3 Things I Look for In a Leader

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There are so many articles on what makes a great leader and being around so many great administrators, I thought about the people that made a difference in my career and helped me reach greater heights. It is a simple list, but sometimes the simpler, the better.

  1. They have your back.

    I remember early on in my career; I did something extremely dumb in my classroom that was innocent enough but had zero ill-intent. It caused no harm at all, but a parent complained and had set up a meeting with the principal and myself.  The principal assured the parent that it was nothing significant and that I had shown myself as an excellent teacher and had cared tremendously about the students.  The parent, walked out feeling comfortable with the meeting but the second they left, my principal said, “What were you thinking?!?!?!”  He knew I screwed up although I didn’t mean to, he made sure that I would be more thoughtful in the future.  What I appreciated was that he had my back with the parent.  He didn’t absolve me of responsibility, but he was kind and thoughtful in the meeting and knew that I just made a mistake and it was not that big of a deal in the big picture of things.

    There are many educators who are pushing themselves to be better for their students and with that, comes taking risks. If you have a leader who you know has your back, you are more willing to take those risks.

  2. They push you to become better.

    Although having your back is essential, it is important a leader pushes as well. When I hear teachers say, “My principal is great because they just leave me alone,” that is always a warning sign for me.  Growth will be limited, and many great educators have outgrown their leaders because they felt they had become stagnant.  It is great when you know someone supports you, but if you are not being pushed to grow, you may regress.  What great leaders do to “push” others is often adjust to the person in front of them. Some may need more pressure, while others may wilt under the same conditions. Either way, they find a way to bring out more in the people they serve.

  3. They care about you as a person first, worker second.

    I have had some personal moments in my career where my work was nowhere in my mind.  The best leader I had ever had knew I had some personal struggles, and encouraged me NOT to come to work and take some time to get better.  She had told me, “If you don’t deal with these personal problems, you are going to struggle at work as well.  Take time and get better. Your job will always be here.”  I never felt she was ever focused on the “bottom line” but always on what I needed to be better in all facets of life.  This made me go to the ends of the earth for her because I always knew she valued me as a person first and an educator second.  Little moments here and there, asking how you are doing, checking in, conversations about interests that have nothing to do with school, are investments that you are making people, and people, will always be your most significant resource.  This is a simple tip, but it is always a good reminder for leaders everywhere.

These are the things that worked for me, and I would love to know what your best leaders did to get you to achieve at your highest levels.

Simon Sinek Quote: “The leaders who get the most out of their people are the leaders who care most about their people.”

A Reminder for Those Tough Moments with Students

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Early in my teaching career, I remember many nights where I would come home and cry.

Non-stop crying.

It wasn’t because of how exhausting the work was (because it was), but it was often because of an adverse interaction with a student that day.  One time specifically, I remember a student telling me to go “do something” to myself because I asked them to come into the school from physical education class.  That was it.  I took it personally and saw this as a reflection of myself, and although I didn’t show it at the moment to the student, I was extremely upset about the interaction.

Now I often had a great rapport with so many students, but little interactions like this would get to me.  But then we had an opening day speaker that said something to the audience that I remember to this day and have always held on to in my head.

“Never let an eight-year-old ruin your day.”

It was a simple statement, and it made sense. He further went on to elaborate that many of the bad interactions were not about what you (the teacher) was doing, but what the student was going through outside of school. I have been reminding groups that I have been working with that school is the most joyous place for many of our students. I know that in some of my discussions with learners over the years, that they are going through things as kids that I am not sure I could handle as an adult.

Here is what I am NOT saying:

  1. That we shouldn’t have high expectations for the behavior of our students and that we shouldn’t create a respectful environment for all of us to be a part of and feel valued.
  2. That we should never have self-accountability for our time with our students. There are times where I could have been better in a moment and I tried my best to apologize immediately to my students if I wasn’t the best I could be.
  3. That we can’t be vulnerable and show our students that we are hurt by their words or actions at that moment.
  4. That we shouldn’t care deeply for our students and be emotionless when we have bad interactions.

I am saying that it is important that many of the things that I took personally as a teacher were not personal at all. They were about the student and not me. This quote from “Lost at School” by Ross W. Greene is a great reminder:

“Challenging behavior occurs when the demands and expectations being placed upon a child outstrip the skills he has to respond adaptively.”

