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

Ask an Admin Q5: Where do you even start to build a culture of innovation? #askanadmin

by Leave a Comment

Two powerhouses up today answering one of my most favorite questions. Everyone loves a good initiative right? My problem is that starting line. I need a catalyst, a jumping off point. Otherwise I am all inspired and no where to go! Luckily, George Couros, the author of Innovators Mindset, your go to book on innovation, contributed to today’s question, as well as Matt Arend, an award winning, transformational principal at Sigler Elementary in Plano, Texas. Matt’s digital presence for his campus is an example to all, check out his hashtag #SiglerNation on Twitter and you’ll see exactly what I mean!

#askanadmin Q5: Where do I even start to build a culture of innovation?

George:

People talk about “a culture of innovation”, and far too often focus on the word “innovation” rather than the word “culture”.  To create this type of culture, it starts with grounding relationships. Creating spaces where educators know that they are all working towards a shared vision, but have the autonomy on how to travel that path.

Here are some important questions to ask yourself, while also discussing with your staff:

Do teachers feel that they are trusted to go “off script” and take risks to serve the students in front of them?
Are they encouraged to take risks in their own learning?
Do the educators feel empowered in their learning and see that they are part of a bigger picture within the context of the school?
Do educators feel that the culture both pushes and supports them to grow (competitive-collaboration)?

Matt:

If you believe George Couros’ definition of innovation as “a way of thinking that creates something new and better” I believe that starts with relationships, trust and developing a culture where teachers are willing to take risks because they know there is no threat of getting their hand slapped by an administrator for “doing things differently”. On the contrary, teachers know when risks are taken, they are going to be celebrated for trying to make something new and better.

Before we can expect to develop a culture where innovation takes place, leaders must develop a culture where relationships are the priority. Leaders must get to know their teachers. Get to know their strengths. Get to know their fears. Get to know how they want to better themselves as people and professionals. Easier said than done. This is the work that matters most. This does not happen over night, but over time and through modeling and leading by example, the relationships and trust that have been established makes the risks teachers are willing to take or need to be supported to take happen. Welcome to teacher empowerment!

As leaders and teachers begin to work together and celebrate the empowerment, you move from pockets of innovation to a campus full of or a culture of innovation because no teacher wants to be the one not doing what is best for students when the rest of the campus is having such a great time making the aspirations of one another and of their students a reality!

 

 

They make it sound so easy, don’t they?? 🙂 What steps will you take, or what questions will you be asking this year to help get your campus on a path to an innovative culture?

 

Inquiring-ly,

Amber

 

Missed my other posts in this series?

Q1: What is your go to strategy for team building?

Q2: What is something you do EVERY year, without fail?

Q3: What is something you wished you knew as a first year administrator?

Q4: What has gotten easier through the years? Harder?

Ask an Admin Q4: Will this get easier??? #askanadmin

by Leave a Comment

The role in which we play in education is beyond important, we all know and value that. What is even more important is recognizing the balance in learning as much as we can, and knowing we’ll never know it all.

And be ok with that!

Today’s question is exactly along those lines…

#askanadmin Q4:  What has gotten easier through the years? Harder?

Bob:

The complexity of school leadership continues to grow in its difficulty. We are managing a more complex community dynamic with fewer funds and in most cases requires a nimble intellect, a deep sense of urgency, and a committed learning leader.

With of this, it is gotten easier for me and others to have greater empathy for kids. It is so hard to be a kids these days, and I work so hard to love on all of the kids in a deep and genuine way.
It has also gotten harder to be in balance. I want to give everything to changing education, but it means taking your family on that journey. They don’t always want to be on the change train.

It is easier than ever to get resources, ideas, and energy from other leaders and allies. We have to allow others to do our jobs and share the intellectual load.

What’s the last book you read, and why should we read it?
 
I read a ton of articles, journals, and news digests on education daily, but I make sure that I supplement this education reading with some books outside of education. This is essential for growing as a leader.
 
With this in mind, I read Eviction by Matthew Desmond that dug into the social justice issues around housing. It was beautiful, gut wrenching read about how where you live guides the opportunities, experiences, and resources that are possible to kids. It is driving my work to be with a school district that is building a model of school that can serve all kids.
 
