A Celebration of Learning

One of the schools I work at recently decided to try a new way of recognising student achievement. We are having an ongoing discussion about how to recognise achievement, when that might happen during the school year, and what that might look like as we move forward in the school year. While the discussion was initiated by me, the teaching staff are definitely willing to give something new a try. I think we all agree that Honour Roll assemblies and medals for Principal's List, while motivating for some students and celebrated by parents, are not recognising the bulk of the students at our school.

Through my blog reading and following Twitter, I am aware of many discussions about this topic, and decided I would do my best to bring this to our staff team. I am also hoping that the discussions amongst staff will spread to other stakeholders in our community: students, families and extended community members.

Our first step this year was to have a Celebration of Learning assembly. Each teacher agreed to choose one month in the school year to bring something that students are learning to our monthly assemblies.  The intent is that students, whether it is two partners or an entire class, will share something with the school. I made sure to let staff know that the parameters are wide open, as long as it is tied to something the students are learning in class. I was both please and surprised by the results of the first assembly.

Our oldest students were the first to present at the October assembly. Students came forward to recite poems on a Halloween theme, many of them by Edgar Allen Poe. I was pleased by the courage many students showed, reading or reciting aloud in front of their peers, parents, grandparents and a school trustee. One thought I had afterwards was that while everyone had a chance to present, the length of time it took to for all students to share their poem definitely watered down the power of the moment. Another surprise for me was the video their teacher chose to show as a wrap-up -- a short animated clip that I did not have the opportunity to preview (note to self: preview all presentations in the future!). Many students enjoyed the clip, but the content was not appropriate for all ages, in my opinion.

A happy surprise was that another teacher made a last minute decision to put a video together of a project her class had just finished. Candid interviews on the topic of bullying, along with the "why's" and "how's" of dealing with the issue were spliced together. The culmination of the short presentation was a song, sung by the entire class, decked out in pink shirts. I did have the opportunity to preview this film, and it was a wonderful wrap-up to our first Celebration of Learning.

While our journey is just beginning, I feel like we have taken an important first step. I was able to share the rationale for beginning this process with some parents. Some of our teachers were able to see an excellent example by a passionate teacher of just the sort of initiative I was hoping for. I feel like it primed the pump for future conversations during the rest of the school year.

Creating a Digital Learning Commons

cc licensed flickr photo by Enkhtuvshin

Refreshed, rejuvenated, revisioning...

Having spent the weekend with school administrators from around BC I am feeling energized and ready to leap back into some of life's challenges again. It was great to reconnect with folks and to meet some people I've only ever known from social networks and blogs. While following the twitter feed at the conference (#bcpvpaconf) I came across this blogpost by Johnny Bevaqua (@jvbevacqua), one of the Principals who's blog I follow. It was great to read about a library project that is rethinking how we use that kind of space. It was also a good reminder for me that sometimes a blogpost doesn't need to be about a momentous "aha!", but can be about relating something exciting we are trying in our schools.
At one of my elementary schools this year we are rethinking how we use our library space, and how we access and interact with texts. We are planning to use tablets and an app like Overdrive media to borrow public library books. Teachers will also be using the devices to plan projects. The ultimate goal is to find a way to access digitized resources from our newly branded District Learning Commons.
Together with teachers and students from the school, community members,  district resource staff and admin from both sites, we have embarked on a journey -- one that is uncertain in that we don't know where it will lead. This makes me nervous, even a little afraid. It's funny though, because as a teacher this is what I did every day and every lesson. Somehow setting off into the unknown feels a little more risky these days. It's exciting, and I'm glad to be part of a team. I'm looking forward to documenting the journey here over the next few months.

Principles for principals

Great ambition is the passion of a great character. Those endowed with it may perform very good or very bad acts. All depends on the principles which direct them.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Everyone has their own personal set of guiding principles. Those of us in the field of education often examine our principles, our values, our morals, as we are frequently teaching them explicitly to others. Our principles become especially important during times of stress or strife, particularly during  those times when we disagree with others.

Here are several ways I strive to put principles before personalities at school:

• during my conversations remember that my focus needs to be on serving the needs of students
• it is okay to disagree without being disagreeable
• not everyone shares the same values as I do, but they are still deserving of respect and dignity
• I am in a position of trust, and need to represent the interests of many diverse parties
• most importantly, treat others how I would like to be treated

My list is not comprehensive, and there are many great resources for this sort of thing. I like to keep a few of these simple ideas on post-it notes on my bulletin board. It helps to keep me focused and serving the needs of students. 

