Tag Archives: practical

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Why Good Ideas Die

Idea_BulbYou have a good idea.  You clearly see what your organization could gain from its implementation.  You feel that the benefits are so obvious that acceptance should be a  simple formality.  Yet when the time comes for you to formally share your idea, you find it is met with resistance, loses momentum, and fails to move forward.

We often encounter initiatives that do not have the legs to move beyond the conceptual stage.  This does not necessarily occur because the initiative did not merit consideration; it may simply be a result of poor promotion and failure to understand how to best navigate the political landscape.

The word politics is derived from the Greek word for citizens, and has to do with matters related to decision making.  Understanding the politics of an organization means understanding just how decisions are made.

We work in complex systems. A degree of political savvy is required in order to successfully navigate the road one must travel in bringing an initiative forward.  Having a keen sense of internal politics and organizational culture enables one’s ability to exercise influence and promote a particular agenda.

On the surface, it may appear that some ideas immediately establish traction and gain support.  A deeper analysis will reveal that it is rarely that simple.   Invariably, steps have been taken to do groundwork resulting in an environment in which the idea can flourish. Establishing support for an initiative typically involves the following:

  • Building Alliances

Organizations are driven by relationships.  How we interact with others sets the tone for when we, in turn, look to others for support.  That reality should come as no surprise, yet it is not uncommon for there to be a disconnect between what is put into a relationship vs what one expects to get out of it.

Building good will, establishing an emotional bank account,  creating connections; these euphemisms all speak to the same thing; maintaining a balance between what we ask of and what we offer to our colleagues.

  • Anticipating Obstacles

The worst thing one can do in bringing a new idea forward is to be blind to the potential obstacles to making it a reality.  Not everyone will share enthusiasm for a new idea.   If it threatens established practice or requires new learning, anticipate encountering an element of resistance.  Do not underestimate the possibility that obstacles may be less related to the idea and more related to the people behind them.  Failure to build alliances will minimize the likelihood of success in bringing an innovation forward.

A good innovator will recognize potential obstacles and plan accordingly.

  • Combating Resistance

Perhaps combat is too strong of a word, but that is the reality that the innovator faces in the absence of thoughtful advance planning.  Consider the source of resistance.  What pre-emptive moves could potentially lessen or eliminate opposition to the new idea?    Often, the road can be paved simply by doing a “soft sell” in advance.  This involves working the grass roots, sharing information and responding to concerns at the individual level.  A benefit of this approach is that one encounters resistance in advance and is provided an opportunity to either modify the proposal or develop sound counter arguments prior to putting the idea forward at a more formal level.

  • Showing Grit

The term “grit” has evolved to include a somewhat nebulous definition that encompasses elements of persistence, resilience, will, and a host of other characteristics that have at their root the notion of seeing something through to completion under even the most difficult of circumstances.  Anticipate the need to rely upon these qualities when bringing forward a new idea.  This is critical to building momentum and gaining acceptance.

Countless “good ideas” have died on the meeting table for lack of preparation.  Just as seeds grow best in fertile ground, so will innovations only take root when preliminary groundwork has been thoughtfully carried out.  Understanding the politics of the organization is key to being able to do this to greatest effect.

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Remembering Differently: An Alternate Way to Mark Remembrance Day in Schools.

poppyRemembrance Day is fast approaching.  Many schools hold a formal Remembrance Day service, and while this a traditional way to mark the day, there are other ways to achieve this as well.

It is essential that we prepare students for this day by educating them about our history.  Ideally, in the days leading up to November 11, schools engage in activities that help students learn about the sacrifices that people have made for their country.  This often occurs within the context of History and Social Studies, but also presents a meaningful way to engage students in all subject areas, from Language Arts to Math, the Arts, Technology and more.

These lead up activities lend meaning to your Remembrance Day observance.  While they may culminate in a formal and traditional Remembrance Day ceremony, there are alternate ways to respect the spirit of the day.

Here is one idea in which remembrance activities occur over the course of the entire school day.  The following is taken from a script in use at our school.  The content comes from various sources, including the Veterans Affairs Canada website.

