BRIAN WHITSON
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#ChangetheEquation

Rethinking Cheating and AI: A Reflection on Academic Integrity (Part 1)

5/12/2025

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Illustration titled Illustration titled "Rethinking Cheating and AI: Academic Integrity" featuring a student writing at a desk while a robot labeled "AI" observes. Surrounding them are educational icons, including a checkmark, a flowchart, and documents. A megaphone and bold text emphasize the message, set against a warm beige and orange color scheme. Created using Chat GPT.

​TheEarlier today, while returning home from regional support work, I listened to an episode of Jennifer Gonzalez’s Cult of Pedagogy podcast featuring Tony Frontier. In it, he discussed “Catch Them Learning: A Pathway to Academic Integrity in the Age of AI.” If you haven’t had a chance to listen, I highly recommend it. Frontier shares powerful insights from his soon-to-be-released book, AI With Intention: Principles and Action Steps for Teachers and School Leaders.

Having delivered many professional learning sessions over the past two years on artificial intelligence (AI) in schools, I’ve spent considerable time thinking about academic integrity and its evolving relationship with generative AI. When I survey classroom educators about AI, concerns about cheating consistently rise to the top. These concerns are valid and must be thoughtfully addressed when integrating AI tools in K–12 settings. I’m fortunate to work in North Carolina, the fourth state in the U.S. to issue AI guidelines supporting responsible use with students and educators.
The podcast, along with my own experiences and our state’s guidance, inspired me to share some reflections on AI, academic integrity, and the conditions that either discourage or unintentionally encourage cheating.


Reflecting on Integrity and Student Pressure

As a high school teacher for over sixteen years, I vividly remember the sting of discovering a student had cheated on an assignment. Early in my career, I took it personally—like a betrayal. Over time, however, I came to understand that these incidents weren’t always personal. More often, they were responses to pressure.

I spent most of my career at a competitive high school where students strove to attend top colleges. Many carried the weight of personal ambition alongside family expectations. That pressure often translated into stress, anxiety, and at times, poor decisions.

Looking back, I also had to reflect on my own role. I taught primarily chemistry and AP-level courses where the stakes were high. In retrospect, I contributed to a classroom culture that may have increased the likelihood of students considering shortcuts. While I emphasized mastery of key concepts—like balancing equations and stoichiometric conversions—the pressure to perform on summative assessments sometimes overshadowed that message.

I’m not excusing cheating—it’s still a choice students make—but I do recognize that the structure and emphasis of assessments can unintentionally create environments where students feel that cheating is the only option to keep up.
Pacing guides, testing schedules, and curricular demands often forced students to test before they had truly mastered the material. That misalignment between expectations and readiness is something we, as educators, must own and address.


Design Thinking: A Shift in Approach

Later in my career, I taught a Design Thinking course, and the experience was transformative—for my students and for me. Due to a restructuring of our school’s schedule, time constraints were lifted. We had space to build skills, iterate, and explore. Students identified problems they cared about and developed solutions through structured, yet flexible, inquiry.

In this environment, we eliminated many of the conditions that can lead to cheating. Time was no longer a constant pressure (though we still had deadlines). Students received individualized support to build the skills they needed. The learning was authentic, and the relevance was clear. Most importantly, we assessed students throughout the process—not just at the end.

This approach resonated with a key insight from the podcast: the importance of aligning formative assessments with summative ones. That alignment helped us avoid the common disconnect between what students are doing day-to-day and what they're ultimately evaluated on - the results.  Students were more engaged, more confident, and far less inclined to take shortcuts.


Moving Forward With Intention

Too often, we operate within systems that limit our ability to truly support student growth. Now, with AI in the mix, we must be even more intentional in how we design learning. AI should augment, not replace, the learning process.
We must build classroom environments that value learning, skill development, and critical thinking over performance for performance’s sake. Students need guidance on how to use AI appropriately and ethically. And educators need to model this, clearly outlining expectations and use cases for AI based on the learning goals of each assignment.

If we fail to design with intention, we risk allowing AI to mask gaps in understanding—producing a false sense of proficiency that ultimately shortchanges students.

Let’s use this moment to rethink how we assess learning, support skill-building, and foster environments of trust and integrity.


Stay tuned for Part II of this post in the coming weeks.

Disclaimer:  The original post was written by Brian Whitson and edited using Chat GPT.  The original blog was edited by Chat GPT to make it more concise for readers.  Changes incorporated reflect subtitles as well a stronger parallel between verb tenses and changes certain words.  All changes were reviewed and either accepted or edited to reflect the author's true voice.  The image above was also created by Chat GPT based on the blog post.
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Western North Carolina - More Than A Place ... A Resilient People

10/1/2024

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This post is difficult for me to write because it deeply impacts me and so many incredible people I love back home in Western North Carolina. I feel a deep sense of guilt posting this from the comfort of my home, having just come from a high school football game.. I am very fortunate. But so many people that I love are in pain, dismay, and confusion as Hurricane Helene has destroyed and disrupted their lives.

