Empowering Students in the Day-To-Day Operations of Our Schools

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The word “technology” was in my title for a large part of my career as a teacher, with the hopes that I would work with colleagues on finding meaningful ways to implement technology within the curriculum. Yet, simply having “technology” in my title meant to many others on my staff that I could and should fix anything that was technology related in the school. Literally. Anything that had electricity was fair game. I hated it.

One day, I was asked to fix something in a classroom and I was busy working with students so I asked some of my tech-savvy students to go and check in and help the teacher that was asking for help. While I was annoyed with the request, to be honest, my students were excited with the opportunity. They went to the teacher’s classroom immediately, helped them out, and came back and asked if they could do that again in the future.

LIGHT BULB MOMENT!

From then on, they became the student tech team and all requests went their way to help teachers with technology issues in the school. I was a last resort if the students were stuck, yet they never asked me for help. It was beautiful.

So many schools do things similar to this today, and I think it goes beyond taking something off of a teacher’s plate. It is about giving students ownership over the building. Do you remember when students used to pop keys off the keyboard? That ended altogether in our school because students would stop each other because they knew they would have to fix it eventually. Through the process of empowering students in the day-to-day dealings of a school, I unintentionally created a situation where students took more pride in their school because it became “theirs” through the process. They felt valued because they were given ownership over important aspects of the operations of the school.

Making sure that a) students feel that they are valued and needed for school and b) have true ownership, is something that is beneficial to students as individuals and the school community as a whole.

How do you give students ownership over your school community?

Learning From Mistakes but Not Allowing it to Hold Yourself Back

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This article struck me on “self-compassion.” Here is a snippet:

Many would jump to the conclusion that academic excellence is bolstered by self-esteem, which can certainly help. But there’s a dark side to focusing solely on helping your child boost his or her self-esteem (as you’ll see in a second).

The better way forward? Focus on teaching your child self-compassion.

University of Texas psychology professor Kristin Neff, author of Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself, told KQED that self-esteem is about value:

Self-esteem is a judgment about how valuable I am: very valuable, not so good, not valuable at all. In contrast, self-compassion isn’t about self-evaluation at all. It’s about being kind to oneself. Self-compassion is a healthy source of self-worth because it’s not contingent and it’s unconditional. It’s much more stable over time because it’s not dependent on external markers of success such as grades.

So am I saying we should teach children to not care about grades? Not at all. It’s a matter of whether your child sees grades as the ultimate end goal or a positive side effect of embracing the learning process.

Neff says most of us motivate ourselves through self-criticism. Your child is aware of the consequences of failing that test. But the side effects of this approach are perfectionism, a fear of failure, and even procrastination because the fear of not measuring up can be paralyzing.

Although it is meant to focus on children and parenting, couldn’t we all do this better?  The part in the article where it shares to help children to “encourage them to support themselves as they would a friend” hit me especially hard. I can be tough on my friends, but I can be horrible to myself.

As I read this, I thought of how we need to teach ourselves to hold ourselves accountable and learn through moments of our failings but also not to let it stop us from moving forward.

I will have to digest this more, but you can read the full article here. 

Explore Dream Discover

Where do you focus your attention for the growth of your organization?

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Have you ever done a presentation and gotten overwhelmingly positive feedback but also that one negative, snarky comment that you just can’t get out of your mind? We have all been there in some form, and although we know it can be irrational we still get stuck on it.  We can learn from negative comments but we can also get lost in them.

You can pay attention to the negative feedback, but you don’t have to dwell on it.

I thought of this as I was speaking with a group yesterday and how they help move their staff forward.  When many people ask this question, they are not thinking about the people that actively want to grow and get better but those that are “roadblocks” to growth.

There are some important distinctions that need to be made here.  We often interchangeably see those that want to grow as the “high achievers,” but that is not always true.  There are some that currently excel in their roles yet do not feel the need to grow. They will eventually be surpassed.