I have had students say horrible things to me and then tell them, “I don’t appreciate that you are saying that, but I am going to stick with you through this.”  It is not always easy. I have done my best to let students know that when they are struggling that I am going to do my best to be there and support them.  It is not easy, but in my head, I would say to myself over and over again, “This is not about you. This is not about you. This is not about you.”

Challenging behaviors can be just that; challenging. But in my own experience, I have found that the best way to move forward, and what I had seen modeled my many amazing teachers I have had the privilege to work with, was to care more for the student at that moment as they needed it. It didn’t solve all of the problems I faced, but it did stop a lot of my own crying after school.

Our expectations for our students should always be high but just a reminder that many of our negative interactions are more about the student than anything. I did my best to help them grow in that moment and place the focus on them instead of myself.

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10 Easy Ways to Create an Awesome School District Culture

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In the past, I have written about some simple ideas that can help improve the culture in both the classroom and school setting.  In this post, I want to focus on some quick things that can be done at the central office level that will create a culture where people feel valued and will also push themselves to become better at what they do.  These suggestions are from a mix of things that I have done in the past as well as things that I have seen done by great leaders at the district office level.

1. Get into classrooms and schools as much as possible.

If you are going to make decisions that impact classrooms, you need to be in those classrooms as much as possible.

This can be as simple taking your laptop or device to a classroom and answering emails, or filling out documents that might be needed later. These things do not always have to be done in a physical office, and even though you might not be as efficient, this process can be much more valuable.

One thing to note is that I am not suggesting you go into the classrooms to observe teachers, but more importantly, to see the environment they work in so that you do as much as possible to remove as many barriers as possible.

2. Know and find the names of the people you serve.

No matter your position, never assume someone knows your name. Introduce yourself, ask names, and get to know them in some way.  I have worked in districts for many years that the superintendent had no clue who I was, while in another school district, I met and connected with the entire central office team on the first day.  I would see them often, and they would always address me by my first name, and I will tell you, it made me feel not only much more valued, but comfortable to share thoughts and ideas with them. It is much harder to learn from the people you serve if they are not comfortable talking to you in the first place.

3. Learn with your community.

Many people at the central office level are the ones delivering professional learning opportunities, which often means they are pushing people into their own learning and development.  But what does it say when you partake in professional learning opportunities WITH the people you serve as an active participant?

This is not limited to central office staff.  I have seen many times where politicians, who are often the most known voice in the community representing education, come to a session or conference, deliver their thoughts, and then leave the second they are done and are off to the next engagement.  What does this say to the group that you are “leading?”

Do not expect the people you serve to push themselves and take risks in their learning and development unless you are willing to model that for them as well.

4. Teach.

My friend Tony Sinanis, would often go into classrooms as a superintendent and read books to students or teach them concepts.  This says something really powerful to the people you serve, while also giving you an opportunity to connect directly with students.

A simple suggestion I have for learning facilitators at the central office level is not always to be the one working with teachers.  If you work with some that is doing great things in the classroom, find a way to cover their class and have them work directly with their colleagues.  This not only builds leadership and culture, but it also builds relationships and shows value to the people you serve.

This leads to the next suggestion.

5. Provide leadership opportunities.

Great leaders develop great leaders.  What are the opportunities in your district that you can provide that for your staff to expand their own learning and leadership abilities?  Many districts I have worked with have created opportunities for “Innovative Teaching and Learning Leads” where they work with a group of staff to provide them with leadership opportunities to work with staff.  This not only spreads knowledge and wisdom, but it also shows value to the people that are in your organization.

Do everything in your power to debunk the idea that “you can’t be a prophet in your own land.” Some of the best educators in the world are probably right in your own organization. Tap into them and give them opportunities to share their expertise.

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6. Respond to people on social media via school or district hashtags.

As many districts are promoting educators to share their learning online, as well as things happening in their classrooms, ensure that you let them know their efforts do not go unnoticed.  In my own experience, I always carved out time to respond to both student and staff blogs so that they knew I was learning along with them and I valued what they were sharing.

I remember one of my superintendents responding at about 11:30 PM on a Friday night to some excellent work that a teacher had done in their school. By 11:35 PM that same night, the teacher had responded right back.  She had talked to me and told me how excited she was that she received the acknowledgment for her efforts.

If you see something great, do not let an opportunity pass by without acknowledging it.

7. Use video to connect when you can’t physically be in classrooms.

If you think a picture is worth a thousand words, what do you think a video is worth?

