Now that summer is upon us, I often get asked by my friends what I am going to do with all of my "Free Time" I chuckle a bit when I hear this question because I don't view it as free time. I am still working, reflecting, and planning ahead for the upcoming school year, even if I am not physically going into school. What exactly are my plans to sharpen the saw?
1. Be a dad and a husband. I feel as though I have a pretty good work/life balance. I try to disconnect when I get home (at least until the kids are all in bed). I cherish our dinner conversations, bath time, and bedtime reading sessions. But now I have a few more opportunities to go on day excursions, build forts, have water balloon fights, go swimming, go to the art museum, go to the farm, play at the park and do more of what my kids want to do. Maybe I will have a "yes" day where whatever they want to do, my answer will be "yes". I am VERY excited to sharpen my saw, put their wishes, dreams and desires first and be a totally devoted dad and husband for a few weeks!
2. Read more blogs. Twitter has opened my world up to many talented, wise and passionate educators. Connecting with these educators has allowed me to read their blogs which in turn has challenged my thinking, validated my practices, and exposed me to new ideas and concepts. I plan on catching up on some of the blog posts I have "marked to read" and look to find more blogs to subscribe to and read on a regular basis. I want to sharpen my saw and continue to grow and learn from all of PLN.
3. Reflect. This was my first year in my current role as an assistant principal in my current district. Moving to a new district provided many exciting learning opportunities. I learned from many people and shared my thinking with new staff, students and families. I want to take the time to reflect upon the last year, celebrate the successes, learn from the mistakes and create a plan on how I will continue to provide a service to our students, staff, families and community in a greater way than I did last year. I want to sharpen my saw to become a better educator and leader for the upcoming school year.
4. Be creative. I don't consider myself a very creative person. I know it is there I just don't always take the time to express my creativity. This summer, I want to tap into that creative spirit a bit more. I want to try and relearn how to play the guitar. I want to draw and paint with my daughter. I want to build creative forts with my son. I want to build some creative habits which will carry over into the coming months. I want to sharpen my "creative" saw and live like I was a child again.
5. Be adventurous. I want to try new restaurants. I want to try new technology. I want to push myself to leave my comfort zone. I want to have a "why not" attitude instead of a "yeah but..." attitude. I want to go for the gusto and be brave. I want to sharpen my saw and create new and exciting adventures.
How are you going to sharpen your saw?
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Sunday, April 27, 2014
For PD to be Effective in Today's Schools, it must have...
When educators talk about professional development, I often hear groans and whispering and disdain for the day. Maybe I am the outlier but I enjoy professional development opportunities. Maybe it is because I viewed these days as Professional Learning opportunities - a chance for me to learn and improve my craft. When I think back on some of the best professional development opportunities I have had, I came across three common characteristics:
First, the Professional Learning must have be of high interest. No one wants to sit through learning opportunities when it is not interesting. Give me a choice for what I want to learn and grow. Allow me to have autonomy as to what areas I want to grow and learn and develop as an educator. Just as every student does not need the same instruction on skills, don't assume that all teachers needs the same skills development. Give us the autonomy to be masters of our own learning and allow us the flexibility to meet our own needs.
Second, the Professional Learning must have an element of connection. There must be a connection to the presenter or facilitator. There must be a connection to those in the same learning experience. There must be an emotional connection. There must be a mental connection. As MK Mueller writes, "Your attitude is based on your thoughts and beliefs. Attitude is mental, not emotional or behavioral. Emotions and behaviors are the results of our thoughts and beliefs." Having the right attitude, emotions and behaviors lead to a personal connection to learning. In addition, there must be a chance to connect personally with the other people. Sharing ideas, stories, laughing, learning and collaborating are vital for a high level of connections.
Third, the Professional Learning must be timely. Provide me opportunities that will impact what I am doing right now or what I will be doing in the near future. One of the best learning opportunities I had was during my third year of teaching. Our principal wanted to implement the workshop model in writing for the next school year. In May, he took a group of 7 of us, to see Katie Wood Ray talk about her book About the Authors during a one-day seminar. We listened, took notes feverishly, and walked away from that day excited and eager to start the workshop model when we returned. Probably the best part of the entire experience was the 4 hour car ride home where we all brainstormed how this would like. Our principal planted the seed and we were the change agents in the school.
