#edchat — Page 3

Be more you!

June 4, 2015 by Amber 4 Comments

Advice is easy to give. It’s usually given with the greatest of intentions. Sometimes it can be questionable…but this isn’t that kinda post! 🙂

Our superintendent, Dr. Vinson, gave a closing speech at a banquet a couple of weeks ago where he reflected on the things people told him when he came to this district. Things like “We’re almost as big as such & such district, our scores are as good as so & so’s district.”, and how that gave him pause. He decided that he didn’t want to be more like those places…he just wanted us to be more Wylie. 5 years later we’re an anomaly in the state when it comes to testing data and you have people lined up to get hired. We’re proud of who we are are, and the Wylie Way defines our priorities. The good test scores are a byproduct of the phenomenal educators we have here.

That comment of his reminded me of a conversation we had at the beginning of the year. He mentioned in passing that he wanted to learn more about Twitter, that he’d heard I was a “pro”, and I shrugged him off (as gracefully as one can shrug off your big new boss!!) and said oh, I’m trying to get away from being “that” technology girl, but sure. His response was “Why? Be who you are,Teamann, you gotta own that…”

That stuck in my mind and after completing my 13th year in education, being named principal next year, and finding out I was named a 2015 ASCD Emergent Leader…I can say that advice was heart affirming.

I’m in a place that wants me to be more ME.

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Not who they think I should be, but more of the me I am.

Our students are encouraged to embrace their individual gifts and we highlight their strengths…don’t forget as an adult you should do the same thing.

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I hope that you are in a place where you can embrace who you are, and and are appreciated for the strengths you bring. Every team member plays a role, but the strongest teams balance each others gifts. Never deny your strengths. Find a place where they can SHINE!!

celebrating YOU,

Amber

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

How do YOU share your genius?

March 10, 2015 by Amber Leave a Comment

When I would give twitter talks in the (not so distant past), I would be sure and mention the lists I had created that enabled a “newbie” to find connections to educational change agents, teachers in the trenches, like minded people that could become an instant resource. Now, if I were to give that same talk…I would share the lists but I’d also stress how important the #hashtag is to educational dialogue on social media.

One of the hashtags making the rounds right now is the #EDUin30 tag. This is George Couros’s new project in which he challenges you to make a short video, answering one question a week, and use the tag. He began this week with “Talk about one great idea in your classroom in 30 seconds or less. #EDUin30W1″

It’s already taken off, in true George fashion, but I have REALLY enjoyed hearing all of the different ideas from around the world. Such a simple, easy way to tap into everyone’s “best” idea.

To see the submissions thus far, check out this storify I created.

My submission comes from a 2nd grade classroom. The teacher has created musical snippets and has them embedded into her smart board lessons. Each snippet is a different transition. Her students know when the music comes on that they have to get moving, and better be there when it stops. By using popular tunes, they even sing along. Smoothest transitions on campus, and catchiest too!

Here’s my submission…

…stay tuned to see what challenge is issued for week 2!

Take 30 seconds to share YOUR genius, or learn from someone else’s!

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Sharingly,

Amber

Culture & Leadership Connections: Are you #FutureReady?

February 23, 2015 by Amber 1 Comment

Confession: I’m not that great with technology.

I know, I know…”Technically Teamann” and all that jazz. But really, I’m not great with technology.

I can’t code. I couldn’t reroute an access point. I don’t build computers. I don’t develop software. I don’t build apps. Or teach people how to do ANY of those things. I can troubleshoot (via the Google) any technical problems, but I can’t take apart a machine. I can’t write HTML or Flash. I can’t talk shop with the IT department. I’m just not that great with technology.

You know what I am good at?

I am good at making technology work for me.

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I am able to use tools that are readily available to accomplish my personal and professional goals and to develop relationships. I am good at connecting and seeing how much this benefits all of those around me. If I have a teacher who is struggling, I can connect them with an expert in just the area they need help with. If I have a student with a particular passion, I know how to find amazing resources to help them. If I need my bucket filled, I have made connections, made friends, with like-minded people who lift me up and inspire me from all over the world. I have found a way to share my experiences & my voice with anyone who cares to listen.

If you stop and reflect on our students entering the workplace, becoming grown-ups, and functioning in this world that we live in, we can all agree on a few things. We know being a good test taker is not a sought after characteristic by today’s, and most likely not future, employers. They have to know how to collaborate, how to develop relationships, how to CONNECT with others. They need to know how to be responsible for their digital footprints, how to own the data that is collected from them and about them.

These are the skills our students need, and being future-ready means we as educators have got to figure out a way to add those skills to the already overflowing plate we have in front of us.

One important facet in my role as an administrator is to empower my staff and our students to be the very best versions of themselves, knowing that our future will be about the advantage of the opportunities available. If we are increasingly moving to become a digitally competitive society, we need our students to be able to function, and function well.

Introducing these generations to their digital responsibilities and abilities is crucial!

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Leveraging technologies to partner with parents to help them understand the importance of what their child can do and the GREAT things that are happening with their students each and every day should be always be on our list of best practices. Today there are too many available options to share and connect with our families and stakeholders to not utilize them!

I’m not that good with technology, but I am passionate about using it to accomplish my goals. We only have so many hours in a day to impact the life of a child, and if by intentionally applying what we have available to model the collaboration, communication, and creation, we can get our students off on the #futureready foot!

Click here to learn more about the 2015 Digital Learning Day. I’ll be in Washington on March 13th at #DLDay with my session, “Who’s the Boss: Take Charge When it Comes To Your Professional Learning”. You can also see a complete list of presenters here.

Charge taking,

Amber

Love on your staff w/Fab Fridays in February

January 23, 2015 by Amber 2 Comments

February, despite its dreary reputation, has become one of my favorite months because of the awesome Melinda Miller. She introduced me to a way to cheer up what she affectionately calls, “the armpit of the school year”, aka February.

Each Friday has its own special activity, most are free, or cheap, and all are designed just to brighten up our teachers day.

Here’s the poem and attached flyer for this years 2015 Fab Fridays!

So hard you all work,
each and every day!
Team players showing GRIT,
in many a way!

So to make weeks fly by,
and brighten your day…
to ensure the doldrums
you won’t fall prey!

Fab Fridays in FEB
we hope you play along
Attached is the schedule
we’ll wrap this month up strong!