Transcript

Hello listeners. We are excited to BLaST the Airwaves with you today and provide educational solutions for all. My name is Rebecca Gibboney and I am the Curriculum and Online Learning Specialist here at BLaST Intermediate Unit 17. I am thrilled to welcome you to this episode of BLaST the Airwaves. Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Dan Coran, a Special Education Supervisor.

Dan, thank you so much for joining us today to discuss educational solutions for all. Specifically, we will be discussing the role teacher clarity plays in student and teacher success in all learning environments. So, Dan, why don’t we start, you know, if you could tell us a little bit about yourself and what the average day looks like in your life professionally?

Sure. And thank you so much, Rebecca, for having me for this particular broadcast or podcast. a little bit about myself quickly. My wife’s a retired teacher, I have two daughters, once a teacher once a pharmaceutical sales rep, four grandchildren. I have a stepdaughter, that’s a teacher as well. I’ve had a lot of different professions in my life. And you know that movie, it’s a wonderful life? If they can be about me, it’d be it’s an interesting life. Back to school, my late 40s received a communication studies, Bachelor of Arts degree from Lock Haven University. I’ve received a master’s at Bloomsburg exceptionalities in exceptionalities, with the teacher certificate. And taught and emotional support to classroom for the IU 17 for about five years, went back to school and acquired my certificate of supervision in special ed. And I’ve been a special ed supervisor for the last eight years. Special Ed director at Canton Area School District and I also oversee two residential treatment centers, Clear Vision in Montgomery and LaSaQuik in Trout Run. And then you asked me about my average day. Average day this is the reason I really enjoy my job because it’s fast-paced. It’s a total variety, nothing’s ever the same each day of the day filled with IEP meetings, gifted IEP meeting 504 meetings, supervisory work observations. Let’s see emails, phone calls, I put out fires, trainings, and did I talk about paperwork? A lot of paperwork. So that’s what the day consists of. It’s always something new that takes place. And that’s why I enjoy it.

Yeah, it is the beauty of education as educators that no one day is the same. And we always have to be on our toes and flexible. So I can definitely agree with you on that one. Right. So it sounds like you, you manage and support a lot of programs, students, educators, let’s talk about student expectations. When you’re working with your supervisors, how do you work with them to establish expectations in the different learning environments for students?

Okay, and I think you meant How am I working with my teachers?

Correct.

Well, first of all, expectations, let me think about it that for a minute. You know what, Rebecca, I’m a firm believer that before a teacher establishes expectations for their students, I really think the teacher needs to establish expectations for themselves. What do I mean by that? What am I expected to do to say to what is expected of me in the classroom? What do my students expect of me? My personal expectations, um, and I do an affirmation. I’ve done this for like eight years since I’ve been in the field Actually, I’m sorry, I’ve been in the field for at least 12 years. My expectation for myself, I do an affirmation, and it’s like four Ps. Professional. I want to be professional and what I do, say my parents, my manners. Prepared. I want to be prepared for my lessons, my meetings. I also want to be positive in my interaction with parents, students, staff. And then the fourth p that I came up with some years ago is, I always want to be passionate, passionate in my career. So it’s kind of like a devotion of that I do my way to work to my higher power, I call him the Lord, to help me to be professional, prepared, positive and passionate. So those are the expectations I have myself now for the students expectations. And you let me know if my answers are going to come along. Here I am,

You’re fine.

I can be long-winded.

You’re all good.

