Showing posts with label leading school improvement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leading school improvement. Show all posts

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Let's take a walk.


Update for Apr 20-24

 I had a lot of fun during the first “Walk with Mr. H” at recess on Friday.  Who knew walking around our path would be such a big draw with kids?  I tweeted a picture another teacher took of me walking and the response on Twitter was just as favorable as it had been with the kids:
I honestly don’t think it was because of me either; it could have been any one of us out there walking and the kids would have had just as much fun.
So what was the big draw?  Ask any kid to walk around a path during their recess and they’ll look at you like you have lobsters crawling out of your ears. But make yourself available to spend time with kids and they’ll be there.
I realized that the kids weren’t drawn to walking the path.  Kids were drawn to walking because it was a time to have a personal connection.
I had a great conversation with a teacher at the end of the week and we started talk about change in education (This is related, I promise...hang in there).  They said something that I completely agree with: Whatever we do for kids that works is really just good teaching.

It’s true: At the end of the day, it’s how we relate and interact with students that will determine the effectiveness of any program or any lesson that we do.  The conversation made me think of the remarks of another one of my favorite educators, Todd Whitaker: “It’s people, not programs, that determine the quality of a school.”
What that means to me is putting all of your stock into building relationships with your students. The “Walk with Mr. H” was successful because this year I’ve tried to make being visible in the building, knowing each student by his or her first name, and talking with them a top priority.  I believe that if I hadn’t spent my time building positive rapport with students, I would have been walking alone.  As George Couros reminds us: “To inspire meaningful change, you must make a connection to the heart before you make a connection to the mind.”
All of this has helped me to understand one key aspect to the work we are doing this year: No matter what we do in the future to re-imagine what the elementary learning experience might look like, effective change will always depend on the positive relationships we build with each other and with our students.
Articles Worth Reading







 Upcoming Dates
Apr 20
4th and 5th Grade ELA EOY State Assessments
Dave & Busters Spirit Night, 5pm-8pm


Apr 21
3rd Grade Spring OAA Reading
Staff Meeting with ADE/DCR staff at 3:45 pm at ADE--Teacher steering committee small group explains the vision/design for next year's extension opportunity to the staff as a whole


Apr 22
3rd, 4th, 5th, Grade Math Unit 1 EOY Assessments
*** Garden Dedication, Celebration *** 2:00ish -- See Becky and/or Meredith for details for how the kids can help this BIG DAY!


Apr 23
3rd, 4th, 5th, Grade Math Unit 2 EOY Assessments
*** ART SHOW *** 6:00-7:30pm


Apr 27
Board of Education Meeting at Alton Darby, 7pm


Apr 28
Tech PD with Kelly Riley, 7:45am


Apr 29
ADE WALKATHON -- During each grade’s Related Arts Time -- AM/PM KG will combine with a grade-level.  Details to come!


Student Housing Committee Meeting (Herb) 4:30


May 1
Team Connection Meeting with Dr. John/Board Member, 8:00am -- Meet and greet, breakfast provided.  Your chance to talk with Dr. John.
Upcoming AD/DC Project Dates
4/21--Staff Meeting with ADE/DCR staff at 3:45 pm at ADE--Teacher steering committee small group explains the vision/design for next year's extension opportunity to the staff as a whole


5/6--OPTIONAL STAFF MEETING--work time to collaborate/meet/plan with the people who are teaming up for the extension/design opportunity next year for students.


5/8--Teacher steering committee site visits and work session...
6 of the committee members from each building (those who didn’t go to Reynoldsburg) will go to Wickliffe with Herb, CT and Jennifer.  This team will see a Town Hall meeting that is completely run by students from 8:30-9:30 and then meet with, talk with, and tour the school with the principal until 11:00/11:30.  We will then meet back at CO at 12:00 with the ENTIRE Teacher Steering committee (the 4 who went to Reynoldsburg will need to put in for a ½ day PD request for the afternoon) to debrief and have lunch (provided and to be ordered through Aramark).  We will engage in conversation with the group regarding how to shift our practice as we continue moving forward with our design next year towards students defining their learning path through the options/opportunities that teachers can create/provide for them as experiences.  Could these/are these options/opportunities connected to the networks? This would support students defining the voice and choice in their learning and becomes the heart of student ownership within the design.
Additionally one GOAL for the day is to NAME IT...not pedagogically...or programatically....but based on our Guiding Principles.  So the IT that is named represents the way we do things grounded in those principles--the mantra of "Who We'd Like to Be".  We will be showing the teacher videos one more time and identifying how these ideas align to the principles established in our Guiding Principles and how these ideas can become opportunities for next year.  


