Leader as Learner and Collaborator

Lead Like a Pirate: Make School Amazing for your Students and Staff!

I plan to put all my reflections and ideas for this book here as well! It is a book my leadership team is going to read this school year, and I want to make sure I have the knowledge I need first to envision how to roll it out to them!

• Ch 1: Passion: As a leader, I am most passionate about the following things:
  • Positive School Culture built on the foundation of commitment not buy in and relationships. Everyone sees their role and responsibility towards every decision we make.
  • Putting students first above anything else.
  • Teacher, Parent, and Student Voice-I need all 3 in order to do my job well and make decisions that align with what our school needs. I am a huge believer in getting all feedback so I can grow as a leader and person.
  • Building Capacity of my teachers and staff through leadership opportunties
  • Coaching teachers to become their greatest self. Coaching from their strengths
  • Creating TIME for our teachers to collaborate, learn, grow, and get better from each other and their PLN
  • Continuous learning and growth for myself, learners, parents, and staff. (I love leading out PD that aligns with how our learners should be learning in the classroom!)
    • Other passions I have in terms of education is student voice in the classroom, the use of technology to deepen curriculum, the use of PLN, any books related to leadership or being innovative for kids!
    • Outside of education, I am passionate about Jesus, my husband and family, my close circle of friends, all things interior design, creating a cozy and warm home in our first house, gardening and planting new flowers, riding and biking around Oak Cliff, trying new bars and restaurants, wine, traveling
      • Idea for Aug 13: Top Three: Identify their top 3 favorite movies; After 2 minutes, share your favorite list. Explain to them what all 3 have in common (yours) Then try to get them to find the theme of their movies. Next, share my passion for leadership and have staff and identify the theme. Then allow them to do the same and create their Passion Boards (Canva or Google Doc-share it back with me when done and I can print and frame and create a Passion Board!)
      • First week of school: Passion Boards or projects for our learners
      • Idea: Ask staff-How could you turn a past practice you do all the time into something even better this year?
    • Ch 2: Immersion- Immerse yourself in what matters most (Learning Environment, Meaningful and Thoughtful Work all embedded with positive relationships)
      • Idea for ILT each week: Post it Note strategy-3 size post it notes. Write down tasks we do in a week. Next, review the list and decide which of these has a high impact on student learning and building a positive school culture. Write these items on a LARGE sticky note. Next write down the tasks that have a medium impact and put those below the large ones on the medium size post it. Last, write down the small impact items on the small post its and put those at the bottom. Check your calendar to make sure you haven't left anything off. Next, move your post it notes to what you ACTUALLY spend your time doing each week. This helps us see how to reorganize or prioritize our time. Make at least 3 adjustments each week to leverage the most out of your schedule to get high impact on student learning and positive school culture. Ask ourselves these reflective questions: How can I leverage a system to do more work that matters? How can I elevate the impact of a smaller task to get more meaning out of it? How can I activate a team to help with this task? Or is there something I can simply delete?
      • Ch 3: Rapport-Ideas I got from this chapter: Starts with trust-ensure everything we do and say is building trust not breaking it. Book study for all: Everybody Matters (Optional), Being visible and accessible (Principal Cart!), staff retreats and monthly socials (Already have Painting with a Twist set for Aug 2nd, Team Leader Retreat for August 3rd, and Staff Retreat for August 10th). Every retreat should promote teamwork, bonding, and genuine investment. (selfie scavenger hunt idea!), I plan to leave water bottle, snack, and note card on every desk of every employee at Hill the Sunday before school starts. We will Chalk the Walk then I will stay behind and distribute these treats. I plan to send a staff survey asking: favorite sweet and salty snack, favorite drink, home address and emergency contact address. I plan to utilize this year to build morale! Also plan to pass out pins to teachers and staff members who are promoting being brave, kind, courageous, innovate, etc. Also, monthly raffles for teachers for recess duty, leave early, or come in late and I will cover their class.
      • Ch 4: Ask and Analyze: I love this chapter because it focuses us on asking really intentional questions when creating systems or new initiatives for our campus. Below are some great questions I found meaningful and helpful!
      1. How will we build the new initiative into our work over time?
      2. How will we make connections between the new initiative and work we are already doing?
      3. How will we build capacity of our team to lead the new initiative?
      4. What do we as leaders need to know and be able to do successfully to lead this initiative to our staff?
      5. How will we build shared leadership and ownership of this initiative?
      6. What will teachers need to know to be successful with implementation and how will we support them in the new learning?
      7. How will we ensure every person impacted by the new initiative has some voice and choice so they feel this is something we have done with them and not to them?
      8. What system will we put in place to ensure we are gathering honest feedback about how things are going and the support teachers need? How will we use this feedback moving forward?
      9. How will we monitor implementation in a respectful way and use the data to refine the work over time?

