  This blogger uses it!  We want students to use reflection to improve their learning, so it's important that teachers use it too.  It can easily begin by asking questions that spark our thinking:  What did I learn?  How would I do that differently next time?  What was the best part?  What part was the most difficult?  Why did that happen?  How could I have prevented that from happening?  Or ask yourself, as Dr. Phil would say, "How's that working for you?"

Reflection increases our awareness of our actions and should be a part of our regular routine.  It can be a time to step back and see what we have started, or view what we have set in motion.  It provides us an opportunity to monitor progress, assess the plan we have chosen to use, or evaluate the impact of our actions.  

Reflection gives us the opportunity to view our work with fresh eyes.  Choosing to be self-reflective (or not) can be the difference between good and great.  Those "tweaks" that we apply to our plan, or the edits we make to our proposals, as a result of our reflection, might be the difference in whether we succeed or stumble.

Reflection is more than just what's on the surface.  It requires you to look deeply and examine details, word choice, process, impact, and results.  Reflection requires a closer look along the way, not just at the finish line, so that adjustments can be made which helps us achieve what we set out to accomplish.  

So the next time you look into the mirror, instead of asking the question from Snow White, "Who's the fairest of them all?" choose the Dr. Phil question, "How's that working for you?" and see if it doesn't get you better results! 

How many times a day do we plan by beginning with the end in mind?  Whenever you leave the house you know where you're going, what time you have to be there, and what you are supposed to do when you get there.  You decide whether to walk, ride a bike, take the car or catch a plane.  When you arrive, you know immediately if you did what you planned to do.   But what if you didn't begin with the end in mind?

Building a house is the perfect example of how the kind and quality of our planning  can make all the difference.  

Scene 1:  You have an idea of what your house should look like but no real blueprints.  You've got a lot of friends that will help, so you all gather together for the big event.  Let's get started!  Everyone agrees to begin by digging a hole in the ground, pouring a foundation, and then each person starts building a room.  You walk through the construction noting the progress but wondering if everyone's efforts are fitting together like they should.   Some people are making changes that you didn't even know about.  There are some unused spaces and some areas that are really cramped. Some rooms are almost done and some have barely been started.  Now you wonder how your house is really going to turn out?  You "hope" it will look like you wanted it to, when you wanted it to be done... but how will you be sure?  

What if there had been a shared vision and then a plan?   Maybe just starting from the beginning without a real plan in place is not the  best way to build a house.  What if you had begun with the end in mind?

Scene 2:  You have an idea of what your new house will look like; what will be included; what will not be included; why it will be included (or not); and when it will be done. By having those thoughts, you are indeed beginning with the end in mind.  But you realize there are many questions that need to be answered before you can actually start building.  What are your goals?  What functions or facilities does your new house need to have so that you can live comfortably and efficiently?  How long will the building process take?  What resources do you need?  How will you know the building project is proceeding in a timely and effective manner so the end result will be what you want it to be, when you want it to be done?  

So you do your homework, looking around for ideas, asking questions, and prioritizing needs vs. wants.  Then you draw a sketch, make a plan, talk to the builder and/or the architect, create a blueprint, and get started building from the bottom up.  Revisions occur as unforeseen problems arise or new ideas come to light.  But all the revisions are made with the end goal in mind.  Checkpoints tell you things are progressing in a timely manner.  And the day you open the door to your new home, you are pleased, but not surprised, that it looks exactly as you imagined it would!

                                                                                *****

Beginning with the end in mind:  In an educational setting, this is how curriculum should be planned; units of study should be planned; and even daily lessons should be planned.  What is the learning goal?  What are the essential questions that promote higher order thinking, inquiry, and deeper understanding?  What are the enduring understandings that go beyond the content of the lesson or unit, that apply to the real world?  What should students know and be able to do when the learning is completed?  How will you know the students have learned what you wanted them to learn?  These questions make teachers think beyond assembling day to day, albeit engaging activities.  By answering them during the planning process, then delivering them in an engaging and effective manner, learning will be richer and more useful.

Understanding by Design (developed by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins) provides a framework for backwards design which is in effect, beginning with the end in mind.  This process goes beyond the days of Outcomes, which were also centered around the concept of backwards design (design down, deliver up) where schools established Exit Outcomes (for seniors) and worked their way back to Kindergarten where it would all begin.  But UbD takes it a step farther by taking this philosophy into  unit and lesson planning, not just system planning.  

As schools begin understanding and implementing the Common Core State Standards, UbD becomes a valuable tool in this process.   Common Core Standards ask students to be college and career ready:  to know what to do with the information and skills they have acquired and when to use those as well.  No longer will they just be able to memorize facts or identify specific items.  That knowledge is only useful if we know when and how to use it.   