An easy way to connect in large districts when you cannot physically be in schools or classrooms as much as you like is to share little video reflections to a hashtag of the great stuff you are seeing. Not only does this the acknowledge the great work of so many people making incredible things happen in your schools, but it also helps to spread ideas while creating visibility.

If you don’t think you have time for this, realize this is as simple as recording a video on your mobile device as you are walking to your car while leaving a school.  It doesn’t have to be a big production or professionally done (which sometimes actually freaks people out because they might be intimidated by the “perfect” video and not try themselves), but it can be something as simple as a 30-second reflection video.

8. Lose the entourage.

If you are coming from central office and you are always with a large group of people and do the five-minute visit into the classroom, you may be causing more issues in classrooms, while also being intimidating to staff. It is much easier to approach one person from your central office than it is five.  

I am not saying that you should never go to schools in groups, but I am suggesting that you should NOT only go to schools in groups.  Simple things like having lunch at schools, talking to staff and students can strengthen relationships and are great opportunities to learn how you can best serve the people that work closest with students.

9. Remove as many barriers as possible.

This is something that I have always reminded central office; your job is to remove as many barriers as possible, not create them to justify your work. I remember that within a two to four week period every year, each department had sent out “surveys” to staff to get feedback on their work.  Although the intent was in the right place, this became another thing for many teachers as it felt like more time was spent filling out forms for central office than there was for teaching and learning.

Long emails, myriads of forms to fill out, and hoops to jump, often cause more issues than solve.  The more barriers you can remove, the more time and energy can be harnessed toward doing great work for and with our students.

10. Show appreciation daily.

One of my former superintendents would make it a daily ritual to sit in her office and write letters (not emails) to staff and acknowledge something great they had done.  Daily.

I remember seeing one of these envelopes in my mailbox and having so much anxiety and then reading it and feeling so appreciated.

Understand, there is some selfishness in this as well. People will benefit from knowing they are appreciated, but starting off with a daily ritual of acknowledging the great work of people is also a great way to start a day positively.  The benefits are abundant.

With all of these ideas shared above (please feel free to share more in the comments), one thing I want to remind people is always to be approachable. I have worked for central office staff that I feared to even talk to, and I have worked with central office staff that did so much to show me that I was appreciated and valuable.  The latter ensured that I would want to excel.

Always remember…The higher you go up in any organization, the more people you serve, not the other way around.

With this mentality, you become the pathway for those you serve, not the obstacle.

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The Reality of Finding a Path to Success

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I see this often.

Two districts, same area, province or state.

One that says, “This is something that we can’t do.”

The other says, “Here is how we are doing that same thing.”

Understand, these places often have very similar constraints. Budgets, mandated curriculum, tests, etc.  One finds a way to make it work, and the other identifies all the ways it won’t.

I say this all the time; somebody, somewhere, is doing the exact thing you say you can’t do. They are just finding a way.  Mindset matters. 

So here are four steps to make things happen in your classroom or district.

  1. Identify what you want to do.
  2. Find someone else who is doing it and learn from them.
  3. If number two doesn’t work, figure out how you can make it happen yourself.

But number 4 is THE most critical part of this and could easily be number one.

4. Want to make it happen.

If you want to make it happen, you will figure things out.  It might not be easy, but it will happen.

Visionary Superintendent, Julie Mitchell, shared this beautiful visual reminder about the road to success.

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We can be our own pathway or our own obstacle.  This doesn’t mean things won’t get in your way, but the path to success is often a bumpy road.

Find a way.

3 Challenges for the Future of Education

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I was recently sent an email and asked to identify some of the challenges I see for the future of learning in education.  These are things that I have noticed through my travels and after countless conversations with educators, and things that I have seen in my work.

Although I am providing challenges, I am not necessarily giving solutions but am using this space to work out some of my ideas.

1. Focusing on deep learning that is extremely hard to quantify in a world that is placing more value on everything being quantified.

The term “data-driven” is one that has driven me crazy for some time now.  But the focus on reducing everything to letters and numbers is not unique to education.  I often think of the movie “Moneyball,” and how baseball teams are moving toward sports analytics in scouting and putting teams together.

But “deep learning” is much harder to quantify, especially if we believe that there are multiple solutions to any given problem.

And these “unquantifiable skills” are necessary when we live in a time where if a job can be automated, it probably will. 

