Google Docs & Collaboration

Collaboration is now available without meeting!

With transition of support members each year and teacher turnover, site-based support has the potential to always start at “Ground Zero”- always reinventing the work. Google Docs & Spreadsheets has the capacity to assist support teams to move from reactive to proactive by providing a way to collaborate with peers on written documents without the barriers of scheduling meeting times for every stage in the collaborative process.

A school that collaborates on being plan-centered can have:

• written criteria for the selection of the support staff
• specific responsibilities of each support team member
• developed a written list of expectations for every staff member
• scheduled time, opportunity, and resources to support staff members
• developed written induction protocols

Google Docs can be used to collaborate on a document online in real time without the need to download additional software or pay for a license fee. The Google Docs interface is similar to Word and supports tables, images, and the ability to revert to older versions.

If you have a Google Account, you are ready to begin. At Google.com select MORE (found above the search window) and then select EVEN MORE. In the Communicate, Show, and Share section click on the Docs & Spreadsheets.

By utilizing Google Docs & Spreadsheets as a collaboration tool, what possibilities exist with your support team that was not available before?

A tour of the Google Docs service is available by clicking HERE

Google Docs user information can be found by clicking HERE

Rock-N-Roll Coaching

Just last week the new rock band Supernova put on a rock and roll demonstration for their fans. New lead singer Lucas Rossi had the pleasure to perform with rock veterans Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses) and Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) for the first time as their US tour kicked off in Hollywood, FL at the Hard Rock Live.

It was a thrill to see Dave Navarro standing off stage to observe one of the newest members to the tour, Toby Rand. While on the show, Rock Star Supernova, Dave was responsible for providing performance feedback to Toby after his weekly performance. Now that auditions are over, Dave is continuing his role as a coach.

It was interesting to see how every stage member has a significant role and responsibility. There was one stagehand whose only job during the live set was to watch Dave Navarro and assist with the exchange of his guitars. At the right time he brought out the new guitar and took away the old. Seamless and without interruption to the work. If he was too busy admiring someone else, say the drums or the bass guitar, there would have been a complete breakdown of the song set.

The band took months to prepare for their 2 hour set. It shows.

The Devil Needs Induction

I am not going to bother you with a complete synopsis of the movie “The Devil Wears Prada”, but the story tells the professional adventure of Andrea, whose greatest dream is to become a journalist

This was not my first choice of film (nor my second), and I managed to watch the entire film and publicly state that it was “OK”. Translation= Pretty good for a rental.

The hook for me was the trials of Andrea’s first job: the weak orientation and and the lack of new hire support. This is a classic non-example!! If you have seen the movie, what areas of Orientation and Induction need improvement?

Passing the Torch

Tim Tebow (pictured with Coach Myer) described the Florida Gator's National Championship year as a “Dream Season.” As a freshman he focused on learning from the senior he was replacing, BCS National Champion MVP Chris Leak.

Offensive coordinator Dan Mullen noticed Tim’s commitment early on the season. “Yet in meeting rooms and film sessions, Tebow started to see the game from a broader perspective. He said he thought like the starter, making each week a dress rehearsal for the coming year. At every turn leading up to the game, Mullen said, Tebow followed Leak's lead.”

If the work you do has value, then someone will be needed to continue the work. Induction provides the system for building capacity in order for the organization to limit loss with transition.

With a true Induction system in place with the Florida Gator football team, Senior Chris Leak and Coach Urban Myer utilized this past year to prepare a replacement. How have you prepared yours?

Turnover

Since the retirement of Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino the Miami Dolphins have experienced three different head coaches with the hiring of Jimmy Johnson in 1996, Dave Wannstedt in 2000 and now Nick Saban in 2005. Additionally the quarterback position has been a revolving door with 13 players identified for that coveted position.

With such a high number of turnovers, what expectations does H. Wayne Huizenga have when it comes to the Dolphins success?

Analogy of the Day:
Dolphin Head Coach is to Principal as Quarterback is to …?

QB Roster from 2000-Present
A.J Feeley, Brian Griese, Cade McNown, Cleo Lemon, Damon Huard, Daunte Culpepper, Gus Frerotte, Jay Fielder, Joey Harrington, Mike Quinn, Ray Lucas, Sage Rosenfels, Shane Matthews

Just Google It

From the article, “Google targets children with free programs for schools”, "I feel like I am on the edge of something really exciting and perhaps classroom-changing," Wojcicki said. "Using this as a teaching tool, I will be able to look at students' papers and make suggestions before they even turn it in."

Google’s word processor and spreadsheet is another venture into the collaborative world of Web 2.0 technology. Does new educator support have an obligation to “keep up” with technology? If time has been identified a diminishing resource, do we need to approach our work differently?

