Seriously, can you believe we are in December? It really is hard to believe. It's been almost a year for me since this journey began for me when I was name principal of our school. What a ride! It hasn't come without its bumps and bruises, but isn't that what growing and learning is all about?
As, I continue giving highlights of the Innovator's Mindset, I do hope that at some point, you, too will read this book cover to cover. I promise it will inspire you. What I am giving at points that speak to me. You may get totally different ideas to share and I hope you will!
*****************Innovator's Mindset - Chapter 4*********************
Part II Laying the Groundwork
Chapter 4: Relationships, Relationships, Relationships
Just by the nature of my "blueness", I am a relational being. I do not struggle with forming relationships or building culture to those around me. However, using that superpower to push my goals and vision for the campus is key!
George Couros noted that his principal taught him a lesson early in his career as an administrator. The principal greeted students every day. Therefore, staff members stood outside their classrooms, connecting with students in hallways and creating relationships with kids and one another. Hmmm... sound like a familiar place? This has always been important to me and I believe it has become important to you as you see the benefits for your classroom and our students at large. This was just an affirmation that, yes, we are doing what's right for kids from the minute they walk into our doors.
Just about EVERY SINGLE DAY, I have a parent gush over how much this school means to them. There are stories of kids hating school before and they can't wait to get to KGJ now. Parents say how they feel they are being heard and listened to as partners in their kids' education. There is just an overall attitude of gratitude from our parents. This didn't happen by accident. It was purposeful on each and every one of our parts. Continue that mission!!
An eye opener for me as I read on was posing the question to why we have blanket PD for staff members? Of course as we start out, we are all more or less on the same page, just learning how to be innovative and learning to think differently. We all have questions to better our students. While, as a leader, I ask you to seek ways to reach every child where they are. That should be my goal as your leader and reaching our campus goals. I have said from the beginning that I want our iTeam meetings to be more "make and take" and less "sit and get". This is where I want to focus on for 2018 and beyond. The goal is that this style will create regular opportunities for human interaction that help build relationships and spur innovation.
I love this message he added at the end of this chapter to drive home his point, "Fifty years ago, relationships were the most important think in our schools, and fifty years from now, it will be no different! YES! YES!! and YES!!!
The question I would ask you to respond to this week is: What would you like to learn? We all have areas we want to learn and grow and I want to be in tune to what directions you want to go to make your classroom as innovative as possible!
*********************WEEK AT A GLANCE*********************
Monday, Dec 4th - Classroom 12 days of Christmas begins
Tuesday, Dec 5th -(60 days until my birthday- holla!) STAFF 12 days of Christmas begins, KONA ICE from 1-3 p.m. (schedule to come in email), Gingerbread night from 6-7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec 6th - Principal's Meeting 9-12, I'll be off campus.
Thursday, Dec 7th - T-PESS orientation for me from 1-3. I will be off campus but back after. - Lesson Plans due
Friday, Dec 8th - Fuel Store (schedule to come in email), 3/4 grade Master's Tournament 1-3 p.m. - BLOG response due
**Keep your instruction strong to help with student discipline issues as we move into the weeks before our winter break**
Thanks for being awesome! I'm thankful for each of you and the relationships you build with our school community!
Wow! Another powerful nugget from George! I can wait to read the book from cover to cover! I have been told more than once that I live in a different era. I am totally alright with that old timer outlook. But, seriously I have to time warp to the modern times regarding technology. My biggest learning desire is to learn and feel comfortable with technology. It does not come easy for me. It is not intuitive to me. Our students deserve it and I see their learning thriving when they use it. I take the risks daily to learn how to use technology but it is my biggest frustration. It is currently a time robber, however; I have a positive outlook that I will figure it out and just when I do some new device will be here for me to experience another learning opportunity! This old timer is not giving up!! I know technologies will help blast my students to new dimensions.
ReplyDeleteYou do a great job searching for ways to stretch your kids which in turn stretch you! Let me know particular technology you want to learn about - I.E - Google Classrooms, other resources to add to your lessons - I know you use Padlet etc... Let me know specifics so I can get some PD.
