cc flickr photo by ktvee

There is a student who approaches me, almost daily, with a complaint.  It’s never anything of much substance…I suspect it is usually just an excuse to visit.  Lately, I have been telling the student that I am fine listening to the complaints, but I also want to hear at least one positive comment during each of our conversations.  It has become a game, but one that is forcing a bit of reflection on the positive.

I believe it is human nature to allow our focus to drift toward the challenges and frustrations in our lives.  I also believe it is a more significant struggle for educators because we are problem solvers…and in order to solve problems, you have to spend a lot of time in the “muck and mire”, so to speak.  When the problems become too complex, too many in number, or too emotional…stress levels rise and our ability to be optimistic becomes overwhelmed.  I know, because it happens to me more often than I care to admit.

So as we wrap-up a quarter that I know has been very taxing, I want to challenge you to spend a few minutes celebrating the positives…the things that have gone right.  Each one of you have accomplished a great deal this quarter, and as I mentioned at the beginning of the school year…you make a difference!  Don’t fall into the trap of equating success with perfection — it is far to easy to follow examples of progress with a “but” — but, it needs improvement…but, it isn’t working quite right…but, it would be better if…, etc.  A vigilant eye toward improvement is a hallmark of successful people/organizations, but be sure you take time to consider progress and celebrate success as the opportunities arise.

I am confident that each and every one of you have had a hand in many of the following first quarter “wins.”  Be proud of what you have accomplished!

• Implementation of a Connections class to help foster effective relationships
• Better understanding of the new evaluation instrument adopted by the district
• Social studies teachers teaching language arts standards
• More students smiling and saying hello
• A great group of new staff members who have jumped right in as advocates for our students
• Integration of technology tools to improve student learning
• Patience…with students, colleagues, administration and district
• Teachers changing grade levels, or curriculum, and meeting the challenge with passion and intensity
• Organized opportunities for our students to interact with students from a feeder elementary school
• A willingness to learn and try new things
• A new-found ability to send and read e-mail in Outlook
• Initiation of an after-school homework program that has consistently drawn large numbers of students
• As always, a tremendous display of musical talents during this quarters performances at CCA
• Participation in collaborative learning opportunities and discussions with colleagues
• Surviving a fire alarm in the middle of a rainstorm
• Encouraging creativity in classrooms
• A great response to Ambassador’s Club, and a successful first dance
• Coaches helping kids on the field, but also providing mentoring related to classroom efforts
• Teaching teams successfully integrating curriculum
• Staff members taking time to visit with kids in the cafeteria during their lunch
• Working with some of our most challenging students, making headway, and smiling in the process
• Changes to campus policies that have been met with a very positive student response (i.e. hats and lunch-time restrictions)
• An increased number of students taking risks to do the right thing
• Combined efforts to improve the physical environment and cleanliness at Willis
• Overflow crowds at Culinary Club meetings
• Nine students on the Millionaire’s Club list for reading over a million words
• Athletic teams that have worked hard and been positive representatives of Willis
• An improving understanding of a new student management system
• A willingness, and ability, to deal with change (even when it isn’t fun)
• …the list could obviously go on and on

Wow!  Please understand that NONE of this happens if not for your commitment and dedication to our students.  Willis staff members are a very special group.  Thank you for towing the line.

You matter!

cc flickr photo by Chris and Jenni

I find it intriguing that blogging has such a cathartic effect for me. There are many times that writing serves as an opportunity for me to organize thoughts, express frustrations, and admit to failures (or at least challenges) — an electronic confessional, if you will.

We are into our eighth week of the school year, and I really seem to be struggling to maintain my balance…to get into a groove. There are several district initiatives (like a new teacher evaluation system) that have undoubtedly added to the normal stresses and strains of a new school year, but I honestly try to take all of that in stride.  As I have struggled to identify a cause, and right the ship, I have come to the conclusion that something is awry with my filter.  As much as I want to be working with the “big rocks” — those things that have a clear and substantial impact on the well-being of our staff and students — it seems like my day’s are spent removing the “gravel” that is choking the gears of progress.  It is frustrating.  Sometimes it is a piece of paperwork. Sometimes an e-mail, or a request for information.  And honestly, sometimes it is my perception and attitude.