9:00      Morning announcement:

“As our way of observing Remembrance Day, we will have a number of daytime reflections that we hope will give staff and students the opportunity to give consideration to just what Remembrance Day is meant to commemorate.

During this week, hundreds of ceremonies and events will take place across the country to recognize the achievements of our Veterans.

There are many ways to show that you remember and honour our Veterans:

  • Pin a poppy above your heart.
  • Talk to a friend or relative who has just returned home from Afghanistan or who served in other areas of conflict.
  • Listen to Veterans talk about their experiences.
  • Visit the Veterans Affairs Canada Facebook fan page, write on the wall and share how you remember. Change your Facebook profile picture to a poppy.

Above all, we must vow never to forget. However you choose to remember, be sure to share with everyone you know. Together, it is our duty to pass on the legacy and keep the memories of our Canadian Veterans alive.  Poppies will be distributed this morning and everyone is invited to wear a poppy as a sign of remembrance” 

Period 1

Poppies are then distributed throughout the school.  Donations are accepted, but not required.  Any student that wants a poppy may have one.

11:00    First Reflection  (In Flander’s Field – 2 students required)

Student 1 reads the following over the PA:

“This is today’s first Remembrance Day reflection

Sergeant-Major Cyril Allinson, the first person to ever read John McCrae’s In Flanders Fields poem remarked, “The poem was an exact description of the scene in front of us both. He used the word blow in that line because the poppies actually were being blown that morning by a gentle east wind.”

When one thinks of Remembrance Day poems and Memorial Day poppy poems it is the words to In Flanders Fields poem by John McCrae that comes to mind.

The In Flanders Fields poem is the world’s most recognized and beloved of all war memorial and Remembrance day poems. It was written on May 3, 1915 by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae during WWI, while still at the battlefront during the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium.”

Student 2 reads the following over the PA:

IN FLANDERS FIELDS POEM

By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae


In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead: Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved: and now we lie
In Flanders fields!

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields

12:00    Second Reflection – Video. 

  1. Teachers follow the Veterans Week link at the school website and click the YouTube link at the bottom of the left sidebar.
  1. Select any one video to watch with the class.  Discuss using the provided key questions.

2:00      Third Reflection

Student 3 reads the following:

On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a drug store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the store’s PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.

Terry was impressed with the store’s leadership role in adopting the Legion’s “two minutes of silence” initiative. He felt that the store’s contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.

When eleven o’clock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the “two minutes of silence” to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.

Terry’s anger towards the father for trying to engage the store’s clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, “A Pittance of Time”.

Song is then played over the PA: A Pittance of Time.MP3   (4:35)

 

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Is Your School Lockdown Relevant?

lockdown2The signal is given.  Doors lock. Students huddle in the safest possible location.  The building goes quiet.

We live in a world where school  lockdown drills are a fact of life.  A response to violent incidents of which we are well aware, their purpose is to prepare people for an event we all hope never occurs.

Of course, these sort of activities can cause anxiety on their own, but how we conduct these drills is often left to the discretion of the school.  An unannounced drill will most certainly induce some level of panic and urgency, just as in a real emergency situation.  But is that the best way to prepare people for the real thing?  A surprise drill where staff and students are inadequately prepared is a poor way to equip them to respond to a safety threat.

An effective school leader will, at the very least, do the following to make an emergency lockdown drill a relevant learning experience:

Make it meaningful

Give staff and students ample time to prepare in advance of the drill.  At our school, I advise staff a week in advance of the event, specifying the date and time, and encouraging them to review the procedure with the class.  I will usually provide links to relevant articles to serve as a discussion point as to why we have emergency lockdown drills.  This puts the activity in context and demystifies some of the reasons for practicing it.

Teach the response

During the drill, I will inform staff and students over the school’s public address system as to what is occurring at each stage of the drill.  They need to know why it is important for them to sit in silence and to know what is going on in other parts of the building as they participate in the activity.

