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

Win an autographed copy of Shake Up Learning…and EVERYone wins!

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I’ve long been a fan of Kasey Bell and her laid-back approach to #allthethings google. We’ve planned together, we’re brainstormed together, and flat out learned from each other. I call her my #digitalbestie because if there is a question I’ve had in regards to PD, Google training, or regional support from her “real job”, she is always available for me! Her support of empowered learners is a staple of strong and appropriate integration.

When she told me that she was writing a book, I celebrated her wholeheartedly. She is an engaging presenter and easy to follow as a teacher. I couldn’t imagine her book being ANY different. It combines reflection with a call to action. One of my favorite lines in the whole book is “Facilitate the messy!” which can surmise a lot of educators thoughts when it comes to shaking up what they do in their classroom. As a teacher or an administrator, there is great comfort in reading along with not only her journey to be as comfortable as she is in her role now but also how to guide those alongside you, with you.

Chapters range from “a breakdown of the DNA of dynamic learning” and “how to unleash your voice and share your story”, to leadership support with “how to empower your students” and “facilitating with finesse”. It provides examples, reflection questions, next steps and more. It is an easy read and I would love to get a copy in YOUR hands!

 

Empowered educators lead to empowered learners…and that should be the goal for all of us!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Not feeling lucky? You can purchase it here!

I can’t wait to share her greatness with you!

 

ShakeN up &

When did you last learn something totally new?

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My counselor emails our staff each morning. (I know…amazing, right??) I thought hers today was particularly incredible.

This Spring Break, we went skiing in Taos. On our second day, Sam decided to learn to snowboard, but by the time we got his gear switched, the lessons were full. So, in an attempt to make his day more enjoyable (or less lonely), I decided to join him. I’ve skied quite a while, but snowboarding was brand new.

And you know what? I remembered how hard learning truly is. As an adult, I really only try and learn things that are in my field of study – things  I can master because I have prior knowledge. But this? No prior knowledge, people. And no natural ability. None.

I fell.

A lot.

Sometimes (most times), on accident. But sometimes I fell on purpose (because mama needed a break).

By the end of the day, I was tired and sore in places I didn’t know could hurt. We spent a better part of the day laughing at each other, but there was some crying, too.

Because learning is hard.

There were moments we both thought about giving up, but we didn’t, and I’m so glad because while we ended up loving it (but also kinda hating it), we were in the mess together.

 

 

May we always remember that learning can be hard and painful and exhausting. It can make us laugh till we cry and cry till we laugh. But it is worth it.

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What are you doing to remind yourself what our students are exposed to each and every day? How can you support your team in feeling that growing pain again, and appreciate it?

 

 

 

 

Leading Out of Your Comfort Zone

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This weekend I’m at an SDE conference with my kinder team.

Kindergarten is its own beast, ya’ll.

I taught fourth grade. Big tall fourth graders who relatively could control their emotions, tie their shoes, and regular complete multistep tasks.

There were two opportunities I had to cover some kinder classes this year and my’lanta. I’ve never been more thankful to see those teachers show back up in my life! It was such a reminder that our teacher work hard and are EXPERTS at what they do! When this team asked if they could attend this kinder specific conference, I was all about it.

Why did I come?

Because I have never taught kindergarten,

Because their content is important.

Because rarely are you as the admin able to provide grade-level specific content to EVERYone, but especially kindergarten. (Think about your specials teachers, your experts, the odd specialists…how do you move them from point A to their point B?)

Because I had the opportunity to eat, text with, laugh and grow as this team got stronger together.

Because I get to hear what they are hearing. When they ask me to buy those heavy-duty fancy paper plates to build sand individual sand trays, I now know the reason why.

Because dear lord, I don’t know everything and can ALWAYS find a takeaway to make me a stronger leader.

Take advantage of moments to step outside of your comfort zone. Model what it means to genuinely be a lifelong learner. 

Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk…but most importantly, walk WITH them.

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Kinder caring &

 

(Also, important to note, I’m here today, Sunday, only…will be back with the rest of my Wolves for school tomorrow! #allthethings)

Get the most out of your conference/professional development!

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How do you as an administrator (or teacher!) feel about conferences? Professional learning? Empowering your teachers?Here are the things we did to maximize sending our team of teachers to #TCEA! Make the most out of your next conference!