As I work toward a solution, I need to be sure that I have clearly identified my “big rocks” for this school year and then systematically run the “pebbles” I encounter through this filter to help distinguish between meaningful and minutiae.  So, here they are:

Effective Relationships:

I honestly believe that all other efforts to improve schools, and foster an effective learning environment, will falter if the relationship piece is not in place. This means fostering strong connections with (and among) staff members, students, and everyone involved in the school community.  It requires school leaders to provide a high level of support, and appreciation, for the efforts of those with whom we work.  It means acknowledging the value that each person (student and adult) brings to the table, and sometimes it means taking the extra time to seek out the small successes as a platform for greater things.

Instructional Leadership:

As a principal, I am an educator – not a manager.  My instructional role has changed, but it is every bit as important as when I was in the classroom.  If I do not take my role as an instructional leader serious, and give it the time and attention it deserves, my staff and students will suffer. This does not mean that I need to know everything, but I am the person who must provide support and resources to my staff, and do my best to guard their opportunities for development and collaboration.  Growth and development in the area of instructional practice must be a constant priority.  One reason I truly value my professional learning network is that I am never given the luxury of believing that I have “arrived.”  I am constantly pushed to keep up on professional learning, collaborate with others and try new things…thus modeling the process of life-long learning.  As it should be.

Climate and Environment:

Abraham Lincoln is credited with saying: “All my life I have tried to pluck a thistle and plant a flower wherever the flower would grow in thought and mind.”  I believe that quote is indicative of the attitude and effort that is required of school leaders as we work to foster a climate and environment that encourages creativity and innovation, on the part of both students and staff.  We can not always control what is going on around us, but we must be vigilant to guard against the negativity that can quickly spread and infect an entire campus.  School leaders must model an optimistic mentality — constantly replacing thistles with flowers.

Balance

Without a doubt, I have invested more time in my work since becoming a principal, than at any other time in my educational career.  I am hopeful that no one would ever question my passion for the profession, or my commitment to our school community.  However, I am quickly realizing that there is simply not enough time to do everything (thus the importance of having a good filter and separating the gravel from the big rocks).  In fact, if I am consistently spending inordinate amounts of time and expending an unsustainable degree of energy, I am probably not doing anyone any favors. Not only will it take a toll on my enthusiasm, it sets an unreasonable precedent for those with whom I work.  Balance is important.

This year I elected to add the following quote to the signature line on my e-mails:
Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least. ~ Goethe
I need to do a better job of putting those words into action.

What are your big rocks for the upcoming school year?  What do plan on doing to filter what is important from what is not.

cc flickr photo by: JuditK

One of the unintended, but beneficial, outcomes of the attention the “flipped” classroom has received is an increased level of scrutiny regarding the way that school leaders utilize staff time.  As educators, we frequently lament the inadequate amount of time our teachers have to participate in meaningful professional development, yet we continue to waste countless hours in traditional staff meetings — time that could be used for learning and collaboration.  Recent discussions about the “flipped” faculty meeting provide a launching point for making meaningful change to an entrenched practice that is clearly the antithesis of twenty-first century learning.  Consider the following posts:

by Bill Ferriter (@plugusin)…

• What if you flipped your faculty meetings?
• More ideas for flipping faculty meetings.
• Still MORE on flipping the faculty meeting.

… and by David Culberhouse (@DCulberhouse)

• The Next Step…

Both of these guys have some great ideas for how implementing the “flipped” concept to a meeting — whether it is at the site or district level — can add value to a practice that has too frequently become a sharing of announcements and an airing of grievances.  As I mentioned in a comment on David’s post:

The concept of “flipping” a meeting (or a classroom) is about maintaining a focus on valuing time. Just like maximizing instructional time in the classroom, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of our teachers’ time and too often we (me included) are not effective in this regard.

Although I am not, by any means, an expert, I thought I would briefly share two tools that I am using this school year in an effort to reclaim time for teachers to use for worthwhile learning opportunities and collaboration.

