At the end of each calendar year, I look back over my blogs and podcasts to revisit a concept that continues to spark my reflection on what we could be doing. Often it connects to not practicing what we know would be better. Two short videos by Shelley Moore connected me to a podcast and a blog that I produced earlier. I think you’ll appreciate the reflection that she generates and find the connections in my messages.
Listen to Moore identify the dilemma that’s created when we plan instruction for those “on level.” How is it like hitting the head pin when bowling?
In my podcast,Focus Teaching and Coaching on People – Not Averages, my exploration of why remediation doesn’t provide the support that struggling learners need, aligns with Moore’s reasoning for not planning for learning “down the middle.”
In another video, The End of Average, Shelly Moore examines the value of moving from our study of the “average” student to a focus on the range of what students bring to the learning process. What are their stories and histories?
In my podcast, Variability is the Norm, Not the Exception, I stress that each student has a unique set of strengths, challenges, and learning preferences, what Todd Rose refers to as “jagged profiles.” These profiles recognize that people vary across many dimensions, and even if they may appear “average” in one area, they may excel or struggle in others. (True of teachers as well as students)
Instructional coaches and school leaders need to plan our approaches with teachers to address their jagged edges and avoid professional development activities focused on the middle (the head pin).