5/13--last teacher steering committee meeting for 2014-15​--The purpose is the thank those who were on this committee and touch base/listen to their perspective of the buildings from which they represent, what they think is necessary for next year to move forward.  We will share with them our "list" of what needs to happen and ask them for their "list" in order to bridge the perspectives to move forward with SOME implementation of SOME ideas for the 2015-16 year.
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Sunday, March 29, 2015

Running through Portland, Reflecting on Change

Update for Mar 30 - Apr 2


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Keep_Portland_Weird.jpg
This past week, I flew to Portland, Oregon with my family to visit my sister-in-law.  None of us had been to Portland before and we didn't know what to expect.  I actually preferred not knowing what to expect, kind of like not knowing what a movie is about before you see it.  It just helps me stay focused and stay present. The only thing we did know was that there is a campaign to "Keep Portland Weird", which sort of summarizes the eclectic folks who live there.

 We ended up loving Portland!  It's a beautiful city with lots and lots of people riding bikes and more street cars than you would ever expect.  I definitely recommend visiting!
https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6095/6429145379_0d612ffa3b_o.jpg
The one thing I really wanted to do while in Portland was go for a run.  I've been trying to run in every city I visit.  It's just one of those things I guess.  I actually feel like I see the city differently and experience it in a different way on a run. I was really looking forward to this: I had packed some running gear, researched some places to run, and even plotted out a route on a map.  You'd think it would be one of the first things I did when I got to Portland.

 But it wasn't.

 I actually didn't go on a run until the day before we left.  Why was that?

 Fear.

 Fear of the unknown.  Fear of getting lost.  Fear of silly thoughts like not having enough sleep the night before.

The day before I finally ran we were out walking to a shop when I realized that I had been making up excuses not to run because I didn't know what to expect. Then it hit me: This is like the fear of change we have experienced at times as we work to re-imagine what the elementary learning experience can and should look like.

 I quickly got out my phone and jotted down my thought:

I went on my run the next day and enjoyed every step.  Time seemed to fly by and I was finished before I knew it.  I saw a different side of Portland (Literally - I went across the river).  I noticed just how busy Portland is with folks out running and biking, trains crossing bridges, buses and cars honking -- It was all around me.  When I was finished, I felt like I had accomplished a lot, even though it wasn't my longest run or my fastest pace.  I had got past my fears and my excuses and I ended up being disappointed that I hadn't run sooner.

 We all know how much the world is changing and we all know that we have an obligation to respond to this change for our students.  As we continue our work together, re-imagining the elementary learning experience, we will no doubt come to many crossroads where we will be reluctant to cross and that's OK.  I really believe that fear is apart of the process of changing.

 However, we have to remember that we can't let our fears stop our progress.

 Have a great week!

 -Herb


Articles Worth Reading

http://twentytwowords.com/the-heartbreakingly-sweet-story-of-rescue-dogs-norton-and-evey/
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/student-engagement-stories-heather-wolpert-gawron?utm_content=blog&utm_campaign=students-speak-out&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow&utm_term=image-repost
http://readingyear.blogspot.com/2015/03/edcampkids-in-3rd-grade.html
http://anneknock.com/2015/03/29/innovating-school-mapping-the-change-journey-5-priorities-identified-by-the-oecd/
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2015/03/self-talk.html


