“My Professional Development Happens on Twitter”

By Ryan Manning – If you own a computer, which I’m pretty sure you do, since you’re reading this, you’ve probably noticed the massive trend of YouTube videos that document “Things a specific population (for instance: white girls, grandmothers, carnival workers, etc.) Say” which comically attempt to comment using sweeping generalizations about whatever subgroup they feel an expert on. Some of them are funny, especially if you can relate to them. Some of them aren’t really. But that’s how the internet works most of the time.

From the early days of the listserv, many Student Affairs professionals, in an effort to stay current in order to best relate to and meet the needs of the modern college student, have sought to become experts of social media, and many of us use whatever downtime we find in our days to update our Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or what have you, accounts. We also have a knack for scouring the internet for hilarious YouTube videos and sharing them with everyone we know, typically other Student Affairs professionals. We have real jobs that keep of busy most of the time, I promise.

So, it ought to come as no surprise that this new string of videos caught on pretty quickly in student affairs circles, partially to share and laugh about, but eventually to also use as teaching tools. What are we doing to help our students realize why the content of a “Things Girls say to Gay Men” video is worthy of so many head shakes? It’s a great way to frame conversations about stereotypes, multicultural competence, or just thinking before you speak. Ideally, this is why we’re on YouTube so much. I encourage more educators to take this approach, familiarize yourselves with today’s hot topics, and find ways to use them in your day-to-day work with students.

But that’s not really why we’re on YouTube so much.

We’re also on YouTube to find out that there are videos like “Stuff RAs Say,” “Stuff Resident Directors Say,” and “Stuff Student Affairs Professionals Say.” Needless to say, I find these videos more hilarious than anything. It’s been great to share “Stuff RAs Say” with my friends who were RAs with me in college and laugh about how, even four years later, we still can laugh about waking up in the middle of the night imagining that the duty pager is going off.

At a recent staff meeting with my current RA staff, one of my RAs wondered, “Someone I’ve never met today told me that they could tell I was an RA just because I used the term ‘active listening.’ Is that an RA thing to say?”

I couldn’t help but laugh and think about how unique of an experience it is to be an RA, or any student leader on campus. Then I went back on YouTube and watched Stuff Hall Directors Say to RAs, to laugh some more. It shows you that while my work as an RD can be grueling at times, especially given the massive spike in alcohol, drug, and mental health-related crises around the country, laughter really is the best medicine. And nothing makes me laugh more than thinking about how often i utter the phrase, “so how does that make you feel?”

So that’s why nearly everyone you know who works in student affairs tweets more than you think is humanly possible while still having a full-time job. For the most part, social medial is an amazing tool for those of us in higher education to connect and share ideas and best practices for the wide variety of institutions that we work at, from large to small, urban to rural, and I can imagine that it could be used the same for K-12 educators and administrators. And by better understanding the ways in which our students communicate and the messages that they are receiving, we are better equipped to help deliver the most comprehensive out-of-class education possible.

But, we also just like watching hilarious videos.

Criticize (Educational) Things You Don’t Know About — NOT!

By Bill Henk – Because my last handful of posts have been lighter in tone, it’s time for some “hard-charging, heavy hitting, pull-no-punches, take-no-prisoners, go for broke” educational commentary.

In other words, I won’t write about cats or snow days or my rusty teaching or Santa’s Naughty List or our Marquette winter commencement celebration.

Besides, there’s lots happening in the state politically around education that appears to be calling for some expert perspective.  Most significantly, Governor Walker announced an Education Reform package with three key foci:  Educator Effectiveness, School Accountability, and the Read to Lead program.  Respectively, the proposed legislative actions would:

• establish a framework for a teacher and principal evaluation based 50% on student outcomes and 50% on educator practice
• create a system whereby schools will be measured on multiple measures of  “growth and proficiency,” and will require them to display report cards on their website and distribute the information to parents whose children are entering the district.
• require all students to be pre-screened for kindergarten, and  all teachers graduating from elementary education programs to take a more rigorous licensure exam beginning in 2013-14.

If you want to learn more, here are some links to:  the release of the Wheeler report, the report itself, and the related statement by State Superintendent Tony Evers.

So, What Do I Think?

To be honest, I haven’t had time to read the report, so I’ll have to withhold my reaction for another day.  Otherwise, I’d be guilty myself of criticizing things I don’t know about.  Plus, I’m not sure I have the energy right now to deconstruct the initiatives anyway.