Transfer the learning

Following the drill, I will typically go to each class for a debriefing.  One of the questions I will pose to the students is “What did you learn from this drill that you can apply to other situations?”  I suggest to students to consider how they would react if they were in a dangerous situation in a shopping mall or movie theatre.  What did they learn in the school drill that would keep them and others safe in those situations?  Students generally provide some insightful answers related to minimizing their exposure to the risk and to helping others to remain safe as well.

Providing staff and students with the opportunity to go through this type of exercise in an open, informed and structured way builds their capacity to respond appropriately in an emergency.   Subsequent drills typically involve a less guided approach requiring a more independent response.

People can learn how to stay safe when confronted with a potentially dangerous situation.  Our role is to educate and these types of drills give us the chance to teach some important lessons.  Schools must seize the opportunity to make them meaningful.

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The Permanent Bookshelf of Your Mind

3booksI do not keep many books in my office.  While I like to read for professional growth, nearly all the books that I read enjoy only a temporary stop on my personal bookshelf en route to the staffroom.  It is there that I have established a small professional library for all staff, an expanding resource located in a prominent spot and arranged in a fashion so as to serve as a tasteful focal point in that room.

My office bookshelf typically includes books I am currently reading as well as a few prospects that I have on deck.  However, there are three particular titles with which I simply cannot seem to part.  In fact, I have given away copies of them only to later purchase another so that I could have it on hand.  I have found these particular books to be invaluable in helping me define my role as principal.  They are resources I turn to when I am looking for direction and they have helped shaped my reflective practice.  These three titles enjoy a permanent spot on my personal bookshelf:

  • The Power of Servant Leadership, by Robert K. Greenleaf

The subtitle of the original 1977 book Servant Leadership is “A Journey Into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness”.  The key word in all of that is “legitimate”.  People enjoy power by virtue of their position, but true power is characterized by situations where people are willing to work with and for you because they have a genuine desire to do so.  I have concluded that people cannot become servant leaders.  It is either within one’s nature or it is not.  However, there are lessons for all within these pages which highlight how the greatest leaders are those who have genuine empathy, wisdom, and an authentic sense of service to others.

  • The Prince, by Niccolo Machaiavelli

Such has been the impact of this book that the author’s surname has evolved into an adjective, albeit a somewhat undesirable one synonymous with deception and unscrupulous deeds.  However, what Machiavelli offers is a pragmatic view of how systems operate.  His keen observations are as relevant today as they were in the 16th century.  Is it a stretch to think that they apply to school administration?  I certainly don’t think so.  The lessons in this book have helped me to clearly understand many of the processes I see around me and I would be lying to say that I have never exploited that knowledge in navigating my way through the mine field of education politics.

  • Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence, by Daniel Goleman

It seemed as though there would only be two books I would keep within arm’s reach during my career.  Then I read Focus.  We live in a world where diverse elements compete for our attention.  It is impossible to respond to every demand, but how are we to react to the expectation to always be on our game and respond to competing requests for our time?  What choices should we make?  Goleman addresses this by encouraging us to take a mindful approach in which we genuinely attend to others, balance our goal seeking with a sense of empathy and strive to focus on what is truly important in the grander scheme.  The impact of our actions ripples far wider than we imagine.

Various factors  shape our character.  We all learn in unique ways, which means that while people like me prefer the printed page, others are impacted by different experiences, a handful of which will undoubtedly earn a prominent place in their consciousness.

What is on your “permanent bookshelf”?

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Value Added Professional Learning: Using Twitter to Enrich the Conference Experience

twitter_appI recently returned from an annual school leaders’ conference.  The format of the conference has remained largely unchanged over the years and followed the traditional approach of keynote speakers followed by breakout sessions catering to more specific interests.

But this year, things were different.  I found the conference focused on relevant topics aligned with my own professional growth objectives, which is what I expected. But what I did not expect was the real time exchange of ideas and observations invisibly occurring amongst Twitter savvy participants which significantly enriched the learning experience.

