The Blog of a Committed Sardine

Committed Sardines

2009-05-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

This is a great analogy to share with your School Leadership/Faculty Advisory Team.

Why Should We Be Called Committed Sardines?

Let’s start on a tangent. A blue whale is the largest mammal on earth. An adult blue whale is the length of 2 1/2 Greyhound buses put end to end, weighs more than a fully loaded 737, has a heart the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, and a tongue 8' long. (that tongue by itself weighs more than 25 elephants.) A baby blue whale is estimated to gain more than 20 pounds an hour from birth to age one.

Another little known fact about the blue whale is that it is so large that when it decides to swim in a different direction, it can take 2 to 3 minutes to turn 180 degrees. That’s the reason why some people draw a parallel between the blue whale and school. It just seems to take forever for schools to turn things around. Our ability to adapt to changing times helps explain at least in part the rise in demand for vouchers, charter schools, home schooling and virtual schools. There are some people who just don't believe or don't want the public school system to turn things around in time.

But compare the way a blue whale turns around (slowly) to how a school of fish turns around - specifically a school of sardines - which has the same or even a greater mass than the whale, does the same thing. A school of sardines can turn almost instantly. So the question is, how do they do this? How do they know when to turn. Is it ESP? Do they use cell phones? Are they using the Internet?

The answer is simultaneously a little simpler and quite a bit more complex. If you take a careful look at a school of sardines, you'll notice that although the fish all appear to be swimming in the same direction, in reality, at any time, there will be a small group of sardines swimming in a different direction, in an opposite direction, against the flow, against conventional wisdom. And as they swim in another direction, they cause conflict, they cause friction, and they cause discomfort for the rest of the school.

But finally, when a critical mass of truly committed sardines is reached - not a huge number like 50 percent or 80 percent of the school, but 15 to 20 percent who are truly committed to a new direction - the rest of the school suddenly turns and goes with them – almost instantaneously!

Isn't that what has happened with our attitudes towards drinking and driving? Isn't that what became of our feelings about smoking? Isn't that exactly what happened to the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union? Isn't that what caused the Internet to suddenly appear overnight? Each and every one of those events was an overnight success that took years in the making. Overnight successes that took a small group of people who were truly committed despite the obstacles and challenges to make the necessary change.

Noted anthropologist Margaret Mead once wrote "never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world - indeed it is the only thing that ever has."

Teacher Appreciation Ideas

2009-04-14T21:01:00.000-07:00

With Teacher Appreciation Week coming up in May, I thought it would be a good idea to have a special recognition of teachers and their individual "unique" strengths and contributions. As such, I made this list of ideas for teacher recognition. PLEASE respond to this post and share any additional ideas that you may have:

A can of defroster- for the teacher who is so good at breaking the ice

A shower cap- for the teacher who never allows anything to “dampen” her enthusiasm

A Payday candy bar- for the teacher who deserves an extra Payday for coming early and staying late all the time

Some mints- for the teacher whose contributions on the School Climate Committee have “mint” so much

A bottle of lotion- for the teacher who is always able to “smooth” things over with disgruntled parents

A roll of Lifesavers- for the teacher whose conscientiousness has “saved” some inattentive students during afternoon dismissal

A nice pen- for the teacher who is always so de-pen-dable

A notepad- for the teacher who recently had a “noteworthy” accomplishment (Leadership Fellows)

A box of tissues- for the teacher who refused to let a challenged student “blow it”

A coke- for the teacher who has proven to be the “Real Thing”

A clock- for the teacher who so graciously gives freely of her time

A bag of Hershey Hugs/Kisses- for the teacher who always has hugs and kisses for her students

A pair of dark shades- for the new teacher who has a bright future ahead of her

A bag of Smarties- for the teacher who proved she is a “Smartie” by recently finishing her Master’s degree

A package of flower seeds- for the teacher who plants the seeds of learning and is so patient for the seeds to take bloom

A roadmap- for the teacher who is gifted at articulating and sharing the new direction of the school

A book of matches- for the teacher who is always able to ignite a spark in unmotivated students

An art-set- for the teacher who inspires everyone with her creative bulletin boards

A pack of highlighters- for the teacher who regularly makes it a point to “highlight” the accomplishments of EVERY student

A can of air freshener- for the teacher who always has a “fresh” outlook

A jar of honey- for the teacher who got us out of a “sticky” situation with…..

A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser- for the teacher who does such a great job of allowing students to start each day with a clean slate

A pack of POST-IT Notes- for the teacher who is faithfully at her morning duty "post" each and every day

A balancing scale- for the teacher who so perfectly balances her pressure and support to manage student behavior

A bottle of SPIC & SPAN- for the teacher who always has such a tidy classroom

A gold-colored plastic food tray- “A Golden Tray Award” for the teacher who always has her students behave and clean up in the cafeteria

A Teddy Bear- for the teacher (coach) who looks intimidating, but is really just a big teddy bear

A bird stuffed animal- for the exceptional education teacher who gave her students wings to fly

A pack of Extra and pack of Carefree gum- for the retiring teacher who deserves an “extra carefree” future

A lock/key set- for the ELL teacher who has taught her students to unlock the door into another culture

An ice-cream scooper- for the teacher who always “has the scoop” on the latest innovative practices and research

A box of microwave popcorn- for the teacher who constantly keeps things “poppin” in her creative writing class

A rock collection set- for the teacher who “rocks” it in the science lab

A book of stamps- for the teacher who tried to “stamp” out hunger by organizing the canned food drive

“A Magic Wand”- for the teacher who we all consider to be our “Baking Fairy” (she always makes baked goods and brings them to the lounge for everyone to enjoy).