When I think of these three characteristics, I cannot underestimate the value of my Twitter PLN and the #edcamp experience. Both of these learning experiences allow me to learn when I want, how I want, and with who I want. These experiences allow me to be in charge of my learning - and that is the ultimate goal, correct?
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Growth Mindset and Video Games
Growing up as a child, I remember many nights spent with friends learning to "master" the newest video game. Whether it was trying to decipher the codes in the original Legend of Zelda, working to figure out how to beat Mike Tyson in Punchout, or finding that "sweet spot" in NHL '95 where you could not miss with the Pittsburgh Penguins, many hours were spent among friends playing, learning, mastering and having fun. So what do video games have in common with principles of learning?
1. Video games are fun and engaging. The games were fun. The games held our attention. The games left a hunger inside of us when our parents said to turn it off! We wanted to get to the next level on Zelda and see what was in store for us. These same qualities should be in all of our lessons. Our lessons should be fun. My skin crawls when I hear teachers say, "That isn't fun to teach." My response is "You are talented in your craft. What can you do to make it fun?" Lessons should hold our attention. I come back to the popular quote "If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." - Ignacio Estrada
2. Video games provide immediate feedback. When we engaged in some heated, intense hockey games there was quite a bit on the line including lots of bragging rights. We heard there was a sweet spot with the Pittsburgh Penguins where Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr could not miss from the blue line. Was this true? We tried every spot on each blue. Time after time, we were not successful. These spots were not what we had heard about. We soon found the one spot where those two players could not miss. With our lessons, what type of feedback are we giving our students? Is it timely? Is it specific? Is should be in order for our students to understand what they are doing well and what they need to continue to work on to master their skills and concepts.
3. Video Games give us a chance to try and try again. When we spent hours and hours trying to defeat the various characters in Mike Tyson's Punchout, we had to learn how to beat each opponent. When we got to Soda Popinski, we spent hours trying to defeat him. We soon realized hitting him in the face time and time again was not helpful. You had to hit him in the stomach with jab after jab and do this a few times before you could beat him. We did not get just ONE chance to beat him. If we failed, we learned from our mistakes and could try again. With our lessons, do we give students an opportunity to fail and learn from these mistakes? Do we value and praise effort and not just the final product?
1. Video games are fun and engaging. The games were fun. The games held our attention. The games left a hunger inside of us when our parents said to turn it off! We wanted to get to the next level on Zelda and see what was in store for us. These same qualities should be in all of our lessons. Our lessons should be fun. My skin crawls when I hear teachers say, "That isn't fun to teach." My response is "You are talented in your craft. What can you do to make it fun?" Lessons should hold our attention. I come back to the popular quote "If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." - Ignacio Estrada
 |
| photo courtesy of zelda.wikia.com |
2. Video games provide immediate feedback. When we engaged in some heated, intense hockey games there was quite a bit on the line including lots of bragging rights. We heard there was a sweet spot with the Pittsburgh Penguins where Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr could not miss from the blue line. Was this true? We tried every spot on each blue. Time after time, we were not successful. These spots were not what we had heard about. We soon found the one spot where those two players could not miss. With our lessons, what type of feedback are we giving our students? Is it timely? Is it specific? Is should be in order for our students to understand what they are doing well and what they need to continue to work on to master their skills and concepts.
 |
| photo courtesy of sports.espn.go.com |
3. Video Games give us a chance to try and try again. When we spent hours and hours trying to defeat the various characters in Mike Tyson's Punchout, we had to learn how to beat each opponent. When we got to Soda Popinski, we spent hours trying to defeat him. We soon realized hitting him in the face time and time again was not helpful. You had to hit him in the stomach with jab after jab and do this a few times before you could beat him. We did not get just ONE chance to beat him. If we failed, we learned from our mistakes and could try again. With our lessons, do we give students an opportunity to fail and learn from these mistakes? Do we value and praise effort and not just the final product?
 |
| photo courtesy of en.wikipedia.org |
I look back and can apply these lessons I learned from my time playing video games to learning in our classrooms. Are there any lessons you can add?
Monday, December 30, 2013
Getting Parents Involved
Parents are the first teachers. Beginning at an early age, parents read to their children, talk with their children and instill a love of learning. Once our children begin in school, how do we keep parents an active partner in developing the learning of their children?
