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

5 #leadership promises to my Assistant Principal

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One of my realizations early on last year in my first year as being principal was that I was now responsible for growing and empowering my assistant principal. As a connected educator, and someone whose strength is that of an activator, I don’t remember looking to my principal as the person who “grew” me necessarily, but reflectively know that I gleaned much of what I do (or don’t do) from their example. My “first boss” as I affectionately call him was a servant leader in the truest sense of the word. He was the first to stop down and pray over a family or a situation, and was the first person at the hospital if there was a need. It was an amazing example of what I wanted to be…and now, when families are baffled at me visiting their Wolf in the hospital, I am confused. That’s just what kind of principal I want to be.

Knowing that, I am hyper sensitive to the example I am now setting for my assistant principal, or my teachers who want to be administrators. I am who is modeling what she could potentially be. It’s so important to remember that even if I ACTUALLY am cranky, or need to vent, it needs to be done in a proactive or positive manner…to also be cognizant of the eyes that are on me. Values, actions, & behaviors all set the tone that will eventually define those below me. Here are five of my big takeaways that I hope I am able to convey.

5. You’re going to get the behind the scenes from me, not the finished movie.  Have you ever worked for someone who seemingly got everything right? That person who always had everything together, and got everything right the first try? Yeah…I’m not that leader. I am messy. I am flawed. I make mistakes. But I will also be the first to admit those errors and do my darndest to not make the same mistake twice. You will see my process, hear my thoughts, and know what all went into something that went well, or what could have gone better.

4. You’re not going to be regulated to “specific” roles. Another highlight of that first principal of mine, was that he treated me as an equal. I wasn’t just there for books and discipline. I want my assistant principal to see ALL things that go into being a principal. I want her voice in the room when decisions are made. I count on her counter balance. I don’t want her to think of this as “my” campus, but as of “ours”, always. Not that sometimes I don’t have to make the big decision, but her input is wanted and valued.

3. I won’t let your focus be on “what you’ve always done”. I am connected educator spoiled. I see a bigger picture than a test, than a curriculum. I will consistently question the status quo. I will think bigger than where we are right now. Think bigger. Dream bigger. Even if what we “dream is a pie in the sky” idea…surely there is a piece of that pie we can make happen.

2. Get ready, you’re going to be my work spouse. Leadership can be a lonely place. Connections that you’ve made ebb and flow with the busyness of the year, and even with the best of intentions those you thought were your “go to” become your “once were”. I won’t allow the frantic pace of our day distract us from having regular conversations to keep us on the same page, we could be all that each other has! Even if we fundamentally disagree, I want to know what you’re thinking and vice versa.

1. Growing isn’t an option. We will get stronger together. We will each have our strengths and we will utilize those to the benefit of our campus. That doesn’t mean that we won’t have places where we each can grow and stretch. I am a lifelong learner and I want to help her see that as a GOOD THING. From books, to tweets, to conferences…there are so many ways we can get stronger…and we will, together.

My sweet AP reconfirmed how well we know each other today with the most incredibility thoughtful gift. A basket full of “13 reasons why she loves me”. Ya’ll. I don’t think my husband has even given me something this thoughtful. Every item in it…so perfect, so me! It reinforced that while I selfishly am determined to be a successful administrator to be GOOD at what I do, I owe it to her as well. That’s the model I want to set…she deserves it.

 

 

Eyes up,

Amber

Looking for advice or its been given? You can go your own way!

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Advice.

ədˈvīs/
noun
  1. guidance or recommendations concerning prudent future action, typically given by someone regarded as knowledgeable or authoritative.

Everyone has advice to offer. Sometimes it’s solicited, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes it is helpful, sometimes it’s not. I always get questions in the spring asking how to handle certain questions or how to prepare for interviews they have coming up. This is year 15 for me, and I have definitely had my fair share of advice offered up. I wanted to share some of the absolute worst advice I’ve ever been given, in hopes that you, as you move forward, can discern between what you should, and maybe what you shouldn’t, listen to.

**This all is ACTUAL advice I have been given. Now, for the most part I fully understand this was all shared with the intent of HELPING ME, and I don’t at all (cough, cough) question the motives.**

  • Quit with the twitter business. It’s not going to do anything for you.
    • Multiple LIFE CHANGING relationships, true friendships cross the nation, professional experiences and keynote opportunities later, I disagree.
  • Have you thought about wearing turtlenecks? People shouldn’t notice your outfit.
    • I’m not even dignifying this one. (I still have the notebook in which I wrote all the “gems” this one was shared with. I’m impressed with my calmness in writing it all. Sigh.)
  • Don’t mention the Troy Aikman stuff anymore, it makes it hard for people to take you seriously.
  • Those cutesy sign offs? Your staff won’t respect you.
    • When I started blogging in 2005 I used the same lil’sign offs that I do now. While I don’t use them a ton in my professional correspondence, using them here just feels right. They’re…part of the me-ness that I always want to come through. If I lose respect because of an email or blog sign off, I’m thinking I didn’t actually have it to begin with.
  • Technology or leadership, you have to pick.
    • Negative ghost rider. I don’t write code. I don’t build computers. I leverage the tools available to maximize what I do. In ALL facets of my life…my leadership role is no different. I can also talk about guided reading. It’s not a zero sum game… you can know about BOTH!
  • Poems? No one has time to read your poems. Your staff won’t respect you.
    • Teaching is hard. Days are LONG. If I can write a silly poem letting teachers have a jeans day or announcing the teacher of the month, and it’ll make them smile, I’ll take it. Admittedly, it won’t be everyone’s cup of professional tea, but it is what it is. I am what I am.
  • Talk less, smile more. Don’t let them know what you’re against or what you’re for.
    • BONUS HAMILTON QUOTE!!! I’ve never been actually GIVEN this advice but it’s from a Hamilton song (skip to 1:02), and doesn’t it SOUND like some people you’ve worked for? It does for me. I never want people to have to wonder what I believe in, or stand for when it comes to doing what we do. It’s one of the reasons I value this blog so much. I can chronicle my career (post 2005) and see the evolution of who I am as an educator. Yes, I’ve changed my mind on things…but mostly, I’ve used this platform to extrapolate why I’ve changed or shifted in my thoughts. You don’t have to wonder who I am, or what I stand for…it’s all here.