A pair of scissors- for the teacher who is always dressed so “sharp”

A coffee mug- for the teacher who is “cooler than a mug” according to her students 

Some lip balm- for the teacher who is “The Bomb” according to her students

A mirror- for the teacher who is truly “reflective” in her practice

A lion stuffed animal- for the teacher who courageously questions the status quo

A pack of “Red Hots”- for the teacher who “spices things up” at the school board meetings

Almond Joy and a Mounds candy bar- for the teacher who always brings “mounds of joy” to her students

Utilizing a Critical Friend to Improve Social & Emotional Intelligence

2009-04-13T21:28:00.000-07:00

“Social Intelligence” typically has to do with a person’s ability to act wisely in human relations. “Emotional Intelligence” is often referred to as “a set of skills that include awareness of self and others and the ability to handle emotions and relationships” (Golman, 1995).

People who have the ability to perceive accurately, understand, and appraise others’ emotions tend to respond more flexibly to changes in their social environments and are more able to build social networks. These skills are vital because personal relationships are a central element of daily life in organizations like schools. I have witnessed situations where change efforts failed- NOT because the leader’s intentions were not sincere- but because the leader was unable to handle the social challenges of implementation.

As school leaders, we must possess a keen sense of social and emotional intelligence. I have a close friend (who is also a school leader) and we have brutally honest conversations with one another all the time. She has no reservations at all about challenging my motives or questioning my judgment, and I am the same way with her. We can do this because we trust one another completely. I honestly think that it makes us both better leaders.

What’s your opinion? Do you have a critical friend? If so, how has the friendship contributed to your development?

Do You Refer to the Educators at Your School as "Your Teachers?"

2009-03-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

In an article from the March/April issue of Principal magazine the author brings to the surface a thought-provoking topic..... He says that when principals refer to their school’s faculty as “my teachers” it sends a negative message to teachers that they are not respected as professioanls. The author, Eric Glover, ssys that principals should move away from using this phrase because it is inappropriate in most cases. “My teachers" is shorter and quicker to say than "the teachers with whom I work" or "the teachers in our school” Glover contends. “The problem is that rather than serving as a title of respect, ‘my teachers’ may be interpreted by teachers as a symbol of the power that a principal holds over them.”

Do you believe that using the term “my teachers” is condescending to your faculty? Are teachers being too sensitive, or is this a valid argument?

Understanding Value Added

2009-03-02T17:47:00.000-08:00

I had a new teacher ask me to explain value-added to her. She wanted to know how we could use it to improve test scores.

While value-added is statistically and computationally complex, it really is relatively easy to grasp at a conceptual level.

Test scores are projected for students and then compared to the scores they actually achieve at the end of the school year.

Classroom scores that exceed projected values indicate effective instruction. Conversely, scores that are mostly below projections suggest that the instruction was ineffective. This is very insightful and gives us a framework for developing some differntiated professional development and coaching opportunities.

What are some ways that some other principals are using value added data?

Professional Dress

2009-02-23T21:53:00.000-08:00

I'm interested in knowing how other school administrators feel about school dress codes/standards- for administrators and teachers:

Here is some food for thought-
- How is professional dress enforced in your school and district?

- Do you think administrators should have a higher standard for professional dress than teachers?

- Do you believe it is more acceptable for elementary school teachers to dress comfortably than secondary teachers?

- How do you generally dress at work?

Let me know what you think!

The Power of Handwritten Notes: Avenue for Encouraging Teachers or Liability Disaster?

2009-02-21T08:06:00.000-08:00

Being in the midst of a budget crisis and facing the possibility of a serious workforce reduction and school closings has made the morale at my school pretty low lately so I decided to write my teachers some personalized notes of encouragement this week. Among school administrators, there is a long-standing set of opposing opinions about writing teachers notes. I have lots of friends who are school administrators and I know people who subscribe to each of these camps:

CAMP #1- Writing teachers personal notes of encouragement will make teachers feel appreciated and thus strenghthen the teacher/principal relationship. Furthermore, it will encourage the teacher to strive to continually improve his/her performance.

CAMP #2- Writing teachers personal notes opens you up for possible grievances. As all school leaders know, at any time a teacher's performance can change. If you work in a school district with a strong union, positive notes have the potential to come back and bite you in the butt.

What's your stance? I really want to know how other principals feel about this.

I definitely belong to the group of administrators who believe that writing personalized positive notes is worth the risk. I don't do it as often as I should, but I definitely do it when I can. I think it's really important for the notes to be hand-written and have comments specific to that teacher's performance. I recently heard that people are much more likely to read the full contents of a hand-written note than an email. Now, don't get me wrong, I do occasionally shoot teachers a quick email to tell them that I like their bulletin board or thanks for coming to PTA the night before. But....When I want to really recognize some serious work or a major contribution by a teacher, I always use a hand-written note.

I would really like for some principals to share their experiences about writing personalized notes.

Thick-Skinned Principal

2009-01-03T09:43:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I heard over and over before taking the plunge into administration was "You have to have thick skin!" I have been given similiar advice from many of my mentors over the years and I've read a ton of articles stressing the need to "not take things personally." I've heard friends of mine who are principals say things like, "I come to work every day with a ton of friends and a family who loves me so if I don't get that at work, I'm fine." I agree that administrators need to be able not to take things personally in order to survive the demands of our jobs, but I think it's dangerous not to care about how we're perceived by others. I recognize that there's no way we can make everyone happy, but I strongly believe that if we make decisions based on what's best for kids, we'll be better able to handle any resulting criticisms.

