Showing posts with label learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label learning. Show all posts

Sunday, May 15, 2016

10 things I've learned as a principal after 100 blog posts.

Update for May 16-20



I started this blog two years ago as a way to reflect on my journey as an elementary principal.  And after 100 posts, I am confident that blogging has allowed me to reflect in public and has had a profound impact on me.

 I've been thinking about what I've learned after 100 blog posts and I thought for this occasion I would share a list of the top 10 things I've learned from blogging and being a principal.  It's a list of reflections, tips, and goals for the future and they are in not particular order.

 1. Write for yourself -- Who knows who will read your blog or who will even want to.  Therefore, write for yourself.  Create a blog and blog posts that you would want to read.  If others read it and like it, great!  If only you read it, then writing for yourself makes any post one of the best you have read. 

 2. Steal ideas and steal them often -- The format of my blog came directly from Ben Gilpin.  He's a much better writer than me, but I liked the format of reflecting, sharing articles, and listing upcoming dates.  It has become a way for me to lead through words.  I share a reflection that hopefully causes my staff to reflect a little and bind us together on working towards a vision of making school better for kids.

 3. Read, read, read -- I used to tell my fourth grade students that my favorite part of the day was writer's workshop.  I kept writer's workshop at the end of the day because that gave us the whole day to read new stories, new information, and new ideas that we could use in our own writing.  Reading is the source of my ideas. I spend each early morning going through my feedly account, Twitter, and Facebook to find an article or post that pushes me to think or one that I think will connect to the work we are doing at school. Often what I read leads me to what I write about on Sunday evening.

 4.  Get over yourself -- Not everyone will like you or what you write. So stop trying to make everyone like you and stick to working on doing what is best for kids.

 5.  Some people want to be told what to do, but don't tell them what to do unless it's really necessary -- Sometimes you have to be explicit with expectations, but that is not always a card you need to play especially when in the middle of a change process.  Professional growth -- the good kind -- is usually in the form of arriving at the conclusion yourself.  Being told what to do feels completely different than being guided towards what to do and arriving there yourself.

 6.  Kids are 1000 times easier to deal with than adults, but keeping kids first means making sure the adults who work the kids also see what is truly important. 

7.  Blogging is cathartic -- Writing about something that connects all of your thoughts from the week helps you clear out what is unimportant and helps you prepare for the work ahead.  Some people journal, others drink or exercise.  I blog (well, mostly I blog).

 8.  You're on a team, but you are all alone -- At times, being a principal can make you feel extremely lonely.  There are times when you can't share what's going on because you really don't want others to carry the weight of the situation or problem.  A principal's job includes protecting others from the garbage that gets thrown at us from time to time.  And that can make you feel really lonely.

 9.  Eating lunch with students is worth the all of the spills in your office -- I eat lunch with about 30 kids in my office each week.  It is as messy as it sounds. It is also incredibly inconvenient sometimes when 5 first graders show up unexpectedly with lunch in hand.  But it's easy to let go of what's frustrating you at that moment when all 5 of them are smiling and laughing.  Taking the time to connect with kids should be a first priority.

 10.  I have the best job in the world -- One day last October, I was breaking down cardboard boxes with my art teacher after school for our Cardboard Challenge that was going to take place that weekend. 

 We needed a ton of cardboard to help our giant maker faire a huge success.  I was tired, I had a headache, my dress clothes were getting dirty, and I had just found out I needed to call a tough parent because their kid saw porn on a school device that another student had somehow managed to look up on Google.

 A little later while we were still prepping the cardboard, I turned to Becky (my art teacher) and said, "I don't think I ever want to leave this role.  I love that I get to do this!"  I truly have the best job in the world because I commit to focusing each second of the time I spend thinking about or working on school related stuff on doing what is best for kids.

The principalship has been the most rewarding work I have ever done outside of teaching.  I've never had a doubt about taking on this opportunity.  Each day truly is a new adventure.

Thanks for reading!  Here's to another 100 posts!

 Have a GREAT week!