According to the “World Economic Forum,” these are the “10 Skills” that will be needed for the future of work.

 

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A couple of things about this image.

a) Many of those skills listed are very hard to measure through the use of mere numbers.

b) The purpose of school is not solely to prepare students for a workforce, but if you look at those skills listed, can they not go into many aspects of life?  If schools were to develop the skills listed needed for 2020, the hope is that we are not merely preparing our students for the future, but we are preparing them to create a better future.

We need to focus less on helping students suit a path, and more on students creating their own way.  The shift in the world to focusing more on the “data” is often preparing students for a box that will no longer exist.

DO NOT READ THE LAST POINT IN SAYING THAT WE SHOULD NOT FOCUS ON THE “BASICS.”

It is that we need to go so much further beyond what we know, to what we create with what we know.

This is one of my favourite quotes from Katie Martin, author of “Learner-Centred Innovation”:

How we measure things in a time where we are trying to do things that are extremely hard to measure is a major challenge for education.

This leads to the next point.

2. Shifting mindsets of what learning is about what learning can be in the future. How do we take advantage of the opportunities in front of us and leverage them instead of pushing them away?

There is often a push that many adults are successful because of what they did in school, and I will readily admit, there are many things that I did during my time as a student that has benefitted me considerably today. But many of those things were taught outside of the classroom. Playing sports taught me leadership skills, work ethic, and how to work with a team.  Participating in drama after school taught me many of the skills that I use as a speaker today.  As noted in the last point, learning basic skills were beneficial to me today, but I am not sure that I really walked out of school “loving to learn,” but I developed that much later in my adult life.

I struggle with “programs” that are meant to fix schools, and it is why I have focused on “mindset” helping to develop our skill-set.  My friend AJ Juliani sums this up beautifully:

The only constant we can count on is change.  Embracing change and creating positive change are skills of the mind that we have to develop in ourselves as well as our students.  If things didn’t change over time, we would all still be writing in hieroglyphics, but literacy, like learning, is an ever-evolving process.

3. How do we focus more on keeping our humanity in education and learning while there is so much focus on technology and automation?

Technology is everywhere, and although that creates great opportunity, we also have to ensure that we keep our humanity.  It is easy to criticize and challenge people when you are behind a keyboard because you do not necessarily see the impact that you had on another human being.  The few seconds it takes to make a harsh criticism to an individual online, could make a negative effect on the receiver of the comment for days, months, or even longer.

This is not to say that we don’t challenge one another for growth, but how we do it is crucial.  I have found irony in the fact that I know many people who tweet about the importance of “mental health” have also stated the importance of “developing a thick skin” when dealing with criticism that tends to focus more on the person than the idea.  If we use technology to dehumanize one another, I want no part of it.

So how does this apply beyond society and to the future of learning?  Many schools are moving toward the notion of “personalized learning” which, in many ways, looks like a computer learns the students, and modifies to their individual needs. To me, this often looks “personalized and dehumanizing” at the same time.

On the other hand, the “personalization of learning” says something much different to me.  In my time working with Del Mar schools this past year, their focus on this was more about knowing the students and building learning around their passions, interests, and strengths, while still teaching the curriculum.  Here is an easy way to think of it; as a child, I hated reading in schools because I was continuously forced to read things that I hated. If I had the opportunity to read non-fiction in schools (beyond textbooks) and focus on sports, I probably would have walked out of school loving reading and learning, and wouldn’t have had to develop that on my own.  Even Fountas and Pinnell, the educators who developed the “leveling system” that many schools use today, say you should focus more on “interest” than “level.” 

If schools only focus on “content,” they are already irrelevant.  Content can be found anywhere.  But if we focus first on relationships and our humanity, while teaching content in compelling and empowering ways that put the needs of the learner first, the future of schools will always be safe.

The challenges I have listed above are ones that can be easily solved and used as ways for schools to thrive in the future, but it will take a compelling vision and educators working together to create opportunities that take advantage of the time we live in, not ignore it.

The Most Important Element to Innovation in Education

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What is the most crucial element to innovation in education?

People.

That’s it.

Take care of the people that you serve.

Develop them.

Feed their mind and soul.

Build trust in a culture of competitive-collaboration where we both push and support one another, and you can have one of the most innovative schools/organizations in the world.