Participants engage in the sessions in different ways. Some pay rapt attention to the speaker.  Others may take hand written notes to reinforce the message.  Twitter provides participants with another means of engaging in the presentation, and the interactive nature of this resource can result in a rich learning experience

I sense that conference participants who exploit Twitter experience the event on a different level than those who do not utilize this tool.  Conference organizers are becoming increasingly aware of this.  It is becoming more common to see “#conference_name” on registration forms, name tags and the speaker’s podium.  There are numerous helpful articles to assist event planners in embedding Twitter into conferences.

The running dialogue occurring just below the surface has the potential to be extremely helpful in sharing learning reflections, but there is more to it than that.  For those with the ability to exploit this resource, the Twitter enriched conference has the potential to accomplish three things:

  • The collected tweets of people posting their observations comprise notes far more thorough that one person is likely to compile.
  • Tweets enrich the presentation when they provide immediate links to material or resources to which the speaker has referred.
  • It provides unparalleled access to the speaker for follow up.

Participants may choose to exploit this resource or not, but those who are unaware of the potential of Twitter as a conference resource are missing a significant opportunity to enrich their professional learning experience.

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Bi-Tech: Relating to Both the Digital and Analog Generations

old phone new phoneI am of the generation that grew up in a largely pre-digital era. With the pace of technological innovation in today’s world being what it is, nearly all of us can say we have seen a tremendous amount of change in our lifetime. Yet I find myself in a challenging and somewhat frustrating position;  I need to be able to competently use the latest technology while maintaining a skill set related to that which is rapidly being rendered obsolete.

The best way to illustrate the need for this is to reference my own family. I communicate with my adult children via text messaging and occasionally through a social networking medium. Typical of most digital natives, online media is their first choice when it comes to news, sports and entertainment. We carry our smartphones with us practically everywhere and can connect in seconds, although I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times we actually used those devices as telephones.  Our practice has been to exchange bite sized pieces of text information. I respect that they prefer to communicate in this fashion

My elderly mother receives a daily printed newspaper. She does not have internet access in her home, and relies on the radio and television for her news and entertainment. She has a cell phone and I continue to try to persuade her that the device is essentially useless when turned off.  (From her perspective, there is no reason to turn it on if she is not actively using it.)  She relies on her land line telephone, preferring real time conversation as her primary means of distance communication. I respect that she prefers to communicate in this fashion.

I am caught in the middle with a perspective that yields a unique understanding of both digital cultures.  As a result, I am proficient in accessing communication technologies across generations, something of which I am not confident either generational extreme can boast.

Out with the old and in with the new?

A number of my age cohorts are tech savy, others are decidedly not. As a high school principal, many of the parents with whom I interact typically fall somewhere within that continuum. Does that impact on how I communicate with them?  It most certainly does.

Consider the traditional school newsletter, which continues to be a commonly used communication tool. Stuffed into backpacks and binders, some might find their way home to their intended audience, but many do not. Recognizing that they could improve on their delivery rate, schools began to make newsletters available online or to email them directly to parents, yet they did not necessarily abandon the hard copy backpack-delivery model. This is in recognition of the fact that we are dealing with parents who relate best to a paper newsletter as well as those who prefer to receive that information electronically.

So are schools then to exploit new technologies while maintaining older, even obsolete means of communication?  My answer to that is a qualified no. While we are obliged to communicate with parents and with the community at large, it is our responsibility to enable them to receive information in more current formats and  move away from yesterday’s practice.

IMG_4446aThe Digital Divide.

It has been years since I have sent home a regular printed school newsletter. Our school sends one major newsletter style publication home each year as an insert in the year-end report card. It includes information about the upcoming school year and frequently references the school website as an information source. QR codes direct the more tech savy parents to relevant sections of the school website and it is clearly indicated that this is the one printed newsletter parents can expect to receive. Our goal is education, and that includes enabling the ability to access school information through modern means.

I recognize that some people may be incapable of accessing information through current technology, and for these people we gladly print and send the relevant sections of the school website. These are increasingly rare cases.

Straddling that digital divide can be a challenge. Parents, particularly those of high school students, are largely digital immigants.  While one may deem it necessary to preserve dated strategies to faciliate communication with all parents, the resulting reality sees the same information available in a variety formats and delivery models.  This redundancy is ultimately inefficient.

