Show What You Know: When tests and assignments don’t work

OneSizeI am principal of a combined middle / high school.  This configuration results in an odd combination of reporting periods that sees us generate reports at one level or another at six different times of the year.  That makes for a lot of report cards for a principal to approve, but I intentionally make time to review every one.  I look for patterns, anomalies, and use the reports as one of the many data sources to track school progress.

     Report cards comments can provide important insight into a student’s learning, provided that teachers use that limited space to concisely capture some key observations.  As a principal, it is my job to work with teachers to develop their skills in this area.

     Some comments are utterly useless.  “Good work” or “this student is a pleasure to have in class” provide no insight into learning.  Fortunately, I do not normally observe that sort of commentary on the reports.  However, I have most definitely seen a shift in the types of things that have been written over the last few years.

     I was particularly inspired when I read one particular comment on the recent reports.  I know what you’re thinking:  Who but a school principal could possibly ever be inspired by a report card comment?  But here is what it said:

“In collaboration with his teacher (name of student) needs to seek out opportunities where he can verbally explain his thinking to meet outcomes and show evidence of his learning.”

     What struck me was how this reflected a particular segment of our teaching and learning journey; the shift from compliance to learning.

     It was not all that long ago that marks were largely influenced by how many assignments students completed, whether they showed up to class on time, and the degree to which they did precisely what they were told to do.  Without diminishing the importance of demonstrating responsible behaviour, those things did not necessarily indicate the degree to which a student met the outcomes of the course.

I am satisfied that we as a school have long moved away from compliance to a focus on learning outcomes.  But the teacher’s comment provides an indication that we are progressing even further in that direction.  Not everyone is best able to demonstrate their learning through writing.  For those, pencil and paper tests are the wrong vehicle.  If a student is able to fully accomplish via speaking the same thing that another student is able to accomplish through writing, why would we withhold recognition of that learning? 

     Yes, students need to know how to write, but we ignore the diversity of our learners if we only accept limited ways of showing knowledge of learning outcomes.  Inviting a student to verbalize his understanding of the course outcomes, and accepting that as evidence of learning in the same way we would accept a test score demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of assessment and respect for each unique learner.

     Our journey will continue, but I am encouraged by the progressive thinking of educators who acknowledge and respond to diverse learning styles and invite students to travel meaningful paths to “show what they know”.

 

 

The Inseparable Nature of Pedagogy & Technology

innovateI am a member of a disappearing group of teachers. Our numbers are dwindling and we will never be seen in the school system again. What makes this group unique? We began our teaching careers in the pre-internet age.

For those whose journey has not paralleled mine, it is difficult to truly understand just how technology has revolutionized education over that period of time. We know that teachers have shifted from being those who impart knowledge to those who facilitate the acquisition of knowledge. We know that schools look nothing like they did even a few short years ago. But it is hard to fathom the degree that technology innovation has impacted upon not only pedagogy, but upon every aspect of schools and education.

PossessBuilding Capacity

It is critically important to embrace the use of technology to accelerate learning for students and staff alike. We cannot underestimate the importance of building capacity in staff so that they can, by extension, build capacity in their students. As Michael Fullan stated in “Coherence”: We cannot give to others what we do not possess ourselves”. To that end, I have been very deliberate in maintaining a contemporary skill set and fostering the professional growth of those around me.

By way of example, we maintain a school blog at our school website. Every teacher is invited to make at least a single annual contribution. The intent is not to force teachers to write a blog – certainly, there is nothing to be gained from that in itself – but simply to give them the opportunity to take part in this experience and gain an understanding of how this tool can be leveraged to enhance the learning experiences they design for their own students.

As with any initiative, there is a varying level of uptake. However, it is encouraging that this initiative is now part of our professional school based conversation. It is on the table, so to speak, and ideally is something that teachers will increasingly consider as a tool in support of student learning as well as for their own professional growth.

Technological / Pedagogical Evolution

Remarkable changes have occurred in schools over the years. Classroom space was given over to computer labs that have since become obsolete. There has been a transition from desktop computers to laptops to hand held devices that were unimaginable just a few short years ago. Textbooks and binders are giving way to e-readers and OneNote. All through this, I have forced myself to get on board with those innovations that appeared to have the potential to impact on student learning. Just as importantly, I also gained a clear understanding of my obligation to foster the growth of the teachers with whom I work as well as my colleagues in educational leadership.

I understand that this is not an easy road for some. However, even when that is the case, at least some measure of forward progress must be evident. We do a disservice to our students when we fail to push our own boundaries or rely on what may be comfortable and familiar instead of keeping abreast of latest practice.

