Lessons and Reflections from the Principal's Office

 A LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF A SUMMER ACADEMY ON STUDENT APATHY IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.

While working on my Ed Specialist degree, the dissertation investigated the effects of a Summer Academy, examined a problem, looked into an index, built a hypothesis, studied populations and defended the published document.  
Here are those results in a 60+ page paper.  
Here are the results in a few word summary:  
Continue the Summer Academy and continue to learn.

School year cycles
The school year is marked off in seasons.  There is the excitement of returning back to school in the late summer and fall. Anticipation of new teachers, new friends and new opportunities for success. Procedures and routines develop into habits and by Halloween, we are well into our year.  Hunting season in our school gives way to Thanksgiving and Christmas Breaks scream right past.  #RubberbootFriday is as much a tradition or outfit as a way of life.  Weather forecasts and the threat of #snowdays after the break requires redoubling (Does this mean 4x?) the effort some days to keep everyone focused but we get through. Scheduled 3 day weekends become make-up days get traded for  and we try to keep from going into June with our school year.  Spring break and the promise of warmer weather, motorcycle days and playing outside keep everyone driven.  State testing consumes all waking thoughts, discussions and agendas till we get to the end!  Finally, end of the year procedures, events and picnics keep us all working in overdrive till the last day before summer school starts and things go around again.

Lessons for all of us
Mixed emotions surround the last day, for students, parents and teachers alike. For some, it is stress. For others, a sigh of relief.  Others hate leaving their friends.  Some begin to wonder about meals and security.  Some just like learning and want to stay.  Tears are shed, yearbooks signed and promises made in efforts to assure each other that we can all make it without each other.  Even the principal learns. For instance, while working on yet another degree, the course load kept my mind occupied with finances, light-bulbs, research and writing. However a leadership lesson was buried behind all these distractions.

Lessons for the leader: Problems
After three years as "leader" of this building, I saw leadership in even another light. Prior to this year, I carried the belief that all I needed to do was articulate the problem with the team and the "right" decision would rise to the top on it's own.  After the discussion, we would all together see the right way and agree to this Utopian plan and walk away content and fulfilled. Throughout the year I began to notice a few discussions took longer than I thought they should.  I thought we could wait it out and consensus would occur. Sadly, this passive perspective of mine failed us.  So I had to learn to make those "executive" decisions, even when I felt it unnecessary.

Here, while riding over Cottonwood Pass west of Buena Vista Colorado, the decisions are simple:  Do we go up? or Do we go down? The input is from two people. Weather, bike condition and timing are our only variables. Decisions are simple!

School decisions are infinitely more elaborate. 

A solution: Decisions
The need for a solution was greater than the actual striving of a perfect solution and coming to an answer. We needed results versus just studying the problems in order to serve our goals better.  I began to see my role as the leader was to lead, inspire, motive but also make the final decision.  I was responsible for the outcome and not just a contributing member of the debate.  We could have the debate, discuss the options and perspectives but after allowing voices, we NEEDED a decision. I could not RUSH the answer but needed to make the call. I could not choose to not decide.  I needed to make a choice.  We would all have to abide by the results.  I could not waiver, change sides or redo the choice.  We (read I) had to grow and change and play without a net!

Manifestations
Personally, I began to realize that I did not have the luxury of waiting every time and dragging the decisions out!  I needed to change.  I needed to reduce the frustration in the staff by doing my job. I needed to make better decisions.  Making better decisions in my world means:
...Gather input better by being more approachable.
...Value diverse opinions like we value diverse people.
...Continue to examine and organize data.
...Investigate opinions of all stakeholders.
...Make the decision in a timely manner, based on all the known variables.
...Share and communicate the resolutions with those same stakeholders.
...Filling the requirements and responsibilities of the job, regardless of my personal desires.
...Serve my constituents by supplying what they need and not what I want to give them!

Anything else?  What did I forget?  (I guess if somebody has to tell me, I might not really learn it!)

Looking forward to next year, I see continued growth, change and progress throughout myself, the building, the district and our community. When we spout the mantra "learning for all" we MUST include the Principal, too. This means me!

Thank you.

Tom McCracken

From Leading leaders to Teaching Teachers!

