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

The importance of a mentor as an educator, regardless of what year you’re in…

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It’s that time of year…the time of postings and of opportunities. I love when people reach out and ask for my perspective on how to handle certain job interviews or whether or not take a risk in a new position. Branching out can be a scary thing but it can also lead to some of the best professional growth around! Having a mentor, someone you can call to help you process at this time of year, or actually, any time of year is one of the easiest, most helpful things an administrator can do.

I had a call this afternoon with a young lady who is about to interview for her first principal position. Her first step, in reaching out, already says so much. Seeking out someone, whether as a formal or informal mentor, says a certain thing about her. She is willing to hear feedback, to ask questions. Rather than think she is all-knowing and all qualified, she is wanting to see what other perspectives she should be thinking about. Do you have a mentor? A mentor isn’t someone you meet with on a weekly basis…or have a set, rigid schedule with, that’s a therapist. A mentor is someone who sees value in you and what you to offer. They are willing to help you get to the next step on your ladder. These relationships are crucial, especially to those in leadership because there is no substitute for having “been” there. Someone who has walked the path before you can help you avoid certain pitfalls, or help you see that those pitfalls aren’t the end of the road. If you’ve done this for ten years or for two, there is value in having conversations about what we do. It solidifies what you believe in, and reinforces what kind of leader you want to be.

Some other things to keep in mind, if you’re on the interviewing path:

  • Experiences speak. Personalize examples from your world when asked a question.
  • Be prepared. Know who you are talking to and if at all possible, what matters to them. I take the time every time to respond to an email about a position, using their name, and wishing them luck. Even when they haven’t actually looked into knowing who I am, or what my Wolf world is about.
  • Recognize that you won’t know it all, and aren’t expected to. One of the main things I’ve learned is that is way more important to be WILLING to learn, than the appearance of that you’ve learned it all.
  • Team player. Be a team player. There is an MVP, but that person couldn’t have gotten there without their TEAM. (Side eye, Tom Brady.)
  • Be yourself. If they don’t want the real YOU, then you don’t want them. I am so incredibly thankful for a district that allows me to be me. I haven been given many snippets of advice in my 15 years and some of what stands out the most was the critical feedback given about things that fundamentally made me, me. I can’t imagine the difficulties of leadership while also trying to be someone different, how exhausting!

Remember at the end of the day, what we do is more than a job. It’s a passion, it’s an obsession…especially to those who are great. Or want to be great. Great is not at every door, or to be found within every interview. Recognizing that you want to be better, and that even opportunities that don’t go your way, can still be considered a learning experience will help you get that much close to your version of great. 

 

 

 

Going for great,

Amber

My growth is in a different place: self efficacy as a leader #IMMOOC

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Reality check: Through your evolution as an educator, you will find yourself at different stages of growth. Recognizing and owning that your needs and strengths are going to evolve is critical to maintaining not only your sanity, 🙂 but also your trajectory as a professional.

An easy example… Early on as a teacher, I couldn’t get enough of books,resources, websites to support my lessons and instruction. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around creating my own resources from scratch. Over time, I found myself reaching less and less for all of those amazing Scholastic books, and developing what I felt like my students needed for success. When I am supporting teachers now, I use a whole different strategy of support and creation.

While attending a conference recently, I made the comment to a favorite principal peer of mine that I had guilt for not attending of the “how to’ or “try this tomorrow” sessions, and found that my deepest thinking came now from reflection of conversations…whether they be at 3am over a laptop and laughter or over a shared dessert at lunch…those were the moments that stretch who I am and what I believe. Instead of needing to sit and get, I find myself in need of conversation and reflection. Sessions didn’t grab me and hold me like they had in the past. She responded with what may be one of the smartest lines ever, “Your growth is just in a different place.”

My growth is in a different place.

I am at a professional stage where the lens in which I view things is different. When beginning my “technically Teamann” journey, I wrote about classroom technology integration. I gave handouts, I created how to videos, I was very detailed in my processes. My growth was in a different place. Now I am in a thinking/leading/principaling stage. I need to hash out thoughts and strategies. I need perspective and thoughts from peers in my administration trenches.

Recognizing where my campus is and what our expectations are, I have to be careful not to be guilted or feel pressure from other admin about their challenges and needs., that look different than mine. I also have challenges. I also have needs. My growth is in a different place. Not an easier place. Not a harder place. There is enough stress and enough success to go around. What looks like a win to you, manifests and looks differently as a win for me. And that is ok. My growth is a different place. 

Last year I isolated myself. I didn’t go anywhere, I didn’t participate in my voxer chats, or twitter chats. I silo’d myself. I focused solely on learning my building, my people, and all my Wolves. Which is ok. My growth was in a different place. Now that I feel like I have a grasp on what this principal job, somewhat can/should look like, I find myself thirsty to get back out there, to continue my growth. Taking part in George Couros’ s IMMOOC this time around is just the jump-start I need to keep pushing myself.

Know who you are. Know what you need. Reflect on where you are in your journey. Own that. And then? Get where you need to be to grow. If you’re on autopilot, or don’t feel challenged or don’t feel that you are successful, get in a different place, a place where your growth IS.