I will say that the 50% student outcomes metric for evaluating teacher effectiveness gives me pause, and I’m not personally thrilled with subjecting aspiring teachers to what I imagine will be yet another expensive paper-and-pencil exercise.  When it comes to qualifying to become a teacher, application in the classroom is the litmus test.  I’ll wait to see what the exam looks like, though, before making any final judgment.

And I’ll also say that, generally speaking, I can’t think of a single thing that occurs in classrooms at any level that I’d want to see legislated.

Even with these preliminary reservations, I’m willing to give all of these Wisconsin initiatives the benefit of the doubt.  Some could prove to be very good.  And of course, some may be dreadful.  Time will tell.

I want to be clear here that all of the aforementioned Wisconsin reforms appear to have benefited from input by individuals with expert knowledge.  But trust me when I tell you that I could share with you a list of questionable educational reforms, much too long to note  here, that have been driven by amateurs-at-best.  Equally important, there is NOTHING funny about any of these endeavors because they impact school children.

We Don’t Get No Respect

Either way, thinking about the reforms does give rise to a sentiment I’ve been feeling strongly for a long time, so that’s what I’ll write about here.  The concise and objective version is that too often educators at all levels are not treated like professionals.  The more resentful and pessimistic version pertains to how frequently individuals and groups who are not particularly expert about education can still impose their collective will on educational systems — whether it’s ultimately good for students or not.

Tuesday Trivia — January 24, 2012

Where and what is this?!?

Claim your chance to win by leaving the correct answer in the comments section below anytime today between 7am – 6pm. And don’t be afraid to play, even if someone has already posted the right answer! One winner will be randomly selected from ALL correct answers after the close of business and announced the following day.  The winner will be posted on our Facebook page and notified by email.  Please note that you must have a valid email address listed in your comment or WordPress profile to win.

________________________________

How much do YOU know about Marquette University and the College of Education?
Test your knowledge every Tuesday during Tuesday Trivia!

A Little Life Advice for a First Year Teacher

By Nick McDaniels – Hopefully, as we enter the second half of the school year, many first year teachers are beginning to feel comfortable in their teacher skin, are beginning to gain some traction in making up for mistakes made early in the year, and are developing a system of planning and grading that allows for more free time at home.

If you are a first year teacher and you still feel completely overwhelmed, stop reading now, bookmark this post, and read it during the summer. If you are feel like you are getting the hang of it, here is a little bit of advice that will make you navigate the personal side of your career.

Most people will tell young teachers that they need to find a way to balance work with personal life so that free time maintains a reality. This is important. But mid-way through the first year, I see this as the perfect opportunity to begin making your professional and personal contacts who will help you in the future.  As the saying goes, it’s not what you know…

Here’s the list of people to know in a school system to make sure your professional life is making your personal life better. By knowing the names and contact information of these people, you will be able to fire off emails and get immediate responses when you have questions about various topics, rather than bouncing around on automated phone menus and between central office voicemails, before finally reaching the person you need to talk to. Take some time and learn how to contact:

1) The person who handles certification either for the state or your school district so you know exactly how to apply for recertification when the time comes.

2) The person who handles tuition reimbursement for graduate coursework if your district offers it. This is a typically complicated process, so know the right person can save you some time.

3) Your teacher’s union representative in case you have an issue that needs to be rectified.

4) The person who manages your health, dental, and vision insurance for your school district as this is something that will  need to be updated anytime you get married, have a child, etc…

5) The person who handles tenure for either your state or school district to ensure that you are granted tenure as soon as you are eligible.

6) The person who manages your sick time/vacation time/maternity leave for the unlikely event that you may have to be our of the classroom for an extended period of time.

7) The person who manages your payroll in case your check gets messed up for some reason.

8) The person who manages your pension/retirement fund for the event that you would ever leave the district, position, or field and would need to withdrawal/roll-over your funds or in the event that you would like to make changes to your contributions or the way your funds are managed.

Not only will knowing the names and contact information of these people help you, you’d be surprised how much you will be able to help your colleagues who also need to know this information. I cannot overstate the importance of knowing who to contact when you need something, especially as a young teacher. Not only are you dealing with the newness of a career, but many other things in your life are brand new as well, making any help you can get incredibly valuable.

Learning and Teaching About the Loss of a Pet

By Bill Henk – They say that writing can be therapeutic.  Today I hope they’re right. 

They say that a cat has nine lives.  They’re wrong.  They have one.