Now, I am fully biased in my sharing that none of this was given recently, or from anyone I currently work with. (Not surprising, huh?) In fact, when I first met with my current superintendent and mentioned how stressed I was in trying to separate my “Technically, Teamann” self from the principal role, he literally laughed and said, “It’s who you are, Amber. Embrace and OWN IT.”

Do you know how empowering that statement is? You’re never going to get away from WHO YOU ARE. Todd Whitaker talks about a superstar being a superstar no matter where they are employed in his “What Great Teachers do Differently”. It’s true…your gifts, talents, and passions are going to come to light no matter what role you are playing. I once volunteered in an animal shelter and got reassigned to the front office entering data reports and answering the phone because my “perkiness was wasted on the pekingese!”

Stop trying to hide what makes you you…and know that there is a place, a GENUINE PLACE that will take you, take your quirks, take your strengths and embrace them. Never feel like you have to change who you are in order to get a position. And if you did, and got that position? How utterly exhausting having to pretend to be something you’re not. It’s not worth it, friends.

 

Good luck this hiring season. I hope that your world is full of people who give REALLY GOOD advice…but if not, come back & share what you’ve been told here!

 

advice giveN,

Amber

 

 

The recipe for fail proof feedback, #empower17

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One of the benefits of being able to attend #empower17, ASCD’s conference is kinda getting a feel for powerhouse speakers. Ones that you know are going to be dynamic, knowledgeable, and have a proven track record for awesome. Robyn Jackson for me is one of those people. She is calm, she is clear…and she never fails to blow. my. mind.

Her session was on feedback and how to ensure that it was not only delivered The gem from today, amongst the many, was an illustration she gave on why it is SO important to give our master teachers feedback and how powerful it can be. Todd Whitaker is 100% passionate that the only way to get our school system to get better is to make every teacher like the best teacher, and how can you do that? By giving feedback that allows growth…but even your BEST teacher deserves quality feedback.

So imagine you spend the entire day in the kitchen, working on a recipe. Working so hard, giving it your best. You present the dish to your spouse, and what feedback do you get? Typically an “It was great.” or a “Don’t make that again.” Super helpful, right? So same recipe, and you give it to your nephews…and what do they say? “Can I have some ketchup, please?” They dump it all over the plate, essentially drowning out all those flavors and changing the flavor to something different completely. Now think about if you offer that same meal…to your best friend. She savors every bite…she moans and groans, “Is that rosemary? Do I taste lemon?” Her comments validate your efforts, drawing out every flavor. Then she says, “Ohhhhh….girl. You know what? What would happen if you added a dash of cayenne? That would be just a little kick!” So what do you do? You’re so excited, you remake that recipe, adding in what she suggested, just to see how it goes.

Think about the power in how to harness that to give feedback to your teachers. Do you give them all or nothing? Super generic, that deflates their energy? “I loved that lesson, you were awesome!”

Do you negate all their efforts, covering their energy and efforts with a different flavor? “I saw that you did this, yadda yadda,  but have you ever thought about assessing with this instead?”

Or do you dial down, identify the greatness, pointing out the facets that made it SO powerful…and then offer one lil’tweak that ENHANCES what you saw?

If feedback is going to be what moves our teachers along their own path of excellence, being able to offer specific, genuine suggestions is going to be what you as the LEADER, not the manager, can add to the equation! Your effectiveness will then be measured in how far you can bring your staff along, versus their compliance in just doing what you’ve told them to do…and that my friends, is leadership!

 

Recipe followN,

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

Help curb teacher burnout with Fab Fridays in February!

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Teacher burnout…it’s a real thing. This stretch in the winter/spring is a LONG chunk of instructional intensity. You’ve got middle of the year data, you have testing awareness creeping up on you, and spring break is just outta reach. The genius of Melinda Miller introduced me to Fab Fridays in February several years ago and I have loved coming up with fun things to do with my staff each year.

While it may seem like a lot of work, really, your teachers are doing the heavy lifting this time of year. And if your team is like mine, they easily over commit in order to help their students succeed. The benefits of building and supporting a positive school climate far out-weigh the time and effort required.  

I would also take a guess that a positive school climate can help bring the joy and fun back into teaching and learning.

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Who wouldn’t want to be part of a school like that?

Here’s what we’re doing this year! (You can also download it here!)What do you do to love on and support your teams?

 

FabFri loveN,

Amber