And by the way, getting back, I forgot to tell you I was a DJ for 25 years. That’s right, do business. So I do have a tendency to talk when I get in front of a microphone, but it’s like dates, and different environments. No matter what environment where one teaches. Research indicates that expectations and I’ve read this different times. Expectations should not be forced on students, but they should be developed with students. So when students are involved with setting expectations, it gives them a sense of ownership. It gives them a sense of part of owning or being part of the class. The expectations belong to the student. And so for example, when I used to teach I would have the students help me to make their rules or their expectations for that particular class. Of course, the expectations I think, (let me just kill that little buzz, it comes down from an email data carrier) the expectations need to be reasonable. Let’s see, clear and always consistent. We used to do a role play every morning. So funny, I did a kind of it’s an emotional support classroom, but the kids are also lower functioning. And I would have a student to introduce me every day, I would stand in the back and go Ladies and gentlemen, here’s Mr. Koran And then I’ve run up to the classroom. And like I that was my fantasy of being like Johnny Carson, you know. So I would do like a little crowd Bricker joke, and then we would have the kids role-play their expectations? In other words, role play their rules, let’s role-play a positive choice. You know, how would you react to this situation? And different ones would do that. And that was the student expectations. How’s that for a long answer?
That no. That is wonderful. You hit on so many important things. The first thing you mentioned that stuck out to me is, first, the teachers stepping back and having expectations for themselves. And I always find, you know, asking my students first starting out with that student voice and student choice, like what do you expect of me,? I know what’s expected from me from my administrators, but from you, and I don’t think kids get that question a lot. And I love your four P’s that that little mantra and affirmations that you say to yourself about being professional, prepared, positive and passionate. And then just, you know, giving that student choice and the student voice in their expectations and building those norms, which we’ve talked about on this podcast previously. So it’s great that you brought that up. I definitely think that empowers our students. Thank you for that response. And you know, now that we shift this, it actually talks when you were talking about consistency, our focus lately has been on teacher clarity, and a lot with that has to do with success. And how do we make sure that we’re articulating to our students what it feels like, what is success? So can you talk about a time recently where maybe you felt success? And what are some kinds of success that you’re seeing with your educators right now?

Hmm. Okay, teacher clarity, that hasn’t been a focus, teacher clarity that, when I think about that, it’s to me, it’s a method and a mindset, where we want to be clear with our instruction expectations, and then that leads, of course, to student success. So you asked me a time when I recently felt success. Well, when I was teaching, I would feel success when the students felt the success. It was kind of a shared time together at the IU 17. We used to call it a Mission Moment together. Present presently where I’m at right now as a supervisor of special education. I feel success when I’m in IEP meetings. I have terrific teachers too. Terrific teachers at Canton, and terrific teachers here at the IU with Clear Vision and LaSaQuik that I supervise. And when I see the goals in the IEP that are being reached, and the progress monitoring, that is a tremendous success, and the parent shares that success. And we always emphasize that in our meetings. Goal setting. When we set goals for our students to reach success, that’s so important. You know, Rebecca, I’m looking at the corner of my desk right now, I’m looking all around, because that’s just my nature. But I see a rubber band sitting there on my desk. And it kind of brings to my mind, the art of goal setting is similar to that if you take that rubber band, if I take that rubber band and stretch that rubber band as far as I can, and hold it there for a while, it will never go back to its original size. And I think it’s the same way with the goals that we set for success for our students and for ourselves. When we set goals, we stretch ourselves, and our students. We stretch their thinking. We stretch our imagination, our creativity. And you know what, we never go back to our original way of thinking and I that’s what I think it is. We stretch ourselves; we stretch our students. And that leads to success. Oliver Wendell Holmes said, and one of my favorite authors I enjoy reading “a man’s mind stretched by new ideas may never return to its original dimensions.” So success, in a classroom, comes in different forms. Implementing accomodations, helping a student to understand a concept, and maintaining a relationship with that student and stretching their goals, their creativity. I’m sorry, but I can know passionate when I start talking about..

That’s amazing. And I don’t think I’m ever gonna look at a rubberband the same way anymore and I’m sure our listeners won’t either. That’s a fantastic analogy, and really relating it to sort of our real world and what we see right now. So we like to do some questions from the field. And so the biggest question we’re having when we talk about teacher clarity, is we talked about relevance. How can we help our students find relevance in what they’re learning to keep them coming back for more? How have you found a way, I guess you could say, to keep things relevant?

