Leadership — Page 29

Read’em and weep!

March 20, 2013 by Amber 4 Comments

Weep with joy, I mean! One of the fabulous perks of this past weekend was the opportunity I had to peruse several of the new books published through ASCD this past year. As if that wasn’t enough, the authors were available to chat with us as well! The three that have jumped to the top of my list have one theme in common. All three want to help you become GREAT at what you do. Whether it be teaching, administrating, or coaching…each of these three books are giving steps and suggestions to get you to be the best you can be.

The first book, “aim high, achieve more: How to Transform Urban Schools Through Fearless Leadership” by Yvette Jackson and Veronica McDermott. While chatting with Dr. Jackson, I discovered that “aim” didn’t stand for aiming high, like at test scores (my initial thoughts!) but instead stands for affirmation, inspiration, and meditation. Now, if you know me…you know I’m all about affirmation and inspiration! She also talked about involving students in the day to day conversations that teachers are having, in a sense empowering them to help validate teacher’s concerns. There are also practical reflection and call to action activities at the end of each chapter.

“When Teaching Gets Tough: Smart Ways to Reclaim Your Game” is the next book in my stack. By Allen Mendler, who was such a pleasant man to talk too! We talked about teachers who get burned out, and how ALL teachers, even the really great ones, have days where they need someone to help them recharge their energy. He cites the causes of burnout as low appreciation, difficult students, and lack of control in their environment…all factors I understand! He suggested keeping a positivity log and having each teacher write at least one good thing that happened each day. Identifying the positive can not only help balance the negative but can also bring it into perspective. As an administrator, he suggested that I needed to get to the bottom line. Find out what drives people and figure out how I can address those needs. I like to think I’m good at the positive…but he was very specific about individual needs. I can’t wait to read the book and see what other tidbits I can find!

Last but not least, I was able to talk with Robyn Jackson, author “Never Work Harder than you Students & other great principles of great teaching”. This was my most interesting conversation. Jackson shared some of her motivation in writing this book and the types of teachers she works with. She lists seven principles to help you start thinking like a master teacher: The mastery principles are

Master teachers start where their students are.
Master teachers know where their students are going.
Master teachers expect to get their students to their goal.
Master teachers support their students along the way.
Master teachers use feedback to help them and their students get better.
Master teachers focus on quality rather than quantity.
Master teachers never work harder than their students.

As an administrator, she told me the key to helping teachers to the mastery level was to tap into their own personal motivation. She had the great line of “Don’t treat a will problem with a skill solution.” If you have a teacher with a bad attitude, don’t send her to a professional development on classroom management. Find out why she has an attitude problem. I looked up the high low matrix of coaching and thought it was very reasonable. We want every teacher to be genuinely happy/satisfied within the classroom, and I’m hoping this book will help me delve into finding out how to make it possible!

LL’s, leave a comment here about which book you’d most like to read for a chance to win your own copy!

Off to read!

Amber

We are the possible…

March 18, 2013 by Amber 2 Comments

One of the key reasons I was so excited to come to ASCD was the opportunity to see and hear Maya Angelou speak. I genuinely considered this a bucket list moment.

From the moment she stepped out and opened her talk with scripture and a sing, I was hooked. This feisty, almost 85 year old woman, held the crowd in the palm of her hand from the start. Her story, which she shared a brief amount of, is an inspiration to anyone who works with children. She was witty, she was honest, she is

Anyone who has ever discounted a student, for any number of reasons, should hear Ms. Angelou’s tale. Raped at nine by her mother’s boyfriend, she named her attacker only to have him turn up dead the next day. Believing that she caused the death by speaking his name, she fell mute. She was poor, black, living in poverty in Arkansas..and now mute. How easy would it have been for her to be written off? A cautionary tale to all teachers…

At sixteen, she was a single mother in San Francisco. At every point she was down, she mentioned having a rainbow in the cloud. There was always someone in her life that encouraged her, that helped her see who and what she could accomplish. Her “Uncle Willy” was that role model for her, always encouraging others.

Her message centered around support, encouragement, and recognizing what effect you can have on others. She wouldn’t be where she was without those who were there for her..

Angelou closed by calling for educators to recognize their power: ”We are the possible. We are the true. We are the miracle.”

This was such a powerful message for me to hear, being surrounded by the “rainbows” of my ASCD peers. I look to many of the people that I was sitting with for inspiration, to give advice, even to challenge me. (I’m working on that…) It was a monumental moment to hear this amazing woman, one who inspires millions…one who was asked to write an inauguration poem for Clinton…is talking to educators and calling them to recognize their power.

“We are the possible. We are the true. We are the miracle.”