No program, technology, idea, or anything else will ever be as important to what you do in schools as the people in front of you.  Those things can support innovation, but they will not make it happen on their own. People will.

Many schools have done amazing things with a lack of resources because they focused on creating an abundance in their people first, and saw the “stuff” as a very distant second.

If we want to create new and better learning opportunities for our students, you will have to always be full-throttle on serving your people, no matter your position.

Developing Wisdom in Schools

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Image result for Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end. Leonard Nimoy

I have been reading, “The Seven Decisions; Understanding the Keys to Personal Success,” by Andy Andrews, and this quote on “wisdom” stuck with me:

Most people mistake wisdom for education, like a high school diploma or college degree. Seeking wisdom is not the same as gaining knowledge: Knowledge is a precursor to wisdom. Wisdom includes an intuitive element, an insight gained from personal experience that serves us as we make choices in our lives. Seeking wisdom should be a continual process.

For me, it is easy to identify between “knowledge” and “wisdom”.  I have met many people who have large amounts of knowledge who do not necessarily have wisdom, but I have never met someone who was wise and didn’t have an abundance of knowledge.

When I look up the definition, here is what I am referring to:

…the soundness of an action or decision with regard to the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment.

But this quote makes the most sense:

“Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.” ~ Unknown

This is something that we want from our students but in the past, has the system of “school” taken away the application of wisdom from teachers?

In the book, “Practical Wisdom,” Barry Schwartz shares the following observation from the “No Child Left Behind” initiative: 

Supporters of lockstep curricula and high-stakes standardized tests were not out to undermine the wisdom, creativity, and energy of good teachers. The scripted curricula and tests were aimed at improving the performance of weak teachers in failing schools—or forcing them out. If lesson plans were tied to tests, teachers’ scripts would tell them what to do to get the students ready. If students still failed, the teachers could be “held accountable.” Equality would seemingly be achieved (no child left behind) by using the same script, thus giving the same education to all students. But this also meant that all teachers, novice or expert, weak or strong, would be required to follow the standardized system.

Teachers on the front lines often point to the considerations left out of the teach-to-test paradigm. Tests are only one indicator of student learning, and poor performance on tests has other causes aside from poor teaching—poorly funded urban schools, students from poor or immigrant backgrounds with few resources at home and sometimes little or no English, overcrowded classrooms with not enough teachers, poor facilities, lack of books and equipment, students with learning problems or other disabilities. But one of the chief criticisms many teachers make is that the system is dumbing down their teaching. It is de-skilling them. It is not allowing them—or teaching them—the judgment they need to do good teaching. They are encouraged, says education scholar professor Linda Darling-Hammond, “to present material that [is] beyond the grasp of some and below the grasp of others, to sacrifice students’ internal motivations and interests in the cause of ‘covering the curriculum,’ and to forgo the teachable moment, when students [are] ready and eager to learn, because it [happens] to fall outside of the prescribed sequence of activities.”

Sooner or later, “turning out” kids who can turn out the right answers the way you turn out screws, or hubcaps, comes to seem like normal practice. Worse, it comes to seem like “best practice.”

Does what Schwartz describes still happen in classrooms? From my travels, some teachers still discuss how they are bound by things like scripted curricula or a laser-like focus on doing the “test”, has hampered their ability to serve the students in front of them.

From what I have read on the “No Child Left Behind” act, my understanding was the intent to ensure every child got the same education. But the problem is that every child did not necessarily receive what they needed.

As we look forward to the work we do in education, is “wisdom” something that we see as important in education?  My focus on shifting from “engagement” to “empowerment” is not about saying knowledge is not essential, but as I think about it, it is to develop the wisdom in our student and educators to use what they know in a way that gives them the opportunity for ownership over their path, and the ability to lead others.

To do this, wisdom is needed, but it is a trait that can be nurtured and developed at all levels in education.

Image result for "Wisdom is not wisdom when it is derived from books alone." ~ Horace

3 Important Factors in Asking Better Questions

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Image result for “It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” – Eugene Ionesco

It seems like every day I’m blessed to work with teachers and administrators who are doing incredible things with and for students and are providing opportunities that I could not dream of when I went to school. The rate of change in classrooms has been incredible, and the shift to delivering both engaging and empowering opportunities for students to develop as creators and learners both in and out of school has been incredible.  It has been humbling to learn from so many educators all over the world, both online and offline.

