Education Info Database: November 2011

Sunday, November 27, 2011

A brand statement will help your cover letter or resume stand out from thousands of others! In this series of blog postings, I will share information with you taken from leading personal branding expert and career advancement coach, Robert Allen Paul, and his �Company Of One� presentation at Buena Vista University. I would recommend his valuable message to every student. (Part I: Your Brand Part II: Core Competencies Part III: Brand Attributes Part IV: Brand Identity Part V: Brand Promise Part VI: Brand Vision)

Part VII: Brand Loyalty + Brand Equity:

What Will You Do To Attract and Keep Customers?
By now, you probably have a pretty clear understanding of what you do, how you do it and the benefits to your potential �customers.� The only thing left to do is to go out and there and get them!

This is where the principles of Brand Loyalty and Brand Equity come into play. Both are critical in attracting the attention of prospective employers. Both are instrumental in securing interviews. Both are invaluable in launching and advancing your career. But while both relate to the way you manage your professional relationships, in some ways, they are polar opposites.

Brand Loyalty vs. Brand EquityWe can all think of a simple definition of the word �loyalty.� But how would you define �equity�? It�s not a word you hear that often, but when you do, it�s usually in financial circles. That�s because equity refers to a sense or condition of ownership; ownership resulting from some sort of investment.

And that is the defining difference between Brand Loyalty and Brand Equity. Brand Loyalty is a measure of how willing the customer is to do business with you again. Brand Equity is a measure of how much the customer is willing to invest �in time, thought, effort or money� in order to do business with you.

Brand equity is the ultimate goal of every smart marketer (and every job hunter).

How can you apply these two principles in order to attract the attention of potential employers and advance your personal career? It�s actually easier and more common than you think. Let�s start with Brand Loyalty.

Brand Loyalty
There are a million customer loyalty programs out there and most of them fail. Because most of them aren�t based on any understanding of customers or loyalty. Contrary to popular practice, you don�t build loyalty by getting customers to invest more in your brand. You build brand loyalty by investing in your customer. No one understands this better than your average non-profit organization, so we will use one to help illustrate this point.

Frequent Flyer Miles vs. Free Address Labels
Free fares and class upgrades can be pretty appealing if you do a lot of traveling. Frequent Flyer programs are pretty much alike � they allow you to earn points for every mile you fly with them. After you�ve flown about 35,000 miles (and spent several thousand dollars), you get one free round-trip ticket anywhere they fly (as long as you don�t want to fly anytime that normal people would want to fly).

Now, there�s nothing really wrong with this loyalty program. Unless you count the fact that it doesn�t inspire loyalty. Are you any more likely to choose that particular airline for your next trip than any other airline with a similar program? Of course not. Because instead of earning your loyalty, they are forcing you to earn their reward. And by the time they deliver, you�ll probably feel like they owe you much more.

Compare that complicated program to the simple solicitations we all get from organizations like the American Lung Association. Once a year, I open my mailbox to find a fat, little envelope from the ALA. Inside is a letter about all the good they are doing �and some address labels with my name.

Why? You already know why. Because donations from consumers who receive some little trinket first are about five times that of consumers who get the letter alone. That�s why.

Most human beings are hardwired to seek balance and order. If someone gives you something �if someone invests in you �then, more often than not, you feel a need to reciprocate. When I get those cute little address labels, I can�t resist the urge to write a check. Even if it�s just for five dollars. Even if I�ll never actually use the address labels.

What�s true for fund raising is also true for job hunting. If you want a better return on your investment, then you must first invest in the prospect. How?

Start by doing your homework. Learn a little about the person you are approaching, the company you are pursuing, and the challenges they are facing. Then include that knowledge in your cover letter.

Which reminds me: Put it on paper. In an age when most candidates just click the Apply button and transmit an e-copy of their online profile, printing and mailing a real, live letter and resume can really help you stand out! Employers receive dozens of resumes every week, but do you know how many of them come via US Mail? Maybe half a dozen per year.

If you do nothing more than upload your resume to a corporate website, it doesn�t show much interest on your part. But if you take the time to learn a name, study the company, read the job posting, write a letter, print it on paper and pay for a postage stamp, then you have made a real investment in the position �and you might be owed something in return.

That doesn�t necessarily mean you will get the job. But it may mean someone will be more likely to pick up the phone when you make your follow up call. And that is when you start building Brand Equity.

Brand EquityAs was said before, you develop Brand Loyalty by investing in the customer, but you build Brand Equity by getting the customer to invest in you. The tricky part is figuring out how to earn that investment. There are three basic methods: You can require it, you can request it or you can borrow it. If you are job hunting, you are most likely to employ the last two, but we will cover appropriate applications for all three approaches.

Require ItDepending upon how much chutzpah (nerve) you have, you can always develop brand equity by simply demanding it.

Even if you haven�t been shopping for cars, you are probably familiar with both Hyundai and Toyota. If so, you probably know that the average Hyundai costs considerably less than the average Toyota. But did you know that many Hyundai vehicles have more features and options than their Toyota counterparts? Did you know that Hyundai has won just as many awards? Or that Hyundai vehicles also come with a longer warranty? It�s all true. So, why does Toyota outsell Hyundai by such a huge margin? Maybe Hyundais just don�t cost enough.

Remember the Two-Thirds Rule for developing brand attributes? You can�t be all things to all people. When Hyundai promotes Quality, Reliability and Value, consumers think it�s too good to be true �and start looking for reasons not to buy. On the other hand, Toyota focuses its marketing on Quality and Reliability. Period. Even during their annual Toyotathon events, advertising rarely features specific pricing. They figure if you want quality and reliability, you know you�ll have to pay for it. And you do.

So, requiring someone to invest more in your services often leads them to believe they are worth more.

This approach isn�t just about pricing, it�s just as applicable to other capital your consumers can invest. If you force a prospective employer to rearrange their schedule or drive half way across town for an interview, it implies that you are in demand and they may feel fortunate to be included in your schedule.