1. Keep open lines of communication
Communication is key for helping to initially get parents involved and keep them involved. Through the use of newsletters, schools can narrow the information gap. In the schools I have worked at, either as a teacher or an administrator, I have seen daily newsletters, weekly newsletters, and monthly newsletters used to share school happenings, school celebrations and school information. We can't assume families know what to expect. As a parent of a kindergartner this year, I have received many emails with information about school traditions which I know very little about. Take the time to clarify and describe so everyone is on the same page. One of my mentors sends articles to the families on a monthly basis. These articles provide opportunities for families to learn and grow. He accompanies these articles by including a personal story to show he is an educator, a parent and is still learning all the time. Adding this personal touch makes some families more willing to read, learn and grow together.
2. Invite them into school
What better way to have parents be involved than to invite them into your school. Whether it is through a curriculum night, family event, or volunteering, getting families into the school is key. For some families, school was not an enjoyable experience because school did not work for them. It is our responsibility to create an environment where all families feel comfortable enough to be at school. As a community of learners, we need to provide families to come and observe the many different learning opportunities and reasons for celebrations throughout the year. One of the schools I work at has fireside chats for Veterans Day. We invite veterans to come and talk about their experiences while providing an opportunity for our students to ask questions and learn from their experiences. The other school I work at has a welcome committee. When a new family joins our community, we have parents and teachers reach out to welcome them, student ambassadors to show them around school, and additional families to follow up after a few weeks to see if they have any questions. We want our families to feel welcome at our school. What ways do you invite your families into school?
3. Tap into parent talent
Our families have many talents which can enhance our school experience. On a monthly basis, we have our parents can sign up to come and speak to our classes. We ask the parents to share what they do and how school helped prepare them for their job. These monthly opportunities again allow the parents to be in the building while sharing their talents. Based on these conversations, we have had parents help us as a staff based on their talents and profession. What talents do your own families have that can enhance your own school experience for your students?
4. Use technology to hook them
The best way to reach parents is use the tools they are using on a daily basis. There are so many tech tools out there to help parents stay connected. Here are just a few we have used (or intend to use in the coming months): facebook, twitter, remind101, school apps, touchcast for video messages, QR codes for curriculum and class schedules, online data notebooks through GAFE, broadcasting PTA meetings (coming soon), shutterfly classroom pages... the list goes on and on. What tools are you using with your families?
5. Ask questions
How often do we ask families for feedback? When you do ask for feedback, how do you share their feedback with the masses and how you plan to work toward their feedback? At our last parent-teacher conferences, we asked 5 questions in each grade level for families to provide feedback to us as a learning community. These questions were derived from our bi-annual report card. We asked families to complete a consensogram to help us gather data for our BSIP and for us to continually strive to meet the needs of our families. Asking for feedback is an important aspect of creating a partnership and letting families (our clients) know we value their input and will work together to meet our learning community needs.
What other ways are you getting your parents involved? I would love for you to comment below so we can learn from you and your efforts in creating effective partnerships.
1. Keep open lines of communication
Communication is key for helping to initially get parents involved and keep them involved. Through the use of newsletters, schools can narrow the information gap. In the schools I have worked at, either as a teacher or an administrator, I have seen daily newsletters, weekly newsletters, and monthly newsletters used to share school happenings, school celebrations and school information. We can't assume families know what to expect. As a parent of a kindergartner this year, I have received many emails with information about school traditions which I know very little about. Take the time to clarify and describe so everyone is on the same page. One of my mentors sends articles to the families on a monthly basis. These articles provide opportunities for families to learn and grow. He accompanies these articles by including a personal story to show he is an educator, a parent and is still learning all the time. Adding this personal touch makes some families more willing to read, learn and grow together.
2. Invite them into school
What better way to have parents be involved than to invite them into your school. Whether it is through a curriculum night, family event, or volunteering, getting families into the school is key. For some families, school was not an enjoyable experience because school did not work for them. It is our responsibility to create an environment where all families feel comfortable enough to be at school. As a community of learners, we need to provide families to come and observe the many different learning opportunities and reasons for celebrations throughout the year. One of the schools I work at has fireside chats for Veterans Day. We invite veterans to come and talk about their experiences while providing an opportunity for our students to ask questions and learn from their experiences. The other school I work at has a welcome committee. When a new family joins our community, we have parents and teachers reach out to welcome them, student ambassadors to show them around school, and additional families to follow up after a few weeks to see if they have any questions. We want our families to feel welcome at our school. What ways do you invite your families into school?