What I have noticed through the process of talking with these individuals is that they are continuously focused on asking questions rather than thinking they know all of the answers. It is not that they aren’t extremely knowledgeable educators, but they know that their growth individually and as an organization depends on continuing to ask questions and learn from others. 

This past year, I had the opportunity to chat with Will Richardson, and he said something to me that made me pause and stretched my thinking. As someone who I have always appreciated and has pushed my learning. He stated, “I am not sure of the answers, but I am trying to ask better questions.”  

This quote from Sylvia Earle is essential for the growth of learners, both young and old:

“The best scientists and explorers have the attributes of kids! They ask questions and have a sense of wonder. They have curiosity. ‘Who, what, where, why, when and how!’ They never stop asking questions, and I never stop asking questions, just like a five year old.” – Sylvia Earle

Although questions can be powerful, your demeanor and reception to the answers are also crucial.  Anyone can ask questions, but what you do when you receive the answers is extremely important.

Here is what I have noticed from the leaders that I have worked with in all roles of education, and things that I am personally trying to work on:

  1. They show humility.

    When asking a question, they are humble and curious about the answer they receive.  They are not looking for “their answer,” otherwise the “question” was more as a test than it was to learn and grow in a genuine manner.    It doesn’t mean that they have to agree with the answer, but they are open to learning and understanding the experience from a differing viewpoint.  Every person we work with has different knowledge, strengths, and experiences and  as Dale Carnegie states in “How To Win Friends and Influence People”: “Every man is my superior in some way. In that, I learn from him.”Leading to the next idea.
  2. They genuinely listen to the answer.
    “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Stephen R. Covey

    Sometimes, and I am guilty of this myself, we ask questions that we want to hear our answer.  But taking time to listen really, soak in and understand information, is a skill that needs to be developed. If we aren’t willing to listen to the answer, the question shouldn’t have been asked in the first place.
  3. They connect their learning to their context.
    When we ask questions, blindly accepting what you find is not a good strategy.  But in every context and community, the same “answer” can look different, and opportunities for learning are apparent if you are willing to look for them. Even in the “bad answers” we can learn. Connecting ideas, both in and out of education, can lead to more creative solutions.

    In the article. “This One Habit Will Take Your Creative Thinking to the Next Level,” the author discusses the idea of “cognitive entrenchment,” which can hold“Someone who is solely focused on their industry has less chance of making a creative breakthrough than someone who can import perspectives and heuristics and ideas from other industries. In psychology, there’s a concept called ‘cognitive entrenchment’ that basically says it’s harder to be creative in a field the longer you’re in it if you don’t get outside much. This is why I’m convinced that Einstein’s playing a mean violin–not to mention looking at patents in umpteen different fields at his desk job–was helpful to him in his physics work.”

    We can learn from anywhere if we are willing to be observant.

    I have always focused on relationships as it is impossible to carbon copy solutions and for the outcomes to be the same. Individuals and communities are different, and if one thing worked for everyone, then we would all know that one thing.  Applying what you have learned in your context is crucial in serving the people in front of you.  I believe that the best research any educator can do is knowing the student in front of them.

Genuine curiosity is crucial in growth and development, individually and as schools and organizations. Asking better questions, being humble, genuinely listening with the intent to understand, and trying to connect what we learn in our context is crucial to when we find the answers and will ensure that we won’t have to speak for our work, but our work will speak for itself.

3 Reminders for the Beginning of the School Year

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It is such a pleasure to work with schools at the beginning of the year. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to hopefully push thinking on what is possible for the upcoming school year, while appreciating the hard work of educators, and hopefully inspiring them through some humor and fun.  For my presentations and my life, I try to live by these words from the late Jim Valvano:

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So as you enter the school year (or are in the middle of it depending on where you teach in the world), here are a few reminders for the school year.

  1. For some students, school is their happy place, and they missed their happy place. In the past few years, I have met students from all over the world, and they have inspired from me with stories of perseverance and thriving through tremendous adversity. Honestly, adversity that I do not think I could have dealt with as a child.

    On the first day of school, many teachers, myself included, would focus on the “rules” of the classroom.  Later in my career, I focused more on relationship building and creating a joyous but challenging environment in the first week more than I did on “rules.” This continued throughout the year. This doesn’t mean “school” should always be “fun,” but it is way easier to struggle in an environment that you enjoy being a part of, then one you hate coming to every single day.