Where am I going with this?   Well, last night one of our beloved Maine Coon cats, Spock, passed away.  I found him cuddled in our closet in one of his many favorite places to nap.  He looked very peaceful, too peaceful.  When the nudge I gave him got no response, my heart just sank.        

They also say that bloggers should write about what they know, experience, care about, and feel, so that’s what I’m going to do.  Too often I find myself defending my choice of topics as being educational in nature.  I believe that learning and teaching about how to handle the loss of a beloved pet qualifies.  If not, just this once, I don’t care. 

Now my wife and I are faced with the prospect of breaking the sad news to our little daughter.  And we’re both looking for guidance.  We’ve never done this before, and we take the deaths of our pets so hard ourselves that being a source of strength for our little girl won’t come easily.  But somehow we will.   

The twist on this post is that I’m supposed to provide answers in what I write, but all I’ve got right now are questions.  The deed will be done by the time this story goes live, and I know our daughter will survive the experience, but any advice from parents about moving forward with her mourning will be welcome.

New Year’s Resolution Effect

By Jonathon Sumpter – New Year’s resolutions, to me, seem to be more about what was rather than what may be. December 31′s ideas of gyms, carrots, and making more money turn into spending more money on carrot cake and Slim Jims (which has nothing to do with my own slimness), right around January 7th at 6am.

The New Year has become more about past regret and shame than future hopes and dreams. Maybe this is the New Year’s Resolution Effect, or, maybe I’m just cynical.

As I enter my final semester of my Masters program during the New Year, I find my head crooking backwards and forwards all at once. All the decisions that I have made that got me here have come under fire, as the “real world” knocks at my consciousness. Am I prepared,  will I pass the licensing tests, will I be able to support my family? The future is not here yet, but I seem to be anticipating the future with a lens shaded by the past. Will I be as successful in my future endeavors as my past, or was this all for not?

Just like New Years’ Resolutions, I’m seeing all that was not, rather than what can be. Instead of thoughts like, did I pay enough attention in Dr. Melchert’s Theories class, or did I take full advantage of supervision; I should be looking forward. I would venture a guess that the majority of my classmates are simply ready to be at May 19th, walking across to accept their diploma. However, I don’t know who all are really ready to jump into a career. I say I am. But, there is always a hesitance, a slight trepidation. So I set goals, or resolutions for my future. I will be here at this time, I will be doing this at this time, I will have it all figured out by then. But this is too future oriented for my comfort as well.

Even though the future is about to knock, it is not at the door yet. I think I will have to sit and enjoy the “December 31st” feel of my last semester. Not allowing the New Year Resolution Effect of past regret or future pressure press too firmly on myself that I simply “snoozing” through the present, just like  on January 7th at 6 am.

There’s plenty of time to worry, there’s plenty of time to be accomplished, right now, I’ll just be a student for a little while longer. This New Year will come one day at a time, I might as well do that too.

Tuesday Trivia — January 17, 2012

Welcome back!  Hope you all had a nice and relaxing break.

Now, it’s time to get back to work!

After so much time off, let’s exercise our minds, shall we?  Who knows the answer to the riddle below:

What is home to 11,000+ humans and is 93 acres, large, but could also sometimes be know as Pere, and was born in Laon, France 400 years ago 

What/ Who is it?!?

 

Claim your chance to win by leaving the correct answer in the comments section below anytime today between 7am – 6pm. And don’t be afraid to play, even if someone has already posted the right answer! One winner will be randomly selected from ALL correct answers after the close of business and announced the following day.  The winner will be posted on our Facebook page and notified by email.  Please note that you must have a valid email address listed in your comment or WordPress profile to win.

________________________________

How much do YOU know about Marquette University and the College of Education?
Test your knowledge every Tuesday during Tuesday Trivia!

At the Summit, but it’s not all downhill from here

By Ryan Manning – I feel slightly obliged (and excited) to start this post off with the usual New Year’s pleasantry. Welcome to 2012 everyone! I hope, two weeks in to the new year, that we haven’t given up on our resolutions just yet. I for one have essentially cut refined sugar out of my diet, it’s been intense, but I’m sort of loving it. I’ve also taken up some painting, nothing of Monet quality, but I like having a new hobby.

But now, back to my job…

The first two weeks of January within Resident Life here on campus can be summed up in two words: Retreat Season. From what I can tell, nearly every division within the department takes a half or full day to get together early in the semester (and in the summer too) to renew relationships and get energized for the coming semester. Also, on Wednesday, the entire department spent the day at our winter retreat known as “Summit” (in reference to the top of a mountain to signify the halfway point of the year, not the fancy meeting of high-ranking officials. I clarify because my life’s ambition is to attend a summit meeting, so you can imagine how my hopes were dashed at the realization that this was not that kind of summit.).