3. Tap into parent talent
Our families have many talents which can enhance our school experience. On a monthly basis, we have our parents can sign up to come and speak to our classes. We ask the parents to share what they do and how school helped prepare them for their job. These monthly opportunities again allow the parents to be in the building while sharing their talents. Based on these conversations, we have had parents help us as a staff based on their talents and profession. What talents do your own families have that can enhance your own school experience for your students?
4. Use technology to hook them
The best way to reach parents is use the tools they are using on a daily basis. There are so many tech tools out there to help parents stay connected. Here are just a few we have used (or intend to use in the coming months): facebook, twitter, remind101, school apps, touchcast for video messages, QR codes for curriculum and class schedules, online data notebooks through GAFE, broadcasting PTA meetings (coming soon), shutterfly classroom pages... the list goes on and on. What tools are you using with your families?
5. Ask questions
How often do we ask families for feedback? When you do ask for feedback, how do you share their feedback with the masses and how you plan to work toward their feedback? At our last parent-teacher conferences, we asked 5 questions in each grade level for families to provide feedback to us as a learning community. These questions were derived from our bi-annual report card. We asked families to complete a consensogram to help us gather data for our BSIP and for us to continually strive to meet the needs of our families. Asking for feedback is an important aspect of creating a partnership and letting families (our clients) know we value their input and will work together to meet our learning community needs.
What other ways are you getting your parents involved? I would love for you to comment below so we can learn from you and your efforts in creating effective partnerships.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Some Weekend Homework
I was recently given a task by a close friend of mine, John Wink (@johnwink90). I don't blog as much as I would like to and I am not sure why. I don't know if it is because I don't view myself as a talented writer or if I have not made this a priority with my time. When I look back on my blog posts, I have enjoyed the process because it allows me to a reflective practitioner. Thank you John for giving me an incentive to start blogging again.
Before I start, I want to take a minute to thank John for his friendship and leadership. Even though I have never met John in person, I have learned so much from him about school leadership, developing and sustaining PLC's, and the power of a strong culture. Thank you, John. Your teachers, students and families are lucky to have you be the lead learner at Gilmer Elementary.
1. I am married to a wonderful wife who inspires me everyday. We met at a wedding of a mutual college friend. She asked what I did for a living and I replied, "I am a kindergarten teacher." I had her hook, line and sinker!
2. I have three children and they are my world. Our oldest is 5 and in kindergarten, our middle is almost four and your youngest is 20 months. Needless to say, we have a fun and busy house right now!
3. I was a kindergarten teacher for 9 years. My certification was K-12 partly because I was not sure which level I wanted to teach. I student taught in kindergarten and first grade for part of my experience and then finished my student teaching at the high school level teaching geography, geometry and honors calculus. I can say I worked with both ends of the educational spectrum.
4. My family lives in New England. My parents and sister live in NH and my two younger brothers live in Boston. They moved out to the east coast when I was in college and although I love to visit them and the region, the midwest is my home.
5. I played tennis as a young child all the way through high school. I played competitively for quite a while and eventually was sponsored by Dunlop and K-Swiss. I had lots of clothes, shoes and rackets. While in high school, I started coaching tennis and that is when I realized I wanted to be an educator.
6. I studied abroad in Scotland while in college. This experience was one of my best experiences I have ever had. I lived with 5 students from Scotland and England in a small flat It truly was an eye-opening and amazing experience.
7. Here are some of my favorite movies:
Before I start, I want to take a minute to thank John for his friendship and leadership. Even though I have never met John in person, I have learned so much from him about school leadership, developing and sustaining PLC's, and the power of a strong culture. Thank you, John. Your teachers, students and families are lucky to have you be the lead learner at Gilmer Elementary.
My First Task - 11 Random Facts about Me.
This was a bit challenging to answer because I don't like to talk about myself very often. But here goes:
2. I have three children and they are my world. Our oldest is 5 and in kindergarten, our middle is almost four and your youngest is 20 months. Needless to say, we have a fun and busy house right now!