Of course, if you are a recent college graduate seeking your first career position, you may not possess the credentials (or confidence) to require that prospective employers make a major investment in recruiting you. In fact, in today�s economic climate, if you are an experienced superstar, you still might not have the daring to draw a line in the sand. But at some point this approach may become more appropriate, so it�s important that you understand the underlying principles.

Request ItOne of the easiest ways to get others to invest in you and help you advance you career is to simply asking them to invest a little time and assist you in your career planning. And one of your best tactics is the Informational Interview.

Asking professionals in your chosen field to discuss key issues and ideas not only uncovers clues to the future and potential opportunities, but requires them to spend a fair amount of time and effort explaining themselves and educating you. Having made that kind of personal investment, they don�t want to see it go to waste and will be more likely to choose you over others if a position presents itself. It�s why so many of the college graduates hired by major employers are prior participants in their internship programs.

When your informational interview is drawing to a close, don�t forget to ask them to invest just a little more by providing you with a professional referral. Thank you so much. This has been very insightful. Is there anyone else you think I should meet? If they actually refer you to a professional associate, they become a personal reference for you �and that�s the first step in borrowing brand equity.

Borrow ItIf neither of the first two approaches seems to work for you, your third option may be to borrow some brand equity.

If you happen to work for a recognizable organization, its reputation is automatically transferred onto you, and in most cases, it�s a blessing. The instant credibility that working for a good company creates is usually far greater than any you could earn on your own.

If you don�t work for a well-known or well-respected company (and as a student or new college grad, you probably don�t), you can still borrow brand equity from others -whether other people or institutions (like your college and its alumni). The credibility established through a personal recommendation or association trumps the credibility of even the largest corporation.

When we talk about �borrowing brand equity,� what we are really talking about is networking. I don�t mean networking in a personal, passive, Facebook sort-of-way. I mean networking in a professional, proactive, productive sort-of-way.

Even today, in the age of the Internet, experts estimate that about 80%of all available positions are filled through networking and referral. Your friends and family are still four times more powerful than any website (including Monster.com). Start by asking everyone you know if they know anyone else in your chosen field. It doesn�t matter what company or position that second person might be in, as long as they are employed in your field. You won�t believe how many people you know actually know someone else you ought to know.

Ask the person you know for the contact info of the person they know and if it�s okay to mention their name. They�ll say �yes,� of course.

Now sit down at your laptop and type up a quick letter of introduction to request an informational interview. Since this person doesn�t know you, you will want to establish a little credibility up front by borrowing the brand equity of the person who referred you. Maybe something like �You don�t know me. We�ve never met. But your niece, Jenny Jenson, thinks we should.�

Then you can share some of the personal branding info you�ve already developed, including your career objective and a request to discuss your options when they have time. Since your new contact is already vested in a relationship with the person who referred you, they are much more likely to invest a few minutes in meeting (and helping) you.

If you will remember to ask for another referral at the conclusion of all of your referral conversations, you will be on your way to dozens of meetings and building a real business network. Before you know it, one of those interviews will turn into a real opportunity and that opportunity will turn into a real career.

Best of all, you won�t have to do it alone. Instead of just posting your resume a hundred times and hoping for the best, you will have a hundred people invested in you and doing their best to help you find your way.

These are just a few of the ways you can develop personal brand equity with career contacts and prospective employers. I am sure you can think of many more. Just remember: Your ultimate goal is to promote such extreme loyalty they wouldn�t dream of doing business with anyone else.

Next up: Creating Your Brand Statement: Brand Statement

Standing Out in the Crowd: Creating Your Brand Statement: Part VI - Brand Vision

Standing Out in the Crowd: Creating Your Brand Statement: Part V - Brand Promise

Standing Out in the Crowd: Creating Your Brand Statement: Part IV - Brand Identity

A brand statement will help your cover letter or resume stand out from thousands of others! In the next several blog postings, I will share information with you taken from leading personal branding expert and career advancement coach, Robert Allen Paul, and his �Company Of One� presentation at Buena Vista University. I would recommend his valuable message to every student. (Part I: Your Brand Part II: Core Competencies Part III: Brand Attributes): Part IV: Brand Identity:

Who Are Your Customers? What Do They Think You Do?
Understanding what you really do and how you do it differently provides you with an advantage when it comes to communicating key benefits to your �customers�. But who are your customers?

Traditionally, a customer �or consumer �is usually defined as anyone who uses or could possibly use your product or service. But in branding, the definition of a consumer also includes all of those who couldn�t or wouldn�t. Because even those consumers who are unlikely to become your customer (or employer) have some influence over those who might. They all participate in creating what marketers refer to as your Brand Identity; which is something different from simple Brand Recognition.

Brand Identity vs. Brand Recognition
What is the difference between Brand Recognition and Brand Identity? Let�s use a party analogy. You go to a party, you see an attractive person, and you walk up to them and introduce yourself with some Brand Advertising: �Hi, I�m (name) and I�m an awesome date.� So they say, �Hmmm. (Name)? I think I�ve heard of you.� That�s Brand Recognition. Now imagine you go to a party, you see an attractive person, you walk up to them and say �Hi, I�m (name).�
Then they say �Oh? You�re (name)? I hear you�re an awesome date.� That�s Brand Identity.

See the difference? Brand Identity isn�t based on what you say about yourself, but on what the consumer is likely to say about you. And, just as with brand positioning, your brand identity isn�t built in the marketplace. It�s built in the mind of the consumer. It consists of more than just the ability to recall your brand name. It consists of the consumer�s 360 degrees experience with your brand �personally and otherwise. In fact, it�s possible to develop a brand identity with all sorts of consumers who�ve never done business with you.

Every year, the Harris organization conducts what they call their Best Brand Survey. It�s a national poll of approximately 3,500 consumers that consists of just one question:
�We would like you to think about brands or names of products and services you know. Considering everything, which three brands do you consider the best?�

Can you guess which brand tops the list? According to American consumers, the best brand in America was Sony. For seven years running. That�s impressive performance by any standard. But what�s even more impressive is that there were years in which the percentage of consumers who named Sony as a best brand was greater than the percentage of consumers who actually own any Sony product.

