AmberTeamann — Page 29

Lead…like a dog?

April 27, 2015 by Amber 2 Comments

First, please note that this post is 100% based on zero facts. I have no scientific research that would support these claims, except that I taught used to teach science. It should also be noted…I don’t like cats. 🙂

There are many leadership styles. While watching my black lab run this weekend, I was reminded of a brief roommate I had in college who could never understand why I couldn’t stand her cat. We just never meshed, he and I. (the cat.) I feel like he KNEW that too, and took advantage of my annoyance with him, to show up on my room, or ergh, in my closet. Maybe that is where my true dislike began. Which leadership style can you most relate too?

Don’t be aloof, be a people person.

Cats will turn their tail to you, and walk away. Dogs will lick your face. Enough said.

Don’t be too independent, be a team player!

Cats are fiercely independent. They are picky about who they will snuggle and social with. They are often invisible during the day, seeming only to appear in the evening, especially if that is when they are fed. Dogs will sniff up up to anyone. They want to play, they just need a willing participant.

Be the boss who plays too. Remind people why they should work so hard for you.

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Dogs are companionable, they hang out, they like to be with you, they like your company, whereas cats like it for as long as they want it, and then they’re off.

It’s not about you, it’s about what’s happening around you.

Cats are notoriously nosy (um, hello curiosity!). They want to be the center of attention, make everything about them, and know everything that is going on around them. Dogs? They just want to be out & about. Or chasing a squirrel. Or a ball. Or swimming in a pond. Or digging up a garden. Or rolling around in the grass.

Leaders need to be above making themselves the hub of everything that happens.

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Dogs travel in packs! Surround yourself with an inspirational, supportive, creative team. Student success should be your goal, not winning a popularity cat test, I mean, contest.

Be more dog, people. Be more dog.

I like my new goal…to lead like a dog. Can you think of any other leadership parallels?

woof-ly,

Amber

Success shouldn’t be the goal.

April 14, 2015 by Amber Leave a Comment

Sarah Lewis, the first keynote at ASCD this year, was simply incredible. She shared many, many stories that resonated with me on failure and why our perspectives needed to shift on this thought. The main one is the thought that there is a difference between success and mastery. She talked of archers…archers aren’t shooting for success. They don’t hit the target once and quit. They work until they are to a point of mastery…where they hit that target over and over again. We should strive for MASTERY with our students. Success one day on one test does nothing. But mastery…which would look like a love of learning, or a true understanding of a concept, THAT is what we should want to see from our students.

Mastery transcends grade levels and test scores. It is a LIFE trait.

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I LOVED her point that the mountain climber that reaches the top of the mountain can look over and see another mountain to climb. His journey is never complete…you can’t climb ALL the mountains. She related it back to that the smartest people in the world KNOW how little they know. How mind blowing is that?

Fringe benefits of failure….you have a rock bottom to build on.

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This also connects to Angela Watson’s “Truth for Teachers” that I listed to too this week. She talks about the need to let go of searching for the elusive search for perfection. Be ok staying in beta. Put out the most viable product that can get the job done, instead of stressing yourself (or your family!) trying to be perfect in every way. Enjoy that you can always tweak or define as you go along, with support from yours students. Be ok staying in beta.

I ordered Sarah’s book, “The Rise: Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery”after talking to her backstage. She was as down to earth and eloquent there as she was up in front of us all. She paused before she spoke, each word carefully constructed to articulate the exactness of what she was trying to convey. I know that I wanted MORE of what she was sharing. Her book is excellent.

My favorite passage is a story from Sara Blakely, the entrepreneur who developed Spanx, valued at one billion dollars in 2011. Each night at dinner when growing up her father would ask, “What did you fail at today?” Those conversations helped recondition what she thought and how she felt about failure. Failure became not the outcome, but the refused attempt.

Let’s encourage our peers, our teaches, our students to be deliberate amateurs. You never know what you will find out or be able to answer.

Failure pushN,

Amber

Not just another student…that’s my baby…

April 11, 2015 by Amber Leave a Comment

This week my sweet lil’TsT had her kindergarten roundup. As in..she will be FIVE soon…and attending kindergarten next year. To put the myriad of emotions I am feeling into words is next to impossible. She’s already IN a pre-school, so it isn’t as if she has never been away from me. She’s also, um, not the first child of MINE to start school. So yes, the fact that I should be completely ok with this hasn’t escaped me, but I still well up with tears thinking about her beginning. Time always flies but to think her big sister will be in 8th grade this year (gulp!!) is a testament to how fast it TRULY flies once they start the seasons of school.