I was blessed to grow up on the county line between Yancey and Mitchell. I also have strong ties to neighboring Avery, McDowell, and Buncombe counties, where I was born. Western North Carolina is more than a place; it’s a spirit—resilient, independent, and collective. It’s a community where we’re stronger together, where survival and thriving depend on our willingness to support one another. These qualities will carry us through this disaster, bringing us back stronger and better. We are a people who have learned to depend on each other. It is precisely these qualities that will bring us back and make us stronger and better.

Tonight, we are hurting. Hurricane Helene brought unimaginable devastation, with torrential rains described as biblical. While much of the news focuses on Asheville and Buncombe County, it’s crucial to remember that many other communities in Western North Carolina also need support. We rise together, and we must ensure that no area—no matter its size or population—is overlooked in the rebuilding process.

In my home counties, the rivers overflowed, emptying into Northeast Tennessee after record rainfall—up to 30 inches in some places. This water didn’t just damage the land, roads, and homes; it tore at the heart of our community. My heart breaks for those still waiting to hear from family and friends, including some of my own relatives. Buildings that have stood for a lifetime are gone, leaving behind only memories. In time, I hope these memories bring us healing.
While the immediate focus is on rescue and recovery, we must remain just as dedicated in the months and years to come. Western North Carolina often flies under the radar, but now is not the time to forget our neighbors. We all have a role to play in this recovery—physically, emotionally, and mentally. No contribution is too small, and together, we can make a lasting impact.

We all can play a role in the recovery and no role is too small. While we may never know the true impact that we make, I know that your willingness to reach out and support those in need will make a difference. Consider what ways you can contribute to create a positive impact for Western North Carolina. It can be as simple as a daily prayer or donations.
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To the people of Western North Carolina: you are seen, you are loved, and you will not be forgotten. The days ahead will be hard, but your spirit is stronger than the challenges you face. The world is watching, and we stand with you. You will rebuild, and you will rise.
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{Note - Image created by Adobe Firefly using Generative AI}
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Day 1 of #ISTE 24:  Finding Purpose, Celebrations, Collaboration, & Joy

6/24/2024

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PictureA child's drawing on a puppy pad created by participants in our ISTE 24 session. It is placed on a dark surface. The drawing features a mountainous landscape with a river flowing through it, labeled "Colorado-ish" at the bottom. On the left side, there's a triangular tent with a campfire in front of it. The river has a small boat with a person paddling. On the right side, there's a sun in the sky, birds flying, and a person standing near a flower. Next to the drawing is the book "Ish" by Peter H. Reynolds, with some craft supplies like beads and string visible at the top. Alt text generated by Chat GPT and edited on June 24, 2024.





Today was the first full day at #ISTE24 in Denver. The temperatures were hot, but the transformative learning and networking at the Colorado Convention Center were even hotter! Day 1 did not disappoint.
My day opened with several of my colleagues and myself attending the ISTE Certified Educators Appreciation Meeting. I cannot express my gratitude enough for the amazing work that Carmelita, Daisy, and others did to create a gathering with purpose and meaning. In talking with several other ISTE Certified Educators throughout the day, we all agreed that we felt authentically honored and recognized. Several of us were given our ISTE Certified plaques, and we all received amazing celebration gifts. While all these things were incredible, the intentional thought of creating a space for us to join as one in community was electrifying. This experience will definitely serve as an incredible memory for years to come, and I love that I was able to celebrate it with many amazing North Carolina educators. A big thank you to Dr. Ashley McBride, whose incredible vision of seeing North Carolina become a leader in ISTE Certified Educators is definitely paying dividends for the teachers and students in the Old North State.
Later in the morning, I had one of those remarkable experiences that will forever serve as a milestone in my career in public education. My extraordinary colleague, Meredith Ward Hill, and I shared a session called “Transforming Literacy Through STEAM.” In preparation for this session, we carried a suitcase full of children’s literature books and Makerspace materials halfway across the country to Denver. Meredith and I were extremely humbled to share this session but had no idea how it would go. This session was inspired with encouragement from Mrs. Leslie Pope in Craven County Schools, who is an incredible STEM and Literacy connector.
Meredith’s background in all things School Libraries and Media Center was critical in connecting the importance of literacy in this session. I was able to bring over 20 years of STEM educator experience to create a session that was plain and simple - SYNERGISTIC! This synergy, though, was created not just by Meredith and me, but by those who attended our session.
In over 25 years of public education, I have never seen a more robust group of educators come together and collaborate to solve a problem from a children’s literature book. Meredith and I were blown away by the mutual cooperation, sharing of ideas and resources, and transformational learning that our participants demonstrated. We had well over 80 educators from all over the world who were eager to learn, share, and grow. My teacher heart has NEVER been so proud to help facilitate a professional learning experience as this.
I learned so much from those in attendance. I am pretty certain that this group, if given time and resources, could solve many of the world’s problems. The way that these educators exhibited critical and creative thinking even blew my mind. Many of them used the limited Makerspace materials in new and innovative ways that I would never have imagined. One group used a puppy pad to create a “COLORADO-ISH” painting to show their “ISH” based on the book by Peter Reynolds. Other groups designed traps to capture Unicorns, Leprechauns, and Yetis.
As I reflect on both of these experiences, I am forever changed, much like the Grinch whose heart grew three sizes. I am always amazed at the power of educators to create experiences that transform others. Later in the day, I met two educators who work in Southern California with a nonprofit where they provide support to educators in Orange and Los Angeles counties. This group works on creating a community at select schools led by experienced mentors who coordinate small groups of fellows. They receive high-quality professional development throughout the year and provide ongoing coaching to ensure that these educators make a difference in their students' lives. There is definitely nothing more noble than this.
Day 1 of ISTE definitely did not disappoint. I am inspired and reminded why education is one of the best professions ever. I found so much joy in today’s experience, and I cannot express my gratitude enough to North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction and our Office of Digital Teaching and Learning for supporting educators with high-quality professional learning experiences. Many of the ISTE attendees that I spoke with about what we are doing in North Carolina were really impressed by the support that DPI provides to our educators. One attendee shared, “I wish my state would do this. It would be nice to have these experiences so we could grow and help our students like North Carolina does.”


