Kids Say The Darndest Things

Kids say the darndest things sometimes. Especially when you give them the opportunity. When we take the time to get to know our students and take the time to listen, I mean really listen, it can be pretty amazing what they choose to share. When you take the time to build relationships with your students, they trust you with the most vulnerable parts of themselves. They give you a glimpse into who they really are, what the desires of their hearts are, what their fears are. 

As educators, we have been given an amazing opportunity. Sometimes it is overwhelming. Sometimes it seems a little too much. But I believe that we have been called, we have been called to love these children, and love these families in a special way. We show this love through our understanding and our empathy, we show this through the many ways that we make learning engaging and accessible to all, we show this through our enthusiasm and our determination, and we show this in the ways that we engage with one another.

To love in this way is not easy. There are times when you will be ridiculed, your motives and methods questioned, and there will be times when your love will be dismissed. But remember that the children, and the families that are the most difficult to love, the ones that try to push us away the most, the ones that are continually testing us, are in fact the ones that needest us the most. They need us to fight for them. They need us to repeatedly show them how much we care. They need to know that our love for them is unconditional. We must remember that they are our children, our family, our community.

Loving Our Students

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I think one of my favorite conversations from today was with a student that I had to see for a discipline issue.

The student sat across from me, and sized me up. There isn't anything quite like being sized up by a skeptical fourth grader. As we talked he regarded me with much disdain, and through the initial discourse it was clear that he was sizing me up, and seeing if he could engage me in a power struggle. When it was clear that I would not go down that path, he tried a different tact. He launched into a decent monologue about how I must not like him. I was honest with the child, I told him I barely knew him given that I had only been an administrative intern in the building a few short weeks. But I also told him something else. I told him that while I certainly did not approve of the behavior that landed him in the office with me that afternoon, it did not impact my ability to love him.

At first he seemed skeptical. Then I shared with him a few things. First, that as a mom there are definitely times when I am frustrated by the choices that my own children make, but those choices do not cause me to love my children any less. He conceded that, that was possible, but that it was because they were my kids; so I continued. I showed him a picture that I had, of a former student and I together. I asked him what he saw in the picture. To which he replied, "You like that kid a lot; I can tell because of the way you both are smiling." I said, "You're right I do like that kid a lot! I love that student. But you might also be surprised to know that last year that student really struggled in school, he had a really hard time, and there were behaviors that I didn't approve of. Does it look like I love him any less?" He couldn't argue, and suddenly the sullen boy sitting across from me dropped his shoulders, and relaxed. Yes, it is possible to detest a particular behavior, to have to impart consequences, but it is also possible to continue to love the child.

I think one of the most important things that we can do for children is to have high expectations for learning and behavior. The other is to treat them with compassion, and to love them. Many are fighting a battle we know nothing about.

An Opportunity

I have been given a pretty amazing opportunity. This year I spend Monday thru Thursday morning, and all day Friday teaching in an Integrated Co-Taught classroom, and on Monday thru Thursday afternoons I am an administrative intern in another elementary building in my District. This came about through the tireless efforts of my Assistant Superintendent Dr. Maureen Patterson, and my amazingly supportive Superintendent, Dr. Mark Potter. Being split between buildings, and carrying out the roles and responsibilities that are required of each position is challenging, but it is also worth it. This unique opportunity is stretching me and growing me as an educator, and as a leader. I have the opportunity to see education through different lenses, and to gain a greater understanding of how our organization functions as a whole. I feel like this whole experience is Fullan's theory of action, The Six Secrets of Change, put into practice. In his book, Fullan talks about these Six Secrets:

• Love Your Employees
• Connect Peers With Purpose
• Capacity Building Prevails
• Learning is The Work
• Transparency Rules
• Systems Learn

I certainly feel that I have been given the opportunity to learn continuously, have purposeful peer interactions, develop new competencies and new motivation, and learn while doing the work. All of this is incredibly satisfying. Far more so than I would have anticipated, and I'm only a few short weeks in. I am grateful for this amazing opportunity, and am looking forward to the year ahead.

Epilogue...

I would be remiss if I did not take the time to mention another individual that has made this amazing opportunity possible, and that is my teaching partner Jeannine Oliver.