We do not live in isolation, and students everywhere are benefiting from innovation in technology implemented within the context of sound pedagogy. Who will foster this growth in your own students, if not you?

Thank you, John Dewey.

Ripple_HallwayPutting Assessment in Context

It is at the conclusion of the semester that teachers are asked to make some of their most important decisions of the year. After months of creating engaging learning activities and working with students to provide them with opportunities to demonstrate knowledge of the learning outcomes, teachers must determine not only if the student has been successful in that regard, but also identify a grade which represents their level of achievement.

In most cases, it is a matter of identifying an accurate (albeit subjective) number that reflects where students stand relative to their peers. In others it involves a failing grade and accompanying commentary to justify that assessment. The world of assessment is far from black and white, and teachers often engage in an internal dialogue about what counts and what doesn’t, and wrestle with the how their assessment of the students’ abilities truly reflects what that student is able to do.

In some instances, the stakes are higher. A failing grade in a particular course can put a students’ graduation at risk. Rightly or wrongly, entrance into some post-secondary institutions is screened on the basis of high school marks.   The assessments that teachers make and the grades they assign can cause ripples well beyond the classroom.

The Big Question:

Some jurisdictions recognize a final mark must reflect teachers’ informed professional judgement. Where that is the case, there will be those occasions where one faces a dilemma, best captured in this question:

  • Has this student demonstrated a satisfactory understanding of the learning outcomes?

When I pose that question, I prefer to qualify two key elements:

  • Has this student demonstrated a satisfactory understanding of the learning outcomes?

Assessment must be considered on a case by case basis. We need personalize student achievement by looking closely at the student whom we are assessing, and putting the learning outcomes in context.

John_Dewey

Inspiration from the Past

When confronted with such a task, I take my inspiration from a trusted source. In “How We Think”, John Dewey articulated a number of concepts that resonate across the years. These ideals continue to have relevance and certainly have influenced my own responses.

Dewey writes about context: how a poor performing student may, when confronted with a different set of circumstances may achieve quite well. The point is that our assessment of a student is only relevant within the context of that particular learning environment. It is imperative that this reality is reflected in our assessment. We must know “this student” for this to occur.

Dewey also warns us about preoccupation with external standards. It is paramount that we help students learn how to think. Process, not product, should be our focus. In that sense, our evaluation should reflect more upon the journey toward achieving the “learning outcomes” rather than on whether or not the student ultimately reached the destination.

Teachers have the difficult task of determining pass or fail, or identifying a letter or number that somehow reflects a student’s level of achievement. This can only occur when they have a sound knowledge of the student as a learner and can exercise their professional judgement in assessing achievement of outcomes.

The evaluation of student achievement is an imperfect process and the grades we assign have implications well beyond our schools and classrooms.

Our assessments of students must consider these realities.

Professional Libraries: Old Fashioned or Underrated?

Bookshelf1I have very few books in my office. Other than a shelf where I keep three particular books that have guided my career and the one or two professional reading selections I have on the go, my personal workspace is devoid of the rows of books one might expect to see adorning the shelves of the principal’s office.

I do a great deal of professional reading. In fact, that is my preferred way to learn. To me however, a book loses its value after I have read it.  Once consumed, it has little function beyond serving as a decorative accessory.

But for those who have not yet turned those pages, the value remains. For that reason, it is important to make this resource available to others. That is not likely to happen if it occupies a permanent sheltered spot upon a dusty shelf.

Every principal has a responsibility to meet the professional learning needs of staff. With what we know about learning and learning styles, we should know that it is important to establish even a small professional learning library in our schools.

Getting up and running

Where does one start? I feel it is important to have a mix of current titles related to teaching and learning, books on health and wellness, inspirational essays, as well as some standard classics.

You will find your own essential titles but from my perspective, here are some “must have” books:
• Servant Leadership – Robert Greenleaf
• Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman
• On Death and Dying – Elizabeth Kubler Ross
• Classroom Instruction that Works – Robert Marzano
• Quiet – Susan Cain
• Multiple Intelligences – Howard Gardner

Whenever I am at an educational conference, I will make a point of stopping by the vendors’ table where one finds books authored by the keynote speaker. When possible, I will get the book signed by the author with a brief message for our school. It is a simple touch but has the potential to create a small connection between the author and professional library borrower.

From time to time, staff members will request certain titles. I try to ensure they find their way into an upcoming book order and a place on our library shelves.

Circulating and (sort of) managing the material

I believe in the honour system to circulate material. I invite not only staff to borrow anything that may appeal to them, but invite visitors to our school (clinicians, consultants, etc.) to treat this resource as their own.