  • Access the presentation "Transforming Literacy Through STEAM" licensed under this Creative Commons License.
  • Original draft revised using feedback from Chat GPT on June 24, 2024.

Check out the creations on our Padlet that our participants shared from the session.

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Embracing AI in Education: Insights and Pathways Forward

5/27/2024

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PictureA vibrant classroom scene depicting a diverse group of educators engaged in a professional development session focused on AI technology. The room is equipped with various educational tools and digital devices. Teachers are seated at tables with laptops, interacting and collaborating. In the background, presenters are standing near a large screen displaying an AI graphic, along with charts and visuals on the walls. The atmosphere is lively and interactive, reflecting a modern and technology-integrated learning environment.Image generated using Chat GPT using the prompt "Create a diverse classroom where students and educators are learning about AI" by Brian Whitson
​Over the past year and a half, significant attention and efforts have been placed on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education. Having delivered several professional learning opportunities to educators across North Carolina, I've gained several insights into how and why educators are engaging with AI. Here are some of those insights:

1. The Pioneers and Early Adopters
Many educators are uncertain about how to use AI and are eager to become more knowledgeable about its application in their work. Among the groups I’ve trained, there are often early pioneers of AI usage. These early adopters are mainly self-taught and typically find small enclaves of fellow educators to support their learning. These circles, though small, are highly collaborative and willing to share their knowledge when approached by others.

2. The Larger Group with Uncertainties
There is a larger group of educators who are uncertain about using AI due to a lack of experience or fear. Many of these educators are waiting for someone to give them permission or guidance to navigate the vast ocean of AI. I've seen many educators significantly improve their comfort levels and willingness to engage with AI within an hour when provided with a safe environment to learn and explore. AI tools, when used intentionally, can dramatically reduce workloads, such as grading, offering effective feedback, and creating lesson plans.





 
3. Building Confidence and Competence

In my experience, I’ve witnessed educators transition from reluctance to active engagement with AI tools. They begin to see the benefits and advantages, developing confidence and a rationale for teaching students how to use these tools appropriately and ethically. By ensuring all educators have access to quality professional learning on AI, we can better guide students in using AI tools effectively.

4. Focusing on Professional Learning
Moving forward, developing professional learning opportunities for educators must be a central focus. We need to propel our educators beyond introductory use of AI tools, supporting continued growth in effective use. Additionally, educators must be equipped to design opportunities for students to learn to use AI appropriately, ethically, and morally. These practices will ensure our students benefit from AI as a tool for critical thinking and innovation.

5. Engaging Parents and the Community
We also need to provide additional information sessions and support for parents and the community to better understand AI, especially Generative AI tools. The media often highlights worst-case scenarios about AI, creating uncertainty and fear. In my work with educators developing policies, I encourage including outreach components to external stakeholders and the broader community. By educating our community, we can ensure a balanced view of AI and help stakeholders understand its advantages and challenges.

6. Highlighting Employment Trends
One of the most effective ways to demonstrate the advantages of AI is by sharing employment and hiring trends. Many recent surveys indicate that employers seek employees with AI knowledge and skills. Consequently, we must ensure our educators are equipped with the knowledge and experiences to build AI capacity in our students, teaching them to use AI ethically, purposefully, and productively.

