A Teacher Affects Eternity

Teacher appreciation week should be all year long, BUT since it is this week, is a great time to ensure teachers know how much their daily efforts are appreciated.   Teacher appreciation comes at a great time in the school year when teachers need a power boost to make it to the end of  the year.  As I read all the tweets and blog posts about teacher appreciation this week I thought about lessons I learned from teachers that impacted my life.

Here is a list of the lessons that I learned and how I have used each lesson to impact my practice as an educator. 

·         Relationships Matter - Teachers who cared about me made a huge difference in my life.  They took the time to understand what I liked, what my goals were and they were genuinely interested in me.  To this day I make sure that my staff knows I care for them.  I do this by engaging with them in conversation, asking about family, their weekend, their goals and aspirations, I ask their opinions, and I make them feel appreciated. I had a campus principal tell me in my second teaching job that kids don’t care unless they know we care (teachers don’t either) – Such great advice!  

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      Humor Helps - Something that stood out about great teachers is that they had a great sense of humor.  This skill helped me learn to laugh at myself in stressful times and to laugh with and not at others.  To this day, I enjoy the sound of laughter in a classroom and in my team meetings.  Laughter is always good for the soul. 

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      Praise is Valued - I remember that my teachers always had authentic praise for those in my class.  Every student needs encouragement, not just a “good job” but true authentic praise for true effort.  Everyone brings something valuable to the table on your team or in your class.  Let them know you see their hard work and that their effort is paying off. 

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      Positive Attitudes are Contagious– This definitely set great teachers apart from other teachers.  Walking into a classroom or meeting where there is positive energy is such a pleasant feeling.  As a student I dreaded the class that the teacher was always unpredictable when it came to their mood.  I learned that a positive attitude goes a long way.  Your attitude should not be a guessing game for students or those who work for with you.  How’s your attitude?    

I want to thank my many great teachers for the lessons they taught me without knowing it.  These skills have served me well as an educator and person. 

To all my teacher friends out there- THANK YOU!

The Influence of Data

In an effort to ensure that I can facilitate data driven dialog and decision making I had to dig into the research about decisions making thorough data this summer.  What I learned is that data is about the DISCUSSION first and the PLAN of action that comes from that collaboration.

   

We implemented Instructional Rounds last school year. Rounds is a data driven, evidence-based process.  The process is about classroom visits that focus on our problem in practice, which in our case is the level of questioning, teacher versus student talk, student discourse and classroom tasks. In our visits we collect EVIDENCE in six classrooms as it applies to the areas we are looking at. The power in this process is the DIALOGUE that occurs within the Rounds Team as we seek to create instructional solutions for each campus to implement.  Again, the power is in the DIALOGUE.

In education we have long been masters at identifying our areas of need, our FOCUS needs be in creating action based on the data story.  What is the story your data is telling?  Who are the main characters (demographics)?  What is the main idea?   As leaders of teachers we must help teachers put in to perspective that data is not about do-or-die moments; the data story is about setting a different course - adjusting and continuously monitoring progress towards our goals.  I had a coach once tell me that if you have nothing to shoot for you will most certainly hit nothing.  This has been the power of Instructional Rounds-we set goals, create a momentum plan and work to change our practice.

I am excited to walk with our teachers and administration as we begin to create those meaningful connections between data and tomorrow’s lesson plan. 

Here are some great resources about Instructional Rounds: http://www.instructionalrounds.com/Blog.html

Change Happens

When reflecting over the past school year I am reminded that change is inevitable.  People view change through different lenses.  We might not like it, but change does happen.  I learned a long time ago that as a school leader, people look at how you handle change and feed off of that.  The face of change is sometimes needed and should be welcomed, but other times it is a fearful step to take.  As the school year ends understand that staff will change, programs will change, and most importantly we must self-assess and see where we need to change.  Here are some steps to take in preparing for the changes a new school years brings. 

First, we have to recognize that change will happen. We cannot count on the way it has been done in the past as the best way to move forward.  By understating that change will occur I am not setting myself up if processes, duties, or people are different.  I am not reacting to the change, but becoming a willing partner in the process of change.

Second, we have to self-assess and ensure that my strengths continue to help my district. I also have to assess my weaknesses (yes, we all have them) and create opportunities that help me grow in these areas.  As leaders we have to be sure that the right people are on the bus.  I desire to be one of those people, don’t you?   

Finally, change requires flexibility.  The better we are able to adapt, the greater our chance of contributing to the success of the team and keeping our seat on the bus.  What will be required of you in the new school year?  What skills can you leverage with new responsibilities to help the team succeed?  You have to believe in the skills you have and contribute to the team.

I have never let change impact how I continue to do my work, which is giving everything I have every day to ensure the success of campuses and children.  Remember, change happens, just don’t forget to keep the main focus the main focus – and any new situation will be a good situation.

Leadership Is About Behaviors

I am so fortunate that I get to be in and out of classrooms in my school district.  I know that leadership is about behavior.  In the past week during our Instructional Rounds visits I saw many teachers who fit the model of a leader.  I was able to see young children cared for, valued, and celebrated for their contribution to a lesson.  This only happens when their teacher embraces the role of a true leader.

During my classroom visits I was so pleased to see teachers encouraging their students to be active participants in the learning process. These teachers were willing to change a lesson that they easily could stand and delivery, into one that allowed students to discover through collaboration with their peers.  Great leaders strive to create an atmosphere of trust – these classrooms are safe places for students to think, speak, and discover.

