Being Activities Director we operate under Leppicks Laws and the number one rule is to make sure that every event is safe. Like communication and support, safety is something that will allow a staff and student group feel free to learn because all the issues of safety are taken care of. As Hensely puts it " As humans we need to feel physically, emotionally, and psychologically safe to live our lives." (53). When we feel safe we can feel free to think about complex things and we are better able to reflect.
A school culture need to help students and staff feel connected to ones school site. When students and staff feel safe and feel they are a part of something their full potential can be better reached. It is sad to think that the awful events that happened at Columbine and Virginia Tech, among other schools that made students and staff feel uneasy about coming to school. School should be a safe environment. No one should feel afraid or unsafe to go to school, when those feelings are going on students can not be expected to learn at their full potential.
The section on bully behavior was very eye opening. " When a bully is at work, creativity, enthusiasm, self-efficacy, and collegiality decline. Compliance, hesitation, self-doubt, and isolation arise. " (57). This quote sums up what happens at any job or team or social event when someone is exhibiting a bully like behavior.
I liked the section about consistency. Routines and procedures are very important for students and staff alike. It is important to know what is expected of a person when they get to school. However, some rule and procedures need to be a little more flexible. Discipline needs to be an opportunity for teaching, not just giving out punishments.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Chapter 2- Support
"Support is a basic need" according to Hensley. Id also add on that it is a basic need that slowly fades by the middle to end of the year at some schools. The school year starts out with good intentions and eventually some things fall by the way side and often that is support or at least the feeling of being supported. When there is support at a school site teachers, office clerks, grounds crew, cafeteria staff as well as leaders are more connected to the school. Support helps to develop a sense and feeling of belonging. Life is hard enough as it is, no one wants to have to go to work and not feel supported on top of everything else. According to Hensley support at a school site is also making sure that teachers are able to give students the basics. She relates it to a surgeon, " we expect the surgeon and everyone else at the hospital to have what they need. We should expect the same in every school across the nation." These sentences really stood out to me, not only should we expect it we should fight for it. So often the needs of staff are overlooked but it really says something about a school when the students needs are not being met. Something has to be done about that.
As a leader at a school site one day I realize that I will need to be able to answer the tough questions about budget and expenses at any given time. In reading this chapter I see that sharing the budget with staff and allowing them to be a part of the process would allow staff to "collectively own the budget". It was a great idea and sharing where the money goes should be a collective process.
There are always people that we will not get along with, some personalities do not mix well. A principal is not always liked, yet needs to show support to his or her staff. That seems like a lot to ask a person to give and support even when you are not supported in return. I thought it reassuring to read on page 35 regarding this and Hensley states " the leader sets the tone". This is so true and I am sure much harder than it sounds. However, at the end of the day the way the leader sets the tone will determine how the staff reacts and deals with things to come. The leader needs to always remember he/she is the example.
I don't know how many times throughout this program I have heard or read that as a leader it is critical to be visible at your school site. Between the calls, e-mails, parents, teachers and anything else to tend to a site leader needs to be visible to students as well as staff throughout the school day. It will help with discipline as well as a feeling of support to staff.
Support like communication are vital for a successful school site.
As a leader at a school site one day I realize that I will need to be able to answer the tough questions about budget and expenses at any given time. In reading this chapter I see that sharing the budget with staff and allowing them to be a part of the process would allow staff to "collectively own the budget". It was a great idea and sharing where the money goes should be a collective process.
There are always people that we will not get along with, some personalities do not mix well. A principal is not always liked, yet needs to show support to his or her staff. That seems like a lot to ask a person to give and support even when you are not supported in return. I thought it reassuring to read on page 35 regarding this and Hensley states " the leader sets the tone". This is so true and I am sure much harder than it sounds. However, at the end of the day the way the leader sets the tone will determine how the staff reacts and deals with things to come. The leader needs to always remember he/she is the example.
I don't know how many times throughout this program I have heard or read that as a leader it is critical to be visible at your school site. Between the calls, e-mails, parents, teachers and anything else to tend to a site leader needs to be visible to students as well as staff throughout the school day. It will help with discipline as well as a feeling of support to staff.
