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

A simple strategy for extending learning!

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We are fortunate to have learning specialists who support our crew in Wylie ISD. This strategy came through and I thought it was a GREAT way to not only extend learning but to PUSH those high achievers!

Heather Buckley, our advanced academics learning specialist, shared that Chris White taught her about his “Math Masters”.  While the kids are practicing on some mixed practice they get to become a “Math Master” by showing work and strategies. Once you get crowned the math master, you get to walk around to look at each classmate’s work to find the new math master.

I love this because it doesn’t focus on only getting a problem correct or incorrect but the effort that is being put into getting the correct answer. The kids took such pride in being picked as a “Math Master” in his room. Regardless of what you have planned out for this week, this could be an easy thing to implement to motivate your students to show their thinking.

A great way to extend this as a closure to your class period or even a conversation to have while lining up to transition to lunch would be to have a few of the “Math Masters” share some of the strategies they saw being used. Let’s get the kids talking about the work they are doing!

 

I love easy, I love pushing, and I love it when people share! Do you have a strategy like this one that you use? Share with us! The smartest person in the room is the room!

 

 

Masteringly &

Kick off January with #oneoword2019 and other activities with your class/campus!

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We get back to doing what we get to do on Monday. Our staff has a day of in-service and while the bulk of our day will be spent in planning, both vertically and as grade level teams, we do have a time set aside for us to come together as a staff and do a few fun things.

 

First, Stefanie MConnell over at Principal Principles had a great activity to make a wish for the new year involving glitter, which is always a win! Added fireworks and viola! We’re ready to make a wish as a campus and I literally am so excited about glittermagedon. Stefanie is a great follow and has plenty of inspiration for campus leaders!

 

Second, we’re going to talk about our #oneword2019 as a staff and the power of living life with intention. Darren Hardy wrote an AMAZING book called “The Compound Effect” where he talks about the impact little, inconsequentially, daily choices can have on the rest of our lives. Choosing to focus on one word can help remind us of our path and re-center us as we need it. I made bookmarks that we’ll hand out an hopefully, will become a visual reminder as we go through our semester. Download your copy here!

 

If you’re looking for a great book to kick off your new year with a purpose, his is a great one!

 

Lastly, we’ll have a toast…with ACTUAL TOAST, hahahahaha! I’m bringing all kinds of breads, butters, jams, and jellys! 🙂 We’ll have orange juice and toast to the new year together…I can’t wait! #snackiesnacks

 

 

I hope that your break was full of all your favorite things and you’re as ready to get back to work as I am. I have missed all my Wolves, the small and the tall! 🙂

 

Proud principal &

 

Three ways to celebrate your staff in December at three different price points, plus a free download!

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I love the holiday season. I love shopping for the perfect gift, at the perfect price, for the perfect “OH!” when they open it. I love celebrating my big Wolves and my small Wolves.

I’ve done big things for my staff and some smaller type of things. Things that are all drawn out, and things that take just a few minutes, or few dollars. Things that mean a lot or simple things that are tokens of appreciation. #ALLTHETHINGS, y’all.

 

 

 

As a principal, who is on a budget, both at school AND at home…I have to be conscious of how/why/what I choose to purchase.

If you’re wondering what to do or how to even get started, oh administrator friend of mine, first join this Facebook Group where, literally, all we are talking about is the holidays and celebrating your staff for the holidays.

 

Then, scroll on down for gifts that anyone can handle, regardless of your budget… some of our favorite things…at three different price points!

 

FREE (or on da’cheap!)

12 Days Of Christmas

Here are several of my variations on the 12 days leading up to Christmas break. You can pack these full of free things like wear jeans, or workout gear, or school colors…and throw in coffee bars, popcorn bars, or other snackie snacks. Easy, peasey.

12 days, 1

12 days, 2

12 days, 3

12 days, 4

(Side note: I’ve also done 12 days of GIVING, where we shared acts of kindness!)

 

Really cheap! (and a free printable!)

Who doesn’t need a good package of chapstick? Just a cute tube with an attached note and you have a PRACTICAL, albeit cheap, gift for all, male or female!  Amazon sells 72 lil’tubes for $29.99. That’s a bargain!