 -Herb
Tweets worth checking out --








Upcoming dates --

May 17 -- K/1 Data Team Half-Day Meeting
May 18 -- 2/3 Data Team Half-Day Meeting
May 19 -- 5/4 Data Team Half-Day Meeting 
May 18 — ADDC Staff Meeting, ADE Media Center, 3:45
May 19 — Herb Mtg AM
May 20 -- School Community Meeting, 2:40pm -- PM KG to end meeting by duck-taping me to the wall of the gym.  You've been warned...
May 26 — Last Grow Together Thursday
May 30 -- Holiday, NO SCHOOL
May 31 -- ADE PTO Family Luau

Jun 3 -- Last Day of School (Students)







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Sunday, April 3, 2016

Getting Really Good at Change

Update for Apr 4-8

 After 10 years, I think it's safe for me to say that a career in education doesn't get easier.

 I used to think that after working at something for a few years would lead to efficiency and allow me to be more supportive of each student in my class.

 But a funny thing happened on the way to the future.

 iPads, social media, connected learning, Twitter all happened within the last 10 years and they changed a lot about learning.

 If I were to place my bet on what will happen over the next 10 years, I'd bet on change.  I'd also double down on the fact that it's not going to get easier for educators who are expecting years of experience to equal "ease of use".

 So how does the mild-mannered educator deal with this reality?

 Accept it.

 Expect it.

 Embrace it!

 Get really good at change!  Yes, it's possible!  

 And it starts with...you guessed it: A growth mindset.

 Actually it starts with recognizing the mindset you have when you are face-to-face with change.  Do you find yourself trying to cling to the comfort zone or thinking of the opportunity?  If you are in the former, consider this --











So how do we overcome our default response of seeking to stay in our comfort zone?  

 Practice.

 Build skill.

 In this case, we need to press pause and get our mind right when faced with change.  We need to identify our mindset and adjust it if it will not lead us to embracing change.

 But think about it - It takes practice, just like a sport.  It takes mental reps that will take you through the process of pressing pause, getting your mind right, and readying yourself to consider the opportunity that change brings you.

 So in a way, this does get easier --  but only if you are willing to put  your focus on getting better at change and then committing to practicing and building skill.

 Have a GREAT week!

 -Herb
Articles Worth Reading -- 

52 Of Our Favorite Inspirational Quotes For Teachers http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/52-favorite-inspirational-quotes-for-teachers/ via @teachthought
Personalize Learning: Personalized Learning Through the Eyes of a Child http://www.personalizelearning.com/2016/03/personalized-learning-throug
Three lessons on innovation that I learned during my 12 years at Apple: http://www.fastcompany.com/3058271/lessons-learned/three-lessons-on-innovation-i-learned-during-my-12-years-at-apple by @KelliRichards via @FastCompany 
Upcoming Dates
Apr 4 — School Community Meeting: “Press Pause, Get Your Mind Right”
Apr 4 — PTO Meeting, 7PM
Apr 5 — Herb meeting out of building AM
Apr 5 — BIT Meeting, 8AM
Apr 5 — Steering Committee Meeting, 3:45, ADE
Apr 6 — ADE Staff Meeting: R-Factor Training - R4
Apr 7 — Herb meeting outside of bldg AM
Apr 8 — KG to Franklin Park Conservatory
Apr 12 — 3, 4, 5 ELA State Testing (AM)
Apr 12 — Connection Time w/ Herb (Email-Schedule limited due to testing)
Apr 12 — Tech/Media Planning day w/Teams
Apr 13 — Spec Ed Team Meeting, Noon
Apr 13 — RTI Team Meeting
Apr 14 — PD w/ Dr. Donna: “Connecting Classroom Language to Student Success”
Apr 15 — School Community Meeting: Walk-a-thon Kickoff
Apr 18 — 3, 4, 5 Grade Math State Testing
Apr 20 — ADDC Staff Meeting, 3:40 ADE Media Center
Apr 21 — 4th Grd (Soc St), 5th Grd (Sci) State Testing
Apr 21 — Herb Meeting AM
Apr 22 — Interims Go Home
Apr 27 — ADE Walk-a-thon (during related arts time)

Apr 28 — Transfer Meeting
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Sunday, October 18, 2015

Change As Simple As Returning To Our Roots

Update for Oct 19-23
From Wikipedia; Labeled for Resue
Allison Zmuda's message in the video below is timely for me -- When it comes to change, staying focused on how students learn helps us continue to change and grow.
Zmuda cautions us not to focus on the "pace of change" but instead to stay focused on the simplicity of the learning experience.  

She reminds us that powerful learning experiences are just a few key ingredients such as co-creation of learning with students, meaningful feedback to students, and providing the opportunities for students to share new learning with a broad audience so that they can "change the world one problem, one question, one task at a time".