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Computational Thinking Is All Around Us (and at TCEA also)

2/3/2024

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PictureParticipants in today's Computational Thinking workshop. They are working collaboratively in groups on an unplugged activity at a table.
Earlier today, my colleague Lauren Boucher and I presented a session titled “Solving the Puzzle:  Putting the Pieces Together Via Computational Thinking” at TCEA in Austin.  TCEA is designed to support educators in Texas and beyond in implementing digital tools and instructional technology to support and transform student learning.  Those attending definitely gave us a warm “Lone Star State” welcome and blew us away with their interest in our session and collaboration with others.  Computational Thinking provides our students with the opportunity to develop strategies and processes to solve problems in an efficient manner that yields results.  

This session is rooted in the Office of Digital Teaching & Learning commitment to provide resources to North Carolina educators to meet the state’s new computer science education graduation requirement.  

As an educator who has dabbled in various aspects of computer science, I realize that many educators often lack exposure and experience in Computational Thinking which is the foundation that leads into a successful Computer Science experience.  We were delighted to debut this session to our Texas friends at this year’s TCEA Convention and Exposition.

Computational Thinking involves “using special thinking patterns and processes to pose and solve problems” (taken from the book “Computational Thinking { and Coding } for Every Student” by Jane Krauss and Kiki Prottsman).  Based on my experience, many educators often do not realize how much Computational Thinking that they use in their classrooms, especially in the K-5 classroom.  During this session, we provided relevant connections to the work that teachers do in their classroom that actually represent Computational Thinking.

One of key learnings involved focusing on the four pillars of Computational Thinking:  
  • Algorithm
  • Decomposition
  • Pattern Recognition
  • Abstraction

Lauren and I wanted to ensure that those attending the session understood what these pillars are and could recognize when they applied them during several of the activities in the session.  Throughout the presentation, we asked participants to recognize and share when they used one of the four pillars in the session.  

We equated algorithms to a set of directions that would be followed for a recipe.  We wanted to ensure that we taught the vocabulary in a relevant and contextual way that connected in an authentic manner to the lives of our students.  The reality is that elements of their four pillars and Computational Thinking are embedded in the world of our students.  

Decomposition, the breaking down into smaller parts, is often used by our students to solve problems that they experience.  Imagine that a child tosses a ball onto the roof of her/his home and the ball gets stuck in the gutter (a common experience at my house).  The child wants to retrieve the ball but the gutter is too far away from the child.  The child may find that trying to solve this problem is daunting and overwhelming at first.  But when the child thinks about breaking the problem into simpler parts, then a solution becomes more plausible.   The child may realize that he/she needs to figure out how to get up to the level of the gutter, perhaps by carefully and quietly moving a ladder, unbeknownst to the child’s parent, to the gutter.  The student may also realize that they have to do this quickly and quietly or else, the problem may be discovered by her/his parents.  The child may also realize that he/she needs to figure out where in the gutter the ball is located and how to get it out of the gutter.  By breaking this problem down into small steps through utilizing decomposition, the child is able to solve the problem in a more efficient and effective manner without the parents ever knowing (provided the ladder is put back in its original position and condition).

During today’s session, we completed an unplugged activity from Code.org in which participants were asked to add up all the numbers between 1 and 200 in 30 seconds. As one may imagine, this could and is challenging to complete compounded by the short duration of time.  As we shared the solution, I heard a classroom teacher who was seated near me share the following: 
“Would this approach work for a set of numbers that were odd instead of even?”  This demonstrates the idea that Computational Thinking also involves posing problems as well as finding solutions.  This quote clearly demonstrates the curiosity of the educator and her wonders about if the pattern that we showed to solve the problem works for all seats of numbers.  

Computational Thinking exists in the world all around us.  We must work to ensure that our educators connect Computational Thinking and its related elements to the world in which our students live.  By helping students see the relevance of Computational Thinking, we can ensure that we build the necessary skills and provide the needed experiences for our students to be ready to complete North Carolina’s Computer Science requirement as well as equipping them with the experiences needed to prepare them for their future and demonstrating and expanding their skills required for North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate.  

We created a document for those wishing to explore additional resources for Computational Thinking and invite you to review this and add any additional resources to our padlet in column 5.

  • Krauss, Jane, and Prottsman, Kiki. Computational Thinking { and Coding } for Every Student. Corwin, 2017.
  • Original blog post was revised based on feedback from Chat GPT using the following prompt:  “Please review this blog and offer and any suggestions / edits”

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What is ISTE Certification?

1/12/2024

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Earlier today, I learned that I successfully completed the requirements to be named an ISTE certified educator.  ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education, is the premiere organization supporting educators in using technology and digital learning to transform education.  With strong roots in curriculum, instruction, and pedagogy, ISTE forms a global network of educators who seek to make learning more relevant, accessible, and purposeful for students.

ISTE certification requires commitment, effort, and a willingness to reflect and evaluate your instruction practices and their alignment with technology and digital tools.  The ISTE certified educator program is centered on the ISTE Educator Standards.  These standards include:

1). “The Learner - Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with others, and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to boost student learning.