Hmm. I think students really need to have the perception, and we need to help them have the perception that what we’re teaching is relevant, which should be interesting and something worth knowing. I mean, I’ve done this, I’ve pounded facts into students’ minds, and you know what, that’s useless. And we need relevant learning, I’m glad you brought up relevant learning, effective learning when teachers get creative and implement relevant activities. That is what engages the students, not only emotionally, but I believe it connects what they already know. And when that happens, student will come back for more. Student engagement is so important. And we stress that here at the IU. We stress it, I’m sure a lot of school district stress, student engagement, and that comes with relevant instruction. So then when instead of the student asking, when they leave the classroom, how am I ever going to be using that in the real world? You know, they’re going to be leaving the classroom thinking, wow, I can relate to that, and wonder how that’s gonna work in my life? And then students determine that the lesson is worth knowing, I really believe they’re going to stay engaged.

Yeah, and I’m glad you bring up engagement. We just started talking about that in the podcast for like module six in the Distance Learning Playbook as they start talking about engagement and relevance really plays a role in that. I keep bringing up and going back to our kids, and I know it’s harder now than ever, more now than ever, but they have to know are their why, like, why are they in education? Why is their education important? For some of them, you know, high school diploma might be their only diploma and therefore, it is the most important diploma that they’re going to get for if they go into you know, careers right away, and the workforce. So we must keep it relevant for them.

Exactly. And, and one more thought is we need to be not only educators keeping it relevant for them, but motivators. Yeah, for the students and celebrate their success with them. And I’m not sure how it would be done in certain classrooms, but how often in the education experience do we really provide students with an opportunity to celebrate or reflect upon their accomplishments, right? And what was learned? I used to play the song when I was DJing Celebration Cool in the gang, that would really get the people out on the dance floor most of the time, but we really need to celebrate the kids successes and motivate the students to do well.

Yes, I can’t agree with you more. And now it’s actually time for my favorite part. It’s called our blast five. And so we’re gonna blast you with five rapid questions for you to quickly answer.

So I have a rapid answer, correct?

That is correct. That is correct. So these can be professional or personal. And what I’ll do then is we can link them in the show notes on our website, if they need further explanation. So are you ready for this?

Okay, I guess I’m ready.

All right. So your favorite app or website?

Hmm. I think it’d have to be Amazon Prime because and that’s what keeps me working all the time to pay all the bills that come in. And there you go. Good one.

Favorite strategy right now?

My favorite strategy is using a positive approach and humor. That’s my strategy.
You are very humorous. I do need to add that.

Your favorite read. What are you reading right now? Or your favorite read in general?

I love reading motivational books. Especially. I’m reading one right now by Joel Olsteen. Mm hmm. The minister on television. Yeah, very positive, motivating. And that really helps me and I like it one.

Wonderful your favorite self-care activity?

Self-care activity, kayaking, and now it’s getting cold out there fishing. I like music. I do this for self-care activities. I think that’s what you’re looking for. And also working out when I can?

Yes. And so the last one then your favorite song or music? Oh, DJ, you got to pick one.
Okay, so let me just narrow it down. Being an Italian American. I think I have to pick Sinatra. Yeah, my way and of course, Andre Bocelli.

Wonderful. Well, thank you, Dan, so much. It has been a blast with you. No pun intended. And thank you for taking some time today to blast the airwaves with us and our listeners. It was a pleasure to have you on the podcast. Take care, study hard. I shouldn’t say study hard. But you are studying hard right now because you’re learning all these new tricks of the trade here. And hopefully, we’ll talk soon.

Thank you so much, Rebecca for having me. It has been a pleasure.

We would like to thank you for blasting the airwaves with us today. If you like the show, please subscribe or leave a review. If you want to know more. Check out www.iu17.org for further resources and show notes. As always, we want to thank you for what you do every single day. Remember, keep shining. We’ll be back next episodes provide you another educational solution for all as we continue to transform lives and communities through educational services.

Additional/Suggested resources mentioned in the episode:

The Distance Learning Playbook by Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie

BLaST Intermediate Unit 17 – www.iu17.org 

Professional Learning Opportunities at BLaST IU 17 – https://www.iu17.org/professional-learning/ 

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