my version of transparent, collaborative leadership...with a Teamann twist

#oneword2018 …but why pick just one?

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The world is awash with words, goals, and plans for the blank slate of 2018 that we all have ahead of us. I’ve blogged before about my goals, my reflections, and upcoming matters at hand (2016, 2015, 2104, 2012) and why should this year be any different? Considering that I don’t wear the same outfit twice in a season, the thought that one word can keep me focused on through 12 whole months seems…stifling. While I find myself much too loquacious to choose just one word…I do quite enjoy a plan. A plan that will hold me accountable, one that allows me to see how 2018 could be different for myself, both professionally and personally. A simple manifesto of thoughts, if you will, rather than a word.

 

This year I will:

  • read more. 120 books. That’s the goal. 10 a month…entirely accomplishable. All trackable on Goodreads…join me there and let’s share book suggestions!
  • blog more. Le sigh. I am hoping on down this list will be my solution for making this happen! Writing consistently is my version of a diary. It’s how I reflect upon my professional journey, and as my girls get older, a way that I share what matters.
  • friend more. I’ll turn the entirely too mature sounding 4-0 in 2018. (Eek!) While I certainly don’t FEEL like I’ve had four decades of living, I do recognize that I have been blessed with four decades of people in my life. I want to show that appreciation. I’ve already written down the names of people I care about in my planner and will reach out, each month. A year of blessings!
  • be more productive. I came across the concept of a “productivity bingo” on Instagram. (Are you on Instagram? It may actually be replacing twitter for me for ideas and great people!) Below will be my “first” attempt at a productivity bingo for the month of January. This allows me to transcend just one word for the year and gives me 12 opportunities to be successful. I can now make progress on my year, square by square. Some topics will roll over. Some won’t get done. But the potential for MORE? Always a possibility. 

 

If you’d like to make your own “git’R done”, here’s mine that you can edit to suit you and your goals! I’ve printed mine out and have it tucked away in my planner, just ready for me to cross off a square! To make it more exciting, I’ve added lil’prizes at the bottom. I love a good prize!

 

While it may seem that “more” might be my word, I think being intentional with what I choose to do, will allow me to actually do less while still getting’er done. And that? Seems perfect for 2018!

 

Complication of Kindness…is that a thing?

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Question:

As leaders, does one have to balance the gestures of kindness or acts of goodwill because of not being able to do it for everyone?

Example:

Student A is ill and misses a school event, and you are made aware of the illness/student sadness.

Do you respond, reach out,  & **insert kind gesture here**…for student A…

or

do nothing because there are always students who are ill and you’d be creating a precedent?

 

So very interested in your thoughts!!

 

 

StruggleN,

Amber

Why is appreciation so hard? Don’t let the Grinch get a’hold of you!

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Every day we are presented opportunities to say thank you. From a door being opened to the gift of a chipper coworker who lifts our spirits…this is a season of opportunities to be thankful and to say thank you. There is also scientific evidence that expressing genuine gratitude on a daily basis can improve physical health as well by improving quality of sleep, cardiovascular (heart) health and immune function.

Imagine that … something as simple as how we think about our lives and the people in them actually has a profound impact on our health!

Gratitude promotes optimism and helps us to develop a more positive outlook. Who doesn’t need more of that?? This season you can feel tired, you can feel run down. That to do list is ever looming, in addition to all the seasonal extras that seem to stack up! An easy way to help curb the grinchiness you may be feeling is to outwardly express appreciation for the gifts in your life. There is always something to be grateful for.

But what happens if you are NOT feeling appreciated? That you’re taken advantage of, or that all your hard works and energy/effort is taken for granted? I’m in a pretty awesome facebook group that my principal BFF, Melinda Miller, and I are running full of holiday prep & planning for our staff. It’s not uncommon for an admin to express a feeling of not being appreciated.

You’re not alone, friend.

Don’t lose sight of WHY you’re doing what you’re doing. You don’t do all that you do for words of appreciation. You do it because you are trying to create an environment of awesome. 

You are the architect of your environment.

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Culture matters. Creating a space where our teachers and our students are made to feel appreciated and WANT to be is a key component of our jobs…and that’s why you do what you do. Not for the thank you’s, but because it’s the RIGHT thing to do.

If you’re not feeling the love in your world, know that you are doing good work. You are doing some hard work. Some incredibly important work.

Take a moment to think about the people in your world…is there someone who might need to hear a “thank you” from you? Text or email…just a simple thought could bring a smile to someone’s face! Why don’t you text a principal friend RIGHT NOW? Just say “Hey…I see those long days you’re putting in…your staff is lucky to have such a dedicated leader!” Who wouldn’t have their day brightened by such a gesture? Even the Grinch would smile! (ok, he may smirk…but still!)

Please feel free to reread this as many times as you need too, 🙂 to help remind yourself that you are appreciated, even if not everyone vocalizes it…

 

Holiday hugN you,

Amta Claus

 

ps:

Involving Parents in your Academic Standard

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We all know that it takes a partnership between home and school to foster the kind of connections and growth we strive for as educators. When you have those kinds of quality relationships, it opens the door for parents to support the academic standards as well as the socioemotional ones.

I meet with a group of parents each month and have for the past 2 1/2 years. This group serves as my parent focus group, ones who are willing to sit down and have face to face conversations with me. This has led to several academic conversations that give me an insight into what my parents are thinking, as well as engage in some thoughts I have or decisions that we’ve made as a campus.

One that has come up over and over again is the idea of homework. Knowing that I scheduled it as a “think tank” conversation this month. I’ve written recently about avoiding those education extremes, homework included, and wanted to share specific things that parents could do at home to support ALL students and their academic growth. I wanted something that they could use with our kinder Wolves to my 4th-grade Wolves.

Knowing how incredibly valuable time is, I wanted to focus on skills that would transcend any specific content area and would fit naturally with a parent just living life with their student. Knowing that if it’s easy and meaningful, it would have a greater chance of sticking. We’ve also spent a considerable amount of time in our PLC’s talking through ways we could engage our families with our guided reading initiative and I wanted to offer a way parents could do more with reading, than just, well…reading…so the backside has questions that any parent could ask to help push students past just working on fluency and go deeper with their comprehension.

The end result was this, a Homework Helper. It was well received by my parent focus group and I thought maybe you could use it as well!

Bonus! I crowdsourced and solicited ideas in ways to help build a stronger connection from school to home with literacy, and this padlet was born. Let me know if you use any of these ideas, or feel free to add some of your own!

 

Partnership helpN,

Amber

When we allow the different…

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When we allow the different…

  • we let students feel successful in nontraditional ways.
  • we present a different perspective of what principals are like or what they do.
  • those who felt unloved, feel loved.
  • we skip whats best for all, and focus on whats best for the individual.
  • we let go of what’s always been done, for what’s best right now.
  • it lets people feel like taking risks is allowed…or even encouraged.
  • we don’t get tired of the mundane or the status quo.
  • programs are changed and we make new choices.
  • antiquated instructional practices are let go of, for updated, new ones.
  • growth and challenges become the norm, instead of a place of stress.
  • we. make. a difference.
  • lives. are. changed.

 

This past weekend, I got to be present for a good friend’s wedding. A good friend that I met on the internet. 🙂 That I’ve “seen” maybe four times, in my whole life. And it was amazing.

Different, huh?

 

Be different. Allow different.

 

Embrace the different.

 

Amber