As for those that are “roadblocks,” it is important to note that these aren’t the people who don’t criticize and challenge ideas (which is essential to the growth of individuals and organizations) but are those that have a problem with every solution and provide no solutions themselves.  A question I often pose is, “are you challenging this to move forward or to stand still?”

So why does all this matter?

We spend a lot of our time trying to convince the “unconvinceable,” and believe that if we can just get those few to move forward, all of our problems will be solved.  Those people that aren’t wanting to thrive get left behind and lose out on the push and mentorship they crave, which ultimately leads to either their regression or them leaving your organization altogether.

If we spend time nurturing, developing, and pushing those that want to grow, they will.  But those people won’t only improve; they will be empowered to do the same for others and build a stronger culture that helps those that are resistant to grow themselves. 

It is much easier for a culture to move someone forward than it is for any one individual.

Placing an emphasis on those that are eager to learn will lead to accelerated growth of individuals and organizations. You can pay attention to the negative, but it doesn’t mean it should define ourselves, our journey, or destination.

The Importance of Not Stepping In

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I had a fantastic opportunity to do a student podcast recently, and although the students were there to ask me questions, I took a lot of time to ask them about their own experiences in school. Honestly, I would rather hear from them and their perspectives than I would talk so I tried to get in as many questions as possible.  It was such a pleasure to connect with these students.

We got onto the topic of “empowering” students and why I thought it was so important. Something they said triggered a thought I had about one of my favorite basketball coaches of all time, Phil Jackson.  For those who don’t know Phil Jackson, he is famous for coaching the Michael Jordan Bulls and the Lakers to 11 total NBA championships, the most of any coach in the NBA. His resume is incredible as a coach.

There was something that he would do that was unlike any other coach that was meant for the long-term success of his teams.  Usually, when a basketball team is facing a situation where the momentum is shifting, and sometimes the crowd is getting rowdier or losing interest in their own team, the majority of coaches will call a timeout to regroup their players.  I have watched basketball enough that I can tell when a timeout is about to be taken because you can feel it in the stadium. Phil Jackson would often just let his players stay on the court and let them try to figure out, even when the pressure was high, to get themselves out of a bad situation.  The mentality was that there might be a situation in a playoff game that the team is either limited in timeouts or doesn’t have one at all, and the coach won’t be able to save them. It is better for the team to learn how to figure it out on their own while actively playing in the game.

Do you see a connection to a classroom?  Often, as a teacher or principal we want to jump in when our students struggle with new learning in a situation, but what does that lead to when they are on their own?  I have talked often about working with students that were sent to the office for behavioral issues, and I would merely ask, “Why are you here?” and then follow the answer to that with, “What would you do if you were me?”  The point of those questions was for the students to develop the skills and mentality to be able to figure out tough situations on their own since we know we will not always be around.

When you look at the situation with school or coaching, when we empower others, we have to realize that what is most comfortable for us at the moment can lead to detrimental consequences in the long term.  Giving up ownership now can help our students figure out their direction in the future. Engagement is more about today where empowerment is about leading to better choices and application both today and tomorrow.  It is not always easy, but ultimately it will be worth it.

Connecting Personalized Professional Learning to a Bigger Purpose

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I received this question and image from David Voves today regarding a passage from “The Innovator’s Mindset“:

“Reading today and with personalized pd, I always question what I have in orange. Wondering if you could give me insight?”

“Personalized Learning” for educators is something that is gaining more traction in education, and rightfully so.  If you want someone to be innovative in an area, they are more likely to bring and create powerful ideas in something they are passionate about as opposed to an area in which they don’t care.  When I think about how to effectively empower educators to create personalized professional learning for themselves, I often think of Google’s “20% time”, where employees had 20% of their own time to move forward Google as an organization.

“We encourage our employees, in addition to their regular projects, to spend 20 per cent of their time working on what they think will most benefit Google. This empowers them to be more creative and innovative. Many of our significant advances have happened in this manner.”