Upcoming Dates

Mar 30
Teacher Steering Committee Meeting
Apr 1
Staff Meeting (PBIS), 8am
Special Ed Team Meeting, 12:30
Student Housing Committee Meeting (Herb), 4:30
Apr 2
Admin Meeting (Herb), 8am
4th Grade District Math Assessment - 12:45 - 1:45pm
5th Grade District Math Assessment - 2:00 - 3:00pm
Apr 3
No School  
April 6
Tech PD with Kelly Riley, 7:45am
Apr 7
BIT Meeting, 8am
6th Grade Transition Meeting (Spec Ed Team), 3pm
**MEDIA CENTER being used after school, 3:30-7:30
Apr 8
School Community Meeting, 8:50am
PTO Brainstorming Meeting, 7pm
Apr 9
Market Day Pick-up, 5:30pm
Apr 10
Building Advisory Meeting, 8am
Apr 13
Dave & Busters Spirit Night, 5pm
PTO Meeting, 7pm
Apr 14
Student Housing Committee Meeting (Herb), 4:30pm
Apr 16
Admin Meeting (Herb), 8am
**  ADE Parent EdCamp! **, 6-8pm
Apr 17
K-5 Interims -- A good chance to update parents before the end of the year!
Apr 20
4th and 5th Grade ELA EOY State Assessments
Apr 21
3rd Grade Spring OAA Reading

Apr 22
3rd, 4th, 5th, Grade Math Unit 1 EOY Assessments

 *** Earth Day Dedication of new shed and path in the "Outdoor Education Space at ADE", 2:30 ***
Apr 23
3rd, 4th, 5th, Grade Math Unit 2 EOY Assessments
*** ART SHOW *** More to come!
Apr 27
Board of Education Meeting at Alton Darby, 7pm
Apr 28
Tech PD with Kelly Riley, 7:45am
Apr 29
Student Housing Committee Meeting (Herb) 4:30
May 1

Staff Meeting -- Team Connection Meeting with Dr. John/Board Member, 8:00am



ACE/DCR Project Dates:

Mar 30--REWIND/Take 2 steering committee meeting.  At this meeting we will have an honest conversation regarding the intention of our last meeting and the vision we shared and open it up to conversation regarding: Naming IT (honoring Shannon's thought) and options/thoughts regarding ways to execute the vision--or modify the vision in order to continue moving forward (i.e. hear from Kim, Karen, and Carolyn and anyone else to collaborate the vision/design).
Apr 8—OPTIONAL Mixer Staff Meeting at ADE 3:45 pm--small group steering committee members lead.  We hope schedules permit your attendance but will understand if this conflicts with already scheduled commitments.

Apr 13--Teacher Steering Committee meeting--Jennifer is going to ask Marcy McNight from Norwich to come and present to the committee regarding the PBL design in 5th grade she has helped to create. 

Apr 21--Staff Meeting with ADE/DCR staff at 3:45 pm at ADE--Teacher steering committee small group explains the vision/design for next year's extension opportunity to the staff as a whole.

May 6--OPTIONAL STAFF MEETING--work time to collaborate/meet/plan with the people who are teaming up for the extension/design opportunity next year for students.

May 8--Teacher steering committee site visits and work session...
1/2 of the committee will go to Summit Road with CT (CT is working on these arrangments—stay tuned) and 1/2 of the committee will go to Wickliffe with Herb and Jennifer (CT is working on these arrangements—stay tuned). 

We were thinking 9:00-10:30 for the site visit and then meet back at CO at 11:30 at the latest to debrief and have lunch (provided and to be ordered through Aramark).  We would then engage in conversation with the group regarding how to shift our practice as we continue moving forward with our design next year towards students defining their learning path through the options/opportunities that teachers can create/provide for them as experiences.  Could these/are these options/opportunities connected to the networks? This would support students defining the voice and choice in their learning and becomes the heart of student ownership within the design.

Additionally one GOAL for the day is to NAME IT...not pedagogically...or programatically....but based on our Guiding Principles.  So the IT that is named represents the way we do things grounded in those principles--the mantra of "Who We'd Like to Be".  We will be showing the teacher videos one more time and identifying how these ideas align to the principles established in our Guiding Principles and how these ideas can become opportunities for next year. 
May 13--last teacher steering committee meeting for 2014-15 --The purpose is the thank those who were on this committee and touch base/listen to their perspective of the buildings from which they represent, what they think is necessary for next year to move forward.  We will share with them our "list" of what needs to happen and ask them for their "list" in order to bridge the perspectives to move forward with SOME implementation of SOME ideas for the 2015-16 year.
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Sunday, November 23, 2014

Guest Post: What if schools were more like Google?