In other words, you don�t have to have personal experience with a brand to have a definite opinion about that brand.
It can be disturbing to discover that people you don�t know �and who don�t know you �may still have an opinion of you. But that�s the way brand identity works; one impression or observation or interpretation at a time.

If I cut my hair or lose weight. If I�m ten minutes early or two minutes late. The clothes I wear. The car I drive. The way I answer the phone. The way I sign my emails. The way I treat my colleagues or my mother or the students in my class. Every little thing I say or do �or don�t say or don�t do �all make a little deposit in the identity account that exists in the mind of my consumer.

So, to those who might tell you the little things don�t matter, I�d say the little things do matter. More often than not, building positive brand identity is a matter of managing impressions and word-of-mouth.

Next up: Creating Your Brand Statement: Brand Promise

Standing Out in the Crowd: Creating Your Brand Statement - Part III: Brand Attributes

Compatibility Rule: You can�t be tough and gentle. You can�t be spontaneous and strategic. Don�t choose attributes that appear to be in conflict with one another.

Two-Thirds Rule: When buying a product there are usually three primary factors that drive purchasing decisions; however we seldom get all three, so choose based on benefits of the other two. If you�re a new college grad, the primary factors prospective employers consider when choosing candidates are likely Education, Experience and Compensation (Price). So, if you�ve earned good grades from a good school, but have no relevant experience, then you may have to offer prospective employers the benefit of lower compensation. If you�ve graduated cum laude from an Ivy League school and worked several related internships, then employers probably shouldn�t expect you to come cheap. Whatever the three factors are in your category, you need to choose the two you�re going to focus on and forget about the third.

Now, write a list of all the adjectives that describe your professional personality. Think about what each adjective might communicate to your �customers�, then circle two or three that you really like. Read them aloud. Read them again in a different order. Do they sound like you? If so, these are your new brand attributes! Write them down. My Brand Attributes: I am __________, __________, and __________.

Next up: Creating Your Brand Statement: Brand Identity

Standing Out in the Crowd: Creating Your Brand Statement: Part II - Core Competencies

In previous posts about the importance of a personal brand, we concentrated on how to create a personal brand using web tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Now it�s time to create your own personal brand statement. A brand statement will help your cover letter or resume stand out from thousands of others! In the next several blog postings, I will share information with you taken from leading personal branding expert and career advancement coach, Robert Allen Paul, and his �Company Of One� presentation at Buena Vista University. I would recommend his valuable message to every student. (Part I: Your Brand.) Part II: Core Competencies:

What do you do? What you do is best explained as a summary of your accomplishments. Just as on a resume, you skip the list of responsibilities and lead with accomplishments instead. If you think you haven�t done much yet, you need to change the way you think about what you�ve done � shift your perspective!

Defining your professional core competencies is all about discovering your personal strengths; you need to look beyond what you�ve done in school. Consider everything you�ve done in the rest of your life � college and childhood - what other people think you do well. Those things form the foundation of your core competencies.

Are you a sympathetic listener? A great planner? Well organized? A master at getting others to do what you want? There are professional applications for all these personal aptitudes. Think of several things you do well. Ask others who know you what they think. What do your friends and family see as your personal strengths? How about your professors, counselors, or advisors? Now just identify the common denominators.

Are you hearing your strengths as �you always get your work in on time, or early� or �you have odd ideas� or possibly �you seem to like to argue�? Whatever the common denominator might be, consider it a core competency. Regardless of what your personal skill turns out to be, you can turn it into a professional talent. And no matter what your talent may be, there are hundreds of employers who would love to put it to work. Change �odd ideas� into �a talent for delivering unexpected results�. If you like a good argument, then say you have a talent for critical thinking. If you usually beat deadlines, then you have a talent for exceeding expectations.

Discovering your core competency not only provides you with some personal direction, but some professional confidence, too. So, start making a list of all your strengths and successes, and then look for the common denominator. Once you�ve done that, there�s only one thing left to do: Pick one. But only one.

Focus. It�s critical that you focus your core competencies on a single business category and then do everything you can think of to own it. No matter how many things you do �or how well you may do them �people are likely to recognize you for only one.

You can�t be all things to all people. And when you try to promote yourself as a jack of all trades, you come off as the king of none. People (including employers and recruiters) have very specific needs; they don�t want generalists, they need specialists. So, if you want them to believe you can actually solve their problem, then you�re going to have to focus on it. The real impact of focusing on one core competency isn�t exclusion; it�s inclusion. Summarizing your key talent helps everyone who can really use it find you and add you to their list of candidates.
Make that list of achievements and accomplishments; of personal strengths and skills and successes. Then make a note of any common denominators that might point to a central theme. Are you an instigator or instructor? A promoter or problem solver? What seems to happen with projects or positions you make your own?

In 20 words or less, write down what you do - I have a talent for (so the next word should be some sort of active verb like �developing,� �helping,� �creating,� �delivering). Write down a number of different summary sentences. Read them aloud and think about what they really say. Whatever you decide will be fine � as long as it is clear and concise and true.

Next up: Creating Your Brand Statement � Brand Attributes

Standing Out in the Crowd: Creating your brand statement - Part 1: Your Brand

Concentrate on what makes you unique; focus on �different� so you stand out in the crowd.
Identify your unique personal strengths and develop a summary that helps others recognize the professional applications and advantages of those strengths � help employers understand why they might want to read your resume.

This is how to do it:

Your Brand

The first question posed by the branding process (or any prospective employer) is simply: Who are you? The answer becomes your brand. In simplest terms, a brand is really a name, and that�s where you start � with the name you want on your business correspondence.
Every name communicates its own unique characteristics � �serious�, �fun�, �friendly�, �reliable� � and so on. [Some international students take on an English name when they study abroad � perhaps because it�s easier for others to remember. Some keep their name, or use a shorter nickname.]
Just as words have meanings beyond their literal definitions, names are also infused with certain attributes. Whatever name you decide to use, it�s important to choose one that communicates who you really are � or at least who you want to be.
Your first exercise in building your personal brand is to take a few minutes and choose your personal brand. Write out all the possible names under which you could choose to do business and then go ahead and pick one. Write that name after the words �I Am� �and start thinking about who that person is.