From “Leaders Leading Leaders” to “Teachers Teaching Teachers:”

Monday, October 28, school officials from Lincoln County, Warren County and St Charles County assembled a team of presenters, facilitators and a keynote speaker for a day of educational professionalism!  We called it the Three County Professional Development Day (#3CoPD for twitter folks).    Three breakout sessions began the day, with presenters as teachers, administrators and professionals right from our own districts.  Lunch and a national speaker supplied entertainment as well as education during the mid-day transition.  After lunch, we organized into teams of common interest, such as math teachers, SPED professionals or counselors to collaborate to exchange positive and effective techniques from their individual areas of emphasis. Finally, an optional discussion ended the day when representatives from our independently funded and managed retirement organization spoke about the benefits, procedures and stability of our teacher retirement program.  PSRS



When nearly 700 local teachers attend, an event like this are they better equipped, motivated and ready to return to class afterwards?  When they hear from a peer, is there additional credibility?  When they hear form a peer, do they weight words differently?  What does it take to make a presenter an authority or credible?





What follows is a list of feedback from attending teachers.  When asked to list three “take-aways” or lessons from the day, here is how they responded!  These responses begin to demonstrate, however anecdotally, the benefit of collaboration.  They show that teachers can, will and do learn from each other.  It shows teachers are conscientious and do want the best for their students.  Can teachers teach teachers?  This implies we can!

The staff is responding to the following prompt:  Would you email me 3 take-aways from the day?  They could be from the morning break-out sessions, the keynote speaker and/or the round table discussions.  They might be personal for you or classroom ideas or building ideas.

 

1.)    Some useful activities to use in the classroom when I start teaching them how to write arguments
2.)    An interesting way to introduce a new concept. This was shown and demonstrated in my last session. Concept Attainment
3.)    I enjoyed the speaker during lunch. He had a lot of information that was new to me.    He pretty much kept my attention the entire time and I was anxious to hear what he had to say next.

A.       Reading the same article, but from various perspectives.   (this seems so simple, yet I have never tried this!)
B.      Layering Texts-   Reading a short story, a poem and watching a video clip about the same topic.    (I think I do this a little, but it would be or effective to do this more often)
C.      Keynote speaker-  I really liked the positive message he had for teachers.  Sometimes it is too easy to let the negative press take hold.  It was refreshing to hear that our profession is making a difference!

1. I got great emergency sub-plans for days when we are doing projects that cannot be done with a sub.
2. The keynote speaker was very positive.

3. I got more confidence that I am where I need to be in the art room.

1. I found some cool new apps that can be used in the classroom
2. I learned a new way to track physical fitness test.

3. From the round table I learned that our physical education program here at the middle school goes above and beyond what other  middle schools and some high schools in the area do.  Wright City was amazed about the fact we get every kid to "move" with such large class sizes.

I liked the format and information from the Tri County PD Summit.  For me maybe the most useful professional development I've been to.

1.        In the model drawing for algebra, he used it to solve percent problems.  The book used it as a reference, but I understand the connection more, so I will stress that more for the students to understand it.

2.       Quizlet seemed like a good resource to study, and I will work on setting it up for my students.
3.       I am much more confident about the model drawing after yesterday, so I will incorporate it for word problems.  One the students understand it, I think they will be able to solve word problems much better.

A.  I learned about some great apps/website that I can try using in my class...socrative and polleverywhere are just a couple examples.
B.  I was given a great rubric for paragraphs that I can use when I have short answer questions.  It is a quick way to grade them and make sure that all the key components are in the paragraph.
C.  One of the big things I took away from the keynote speaker was that it is the small things that we do for students that can really make a difference.  We never know when there might be something we say or do that might change the life of a student forever.
1. Keynote speaker was really uplifting and informative

2. I was given some good reading strategies for Science.
3. There are many practical apps our students can use in class for free.

A change that I will use in the next 10 days in my classroom is to implement more of the Kagan strategies into my daily classroom.  Having the students work together to come up with answers and sharing with the classroom or with a partner will help those who are struggling and well as those who are not.  It will also make those students who normally are not focused to be held accountable while reading or discussing what we read.  I would also like to bring more technology into the classroom through the use of apps which the students can use from their smartphone or other devices. 

In the future I loved the idea of a 5 subject notebook for the science classroom. Each subject would be set aside for certain things such as notes, vocabulary, bell ringers, labs etc.  I feel that this will hopefully keep the students more organized in my classroom. 

Three take-aways…

a.       Little things can make a huge impact on students.
b.      Don’t believe everything you read.
c.       Radiate the positive and NEVER trash talk in public!!!!