Couple that with the fact that I do this for a living and you’ll probably be even more confused at my emotions.

I pull screaming kinders away from their parents each year and smilingly send them away

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, reassuring them that this will be FINE, that their baby will be GREAT, and they need to just let us take them.

(Oh dear…do we even want to THINK about someone trying to wretch my sweet girl outta my arms?!?)

The mom in me thinks, “She’s so tiny. There’s so much she can’t do yet!”

The admin in me thinks, “Here we go, another one to build an academic future!”

The mom in me thinks, “Please be gentle with her, she’s not ready for playground politics yet!”

The admin in me thinks “Just you wait, she’ll be running the show soon.”

The mom in me thinks “You have no idea…this baby makes me SO insanely happy every day…”

The admin in me thinks “Every new kinder baby is someone’s whole world, nothing new to see here…”

The mom in me thinks “I will be THAT mom for my kid…I will! Please keep her in mind when making decisions!”

The admin in me thinks “We have to think about what is best for ALL kids, momma!”

The dichotomy of these rival roles playing out in my mind is like its own greek tragedy.

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Thank goodness I am in an incredible school where I truly KNOW and love each and every one of our kinder teachers. I see how hard they work, I know how much they love what they do, and am lucky enough to be there when my girl begins her schooling adventure. Couldn’t have asked for a better team to surround my sweet girl.

I just hope they can handle this dichotomy better than I can!

Kinder counting down,

Amber

Personalizing your own Professional Development & DC

April 5, 2015 by Amber 1 Comment

I’ve spoken before on how important it is to take charge of your own PD. At the Greater Clark Ed Conference I spoke to a room full of administrators on using their power for good, their admin power. This year this was a new opportunity. The Alliance for Education partnered with the National Teaching & Learning Conference to present a “Digital Learning Day Live” over Spring Break.

I first received a casual text asking if I would be interested in presenting at this event last October. It was an almost comical request. Hey Amber…Do you think you’d want to…come to DC & present on how to personalize your own personal development & growth…

You can access my session presentation here.

Watch Daisy Dyer Duerr be recognized for her tireless efforts in her rural school.

Stand where Martin Luther King Jr. stood.

Meet Governor Bob Wise, president of the Alliance.

Visit the Department of Education. (The ACTUAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.)

Have a fascinating discussion with Arnie Duncan’s staff. Have this discussion in Arnie Duncan’s conference room.

Finally meet two people who I literally talk to EVERYSINGLEDAY for the first time.

Visit the big Abraham.

Visit Arlington National Cemetery.

GO ON A TOUR OF THE WHITE HOUSE.

Meh. I guess I could do that…

(I jest. This trip was one of the most incredible opportunities I’ve experienced. Add in the amazing people that I have the blessing of calling friends…& it may not get much better than that.)

PLN humbled,

Amber

Do you offer feedback or feed forward? #ASCD15

March 22, 2015 by Amber 1 Comment

I had the opportunity t to talk to the assistant principal and two teachers from Magnolia Elementary today, winners of the ASCD Whole Child Vision and Action award today. There were several take-aways that stood out.

When asked about walk-throughs and how the administration provided guidance, one teacher mentioned that as a campus they focus on giving “feed-forward” information, asking questions that allow self discovery. It works for kids and they said it really works for them!
Mental health cohort- The team of specialists on their campus meet regularly to discuss students and their needs. The speech therapist, school psychologist, the counselor, and others..all with a vested interest in some of the high flyers on the campus…they decided if a mentor is needed or if further support is needed.
These teachers mentioned empowerment several times. One of the ways that this was evident was that for their PD, each grade decides what they need in order to grow, and work with campus specialists to get the training they need. Students struggling in interventions? Great, let’s bring in the Title I specialist. Want to add some movement in your lessons for student wiggles? Awesome, let’s ask the PE teacher if she can meet with us. They utilize their on campus experts.
Administrator support- open door policy, all the way. The staff knows that they can come with any ideas, suggestions, or questions and receive the opportunity to talk and be heard.

This should be every administrators goal. Be steady and supportive.

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I was very impressed with the positivity that emanated from this group, and know that they are all in for the right reason…their students! With the population they are working with, it cant be easy, but I guarantee its worth it!

Sharingly,

Amber