Then attach this cute tag and viola! You can add your signature using any kind of graphics editor, like Canva, picMonkey, or an app like Over, Typorama, or my favorite, Word Swag. (yes that costs $4.99 and yes, it’s worth it!)

 

(download your copy here!)

 

Still cheaper than say, a new car for everyone!

  • Stock the fridge with all their faves! (Starbucks Mocha Lattes were a HUGE hit! Any fun snacks, drinks, pudding cups, etc We filled ours up for less $150!)
  • Flair pens for all! (Buy packs and break them apart and give each teacher 2/3 pens…and wish them a Flair-y Merry Christmas!)
  • Beanie hats for all! You can add vinyl to these with a cricut/silhouette, or purchase in your school colors. We found some and had our logo added at a local embroidery shop for our staff last year and they LOVED them!

 

If your team is anything like mine, they will love any effort you give them. We meet as a PLC grade level team each Wednesday and the Wednesday before we get out for the Christmas break and we just sit and eat holiday snacks and chat. We play Christmas music by the fire. It doesn’t take much, just some free time and no stress…you also can’t go wrong with the gift of TIME.

 

 

How do you show your seasonal spirit? Share in the comments!

 

festively and

I wish you knew… #leadership

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A couple of weeks ago I posted something on the Instagram about how I had a week where I felt like I was underwater the whole time. You’ve had those weeks, right?

The ones where you are giving all that you’ve got but it doesn’t quite seem like enough? When your days are long and your nights are too? When despite feeling like you’ve done #ALLthethings, your husband isn’t happy, your kids aren’t happy, and you just can’t win?

 

Well, that was that week for me. So I had posted a lil’scripture that spoke to my heart, b/c that is what that space is for me. A place for sharing what speaks to me. I think I’ve shared this before, but quite a while ago, I was in a place and position that was not only toxic emotionally, but also professionally. I couldn’t see past the forest for the trees. Sharing a positive “happy” on FB (which then led to IG) made me feel better. It was a good “footprint” to leave but it also was a reminder that there is always something to be positive about.

Anywho, I had a teacher in the hallway who told me that she felt so much better after seeing my post, b/c it made her feel better about also feeling like she was drowning, and that she didn’t know I ever felt that way. 

Ya’ll. It stopped me dead in my tracks!

Those quotes I post each day speak to my heart, and are so directed at me…it just so happens that someone usually also feels impacted by it, but genuinely…I go back to that Zig Zigler quote that says “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” which is OH so true for me!  It then made me think about other things that I wish people knew taht probably isn’t obvious froma quick social media scroll…

  • I cry when I am stressed, it’s the go to emotion…which is super annoying, but doesn’t mean I am weak. 
  • I worry that it actually does mean I am weak.
  • Imposter syndrome…it’s a real thing.
  • I once had a co-worker rebuff my attempt at asking a question b/c “I get paid to speak, why would I be asking her anything?”
  • I can be a great mom, a great wife, and a great principal…but rarely at the same time. 
  • I worry more than I should about what people think.
  • I make really quick decisions.
  • I hate working alone…and am so thankful to always have really great people around me, balancing out those quick decisions.
  • I get ridiculously nervous in front of my district peers but am completely fine in front of an audience of 1000. 
  • I don’t want to be average, ever. in anything.
  •  I have a 5, 10, and 20 year plan. 
  • I have trust issues. Please see #6.
  • George Couros is like my edtech big brother…and without him…eek. I don’t even want to imagine who I’d call when I need, well, #allthethings.
  • I have people I consider BEST friends…that I see every other year-ish. (When I was named principal, I called my husband…then conference called and Joe and Tony. We’d met IRL once.)
  • I regularly can’t fall asleep at night, worrying about what I haven’t yet accomplished. 

 

All that to say…unless you KNOW someone…you don’t actually know them.

Unless you KNOW someone…you don’t actually KNOW them. You only know what you think.

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Making assumptions, or heaven forbid, judging someone if you’re not a part of their circle is not only unfair but also usually inaccurate. Most of us are just trying to be the very best we can be, and to do the very best we can.

Give grace friends…the world could use more grace.

 

Reflectingly &