A Calling in Leadership

 When was the last time you were moved to emotion during professional development? I can’t say it has ever happened, until this past week. I was able to attend a Women’s in Educational Leadership k12 through Harvard University. I did not really know what to expect when I arrived, I mean Harvard…it carries respect. I have been looking at this class for a while and this year had the courage to apply. This class covered topics such as negotiations, Family engagement in schools, redefining yourself as you age, immigration, and much more. These sessions were taught by professors from many different colleges within Harvard. The women I was learning with were from all over the world and represented many leadership roles throughout school districts, both public and private. The honesty and vulnerability we all had with each other were so powerful! The superintendent down to the many principals in the room all came with the same goal- to learn with and through each other. Between the various backgrounds of the participants and the diverse experiences of the professors, we were able to gain perspective from these different viewpoints which added a layer of discussion that had me really thinking about my practice. 

This class was not solely focused on women, education, or even a specific type of leader. These classes were designed for people who identify with these categories. Did I feel a man would learn a lot in these courses? Yes. Would a man have felt attacked in these courses? I don’t believe so. We discussed the role women have in education and in leadership, we discussed the framework that is currently in place, and we discussed how we should respond to the constraints of the system. One of my favorite quotes from the course is, “ It isn’t your responsibility to finish the fight, but it is your responsibility to take up the fight.” I missed who was credited with the thought, but I loved the idea that the pressure to ‘fix’ the system isn’t mine alone. My job is to make gains for all; I strive for an equitable experience for all. 

The passion that was lit inside me is contagious, I have already had colleagues reach out asking about the training and if we can meet up to discuss all that I have learned. I have also reached out to a colleague to enroll her into my new plan. My social media presence documented my travels and my friends seemed to really enjoy the learning “tidbits” I shared each day.  I feel I am being called to do more, teach others, and guide others to be their best- outside of my role. I am thinking about what this will look like: “How can I make it accessible to anyone who wants to learn with me?,”  “How can I meet the different needs of people who might be interested in learning a few new strategies?” “ How do I get approval to do this within the district?” The ideas are swirling in my mind and I can’t wait to sit down at my (with my big monitor) and map out a plan. 

I really feel this is a point in my life where I will look back and see it as a catalyst moment for me. One where I am stepping out of my comfortable role and putting myself out there as the instructional leader and supporter I am. To show my strengths and skills, which is always better than telling them.

 Watch out world….Growth is happening! 

 

                It is that time of year…

 

The rooms are decorated, the halls are clean, and the lost and found has not one item lying haphazardly on the rack; the beginning of school is here. It does seem to come earlier and earlier each year, but I can honestly say it doesn’t make me sad- it is my favorite time of year. The butterflies that come with meeting a new group of students, the excitement of planning for a new year with all the possibilities, and knowing that I am the best teacher for the students assigned to my class; yes, the beginning of school is the best time of year! Even as the principal, I have the same feelings as I did in the classroom.

As a lifelong learner, I love this time of year. The learning we do as educators to grow in our craft is intense. We dive head-first into new ideas, refreshers on strategies that will be a campus focus, and individual student data. The overwhelming amount of information can be a struggle and how you organize all this information will set the tone for the year.

We have all seen the memes that poke fun at back-to-school Professional Development, administrators who are out of touch, and the fact teachers want to work in their rooms, but this is not the best frame of mind to return to school with. As an administrator, I see these tongue-in-cheek TikToks and Memes and laugh, but I also wonder, “Do my teachers feel this way?” “Do these teachers realize administrators put a lot of work into Professional Development?” “Do these teachers like when parents make these videos and memes about them?” My thoughts range from emotional to reflective; I don’t want my teachers to feel like their time isn’t valuable and respected. Back-to-School Professional Development is a vital time of year for us to set the tone for the year; of course, I want to maximize the time I have with my staff.

Things to think about in your back-to-school plan:

1.      Ask your teachers for feedback: What do they want to learn? Where do they feel the focus should be for the year?

a.      This does not mean you will be able to focus on what all staff members feel is important, but by listening to the ideas of your teachers, you will get a good pulse on what is important to them.

2.      Collaborative Leadership: As the campus leader you must make difficult decisions, but it is important for everyone to have a voice in their work.

a.      Looking at data as a leadership team, looking for trends, having conversations that drive growth within the team, and listening to multiple perspectives are vital for success.

3.      Clear is Kind: While many hate the getting up and interacting activities, many of these activities are necessary to build relationships within the different teacher teams.

a.      Is the “why” behind the activities being shared? If your teachers do not see the connection between the activities they are doing and the work they do it is your responsibility, as the instructional leader, to make that connection clear.