3. I was a kindergarten teacher for 9 years. My certification was K-12 partly because I was not sure which level I wanted to teach. I student taught in kindergarten and first grade for part of my experience and then finished my student teaching at the high school level teaching geography, geometry and honors calculus. I can say I worked with both ends of the educational spectrum.
4. My family lives in New England. My parents and sister live in NH and my two younger brothers live in Boston. They moved out to the east coast when I was in college and although I love to visit them and the region, the midwest is my home.
5. I played tennis as a young child all the way through high school. I played competitively for quite a while and eventually was sponsored by Dunlop and K-Swiss. I had lots of clothes, shoes and rackets. While in high school, I started coaching tennis and that is when I realized I wanted to be an educator.
6. I studied abroad in Scotland while in college. This experience was one of my best experiences I have ever had. I lived with 5 students from Scotland and England in a small flat It truly was an eye-opening and amazing experience.
7. Here are some of my favorite movies:
- Braveheart - I have seen it over 24 times (that is rather disturbing to think about it as I write it down) and tried to visit as many historical sites during my time in Scotland. The city where I studies actually has the national William Wallace memorial along with Wallace's actual claymore sword.
- Good Will Hunting - some many great lines and lessons from this movie
- The Big Lebowski - a typical cult movie with many, many one-liners
- Saving Private Ryan - is there a better opening to a movie?
- Jeremiah Johnson - something about the simplicity of life makes me watch this whenever it is on
- Vacation - a timeless classic
- The list goes on and on...
8. In college, I was once auctioned off for a date as part of a live telecast when we donated toys to Toys for Tots. It never amounted to anything but is a fun story nonetheless.
9. I am more of a college sports fan than a professional sports fan. I would much rather watch college basketball (especially the Jayhawks) over the NBA and college football over the NFL.
10. I love to grill and smoke meats. Living in Kansas City, I am surrounded my numerous award-winning BBQ joints. Needless to say, I don't have a lack of inspiration to try to enhance my BBQ craft.
11. I don't like gravy or whipped cream. If I am eating mashed potatoes, just leave off the gravy. Forget the whipped cream with ice cream or dessert... just plain please.
My Second Task - Answer John's Questions
1. What is your favorite Christmas tradition and why?
Growing up, we moved around as a family for my dad's job. This took us away from family so our holidays were just us. We started a tradition of going to mass on Christmas Eve and then going out to a Japanese Steakhouse (because it was one of the few restaurants open on Christmas Eve). We have been doing this for over 20 years now.
2. If you could have anyone over for the holidays, who would it be and why?
I would love to have all of my family over for Christmas. We have family in Chicago and Indianapolis and we don't get to see them very often. I would love to have a meal where all of our extended families were in the same place at the same time.
3. Flaming hot hot sauce or mild and bland sauce?
Definitely hot sauce. Give it that kick!
4. Do you root for the underdog or the team predicted to win?
I typically root for the underdog (except when they play the Jayhawks). I love to see everyone have their moment.
5. Which person in your PLN do you find most interesting and why?
David Culberhouse. I am not sure if David sleeps. He is always posting tremendously reflective posts which allow me to grow and learn.
6. Which book has made the most profound impact on your life?
This is a great question. There are so many books which have impacted me. I would say Shifting the Monkey by Todd Whitaker. This is a book I have read over and over and is a book which has helped me focus on those things that are important and help others realize the importance of solving their own problems.
7. What is your favorite decade of all time and what made it the best for you?
I love the 90's. Great music, great sports, great memories.
8. What is the best movie of all time?
As I mentioned earlier, Braveheart is my favorite movie of all time. Love the history, the scenery and the power of doing what is right.
9. Which animal best represents your personality and why?
A dog. I would say I am very loyal, personable and want to please and support.
10. What is your proudest professional accomplishment?
My greatest professional accomplishment is helping a child who entered kindergarten learn to read and have confidence in himself. He entered kindergarten with no exposure to letters, numbers or print and had very little confidence in himself. He left able to read and saw himself as a learner.
11. What is your New Year's Resolution for 2014?
To blog more. I want to make it more of a priority to reflect and share my thoughts - at least 2x a month.