Support like communication are vital for a successful school site.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Blog Post #2- Leadership Connectors Ch 1 Communication
Good communication is critical for a school to function properly. From the Principal to teachers, office staff as well as janitors and groundskeepers communication is key for student success. I never really thought about how important communication was until it wasn't, by reading this chapter in Leadership Connectors it reminded me of the importance again. Its not just what is said but it is the written, verbal as well as nonverbal communication that speak volumes to a staff and student body. Non verbal communication I feel is about as important as verbal. If a principal is trying to get a message across to his/her staff and she sounds excited yet her body language is saying other wise; staff will pick up on it.
Being able to write well is very important but if you write well and can not spell the message can be lost. Instead of talking about what the e-mail/newsletter said those who read it will be more focused on the spelling errors and may miss the entire message.
When problems arise at a school site it will be important to frame the issue properly to staff. Depending on how it is framed the "problem" will hopefully be seen as a challenge or opportunity for some. Being able to reframe is also key to problem solving instead on focusing on what did not work the focus can be on building on what did or is working. Its all about perception and keeping the vision and purpose alive.
Lastly in reading the section on consensus building I found it interesting that the author added in "sometimes administrators appear to engage in consensus building...knowing they are going to do what they want to do anyways." I have felt that way in a staff meeting before and it was not a good feeling it made me mad that we were wasting time by our leaders pretending to give us a voice when they already had their mind made up. I know I was not the only one who felt that way about it either. I feel an administrator at a school needs to be a little transparent and open and honest with staff that will go over much better than pretending to care because the teachers will see right through it.
Communication if used properly is a large tool fostering success at many levels at a school site. If there is poor communication the cracks will slowly start to show and there will be more problems to come in the future.
Being able to write well is very important but if you write well and can not spell the message can be lost. Instead of talking about what the e-mail/newsletter said those who read it will be more focused on the spelling errors and may miss the entire message.
When problems arise at a school site it will be important to frame the issue properly to staff. Depending on how it is framed the "problem" will hopefully be seen as a challenge or opportunity for some. Being able to reframe is also key to problem solving instead on focusing on what did not work the focus can be on building on what did or is working. Its all about perception and keeping the vision and purpose alive.
Lastly in reading the section on consensus building I found it interesting that the author added in "sometimes administrators appear to engage in consensus building...knowing they are going to do what they want to do anyways." I have felt that way in a staff meeting before and it was not a good feeling it made me mad that we were wasting time by our leaders pretending to give us a voice when they already had their mind made up. I know I was not the only one who felt that way about it either. I feel an administrator at a school needs to be a little transparent and open and honest with staff that will go over much better than pretending to care because the teachers will see right through it.
Communication if used properly is a large tool fostering success at many levels at a school site. If there is poor communication the cracks will slowly start to show and there will be more problems to come in the future.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Blog Post #1-First Face to Face Meeting
It was so nice to finally be able to put a name with a face at the first 269 meeting in Clovis. Out here in Visalia in our cohort of five we have been a bit isolated. The past two classes have been online and it was nice to meet and see people that we had been communicating via blackboard with.
Overall I enjoyed the first face to face session. I liked that it was interactive and we were not just sitting listening to a powerpoint for the duration of the meeting. It was interesting to have three professors there and get to hear different perspectives on a topic.
What really stuck with me even weeks after the meeting was when I believe Dr. Buster said " Don't confuse your title with being a leader". Sometimes as educators the title is more important than what we are actually doing as leaders and that can not be confused. I really appreciated listening to the years of wisdom by all three professors on Wednesday August 24th. I look forward to an intellectually challenging course for my last semester.
Overall I enjoyed the first face to face session. I liked that it was interactive and we were not just sitting listening to a powerpoint for the duration of the meeting. It was interesting to have three professors there and get to hear different perspectives on a topic.
What really stuck with me even weeks after the meeting was when I believe Dr. Buster said " Don't confuse your title with being a leader". Sometimes as educators the title is more important than what we are actually doing as leaders and that can not be confused. I really appreciated listening to the years of wisdom by all three professors on Wednesday August 24th. I look forward to an intellectually challenging course for my last semester.
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