To make our place a better place to work:
http://johndraper.org/uploads/Successory_Nomination_1_.pdf

1)      Everything I say and do has the potential to have an impact on someone.  The stories from the keynote speaker were a good reminder of the importance of our jobs day to day, hour to hour and all of the interactions we have with students.

2)      There were several useful APPS that I will refer back to whenever needed from the APP ATTACK session.  I believe embracing technology is important to keep up with a changing world and help give the best to our students.
3)      At the roundtable with other MS PE teachers there were some helpful ideas shared on how other schools do the MS PE/Health combination

a. need differentiation up in reading

b. understand icloud
c. we have it together more than we think in the area of spec ed

My favorite breakout session was the third one I attended about using the Concept Attainment method in lessons.  I remember learning about it in college, but it was a nice refresher.  The presenter had numerous entertaining examples and non-examples for us.

I also thought the speaker was both entertaining and uplifting.  Sometimes all we hear from society around us, is how terrible we are as teachers, and it was nice to see someone recognize reality.  Studies are easily skewed. 

I also really enjoyed meeting and talking with other foreign language teachers from other districts.  I got some really great ideas from them!
 

1. argumentative - pre essay writing, audience exercise
2. vocabulary work - connecting
3. kids need to read more complex text

Some staff even presented about various topics surrounding school issues.

Standards Based Grading (SBG) addresses the understanding a student has over a various topic.  Here is the Power-point link used by our team of presenters:  SBG in the Middle School  & Artifacts to document

Summer Academy -A High School Transition Tool:  Summer Academy Presentation

Details and schools planning the event:

Warrenton R3 School District - http://www.warrencor3.org/

Winfield School District - www.winfield.k12.mo.us

Wright City School District www.wrightcity.k12.mo.us

Orchard Farm School District www.ofsd.k12.mo.us

Guest Speaker www.johndraper.org

Venue http://stcharlesconventioncenter.com/

 

Assemblers comment: Identifying authors of the above responses was considered.  Two perspectives were debated.  On one hand, the authors should be proud of their thoughts but, just because they responded, that does not imply they will incorporate every feature into their classes.

On the other hand, the staff are trusted professionals.  The intent is not to force people but work with people to grow from within.  Therefore, names were removed but clues were left.      

Know yourself to know others! Try the Kolbe A profile.

This museum overlooking Los Angeles is aligned with both the mountains and the highway, deliberately. This wall and Hwy 405 in LA are laid parallel.  This structure was designed to complement the surroundings. As leaders, do we complement or work against our environment?

Learning about people never returns empty but always adds understanding and insights to their actions.  As workers in an organization, we should learn how our boss responds and how his motivation drives him.  We learn what he values, prioritized and could let go by the wayside.  We learn to try to make him happy with our efforts and productive.  To accomplish this, we pay attention to what he says and does.  If it the same as what we might do, there may be alignment .   If it is different, it may mean we have different Kolbe A Scales and extra attention is necessary for us to align with his perspective. It is not for us to change him, but for us as subordinates to understand his motivation.

Similarly, we learn about ourselves. We may discover hidden or unrecognized talents that need extra nurturing. These may have been areas of personal frustration but reveal themselves as areas of great potential. Understanding these qualities may require extra attention as well as the realization that we may not perform as proficiently as others is a huge relief.  The realization that we should focus where we are more inclined to  succeed may lead to greater success.  By delegating to others bent to the task fosters synergy, collaboration and larger influence.  Therefore, by acknowledging the differences, we are able focus on individual strengths, both in ourselves and others.

This focusing on others strengths allows us as leaders to build a better culture and climate for success.  Others that are continuously assigned tasks that go against their grain will struggle and burn out long before one operating in an area of power.  As leaders, the better we know our team, the better we can align the tasks.  The better we align tasks, the greater the contentment.  The greater the contentment, the greater the effort which leads to greater productivity, effectiveness and success.  Just as a tennis player gains advantage by hitting to the opponents weak side, a leadership concept is to serve to others areas of strength, not weakness.  Even if the leader can do the task better, quicker and more effectively, synergy and greater success happens when others grow and develop and are able to noticeably contribute to the final project!

All this stems from a better understanding of myself.  Sharing or redirecting the credit and taking the blame and responsibility become the driving MO of the leader.  It becomes the leaders responsibility to ensure success by ensuring the success of those around him, delegating, motivating and driving them to their highest levels, not by doing it for them.  Just as an effective parent relinquishes control to allow the child to gain confidence, the leader looks for ways to help others succeed.