I also love the idea of transformed questions. I am going to ensure my questions I pose on August 13 and 15 are transformed, promote more questioning, and authentic feedback from my staff.

Ch 5: Transformation: Thoughts from this chapter: Leadership team create lesson challenges for first week of school. Tweet out and whoever completes 5 lessons is entered in for a raffle or prize! I also have an idea to have an AWESOME first day of school committee. How cool to have a group of passionate educators come together early August and help create these lessons, ideas for welcoming kids on the 1st day, and dismissing them at the end of the day! Our I&E time-monitor, adjust, and re-structure groups every 3 weeks. Have an opportunity to brainstorm ideas to enrich our learners who do not need specific interventions such as genius hour. Also have students do thrively.com to find out their interest and then find some cool websites with virtual field trips! I also want to start the PD planning time on August 13th with this question: Provide an uncommon experience for your students, and they will reward you with an uncommon effort and attitude.-ask teachers what this means to them and how they can bring this statement to life in their rooms the first week of school-show them the back to school challenge and then have them put all the pieces together to plan for something dynamic to happen! Also parent conferences-make these student driven. Student voice committee, having students lead after school PD to introduce a new tech tip, home visits, not just phone calls. Also get sparkling grape juice and have a toast after day 1 to change! Because kids deserve it. YES! Also, using our I&E time the first 20 days before our first assessment to build relationships and do team building instead of pulling for intervention and enrichment time. This way teachers can get familiar with the structure of the hour in a way that feels safe and comfortable for them.

Ch 6: Enthusiasm

Kids Deserve It: Pushing Boundaries and Challenging Conventional Thinking:

• I plan to put all my reflections and ideas for the book here and on Twitter using our school #hillchat101 Enjoy!
  • Ch 1: I plan to GO BIG next year by incorporating WAY more student voice into my own decision making of how the school should run. I plan to have weekly Highlander Voice meetings @ 3:00 every Friday to get input from at least 2 scholars per grade level. I also want to have IPADS outside the cafeteria with Google Forms ready to go and will allow learners and parents to fill out the weekly surveys to see how we can make Hill better. I won't let people tell me "they are too young, their voice doesn't matter, or they might misuse the IPADS." GO BIG!
  • Ch 2: YES!!! Getting connected and growing your PLC is HUGE! Before school ended, every teacher of mine set up their Twitter. They have been tweeting out all summer their reflections from this book and it gives me so much life! I already have set up monthly Twitter Chats next week the first Monday of the month where we have a certain theme we will tweet about. Also, we will have weekly and daily Tweets about the awesome that is our class and school and the greatest most creative tweet each week will win the golden hashtag! It will then be that person's responsibility to pass it on the next week. I also d/l voxer to communicate with the author of Kids Deserve It to gain ideas for how to implement the book school wide. WOW! It was super cool. I have to model a learning mindset in order for my teachers to. When they see me post, retweet, and share my reflections they are more likely to!
  • Ch 3:
  • Ch 3: My fear comes w/ showing others in my charge the benefit of being innovative without being judged. I want my staff 2 know the crazier for kids the better. I’ll pick you up if you fail. Also: kids tweeting out-Yes!! I also love the idea of incorporating the EduLS into my Friday Forum. I always have an article and video to share so just tweaking that with intention of a learning task to try in addition and then tweet out your results-YES! Love love.
    • Ch 4: I had about 9 kids who were in a check in check out with me last year. We set daily goals & when we met them we celebrated hard. Sometimes I think teachers think I’m 2 kind as a principal bc I believe in talking and finding the root problem too. The 9 toughest kids did anything I asked them too. I didn’t have to yell or raise my voice. I had their heart. Something I want to do next year is porch visits before school and home visits with kids who are struggling.
    • Ch 5: I used @ToddWhitaker’s idea of Positive Behavior Referrals at my last two schools. Parents freaked out when I called and were so thankful for the positive. I plan to implement them next year with staff so we can celebrate ALL kids!
    • Ch 6: When Leaders don’t lead no one grows, and superstars leave. I’ve seen this happen & I’m SO glad 2 finally have my 1st school. 2 model visibility, spend time w ss in class, lunch, & recess & show all: lifelong learning is only option!
    • Ch 7: Yes! Our campus is focusing on relationships next year so this chapter is perfect! Little things I plan to do: staff survey asking their fave sweet, salty, drink and address. Using it throughout the year with intention. Greetings kids daily and going to every class every day to ask What do you need from me?, Post Cards throughout year to send home to our kids, Chalk the Walk the Sunday before school starts, 6 weeks celebrations for all grades (still working on logistics need teacher voice here), attending all extra curricular functions, scheduling home visits, phone gals home for good! Eating lunch in cafe everyday during 5/6 grade lunch, having s staff and student voice section in my weekly Friday Forum, coffee dates with my teachers this summer to get to know their heart.
    • Ch 8: Doubt: when adults r upset @ me, when teachers can’t get along/r not being kind, when I have tasks that aren’t my strength. I remember my Jesus chose me for this work in this moment that only I can do. Supporters: Jesus, hubby, parents, my tribe
    • Ch 10: My mom=biggest fan. I want us to tell others who they are and who they are becoming. Not what they did or have done. How powerful would that be? Also got that nugget from @bobgoff He is pretty rad. You should follow him!
    • Ch 11: I choose to ignore the mess of adults bc my focus is on the lives of our kids. I spend my energy with those who are positive. A saying I like: Telling one person=venting. Telling more than one person=gossiping. Why we are here: KIDS!
    • Ch 12: I am a firm believer that you don't have to show up to every fight you are invited to. Not much gets my goat but when I see other teachers being mean to each other or teachers being mean to kids, I lose my mind. I want my staff to know that I will have those tough conversations with them if I need to bc I will not tolerate us being anything but lovely and kind to each other, our kids, and community bc kids deserve it.
    • Ch 13: Ch 13: Always be listening to kids-YES. & STAFF! I read this chapter and thought about my staff. I have to let them lead, have a voice, give me input, share their ideas, and give them control in order for them to feel empowered to do this in class
    • Ch 14: I came to Hill to help out in October of 2017, the secretary made me feel so loved and cared for after my first week. Leaving my school where I was the AP and loved as so hard and she saw that and encouraged my heart. She still does! Encouraging teachers' hearts: I spent lots of time in a few teachers rooms in particular lots of time having conferences and one on one time. I just listened to their hearts. They had not been loved or seen and I wanted them to know they were worthy. I want every teacher to know that.
    • Ch 15: I wish people knew how much it bothers me when teachers & staff are not kind 2 each other/kids. I spend hours trying to think of ways to remedy the problem. I wish my staff and community knew how much their support meant to me this past spring.
    • Ch 16: Fave thing: Post it walks. I want to eat lunch every day in cafe with our 5/6 graders and I want to visit recess weekly to PLAY. I also want to read to classes monthly. I can’t wait to start student voice meetings next year every Friday!
    • Ch 17: I build relationships by loving people, even hard ones. I do post it note walks just to celebrate the good things, I have been having coffee one on one with any staff member that wants to this summer, my treat, to get to know their heart more, I host coffee with the principal each month to welcome community input, and we are having our first ever Popsicles with the Principals in August just to spread joy and love to our learners and community. I love on kids through daily check ins, lunch bunch, playing at recess with them, getting on the floor and learning with them during class time. I try to reach my guarded folks by modeling vulnerability myself. I share my story and struggle that I went through and have gone through personally in hopes they open up too. One thing I want to do this year is mail cards home to my staff’s families so they see how much their spouse, daughter, etc means to Hill, do home visits and porch visits, and carry fun pins around and give them to people when I see them being brave, kind, or innovate.
    • Ch 18: :I go to classes where awesome instruction is taking place & where relationships r being built. That gives me life & refocuses my mind. I get support from my team by having relationships with these women outside of school. They are my 2nd family!
    • Ch 19: This will b my 1 year as a principal. I lose sleep about academ. data. What if we don’t make progress? What if we go backwards? It’s just ONE piece. I needed this reminder. Culture trumps strategy. Thanks @TechNinjaTodd for being vulnerable.
    • Ch 20: I did recess duty last year 4 a teacher. I chose 2 swing w the kids and they thought it was hilarious! Last big dream was 2 become a principal. Next year will b year 1! When we are around ppl who don’t dream, it sucks the hope out of our hearts.
    • Ch 21: Best possible environment: Building up my teachers and loving them hard so they can love our kids well. Putting students FIRST. I stay focused by remembering my why and being transparent with my why. When teachers or parents come to me with issues that don't align, I am comfortable saying that bc they know my why is KIDS. Every minute I have with my staff I have to be relevant, engaging, and model what I expect our kids to be exposed to in the classroom.
    • Ch 22: When I was an AP, I had the vision of having PLC's during instructional time and allowing our learners to go to innovative breakout sessions at the same time. This would provide more planning and collaboration for teachers and authentic experiences for our learners. My principal at the time said no. Now as the principal, we are rolling it out next year and I am SO excited!
    • Ch 25: I plan to survey staff with following: fave sweet, salty, drink. Address (personal) and emergency contact. This will provide me to fill their bucket all year with treats, letters home, and personal touches to make them feel loved and special. Also-inviting them in the office and telling them they rock and calling their parent or loved on. LOVE IT.
    • Ch 27: I love the idea of asking teachers in PLC's: How can you think outside the box next week with your objectives/TEKS coming up and keep the activity focused on the content? Such a balance but I think the ideas they can get from each other will be HUGE!
    • Ch 28: I LOVE the idea of having a monthly schedule w ALL HR tt and I pick a book to read to each class. I also love idea of having what I am reading outside my office. I love to read and learn!
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Braving the Wilderness: Chapter 2