Zmuda's message makes me think of how important it is to return to our roots -- Return to the purpose of why we are doing what we are doing.

For us, it's remembering that we believe students learn best through inquiry and when they are our partners in learning.

It means remembering that we value feedback- student to student, teacher to student, and student to teacher.

It means remembering to build units of study around enduring understandings -- Essential truths and understandings that students will remember for the rest of their lives.  

Furthermore, an article in KQED News's Mind/Shift blog explains Will Richardson's call for a "third narrative" in school reform. Take a look at an excerpt where Richardson describes what he thinks the third narrative should focus on:

What if we were to return to consistently using an inquiry-based approach to learning and connecting what we have learned along the way? How could we grow those roots?

 If we were to return our focus to our roots of inquiry-based learning experiences, and then grow those roots deeper, we could support one strong and durable tree.

 Have a GREAT week!

 -Herb
Videos Worth Seeing --

Adventure Time! --



You'll need to get ready for some tears for this one, especially if you've ever had a dog as a pet. -- (Shared by George Couros):





 Articles Worth Reading --

Lessons that Matter: What should we learn from Asia’s school systems? http://zhaolearning.com/2015/06/19/lessons-that-matter-what-should-we-learn-from-asia’s-school-systems/

Math At Home Adds Up to Achievement At School http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/10/14/math-learning.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-TW

The partnership side of leadership http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2015/10/15/the-partnership-side-of-leadership/


Upcoming Events

10/21--ADDC Staff Meeting @DCR, 3:45
10/23 -- ADE Staff Meeting with Dr. M, 8:00am.  Preschool Staff will join us in the Media Center
10/26 -- Yearbook Cover Contest Begins (Ends Nov 6)
10/26--6:00 p.m. STATE OF THE SCHOOLS ADDRESS at Bradley HS
10/28 -- IAT Team Meeting, 3:30
10/28 -- Superintendent Advisory Committee Meeting, 4pm
10/29 -- CRAZY HAT DAY!
10/30 -- CRAZY SOCK DAY!

11/2--7:00 p.m. PTO meeting
11/3--Election Day--Hilliard U Day -- District Staff report ONLY--NO SCHOOL for students.
11/20--END OF THE FIRST GRADING PERIOD
11/25-11/27---THANKSGIVING BREAK---NO SCHOOL
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Sunday, October 4, 2015

Being Comfortable with "Stuck"

Update for Oct 5-9
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Doh.jpg

When I started writing this update, I was stuck.  I didn't know what to write or what the focus would be this week.  I thought about the topics I had written about already - culture, learning, shared vision - but was still stuck.

 So I just went with it.

We go through each day at school as prepared as possible and ready to make decisions on the fly.  A website called busyteacher.org claims teachers make 1,500 decisions each day.  I think that's a low estimate -- 27 to 30 students, a litany standards, and schedules all demand fast decision-making. Thankfully, it's a skill that is strong with most teachers.


But there are times when we are just stuck. 

 We don't know what to do yet and we have that uncomfortable feeling of ineptitude.

That feeling of not being able to do something is just part of being stuck - It comes with the process of learning.

 The good thing about being stuck is that we get the opportunity to grow and get stronger through the process of getting unstuck. 

 Figuring out how to proceed often leads to collaboration, reflection, investigation and seeking clarity. Those are pretty remarkable outcomes from not knowing what to do next.

 So the next time I am stuck, I am going to remember that it's part of learning.  We don't have all the answers (I doubt we ever will).  But accepting that getting "stuck" is part of learning will help us be more comfortable when we don't know what to do next.

 Have a great week!

 -Herb
Articles that pushed my thinking --

 Leadership is a Choice http://esheninger.blogspot.com/2015/09/leadership-is-choice.html?spref=tw

 Three Things We Need To Remember When We All Hit "The Dark Side" http://www.inc.com/betty-liu/three-things-to-remember-when-we-all-hit-the-dark-side-.html

 Learner-Centered Vision Will Frame Next Generation Learning http://gettingsmart.com/2015/09/learner-centered-vision-will-frame-next-generation-learning/

 Innovation... Just like your mama used to make: http://eepurl.com/bAfcR1
Video that made me chuckle --


http://abc7news.com/society/baseball-announcers-poke-fun-at-group-of-sorority-girls-taking-selfies/1013853/

 Upcoming Dates
Oct 5-9 -- Fall Conference Week, Conference Night is Oct 7.