Up next: Creating Your Brand Statement: Core Competencies

Saturday, November 26, 2011

To Sleep - Perchance To Dream

Hamlet:
"To sleep, perchance to dream-
ay, there's the rub."

Hamlet (III, i, 65-68)

Its no accident that by Act III of Hamlet, the title character is struggling to maintain his sanity. Not just haunted by his father's ghost, and beset by the machinations of his dysfunctional family, Hamlet is also suffering from serious sleep deprivation. While most of us never have to struggle with "a sea of troubles" like those faced by the Prince of Denmark, busy complex lives are a fact for 21st century learners. Both adults and students alike never seem to have enough time to get everything done. The demands and pressures can lead to disrupted lives where sleep quickly falls to the bottom of the priority list. Too often seen as an expendable optional activity, sleep is actually essential for maintaining good mental health.

Why we sleep is a hotly researched topic. There are many different theories as to why humans sleep. Whether it is to rest or regenerate the brain and body systems, or whether its just a biological quirk, what's not in dispute is that we all need adequate amounts of sleep, and that the amount needed can vary depending upon our age. Ten hours is a pretty good benchmark for school aged children. Slightly more for younger children, slightly less for teens, the amount can vary person to person.

Until the 19th century sleep patterns basically followed the sun. The invention of the electric light bulb changed everything. With lights, television and other electronic distractions available 24/7, sleep time became discretionary and optional. Its little wonder sleep deprivation is a primary source of disrupted learning. The Sleep Research Division at Harvard Medical School reports;

"When persons are sleep deprived, focus, attention, and vigilance drift, making it more difficult to receive information. Without adequate sleep and rest, over-worked neurons can no longer function to coordinate information properly, and people lose their ability to access previously learned information.

In addition, their interpretation of events may be affected. People lose their ability to make sound decisions because they can no longer accurately assess the situation, plan accordingly, and choose the correct behavior. Judgment becomes impaired.

Being chronically tired to the point of fatigue or exhaustion means that a person is less likely to perform well. Neurons do not fire optimally, muscles are not rested, and the body�s organ systems are not synchronized."

Sleep deprivation does not discriminate. Whether one is a learner or a teacher, the need for a good night's rest remains important. Education is a collaborative effort. Whether its exhausted educators or sleep deprived students, the result is still ineffective learning and increased frustration. In a world filled with diversions, new emphasis needs to be put on the importance of a good night's sleep and the discipline people need to exercise to ensure they get it. Adults need to set an example and provide guidelines for children. In her book "Different Learners, Identifying, Preventing and Treating Your Child's Learning Problems", educational psychologist Jane Healy identifies some common sense steps that can assist in ensuring proper sleep levels are achieved. Some of these include:

Modeling appropriate routines - children model their behavior after the adults in their lives
Establishing and sticking to regular bedtimes
Establishing and maintaining a regular sleep routine
Avoiding vigorous, exciting, frightening or highly physical activities directly before trying to go to sleep.
Limiting evening screen time. Computers, cell phones and other electronic media should be turned off and kept out of the sleeping area.
Prior to bedtime face time should trump screen time every time. Engage in calming pleasant activities
Make sleep and self care a top priority.

Although these suggestions are aimed at children they work well for adults too. Ironically, the internet contains dozens if not hundreds of sites with more ideas and information about the need for and value of adequate sleep - just limit your screen time to regular waking hours!

The last of Healy's suggestions might be the hardest, yet most important. Self care cannot be an optional activity, nor can people assume that mind and body will rebound or recalibrate by default or through extended endurance of poor routines. Doing right by ourselves and our students takes planning, commitment and follow through. Or as Polonius might have put it;

"This above all: to thine own self be true". Getting a good night's sleep and helping others to do the same, needs to be a priority for maintaining the health and mental sharpness of all learners.

Friday, November 25, 2011

A Homeschool Perk for which I am Thankful

Seeing how the holidays are times for families to get together, that also means an unexpected bonus -- grandparents who are willing and eager to babysit. So my husband and I have had a rare gift of quiet time for just the two of us. While the kids dragged their grandparents off to a jumpy place, we spent some time having a few of those conversations that never seem to occur when children are present. It is often difficult to discuss real world matters (or even household matters) while enduring the constant barrage of "Mommy, Mommy... Daddy, Daddy" followed by a need for assistance, arbitration or refereeing. This was followed by a delicious dinner at an Italian restaurant with white tablecloths and excellent service. It is amazing the dining experience one can have when there is not a french fry or chicken nugget to be had on the menu... but alas that is a topic for another blog entry.

Now we are indulging in the luxury of relaxing in a quiet, local coffee shop. This may very well be bliss. I understand that Black Friday to many means elbowing through the masses at unholy, early hours fighting for a great deal. Personally, I would rather have every strand of hair on my head pulled out one by one until I was bald. There is nothing that I either wanted or needed so badly that would justify getting up at "O' Dark Early" and standing in a line waiting for a store to open. Give me a laptop and an Amazon Lightning Deal any day, if I need to feel a part of the Black Friday shopping frenzy.

So while I am lounging on a comfy sofa, sipping a Salted Carmel Mocha Latte, I got a little contemplative. Ahh, this is the life. We have so very much to be thankful for and are truly blessed. But those of you who have been following my blog, know better than to expect a list of true, actual blessings. There has to be some sarcasm or something less "touchy-feely" somewhere, right?

Well, thanks for your indulgence. I do have a "lesser" blessing which is a real perk of homeschooling to be thankful for this season. One of the most spectacularly wonderful perks of homeschooling is not being intimately tied to an alarm clock. Having most days begun by the horrendous screech of an alarm clock since I was about eleven years old, this is pretty revolutionary. We still have alarm clocks and I even use them (especially for early morning basketball games), but my life does not revolve around the alarm clock. Hallelujah!

If we are up late for a good reason, for no reason or for any reason at all, we simply start our school day when we wake up. Georgia does not have a homeschool police that will haul you off to the local public school if you don't start your school work by 8:00 a.m.. You've gotta love that!