The first, is a new blog, WJHS Professional Learning Community.  A work in progress, I plan to use this to communicate staff messages, provide links and resources, and ultimately generate dialogue among staff members.  The blog will also serve as a platform to prepare for “flipped” faculty meetings — when appropriate (i.e. A Flipped Faculty Meeting).  My goal is to make this an interactive tool for our staff, with guest posts, and faculty shared resources.

The second tool I am currently using is a simple Google Doc, entitled Staff Announcements (running list).  This is an archived list of daily announcements and encouragement.  While there is nothing earth shattering about the concept, or the technology, I have discovered that it has nearly eliminated the need for me to spend time on announcements (minutia), at faculty or leadership team meetings.

Again, neither of these tools, or their use, would be described as innovative, but both have worked well to recapture time for teachers as well as serving to model how technology can be integrated in an effort to engage and improve dialogue (classroom applications).

As we go through the school year, I expect some bumps, and some modifications to how we are implementing this new approach to faculty time.   However, I think this is a substantial issue that needs to be addressed in our educational system.

If time is money, are your teachers getting an adequate return on their investment? 

Please share what you are trying in an effort to improve professional development and increase collaboration at your school.  I look forward to hearing about your experiences.

photo by Jeff Delp (jd24/7)

Recently, while sorting through a pile of papers, I ran across an article that I think deserves some consideration.  The Power of Expectations, by Neal Cross, is a brief, but insightful reminder about the connection between expectations and student achievement.  The article is not available online, so it will take some extra effort to read in full, but I believe it will be worth your time.

Cross, N. (2008, November 1). The Power of Expectations. Principal Leadership, 9(3), 24-28.

On previous occasions I have written about having high expectations for students, in combination with a high level of support.  Our actions as educators must go beyond simply stating our expectations, we must be certain that we provide the assistance necessary for students to achieve these expectations.  In his article, Cross emphasizes that in addition to academic supports, educators must be keenly aware of how our connections with students impact academic achievement.  Referencing the work of Jon Saphier and Robert Gower in their book The Skillful Teacher: Building your Teacher Skills, Cross summarizes three critical statements that teachers should consistently deliver to students:

1. This is important.  Every effort should be made to add relevance to lessons and activities and emphasize why content and/or skills are critical.
2. You can do it.  We must recognize that for many students, success is unfamiliar territory.  It is imperative that we make it clear that we believe that student success is inevitable.
3. I won’t give up on you.  Not only do we need to explicitly let students know that we will not allow them to fail, we need to put words into action – working tirelessly to convince them that this is truth.

The article goes on to provide a number of suggestions for how teachers can express these statements of expectation and help students draw connections between their effort level and achievement.  Good advice, and definitely worth the read!

cc flickr photo by Krissy.Venosdale

As we prepare for the arrival of our students, I hope you will take a few quiet moments to put aside lesson plans, forget about administrative tasks, and consider our purpose (as a school, and as individual educators): we must attend to the academic, social and emotional needs of each one of our students.  Our educational system asks a lot of teachers, and unfortunately, in times when we are spread too “thin,” it is difficult to maintain our focus on the best interest of kids.  That is why it is so critical that we take time for reflection, deliberately considering how we maintain student centered practices on our campus and in our classrooms.

I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom.  It’s my daily mood that makes the weather.  As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous.  I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.  I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.  In all situations, it is my response that decides whether crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.  ~ Haim Ginot

You should all be proud of the profession you have chosen, the hard work you do on behalf of our students, and the determination with which you address challenges.  In the first few days/weeks of school I challenge you to really get to know your students, share a little about yourself, develop meaningful connections, and make decisions based upon what is best for kids.

Thank you for all you do for our school community…your efforts are noticed, and appreciated!

cc flickr photo by HatHome

An honest admission…

As a school leader, I am concerned about the number of times I pay “lip service” to being focused on students, but then allow any number of outside factors to exert undue influence in my decision making process.  We see it happen frequently at all levels (i.e. school, district, state, national), but I wonder how often we really examine the extent to which we, via individual actions, are focused on students.  Increasingly, I am finding that being a student focused leader (and I suspect, a student focused teacher) requires extremely deliberate practice and, to a certain degree, “tunnel vision.”