Oct 5 -- PTO General Meeting, 7pm

Oct 6 -- Building Improvement Team meeting, 8am; I-Time Begins!

Oct 9 -- Fire Prevention assemblies (See email); Interims due if no P/T Conference

Oct 10 -- Community Cardboard Challenge, Heritage Middle School, 9-12pm

Oct 14 -- IAT Team meeting, 3:30

Oct 16 -- COI Day, No School for Students

Oct 23 -- Staff Meeting w/ Dr. John

Oct 26 -- Yearbook Cover Contest begins / State of the Schools @ Bradley H.S.

Oct 28 -- IAT Team meeting, 3:30

 Nov 2 -- PTO Meeting, 7pm

 Nov 3 -- Hilliard U Day, No School for Students

 Nov 5 -- Steering Committee Meeting in PM at CO

 Nov 6 -- Board Building Tour, AM before school

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Sunday, September 27, 2015

Being Present In Order to Know What's Next

Update for Sept 28-Oct 2


I love what this picture captures.  The woman circled in the picture inspires me think about being present more often.  Actually, being more present in the moment has helped me to better understand the change process. 

 Change often happens as a response to recognizing when the conditions are right to take the next steps.  The Alton Darby Creek Collaborative project is a reflection of this kind of moment.  We are in the middle of this grand collaboration and we sense the urgency to capture the moment and work hard to re-imagine learning experiences for kids.  During the change process, we need to know when to slow down and when to speed up.

 To accomplish this, we need to pause and reflect often.  We need to celebrate what we've accomplished, but we also need to be completely honest with ourselves about how we are making progress.  We need to keep looking for answers.

 Sometimes it's through a conversation with a colleague that affirms our thinking.

 Or it could be a blog post that pushes you to clearly define the idea you have.

 One thing that motivates me to keep looking for answers is my own personal vision for learning that many of you share as well -- Flexible learning driven by student-inquiry, multi-aged groupings, and kids learning through solving real-world problems.  It's what I see in my mind's eye, but I know we still have a ways to go.  

 Our project makes me think of running a relay race -- Racing to the next person with the baton in hand, clearly seeing your goal. Pacing yourself so that you can be responsive to the race. 

 Our goal is achieving our vision for learning, but I know that if we are too focused on our vision of what we want for learning, it might cloud our present reality and cause missteps. 

 A distracted runner drops the baton.  

 To get to where we want to go, we have to be in the moment and responsive to the present with a gaze towards to future.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4091/4976497160_026165c6cd_b.jpg -
Labeled for noncommercial reuse.

Keep being observant learners, collaborators and thinkers! Through this we will create new learning experiences for kids!

 Have a GREAT week!

 -Herb
Articles Pushing My Thinking
Staying the Same is Ultimately Falling Behind http://connectedprincipals.com/archives/11864

 We Find What We Look For In Our Students – So What Do We See?  http://chriswejr.com/2015/09/21/we-find-what-we-look-for-in-our-students-so-what-do-we-see/#.VgfkInUkcox.twitter

 Change: Choose the crockpot over the microwave... http://www.justintarte.com/2015/09/change-choose-crockpot-over-microwave.html?spref=tw

 Digital vs Digitized Learning http://wp.me/p1yBnd-mP

Upcoming Events
Sept 28 -- School Community Meeting -- Community Cardboard Challenge, 10:45

Sept 30 -- Mumkin Pickup 4-7pm

Oct 2 -- BAC meeting, 8:30

Oct 5-9 -- Fall Conference Week, Conference Night is Oct 7.

Oct 5 -- PTO General Meeting, 7pm

Oct 6 -- Building Improvement Team meeting

Oct 9 -- Interims due if no P/T Conference

Oct 10 -- Community Cardboard Challenge, Heritage Middle School, 9-12pm

Oct 14 -- IAT Team meeting, 3:30

Oct 16 -- COI Day, No School for Students

Oct 23 -- Staff Meeting w/ Dr. John

Oct 26 -- Yearbook Cover Contest begins / State of the Schools @ Bradley H.S.

Oct 28 -- IAT Team meeting, 3:30
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Sunday, September 20, 2015

What are we missing here?