Connectivity, connections, relationships…be the rainbow in someone’s cloud.

rain cloud avoidN,

Amber

What do you do? Lion Rumbles…

March 7, 2013 by Amber Leave a Comment

I had the opportunity to hear Mr. Howard give the most amazing pep talk to one of our Lions last week. This child was hurt and upset by a classmate that had teased them and they didn’t know how to handle it.

(One of the BEST things about my job is watching and learning from JH and his amazing way of talking and connecting with students and parents.)

He gave the illustration of playing balloon ball with his three kids. His sweet Sophie, whom they adopted last year from China, you may or may not know, was born with a club hand. He said that she was catching the ball better than his two boys! He then sat down with her and asked to see her special hand. You know which hand she held up? Her regular hand! She doesn’t even see her club hand as different or special! The world is amazing through the eyes of a chid. She truly felt like her normal hand was her “special hand”. She can do everything with her club hand that you can do with your hand. It doesn’t slow her down a bit. If only we could have that mentality and self image!!

The use of this story was to show that EVERY child brings a special gift to the table. We’re ALL different, but that doesn’t make anyone better or worse. He turned around on this student to help them see and embrace the way they were different.

Whether it be a quirky personality or a physical difference, every single one of your students are special. Never forget that! When they are struggling, or having a bad day, take a moment to remind them that you CARE about them and think they are special! If every child had a positive attitude about their self worth, think of all the different issues that would go away. Bullying, self esteem, empathy…all are affected when a student struggles to see their value. They may not make straight A’s, they not be the quarterback of the football team….but ALL students have specials gifts.

Teachers are incredibly lucky to be able to help them discover and embrace their gifts! Take advantage!

Giftly,

Amber

The Leader Games

March 7, 2013 by Amber 3 Comments

I am currently participating in a series created by George Couros called “Leadership 2.0” . The series is focusing on what school leadership looks like in the context of today’s world and how innovative leaders are pushing their schools and organizations forward. Fascinating, right?

As I listened to Chris Smeaton, a superintendent from up north speak last week on visionary leadership, it was impossible to keep up with the stream of his gems of greatness. I wanted to tweet almost every statement as a “what I should be doing” kinda note taking tweet.

A couple that stood out…

Having a clear vision is going to be what sets you apart as a leader. If you are content with the status quo and are content with just going through the day to day mechanics of a campus, you’re a manager, not a leader. There’s a difference. Why is it so important to have a vision?

The director of the Hunger Games said that one of the most important things he does as a director is to sit alone, at his desk, for hours, before he begins and writes out everysinglething he can about the movie. From staging to angles to directions…he writes it all out the way he wants to see it happen. This is his vision. Everything that happens from this point on goes BACK to that vision. He talks about how on the set in the heat of the moment questions are asked that you may be tempted to answer based on practicality.

All decisions have to flow out of a single vision that you had alone, calm, without the questions, doubts or negativity that can surround you. Inevitability, those answers that should be based on logistics default to what’s practical.

A leader wants answers to questions that reference back to the clarity of their vision. The costume designer said that when she has a question, she thinks back to what Gary Ross’s vision is, not what she interpreted from her reading of the books/script. It’s HIS vision, not hers, and she makes decisions based on THAT. These are Academy Award winners here…grown, capable, creative minds. It’s not as if they couldn’t answer but they see the importance of the unified vision of their director, their leader.

Is your vision as an administrator so clear to your staff that they are able to conduct their classrooms in a manner that embodies that vision? I say staff because top to bottom, that’s how visible and impacting your vision should be. From the cafeteria workers to the janitor to the office staff to the students and teachers…everyone should know and be able to base their actions on your vision. A vision is more than just success on standardized tests. A vision defines how you feel about discipline, attitude, homework, community involvement. It transcends the mechanics of your job and instead becomes a campus mindset.

As I continue to learn and grow, I see even more how I (someday) want my campus to be a product of my preparation instead of the preparation being a product of the campus. I don’t want to adapt and adjust to the tone, but instead be the one who shapes and defines it. Vision is one those hot button words that comes up when one discusses leadership, but this week really defined it as one of the most important things a leader needs to do.

May the odds ever be in your favor,

Amber

Lessons from George & Shaq

March 7, 2013 by Amber Leave a Comment

While you have lil’young bodies to keep you going with inspiration and connections…sometimes I have to search for mine, 🙂

Perusing Mr. Couros’s blog, I came across this post and despite my lack of affection for any Laker’s players, I stopped down to read “Lessons from Shaq”…what a powerful reminder that everyone can love/teach the easy kiddos…it’s the challenging ones that need us the MOST.

Please share your thoughts on why this is such an easy thing for us to forget….

Mavericks girl,

Amber