I think that the notion of adminstrators needing to "turn off their feelings" is unrealistic and frankly, not a smart idea. I think that a primary characteristic of a good administrator is a keen sense of empathy. I would never advise any leader not to show any feeling. People begin to view you as unapproachable and uncaring. Of course, you should never be overly-emotional or overly-sensitive when making decisions, but appropriately demonstrating disappointment, concern, sadness, joy, etc. shows others that you are down-to-earth and sensitive to the feelings of others. I truly believe that if you train yourself to become "feelingless" at work, you will see this sense of apathy creep into other aspects of your life. And nobody wants to to be viewed as robotic!

Good principals are sensitive, caring educators, not distant, unfeeling machines. People get upset at us for a reason. Even if we don't agree with or understand their anger, we should care enough to want to try and understand where these perceptions come from. Administators who turn off their feelings for the sake of self-preservation can miss out on the potential opportunity to assist others in what they may need to help them become a better contributor to the team. After all, we are all here for the same reason: to educate kids. I think a good principal is someone who is willing to sacrifice and "take one for the team" so to speak, in order to grow and help others, such as teachers and parents, so that they may be able to better help the student.

If we aren't willing to sometimes show vulnerability, we run the risk of becoming cold, jaded, and insensitive.

Change is Emotional

2008-08-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned a few days ago, I just finished this book called Our Iceberg is Melting. It's a story that gives a humorous account of the change process (just like Who Moved My Cheese?). But the thing that I really liked about the book is how many of the characters were affected so emotionally. It's a good reminder of the importance of effective communication during times of change.

Since the book was based upon Kotter's 8 Steps for producing lasting change, I went back and reviewed those pretty thoroughly after reading the book. Here they are

1. Set the Stage and create a sense of urgency.
2. Pull together the guiding team.
3. Decide what to do and develop the change vision and strategy.
4. Communicate for understanding and buy-in.
5. Empower others to act.
6. Produce short-term wins.
7. Don't let up.
8. Make it stick- Create a new culture.

I read Kotter's book, Leading Change, a couple of years ago. That book really elaborates on each of these. If you are in position where you're trying to influence others to change, I strongly recommend it.

Dealing with Change and Succeeding in Any Condition

2008-08-13T18:13:00.000-07:00

I just read the most adorable little book by John Kotter. It is called Our Iceberg is Melting. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is dealing with change or trying to lead it. I have pasted a synopsis of the book below.

Our Iceberg Is Melting is a simple fable about doing well in an ever-changing world. Based on the award-winning work of Harvard's John Kotter, it is a story that has been used to help thousands of people and organizations.

The fable is about a penguin colony in Antarctica. A group of beautiful emperor penguins live as they have for many years. Then one curious bird discovers a potentially devastating problem threatening their home and pretty much no one listens to him.

The characters in the story, Fred, Alice, Louis, Buddy, the Professor, and NoNo, are like people we recognize — even ourselves. Their tale is one of resistance to change and heroic action, seemingly intractable obstacles and the most clever tactics for dealing with those obstacles. It's a story that is occurring in different forms all around us today — but the penguins handle the very real challenges a great deal better than most of us.

Excerpts from My Leadership Platform

2008-07-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

“A man who stands for nothing falls for everything.”-Malcolm X

My journey of discovering “my purpose” in life began at an early age. I recall a significant event that took place when I was around the age of six. I attended an all-white elementary school with the exception of one biracial little girl that I will call Andrea. Andrea was often the target of criticism and bullying, and I inferred that school was not a happy place for her. One sunny afternoon, as I spun on the merry-go-round, I caught a glimpse of Andrea crying alone under a shaded tree on the playground. I went to inquire about what was the matter. She informed me of the racial slurs that the other children had been shouting at her. Infuriated, I marched her right over to the teacher, fully confident that the teacher would correct the situation and justice would be served. What happened next might very well be the origin of my beliefs related to respect, compassion, and tolerance. When I informed the teacher of what had been said to Andrea, she pulled Andrea close to her, rubbed her on the back and said, “It’s alright sweetheart. It is not your fault that your parents committed a sin, and God will not blame you for it.” This is also most likely the reason why I became such a strong proponent for the separation of church and state. Misuse of authority has been a reoccurring concern for me that first became important on that day so many years ago. Related issues have revealed themselves repeatedly in both my professional and personal life over the years. I was grown before I came to fully understand the impact that incident would have on me.Upon arriving home from school that day, I immediately explained to my mother what had taken place. Because my mom had a mere ninth grade education and she had me just three days after her fifteenth birthday, people often assumed that she could not possibly possess the skills to teach me very much. My mom’s reaction that day proved just the opposite. As I spoke of what had happened, I noticed that my mom’s expression drastically changed to one that was obviously indicative of tremendous sadness. This frightened me a bit because my mother had always been a portrait of strength. Her parents died seven days apart when I was nine months old, and she was left to single-handedly raise a child and care for her epileptic brother who had Down’s Syndrome. My mom leaned toward me, got very serious, and told me that the way the teacher had treated Andrea was wrong. At the time, it was hard for me to imagine a teacher being wrong. Perhaps this was when I first learned to never assume that an individual is professional, or even ethical, because of his or her title. As a result, titles have never been very important to me throughout my career. My mom went on to fervently insist that good people have a responsibility to always take a stand for what is right. And so my journey began.

“If a man has nothing in his life worth dying for, then he doesn’t have a life worth living.”-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The students in my sixth grade class were eagerly peering out of the window in hopes that the rain would cease. As was customary in these situations, the teacher informed us that we would have to view a filmstrip during our recess time due to the inclement weather. We had been learning about the civil rights movement and the movement’s legendary leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We had learned about the injustices and violence, lynchings, church bombings, and the KKK. I found myself constantly anxious and upset as these facts were introduced to us. The teacher explained that we would be viewing the famous “I Have a Dream” speech. As I watched Dr. King, I was in absolute awe of his courage. Although I did not realize it at the time, I believe that I made a connection to the words my mom had spoken to me several years earlier. I recalled how she had told me to speak out against wrongdoing and take a stand for what is right. Dr. King risked his life to do just that, and he eventually paid the ultimate price for doing so. This was the moment in my life when I began to detect in myself a certain desire to help others by way of social reform. I began to understand that it often takes incredible valor to fight for what is right. This was when I came to realize that a great leader is someone who is brave and willing to take risks. A goal I have is to try and temper my courage so that I will not come across as unapproachable or intimidating.