    For some students, school is the best place they are in all day.  I am not saying schools should fix all societal issues, but I know that we can create an environment where students feel appreciated, and like educators, will more likely thrive in that type of setting.

  2. No matter how happy (or sad) your colleagues or students seem, don’t hesitate to share a kind word or action.

    It is pretty natural to see someone as positive and happy and believe that they don’t need recognition or a kind word. It is often common that some of the people we see as the happiest are still fighting battles that we do not understand. Going out of your way to share a kind word, saying hi in the hallway (always), or showing appreciation for great work, can make a world of difference. Displaying kindness can take seconds but can make someone’s whole day. Always assume that there is something you can do to make another person’s day better.

  3. Give everyone a new beginning.

    We know that kids should always start every single day with a new beginning.  Things may have happened in the past, but if a school is a place where we are supposed to grow, we need to give our students a fresh start so that they can step into that growth.  As a principal, I remember having to suspend students and when they would come back to school, the first thing I focused on was talking to them as a person, not focusing on the unfavorable action. I wanted to make sure that they knew that although they made a mistake, they were a valued part of our community and that we were excited for them to be back and making a positive contribution to our environment.  It made a difference for myself and hopefully our students.

    But do not reserve the “fresh beginning” for students.  Staff can get pigeon-holed and the only way they can get a new start is if they leave or a new administrator enters the building.  Expect your colleagues to impress you and most often they will.  I am not going to pretend this is easy, but I will say it is important.  The “fresh start” should not be reserved only for your students.

I would love any reminders that you have for educators to be shared in the comments below, and to all of the educators starting a new school year, I hope it is your best one yet!

Moving Beyond a “Growth Mindset”

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This is an image I modified from the book, “The Growth Mindset Coach,” and then added my column for “The Innovator’s Mindset“:

As focusing on a “growth mindset” has become amazingly popular in schools, there have been several criticisms that the work is not beneficial, or sometimes misinterpreted. All fair criticisms of the work, even coming from Carol Dweck herself.

Although I truly believe that there is no “mindset” that applies to every situation; I have a very fixed mindset about skydiving. I also believe that the notion of not having a growth mindset has been used to label people that don’t agree with a certain direction of an organization or school. Many people challenge, not to hold on, but to move forward.

But with any idea, there are interpretations and modifications that are made to apply to the context people are working within.  There is no idea that can be simply carbon copied to work with students.  People use Hattie’s work all of the time, but the factors that are deemed to “work” do not necessarily work with all students in all situations.  We have to remember that people are always a variable, and we have to realize that people have different experiences, as well as wants and needs for their own personal growth.  I recently read a quote (paraphrasing) that research should be used to influence practice, not determine the exact path.  This combines both the “science” and “art” of teaching.

I do this activity after I do a keynote where I have people write down, what they hope to get out of the day, and what they would like to learn moving forward.  Even though the same keynote is shared with everyone, the answers from individuals vary greatly, and then I reshape the day on what the learners need, not on what I want to teach them.

With all this being said, this is why I have been focusing on helping people develop an “innovator’s mindset” in their work.  As defined in my work:

Similar to the idea of not having a growth mindset in all situations, this mindset does not apply to anything and everything. It is also meant to be an extension of the concept of the “growth mindset,” not a competing idea.  The simplest way I explain this to people is that I do not want our students to only “learn” math, but to be able to do something with the math they have learned.  This quote from Thomas Friedman really makes sense to me:

But this cannot be reserved for only students, but something we develop in adults as well.  I want to be a person that creates opportunities for myself and for those that I serve based on what I know.

Too often though, people connect the word “innovation” to “entrepreneurship,” but it can be applied to any position and any role. My first assistant principal exemplified this mindset in spades, as not only was she amazingly knowledgeable, she would continuously create opportunities for students and staff without waiting for any direction from myself as the principal.  I cannot remember asking her to do one thing in my role as principal, because she was always so far ahead creating so many incredible opportunities for others.  So many educators do the same within the constraints of doing their job, balancing doing what they have to do, while ensuring they find a way to do what is important. That is the “Innovator’s Mindset” exemplified.

Something I believe:

Image result for you can initiate change not going away @gcouros

Again, there are some spaces when change is thrust upon me, and sometimes when I create it for myself.  It is not an “all or nothing” scenario. But, as we look to the future of schools, I hope that we focus on how to empower our students to find and create their pathways, by modeling the same mindset ourselves.