My Third Task - Questions for you
1. What book have your recently read?
2. If you could sit down with any two people from history, who would you choose and why?
3. Hamburgers or Hotdogs?
4. What is your favorite season of the year and why?
5. Which person in your PLN do you find most interesting and why?
6. What song/album have you recently listened to?
7. Who influenced you to be an educator?
8. What are you most proud of this past year?
9. If you did not go into education, what profession would you have chosen and why?
10. If you could switch shoes with one person, who would it be and why?
11. What is your New Year's Resolution for 2014?
1. What book have your recently read?
2. If you could sit down with any two people from history, who would you choose and why?
3. Hamburgers or Hotdogs?
4. What is your favorite season of the year and why?
5. Which person in your PLN do you find most interesting and why?
6. What song/album have you recently listened to?
7. Who influenced you to be an educator?
8. What are you most proud of this past year?
9. If you did not go into education, what profession would you have chosen and why?
10. If you could switch shoes with one person, who would it be and why?
11. What is your New Year's Resolution for 2014?
My Fourth Task - Nominate 11 Bloggers to Join the Homework Club
Tom Whitford
Jimmy Casas
Aaron Becker
Bill Powers
Jayme Linton
Shelley Burgess
Michele Corbat
Rodney Hetherton
Ken Williams
Drew Frank
Joey Sagel
Add yourself to the list and join the fun
Here is your Task
- Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
- Share 11 random facts about yourself.
- Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
- List 11 bloggers.
- Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you
Saturday, August 17, 2013
My Vision for Schools
Week #2 of the SAVMP #savmp project asked us to identify our vision and philosophy of schools as it relates to our role as leaders and what our schools should look like for our students. The core of my educational philosophy is rooted in my role as a father. When I make a decision, I ask myself "is this good enough for my own children?" I view all of the students in our school as "my students" and if something is not good enough for my own three children, it is not good enough for my students.
I make it my goal each day to keep my students and teachers safe, happy while creating a love of learning. But what exactly does that look like? What is my vision for our school community? Here is a synopsis of what I believe in, what I work to create and what I want our schools to be models of in and around our learning environments.
1. Create an environment where everyone wants to be.
Our school community works extremely hard to create an environment where the children want to be. Our school community works extremely hard to create an environment where the children are excited to come and are eager to return the following day. Our school community works extremely hard to create an environment where our staff wakes up each day and views this work as our passion, not simply our work. Our school community works extremely hard to create a welcoming, inviting place for families to come to, learn with and be proud of. We want our school to be "the place" where everyone wants to be.
2. Respect individuals.
One of our school expectations is to show respect. Our students and teachers understand this notion but I want to take this level of respect up a notch. I want to create a learning environment where choice is the norm and individual learning styles are understood and respected. Allowing students the flexibility and autonomy to own their learning however they best learn in a manner that will demonstrate learning and mastery of skills and concepts by applying their learning. Children should be encouraged to learn how they learn best - in chairs, on the floor, standing up, walking around the room... One size does not fit all and we need to help children identify how they learn best and trust them to utilize those learning opportunities. Teachers can model these opportunities and encourage children to strive for "autonomy, purpose and mastery" (Daniel Pink). The same principles apply to teachers. Traditional PD opportunities do not work for all teachers. That is why the edcamp model is so powerful. Allow teachers to spend quality time observing one another and sharing their expertise with their colleagues. As an instructional leader, I need to help understand the power behind different professional learning opportunities and model how to effectively create individual learning opportunities for all staff to grow and thrive!
3. Make today better than it was yesterday.
The goal of schools is learning - but that come in so many different ways. It is our responsibility to meet children where they are and help move them forward. Some students need academic help. Others need emotional help. Still, others need help with communication and inter-personal skills. If we can know our children, know their needs, and work to make today better than the previous day, we have accomplished a mighty task.
4. Relationships matter.
It sounds so simple, yet it is so true. I have been in schools where relationships did not matter very much and it was extremely evident in the culture of the building. I spend time building trust with those I work with so they know me and I know them. I work extremely hard to know ALL of the children's names. I want to get to know who they are, their interests and something about them on a personal level. I work extremely hard to know each staff member's family, their interests and passions. I want to personalize my information I share with the teachers and I cannot possibly share blogs, articles, ideas, tweets... without knowing who they are. I want to get to know the families and spend time building those relationships. I recently started doing a weekly video message with the app touchcast. I have used this service to summarize the week, share important and exciting elements at our school in a new and exciting format for our families to engage in and with. My long-term goal would be for the teachers to all take this idea and either create their own video message each week to their families or "sub" for me and create the video for the larger school community. I have never regretted spending time getting to know someone on a personal level. I value those trusting relationships. People know I will die on the hill for them and they will do the same for me because of the relationships we have built.