“What you are shouts so loudly in my ears that I cannot hear what you say.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson

My teenage years were all about rebellion. Whether it was organizing a march for women’s rights or starting a petition to boycott a cosmetics company experimenting on animals, I was definitely well on my way to becoming an activist. I was most likely strongly influenced by the fact that my parents were “hippies.” During this time in my life, I had a very strong desire to “stand out” from the crowd. Getting tattoos, body piercing, listening to punk rock music, and having a boyfriend that was not “socially acceptable” were all ways in which I tried to say “I am not afraid to question what society says is ‘right’.” Since then, I have become very aware of my charismatic tendencies as they relate to societal authority. I have been, at times, “sharply opposed both to rational, and particularly bureaucratic authority, and to traditional authority” (Cuilla, 2003). As a leader today, I still find myself challenging society, but I have learned some specific strategies that are perhaps more appropriate for allowing me to do so. For example, I frequently find myself using rational influence to try to convert people to my way of thinking (Pierce and Newstrom, 2006). As an instructional leader, I absolutely refuse to choose bureaucracy over what is right for kids. I am very heavily involved in urban school reform, but I have learned that sometimes it is more appropriate to pursue change in a less “attention getting” way. Close friends have often advised me to pursue a career where I can take more of an advocacy role. My response to that advice is always the same. “Is teaching not the ultimate venue for advocacy?” I did want to be an attorney when I was in high school. I dreamed of being a part of the ACLU and working to support Affirmative Action and other gender and racial equity issues. I accidentally “fell” into education though, when I took a job as a teacher’s assistant (just to pay the bills). Now, I like to believe that “the universe was conspiring” to put me where I needed to be to fulfill my life’s work (Coelho, 1996).

“Chaos breeds life, where order breeds habit.”-Henry Brooks

It was the spring of 1992, and I was eagerly awaiting the birth of my daughter. I recall how this season in my life encompassed hope and optimism. I was very proud of what I had accomplished in my life. I had overcome some significant adversities in life, including poverty, an abusive stepfather, and four years in foster care. I was the first person in my family to graduate from high school and the first to go to college. These early accomplishments served as glimpses of the drive that would guide my actions in the future. I was an instructional assistant in an urban school that served a predominantly African American population, and even as someone new to the field of education I was able to recognize the lack of cultural awareness and sensitivity on the part of many teachers. It was at this time that I experienced a brutal awakening with regard to the prevalence of institutionalized racism in our school systems, but I felt certain that what I was doing was making a difference, which brings me back to that day in 1992. I woke up early that morning and had a moment of devotion. I recall praying for the Lord to help me be a good mother. I wanted my child to grow up in a world that was harmonious and kinder to her than it had been to me. Because my husband was African American, I worried about the challenges my child might face as a biracial person in the south. After my devotion, I went to turn on the news. Images of violence, burning buildings, looting, and despair filled the television screen on each of the major networks. It was total chaos. The Los Angeles riots dominated the news programs for the next few weeks, right up until the time my daughter was born. I can remember having a sense of panic and urgency take over my body as I thought about the children and families that I served and my own unborn child. The cultural issues that had merely been important to me before were now nothing less than emergencies that had to be dealt with aggressively. Everything was more personal now. The hope and optimism that I had experienced before had now become replaced with a sense of exigency and impatience. I believe that this was the first time in my life that I truly came to believe that drastic measures, even if they result in chaos, are sometimes necessary to bring about progress. Yes, the riots were horrible, but I saw the awareness that resulted from the riots as a benefit to society as a whole. As a leader, I am not afraid to take drastic measures into my own hands if the result will be for the greater good of others. My biggest challenge at this point in my life is not assuming that what I think is in the best interest of others is always the right action to be taken. I recognize that it is common for me to use my charisma to persuade others to adopt my urgent stance when it comes to change. I believe that I have the ability to detect the needs, hopes, and values of others, and I find that I very often use that insight to get people to commit to my causes (Cuilla, 2003). I know that I have to be very careful with using my charisma. Sometimes I scare myself when I realize what I can get people to do. I constantly have to remind myself to help people change their levels, not their courses (Northouse, 2004). I follow my inspirations completely, whether they turn out to be good or bad. I view this as a strength that is always dangerously close to becoming a weakness. I spent the largest part of my twenties being an aggressive teacher-leader who was constantly in the midst of conflict. However, despite the beliefs of some, I do not seek conflict, but rather I have seen it as necessary for growth at times. What I have come to realize over the last few years is that I have to be more sensitive to the feelings of others during chaotic periods. Because I have courage and very strong convictions, I will stand against the crowd. I do, however, recognize that I am often too nonconforming and typically ahead of the crowd. My most prevalent fear as a leader is that I tend to use people to further my causes (as means to an end). From an ethical standpoint, I try to justify this by looking at the big picture and the end result. In the past, I have taken the stand that if I have to occasionally be manipulative of the system in order to help disadvantaged children and women get a fair advantage, then that is just the way it is. I know that good leaders treat people as ends (even when those people represent the system), and I recognize that this is something that I have to be very aware of at all times, as well as consciously making an effort to improve. I have learned that the moral community is not limited to certain people (Rachels, 2003). Therefore, I have a strong desire to develop the ability to consider all interests equally, even when that interest is of a teacher who I view as culturally unaware, insensitive, incompetent, or unprofessional.