I think that all educators need to dig into the issues of equity in both conversation and reading. We have to grow our empathy about how poverty really affects our families.
 
Audio books and podcasts are also a great way to “read” ourselves into leaders.

Sara:

(Unlike everysingleotherperson in this series, Sara was an IRL friend of mine before we connected digitally. We taught together, we were AP’s together, and now are principals together. She is awesome and an excellent one to add to your follow list! :))

Let’s face it… being a principal has never been easy!  Each year it seems that the demands put on educators increases and we must find a way to balance, delegate, prioritize, and still have fun while on the job each and every day!

 

Let’s start with what has proved to be harder each year…

  1. Financial Constraints: I will not get political on this post, but with the budget cuts, we have to make tough decisions on how to fund certain programs and activities and what might possibly need to be cut.  Sometimes these decisions are made from the top down; however, I am fortunate enough to have a Superintendent who values our input and ideas when programs and activities are concerned.  What helps to remedy these problems: keep the students first and foremost in your decision-making and have a money saving, price negotiating secretary!

Now for some positivity, here are my two “easier” challenges:

  1. Difficult conversations: yep, all principals should experience this at some point and many more than once!  While it has become easier, it still does not stop the sick feeling that I get in the pit of my stomach before, during, and after I have the conversation – but it does go away!  I must remind myself why I am having this conversation and more times than not, it always goes back to our students! Our students deserve to have the best of us each and every day and that reminder is what has made the dreaded conversations easier each year.
  2. Taking risks! I am an out of the box thinker and at first was a little reluctant to take the risk and cause change in the culture of our school.  My first year as principal, I did a lot of observing and reflecting and did not change much, except for upping the expectation of FUN and ENGAGEMENT in teaching and with our family nights. While building relationships with staff members and gaining their feedback, I was able to start thinking about the next year and what changes could be done to benefit our students.  While I do not encourage change just for the sake of change, I do believe in change when a school has reached a state of being complacent.  I reminded teachers and parents that we would take risks and sometimes fail, but failure is part of the learning cycling. Need some ideas for fun risk taking… as Todd Nesloney said at a recent conference I attended, watch SoulPancake videos on YouTube and be inspired.  I completely agree and if you follow me on twitter, be looking for some ball pit pictures this fall!
 

I loved this question and feel like there are some things that will never get easier, and somethings that are brand new and hard each day! Would love to hear YOUR take on this one as well!

Anticipatingly,
Amber

Ask an Admin! Q3: What is something you wished you knew as a first year administrator? #askanadmin

by 1 Comment

On Friday at the NAESP conference, I had the privilege of presenting with Ross Cooper on ways to sink or swim as an a new admin, and we basically talked about all of what I am about to share from today’s awesome administrators, Allyson Apsey (from Michigan) and Brad Currie (from Philly).

#askanadmin Q3:What is something you wished you knew as a first year administrator?

Allyson :

When I was a young naive principal, walking around feeling important, I wish I knew a couple very helpful tips. They are so simple conceptually yet so complicated to practice. Here are my top two tips for new principals.

 

Ready? Get a pen or pencil out and take a seat.

Here we go.

Number 1:  You don’t have to be the all-knowing guru of the school.

You don’t have to have all the answers. Now, breathe a sigh of relief. In fact, you shouldn’t have all the answers. You’re number one job is to help your staff do their jobs to the best of their ability and to get better every day. You are not the all-knowing guru of the school. You are the person who makes people feel strong, positive, and that they can do anything. 

So, do not be afraid to say, “I don’t know. I want to think about that one.” Or, “You are the expert here, tell me what you think.”

Don’t be afraid to pause, slow down, and invite others to do the same. Dream of possible solutions together. Feel empowered when the idea you implement is not yours.

Number Two:  Avoid defensiveness. Figure out the why before you act.

Never, never act out of defensiveness. This can be a tough one for school leaders because often the skills that got you into your leadership position, like a high need for power, are coupled with a natural inclination to be defensive when challenged. Don’t. Do. It.

Let’s imagine you give a staff member a directive to do something and the staff members doesn’t do it. Yes, it could be plain old insubordination. However, it also could be a last minute decision the staff member made because of changing circumstances. Take the time to figure out the why behind the action. Relationships and trust can be severely damaged if you act defensively instead of thoughtfully.