A couple of things about the above quote:

  1. It is personalized YET ties directly to moving the company forward (“will most benefit Google”).
  2. The quote is taken from this article which challenges the ideas that 20% time wasn’t 20% of 100%, but was more of an “overtime” initiative and more like “120% time”.

Why do these two points matter?  Let’s start with the second point first.

If you are passionate as an organization to provide opportunities for personalized professional learning in your organization, you have to create time where it can happen. Right now, we are more at an “overworked” crisis than ever and anything that you see as that will genuinely move your organization forward, you will create time for within the constraints of a regular workday.

I am not saying that educators shouldn’t learn on their own time at any point, as all professionals that excel in their job will find time to do so. What is important is that providing time for personalized professional learning mirrors something that not only will move your organization forward but also create better learning opportunities in classrooms for students to do the same since they will be taught by people who have not only heard about it but have lived and experienced the process. “Innovation” is a process and finding that time within the constraints of your work shows the willingness of administrators to “innovate inside the box” to improve the learning of both organizations and individuals.  I have seen districts create PD days that are focused 100% on giving educators their own time to work on initiatives that they are passionate about and it has had a tremendous impact on their learning. Even things like EdCamps within schools or districts provide an element of personalized professional learning, but what is important is that we not only provide time for conversations but also provide time for action based on those conversations.  It is a challenge, but it can be hugely beneficial.

To the first point, as a reminder:

  1. It is personalized YET ties directly to moving the company forward (“will most benefit Google”).

If we want personalized professional learning to effectively move organizations forward, it should be tied to the vision of the organization.  What is important is that there is flexibility in how it is linked to the vision.  For example, I worked in a district that had one vision that was co-created within the community that spread over 100 geographic miles.  Each community had its own unique needs and opportunities, and so the purpose of having “one vision” was not to have everyone doing the same but have everyone moving toward a shared vision in a way that made the most sense for their school community.

The easiest way to understand if a staff member’s learning is connected to a broader vision is to ask them. This goes beyond “accountability” since the conversation would be beneficial to all parties involved if they are willing to learn from one another.

Classrooms and individual educators should have some of that same opportunity. When I say “some,” I don’t necessarily believe there shouldn’t be anything that we all do together. But if we want to “empower” our students, we have to help our staff not only see themselves in the more significant purpose of the organization but create opportunities to empower them to bring that purpose to life in a way that brings out their passion and helps them to excel.

Having the autonomy to create a pathway for your learning that ties to a more significant purpose of the organization can be something that benefits at the individual and organizational level.  These conversations are crucial to helping move education forward.

 

Two Positive Ways to Look at Change

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I’m known for the quote above, and there are two ways that it has helped me frame “change” in a positive context.

  1. Some change will come your way, and you need to see solutions where most will see obstacles. I heard this advice; you can “go” through it or “grow” through it.
  2. The most important and meaningful “change” is often the one you can initiate yourself.

For the sake of this post, I am going to look at the second point.

This is hard advice for many, but I have given it often. When you are struggling at a job or don’t seem to get along with a boss, or you are unhappy with your position or role, sometimes the best thing to do is leave.  I will be honest that at certain points in my career, leaving was the best thing I had ever done. This was not because of any one person or “boss” but having a fresh start for myself and having the ability to start anew was a way to both refresh my attitude and reinvent myself.

Some people see this approach as “quitting,” but sometimes when we stay in less than ideal situations, we are sometimes just giving up on ourselves.  With every door that closes there is the opportunity for another to open.

I remind people of this all the time; a risk is taken sometimes in the things that you don’t do. We just don’t necessarily see it at the time.

For example, I woke up this morning and went for a run on a treadmill. At any point, I could have fallen and hurt myself. The risk is obvious, and I could have stayed safe in my bed for the same amount of time. The “risk” I am taking, which is not imminent, but still there, is the long term damage not exercising can have on my health.

We often have more control over our situations than we want to admit. You can wait for change to happen to you or you can make it happen yourself. Although the choice can be hard, we have to acknowledge that in some capacity, it is always there.