“If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulders of giants.”–Isaac Newton

I was excited when I was offered a teaching position before even graduating from college. My newly appointed principal called me at home that summer and asked me to come in for a meeting. I was a bit intimidated and worried, and I wondered what it was that she wanted. I figured she was she going to go over my responsibilities with me. However, this woman, who I will refer to as Donna, was the kind of person who could just set your mind at ease as soon as she looked at you. She taught me an important leadership lesson on that very first day; invest in relationship building. It turns out that she had invited me there so that we could have some private time to just get to know each other. She said that she wanted to know all about me. She asked me to tell her about my passions and what motivated me. She inquired about my expectations and my needs. Because my mother was so young when she had me, and she always had to work two or three jobs as I was growing up, I think that I had always longed for someone just to hear me, be interested, and actually care about what I thought. Donna did all of that. The principal that had originally hired me had a health issue arise and retired unexpectantly that summer. Was the universe conspiring again? (Coelho, 1996). Donna taught me so much about leadership. Donna could get me to do anything in the world, but she never once gave me a directive. Because I knew that she genuinely cared about me, I had a strong desire to please her. I knew that she shared many of my passions related to urban school reform, but she modeled a more productive way to pursue them. I am also thankful that I had such a great a mentor to teach me about team building and collaboration. I have often wondered how my career may have been different without her influence. She once told me that she wanted to grow me as a leader because I was an important part of the legacy she was trying to build. Donna taught me that leadership is about producing more leaders, not more followers. As a teacher-leader, I have a strong desire to develop others, and I make a concentrated effort to do so.

Roles in the Change Process

2008-06-09T00:37:00.000-07:00

I have been reading Gladwell's The Tipping Point and Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations. One thing that I have found very interesting is the adopter categories of the individuals involved in a change effort. It's very important for a change agent to be aware of which category individuals belong to because this will ultimately affect the rate at which the change effort gets adopted. Here's a summary of the five different adopter categories represented in my school system:

Innovators:
In my school system, I see these people as huge risk-takers that are “trailblazers” when it comes to creating and developing new programs. These are the teachers and instructional leaders in my school system that are the very first to develop the most progressive curriculums, teaching strategies, assessment procedures, behavior management programs, community partnerships, parent involvement programs, fund-raising efforts, and professional development plans. I do not believe that we have any true Innovators at my school, but I do see some of our partners at our Public Education Foundation (PEF) as Innovators.

Early Adopters:
I see these people as the educators who closely watch the innovators and are typically first to follow suit and adopt the innovations. They are opinion leaders who are well respected and credible. I view myself as an early adopter. I am the kind of person who recognizes, even anticipates, the need for change. My visionary attempts at improvement are often viewed as not being appreciative of past successes or traditions. The Early Adopters are individuals that are thoughtful and analytical. Although we are not as big of risk-takers as the Innovators, we do take risks. However, the risk-taking is never haphazard, but instead very cautious and well thought out.

Early Majority:
These are the teachers who adopt an innovation just before the masses. These educators are seldom opinion leaders, but because they are between the very early and relatively late adopters, they play a very important role in bridging others and aiding the rate of adoption. These individuals are not teacher leaders. These are the educators who rarely take a risk, and they hold out until the Early Adopters have adopted and implemented the innovations and they are recognized as valuable and commonly utilized by the most respected educators.

Late Majority:
These are the skeptical teachers. Anytime an innovation is proposed, they typically have the reaction of, “So what is it this week?” They never believe that any innovation is going to be successful. They are notorious for dampening the enthusiasm of the teachers that may actually want to give the idea a try. I see these teachers as needing some peer pressure from the teachers that they view as credible before they will adopt. These teachers are not risk takers so all uncertainty must be removed before they view it as safe to adopt.

Laggards:
These are the strongest resistors who see no need for change at all. They are very traditional in their teaching techniques and they have no desire to question the status quo. The Laggards are always the least enthusiastic and committed if the decision is made by the faculty to implement an idea.

Leadership Models for Reframing Organizations

2008-06-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

I just read Bolman and Deal's book, Reframing Organizations. In it, it offers four frameworks for looking at leadership and management. They are the structural frame, the political frame, the human resources frame, and the symbolic frame. Here's a summary of each:

The Structural Framework
The "structural" leader tries to design and implement a process or structure appropriate to the problem and the circumstances. This includes:
clarifying organizational goals
managing the external environment
developing a clear structure appropriate to task and environment
clarifying lines of authority
focusing on task, facts, logic, not personality and emotions
This approach is useful when goals and information are clear, when cause-effect relations are well understood, when technologies are strong and there is little conflict, low ambiguity, low uncertainty, and a stable legitimate authority.

The Human Resource Framework
The human resource leader views people as the heart of any organization and attempts to be responsive to needs and goals to gain commitment and loyalty. The emphasis is on support and empowerment. The HR manager listens well and communicates personal warmth and openness. This leader empowers people through participation and attempts to gain the resources people need to do a job well. HR managers confront when appropriate but try to do so in a supportive climate. This approach is appropriate when employee turnover is high or increasing or when employee morale is low or declining. In this approach resources should be relatively abundant; there should be relatively low conflict and low diversity.

The Political Framework
The political leader understands the political reality of organizations and can deal with it. He or she understands how important interest groups are, each with a separate agenda. This leader understands conflict and limited resources. This leader recognizes major constituencies and develops ties to their leadership. Conflict is managed as this leader builds power bases and uses power carefully. The leader creates arenas for negotiating differences and coming up with reasonable compromises. This leader also works at articulating what different groups have in common and helps to identify external "enemies" for groups to fight together. This approach is appropriate where resources are scarce or declining, where there is goal and value conflict, and where diversity is high.