In the not too distant future

There are quite a few connections when comparing standards-based instruction, Schlechty Center’s Working on the Work (W.O.W), and Teachscape's Classroom Walkthrough (CWT) to the development of Web 2.0. The following statements come from the article “Futurist: To fix education, think Web 2.0”

Rather than treat pedagogy as the transfer of knowledge from teachers who are experts to students who are receptacles, educators should consider more hands-on and informal types of learning.

...he praised situations where students who are passionate about specific topics study in groups and participate in online communities.

… you have to change your teaching practices.

…"passion-based learning" that focuses on getting students more engaged with topic experts.

When planning your Orientation and monthly support meetings/ learning communities for New Educators at your school, do you prepare them for Yesterday or for Tomorrow?

How can you tap into the technological skills and experiences that New Educators bring to your school?

Freshman

Finishing the season at 11-1 and approaching the goal of a SEC Championship, most of the media coverage this past week focused not on the present but on the future of the Florida Gator team. Articles did not highlight the record breaking career of Chris Leak, but of the freshman class.

“Coach Urban Meyer has allowed most of the freshmen time to develop before placing them in the season's most competitive situations.

‘I hear it quite often from family members and staff members and the athletic director how exciting they are, and let's get these guys (freshman) going,’ Meyer said. ‘But the reality is the normal development ... is you learn how to play the game your freshman year.’”

Does your Principal allow most of the New Educators time to develop before placing them in the school’s most competitive situations? What support can be provided in the areas of scheduling, planning, or management?

UPDATE: It's going to be Florida-Ohio State for the national championship. Florida's win over Arkansas in the SEC title game was enough to leapfrog the Gators to No. 2 in the final BCS standings and into the National Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona

Rockies Using iPods to Study

Professional development is the core business at HRD and there has been increased “talk” on the role of technology in the context and process of our work. This article touches on the same message and purpose. Here are few quotes:

“He watches frames of himself delivering the pitch, followed by the result of the play. Everything else is weeded out.”

“Teams have tons of film to help players study their opponents and their own quirks.”

"They can do it on their time”

"I think it's overrated personally, but that's just me," Randolph said. "I'm from a different school."

“Colorado's minor league hitting coordinator, Jimmy Johnson, has an iPod filled with video of players in the farm system. If a player is struggling, Johnson can compare his swing from the past with his current swing, and fix it accordingly.”

"Anything you can do to help yourself get ready for [games] is a good idea," he said.”

Begin with the End in Mind

If it was not for a friend I would have never heard of the show Dancing with the Stars (and I still have yet to see an episode).

For those like me, this show pairs eleven celebrities like Jerry Springer and Sara Evans (who?) with professional dancers to perform a Ballroom or Latin American dance routine that is critiqued by professional judges and voters at home.

This season’s winner was former Florida Gator and Dallas Cowboy running back Emmitt Smith.

"From the beginning, he just wanted to be the best possible dancer he can be," commented Emmitt’s dance partner after his win.

Smith, ever the competitor, was determined to win, just as he had done so many times with the Dallas Cowboys. "You don't get into a competition unless you think you can win," he told AP Radio after Tuesday's dance finale.

When you hear, “Begin with the end in mind”, what strategies are planned and then implement that will lead to the end? Having a vision and a strong work ethic has produced another trophy for this 3-time Super Bowl champion. Do the New Educators and Instructional Coaches begin the year thinking that they will “win”? What has been prepared for teacher and student success?

RPS

Rocks, Paper, Scissors (RPS) is more than just a playground game; it is an institution of fierce competition. The world of “who goes first” has grown into its own that includes protocols, procedures, strategies, a Hall of Fame, and Awards for Excellence.

Do you find the world of RPS at the Foundation (people driven), Application (plan centered) or Accomplished (systems driven)?

Overkill

The Quadruple Bypass Burger has four slabs of beef weighing 2lbs, three cheese layers, four bacon rashers, lettuce and tomato. Customers can also order the smaller Triple Bypass Burger and Flatliner fries cooked in pure lard.

The Heart Attack Grill in Tempe, Arizona, provides support by offering wheelchairs to carry customers out of the restaurant. A nurse, an example of immediate site-based support, serves the burger.

For me, images like this reinforces a vegetarian lifestyle.

'So Minute"

"I don't care what our record is or their record is. The difference between the best and the worst team in the NFL is so minute. It has everything to do with confidence and emotion and being a consistent team on that day."

This comes from current Dolphin Quarterback Joey Harrington when asked to comment on this week’s game against the Chicago Bears.

Since I have been sitting in data meetings all year, I could not help make the connection to our teachers. Grade level comparisons are constantly being made between classes regarding the demonstration of high levels of student proficiency.

Is the difference between the types of teaching (and learning) as “minute” as Joey compares NFL teams? Can a small modification of instruction lead to dramatic student gains?