Often our budgets and #allthethings (subs! testing! schedules! teaching!), make it impossible to send every teacher we have to attend any conference. I am a very big believer in growing and empowering the team I have with me, so I allocate a substantial amount of money in my budget towards teacher development. We did an individualized book study as a campus, my kinder team is attending the SDE Kinder conference this month, and my first-grade literacy leaders went to see the guided reading guru Janet Richardson when she was close. We had the awesome opportunity to send a team of teachers to TCEA last week. In meeting with these risk takers, I wanted to make sure that we maximized their benefit, as well as our staff, to learn all that we could from the conference!

We had a PD today where each TCEA tripper will share something they learned. They’ve staggered their sessions throughout the day. For a couple of teachers, this was REALLY out of their comfort zone, so they are presenting the same tool/session three times. For some, they have three different things to share. As our Wolves attend sessions throughout the day, I’ve asked them to tweet out their gems of greatness with #wearewhitt. (GO check it out!!) We’ll pull that thread up in PLC on Wednesday and explore all that was shared. Ala George Couros, I didn’t go over the “how to’s” of twitter today, I just gave them their expectations and off they went! It was a GREAT day of learning!

Asking for those three tweets will help each teacher not only have “notes” for what was shared but also allow them to experience all of the sessions that were offered today. Many went over the 20 minutes allowed, which will just make your principal heart so happy! This also solidified for the teachers that went that there were expectations on their experience. Preparing and presenting will help keep what they learned in focus…everyone knows that tired head feeling after you’ve returned from a conference, the one where you are so overwhelmed you don’t know where to start? My people have a plan!

As a last attempt to ensure we could get everything possible out of the conference, I’ve asked teachers to implement ONE strategy, tip, trick, or tool that they learned about today into their lesson plans for next week. It didn’t have to be something that all 22 students had to be able to do, but maybe it could be used as an opportunity for those who need enrichment. (I shared the Discovery Education Spotlight on Strategies and was AMAZED that it was all new to them!!)

 

As an admittedly techie administrator, there aren’t a whole lot of “things” that I haven’t heard of or been exposed to in my 15+ years of teaching, techN, etc. BUT until ALL of my teachers are as comfortable and confident as I am…then I am not done learning either! My goal is to never walk away from any session and think I’ve learned nothing…even with a tool my district pays for, I was able to glean useful strategies to help build up my Wolves. 

Be that kinda administrator…the one who always wants their people to be better.

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Why is appreciation so hard? Don’t let the Grinch get a’hold of you!

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Every day we are presented opportunities to say thank you. From a door being opened to the gift of a chipper coworker who lifts our spirits…this is a season of opportunities to be thankful and to say thank you. There is also scientific evidence that expressing genuine gratitude on a daily basis can improve physical health as well by improving quality of sleep, cardiovascular (heart) health and immune function.

Imagine that … something as simple as how we think about our lives and the people in them actually has a profound impact on our health!

Gratitude promotes optimism and helps us to develop a more positive outlook. Who doesn’t need more of that?? This season you can feel tired, you can feel run down. That to do list is ever looming, in addition to all the seasonal extras that seem to stack up! An easy way to help curb the grinchiness you may be feeling is to outwardly express appreciation for the gifts in your life. There is always something to be grateful for.

But what happens if you are NOT feeling appreciated? That you’re taken advantage of, or that all your hard works and energy/effort is taken for granted? I’m in a pretty awesome facebook group that my principal BFF, Melinda Miller, and I are running full of holiday prep & planning for our staff. It’s not uncommon for an admin to express a feeling of not being appreciated.

You’re not alone, friend.

Don’t lose sight of WHY you’re doing what you’re doing. You don’t do all that you do for words of appreciation. You do it because you are trying to create an environment of awesome. 

You are the architect of your environment.

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Culture matters. Creating a space where our teachers and our students are made to feel appreciated and WANT to be is a key component of our jobs…and that’s why you do what you do. Not for the thank you’s, but because it’s the RIGHT thing to do.

If you’re not feeling the love in your world, know that you are doing good work. You are doing some hard work. Some incredibly important work.

Take a moment to think about the people in your world…is there someone who might need to hear a “thank you” from you? Text or email…just a simple thought could bring a smile to someone’s face! Why don’t you text a principal friend RIGHT NOW? Just say “Hey…I see those long days you’re putting in…your staff is lucky to have such a dedicated leader!” Who wouldn’t have their day brightened by such a gesture? Even the Grinch would smile! (ok, he may smirk…but still!)

Please feel free to reread this as many times as you need too, 🙂 to help remind yourself that you are appreciated, even if not everyone vocalizes it…

 

Holiday hugN you,

Amta Claus

 

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