The Symbolic Framework
This leader views vision and inspiration as critical; people need something to believe in. People will give loyalty to an organization that has a unique identity and makes them feel that what they do is really important. Symbolism is important as is ceremony and ritual to communicate a sense of organizational mission. These leaders tend to be very visible and energetic and manage by walking around. Often these leaders rely heavily on organizational traditions and values as a base for building a common vision and culture that provides cohesiveness and meaning. This approach seems to work best when goals and information are unclear and ambiguous, where cause-effect relations are poorly understood and where there is high cultural diversity.

Workplace application:
Although I can see some of all of these frames in my style of leadership, I would have to say that I have learned that I am primarily a symbolic leader. Because of my current work situation (being a fairly new member of the organization and a new administrator) I make it a point to listen to and share stories of the organization, to create a sense of purpose and "being part of something special", and to constantly analyze the relationships and dynamics within my building to be situationally aware. As a new leader in a school, I try not to mess with the culture of the school too much right now. Even if it needs to be changed, I typically try to respect the current culture and past traditions while taking a piecemeal approach to introducing new ideas for change. As a new administrator in the school this year, my primary focus is that of cultural analyis. I am trying to just determine who the opinion leaders are, what the values and traditions are, and how things have been done in the past. When the time is right, I'll be more assertive in introducing change initiatives. But by then, I will have listened and observed enough to know how to do this effectively. Hopefully, I'm successfully determining who is considered a hero, who others respect, and how I can use those individuals in a leadership capacity. I'm constantly noting the ways in which each of the teachers I work with is motivated. I'm taking a "what's in it for me" approach with teachers and I am beginning to appeal to their individual needs and aspirations in order to bring about positive growth for the school. Being a symbolic leader, I put a lot of effort into bringing about reform by inspiring and motivating others. I pay close attention to what, on the surface, may seem like little things, such as the fact that a Christmas tree has always been displayed in the front of the building in December, there has been a designated parking spot for the Teacher of the Month, Character Education is highly valued and celebrated by all of the teachers and parents, 9-11 ceromonies have become a tradition, etc. These are the types of things that a symbolic leader makes it a point to be aware of. Symbolic leaders place a great emphasis on creating value within the organization. I have found that I typically take a charismatic approach to influencing teachers to buy into a vision of being a part of something great, being on a winning team, and having a strong sense of purpose related to the work we are doing.

Sociolinguistics and Teacher Self Awareness

2008-05-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

I was in a colleague's classroom when I witnessed something that absolutely is a perfect example of the lack of cultural awareness/sensitivity on the part of many teachers working with diverse populations. An African American student said to his white, middle class teacher "Is we going to lunch?" The teacher made this huge deal, calling out the child and embarrassing him in front of the class. She informed him that that was not the correct way to speak. Then she said "We're fixing to go to lunch as soon as you get where you're supposed to be at!"

Contrastive Method

2008-04-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking that I may want to do a careful examination of the contrastive method for teaching students to code-switch for my dissertation. The contrastive method is a culturally responsive method for teaching African American students Standard English (SE), and it is showing up in some of the most recent linguistic research. A research practitioner named Kelli Harris-Wright has done some pioneering work with the contrastive method, which is also called the bidialectal approach, and with code switching. Harris-Wright was a classroom teacher who, in the last few years, has begun to focus her efforts toward training pre-service and practicing teachers in DeKalb County, Georgia. In Enhancing Bidialectalism in Urban African American Students she explains the contrastive method for teaching African American students to code-switch between AAVE and Standard English (SE). Contrastive analysis and code switching are both useful tools for teaching Standard English. Contrastive analysis helps students develop a conscious and rigorous awareness of the grammatical differences between home speech and school speech. After carrying out such an analysis, students can code-switch between language varieties, which involves choosing the language appropriate to the time, place, audience, and communicative purpose. One of the ways of implementing the contrastive method is through literature where the narrator uses SE and the characters, in their dialogue, use AAVE. In such a narrative, students get good models of SE and they see how it contrasts with AAVE, which, if the writer cares about her characters, is presented respectfully and typically as a very expressive manner of speech. So students in a reading like this see a positive model of SE set right alongside of a positive model of AAVE. As students discuss what they've read, they can analyze the rules underlying AAVE as well as those generating SE, all of which helps them appreciate and understand language as whole much better as the dialect contrasts bring out the underlying structures of language.

The Detrimental Effects of Complacency

2008-04-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

By far the biggest mistake we as school leaders make when trying to improve a school is forging forward without first establishing a high enough sense of urgency among the faculty. This is a fatal error because transformations are way more likely to fail when complacency levels are high.

I think that we as school leaders sometimes become so preoccupied with the everyday demands of our jobs that we get overwhelmed and often overestimate how much we can force change. Likewise, we underestimate how hard it is to drive people out of their comfort zones. We don’t recognize how our own actions can inadvertently reinforce the status quo.

I have seen how we as educators fall into bad habits that prevent us from really taking our work to the next level. We rely on our past successes, we fail to see the crises in front of us, we accept low performance standards, and we don’t elicit sufficient feedback from others. These are all disadvantageous actions that contribute to our lack of growth. The more I do this work, the more is becomes evident to me that without a sense of urgency, people don’t give that extra effort that often makes a critical difference.

Collaboration: The Key to Student Achievement

2008-03-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

Conversations at grade level meetings, dialogues between teachers in the lounge, informal talks in the hallways, and conferences between teachers and adminsitrators are all used as examples of collaboration. HOWEVER, authentic collaboration goes much deeper than this. In order to experience the benefits of true collaboration, educators must being willing to look deep within and attempt to understand what distinguishes collaboration from other types of interactions.