My thoughts and love for this book is something real, yall. I am able to apply the tenants that I am learning to my personal life and professional life as a school leader. More nuggets of truth below:

• Belonging to ourselves means being called to stand alone-to brave the wilderness of uncertainty, vulnerability, and criticism.
• We are connected by love and human spirit
• People are hard to hate close up. Move in
• Speak truth to the lies. Be civil
• Hold hands. With strangers
• Strong Back. Soft Front. Wild Heart
• The wilderness is the bravest and most sacred place you will ever stand
• We must live from our wild heart, not our weary hurt
• We must intentionally be with people who are different from us, learn how to listen, have hard conversations, look for joy, share pain, and be more curious than defensive
• BRAVING:Trusting others means: B-boundaries; R-reliability; A-accountability; V-vault; I-integrity; N-non judgement; G-generosity
• True Belonging doesn't require you to change who you are, it requires you to be who you are. It means being able to share your most authentic self with the world and and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone.

As a leader, it is so important to continue learning and growing personally and professionally so you can be your most true and authentic version of yourself for your people, your tribe. I am one chapter into Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown and I am hooked. So far, here are the nuggets I have gotten:

• When we are in trial, hurt, and tribulation, the best thing we can learn and grow from it is to find the courage to own the pain and develop a level of empathy and compassion for yourself and others that allows you to spot hurt in the world in a unique way
• Perspective is a function of experience
• Set the intentions you have for yourself and your life, follow through
• You will always belong anywhere you show up as yourself and your work in a real way

Stay tuned for more reflections from my reading. My intent is to read 3 books a month. My follow through is what will make my intentions meaningful and come to life.