Borrowed material practically always finds its way back to the shelf.  If it doesn’t, it is usually because it had a profound impact on someone that they elected to retain it, or perhaps it found its way further afield. Either way, the resource is in the hands of someone that values it, and a replacement copy is easily acquired.

Location, location, location

reading_chairEndless shelves of professional reading material serve little purpose if housed in a private office. There may be an ongoing invite to others to help themselves, but to make things accessible as possible it is important to create an appropriate location to house the collection.  It might be in the school library, the corner of the staff room, or any other location that staff can peruse the collection on their own time and their own terms. It is important that it is a public area that accessible to all staff. Consider taking a page from libraries and bookstores and install a comfortable reading chair or two.

What example do you set?

I usually have a professional reading selection in my briefcase for those moments when I have the opportunity to get through a few pages and I encourage all staff to do the same. Where appropriate, I will share my thoughts on what I am reading and reference these sources in my discussions with teachers. Just as we encourage teachers to model reading to students, so should principals find ways to model the importance of professional reading to teachers.

Sometimes a book is a pretty good resource!

In our connected world, it is easy to rely on electronic resources to feed our hunger for professional reading material. Blogs (such as this one), web sites and other such resources provide bite sized pieces of information that can whet our appetites for more in depth sources. A balanced approach is most likely to contribute to building sound knowledge base. Without question, a current and well stocked learning library has an important place in the professional growth of staff.

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)

 

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.

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.

5 Things All Principals Must Do at Summer Break

lawn chairsIt is the end of the last day of school.  The students have left, staff is trickling out the door, and you can hear the school custodians hard at work moving furniture from the classrooms as they prepare for summertime cleaning.

What happens next is up to you.   You must be  fully prepared to provide leadership to make the upcoming school year a success.  To be able to do that, you need to take some important steps which should include the following.  As principal, what do you have planned for tomorrow?

1. Go home.

I know of school administrators who spend the first week or so of the summer break back at the school tending to duties associated with wrapping up the school year.  They will tell you that the lack of distraction in a generally empty building helps them to concentrate and be more productive.  However, I say that those tasks can and should be dealt with in the weeks and months leading up to the end of the school year.

Inefficient use of time during the school year can indeed contribute to a backlog of activities at the end of June.  Working into the summer is a poor solution to this.  Administrators should instead examine their own practice and make the necessary adjustments to ensure that the tasks they need to complete are done so in a timely fashion.

2. Avoid “drive-by” professional development.

Principals will frequently use the summer months to take a university course or attend a professional development seminar on a topic of interest to them.  That is a reasonable use of time as long as it is targeted PD related to their professional growth plan.

We are frequently presented with PD opportunities that are not directly related to our identified needs.  Sometimes, a PD activity simply sounds interesting. Is that enough reason to pursue such an opportunity?  If you are yearning for an activity, consider bringing balance to your life by engaging in something related to your own personal interests.  Never neglect your own wellness.

3. Disconnect.

Do you check and respond to work related email over the summer?  If so, consider the impact of breaking that electronic tether.

At the end of each school year, I respond to any email and leave the workplace with an empty inbox.  I am largely incommunicado over the summer, and when I return to start the new school year, I inevitably find that inbox to have collected an incredible number of messages.  My strategy is to move every single summertime message into a folder without reading a single one.  In each year that I have done that, I may have had one or two people referencing a message they sent over the summer which I then easily retrieve.  The rest did not seem to make a difference.

Consider the alternative of dealing with work related e-mail every other day over the summer.  If they do not make a difference, why would you allow them to divert attention from your summer break and interfere with your personal time?

4. Recharge.

Some people recharge by getting together with family and friends.  Others revel in the quiet comfort of solitude.  Most people fit somewhere along that continuum.  It is important that you determine what works for you and allow yourself the time to replenish your energy and rest your mind.

5. Plan your return.

Prior to the end of the school year, examine the calendar and pick a date for your return.  Be reasonable, and pick a date that is early enough to give you the time to adequately prepare for the new school year, but late enough to allow you to take full advantage of the summer break.  Selecting a reasonable target date helps you to clearly separate your summer break activities from your work activities.

Never underestimate the importance of life-work balance.

Your summer break is yours to use as you see fit, but do not think for a moment that you are more productive if you keep the focus on school administration over the summer.  There is no evidence to suggest working through the summer makes you more effective.  On the contrary, the most effective administrators are those that have established a healthy life-work balance and respect their own personal wellness.

That is an ideal that should be modelled for all.

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.

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.