Jeannine and I have worked together for a number of years, and over that time have really learned how to maximize our instruction and play off our strengths. We balance one another, and over the years have really found a rhythm that works for us and for our students. I owe my teaching partner, Jeannine Oliver, a great deal. I am certainly a better teacher for having had the opportunity to work with her so closely. You would be hard pressed to find a more dedicated, and tireless advocate for students than Jeannine. More than that, over the last three years she has been one of my strongest supporters. Thank you, Jeannine! I couldn't have done this without you!

Grassroots Teacher Leaders

Nate Perry Elementary has always been like home to me. I began teaching there in 2003, and over the years my colleagues have become like family. They have been with me through everything, professionally and personally. They inspire me and challenge me, to be more, and to do more. In the last few years, many of the staff members that I began my career with have retired. I look around, and suddenly find myself one of the more veteran members of our staff. With that comes the realization that there are, or will soon be, people looking to me the way that I looked towards more seasoned members of our staff not so long ago. I looked up to these individuals not only because of their instructional expertise but also because of the way that they engaged the different members of the learning community. I looked to them to see how they interacted with colleagues and what norms had been established for our learning community. I looked to them for guidance and support, both formally and informally. All of this well before there was much mention of the role of teacher leaders. Teacher leadership seemed natural. It wasn't a specific job, title or role. It was something these individuals just assumed naturally. It grew out of the love they had for their profession, their students, and for one another. In our desire to promote teacher leadership, let's not forget the importance of this grassroots sort of leadership.

Planning, Organizing and Prioritizing.

Now is about the time that I typically begin to think about putting things together for the next school year. Planning, organizing and prioritizing have all become part of my August routine for close to the last 15 years. This year, however, is a little different. In the past, July has been a time for me to sit back, reflect and recharge. This July instead was filled with conference attendance, training, and workshops (attended and delivered), coursework, and other professional responsibilities. I'm not complaining. It was hectic to be sure, but I learned a great deal. It hasn't been until now though, the second week or so into August that I have been able to actually sit, collect my thoughts, and reflect on what has transpired over the year, and look forward to what is to come.

So as I reflect on the past school year, here are some of the things that I am taking away...

• You are not alone. Reach out. Be vulnerable. Ask for help. 
• Try something that scares you a little bit. Be brave.
• Look for the positives in each day, and thank the Lord for those blessings.
• When facing the trials that are sure to come, bring them to the foot of the Cross.
• Love. Love one another. Be in relationship with others. Be present.

Some of you may be surprised by that list. It doesn't include new instructional strategies, the latest app, or the silver bullet for raising student achievement. What it does include, are ways that we can make a difference as a teacher, as a colleague, and as a friend, and yes I believe that all of those things can have a positive impact on the work that we do as educators each day. Here's how...

1. You are not alone. Teach your students that we all need one another. We are a learning community, and that we are better together. We learn from one another and inspire one another. When we ask for help, when we reach out, we give others an opportunity to lead, and to share their gifts.
2. Try something that scares you a little bit. Taking a risk and trying something new is essential to our growth as individuals and as a learning community. Foster an environment in which it is safe to take risks, and encourage your learners to try new things.
3. Take the time to reflect on, and appreciate the positives of each day. Encourage a thankful heart. Have your learners spend part of each day calling to mind all of the good things that happened throughout the day, and how they have grown.
4. There will be difficult days. How we choose to handle ourselves in these difficult moments speaks volumes. Our students learn just as much from how we conduct ourselves and handle these moments, as they do from our formal lessons. 
5. Love. It isn't always easy, but it is necessary. We need to love one another. Take the time to build relationships with your students, families, and colleagues. Practice understanding and compassion. I love the quote, "how bold one gets when one is sure of being loved." When we are certain we are loved, we are a little more willing to put ourselves out there. We are more willing to take risks, and to face difficulty. Imagine a learning community rooted in love, and how powerful that could be.

So, as I head into this August, a time of planning and preparation, organizing and prioritizing, I'm thinking about how we can continue to inspire, challenge, encourage and empower one another.  I'm thinking about how I might be more intentional in weaving these elements into each day, and I am looking forward to another year of amazing learning opportunities.

More Questions Than Answers...