Tuesday, my daughter was taking a children's cooking class on pies and pastries at Whole Foods. This did necessitate the use of an alarm clock to ensure that we were there by 9:15. We passed by the kids' old private school on the way to Whole Foods. We could see all the extra cars in the parking lot for Grandparents' Day. While it is a lovely tradition, I always resented having to get the kids up at 6:30 to be at school for such a short day. We were usually in the car on our way home by 10:00 a.m. from the early dismissal. It hardly seemed worth the gas and fighting Atlanta traffic to get there before 8:00. Well, not this year!

Another euphoric moment surrounding not being tied to the alarm clock occurs every week at my seven year old's basketball practice. His practice starts at 7:30. After practice, we walk in the door just a little before 9:00 p.m. with a dirty, sweaty, little boy who is wound-up, hungry (again) and in need of a bath. If he had to be up the next morning by 6:30, I would be a stressed, frantic mom, foaming at the mouth while screaming, "Get to bed!" about every twelve seconds. Not this year! I don't resent the program or coach, I don't complain to everyone within ear shot that this is simply too late for little kids on a school night. My son gets to bed when he gets to bed -- clean and fed (yet again). I just let him sleep until he wakes up the next morning.

This is a revolutionary lifestyle for me! Homeschoolers, by the very nature of what they are doing are bucking "the system." They are stepping outside the norm and doing things in a whole new way. But little did I know that homeschooling was going to be such a radical change of the way we had always lived our lives up til now. I am truly grateful to step away from the necessity of a daily alarm clock.

Be honest, how many of your children are grumpy and miserable when they have to be awoken by an alarm clock??? We made jokes all last year about how my daughter could appear on a new Nick show called "iSnarly" because she was so very grumpy in the mornings after the alarm when off. Last year, she left for school grumpy and returned home exhausted. It is a true perk to see my child at times when she is not tired and grumpy.

I am only sorry that my husband is still forced to begin the majority of his days with an alarm clock. The good news is that it does go off later now than when we had to get the kids to school. But sadly, he still has to use it. I feel guilty when he is forced to get up and hop in the shower while I am still dozing or giving our dog the attention she constantly craves while I am still warm and snug under the covers. I genuinely feel guilty, but not so guilty as to set my own alarm clock. After all, having been raised Catholic, I can live with some guilt.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

College Campuses Featured in Movies

Cinema has a very particular way of making us suspend disbelief, and we love it and even call it entertainment. Movies about college in particular may seem to test our suspension of disbelief because of all the crazy antics that happen in typical college films. In any case, several of these films about attending a university usually feature a particular campus. There are some universities that have been featured more often than others, for one reason or another.

University of Toronto

This college campus has been featured in a ton of movies. The setting for more popular movies like Time Traveler's Wife, Mean Girls, Tommy Boy, Good Will Hunting, and The Bride of Chucky, the University of Toronto tends to end up featured in the movie theater quite a bit. There are also several films that are not as popular, such as Shadowland, Take the Lead, The Prince and Me, and Paper Chase, which had scenes take place at this popular university.

University of British Columbia

It seems that Canada's colleges are used as movie sets a lot, because the University of British Columbia was the site for such movies as Good Luck Chuck, She's the Man, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Butterfly Effect, Perfect Score, and The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Several television shows were also filmed there, including the Smallville series and Battlestar Galactica.

Harvard University

Something you may not know about Harvard is that it is the oldest educational institution in the United States, founded in 1636. This historic site lent itself to movie sets for films like Love Story and The Great Debaters, but that was the last movie filmed on Harvard's actual campus because the university prohibited filming on its grounds. Movies wanting to portray Harvard were only allowed to shoot in look-alike locations instead of on campus. Legally Blonde and Across the Universe were just a few of the films not allowed to record their scenes on campus.

University of Southern California

Everyone knows that the University of Southern California, better known as USC, always ends up portrayed in films. However, the college does not always "play" itself; some movies portray the college as Oxford or the aforementioned Harvard. Being John Malkovich, Forrest Gump, Young Frankenstein, and What Women Want were all filmed on the USC campus.

University of California, Los Angeles

Of course the University of California, Los Angeles, or UCLA, would be the subject of many films. In fact, this university is at the top of the list when it comes to being featured in the most films. Since it is situated so close to Hollywood, using UCLA for a college film makes sense. Films like Erin Brockovich, American Pie, Old School, The Nutty Professor, and How High all feature UCLA as its campus. Several television shows also use UCLA for their set, like Alias, The O.C., and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Columbia University

Not to be confused with the aforementioned University of British Columbia, this campus has been featured in several films, such as August Rush, The Mirror Has Two Faces, Mona Lisa Smile, Anger Management, Hitch, and Malcolm X.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Resiliency: The Art of Bouncing Back Better

Ever wonder why some people seem to be able to deal so much better with adversity than others? We've all heard the cliche's "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" or "When life serves you lemons, make lemonade". Easy to say - harder to do. And yet most of us know persons who remain upbeat no matter what the situation, people who deal with life's tougher moments and still come through as good or better than before.

The ability to deal with, and bounce back from tough times is called resiliency. Clinically defined, resiliency is the capability of an individual to cope with stress and adversity in ways that are both effective, and allow a person to respond constructively to future challenges. In other words it's how to deal with tough times and come back better than ever. for 21st century learners, coping with an ever changing and uncertain world, resiliency is a much needed skill.

Everyone admires resilience. The big question is where to find it? Is it something a person is just born with? Is it genetic or a product of circumstance? Some people believe that resilience is some sort of random magic: that people either have it or they don't. Others believe resiliency comes from a variety of internal and external factors: that it is sometimes inherent in a person's nature, but that it can also be developed, or impeded, within a person depending upon external influences and circumstances.

One thing experts do agree upon is that resilient individuals are better able to cope with change, and even if we are not certain where resilience comes from, we do recognize its characteristics. Resilient individuals are positive, focused, flexible, organized and proactive. Resilient individuals see life as challenging but full of opportunities. They make goals and determinedly forge forwards to attain them. They are open to different possibilities and options and develop strategies to deal with the unknown. Ultimately they are forward looking. they engage with their surroundings and work with them. They are survivors, by and large, happier and more content than most people.