2).  The Leader - Educators seek out opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment and success to improve teaching and learning.

3).  The Citizen - Educators inspire students to positively contribute to and reasonably participate in the digital world. 

4).  The Collaborator - Educators dedicate time to collaborate with both colleagues and students to improve practices, discover and share resources and ideas, and solve problems.  

5). The Designer - Educators design authentic, learner-driver activities and environments that recognize and accommodate learner variability.

6).  The Facilitator - Educators facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement of the ISTE Standards for Students.

7).  The Analyst - Educators understand and use data to drive their instruction and support students in achieving their learning goals.”

​The ISTE certified educator program involves two components:  

1) A classwork component that takes 5-8 weeks, requiring both synchronous class meeting and asynchronous work. 
2) the submission of a portfolio showcasing the applicant’s work and its connection to each of the ISTE Educator Standards. 

My experience, like many of my cohort members' experience, involves a time commitment, lots of thought and reflection, and intentionally planning for ways to demonstrate competence in each of the standards.  There are a total of 25 individual criteria that require evidence such as images, student work, and narrative explanations.  The evidence submitted demonstrates the candidate’s ability to meet the criteria.  Of the many things that I have done in my career, I will say that this ISTE certification process was one of the most rigorous and challenging growth opportunities that I have experienced.

After completing this process, I now think and approach the work that I do to support educators and students with a very different lens - that of the ISTE Educators Standards.  Earlier this week,  I was in a high school  statistics class and instantly started connecting what the teacher was doing with several of the ISTE Educators Standards.  I clearly saw the teacher had created authentic, learner-drive activities supported by technology (Designer) and the teacher using technology to analyze student learning (analyst) in less than 5 minutes.  

The ISTE certification process is very rigorous and requires time and intentionality.  I had to spend time reviewing and digesting the standards and its related indicators and consider how my practices demonstrated competence in the various standards.  In many cases, I simply had to consider what evidence that I had available to show that competence.  In other cases, I had to design new learning experiences with learners to help demonstrate that competency. 

This process was at times frustrating, exhilarating, exhausting, and rewarding.  On the day when I submitted my final portfolio, I immediately felt relief but then realized how much I had learned and grown as a result of this experience.  It took me almost a year to complete the entire process but it was so transformative in helping me grow.  As I begin to construct professional learning for adults, I now think about how I can help those educators to create their own learning goals, support their learning through digital tools, and how to help them grow and reflect on their learning. 

Additionally, I also think about what skills and experiences that our students need to be prepared for a world that is ever changing and evolving.  I also think about how we can better harness the power of technology and digital tools to better support and scaffold the learning of our students.   Additionally, we must also couple this with the need to ensure that we model and mentor others in being digital citizens who contribute to make our world a better place for everyone.  


ISTE certification is, indeed, rigorous and challenging but the transformative opportunities it offers for growth as an educator are truly infinite.  It will change how you approach and use technology and digital tools in the best possible way.  The end result is that we are better able to support the learners with which we work to create revolutionary opportunities and experiences to learn that are truly transformative. 

​Also I would like to express my appreciation to the North Carolina Digital Learning Initiative Fund supported by the NC General Assembly for supporting public school educators across North Carolina in obtaining their ISTE certification.  



Revised original written blog with feedback from Chat GPT on January 12, 2024

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On The Importance of a Strengths Based Approach With Students & Ourselves

7/29/2022

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The opening keynote at the Adobe Education Summit was delivered by Dr. Byron McClure.  Byron is a school psychologist, an author, and founder of Lessons for SEL.  Byron shared about the importance of erasing deficit thinking in his address.  He shared a personal story where he was told that he was accepted to graduate school but would need to be make at least all “B”s since he had some deficits in his academic backgrounds.  He shared how this impacted him and how this deficit thinking is often the process that many students experience.  He encouraged us to “shift from this deficit thinking to being innovative.”  He asked us to really explore if the training and practices that we use with students is geared toward identifying the best or worse in our students.  This really challenged me to think about the training that I have previously received and makes me reconsider the approach that I will take as I support students going forward.  The lens with which we approach our work is important since our work is with students.

Too often in education, we are directed to accountability measures that as Byron indicated that reduce our students to numbers and statistics.  But our students are much more than just a data point.  I would argue that this type of thinking, deficit type thinking, often limits our students and many of our beliefs about what they are capable of achieving.  We must work extraordinarily hard to counter this type of thinking so our students are not limited in their success.  Byron shared “we must shift from what’s wrong to what is strong.”  By shifting our thinking, we shed our beliefs about the limits of what our students can achieve; we move to a world full of potential and possibilities that is limitless to what our students can do, be, and achieve.  