5. Lead by Example.
I will never ask anyone to do something I would not do myself. I am really passionate about learning, teaching, curriculum and technology. My goal is to learn something new each day that I can share with someone. I want to remain current on educational trends, topics, and best practices so we can collectively create the most influential, powerful and engaging learning experience for all of our teachers and students.
This list could go go on and on but I believe you get the main crux of my educational vision and philosophy - it all starts with people! We work hard to create the environment, the culture, and the work that allows for learning to occur at all levels each and every day. What about you? What is your educational philosophy?
I make it my goal each day to keep my students and teachers safe, happy while creating a love of learning. But what exactly does that look like? What is my vision for our school community? Here is a synopsis of what I believe in, what I work to create and what I want our schools to be models of in and around our learning environments.
1. Create an environment where everyone wants to be.
Our school community works extremely hard to create an environment where the children want to be. Our school community works extremely hard to create an environment where the children are excited to come and are eager to return the following day. Our school community works extremely hard to create an environment where our staff wakes up each day and views this work as our passion, not simply our work. Our school community works extremely hard to create a welcoming, inviting place for families to come to, learn with and be proud of. We want our school to be "the place" where everyone wants to be.
2. Respect individuals.
One of our school expectations is to show respect. Our students and teachers understand this notion but I want to take this level of respect up a notch. I want to create a learning environment where choice is the norm and individual learning styles are understood and respected. Allowing students the flexibility and autonomy to own their learning however they best learn in a manner that will demonstrate learning and mastery of skills and concepts by applying their learning. Children should be encouraged to learn how they learn best - in chairs, on the floor, standing up, walking around the room... One size does not fit all and we need to help children identify how they learn best and trust them to utilize those learning opportunities. Teachers can model these opportunities and encourage children to strive for "autonomy, purpose and mastery" (Daniel Pink). The same principles apply to teachers. Traditional PD opportunities do not work for all teachers. That is why the edcamp model is so powerful. Allow teachers to spend quality time observing one another and sharing their expertise with their colleagues. As an instructional leader, I need to help understand the power behind different professional learning opportunities and model how to effectively create individual learning opportunities for all staff to grow and thrive!
3. Make today better than it was yesterday.
The goal of schools is learning - but that come in so many different ways. It is our responsibility to meet children where they are and help move them forward. Some students need academic help. Others need emotional help. Still, others need help with communication and inter-personal skills. If we can know our children, know their needs, and work to make today better than the previous day, we have accomplished a mighty task.
4. Relationships matter.
It sounds so simple, yet it is so true. I have been in schools where relationships did not matter very much and it was extremely evident in the culture of the building. I spend time building trust with those I work with so they know me and I know them. I work extremely hard to know ALL of the children's names. I want to get to know who they are, their interests and something about them on a personal level. I work extremely hard to know each staff member's family, their interests and passions. I want to personalize my information I share with the teachers and I cannot possibly share blogs, articles, ideas, tweets... without knowing who they are. I want to get to know the families and spend time building those relationships. I recently started doing a weekly video message with the app touchcast. I have used this service to summarize the week, share important and exciting elements at our school in a new and exciting format for our families to engage in and with. My long-term goal would be for the teachers to all take this idea and either create their own video message each week to their families or "sub" for me and create the video for the larger school community. I have never regretted spending time getting to know someone on a personal level. I value those trusting relationships. People know I will die on the hill for them and they will do the same for me because of the relationships we have built.
5. Lead by Example.
I will never ask anyone to do something I would not do myself. I am really passionate about learning, teaching, curriculum and technology. My goal is to learn something new each day that I can share with someone. I want to remain current on educational trends, topics, and best practices so we can collectively create the most influential, powerful and engaging learning experience for all of our teachers and students.
This list could go go on and on but I believe you get the main crux of my educational vision and philosophy - it all starts with people! We work hard to create the environment, the culture, and the work that allows for learning to occur at all levels each and every day. What about you? What is your educational philosophy?