Resiliency should not to confused with motivation. Anyone who has faced a difficult decision knows how easy it can be to procrastinate to delay the moment of truth. Resilience does not trump Newton's first Law of Physics. A body at rest will stay at rest, unless acted upon by an outside force. Instead, resilience, or its lack, becomes evident once the force has been applied. Resilience shows up in to how a person reacts to adversity. Patience may be a virtue, but jut sitting around waiting for something good to happen is neither efficient nor effective as a resilience strategy.

As adults working with children we need to both model and develop resilience for both our students and colleagues. The antithesis of resilience is burn out: with its attitude of indifference, apathy and inactivity. Being resilient takes effort and resources. Not everyone has the strength of will to do things completely on their own. Children need to be taught to enlist and be the support of others. Together we can all seek and share the load. Resilience involves being willing to adapt one's style to suit the situation. Some people respond best to encouragement, some require a firmer nudge; the key is to support people in a positive manner. Relentless optimism is not nagging, and positive insistence is not running a person down till they want to quit, contrary to what reality television shows portray. Ironically it is is the perseverance and resilience of regular people on such shows that makes them popular. More than anything, we need to remember to build some fun and reward into the task. Just because something is hard doesn't mean it has to engender feelings of hopelessness. Real resilience includes learning to laugh at adversity, finding ways to overcome it and celebrating even the smallest successes.

Adversity and change are hard. Life happens and its not always easy. Helping each other to cope and succeed is a good thing. By staying positive, focused, flexible, organized and proactive we can deal with most of life's challenges. When things get hard we can, through our own efforts, or, with the help and support of others get through and come out better for the experience. Resilience is not about sailing through life unchallenged, but rather about how we deal with challenge. Like another cliche states "its not how many times you get knocked down, it what you do when you get back up that matters". Resilient folks bounce back and push on better than ever!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Promoting Positive Mental Health Practices In Schools

21st century learners exist in a complex and often confusing world.Consequently, the issue of student mental health is more important every day. Healthy, happy children learn better, and there is a growing recognition that the psychological well being of students is affected by factors present within and surrounding students. Mental health can be measured not only in the absence of symptoms or problems, but also in the resilience of individuals to cope with the anxieties and stress that they face, both at school and in the worlds they live in.

Promoting positive mental health needs to be a goal for effective and caring schools. According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) " Fostering the development of positive mental health by creating supportive environments and addressing the broader determinants of mental health are key to the promotion of positive mental health". The Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health (JCSH), recognizes that schools are source of social connection, safety and belonging for many students and encourages schools to adopt healthy school policies, promote positive social and physical environments, use appropriate teaching and learning activities and to partner and collaborate with families and other organizations with a similar focus on youth education.

Reprinted below are the JCSH's checklists for schools and positive mental health. How does your school stack up?

Healthy School Policies

does your school......

provide alternatives to zero tolerance policies that allow for continued school connnectedness and restoration for challenging students?
ensure that all staff and students are held accountable for upholding and modelling rules pertaining to respect and appropriate behavior?
have policies that contribute to the emotional and physical safety of all students?
accommodate the learning and social needs of all students, including those with special needs?
offer ongoing pro d related to positive mental health?

Positive Social and Physical Environment
does your school.....

encourage and allow students to participate in decision making?
foster an atmosphere of empathy, trust and cooperation?
have a welcoming student centered environment?
showcase student achievement?
design physical spaces so that students can easily access facilities?

Teaching and learning
does your school.....

provide students with an enhanced understanding of diversity?
incorporate culturally relevant themes into its instructional activities?
offer students opportunities to learn and use social skills?
accommodate individual learning needs?
support the autonomy of learners by listening to student perspectives?

Partnerships
does your school....

interact with home regarding learning issues?
adopt policies that ensure collaboration community and government organizations?
offer opportunities for participation in school - community action groups or committees?

For more information regarding Positive Mental Health please see "Schools as a Setting for Promoting Positive Mental Health: Better Practices and Perspectives". This 80 page plus document gives examples of good practice, and is designed to encourage dialogue and action in this are, with the goal of improving mental health outcome for Canadian students. It can be found at www.jchs-cces.ca

Monday, November 14, 2011

Myth of Socialization

Before committing to homeschooling my children, I thoroughly researched both the pros and cons of homeschooling. While there were various "cons" mentioned throughout my research, there was one overriding concern expressed by those who were opposed to homeschooling... (prior to reading the word, I do so hope that you have the proper mental picture and actually hear the sound effects of dun, dun, dun, duh from Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in your mind) "SOCIALIZATION."

For those who are convinced that "socialization" is the preeminent goal and achievement of brick and mortar schooling, nothing will ever sway them from their position. Which is fine, to each their own. For me, however, education is my predominant concern and focus. Actual understanding, obtaining knowledge and truly learning is my uppermost priority. Socialization is an important part of development, but I do not believe that it is the "end all, be all," nor is there is only one "proper" method to obtain said "socialization."

It is my opinion that homeschooling is as unique to each individual family as our own homes are to each of us. Who has ever walked into someone's home and found it decorated exactly the same as your own? What kind of a crazy experience would that be? Every sofa, throw-pillow, drape, picture, and chotchkies all identical??? It would be very creepy. What about our individual taste and style? I could never move into a house completely decorated by someone else and feel as if I was "at home."

So why is it that we not only accept, but expect total conformity and uniformity in education?

"Socialization" is a myth when it comes to homeschooling. Homeschooling is not an "institution" that can be pegged into neat little categories. Homeschooling is a choice made by individual parents to treat the education of their own children individually.

Will some people choose in their individualized education plans for their own unique family to isolate their children? Perhaps. Might some people choose to overcompensate out of a fear of a lack of socialization and over-schedule their children? Maybe. In life, people choose all sorts of different things. How many times have we wandered into the mall or Wal-Mart and wondered how on Earth someone could ever choose to wear that? Your choice does not have to be mine, or vice versa. Thank goodness!