What is common is that teachers must have confidence in themselves and in their students while remaining fair and consistent throughout the year.

There is a lot more at stake than a world championship.

A Final Showcase

CBS has done it again and I am not referring to another CSI spin-off.

First it was CBS news anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent Dan Rather who announced his retirement leaving a large gap in the anchor seat. Since CBS did not bother to prepare a replacement, the network has yet to make progress in the news department.

From the Associated Press, “Her (Katie Couric) average audience of 7.3 million viewers left the CBS Evening News 1.1 million behind ABC's second-place World News. It was the biggest gap between the two broadcasts since the week of Feb. 6, according to Nielsen Media Research. NBC's Nightly News led the way with 8.9 million viewers last week.”

Now CBS seems to be in the same boat with their #1 game show, The Price is Right. After 35 years of dedicated service to the show Bob Barker will be offering his last contestant showcase this year. If the owners of the show commented that they have been “looking” for a replacement for two or three years, when does their plan become a bit more aggressive? Is just “looking” how CBS prepares for the future?

How is CBS preparing a replacement? Without any visible prospects of a competent host in the near horizon, will the Price is Right take the same downward spin as the news department?

Gator Nation

The University of Florida has moved beyond the common mission statement and has identified the Gator Nation, another vehicle designed to communicate the beliefs, actions, and successes of the University of Florida.

Here is the transcript from the Gator Nation television commercial (click to view)

GO GATORS
GO GATORS
GO GATORS
GO GATORS

GO start a Fortune 500 company

GO write the great American novel

GO cure cancer

GO to Mars

GO GATORS

There is no bond stronger than the one formed when you become a member of the Gator Nation. It identifies who and what we are, and this network knows no boundaries.

Act Boldly

"One thing the Marine Corps teaches is that it’s better to be doing something than doing nothing. If you stay where you are, you’re in the position where your enemy wants you to be. If you start doing something, you are changing the rules of the game."

- General Peter Pace, U.S. Marine Corps

This quote is printed in Mark Sanborn’s book, You Don’t Need A TITLE To Be A LEADER. Regardless if you are a NESS Liaison, Instructional Coach or even a New Educator, there are many obligations that happen everyday that can easily be turned around into opportunities.

Is it easier to watch or act?

Questions Make Life Interesting

House on FX does a wonderful job of modeling the use of high order questions. Even with predictable story arcs, House does not accept the obvious, and is always looking for more. Throughout the show, Dr. Gregory House riddles question that would make any teacher proud. “What is the relationship between? What ideas justify? Suppose you could ___ what would you do? Can you predict the outcome if? Based on what you know, how would you explain? What information would you use to support the view?”

Not to put House M.D., out of business, but how can questioning skills lead to self-improvement?

Favorite “House” Quotes:
“You can think I'm wrong, but that's no reason to quit thinking.”

“I take risks, sometimes patients die, but not taking risks causes more patients to die - so I guess my biggest problem is I've been cursed with the ability to do the math.”

Greatness

“Greatness…consists of doing great deeds with little means and the accomplishment of vast purposes from the private ranks of life. To be great at all, one must be great here, now in Philadelphia.” Or in Broward County, Or in the Classroom.

--- Russell Conwell, pastor, founder and first president of Temple University

Do we find our work as a collection of Good or Great?

Cheesecake Factory Cooks Up a Rigorous Employee Training Program

How do we compare to Cheesecake? Something to think about while waiting in line for your table.

Each candidate must go through a rigorous two-week certification process before becoming a full-fledged server. Candidates are assigned a mentor for on-the-job training. They observe how experienced servers interact with customers and navigate diverse situations in the restaurant.

At the end of the two weeks, candidates are given examinations and are required to attain a letter grade of A. They are given two attempts to qualify, and if they can’t get that A, they’re not hired.

Thirty days after becoming servers, employees receive follow-up classes. To maintain strict quality control, servers go through a recertification process once a year.

Because many of the company’s workers do not hold predictable 9-to-5 schedules, creating deep, long-lasting company ties can be a tricky undertaking. With this in mind, the Cheesecake Factory gathers employees every day for a formal meeting—a ritual long practiced by Ritz-Carlton. The sessions serve as a platform for talking about a variety of issues—from the best ways to keep the stores clean to safety tips to celebrating special events.

One way the company measures its return on investment is by examining turnover rates, which are about 15 percent below the industry average of 106 percent.

How rigorous is your Orientation compare to Cheesecake?

Click here for the complete article : )

Vampire Principle

Did you know…Vampires can enter a private residence only if invited; otherwise they will hit an invisible barrier. Once invited, the Vampire is always free to enter.

Vampires need to be invited. How thoughtful! Many actually believe that inviting Support is considered difficult. Granted Coaches are not Vampires, however Coaches are more effective if invited than forced.