Great leaders passionately believe they can make a difference.  The teachers in my district use their magnetism and persuasion in teaching to help their students see their potential as learners.  In several lessons I witnessed students who shared a wrong answer, but were given an opportunity to ask a fellow student for help.  How powerful is it when we allow students to continue to gather information and contribute to the learning process.  Leaders enable others to act.

I am so pleased that I get to see great leaders of learning in my schools.  Leadership is about behaviors – I ask myself often if I am leading the way for others.  I want to be the leader that others see the passion in.  I want to be the leader that models the behaviors others see as proactive and supportive.  I want to be the leader that others see the excitement I have for learning and supporting the vision of learners in the future.   I want to be the leader that keeps hope and determination alive, the leader that makes others feel value and worth.  I want to strengthen others.Take stock and make sure you are modeling the behaviors you want other to see.  

Reward Exemplar Work

I have been fortunate to have principal support in implementing two initiatives in my school district this school year, Instructional Rounds and Standards Based Bulletin Boards (SBBB).  I have been amazed at the teacher and student growth in both areas.  I will focus this blog on the success of our SBBB initiative.

In the past, walking through our elementary hallways was a bit of a coloring display, or simple QR codes on pictures that led to never-never land.  But not anymore!  Our expectation is that the displays reflect the exemplar work our students and teachers are doing in their classrooms.  We use a rubric for which these SBBB are graded.  Each month by myself and the other Assistant Superintendent walk our buildings and review each new bulletin board.  Here is what review for each board:

• is the student task aligned with the intent of the TEK, 
• is the task at a higher level of Bloom's,
• does the task integrate writing and or technology, 
• is their written feedback about why the work is exemplar from peers or the teacher. 

It is such a great experience to look at the work from every classroom in our three elementary schools. Teachers and their students are rewarded by being selected as the monthly winner of their campus SBBB.  They replace their SBBB with a "Winner" poster and display their work at central office.  At the monthly school board meetings the teacher leads our board members in a learning walk about the exemplar work she and her students are doing.
  District Initiatives can be a win-win - this one sure has been.  

Lifelong Learners

I had a conversation over the holiday break with a friend about why educators continue to go to school.  It occurred to me that people on the outside of education don’t often get our passion for what we do – to teach others that learning is powerful.  The question came in the conversation…will your degree ever reap you financial benefits?  I honestly never asked myself that question; I simply wanted to achieve that next goal of getting a higher degree.  That is when it dawned on me how many teachers we have in our district that pursues a Master’s degree in order to better their practice.  Is the field of education that different from other professions that we feel an innate desire to learn more?  

School is something that I did not enjoy as a youngster.  It was something that I had to do to stay in good graces with my parents.  I struggled with school so it wasn't exactly what I looked forward to daily.  Looking back I had to think long and hard to pinpoint when my attitude changed about school, what made me want to pursue another degree (or two).  It wasn’t what, but who – it was the educators in my life.  A former principal told me that an education was a powerful tool and to embrace the chance to continue learning.  It was a college professor who made hard content relatively easy by being creative and persistent in her expectations.  It was the AD that gave me my first job and stood in the wings ready to help me if I needed it, who lent me a shoulder and gave sound advice.  It was teaching alongside great teachers who were creative, caring, and took every test score personally.  It was the staff that worked with me at CHS who were so committed to students it was obvious when you walked into the classrooms.

My desire to learn came from the people who made an impact on me in the field of education.  I am not always the greatest at reflection, but I do know that money has never been the motivating factor for continuing my education – it has been the innate desire to influence young people and teachers the way those who taught me had done.  I thank those who have impacted the way I see learning, and I hope I too can spread that love of learning to those I encounter daily.  

To answer the question---Is the field of education that different from other professions that we feel the desire to learn more?  Yes, It is!

What I Don't Know...

I love to spend time my niece who is twelve and my nephew who is eight.  We have the greatest give and take conversations, meaning they know so many thing that I don’t know.  When I say “what is that or how does that work?", they get a real kick out of showing me what they know.  It is no secret that kids today are much more familiar with technology than we are, just give them a device and let them show you.  +Reflecting on one of our conversations, it dawned on me that I have to be comfortable with what I know and just as comfortable with what I don’t know.   The great part about what I don’t know, is that I too can grab my device and search the world for answers. After all learning is power!

This year in my district we are working on our practice in the classroom through instructional rounds.  Too often great teachers move into administration and become managers of people instead of leaders of learners. So how can I as an administrator continue to grow in what I practice?  My choice is Twitter. I use this source because I always have a device in my possession and I get to choose who I follow for information.  I agree that engaging in the Twitter-verse is an acquired skill, but none the less worth the learning curve. I have to continue to grow my skills and acquire information using what our kids are so familiar with, social media. 

I am reminded of a professor I had in my graduate work that would say a million times to us…”tell me what you know, not what you think!”  Here is what I know, leaders of learners have to commit the time to learn, apply what they’ve learned in a setting that others can learn from them, and they must seek information about what they don’t know.   

Remember the old adage of lead, follow, or get out of the way – what I know is that your staff will get information from someone – make that someone you.  Be a leader, spend your time researching practices that other schools are using to accelerate success on their campus.  Do your research, interact with others on social media, through #edchats, or through other blogging sources.  It is amazing what I can learn in ten minutes on twitter or reading another educators blog.  Know what you don’t know, and commit the time and energy to learn it.  

Here are some of my favorite Twitter sites:

#leadfromwithin
@EducatorsRoom
@SBEducation
@NEAToday
@TED_Ed
@EdTechTeacher21