DeleteRelationships are my jam! Really though, it’s one of my favorite things about teaching. My relationships with my co-workers is SO important to me and keeps me going each day (especially when the bring me McDonalds;). And my relationships with my students. Man. Each kid brings something different to the table and keeps me on my toes!
ReplyDeleteAs far as what I want to learn more about..I would say, being more effective and intentional with my technology use. Although it is 2nd nature to me to put it to use, using it effectively (across the curriculum) isn’t as much. My kids have come so far with their abilitiy to initiate assignments and work independently but I want to make sure that what we are doing is purposeful. I look forward to reading this book as well.
Being intentional with technology is key and making it a part of growing our kids and making it meaningful is key.
DeleteI love this! I do love that we stand at our doors and greet students. I feel like I know the kids in all the classes on our hall, not just mine. I love greeting them and talking to them. I also love that time to talk with my co-workers!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same as the others, I would love to learn how to incorporate technology more. We use it everyday, but I feel like I start to just use the same things over and over and I want to find new and exciting ways to effectively incorporate it!
It's like everything. We finally get comfortable with something so it becomes our "go to" piece. We will work on finding new ideas to use in our classrooms to make them most effective.
DeleteI'm blue through and through...so if a relationship is not good, I am not good! This goes for my family, my friends(just ask them), my co-workers, and even my students. This year has been so amazing for me and I have made so many great connections with new co-workers and with great new students. I think branching out, and stepping out of our comfort zone makes us better people! We learn new things about ourselves and others teach us great new things as well! What a blessing KGJ STEM Academy has been for me, both professionally and personally.
ReplyDeleteI'm jumping on the technology bandwagon with the rest of the staff! Technology is my downfall. I have definitely branched out and learned more, but I have a long way to go in order to really be on the same level as these kids I'm teaching. Let's get real, half the time they teach me! Sometimes Ethan will try and teach me, but he gives up quite easily! So, sign me up for technology overload. I am READY!!!
My students loved when they taught me things - or tried to! This I think will definitely be a campus initiative.
DeleteThe area I want to learn and grow in is technology. It's not something I grew up learning about. As a matter of fact, I remember taking my first computer class at ETSU and we had cards that we ran through huge machines and it printed out on perforated pads of paper. OLD SCHOOL huh??!! And it really amazes me to see how natural it comes for kids today. But I do have a good tutor in my school son...thanks Brian!
ReplyDeleteYou have helped me so much as well and I truly appreciate it incredibly!!! You ROCK!!!!
DeleteWe definitely learn from those around us. That's what our school is all about.
DeleteRelationships are very important no matter where you are in life. The thing I would say I would like to learn more about are the reading groups and with that the strategies others use to get the reading groups all in along with still teaching full lessons with these Kinders. With still being new to the Kinder side of things I am learning the requirements and methods as I go and I have appreciated the help I have received from others so much! The relationship I have had with Mrs. Thomason has helped drastically in my teachings and without her I would have sunk by now! Thank you Mrs. Thomason!!!
ReplyDeleteShe is pretty awesome!!! You're so blessed to be learning from one of the very best. I know you know that. :)
DeleteYou're too sweet!
DeleteI definitely think that is a great growing area. I always say Kinder is its own beast. We will look at ways to grow you in this area.
DeleteI have said it many times. We are so lucky to be at a campus that has such strong relationships throughout! Couldn't do it without you guys!
ReplyDeleteTECHNOLOGY!!! Now that we have these awesome new chrome books, I would love to know how to put them to use and tie things to my google classroom!
I think that is a continual message for many of us.
DeleteYes yes yes! Technology! I feel like I’m pretty tech savvy but I want to put that to use in a way that makes second graders tech savvy and allows them to retain more and more information. Also, more specifically, IStation! I have used it the last 6 years now and just discovered the lesson resources and being able to create specific assignments. I’d love to know more in depth what it offered and how to implement it!