Instead, encourage staff to think for themselves to do what is right for students. Walk alongside them as an encourager and guide. Deep breaths and counting to ten are your friend.

Simple, right? You got this! Enjoy every minute of your new challenges. Lean on veteran principals you trust for help along the way.

 

Brad:

 

As a first year administrator I wish I knew about the intensity of the job.

Click To Tweet

 Moving from the classroom, where there was a little more control, to the school office , where you basically have no control over what walks through your door is a huge adjustment. At any given moment, an administrator needs to make a decision that could positively or negatively impact the person involved. With intensity comes tough decisions but at the end of the day it needs to be about what’s best for kids. Sometimes that’s a pat on the back, a phone call home, or a consequence. Establishing strong relationships and holding yourself and others accountable in a positive fashion, can help first year administrators appropriately handle the intensity of the job on a daily basis.

 

Do you have advice for a brand new admin?

Missed my other posts in this series?

Q1: What is your go to strategy for team building?

Q2: What is something you do EVERY year, without fail?

 

Seekingly,

Amber

Ask an Admin! Q2: What is something you do EVERY year, without fail? #askandmin

by 2 Comments

Today’s question is being answered by two rockstars that I love following on both their personal and school social media accounts, Melissa Kartimas and Amy Fadeji They’ve both made me a better leader, and a more fun one, just by sharing the greatness that they do on a regular basis. If you are hesitant about “putting yourself out there”, I encourage you to A: follow them, you can’t not be inspired, and B: Read this post by George Couros, who challenges the notion that the publish button equals perfection. As someone who absolutely writes the way she talks, this hits home. I even have someone who proofreads what I write and I STILL manage to make mistakes. *sigh*

Good thing none of you are here because you think I’m perfect, eh? 🙂

Now, on to our question…there is no manual when it comes to being a principal, but as you get going through your years you will find that there are some things that you ALWAYS do.

#askanadmin Q2: What is something that you ALWAYS do as an administrator?

Melissa: How can I share just one? Here are several staples that I’m sure to do every year, without fail…..

 

*Sending a card over the summer to each staff member:

-It’s important that I handwrite a note to each staff member, letting them know how I excited I am to hear about their summer adventures and welcome them back in a few weeks. It’s my hope that however they spent their summer break– it was relaxing, leaving them rejuvenated and ready to start a new school year.

*Giving each staff member a personalized 1st day of school hand-written card & treat:

-What a great way to kick off a school year on a positive note. I want my staff to know I am here to support them and wish them well in making the school year successful for each of their students.

 

 

* 5 by Friday:

-Modeling the importance of making positive connections with our families. I want all of our students to feel a sense of pride when something comes in the mail from school….something positive! Phone calls were great, but who doesn’t like mail? I order positive postcards from Vistaprint & always keep them heavily stocked in the office. The expectation is that all staff members would make 5 positive connections with families by the end of each week.

*Making 100 positive phone calls on the 100th Day of school – self-explanatory – one of my favorite days of the year (hands down). Read more about it on my blog here.

 

*Every year, the best way to get to know each and every students’ name in the building (while sharing your love of learning and reading) is getting into classrooms to read a story! Make it a priority to be visible in the classrooms, not only as an observer but as a participant in learning with your students! It also gives me a good reason to grow the collection of awesome books in my office that I get to share with students and teachers alike!

 

 

Amy:

This will be the fourth year I’ve unveiled a school theme at Penngrove Elementary. On the first day back for teachers, our office team helps me decorate and execute an epic reveal for all staff members. In addition to the fun decor, festive lunch, and swag that I try to shower everyone with, I attempt to give a motivational talk about our theme and how we can use it to keep us all connected and centered throughout the year. Some past themes have been “Dive In”, “Saddle Up” and “Power of One”. I absolutely LOVE preparing for our yearly themes and it really builds community in a fun way. When our students return from summer, we share our theme with them and I invite our PTA and parent community to join the fun as well. 

 

 

What is something YOU do every year?