When we believe in our students and limitless possibilities, we empower them.  Byron included four key elements to a strengths based approach to supporting students:  1)  Focus on identifying and understanding strengths, 2) human-centered (needs of people first), 3) growth and goal oriented, and 4) social support, capital, and resources matter.    Each of these elements provide the necessary environment in which our students are able to utilize their strengths and talents to create something far greater when properly cultivated.  By attending to our students and helping them recognize and identify their strengths, we can change their trajectories in life.  Many of our students often do not recognize many of their strengths.  I know that when I worked in a middle school, our students were just beginning to become more aware of themselves and often needed a supportive and encouraging adult to help them realize and recognize their own strengths.  I had many conversations with students where I assisted them in identifying their own strengths.  For many of these students, this self awareness of their strengths brought them a sense of confidence and assurance.  They realized that they were good at something (or many things).  

As we return to the classroom this fall, I would encourage all educators to focus on a strengths based approach to supporting our students and ourselves.  He shared several questions for reflection that I think that we, as educators, need to think deeply about and explore - “What has given you the most energy in your life?”  He followed up by asking “Who were you before the world told you who to be?” Finally, he shared “When, if ever, have your strengths done dark? Why?”  By considering these questions and our own responses, I think that we can begin to identify and focus on our strengths.  In doing so, we can also model this process for our students. I would also maintain that in focusing on a strengths based approach in our work with students and in our own lives, we can create opportunities that bring tremendous joy and value.  We can shift from living within limitations to a world full of opportunities.  It is precisely these moments that can really transform life for the better.  

I found Bryon’s keynote to be energizing and encouraging.  His words were impactful and empowering.  When we shift our paradigms, we create the conditions in which each of us can flourish.  We must emulate this both with our students and ourselves.  Bryon shared this quote from Socrates:  “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but building on the new.”  Let us work towards building a new and better version of not only ourselves but of our students as well.  I encourage you to use your strengths in both your professional and personal lives and to also help students recognize and use their strengths as well in the coming year.

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Adobe Education Summit:  An Extraordinary Opening for Creativity

7/27/2022

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Quotes from Adobe Education Conference - 1)
Today, I was able to be part of the Adobe Education Summit for 2022.  Due to a challenging schedule, I was only able to catch the opening and closing keynotes but they, alone, were worth the price of admission.  I want to thank Adobe for creating and supporting this free virtual conference for educators around the world.  I appreciate the planning and intentionality of creating an extraordinary space that is safe, accessible, and empowering of educators from around the world.

The opening session jumped immediately into points that resonated with me.  Scott Belsky from Adobe shared “creativity will be the new productivity.”  Scott’s point resonated so much with what I have been thinking about for the past several months and trying to articulate.  For students, their creativity will be a valuable commodity for changing their life’s trajectory.  In many cases, it will be an economic commodity that they will use to support themselves and others.  Too often though, we are not affording enough of our students the opportunity to explore, expand, and practice their creativity.  Many of our students’ classrooms are void of these opportunities due to curricular and accountability demands.  However, I would argue that our classrooms, especially coming out of the covid shut down, must actively and intentionally integrate in creativity and creation opportunities for our students.  If we fail to allow our students to explore, expand, and practice their creativity, then we fail to adequately prepare them for their futures.  Additionally, it is precisely these practices and opportunities in creativity that will engage and connect our students to deeper levels of learning.  

Ben Forta continued sharing additional insights that really connected with me personally in my crusade for creativity and creative thinking in the classroom.  He shared that many individuals are concerned about screen time use by our students.  However, he challenged this concern and indicated that often we fail to consider whether our students are being passive consumers or active content creators.  We must delve deeper into looking at how our students are using technology and their role.  Students who are simply consumers - meaning that they only watch videos, listen to music, or simply perform repetitive, mundane tasks such as clicking- often fail to be very engaged.  This results in a passive and very non-engaging role for our students.  I used to refer to this as watching “mindless TV.’  Ben encouraged us rather to rethink screen time and push our students to engage in content creation where they are actively engaged in creating and publishing content digitally. This may include students creating and directing their own videos about a topic such as disease transmission or gauging what issues really matter to potential voters in upcoming reactions.  In content creation, our students have to learn to manage a process, create various tasks to be completed, and be accountable for completing assigned roles.  Additionally, students who are creating content have to learn how to gather accurate information, work with others to communicate that information, and present it in an engaging way.  All of these duties require creativity among other necessary skills.  Ben shared that “there is real joy in content creation” and that research indicates that students who are encouraged to think and act “more creatively are curious about the world.”  Ben reminded us that creativity “gives our students the will, skill, and thrill to learn.”  

All these amazing insights occurred within just the first few minutes of the opening session, Our main speaker for the opening was Byron McClure.  I share more about his incredible message in an upcoming blog post as he was on fire as well.  

If you were unable to join today’s Adobe Education Summit, you can sign up for the final day here.  Additionally, replays will be available starting in August and running through next April.  As educators prepare to return to the classroom this fall though, we must ensure that all students have the access and ability to experience engaging lessons that promote and encourage their creativity with practice and support.  Let us always remember that our higher duty as educators is to ensure that our students have the necessary skills, knowledge, and experiences to lead a productive, empowering, and incredible life.