I am a work in progress. I truly have more questions than I have answers. Things that I once so strongly believed in, in terms of educational practice I now question. I wrestle with the idea of homework, I wrestle with grading, I wrestle with promotion and our determination of what constitutes a year's worth of learning, I wonder about the ways in which we engage in learning, and the impact our physical spaces have on us. It really boils down to me having a lot of questions. It boils down to a curiosity that isn't easily satisfied. I'm thirsty for knowledge, or at least ways of knowing. There's a fire in my belly that I can't really seem to explain adequately. I think this is what learning is about at its core. It's that natural bent towards wonder, curiosity, knowing, understanding. 

More on Instructional Leadership

It is through instructional leadership and supervision that principals have the ability to influence the educational practices of teachers, and the learning environment of students. Thus, it is imperative for school building leaders to understand, and be equipped with various strategies to engage and reflect with teachers around instructional practices. Instructional leaders have the responsibility of guiding their faculties through critical analysis, and refinement of instructional design and delivery, with the ultimate goal of improving student learning outcomes. There are specific actions that building leaders can take that will help to drive professional growth and lead to an increased willingness amongst faculty to innovate, take risks and share. These actions include: being visible, actively listening and observing, facilitating dynamic and open discussions, providing support and guidance, empowering teacher leaders and supporting peer observation and mentoring initiatives along with formal observations and individual conferences. When instructional leaders facilitate, rather than direct, they empower other in the learning community to take leading roles and strengthen collaborative practices. The key to all of this however, lies in laying the appropriate foundation and creating a culture that embraces self-reflection, thoughtful and critical analysis, leading to professional learning and growth. 

Building trusting relationships amongst the stakeholders is critically important work. Getting to know teachers as individuals, as well as professionals, establishing rapport and demonstrating care and concern are essential. I’ve heard the following many times in relation to student learners, and have found it to be just as true of adult learners as well, “they don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”  Instructional leaders must be present and take a genuine interest in the work and the learning of those around them. Instructional leaders are visible and spend as much of their time as possible in classrooms observing, learning and reflecting on what motivates their learning community. The goal for the instructional leader should be to complete a number of walkthrough observations with each teacher several times a year, and to provide timely formative feedback on what was observed during each of the walkthrough observations. In addition to frequent walkthrough observations being valuable to individual teachers, and improving instruction and learning in individual classrooms, frequent walkthroughs allow building leaders to gain an understanding of the instructional practices of the building as a whole, and this is an important frame of reference.

Beyond building relationships amongst themselves and their faculty, it is critical for instructional leaders to connect their faculty to one another and to colleagues outside their learning communities. Instructional leaders do this by fostering purposeful, and continuous collegial interactions within their school by establishing professional learning communities, implementing mentoring relationships, peer observation and coaching, and supporting these efforts through time, training and resources. Instructional leaders also encourage their staff members to connect beyond their building through the creation of professional learning networks. These actions can motivate and empower educators to take charge of their collective professional learning and growth. With these elements in place instructional leaders help to shape and build capacity within their organizations, with direct consequences for student learning and achievement.

Exceptional instructional leaders understand that leadership is larger than themselves; they recognize that one of their greatest responsibilities is to build upon and further develop the leadership qualities of others in the organization. When leaders take the time to invest in others, the result is trust, shared understanding, and ultimately an increase in the instructional leader’s sphere of influence. One way that instructional leaders can nurture teacher leadership is through the use of peer observation and coaching. Peer observation and coaching has been proven to increase collaboration, lead to positive curriculum changes, and improve student results. It is a great complement to clinical supervision, as it supports goal setting, extends conversations about teaching and learning beyond a single classroom teacher and the building leader, further promotes reflection and critical analysis, and refinement of practice. Further it encourages teachers to come together to solve common problems, acquire knowledge and expertise together and to celebrate one another’s successes.

The key to any model or system of instructional supervision lies in laying the foundation and creating a culture that embraces self-reflection, thoughtful, critical analysis, professional growth and learning. Beyond that, it is critical to connect teachers with a purpose by fostering purposeful and continuous collegial interactions and empowering them to take charge of their professional learning and growth. When instructional leaders do this they build capacity within their organizations, with direct consequences for student learning and achievement.