There are so many distractions…testing, budgets, inboxes, meetings, curriculum requirements, and paper work ad nauseam.  Without mindful consideration, it is so easy to get caught up in our adult world, with adult problems, and forget our purpose – to serve the children who have been entrusted to our care.

I know that in the heat of the moment, when I feel overwhelmed – or stressed by the number of things that are coming at me – I have to be deliberate about slowing down, narrowing my vision and asking:

What is in the best interest of the students whom I serve?

I recently used this quote in another blog post, but for this topic, I think it bears repeating:

Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.  ~ Goethe

The best interest of kids must be at the root of every decision we make.  In the case of education – students matter most!

cc flickr photo by p_a_h

Why do we ask kids to make presentations, on topics they don’t care about, to an audience that doesn’t exist? ~ Gary Stager

At last month’s ISTE conference, I had the pleasure of hearing both Gary Stager (@garystager) and Chris Lehmann (@chrislehmann) speak during two separate sessions.  Both were very powerful, and thought-provoking presentations that, among other things, addressed the issues of authenticity and personalization in education. These terms are common buzzwords in academic circles, but unfortunately, truly personalized, and authentic learning experiences are largely elusive concepts in our schools.

During his presentation, Chris correctly addressed a common misconception by stating that “personalization should not mean that we all do the same thing, but at our own pace.”  Other than the rate at which a task is accomplished, there is nothing personal about this approach.  Instead, Chris suggested that “personalization is when we get to do stuff we care about — it involves choice.” He went on to describe the powerful learning experiences of students at the Science Leadership Academy, who participate in Capstone Projects.  These projects are chosen by the students and they allow them to address academic endeavors through the pursuit of their personal passions…true personalization.

Gary’s quote about student presentations (above) drew a smattering of uncomfortable chuckles from the audience – recognition of the truth in the statement.  Not only is it unusual for students to experience true personalization, but we rarely allow them to prepare, or present, their work for an authentic audience.  I believe that most of us (kids and adults) want to be difference makers…we want to make our mark on the world.  This is powerful motivation for learning, but one that is lost in the absence of an authentic audience. Gary ended his presentation with a simple, but powerful statement: “less us, more them.”

What ideas, or examples, do you have for personalizing student learning and ensuring authentic opportunities for difference making?  How do we make learning experiences “less us” and “more them?”

cc flickr photo MyEyeSees

Yesterday, I read a blog post by Chad Segersten (edutech83), entitled Classroom Leadership: Reflective Thinking.  Chad stated that “the art of reflective thinking is underdeveloped and often underused by educators.”  Speaking from personal experience, I would have to agree.  It has only been recently (thanks to encouragement from a great professional learning network and participation in blogging) that I feel I have truly spent time purposefully reflecting on my educational practice. 

Chad alludes to one issue related to engaging educators in meaningful reflective practice with the following statement:

“At times in education we pay lip service to the idea of a “lifelong learner” because too often we rob teachers of the time necessary to work on their craft.”

I like Chad’s use of the word “rob” because, although time is always at a premium, too often we utilize the time we do have on things that simply don’t matter.  Sometimes this is because of institutionalized habits, site or district administration directives, or in many cases, just poor planning.  As a developing principal, I have been guilty of poor time management on behalf of my staff — something I need to improve upon.  

Recently, there has been some discussion about how we make changes in order to become better stewards of the time we do have.  Bill Ferriter (@plugusin) recently wrote a post entitled, What if You Flipped Your Faculty Meetings?  He outlines how this might work, and describes how it could lead to better engagement and opportunities for teachers to collaborate and reflect.  Regardless of the approach, educational leaders must diligently guard staff time and ensure that it is being used effectively.  I have always appreciated this quote by Goethe:

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”

How do you currently use staff “meeting” time?  What suggestions do you have for managing our time in schools to ensure opportunities for reflective practice, collaboration, and a focus on the things that “matter most”?

cc flickr photo by rickpilot_2000

As a kid (a few years ago), I can remember helping clean out the garage at my grandparents home. Normally, the prospect of cleaning out a garage was met with limited enthusiasm, but working at my grandfather’s was different.  The garage was filled with interesting, but for the most part useless novelties – a virtual treasure chest to a young boy.  We did a lot of sweeping, and “organizing”, but we were rarely allowed to throw things out…not even the keg of rusted and bent nails.  There was a level of comfort in knowing that if something was needed (no matter how improbable), it could be found in the garage.