At some point we must abandon the obsolete.  As communication technologies evolve, so must our practices.

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Professional Development: Don’t Waste Your Time!

professional developmentOn any given day, both my physical and electronic inboxes contain notices about high profile speakers, regional workshops, webinars, seminars, and more – a plethora of chances to build on one’s professional skill set.

Targeted professional development results from thoughtful self analysis culmunating in a professional growth plan. Yet professional development activities also have the potential be an expensive waste of time.  This is most likely to be the case where PD is reactive, pursued with little consideration for personal or organizational needs, and receives no follow up.

I write “The Principal in Practice” to share what experience has taught.  The focus of this article is on how to target PD initiatives and virtually eliminate wasteful PD practices.

Personal vs System Based PD

There are essentially two types of PD – personal and system based.  Personal PD is just that, and related to one’s personal growth plan.  System based is linked to providing those engaged in a shared initiative to develop their skill set in a generally similar way.

Personal Professional Development:

At the start of each school year, I engage each individual teacher in a dialogue regarding their professional goals for the year.  This is an opportunity to have a frank discussion about what they view as their most pressing needs. As principal, my role is to keep a number of influencing factors in the mix, including school goals, Division priorities, effective teaching practices, and above all, student learning.

I typically encourage teachers to formulate two or three goals related to some or all of the above and we invariably negotiate some mutually agreeable target areas.

Those professional goals become the filter through which all prospective PD activities must pass.  When a teacher approaches me about attending a PD session, my first response is to initiate a discussion about how the activity relates to those goals.  If there is a clear connection, my job is to find a way to support that activity.  If there is not, then my job is to redirect the conversation toward the teacher’s professional growth plan and to determining the types of activities that will help him or her to achieve the objectives in that plan.

System Based Professional Development:

System based PD is typically put in place to support a school based or Division wide initiative.  It is challenging to create these types of PD activities because the target population is often at different learning stages.  Some may be well versed in the topic while others are only beginning their learning journey.  Where that is the case, the wise PD planner will turn that into an advantage by exploiting the skills of those who have the background to support or mentor those who do not.

When PD fails

A critical first step in creating meaningful system wide PD activities is to conduct a needs analysis to target interventions.   PD planners can err by targeting too low.  When they fail to recognize that a particular skill set already exists, participants will be bored, and subsequently disengaged from the activity.  Alternately, planners can target too high and by making assumptions about the audience’s knowledge base, they risk disengagement from participants who feel they are in over their heads.

Even a simple needs analysis can inform PD planners about their audience and enable them to create a valuable, meaningful experience.

Follow up

The phrase “drive-by PD” refers to those one-off activities that receive little or no follow up.  While it may be tempting to become involved in a hot topic PD session, such events rarely provide much benefit in the long run.  The concept that any professional development is good professional development is simply not valid.  PD is expensive in terms of both time and money, and there is no excuse for wasting either.

How do you know PD is impacting student learning?

PD activities must ultimately lead to one important thing – an improvement in student learning.  A good PD plan will articulate some means of determining that relationship. What that looks like is dependent upon the situation and it does not have to be particularly complex.  The key elements to include are:

  • Determining the need
  • Formulating the PD plan
  • Carrying out the plan
  • Evaluating the impact of the plan

Stay the Course

It may be tempting to veer off course now and then, but following a well thought out plan will provide the greatest impact in the long run. Our time and resources must never be wasted as we provide leadership and foster professional growth in those around us.

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Concluding the School Year: The Devil is in the Details

June_Calendar1I write “The Principal in Practice” to share what experience has taught. This is one topic you will not find in a textbook or typically offered as a  professional development opportunity: how to provide effective administrative management in ending the school year.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to create the definitive list of nut and bolt items that need to be addressed as June comes to a close, let alone how to clearly communicate the associated details to the people that need to be informed. That list would not make for particularly engaging reading, and perhaps that is why the topic receives little attention. Yet, overseeing the conclusion of the school year involves critical routine administrative tasks and as Principal, they are your responsibility. What procedures do you have in place to address functions like those listed below, and how do you ensure they are carried out?