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NC Teacher Cadet - Calling Our Own to Transform Our Classrooms

4/10/2022

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Over 100 public school students made their way to Raleigh this past weekend for the first face to face North Carolina Teacher Cadet Conference in over three years.  The North Carolina Teacher Cadet is a class that high school students in public high schools can take to learn more about teaching as a profession.  Additionally, the program supports the development of leadership and citizenship as secondary components of the program.  The course has a heavy focus on critical thinking, reflection, writing, problem solving, creativity, collaboration, and communication.  The Teacher Cadet program has been around for several decades but with the challenges of putting a highly trained, quality teacher in every classroom, programs such as the North Carolina Teacher Cadet may be a solution to responding to the Human Capital needs in our public schools.  For schools to offer the North Carolina Teacher Cadet course, the instructors must attend a two day training to learn about both the program and curriculum.    In full disclosure, I also serve on the Teacher Cadet Cadre, the group responsible for creating and delivering the training.  

This year's conference was held at the Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh.  The conference is two days and designed to provide cadets an introduction to professional conference.  For many of the cadets who attended, this was the first time that they have been to Raleigh.  Many cadets even confided that this was the furthest that they have been away from their home in their lives.   

On both Friday and Saturday, cadets attend general sessions with a keynote speaker who  challenges them to think about their impact while inspiring them to become a high quality educator in the public classrooms of North Carolina. This year, Mr. Tabari Wallace, the 2018 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year, served as our opening keynote and fired cadets up by encouraging them to think differently to support the various challenges of creating classrooms where all students are included and have the ability to be successful.  He also shared the various components of Operation Polaris and outlined how these components will create classrooms where all students have opportunities to "learn, grow, and successfully transition to the post-secondary plan of their choice."  If you have ever had the opportunity to hear Mr. Wallace speak, you know that the cadets experienced an awakening and transformation as a result of Mr. Wallace's energy, passions, and commitment to improving learning outcomes for all students.  

Cadets also had the opportunity to visit with representatives from various Colleges of Education including Elizabeth City State, Western Carolina, UNC-Greensboro, Appalachian State, UNC-Pembroke, and UNC-Asheville.  For many cadets, this was their first time to learn about many of these universities.  The recruiters from the various universities remarked how impressed that the cadets were.  Cadets also had the opportunity engage in a Goosechase, a digital scavenger hunt tied to Peter Reynold's Book "Happy Dreamer."  This gave cadets the opportunity explore literacy though a children's book while expanding their creative thinking. 

On Saturday, the cadets elected state officers and heard from Freebird McKinney, the 2018 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year and the immediate previous North Carolina State Board of Education's Director of Legislative Affairs and Community Outreach. Mr. McKinney's keynote challenged cadets to understand the importance of the stories of their students and how educators can impact students.    Immediately after Mr. McKinney's keynote, cadets chose breakout sessions tied to the conference's theme "Making Your Mark."  These breakout sessions centered on communication, leadership, and impact.  

Cadets also had the opportunities to work with other cadets from around the state and learned about each other.  For many cadets, they made new friends and created lasting bonds through the conference.  The conference proved to be a transformative experience for cadets as they begin to see the larger picture of the importance of education in North Carolina and the role that they can play to ensure that all classrooms are staffed with highly effective and caring educators.  I was truly inspired by the insights of many of the cadets as well as their desire to become the best possible teacher for their students.  Be sure to check out the video below to see our cadets in action.

​The North Carolina Teacher Cadet program is administered by the North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children.  

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Letting the Cat Out of the Bag in Caswell County Schools

4/4/2022

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Today quickly transformed from an ordinary day into an extraordinary one in Caswell County.  Our regional support team met in Yanceyville to learn more about the amazing things occurring with Caswell County Schools.  Caswell County is located on the North Carolina-Virginia border and is very rural.  The county, located in the Northern section of the Piedmont region, is heavily rooted in agriculture.  The county also is located near Greensboro, Burlington, Hillsborough, and Chapel Hill.  Caswell County Schools has 1 high school, Bartlett Yancey Senior High School, 1 middle school, and 4 elementary schools.  This is one of those school systems that can be easily overlooked due to its size, geographic position, and rural nature.  After today’s visit though, the “cat is out of the bag” and this system is definitely one that should be on everyone’s radar.  