 

growth focused,

Amber

Expecting vs extending grace as a leader…

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cop

Have you ever been pulled over? This may surprise you, cough cough, but my driving style is a lot like the way I talk…and write. Fast and furious, always trying to get somewhere. Last weekend, with an unexpected afternoon of sunshine, I was out running errands, and inadvertently didn’t pay enough attention to a new posted neighborhood speed. When I saw those lights, gulp. My first immediate thought was, “Ohhhhhhh, MT is going to kill me!’ The second was, “Ohhhhhhh, please don’t give me a ticket! Just a warning, just a warning!”

Luckily, I did just get a warning that day. As I was driving away, I thought how ironic it was that as administrator, working with both adults and students, I am a big rules/policies girl. I like to know the parameters of an environment/situation and think that they are in place for a reason. I’m quick to want accountability and feel that individuals should be held responsible.

But when I get pulled over, my first instinct is to want grace. I want to explain, to rationalize, to make sure you understand the circumstances.

I was so much more cognizant of my speed this week. I was appreciative of the chance to do better. I was respectful of the officer’s power of a punitive action, but that he chose to give me the benefit of a learning experience. Had I gotten a ticket, would I have reflected on it so objectively? Or would I have been bitter and resentful? Been annoyed as I watched others fly by, getting away with their hurried pace, while I sat as the “one who got caught”… been focused on more of the consequence, than the actions that I had done to get myself there?

I don’t know for sure. But it definitely made me think about how I handle situations on my campus. Do I want the reflection, or do I want the finality of a judgement/consequence?

I know what I want for students…and myself. That surely transfers…

It was a very poignant reminder that as a leader, 

I have the opportunity to give grace, and that more can actually be accomplished by doing so.

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Reminded,

Amber

Differentiated PD, with a purpose! #taketwo

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This week we have an opportunity to meet with our staff while our Wolves have a day off. One of my goals as an administrator is to not waste my teacher’s time. I’ve written before about how I also recognize I need to always be moving them along their own growth path. By providing differentiated professional development, I can accomplish both! In the same way that we expect our teachers to provide differentiated classroom instruction, my expectation should be to do the same for our teachers. Providing differentiated PD shouldn’t be a choice, but we as administrators do. Model what ya want! Or as Jimmy Casas says, Model what you EXPECT. After reading this post from my buddy, Brad Gustafson, creating a choose your PD adventure came easy!

 

(Flyer!)

Differentiated PD is as easy as allowing teachers to have choice, input, and TIME to think and process the PD they’ve taken part in can allow for deeper implementation and impact student learning, which again, is why we do what we do.

Our plan for Monday is this. Teacher will have breakfast and then have the chance to choose 2 from 6 different choices presented from staff who went to #TCEA17. Choices were based on what most closely aligned with the bulk of our staff’s TTESS goals set in August. They are short sessions, meant to whet their appetite and give easy strategies to add in tools for learning here in the spring.

They then are going to spend time reflecting on their individual goals, and ensure they are moving down that path of a lifelong learner. After lunch, we have time set aside for them to work with their team, analyzing our MOY data and using it to plan for small group instruction. Strategic teaching based on individual student growth is going to be what moves Wolves, in every classroom every day.

And just as fun lil’bonus for reading this far…kicking off our day tomorrow I’ll share one or two of these “fun” testing videos…just to remind us how very humorous our spring season can be. One of my Voxer groups, who bless their hearts still include me, despite my MIA-ness shared these this weekend and they are so apropos!

Hope YOUR adventure is as fun as mine!

Amber

The power of people… #TCEA17 #taketwo

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I think I’ve done a top ten or 5 take-away post or a what to do list for every conference I’ve gone to since I’ve been blogging.

It typically revolved around a couple of great ideas, ways to grow, and ways to move forward.

Post #TCEA17, which was full of great ideas, and even greater people…I find myself this time in a place of reflection and respect for the relationships that are in my world. There is something humbling about being surrounded by AWESOME and realizing how very much more you have to learn, and to see, and to know. 

I hope I am never one of those people who walk away from an opportunity to have the kind of connections that conferences, social media, and tools like Voxer can now provide, and think “Meh. I already know all this stuff. I’m/we’re so ahead of ______. (Insert edtech term here) ” I went to BLC in 2009 and remember asking my then tech director about this crazy tool called twitter. How oh so quickly he dismissed me, saying, “Meh. We don’t need connections like that.” So very short sighted of him, (Literally…what was said. In the airport in Boston I was wearing green converse. THAT’S how much I remember that conversation!!)

Friends who challenge…and push back on status quo.

Ideas you don’t agree with…but appreciate the passion behind.

Having friends help you see that your growth can be in another place…and that is ok.        

( I actually have an entire other post written for just this one statement. If you’re not following Sanee Bell, you should be.)

Ideas that take root…and then branch out to your people.

Conversations that lift you up, make you laugh and help you BE A BETTER YOU. ( Dean, Matt, Tom, Adam, Eric, Aaron, Marlena…I mean. Honestly!)

Man…I hope I never walk away thinking, meh. I don’t need that. Because friends, that’s what we want for our students, isn’t it? To always be learners, who grow, and support, and challenge. Who support, inspire, and motivate.  Who can develop supportive relationships because in this walk of life you never know which twist your road will take and who you might need along the way

If the smartest person in the room is the room…I am thankful for those in my room. Need a bigger room? Let’s talk…no meh’ing allowed!

Amber