Update for Nov 24-25
This week's update comes from Adrianna Kruse, Kindergarten teacher at Alton Darby Elementary. You can follow Adrianna on Twitter -- @AdriannaKruse




Google has become both an extremely well-known noun and widely-utilized verb. At least once a day, I find myself “googling it” or encouraging someone else to do so. It is no secret that Google, as a company, has not only achieved sky-high financial profits,  but also is one of the most innovative and creative businesses in the world. What you may not know, however, is that year after year, Google is also listed by sources such as Forbes magazine, as the best place to work. Yes, a business as successful as this is bound to yield high pay grades for their employees, but that it is not unique to Google, or why it is considered the best place to work. It is considered the best place to work, because of the type of physical, social and emotional environment that it creates for its employees. So, I pose the question, what if our school was more like Google, and it was the best place to work and learn?  How to can we use Google’s ideals to inspire us to make this a reality?
According to an article by Mark C. Crowley, the physical environment of Google is one that inspires the employees to want to be there each day. If you haven’t seen pictures or videos of what the Google corporate office in California looks like, I strongly encourage you to “Google it”. They have a blend of traditional and unconventional work spaces, slides in place of some staircases,  artistic inspirations throughout the building, relaxation rooms, exercise facilities, and on-site amenities that rival that of a high-quality hotel. The physical environment is warm, upbeat, innovative and welcoming. What if we provided an environment with some similarities to this at schools? Where students had choices about the type of space in which they work best; were provided with everything they need to feel comfortable, safe, and taken care of; felt trusted that they know what is best for them; and had choices of a combination of different spaces throughout the day.  
The emotional and social environment that Google provides for it’s employees is founded in trust, collaboration and inspiring them to do something that may just change the world. As stated in International Business Times, Google co-founder Larry Page said, “My job as a leader is to make sure everybody in the company has great opportunities, and that they feel they're having a meaningful impact and are contributing to the good of society. As a world, we're doing a better job of that. My goal is for Google to lead, not follow.”  Google leaders have also been noted in this article as saying that they value their employees making a contribution to society over making money.  Because of this belief system, they are achieving both exceedingly well. These are the exact ideals that we should strive for as teachers. What if we value teaching students to make contributions to society over doing well on “the tests” and meeting every single standard?
Another relevant component to Google’s successful work environment that I found in Mark C. Crowley’s article, was Google’s 20/80 policy. Regardless of the position an employee holds within the company, from intern to CEO, employees spend 80 percent of their time working on current company projects and the other 20 percent working on any project that they choose. To me, this sounds like a very reasonable model that we could imitate in schools. We could use 80 percent of time to guide students in learning the basic skills, knowledge and facts that we value, but give them the freedom and trust to pursue their own learning and projects the other 20 percent of the time. During this 20 percent, Google employees breed innovation and discoveries that would never be made if not given the time, freedom, trust and choice to do so. I would love to see students being given the same opportunity on a weekly basis.
Karen May, VP of people development of Google stated, “Imagine a world where most organizations were the best place to work. Imagine what we could be getting done on the planet if that were true.”

I ask you the same question about schools, what if our school was the best place to work and learn? Imagine what we could get done on the planet. ☺ Adrianna Kruse
References:

http://www.edudemic.com/10-reasons-to-try-20-time-in-the-classroom/

http://www.fastcompany.com/3007268/where-are-they-now/not-happy-accident-how-google-deliberately-designs-workplace-satisfaction


 Spotlight on...December 17th Kids EdCamp:

Click on the link to propose your session: My/Our December EdCamp Proposal

Click on the link to see what others have proposed: Submitted Sessions

Please submit your proposal soon! Teach your passion! 


 Videos that inspire -- 


Finish Strong -- What happens when things don’t go as planned? Do you punt or try to make it even better than expected?




 Getting creative with an announcement



Articles worth reading--

"How Libraries are Advancing and Inspiring Schools and Communities" - MindShift



"Make Literacy the Focus of PBL" - Edutopia




 Upcoming Dates -- 

Monday, Nov 24 -- 

Tuesday, Nov 25 -- 

9:30-10:30 -- Student Steering Committee meeting at ADE
11:00 -- Title Team meeting

Nov 26-30 -- Naps, turkey, football, friends and family, disconnecting, enjoying the moment, going for a walk...