 

note taking,

Amber

New series: Ask an Admin! #Q1: What is your go to strategy for team building? #askanadmin

by 6 Comments

I am SO excited about what I am blogging through the month of July! I have connected with some of my favorite administrators on the planet and they’ve all agreed to help me tackle questions we’ve been asked, or hear all the time. These questions will help ya get your mind right, give you differing perspectives, and hopefully, show you how very, very different a “right” answer can be! Ross Cooper wrote a great blog on how you’re not doing it wrong, you’re just doing it “different”, and that’s what this series is all about. I know many aspiring administrators and I want them to see that there are about as many different answers to questions as there are campuses. Your answers depend on you, your experiences, and your people. There is no “right” answer at times, there’s just YOUR answer. If nothing else, hopefully this will connect you again, to some of my favorite people, their blogs, and the chance to make them a part of your PLN world as well.

#askanadmin: Q1. What is your go to strategy for team building?

A1:

Katie: Peter Senge points out that the only vision that people ever commit to is their own. Without conversations about the vision and what it means, it’s impossible to build a shared vision across a community. One of my favorite strategies is called Significant Learning. This strategy not only builds community but helps foster purposeful conversations about past experiences, beliefs, and allows a team to co-create a vision for what is possible in our classrooms.

 

Here’s how it goes:

    1. Reflect on a  significant learning experience where you learned something new that has stuck with you and made an impact. This doesn’t have to be in school.  Think riding a bike, learning to snowboard, driving a car. Anything.Take a minute or two and independently jot down some thoughts about a significant learning experience. Think not only about what you learned but how you learned.
  • What was the context?  
  • Who was involved?  
  • How did you feel?
  2. In small groups of 3-5, each person takes 3 minutes to share their experience.
  3. After each person has shared, the group comes up with some common themes from each of the learning experiences.
  4. Share the themes out as a whole group and capture them on a shared document.  (Note: This can serve as a great tool for conversations about teaching and learning.)
  5. As a group, reflect about the following prompts:
    • How often are these types of experiences the core of our learning in classrooms?  
    • What might be areas of strength that you are seeing? Areas for growth?   
    • How might you collectively close to gap to create the significant learning experiences?

No matter how often I do this activity, or how diverse the crowd, the themes that surface in  significant learning experiences remain pretty consistent.

People discuss learning in ways that are purposeful and for an authentic audience.

Click To Tweet

Typically, these experience involve a variety of opportunities to explore models, receive feedback, and reflection. There is often productive struggle and risk that requires guidance and mentorship to grow.

I love watching people engaged in these conversations because they can’t help from smiling as they conjure up memories of these experiences that impacted them. The power in this strategy is that is provides space for the team connect and create a shared understanding of what significant learning means to you as a community.Reflecting on our own learning experiences and how we traditionally learn in schools can help create the conditions that support powerful learning in our classrooms to move forward.

 

A2:

(Of course I chose to follow that fabulousness…sheesh, :))

 

One of my goals at my campus is to consistently & constantly remind everyone that we are all on the same team. Top to bottom, right to left…I want us to all know that what we do MATTER, together, collectively,  and plays a role in our campus success. All of the team building I have done the past two years has been centered around the unifying hashtag of #wearewhitt. The summer before my first year started I crowd-sourced our campus and community to develop the hashtag, one that could be used to share our learning, what is happening in our classrooms, and across all forms of social media. It’s on our bumper stickers and on our yard signs…because it’s together WE make a difference.

 

That being said, as a final activity to our professional development each year, we do a candle pass. When their rooms are ready, and their minds are full of all that we’re going to accomplish the next school year, we gather as a campus family in a big circle. I’ll play a song that ties in to our district theme and we will light each other candles one by one, around the circle. I speak a lot of “that moment” where we are gathered in the room, as one #wearewhitt family, and that we will never all be together in this way again. Every year will bring change, but at that moment, we are all one. We each bring a talent, a gift…the experiences that are going to impact all of our Wolves. There is such power in the beginning of the year, such a fresh, newness…this is a calming way to bring us together. It may be the sorority girl in me, but seeing all my faces, gathered together, with no stress & no problems…just excitement for their beginning, it fills my heart. When I think about starting our year, I can’t imagine not coming together and lighting each other’s candles…knowing that 

…we can start a blaze of learning, especially if we are working together.

Click To Tweet