I don't worry about socialization. According to the Oxford Dictionary, "socialization" is the ability to mix socially with others or to behave in a way that is acceptable to their society. My children are "socialized." They are not isolated. They are respectively a Girl Scout and Boy Scout in troops/dens comprised of children who are in traditional schools. They both play sports. They are also in a homeschool co-op group. They play outside with the kids in the neighborhood. They go to birthday parties and spend the night with friends. They laugh. They cry. They skin their knees. I would never allow them to become isolated. It is not my style. I am personally way too social for that.

The New York Times ran an article the other day inviting kids to comment on whether or not they would want to be homeschooled. The comments are extremely interesting. Many children were adamantly opposed to the idea of homeschool for socialization issues and rarely cited any educational concerns. There were stark contrasts between the writing skills between traditionally schooled children and homeschooled children. I found them fascinating. Brick and mortar schools did not fare well when one looked at the child's ability to write a cohesive, grammatically correct comment.

"I think homeschooling is dumb. I think homeschooling doesn�t prepare kids for the real world. they don�t learn how to socialize with other people. Some parents may sugar code the kids. So they might not know everything there suppose to know. no i do not agree."� Leslie R

"Being homeschooled you can miss out on makeing friends and you might not have that well of an education. you would be missing out on alot. you need to be socaila and confident about talking in front of peopl and being around everyone and when your homeschooled it doesnt prepare you for that."
� Chelsea

I think I will continue to "sugar code" my kids and I won't worry about their being "socaila." I will, however, continue to worry about the state of education in our country.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Hiatus

I expect to be posting a lot less for a while. Various personal and professional responsibilities will likely consume much of the time I would have used for posting. I hope to post about those professional issues soon, but until then, thanks for reading these past months.

Is Homeschooling Working?

I haven't had a chance to post a new blog in quite a while. Some of my friends have been very delicately asking, "So is everything still going okay?" Since they haven't seen any of my ramblings or tirades posted, they are getting a bit worried. Have no fear! We are just busy... really, really busy.

Academically, things are rocking along. Science and history are the kids' favorite subjects. They love it and more importantly, they actually understand what they are learning! Our experience at a STEM exposition which we attended at the Gwinnett School of Math, Science and Technology several weeks ago illustrates this understanding.

One of the instructors gave my youngest a one-on-one demonstration of a scientific principle in which a fluorescent lightbulb lit up without actually be connected to a power source. Here is a recap of their conversation. It did not go the way the instructor expected. I believe she was expecting a comment from him along the lines of, "Cool!" or "Neat!" That is not quite what she got. Of course, I will be unable to refrain from little editorial comments here and there. Sorry!

After watching the light bulb light up:
My Son: "It is kind of like a covalent bond, they are sharing electrons, right?"

Instructor: (flabbergasted) "Uhh, (large pause) yes! How old are you?" [Apparently she is thinking he is must be extremely short.]

My Son: "Seven."

Instructor: (completely shocked look) "Where do you go to school?"

My Son: "I don't."

[This worries me a bit when I first hear his answer. No school? Are you kidding me? What about all that work we do? Remember math, language arts, spelling, science, history etc.??? We "do school!" Hmm, perhaps I am getting a tad defensive here. Might he mean something else? Duh! He is quite concrete and very literal. He does not, in fact, "go" to a "school." Note to self: Switch to decaf.]

Instructor looks at me a bit bewildered at this point. I explain to her that we have just begun homeschooling and in all fairness, we are studying chemistry.

Instructor: "Well it is certainly working."

Yes, yes it is!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Living and Learning in Interesting Times

Many people have heard the phrase, "may you live in interesting times". Less well known is the fact that it is actually one of a sequence of three statements; the other two being, "May you come to the attention of those in authority" and "may you always get more than you wish for". Taken together, these three statements are quite ironic. They seem to wish a person well, when actually they are a curse, wishing the recipient far more stress than they ever bargained for.

These statements could easily apply to today's schools. Who wouldn't support a school system that is interesting, brings students more than they hoped for and is overseen by well intentioned authorities? Much is made of the need to engage students, to prepare them for an uncertain future and ensure that they are overseen by alert, caring and responsible people. While such efforts are honorable and well intentioned, for many students school is already stressful place, and the urgency with which the new education agenda is being promoted must be tempered with an ethic of care and calm.

The world is already a fast and confusing place. Many students lives are programed from the moment they wake until late into the evening. If its not school, then its after school activities, a job or even just an active social life. Even unscheduled time is filled with stimulation, as kids get wired into their computers, smart phones, ipods or television sets. Its little wonder that some students tune out, shut down or display any number of anti social behaviors. For many, such behaviors are defense measures against the bombardment of relentless stimulation. Research indicates that stress and other mental health issues now impact as many as one in four students.

In our district we like to talk about developing students who are not just the best IN the world, but also best FOR the world. To do that we need to consider what is truly in best interests of students and take steps to promote personal wellness and positive mental health at least as much, if not more, than the academic, technological and active social agendas. While it is important for students to engage and be active with the world around them, it is even more important that they have a healthy base from which to launch their efforts. Keeping well needs to be more important than keeping busy. Considerations such as sleep, nutrition, and healthy recreational activity, where the focus is fun, rather than constant competition, need to be in the forefront of the new education agenda, not tacked on, and dealt with as wishful after thoughts.

There is no doubt that we do live in interesting times, It is also interesting how many of us yearn for the "good old days" when life was simpler. Its important to remember that for our students the future is now. What will they remember when they look back? As we prepare them for an unknowable future, we also need to do our part to provide students with a less stressful and healthier present. Taking the time to advance an agenda that emphasizes personal care, wellness and positive mental health has a positive impact on that future. In a world where instant results and a constant pressure to achieve are increasingly the norm, we must take the time to make sure a 21st century education is really a blessing and not just an ironic curse.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Teacher Pay

Teacher pay is much discussed these days. The conversation centers either on the merits of merit pay or the level of pay. Last week the American Enterprise Institute released a report weighing in on the issue, and argued that public school teachers are not underpaid. (Full text here.)