4 Tips for Becoming More Observant in a World Full of Noise

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I have shared the “8 Characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset” for several years, and the one characteristic that seems to get the least attention and is the least “flashy” for many people is the ability to be “observant.” The more I think about it; this ability is becoming more critical in our world than ever.

From “The Innovator’s Mindset“:

Observant – Great ideas often spark other great ideas. The notion of “Genius Hour,” which is an idea that has spread throughout schools all over the world, came about because educators noticed what was going on outside of schools and modified those ideas to meet their students’ needs. The power of the Internet is that we have access to so much information from schools and other organizations. Although an idea observed in the business world might not necessarily work “as is” for a school, if we learn to connect ideas and reshape them, it could become something pretty amazing.

So why do I believe the ability to be observant is becoming more valuable than ever?

As more and more information is thrown our way, and the “noise” becomes louder, the ability to slow down, listen, find great information, and make deep connections is becoming much more essential.

For example, if you are new to Twitter, finding relevant and meaningful information when you first start is the equivalent of finding a needle in a needle stack. It seems impossible and overwhelming.  But developing the ability to find those nuggets of wisdom and powerful links to information is a skill that is developed over time.

This skill can also be tied directly to two of the “21st Century Literacies” as presented by The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE):

Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of simultaneous information

Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multimedia texts

I can not find the link, but I was listening to a Tony Robbins video during a morning workout, and he shared that when you have a focus on something, you notice that ideas connected to that seem to pop out of thin air.  The reality is that you are just getting better at observing. The ideas and connections were always there.

Think of this analogy. You get a new car and then all of a sudden, you notice the same make and model of your vehicle seemingly everywhere.  This isn’t a “Truman Show” stunt being played on you. It is that you are paying more attention.

When I started to focus more on innovation in education, I began to see it everywhere.  Whether it was how a person ran a business, watching a YouTube video, or even listening to music, ideas on “innovation” started popping up everywhere because I wanted to make a connection. Here are a few things that I noticed that I was doing when I saw these connections more:

  1. Listening more.
  2. Slowing down.
  3. Taking the time to write and process my reflections.(the last one will seem weird)
  4. Cutting out as much unnecessary negativity in my life as possible.

What does the last point have to do with becoming more “observant.”  I noticed that when negative thoughts (and sometimes people) crept into my thoughts, I would lose focus on what was important. For running, the longer I run and the more tired I get I notice that negative self-talk creeps into my head and can often sabotage my goals for the day, week, year, and life.  A trick that I was taught by a student-teacher was to say the word “PACE” in my head over and over again until I regained my focus.  PACE standing for “Positive Attitude Changes Everything.” It seemed cheesy at first, but then I started using it, and it has helped tremendously and has helped me to stay focus on the task at hand.

There seems to be more noise and negativity in the world. There is also more good stuff.  I know that where, as Tony Robbins says, my “focus goes, energy flows.”

Being observant is a characteristic, like all of the others, that is not natural but can be developed and harnessed in a way where we can create something better for ourselves and for those we serve.

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Master Teacher, Master Learner

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The comment below is one I received from a teacher on the “Innovator’s Instagram Book Study” going on right now:

For some reason, I burst into tears.

To know someone has been in the profession for 37 years and is still pushing themselves to grow is a testament to so many great educators who do way more for kids and learning than they will ever be given credit.

I have challenged this myth that as teachers get older in their career, they are more likely to be adverse to change or try something new and once all the new teachers come into the profession, they will bring all these great ideas.  I know many teachers like Tammy that are later into their career (shoutout to Marilyn Stork who has been a mentor for me since my first day of teaching!), and they have disproven that over and over again.

Kudos to Tammy and every teacher in their first, last, or any year in between, that continually strive to get better no matter where they are in their career.