4.      Time: This is a gift that all educators covet. Allow teachers time to work on lessons, in Professional Learning Communities, on their grade level tasks, and in their rooms. It is important to give them time in all areas they have tasks to get done!

a.      There is LOTS of information that has to get to teachers, but really look at what needs to be face-to-face, what is necessary to get out before school, and what can just be an email, then design your plan to reflect this.

This is a magical time of year, even for the kids that act like they do not want to be at school. Seeing their friends, starting a year fresh, the hope that they will be successful, and the possibilities of what will be. Make this time as magical for your staff as you hope they make for their students; be the administrated that you wanted when you were in the classroom. Have a great year!

 

 

Walkthroughs

Walkthroughs

This one word can affect teachers in many different ways. There are teachers that do not care if you walkthrough their room any time of the day, they will not be changing their actions for the observer. There are teachers that immediately start getting nervous and sweat when anyone walks through their room, they hate to think they are doing something wrong. There are teachers that get mad when someone walks their classroom, they may think, “how dare someone think I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing.”  For me, walkthroughs are my favorite part of my job. I love being in the learning, seeing what is going on around campus and talking to the kids.

What are walkthroughs?

Walkthroughs are when one or a few educators take time to be in classrooms to gather data for a specific purpose. These educators can be the leadership team, a grade level, a group of teachers that have the same need, or administrators. Walkthroughs are the most authentic way to gather data. Getting into the classroom and seeing what is truly happening is the best way to gather data. You want to see why scores are not aligned in a grade level. Watch the level of teaching in each room and you will find the answer. Walkthroughs need to have a purpose: looking for trends on a campus, helping a teacher grow, or seeking what professional development is needed. There are pieces to a walkthrough that are vital, and you need all four pieces in order to create a tool for student success.

Purpose:

   You need to set a purpose and share this with the teachers before going into their room. This process should be a positive one, not an “I gotcha’.” No one likes to wonder what someone is looking for or why they are in their rooms. Let teachers see what you are using to collect data. Let them see what the “Look-Fors” are; they should not be a secret. The focus should be aligned to the campus or district goals or improvement plans.

Data Collection:

  Data collection needs to be focused on a specific purpose. Walking into a room and trying to make comments on everything single thing that is happening within the room is not realistic nor is it helpful. Use a Google Form, a graphic organizer, a note taking sheet, whatever your team has deemed appropriate for the walk.

  When you are collecting data, look at both qualitative and quantitative- you want the whole picture. Quantitative data should always involve talking to students. Talking to kids is always so enlightening; they have such insightful views on the learning happening in their class. Asking students specific questions to see their perspective is key in the walkthrough process.  A classroom can look like it could be featured in Pottery Barn, but if a student doesn’t know what to do when they are stuck on a problem- there is a major concern. When you ask the same question in every class and get a different answer from every student, it could show autonomy or if can show a possible misalignment within the grade level. It is also important to share what the data shows. If you aren’t using the data to grow the teachers, then you are wasting your time.

Feedback:

  Everyone wants to know what was seen during an observation, good, bad, and ugly- they want to know! Teachers crave feedback as much as anyone. Feedback is a great tool to help teachers grow in their craft, reaffirm they are doing a good job, make steps to reaching their professional goals, and help point out positive and negative aspects of their teaching style. When you give feedback, it is important to highlight the positive and the need to work on actions. If you do not share the data with the teacher, they will not get to use that tool to be better their craft.

Take Action:

 Now what? You have collected the data what do you do with it? There is not a one-size fits all answer, but simply put- you need to take action.  

  Looking for trends within a grade level, campus, or even as a district helps you lead your staff to grow as a whole. Using your data to show teachers where they can watch an expert teacher in action on their own campus adds validity to your journey. When teachers can see best practices happening on their own campus with their students, it makes change seem more attainable, less intimidating, and easier to initiate. 

  Designing professional development for grade levels or whole staff should be done when you find a need looking through the data. Developing professional learning opportunities based on real needs throughout the school year is the best way to help your teachers grow in their craft and meet the needs of each student in the school.

There many ways and types of walkthroughs a campus can use to help them grow and learn about the learning and teaching happening on campus. Learning about walkthroughs and implementing them is a journey that can really open your eyes to wonderful things happening on campus as well as refocus your attention to practices that need to be refined. If you and your colleagues aren’t participating in walkthroughs for more than just official evaluations, you are missing out on the best part of being an educator- learning with and through each other!