Update for Sept 21-25
Helping nature along
https://flic.kr/p/6suPUp (Labeled for reuse)


A couple of posts I read this weekend really pushed me to reflect about the work we are doing.  

The first is by Peter DeWitt and Russell Quaglia called “10 Reasons Students Should Go On Strike” and takes many of the complaints some educators have about education -- testing, sit-and-get professional development -- and asks the read to consider the same complaints from the perspective of the students.
DeWitt and Quaglia’s post pushed me to reflect on what school looks like for kids.  Is the balance of “learner-driven” instruction and “must-teach” instruction in harmony? Should it be? Or should “learner-driven” instruction be tipping the scale? The post also makes me think about this great graphic representation of George Couros' School vs. Learning thoughts:
http://georgecouros.ca/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Screen-Shot-2014-12-29-at-4.44.10-PM.png
I return to this graphic often because my vision for what elementary education can look like is centered around the "learning" bullets.
The second post is by Will Richardson, who wrote Why School?.  In his post “How Schools Are Stuck”, he asks educators to reflect on whether they themselves are the learner they hope their students will be?  Are we modeling what learners should be?  Is our learning organization a good example of a learning organization?
Richardson ends the post by challenging educators to consider two questions:

  1. Have we clearly defined and articulated how kids learn best and then aligned our practice to this?
  2. Do we have a commitment to rooting out institutional inconsistencies with our definition for how kids learn best?
Again, I was pushed to reflect and think about how we might answer Richardson’s two questions.
So I did some investigation into some work that was done in the past at Alton Darby to see if we did have a clear belief about how student learn.  
Take a look at some belief statements that were clearly defined and appear on our school website and think about what you notice:
The work and play of Alton Darby is guided by our commitment to seven core virtues:
  1. Honesty
  2. Respect
  3. Responsibility
  4. Compassion
  5. Giving
  6. Self-discipline
  7. Perseverance
We believe that adults work with children using the following guiding values:
* Adults recognize that all students are uniquely different and have value.
* Adults are enthusiastic and joyful about their work with students.
* Adults use professional observations and reflections to guide their instruction and work with children.
* Adults are compassionate, patient, and respectful of students.
* Adults are positive models and mentors for students.
* Adults have fun with students, reflect with students, and teach the whole child.
* Adults celebrate knowledge in an atmosphere of inquiry, bringing themselves into the learning experience, encouraging engagement.
We believe that effective relationships are developed through the following practices:
* productive communication,
* open-mindedness,
* teamwork and shared decisions,
* listening and encouragement,
* compromise and cooperation, and
* a willingness to grow.
How Children Work With Children
(written by our STUDENTS)
At Alton Darby, we believe that children should:
* be honest,
* be respectful of other people and their property,
* take responsibility for their actions,
* always try, work hard, and do their best,
* care for others the way they would like to be cared for.

How Children Work With Adults
(written by our STUDENTS)
We believe that when working with adults, children should:
* always be honest, especially in difficult situations,
* always be respectful,
* show caring for and about others,
* work hard and give best effort.
These are great statements and I agree and believe in everything that has been written.  
But it’s all centered around behavior.  
The words “learn” or “learning” don’t even appear in our belief statements!  
I think we have an opportunity here!
So, what do we believe when it comes to learning?
How do kids learn best?


 Articles Worth Reading -- 

 See the links to Richardson and DeWitt/Quaglia's posts embedded in the post above! They are worthy reads for sure!

Video Worth Seeing --

Amazing! It's only a matter of time before this kind of work lands in schools! Are we getting our students ready to think creatively?
Upcoming Dates -- 
9/21 -- No School for Students -- Staff Report to ADE at 8:00am.
9/24 -- Picture Day!
9/24 -- Fall Tailgate, 6-7:30pm at ADE

OCT 5-9 -- Fall Conference Week
10/9--INTERIM REPORTS HOME
10/10--9:00-12:00 p.m.--Community Cardboard Challenge at Heritage Middle School
10/16--CENTRAL OHIO INSERVICE DAY--NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
10/26--6:00 p.m. STATE OF THE SCHOOLS ADDRESS at Bradley HS

11/2--7:00 p.m. PTO meeting--5th grade to attend
11/3--Election Day--teachers report ONLY--NO SCHOOL
11/20--END OF THE FIRST GRADING PERIOD
11/25-11/27---THANKSGIVING BREAK---NO SCHOOL
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