ReplyDeleteI think that would be a great thing to have some iStation coaching on all that it offers. Let's never recreate the wheel.
Delete“Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I love this quote that was often said by a former superintendent from another district. Relationships are key so that students know that they’re in a safe environment to take risks, stretch and grow. I can tend to get caught up in the agenda of the day, so I often have to slow down and take the time to be present for my students - to be cognizant of their needs and what’s happening in their world that can affect their learning. Another way to show how much I care is to plan educational experiences that are meaningful for all of my students. I want them to run into school smiling ready for a new day of learning! This means keeping myself knowledgeable of my content and presenting opportunities for my students to be innovators. I empathized with the teacher GC referenced who was out for 3 years. I can’t imagine,as 3 months seems like it’s been a year. I definitely want to implement Google Classroom when I return and to take advantage of the suite of Google activities that will enhance that tool. I have to remember that it’s a process- to give myself time to learn, implement, reflect and improve. Rome wasn’t built in a day as my mother often had to remind me. But each day should show progress toward my goal. Step-by-step I’ll get there.
ReplyDeleteWe can't wait for you to return! I think your message resonates with many others on our campus!
DeleteI know I have said it before, but Innovator Mindset is such an important read for educators. Once again I love this chapter. His discussion on the perception of an innovator educator through the eyes of other educators is so dead on! I agree with Crystal's statement about our relationships on this campus and I know that these strong relationships will give us the support to take risk and be innovators.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things I need to learn and every discussion on this campus helps me grow as an educator and as a person. I would like to learn more about really applying the STEM concept with true integration. I want my lessons to mirror the lessons from the first book we read. I am a true tech junkie so I am always up for some techie info!
Integration is so key for our students. Moving forward to next year and beyond, I really hope to move us more to this model - as I will be learning too.
DeleteI want to learn how to be a better ELA/Writing/Reading teacher since this is where I am right now.
ReplyDeleteMy teaching style is having kids out of their seats, moving around the room and learning with and from each other. I would like to add a piece that would incorporate real-world application. I was presented with an opportunity to publish in a small town newspaper and have been too overwhelmed with my new assignment to implement it. Now I feel like I see the sun rising, (just a peek of light)and will be able to implement this come January.
I know that this will be a learning experience for my kiddos and myself and it makes me really nervous to try something new and commit fully! I think the benefits will outweigh the risk though.
I will constantly be looking to learn and research how to improve this task as I embark on a new adventure.
That is one of my favorite things about your teaching methods that you are not afraid to take a risk and try! Even when it makes you nervous - you do it and tweak as you need to. This is what our school is all about!
DeleteI must admit change scares me (I know shocker right?!). This change for me has been a wonderful one and I love it! I love the relationships I have with my co-workers and my students. I feel like my students enjoy coming to my class. I want to be able to grow more with my reading groups also and really reach my high groups. I also want to incorporate more technology into my lessons. I am not tech savvy and would like to be.
ReplyDeleteYou have such a vast level of readers in your room this year! It is important to grow every single child. You are doing a great job. As a campus we will work on technology.
DeleteI too am blue,so building relationships with my students has always been very important to me and something I feel I'm very good at. (not to toot my own horn-lol) I've always loved and believed in the saying, "They don't care about how much you know, until they know how much you care."
ReplyDeleteThings I really need help with:
TECHNOLOGY and all the cool ways to incorporate in my classroom. I really struggle with technology. I really just know the basics. I did learn how to use publisher last year, lol. I also need help figuring out how to effectively work it all in each day. I know this sounds so silly, but having two subjects that are tested and ten students that need 30 minutes three times of week of direct instruction for RTI, plus Guided Reading. I suddenly feel very overwhelmed!!!
Like everyone, we need to breathe. We forget that so much of our "to do" we do so well because it's just what good teachers do. We do not let down one single moment of instruction but we do have to give ourselves a break that we did open a new school with 235 new faces that we have brought together as a campus! We are going to work together to ensure your time is well spent through RtI and learn some technology that while engaging the students, may help you as well.
Delete