If you've never experienced real collaboration, you may not be able to truly appreciate what it has to offer. If we are not careful, it could become collBLABoration where teachers simply sit around and chat and/or complain about students while being resentful of all that they need to be getting done in their classrooms.

I taught for a principal who gave me what I considered a GIFT of common planning time with my colleagues every day. It was wonderful because the principal taught us how to be "critcal friends" and discuss our teaching practices in a productive and reflective way that helped us to constantly grow our skillsets. We were taught specifc protocols for looking at dilemmas pertaining to student achievement, motivation, behavior, parent situations, etc. It was common for us to conduct lesson studies during our planning times. By using the protocols, we learned how to LISTEN to feedback, not be defensive, and depersonalize the feedback by focusing on data. We got all our planning for the following week done in one day by working smarter not harder and having everbody on the same page.

As an administrator now, I wished I had paid better attention when these processes were being introduced to me because I know that I need to do the same thing for my faculty. I hope that, when the time is right, I am able to inspire and motivate them to view collaboration in the same way.

The Power of a Positive Attitude

2008-02-15T18:08:00.000-08:00

When interviewing teachers, one of the most important things that I am looking for is a positive attitude. There is so much that we as educators do not have control of (poverty, parental commitment, students' lack of experiences before entering school, etc.) The one thing that we have complete control of, however, is our attitude. If given the choice of hiring a teacher who is skillful at teaching with a poor attitude or a teacher who is lacking teaching skills with a positive attitude, I will always choose the ladder. I've had the privilege of working with educators who embrace a great sense of optimism and it is very inspiring. Teachers who approach their practice in a positive way are very genuine in their love for children. Their enthusiasm spreads like wldfire and it is so powerful! As an administrator, I have seen teachers who view everything as an insurmountable challenge and they constantly dampen everyone else's enthusiasm. It's really exhausting. Give me a teacher with lots of will and I can take care of providing her with the skill to match. As educators, we have a choice. We can view our job as an impossible challenge or we can embrace the career we have chosen by instilling in our kids a sense of efficacy.

Growth-Producing Feedback

2008-02-13T15:51:00.000-08:00

There's a ton of research out there that claims to provide edcuators with the best ideas to increase student achievement. The ideas are wide and varied, but typically include topics such as differentiation, assessment, curriculum design, and motivating at-risk students. For me, the most powerful idea that I have researched relates to feedback. Feedback is an incredibly powerful tool that has the potential to make a huge difference in student achievement and teachers have it at their disposal! When feedback is given to students properly, it makes a major difference. Students who are given specific information about the accuracy and quality of their work will spend more time and effort on achieving academic tasks. As a classroom teacher, I witnessed this first-hand when I made the decision to commit to conducting regular writing conferences with my students. I saw the writing improve- DRASTICALLY- in just a few short months. As an instructional leader, I believe that teachers also benefit greatly from specific feedback related to their practices. When I give feedback to students or teachers, my primary rule of thumb is to make sure that they know that feedback is not about praise or blame, approval or disapproval. It's about helping them to grow and improve. Ultimately, I do not want students or teachers to become dependant on my feedback. I believe that when feedback is provided in the proper manner, the recipient begins to develop the skill of self-assessment. This is my goal- to help them to become more self aware and reflective.

Rethinking Assessment Practices

2008-02-11T18:43:00.000-08:00

A defining moment in my development as an educator was when I attended a Stiggins workshop entitled "Asssessment FOR Learning." This notion of assessment FOR learning instead of assessment OF learning was the beginnning of a paragigm shift for me. Through my conversations with other edcuators and my research related to this topic, I began to realize that we (educators) typically assess the same way that we were assessed as students and we rarely stop to think about why we do what we do, or whether it is the most meaningful way to determine if our students are truly learning. As an instructional leader, I now realize that I have a responsibility to help my teachers stay focused on the ultimate goal- STUDENT LEARNING. As such, I think that one of the best ways to do this is to make the emphasize be on learning- not grading. I think it's also important to constantly build students' confidence and give them multiple opportunities and avenues for illustrating what they have learned.

Creating a Culture for Learning

2008-02-10T18:23:00.000-08:00

I've been reading so much research lately that indicates the direct link between student achievement and the principal's role in establishing a learning community. Every principal that I know entered the rpincipalship with great enthusiasm and the intent to promote a culture for learning. I have seen that some leaders are able to keep the focus on student achievement and constantly take it to the next level. I've also seen leaders who, despite their good intentions, were not successful at maintaining the goals for learning. I'm in a place in my development right now where I am constantly thinking about these kinds of things and trying to make sure that I am able to keep the focus and be the kind of instructional leader that I want to be.

The Abilene Paradox: The Management of Agreement

2008-01-09T17:47:00.000-08:00

I love to share this paradox with teachers when we begin working on committees. I explain to them that, during our work on the committee, I don't want us to ever "go to Abilene" on any decision. Teachers should not just agree to something because they think it's what everyone else wants. It's important to speak up when you don't support any idea or don't feel like you can implement it with fidelity.

That July afternoon in Coleman, Texas (population 5.607), was particularly hot-104 degrees according to the Walgreen’s Rexall’s thermometer. In addition, the wind was blowing fine-grained West Texas topsoil through the house. But the afternoon was still tolerable-even potentially enjoyable. A fan was stirring the air on the back porch; there was cold lemonade; and finally, there was entertainment. Dominoes. Perfect for the conditions. The game requires little more physical exertion than an occasional mumbled comment, “Shuffle ‘em,” and an unhurried movement of the arm to place the tiles in their appropriate positions on the table. All in all, it had the makings of an agreeable Sunday afternoon in Coleman. That is, until my father in law suddenly said, “Let’s get into the car and go to Abilene and have dinner at the cafeteria.”