Let’s get this cleaned up.

Pick a day and provide a flexible window in which to have teachers take their classes to carry out a locker and classroom cleanup. Co-ordinate this thoughtfully. Do not even consider having every student in the school go out at the same time and start cleaning his or her locker.  That is a recipe for pandemonium. Consult with your school custodians when planning activities related to cleanup and the collection and storage of learning resources.  They will thank you for it.

Streamlining school property management.

Every school likely has some kind of a system to collecting school property and comparing the inventory to that which was distributed earlier in the school year. If you don’t have a system, you are probably spending money to replace lost and damaged resources when those funds should be spent on something related to student learning. We have a system where lost or damaged items are accounted for and the details are sent to a staff member responsible for creating invoices that are in turn sent to parents. My experience is that an invoice for $200 worth of textbooks frequently results in the prompt return of said textbooks and significant relief for the school’s Learning Resources budget.

Dates, deadlines and who is responsible for what.

There are literally hundreds of tasks that need to be completed in winding down the school year. It is not possible to list every one of them, but a general calendar of activities keeps things on track.

Let’s examine one activity that all schools are required to do: reporting marks to the Department of Education at the end of the school year. To do this, office admin staff has to import and process data. That data is generated by teachers who carry out assessments. Those assessment need to be completed by a certain time in order to allow all of this to happen. I am in the habit of identifying specific dates and times for things to happen. It is not unreasonable to require that all teachers have entered all marks and comments into the reporting system by a certain time on a certain day. That timeline needs to be clearly articulated.

A word of advice: give yourself enough time to deal with the inevitable glitches. If your data is housed on a remote server that is also hosting data from numerous other school divisions, know that the server may be operating slowly at the end of June as it processes all that data. Also, remember that when things go wrong you will be on a waiting list for tech support. Factor such delays into your planning.

Let’s be perfectly clear on assessment.

Ideally, you are having ongoing conversations about student assessment and this topic accounts for at least a part of your school based professional development activities. However every school division has a policy around student assessment and you should draw teachers’ attention to it not only at the start of the year but just prior to each reporting period as well. There are so many procedures that teachers need to remember; a quick review of the expectations around student assessment prior to the generation of reports provides clarification and ensures implementation of proper procedure.

How to plan surprise-free graduation and awards ceremonies.

Whether you are planning a high school graduation ceremony or a school based awards night, someone is ultimately responsible for ensuring things happen as they should. As principal, you need to clearly articulate the tasks for which you are taking active responsibility and those which you are delegating to others. However, make sure you have some sort of accountability process in place for those tasks you delegate – some mechanism to assure yourself that the critical functions associated with planning these types of events are fulfilled.  Be aware that delegated tasks that are not attended to in a timely fashion will come back to you for action.  Assign tasks, attach detailed timelines, and follow up to provide support and address challenges as they arise.

Details, details, details: School Supplies and Fees lists.

Who has responsibility for updating and generating these lists? Does your school supplies list include obsolete items? Parents won’t know this and will purchase what you have placed on the list. Don’t waste their time and money by distributing a dated list.

Do parents know students may need things like headphones or data storage devices? Do they have any idea what cloud storage is and how to access it? I recommend your school supplies list is hotlinked to samples so that people have a clear idea as to what they should be purchasing.  The school supplies list is also a place to include your school division’s policy on “Bring Your Own Device” so that people who are purchasing technology for student use are making informed decisions.

Does your school division have a policy on school fees? Are there user fees for consumable items in courses like Home Economics or Industrial Arts? Is the fee schedule current? These things can change from year to year, so consult with your staff so that parents receive accurate information.

This is not a meeting item!

I am a firm believer that anything that can be dealt with in a memo should be dealt with in that fashion. Do not waste valuable staff meeting time talking about any of the above, unless it is a matter that requires a discussion or a decision.