As the only member of the department with experience at a Jesuit institution, the word “retreat” brings to mind a lot of  images of guided reflection, goal setting, team-builders and camping-like conditions. So, you probably can understand that when I learned that we weren’t going to a cabin, and we wouldn’t need to remember  to wear closed-toed shoes for ropes course activities, or anything like that, I was a little confused.

My first retreat of the year, for the professional staff working in the South Campus residence halls, took place in a swanky conference room in the Journalism building on campus, followed by a trip down to DC for a guided tour of the U.S. Capitol building. The day’s activities didn’t necessarily focus on reflection,  like I was expecting, but instead were centered on the topic of decision-making and leadership. In our jobs, we are all forced to make tough decisions that may be unpopular with the people they impact, or we may need to compromise our personal goals and values to meet the best interests of those whom we need to serve. We were able to talk to professionals with a wide array of experiences, from the National Mall to McKeldin Mall (the mall on the Maryland Campus, which flanks a number of academic and student affairs-related buildings. It got me really energized to get back to work and feel confident in the decisions I’d be making in my job.

Summit had a similar format, but with 5 times as many staff members from across Resident Life. Instead of meeting with a panel of experts, we had the choice of 4 sessions, all related to the shifting landscape of higher education: with college being so expensive, is it still a good investment? I attended a session with the Director of Undergraduate Admissions about how out student demographics will be changing drastically over the next few years. The afternoon consisted of a ton of loosely structured social activities, from Bingo to board games to a bake-off all designed to help the staff relax in preparation for a grueling semester, and for us to building stronger social connections.

Coming into these retreats, I sort of questioned how exactly these could qualify as “retreats” in the student affairs sense. To prove my point to myself, I looked up retreat in the dictionary, and the first words I saw were “a place for retirement, sanctuary.”  So, I may have been sort of off base thinking that some good old Jesuit reflection would be the best way to get focused on the spring (though I certainly do a lot of that on my on, especially with my new artistic hobbies). Instead of looking at goal-setting and planning, which we already do so much of, we were able to focus on one of the most important reasons why I come to work every day: we love our co-workers and we can consistently feel supported by them.

And that’s when I sort of understood why we called it “Summit.” To get down the mountain, you have to go downhill, and if you’re anything like me, walking downhill probably means tripping and falling a good chunk of the way. Even if I set a goal for myself to not fall, no amount of planning will probably make that happen (just like no amount of planning can keep something unexpected at work from getting the best of you sometimes). Sometimes, it’s more important to make sure you have someone to help you stand back up one you’re down than it is to think about how you can’t let yourself fall.

So, the next time you’re planning a meeting to talk about next steps or your vision for the future with whatever team you consider yourself a part of, ask yourself: “maybe we should just go bowling or something instead.”

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

By Bill Henk – If you’re wondering what would possess me to write about snow on an education blog, the answer is simple.  Why, SNOW DAYS, of course!

Yessir, the forecast for today calls for the first significant snowfall of the winter.   It’s been long in coming this year, which is fine by me, because I’m not a big fan of trying  to clear the white stuff in general let alone large amounts of it.

But I digress.  Let’s just agree that writing  about snow days is perfectly fitting for an education blog, particularly on the advent of a major winter stormfront.  So here goes.

Part of Something Big: Breaking World Records

By Stephanie Rappe – Before our Christmas break the entire 3^rd grade class went on a field trip to the US Cellular Area. The field trip was called Read it to Beat it.

The purpose for this field trip was to break the Guinness Book of World Record of having the most students reading together in the same place for the longest period of time. Our goal was to break the existing record, which was set in Korea and consisted of over 4,000 students reading together for 30 minutes.

The radio DJ, Van McNeal was there to help get the students pumped up to read. They played fun music and had the kids dancing and singing along. They had fun Milwaukee mascots roaming around such as Bernie the Brewer, the Milwaukee Wave man, and Bongo from the Milwaukee Bucks. The energy dance team, as well as well famous people like Ryan Grant from the Green Bay Packers, the Mayor, and Craig Counsel from the Milwaukee Brewers were all there to read along with the students. There were three read alouds that were projected onto the jumbo screen so that the kids could read along out loud with the celebrity reader. They had a presentation from the Audubon Nature Center who brought out large birds and showed them to the students. There was also a theatrical performance that the kids enjoyed.