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan responded, saying the study was insulting to teachers.

I was struck by a couple of things.

First, the AEI claims are based on the comparison of teacher salaries with non-teachers who scored similarly on various tests to measure skill/knowledge/competency/whatever (GRE, and the like).

Average teacher scores on those tests aren't all that great. And it turns out that teachers make more than their test score neighbors. I'm more interested in a connection between teacher test scores and the achievement gap. In all the furor about teachers and achievement gap (in the school board campaign), I noticed a somewhat overlooked detail in one of the reports that the 'get rid of bad teachers' camp relies on. Teachers with higher skills (math, verbal and content area) do better in closing the achievement gap. I saw it expressed even stronger than in this document, but I can't find the original source.

So, we could pre-test teachers for skill level. We do so now, it's just that the tests aren't that rigorous. Maybe, just maybe, higher pay would allow us to demand that teachers be "smarter."

Second, what if we use a different aspect of market analysis? What if we asked about the marginal value of education? If we start with the data that show a bachelors degree is worth over a million dollars in extra lifetime earnings (over a high school graduate) and start calculating the marginal contribution that each year (and each teacher) makes to that, then we'd see that teachers are radically undervalued. When I was teaching full-time at university, I had about 100 students a year, and each of them took about 3% of their coursework from me. So, my class was 'worth' $30,000 of their extra future lifetime. Give me credit for only 1/30th of that, so $1000, and my marginal contribution to those students' future wealth was $100,000 (each year). For the record, I was getting paid much less than that.

The numbers would be different for earlier grades, but the idea is the same.

My point isn't that teachers are underpaid--I don't know that they are. My point is that you can do fascinating things with numbers, if you try.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

It's (semi-)official!

There are relatively few votes left to count and Scott Heinze continues to lead by about 850 votes. It is effectively over--Scott Heinze is Tacoma School Board Director-Elect.

Congratulations, Scott! Excellent campaign!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

First Results Are In!

Scott Heinze has an almost 900 vote lead for Director #3! There are plenty of votes still to be counted, but unless there's some reason that the remaining votes are not distributed about the same as the ones already in, 900 is a lot to make up.
Results

Great Campaign, Scott!

Veterans Day

We are required to have a Veterans Day assembly every year. Very often, it's a difficult day. I find it distressing to try to get 8th graders to give right honor and respect to the complicated idea of what veterans do and have done for our country....About as distressing as trying to figure how I can extend appropriate honor and respect to that complicated idea.

And this in a school where about half our students have a military connection. You can throw a pretty heavy stone from our building and hit Fort Lewis property. Many mornings soldiers will be doing physical training activities on our field and track.

Well, this year we had the privilege of having Sergeant First Class Leroy Petry, Medal of Honor winner, speak. I don't know the precise criteria for winning the Medal of Honor, but as I told my class afterward, it has something to do with taking great risk to yourself in order to save your comrades. More often, of course, the award is granted posthumously.

We had an inside track--his daughter attends our school, but seeing his humble demeanor and servant heart, I suspect he would call it a privilege to speak at a middle school anywhere.

I count it an honor and privilege to have heard Sergeant Petry, who signed off his talk with the Ranger motto, "Rangers lead the way."

Sgt. Petry, men of character lead the way. Thank you.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Comprehensive School Health: Making it Work Together

More than ever schools are places where students connect and interact socially, as well as intellectually, with their peers and their community. As a consistent presence in the lives of children, schools give students a sense of community, safety and belonging. Health and education professionals need to work together to take advantage of this opportunity to create a framework for supporting improvement of learning and for developing healthier and happier students.

Its undeniable that education and health are interdependent. Healthy students are better learners, and better educated individuals become healthier citizens! We need to find ways to recognize, develop and strengthen this link; to bring forward initiatives that improve both health and educational outcomes, and allow students to learn and internalize healthy behaviors that can help them both during and beyond their school years.

One initiative is Comprehensive School Health (CSH). Google Comprehensive School Health and you will find that it is an internationally recognized framework for supporting improvements in student educational outcomes, while also addressing health topics in a planned, integrated and holistic way. (or just find CSH at www.jcsh-cces.ca!) CSH focuses upon four inter related pillars - social and physical environment, teaching and learning, healthy school policy and partnerships and services. Many communities and school districts have any number of initiatives driven by local or provincial mandates that fit into one or more of the four pillars. The real challenge is coordinating agencies and policies to create a harmonious and effective CSH program.

The benefits of Comprehensive School Health are realized at many levels. In the classroom CSH facilitates improved academic achievement and can lead to fewer behavioral problems. In the broader school community students learn skills that allow them to be physically active and more aware of other factors that affect health such as sleep or nutrition. Healthier students maintain better habits for a lifetime, helping to reduce the stress on community health services.

So how do schools and districts move towards achieving comprehensive school health? Formally recognizing that healthy young people learn better and achieve more is a start. Districts and schools committed to CSH understand that school can directly influence student health and behavior. They encourage healthy lifestyle choices and promote student health and well being. They incorporate health into all aspects of school and learning. At district level steps need to be taken to establish formal links between the education and health systems. Together both systems need to engage and encourage the participation and and support of families and the community at large.

Creating links is more easily said than done. Most folks will agree that actions that promote better health and education are good but few have concrete suggestions as to what should be done. Talk is cheap, action takes time and resources - commodities that are in short supply in both health and education. It is exactly this scarcity that makes the need to act even more important. As resources get stretched tighter and tighter it will be only through collaborative effort and partnerships that things will get done.

Need and circumstance recently brought representatives from SD 60 together with representatives from Northern Health and the Ministry of Children and Families. Grappling with a particular situation brought the need for joint consultation and efforts more sharply into focus, and a schedule of regular meetings has been developed. It remains to be seen what might come out of our joint efforts, but the positive step is that we are meeting. Alone schools and health authorities can only do so much. Working together we can all do more. Hopefully together we can find ways of making Comprehensive School Health a reality for the students and families we serve.

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