My practice has been to distribute a lengthy memo about 8 weeks prior to the end of the school year that deals with all the “administrivia” that is a necessary part of effective school management. Prefaced by a modest apology about the length that follows, it contains specific details related to year end procedures. Not only does it include critical dates and deadlines, but it clearly states who is responsible for what, to whom reports and documents are to be submitted, and where to find the resources to carry out assigned tasks. During those 8 weeks, I make notations about what worked and what did not, and use that as the basis for revisions that are implemented in subsequent years.

Deliberate attention = good practice.

Efficient practice is critical in saving time and bringing clarity to the complex task of successfully concluding the school year. As Principal, one ideally wants to spend one’s time on matters related to instructional leadership. However, there is more than one dimension to the principalship. Efficient practice will provide you with the time to focus on your priorities.

Ironically, it is the absence of sound planning that draws attention. Deliberate attention on effective school management where roles and responsibilities are clearly articulated contributes to a positive atmosphere and a successful end to the school year.

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The Right Tools for the Job: Exploiting Technology for Effective School Administration

In his Diffusion of Innovation theory,  Everett M. Rogers identified the characteristics of groups of people based on how rapidly they embraced an innovation.  Though his research was based on agricultural innovation, his theory holds true across disciplines.  Rogers’ five groups of adopters, from the most enthusiastic to the slowest to adopt included: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards.

Yes, there are laggards in school administration, though I don’t particularly like the connotations associated with that word.  In most cases, those who are slow to apply new educational technologies have been so not because of any lack of skill or talent, but simply because in the complex world of educational administration, competing demands for time can place technology skill development well down the priority list.

Go with what you know…?

“Go with what you know“ can be a comforting concept.  It frequently occurs that we rely on our tried and true skill set.  Ironically, setting aside a portion of the day to become more proficient at exploiting technology for educational administration has the potential to free up valuable hours for the very functions that school administrators often feel they do not have enough time for.

Email overload, and what do do about it.

Take the wonderful world of email. How often to school administrators rely on this as the sole means of communication with staff and colleagues?  While email is an effective tool, it is woefully inefficient as a means of fostering dialogue amongst a group of people.  Yet because it is the tool we all know, it is frequently over utilized as a means of communication.

Ask a group of school administrators if they would like to reduce the volume of incoming email they face each day. The majority would likely indicate a desire to do that.  Show that same group how to use a discussion board however and only a handful, if any, will embrace and enthusiastically exploit this tool.  Whether it be the anxiety associated with trying something new, the comfort that comes with simply using what you already know, or a combination of those two factors, people will generally resort to their current practice unless the new practice is seen as simple and the advantages are made clear.  Unfortunately, not everything is presented in such a manner.

One highly underutlized resource is the above mentioned discussion board.  This tool is far superior to e-mail communication when the focus is on discussion or collaboration.  In a discussion board, all members can see the contributions and replies of all members.  A question posted on the board has the potential to generate multiple responses which frequently build upon each other to create a rich dialogue.

Discussion boards are also the place to post “information only” items.  I am in the practice of posting all in school memos on a discussion board that is accessible only to school staff.   It is my experience that such items frequently generate questions that I did not forsee.  One can be sure that if one person poses a question or seeks clarity about an information item, others were likely thinking the same thing.

We are frequently sent emails from the school district office with the directive to “forward to Science teachers”, or “forward to staff that you feel may be interested in this topic”.  I don’t have the time to do that, and neither does anyone else in my school need to take time to selectively redirect such messages.  We simply place them on the discussion board where the people that need to see such items may do so.

Also underutilized is the simple tool of instant messaging.  This is effective when you are seeking a quick answer to a direct question.  Whether it is by using a web based system that is frequently built in as part of a school district’s communications system or by text messaging with a cell phone, it is one of the most efficient ways to exchange a dozen or so words with someone with whom you need to connect.  It is immediate and avoids placing yet another email in someone’s inbox – an email that may or may not receive the time sensitive attention it deserves.

I realize that discussion boards and instant messaging are neither new nor cutting edge.  Yet I am frequently surprised to observe the extent to which people continue to rely on what they know and fail to use such simple yet effective resources such as these. Email is a great tool, but if it is the only one in your toolbox, you are likely not exploiting readily available communication technology resources as efficiently as you could be.