Consider the elements of UbD and how they contribute to deeper levels of thinking and understanding:  

• Determine the learning goal(s).  
  
• Identify what will be taught (standards).
  
• What are the enduring understandings (that transfer to other content, situations, and/or real world)?
  
• What are the essential questions (ones that cannot be answered simply and easily; that require deeper thinking and inquiry)?
  
• How will we know they have learned "it"  (authentic, problem based-assessments that require students to use the skills and knowledge they have acquired)? 
  
• What will we do to accommodate different learning needs, assist students who struggle and provide extensions for those who excel?
  
• What activities allow for the best learning experiences?
  

So whether you are building a house, deciding what clothes to wear tomorrow, or educating students, your success depends on focused planning that begins with the end in mind.  

Where are you today?  Where do you want to be in the future?  What is your plan to get there?  
These are all questions that we must ask ourselves whether we are individuals, teachers, schools, doctors, businesses, or churches.  Seek ye first to understand then get busy putting that understanding to good use!

So many things in our everyday lives represent education in general, and the many challenges that we must work through to improve what we provide students and how we offer it.   Common Core State Standards and how we implement them are the latest challenge as we seek to ramp up the value of our educational buck.  While some may feel this is the latest scholastic fad, I believe it is an adjustment to our path, a fine tuning of our journey.  Just as in life, education, business, medicine, or in our own faith, if we remain stagnant we will not grow or improve.  While we may be comfortable in our current existence, things change as a result of new understandings that come to light.  If we are to grow and remain viable, we too must consider the revisions that could improve our situation, or make us believe or think more deeply, and ultimately make the necessary changes.  There is a beautiful world awaiting us if we look for the possibilities.  But how and if we get there is all about the plan.

My favorite vacation spots are in the mountains where I can breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the magnificent views.  Imagine yourself standing in awe, looking at a serene lake, surrounded by densely forested pines, and the majestic Rocky Mountains jutting up above the tree line.  Then you begin to wonder.... What would the view be like from the top?  How could you get there?  Through the trees, there are trails that could lead you to the top of those beautiful mountains.  You could walk or ride a horse.  Or you could paddle across the lake to get closer before taking a particular trail.  

As you consider how you will get to the top, you must look at the big picture, including the beautiful sites along the path, as well as those obstacles that must be dealt with or avoided.  What tools do you have or need for this journey?  To identify the challenges, you must do your research, consult with the experts and your hiking partners, and then select the best path.  Keep in mind, your journey will not be without forks in the trail and fallen trees.  What unforeseen obstacles will block your path and cause you to revise your journey?  Always remember this is a collaborative journey because the rules require us to never hike alone and always let people know what your plan is, including a time table.  And when it's all said and done, how much more enriching will the experience be to enjoy the view at the top with someone else!

Read on for another metaphor of life ...

We have been remodeling a house for over a year that our daughter and her family will soon live in.  The project started as a “cleaner upper” and turned into a “fixer upper.”  Initially we had a vision of clean up and then realized there was so much more that needed to be done to make the house not only livable but safe.  So our plan changed.  This would be no easy task.  The “data” told us that there was much to do to fix the problems that existed.  It also told us there was much we could salvage, but many things would have to be ripped out, replaced, renewed, and resolved before this house would become what we wanted it to be.  So the question became, what do we want the finished product to look like?  That question was followed by:  What can we keep?  What must we gut and clear away?  What treasures will we uncover that can be restored and used again to achieve the goal?  What tools do we have or need?  What unforeseen obstacles will get in the way?  How long will it take?  There was also the realization that it would take a collaborative effort between the owner, the planner, and the builder. (And that might be a future problem since this was a do-it-yourself job!)

Even with a plan, the project uncovered new issues that had to be included in the restoration.  The timeline became extended.  Frustration threatened to erode the joy and hope of the ultimate goal.  But the plan could be revised, and was always in place to help refocus us and keep the project moving forward.  But it got easier when we asked for help.  Others would come in to lend a hand.  Suddenly the work got done more quickly and frustration would subside.  Progress monitoring was important – to take time to step back and realize how far we had come on this journey and recognize that the list was getting shorter.  Then we could put our heads together, make some new adjustments, and continue to implement the plan.  Celebrating the checkpoints along the way is critical to success!   It is just a few weeks away from being completed.  Then the new question becomes, “What next?”

Regardless of the metaphor or the setting – improving education comes down to these common things: The Plan - what will it look like and how will you get there?   Implementation:  The hard work that comes with implementing that plan side by side with those who dream the same dream …. But oh how you will enjoy the fruits of your labor when you see the joy of learning and understanding return for both the teacher and the student!

Next:  Using Understanding by Design to help teachers implement Common Core Standards within their content areas.  Click on the link to access information on Curriculum and Common Core on this website.