I thought, “What, go to Abilene? Fifty-three miles? In the dust storm and heat? And in an unairconditioned 1958 Buick?”
But my wife chimed in with, “Sounds like a great idea. I’d like to go. How about you, Jerry?” since my own preferences were obviously out of step with the rest, I replied, “Sounds good to me,” and added, “I just hope your mother wants to go.”

“Of course I want to go,” said my mother-in-law. “I haven’t been to Abilene in a long time.”

So into the car and off to Abilene we went. Mt predictions were fulfilled. The heat was brutal. Perspiration had cemented a fine layer of dust to our skin by the time we arrived. The cafeteria’s food could serve as a first-rate prop in an antacid commercial.

Some four hours and 106 miles later, we returned to Coleman, hot and exhausted. We silently sat in front of the fan for a long time. Then, to be sociable and to break the silence, I dishonestly said, “It was a great trip, wasn’t it?” No one spoke.
Finally, my mother-in-law said, with some irritation, “Well to tell the truth, I really didn’t enjoy it much and would rather have stayed here. I just went along because the three of you were so enthusiastic about going. I wouldn’t have gone if you all hadn’t pressured me into it.”

I couldn’t believe it. “What do you mean ‘you all’?” I said. “Don’t put me in the ‘you all’ group. I was delighted to be doing what we were doing. I didn’t want to go. I only went to satisfy the rest of you. You’re the culprits.”
My wife looked shocked. “Don’t call me a culprit. You and daddy and Mama were the ones who wanted to go out in heat like that.”
Her father entered the conversation with one word: “Bull.” He then expanded on what was already absolutely clear: “Listen, I never wanted to go to Abilene. I just thought you might be bored. You visit so seldom. I wanted to be sure you enjoyed it. I would have preferred to play another game of dominoes and eat the leftovers in the icebox.”

After the outburst of recrimination, we all sat back in silence. Here we were, four reasonably sensible people who-of our own volition-had just taken a 106-mile trip across a godforsaken desert in furnace-like heat and a dust storm to eat unpalatable food at a hole-in-the-wall cafeteria in Abilene, when none of us had really wanted to go. To be concise, we’d done just the opposite of what we wanted to do. The whole situation simply didn’t make sense.

*Taken from: The Abilene Paradox and Other Meditations on Management; Harvey, Terry B.; Lexington Books, 1988 (reprinted by Fossey-Bass 1996)

Sweet Treats for Teachers

2007-12-06T18:37:00.000-08:00

Never underestimate the value of food when it comes to teachers!
I think it's a great idea to give teachers treats as a sign of appreciation for all of their hard work. Here's a few fun ideas I've tried with teachers:

Right before Fall, Winter, or Spring break, give each teacher packs of Carefree and Extra gum with a notecard that says "You deserve an Extra Carefree break for all that you do. Get some much deserved rest and relaxation!

Buy each teacher one of the gourmet Godiva mint chocolates (they come in a very nice square package) and write a little note that says, "Thanks for all of your hard work on____________. It really "mint" a lot!

Give teachers an Almond Joy and a Mounds candy bar and put a little note that says, "Thanks for the MOUNDS of JOY you bring our students everyday!"

Give each teacher a "PayDay" candy bar and a note that says "You deserve an extra Payday for all that you do."

Roll a cart around with cold cans of Coke and Diet Coke and tell each teacher to "Have a Coke and and smile (you younger teachers might not get that one).

When a teacher in your building completes an advanced degree or earns some other professional honor, buy them a bag of Smarties and give them a card that says, "You're such a Smartie. I'm so proud of you!"

There's always one teacher on the faculty that has a great sense of humor and keeps everything light-hearted. Place a Snickers candybar in that teacher's mailbox with a note that says, "I always enjoy all of our snickers. Thanks for being such a joy to be around."

Does anyone know of any more?

Peace Makers

2007-12-05T18:35:00.000-08:00

I found this great idea posted by Pam Hill, principal at Flory Academy of Sciences and Technology in Moorpark, California. I thought it was a great way to promote character education. Principal Hill says:

Each month, students who have been good citizens and met all classroom criteria for achievement during the month earn a colored strip of paper; each student writes his or her name and room number on the strip. Students in the class merge their colored strips to create a "class chain." Then students gather in our school's quadrangle for our monthly "Peacemaker" assembly. (At that assembly, two or three classes take a role in presenting the "Character Trait of the Month.") At the start of the assembly, classes are called forward one at a time. Students cheer for their class as a representative brings forward the chain they have created. That class chain is joined together with that month's chains from other classes. Will the chain extend across the entire length of the quadrangle? The chain for the month is then connected to the chains from previous months as they "wrap" along the wall of our cafegymatorium. Students love to watch the chain as it grows each month. They're always trying to get the chain to go the length of one more wall… Will it make it?

Friday Appreciation Cart

2007-12-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

I was thinking today about what kinds of things I could do to boost the morale of the teachers in my building. I believe that it would be a good idea to get a rolling cart and decorate it and place various items on it for teachers to choose. I could roll the cart around every Friday and let the teachers choose something. It could have things like:

Boxes of Kleenex
POST-IT Notes
Sodas/Bottles of Water
Chocolate Bars
Baby Wipes
Markers
Pens
Highlighters
Lotion
Herbal Tea Packets
Stationary
Granola Bars

It might be possible to get parents to donate things for the cart too. The small token of appreciation is a nice gesture, but my prediction is that teachers will be much more touched by the fact that you have taken the time to walk around the entire building to say thanks in person to each teacher. A note with words of praise and appreciation placed in the teacher's box are fine, but you still need to make sure that you are providing them with face-to-face praise as well.