It takes more than a single hammer to build a house.  Likewise, a variety of tools are required for effective workplace communication.

Take time to make time.

School administrators should not be afraid to try out new resources as they become available.  One needs to critically analyze how any particular resource can impact on the task at hand and to understand that exploring the resource will take time.  However, investing that time has the potential to pay off in the long run.  Developing a repertoire with regard to technology resources will ensure that regardless of the situation, you will have the right tools for the job.

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Intangible Leadership: 5 Ways to Provide “Soft Support” to School Staff

As principal, one has the potential to exert a tremendous amount of influence on the climate of the school.  An effective school administrator is keenly aware of the factors that can impact upon school climate that are too numerous to address here. Instead my  focus is on an overlooked factor to which I refer as “soft support” for school staff.

What I mean by this is that there are subtle ways that a principal can show school staff that they are valued and supported. I believe that many of these things are simply second nature for effective leaders.  Yet, there is value to taking the time to consciously reflect upon our own day to day actions with a view to improving the way we provide support to those with whom we work every day.

The best way for a school leader to provide such support depends a great deal on personal leadership style, as what works for one person may not work for the next.  However, these five would undoubtedly form a sound foundation:

  1.  Be visible. If you walk into a classroom and are noticed, that should be sign to you that you are not making anywhere near the number of informal visits that you should be making.  What should you do when you visit a classroom?  Ideally, you should go through all the steps of a “walkthrough” that is better described in other books and articles.  At the very least, you should connect with a student by asking what he or she is learning today.  Or acknowledge something that the teacher is doing and make a clear connection to student learning.  Ideally, people should be more surprised to see you in your office than in a classroom or the hallway.
  2. Listen.  If you have developed a good rapport with your teachers, you will likely find that they do not hesitate to seek you out to share something that is on their mind.  In my experience, this may be classroom related, but not necessarily.  Over the course of my long career, I have had staff members come to speak to me to discuss topics about which I never imagined they might seek my consultation.  I have always found that they don’t necessarily need answers from me, so I don’t usually offer them up.  Instead, I employ all the reflective listening strategies I have learned over the years and more often than not simply help the person answer his or her own questions.
  3. Do what’s right.  One Friday afternoon, I had a support staff member come to see me about her pay cheque.  It seems the employer miscalculated – an honest error that resulted in a cheque payable for slightly less than she had earned.  Being  late afternoon on a Friday, she meekly suggested she would wait to resolve the matter after the weekend.  I remember her reaction when I stated that this was simply not acceptable as she was entitled to the full amount right then and there. We immediately got down to the business of correcting the error.  She later told me that  making this issue my immediate priority showed her that her work was valued.  To me it was just the right thing to do.
  4. Find out what people are passionate about, then fund it.  I have had numerous conversations with teachers either beginning a new assignment or starting up a new program.  They invariably come to me full of creative ideas and a question: “What kind of a budget would I have to do this?”  My answer has always been: “Your job is to create phenomenal learning experiences for students, my job is to figure out how to help you make them happen.”  Nothing stymies passionate energy like a fixed dollar figure.  There is always a way to make the things that should happen a reality and when teachers are assured that they have your support for this, they are free to let learning, rather than budget, be the focus.  When you can channel that passionate energy into the classroom and teachers know they have your support in making things happen, everyone wins.
  5. Seize the moment.  From time to time there will arise opportunities for you to do some simple thing that speaks volumes about what you stand for.  The challenge is to recognize and act upon them.  I have always said that I will never ask anyone to do something that I myself was not prepared to do.  Whether it is recognizing how to stand by a teacher who is dealing with a classroom management issue, when to provide supervision support, or when to offer to be a silent observer at a parent-teacher meeting, experience teaches us not only what to do and when and how to do it.  Above all, never underestimate the power of the small gesture.

Leaders who believe that their role is to provide support to those around them tend to understand that they are only as effective as the people around them. It is through bringing out the best in others that we bring out the best in ourselves.