Recently, I have been following a Twitter and blog discussion about whether school principals are still needed.  The conversation was started by Josh Stumpenhorst, with his blog post, Do We Need Principals?, and continued with a second post Do We Really Need Principals?  A Follow-Up.  A number of people have weighed in on the subject, like this piece by Justin Tarte, What Makes a Great Principal? and one by George Couros – Do We Need (Great) Principals?

Yesterday, I ran across this quote, by George, in a blog post comment and it resonated.

“I have seen a few blog posts lately that hint administrators “don’t get it” and I guess my response to that is “be the change”. Define the role by going and doing it. There is no “template” that all admin must stick by.” 

For me, this comment really strikes at the crux of the problem.  In many cases, we do act as if there is a “template” that defines our roles, and unfortunately, it is the same template that has been used for years.  We frequently lament the factory model of education, but we must recognize that in many cases, we are still using a factory model of leadership.  I am relatively new to the position of principal, but I can not tell you how many times I have had teachers tell me they could never go into school administration.  My suspicion is that this is not necessarily a compliment related to the challenges administrators face, but rather an expression of distaste for what is seen as the role of the principal: discipline, budget issues, supervision and a general disconnect from students, and what is happening in the classroom.  This is where, as George stated, we must “be the change.”  We need to step away from the safe, the familiar, the “expected” and pursue innovative leadership practices.  I think we still need principals, but how we define that role, and what we expect from these leaders, must change.  We need to be willing to clean out the proverbial garage, to get rid of the rusty keg of bent nails.

Redefining the position of principal will require a committment to dialogue and learning, and a willingness to break the mold and try new things.  Thankfully, technology and social media make this collaboration, much easier.  I have been fortunate to learn from a number of progressive administrators – Patrick Larkin, Cale Birk, Chris Wejr, Bo Adams, Lyn Hilt, George Couros, Dov Emerson, Justin Tarte…to name a very few.  These administrators are helping me shape, and redefine, what I see as my role as principal.

So, in the interest of moving the conversation forward:

If the role of the school principal is going to stay relevant, what needs to change?  What “traditional roles” should be diminished or removed?  What new responsibilities should school principals be prepared to address?

cc flickr photo by pmecologic

I have been giving some consideration to a recent post I read by John Spencer (@johntspencer), entitled 7 Thoughts on Bullying.  John shares his personal experience being bullied, and as the title suggests, several of his ideas, for educators, about dealing with the issue of bullying.  I found his second point in the post to be particularly powerful:

“Be Vulnerable: I never told an adult, because I never knew of any adults who were bullied. The school culture is all about a one-way transparency, where students are supposed to share who they are and teachers hide behind a cloak of professionalism. We need more teachers being open with students about what it was like to be bullied.” 

The “vulnerability” that John describes plays a critical role in our ability, as adults, to establish a safe environment in which students are willing to either seek help, or help others in need.  Kids who do not see their teacher (or administrator, counselor, etc.) as someone who can “relate” are highly unlikely to go to that person when they are being bullied, or witness others who are the victims of bullying.  Sharing our experiences as students, discussing insecurities, and admitting mistakes adds authenticity to our relationships and helps create meaningful connections that serve as a safety net for those in need.  We give a great deal of attention to the importance of authenticity and relevance as it relates to learning activities, but this concern should extend to the entire school experience. It is nearly impossible to create this safe, “connected” environment if we remain hidden behind the “cloak of professionalism.”

As we consider the issues of bullying, and school safety, what are concrete ways in which educators can demonstrate vulnerability and add authenticity to their relationships with students?