Monday, Dec 1 -- School Community Meeting -- Putting the pieces together! Please provide feedback in the form below (You will 




 Team Time all day (Moved from Tuesday, Dec 2)

 Tuesday, Dec 2 -- 

8:00-noon -- TGRG Data Team meeting at CO for coaches, intervention teacher and principal
3:45 -- Tech Lab PD w/ Kelly Riley in Media Center

Wednesday, Dec 3 -- 

8:00 -- Building Improvement Team Meeting - - This is a proposed change from Tuesday due to TGRG Data Team meeting. Let me know if you can't make it.
12:30 -- Special Ed Department Meeting
3:35 -- AD/DC Staff Meeting at ADE
5:30 -- MarketDay Pickup

 Thursday, Dec 4 -- 
12:30 -- Ohio Historical Society program for 2nd Grade students.

 Friday, Dec 5 -- Herb to visit Wickliffe Elementary -- I need to reschedule BAC for Tuesday, Dec 9 at 8am.  Please let me know if you cannot make this. 



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Sunday, October 19, 2014

Update for Oct 20-24

The Most Important Voice


This week, we worked to define the key principles and beliefs we have as a learning community. The beliefs that we identified as a team reflected the positive focus we put on our students and the work we do with them. Our next step will be to connect these principles to statements that are easily remembered that will help us connect to our beliefs as a learning community.
As we discussed these principles, something amazing happened.  One of the members of the team suggested that in order for students to embrace the expectations we will have for them, they should have the opportunity to provide input as to what these grounding beliefs that reflect Alton Darby Elementary are. We came to the conclusion that we needed to organize a whole-school meeting where we could give students the opportunity to provide input into the beliefs that reflect our learning community.
I am excited that we are going to be giving students this opportunity to have a voice in a process that will eventually impact their learning community.  This is an important step towards providing students with multiple opportunities to have a voice and to have a choice in their learning.
Upcoming Dates --
Monday October 20 (A): 2/3 rehearsal & 4/5 rehearsal with props
9:20 – 10:20 4/5 graders
10:30 – 11:30 2/3 graders (we will take 2nd grade to lunch)
1st grade (no change)
Wed Oct 22, 2014
Data Team Half-Day Meeting -- 5th Grade AM; 4th Grade PM


2/3 rehearsal & 4/5 rehearsal with props and in between acts
9:20 – 11:45 AM – 4/5 Graders
1 – 2 PM – 2/3 Graders
1st grade (no change)
3:35-4:20 ADE/DCR Staff Meeting at ADE
Thu Oct 23, 2014
Data Team Half-Day Meeting -- 3rd Grade AM; 2nd Grade PM
9:15-10:45 AM - Building Visit, Mrs. McNaughton
Fri Oct 24, 2014
Whole school rehearsal – 2-5 grades no break this day
Teachers who do not have duties on B-Day... I wouldn't care if you wanted help your teammates by watching their class (one teammate at a time) and letting them have a break.  
Come down to the gym as soon as your attendance & lunch count is done between 9:10-9:15
Rehearsal ends 11:45 (2nd grade leave out gym doors when it is time to go to lunch)
5th and some 4th graders in in-between acts may need to stay until 12:20.
1st grade (no Change)
Mon Oct 27, 2014
Yearbook Art Contest Begins (Ends Nov 7)
Tue Oct 28, 2014
Fall Concert at Bradley High School
Thu Oct 30, 2014
Data Team Half-Day Meeting -- Kindergarten AM; 1st Grade PM


Fri Oct 31, 2014
Halloween
Tue Nov 4, 2014
Waiver Day - More information to come!

 Wed Nov 5, 2014
5:30pm - 6:30pm Market Day
Fri Nov 7, 2014
Newsletter Home
Yearbook Art Contest Ends
8:00am - 8:45am BAC mtg

Articles to read
“How Can Students Have More Say in School Decisions?” | MindShift http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/10/how-can-students-have-more-say-in-school-decisions/ … via @MindShiftKQED




"Learning disability or learns differently?" http://feedly.com/e/U8phHXtv

Videos that inspire
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