4 Thoughts to Help You Move Beyond Harsh Self-Criticism

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I have been reading the “Marc and Angel Hack Life” blog for years, and it always gives me a little mental boost after soaking in some of the ideas. I don’t agree with everything that is written on there but it often makes me think, and the way they write with an emotional connection is powerful.

When I read “Don’t Be Afraid to Do These 10 Hard Things for Yourself” I appreciated much of the advice, such as, “Don’t be afraid to say ‘no’ to unnecessary obligations” since when we say “yes” to others too often we say “no” to ourselves in the same breath.  I am not saying that we shouldn’t help others, but educators especially, often give so much of themselves that they have very little for those closest to them even less for themselves.  I love the following saying:

I have learned to say “no” more often as of late without as much guilt as I once felt.

But this one stuck out to me:

10.  Don’t be afraid of other people’s empty judgments.

The greatest and most gratifying experiences in life cannot be seen or touched.  They must be felt with the heart from the inside out.  There’s nothing more inspiring than the complexity and beauty of human, heartfelt feelings.  Sadly though, many people let the fear of judgment numb and silence them.  Their deepest thoughts and feelings often go unspoken, and thus barely understood.

Do NOT let people invalidate or minimize how you feel.  If you feel something, you feel it and it’s real to you.  Nothing anyone says has the power to invalidate that, ever.  No one else occupies your body, or sees life through your eyes.  No one else has lived through your exact experiences.  And so, no one else has the right to dictate or judge how you feel.  Your feelings are important.  Never let anyone or any circumstance lead you to believe otherwise.

Remind yourself that there is a great freedom in leaving others to their opinions, and there is a huge weight lifted when you take nothing personally.

There is a lot to digest from the above thoughts but here is something that I have struggled with personally and I know it has held me back.

We can easily get caught up in the negative thoughts of others when often any change we make in the views of those same people you will still be criticized. This is not to say that anyone is perfect and is above valid criticism, but some are critics of certain people due to their insecurities or different belief system, or they just might not like you and never will.  That is a reality.

I struggle with my own (many) insecurities, and when I get caught up in it, I do my best to lift others, not bring them down. It can become easy to get caught up in the hamster wheel of negativity, but I know that criticizing others for the sake of doing it empties my self-esteem in the process.  I have focused on this mantra:

I have tried to focus on a few things to help me deal with those insecurities:

  1. What is my purpose?
  2. How can I serve others?
  3. How can I build on my strengths?
  4. How do I learn and identify my shortcomings and mistakes and grow from the process?

The harshest judgment many deal with is self-judgment.  Holding ourselves to a high standard is not the same as holding ourselves to an impossible standard.  We all falter and not one person I have ever met is infallible, but it is essential to distinguish between “high standards” and “impossible standards.”

Embrace your imperfections, learn from them, and learn from those that you care about and who care about you. It will only help you grow.

Thoughtfulness To Further Growth

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Some things I have been thinking about…

  1. Sometimes being “thoughtful” is used as a stall tactic not to move forward or grow.  We should be thoughtful of all the decisions that we make (obviously), but that thoughtfulness should be focused in the movement forward. This image created by Demetri Martin shows “success” as not only messy, with ups and downs, but always on an upward trajectory.
  2. Ownership is crucial for empowerment. There is no “empowerment” in learning without either a) ownership of the process, b) ownership of the product or c) a combination of both.
  3. When we promote students (and others) to “share their voice” we have to be cognizant that this means “their voice” not “our voice” shared through them.  There’s a difference.
  4. I have spent more time sharing my own faults and struggles as an educator. As I grow, I know helping others means that it is okay to point fingers at my faults. It creates massive insecurity (that can often be overwhelming), but I feel that pointing flaws in yourself is much more helpful to leading than identifying the past and present limitations in others. I struggle with this but I like this quote:

    “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.” Brene Brown

With the last point being shared, I am struggling with a lot of my thoughts on education lately.  I don’t say that in a negative way either. This internal struggle with a lot of ideas is something that I think is good for any educator and is part of the process of authentic learning.