Friday, August 9, 2013
Why do I lead?
When I found out that I was selected to be a part of the #SAVMP and learn with so many wonderfully talented and experienced educators, I was thrilled. I know I have a great deal to learn and share with others and am encouraged by the opportunity to do so with educators all around the country.
I never really envisioned my career heading into administration. I loved what I did... kindergarten teacher, building level leadership teams, and district leadership committees. Why would I leave what I loved doing? A good friend went back to get her degree in administration and asked me to join her so we could have some classes together. After talking it over with my principal at the time, I thought it might be something nice to have in my back pocket if I ever wanted to move that direction. But I never really envisioned leaving the classroom.
I then had the opportunity to shadow a few different principals at different levels, principals I highly respected. After seeing what they did on a daily basis, I knew a change was coming my way. I saw the passion they had for their teachers, for their children, for their families, and for the schools and I wanted to emulate that passion. Instead of directly impacting a classroom of 25 kindergartners, I could now impact a school of 400+ children, families and teachers.
I have never really reflected on this question before. This simple and powerful question has forced me over the past few days to really think about why I do what I do each and every day. As I reflected on this question, the same reasons kept popping into my mind over and over.
1. The main reason I love the position I am in is because of the relationships. I am privileged to be a part of many lives day in and day out. As a leader, I get the chance to work with children, families and teachers in a variety of settings. I get to know about them personally and professionally and they get to know me, my family and who I am. I enjoy and look forward to building those relationships. Those relationships are the foundation for our challenging work. When I truly know people and they know me, we are more willing to work together for a common goal.
2. I love the position I am in because I can grow and learn. Being a school administrator, I get the privilege of being in all different classrooms. I have the wonderful experience of seeing the best of the best in all grade levels. This opportunity allows me to grow and develop my craft as an educator.
3. I love the position I am in because I get to help be an advocate for the children. There are times when children don't have a voice. Every decision I make centers around what is best for the children and teachers. When I keep that the best interest of the children in mind, I know I am making the correct decision, even when people do not like a decision.
What better reasons are there to lead? I get to form relationships with others. I get to learn with and from others. And I can help children be successful. Why wouldn't I lead?
I am excited to learn with and from Amber, Amanda and Chris and all of #savmp during this journey!
I never really envisioned my career heading into administration. I loved what I did... kindergarten teacher, building level leadership teams, and district leadership committees. Why would I leave what I loved doing? A good friend went back to get her degree in administration and asked me to join her so we could have some classes together. After talking it over with my principal at the time, I thought it might be something nice to have in my back pocket if I ever wanted to move that direction. But I never really envisioned leaving the classroom.
I then had the opportunity to shadow a few different principals at different levels, principals I highly respected. After seeing what they did on a daily basis, I knew a change was coming my way. I saw the passion they had for their teachers, for their children, for their families, and for the schools and I wanted to emulate that passion. Instead of directly impacting a classroom of 25 kindergartners, I could now impact a school of 400+ children, families and teachers.
I have never really reflected on this question before. This simple and powerful question has forced me over the past few days to really think about why I do what I do each and every day. As I reflected on this question, the same reasons kept popping into my mind over and over.
1. The main reason I love the position I am in is because of the relationships. I am privileged to be a part of many lives day in and day out. As a leader, I get the chance to work with children, families and teachers in a variety of settings. I get to know about them personally and professionally and they get to know me, my family and who I am. I enjoy and look forward to building those relationships. Those relationships are the foundation for our challenging work. When I truly know people and they know me, we are more willing to work together for a common goal.
2. I love the position I am in because I can grow and learn. Being a school administrator, I get the privilege of being in all different classrooms. I have the wonderful experience of seeing the best of the best in all grade levels. This opportunity allows me to grow and develop my craft as an educator.
3. I love the position I am in because I get to help be an advocate for the children. There are times when children don't have a voice. Every decision I make centers around what is best for the children and teachers. When I keep that the best interest of the children in mind, I know I am making the correct decision, even when people do not like a decision.
What better reasons are there to lead? I get to form relationships with others. I get to learn with and from others. And I can help children be successful. Why wouldn't I lead?
I am excited to learn with and from Amber, Amanda and Chris and all of #savmp during this journey!
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