Our visit started with a presentation with the local community college, Piedmont Community College, sharing the close and supportive relationship they have with Caswell County Schools.  The system is not quite large enough to fully support an early college.  However, this has not stopped the two organizations from putting their best thinking forward and figuring out to best support their students.  Rising juniors who meet minimum requirements are invited to participate by joining the campus of Piedmont Community College via dual enrollment and graduating with both a high school diploma and a college associate degree, which is free of charge, occurring within their 4 years of high school.  Additionally, many students also enroll in various courses leading to certificates and degrees including Agribusiness, Digital Effects and Animation, Human Service Technology and often include articulation agreements with many universities.  These opportunities are offered with no cost to students.  Piedmont Community College reported that students shared “They were glad that they did it as it helped with time management and they learned to do their work first when they got to the university level.”  Medina Jones, director of Secondary Curriculum, CTE, and Accountability for Caswell County Schools, reiterated the importance of both the schools and community college working together as partners and the importance of leveraging their relationship to benefit students and the community.

Caswell County Schools has also created a Business Advisory Council that focuses on helping students to obtain post secondary credentials and strengthen post secondary partnerships.  They have purposely sought a diversified council to represent the various businesses located within Caswell County.  Currently they have 22 members on the council that has grown from an initial 12.  One of the most interesting aspects of this endeavor involves the creation of a Career Technical Student Organization (CTSOs) that is composed of student leaders from the various CTE student clubs.  The CTSO allows for students to have mentors who help them create career plans aligned to their strengths and interests with an opportunity for internships and career acceleration.  

As if these opportunities were not enough, Caswell County Schools has also created a transformative experience for their students involving drone technology.  Caswell County Schools received a substantial grant from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) for the integration of Computer Science.  The system contracted with STEMERALD City headed up by Jeffries Epps to provide the necessary equipment and training for the creation of the Drone Technology program at Bartlett Yancey Senior High School.  Mr. Epps shared that 150 students and 2 CTE teachers have completed the grid flight activities to date.  Goals of this program is to prepare students to pass the FAA 107 exam and become FAA certified drone pilots.  Once students pass this exam, they are certified for life.  

What I found most exhilarating about this program is the integration of microbits to control the drones through coding.  Too often, when students use drones, they use a remote control to direct the drone to perform various actions.  However, Caswell County Schools has realized the potential of moving their students from simply directing the drone with a remote to being creators of directing the drone through coding.  This creates value for students in that they have to actively engage with coding to ensure that the drone behaves as they wish.  Through the use of coding, students learn the foundations of computational thinking including algorithms and conditionals.  Students have moved from being merely consumers of technology to creating code to transform the actions of their drone.  

Drone technology teacher Brian Totten shared a powerful analogy as he spoke passionately about his experience instructing students.  He indicated that this program was like “eating spinach cookies, the students were eating the cookies not knowing they contained spinach.” Mr. Totten’s analogy is very apropos.  By using the excitement generated by drones, the school has capitalized on getting students to learn how to code in an authentic way without realizing that what they are learning at a high level.  Fellow CTE teacher Deauti Harris added that this program actively engages students, boosts their self esteem, and challenges them to think in creative ways.  She shared that students are learning how to communicate and collaborate together and increasing their soft skills.  

The highlight of the presentation involved a live demonstration by senior Jayquan M who demonstrated how he could quickly code a simple set of directions in a matter of seconds to direct the drone to move up in the air and move in various directions.  Jayquan shared that students taking the class often figure out how they could use drones in their chosen career.  I loved that students are already being challenged to think about they could remix the use of drones in various careers.  Jayquan is planning to study Criminal Justice and he shared that drones could be used to monitor crowds or assist with solving crimes.  He also shared that other students have discussed how they could code drones to create effective virtual tours of homes being sold by real estate agents.  Currently many students have realized that drones could be used to help farmers survey their land to more effectively make decisions about irrigation.  Additionally, the footage collected by drones could be transformed to create 3-d topographic maps. 

The story of Caswell County Schools needs to be widely shared as an inspiration for other schools.  Caswell County Schools has limited resources and has figured out how to leverage their thinking to strategically support the needs of their students to change the trajectory of the lives of their students.  By creating active engagement of their students though authentic learning experiences as mentioned earlier, Caswell County Schools have improved student outcomes.  The school system has refused to settle for less than the best for their students even with limited resources.  It is this type of inspiration that our schools need as they seek to engage students after the disruptions caused by Covid.  It is also these practices that schools must employ to cultivate their students by having them create powerful and transformative products with technology that engages them in problem solving and creative thinking. 

​Now that the cat is out of the bag, be sure to learn more from the amazing work that Caswell County Schools is doing with their students. 
Caswell County Schools is so elated over their elementary, middle, and high school alignment of drone and micro:bit exploratory experiences that will create a K-12 digital and learning articulation and implementation! ​

Today was one of those days that turned out to be AWESOME. We visited @CaswellSchools and learned first hand how they were transforming education and creating better outcomes for our their students through drone technology courses #nced @CTruittNCDPI @ncdpiDTL #ncbold #ncdlcn pic.twitter.com/zsTNHJYqQM

— Brian Whitson (he/him/his) ➡️ SCASL & NCBOLD (@scibri) April 5, 2022
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