Think (and act) Positive

As I prepare for a new school year, and my first year as school principal, I've had several occasions to think about the power of positivity. I've enjoyed reading a couple posts by other administrators on this topic, in particular a post by @MrWejr on the Friday 5, and @L_Hilt on The Power of Positivity. Like these principals, I see so much energy around me, but much of it appears wasted on negative, draining pursuits.

Happiness is an attitude.

There is anxiety that comes with starting a new school year. Folks want to be ready, to have it all together, to feel organised. Adding to an already stressful situation for some, is the challenge of a labour dispute in our province. Without delving into that hot topic, it is safe to say that some people feel a little more anxiety than usual. My thoughts lately have strayed towards how I can influence the climate in our schools in a positive way. The primary way I see myself doing that is by being "solution oriented" -- thinking and acting in a positive way.

For me, being in the solution means considering the problem, but not getting weighed down by it. As @L_Hilt pointed out in her post, we are in the people business, and the business of serving students and families. I need to look at problems as challenges, or jigsaw puzzles. I often have some of the pieces but can't see the whole picture. It is part of my role as a leader to pop my head up and try to orient us in the bigger picture. Being forward thinking or solution oriented keeps me driving towards that purpose.

Another way I like to think of problems and solutions is using the analogy of a balance. When I am stuck in the problem, I am adding grains of sand to the problem side of the balance. If I am solution oriented I can tip the balance in the other direction. It is important for me to remember when I am in the thick of it that it only takes one grain of sand, one seemingly small action, to tip the scales in a new direction.

The upswing for me is that positivity is infectious, and the result is often happiness! Although it is sometimes hard work, as Seth Godin writes in his post "The problem with positive thinking", it is worth it. It is hard to be a downer around an enthusiastic, smiling and positive person. The effect on staff, and hence students and the learning environment, is magnificent. I owe it to myself to affect this change.

The First Two Days

photo by Ganymede, available on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/people/goldenhamster/



On my first day as a principal, I received a frantic email (cc'd to the superintendant, no less) from a teacher locked out of the school. This email was sent at 7 am on the 22^nd of August, a full two weeks before school started! When I arrived, at a much more reasonable 8:45, I discovered that I had no computer or network access. I couldn't even put in a ticket to request a tech analyst help me with my problem, because I was locked out of any and all computers in the school. At least the phones worked. I spent much of the rest of the day searching for keys to cabinets, missing document cameras and projectors, vinegar for the moldy coffee maker (Starbucks is REALLY far away) and chatting with teachers (a much more fruitful and enjoyable task!). I can't wait to hire a secretary for this school!

On my second day, I arrived at my “other” school to discover that my office had been entirely deconstructed by the custodian over the summer. He did a bang up job of cleaning the carpets, but in the process hid my office furniture (and computer) in various parts of the school. As I searched throughout the school I discovered not one, but two, leaks from the previous day's thunderstorm. “No problem”, I said to myself. Once I get my office arranged and my computer set up, I'll put in a ticket to have the roofer or the plumber come have a look. However, I soon discovered that I did not have access to any computers at this school either! Didn't we solve this problem yesterday? Fortunately I soon had computer access and was able to write a newsletter, create a year-at-a-glance calendar, and take a big bite out of my staff handbook.

I share these adventures not as a discouragement, or by way of complaint, but to celebrate what wonderfully diverse jobs we have. The funny part is, I haven't even met any parents or students yet! It is bound to get only more exciting.

Volume and Complexity - Keeping it Simple

Be honest, never make a decision before you need to, read (and discuss) widely.

These are some gems of advice I've received recently, as I transition from vice-principal to principal over the summer. I've enjoyed reminiscing about the past few years and the experiences I've garnered as a new admin. It was fun and exciting being in the middle of such tumultuous change. I took on my first v.p. job part way through a school year, in the middle of a master's degree, and with a young family in tow. I learned some of the parts of my new role (data collection, supervision of instruction, building management) while also learning how to play ukulele and master various forms of puppetry (Fine Arts teacher). I took on the annual Christmas Concert, taught English as a Second Language/Dialect, led a book study, brewed coffee and shoveled walkways. I loved the "many hats" nature of my job and the ability to work with all students and staff in the school.

When I moved schools last September, the task was to help open a new school -- 700 students from three closing schools coming together into one dual track, K-7 elementary school. We offer a band program, choir, a variety of sports options, Hockey Academy, figure skating, wood shop, Fine Arts specialties and more. We are close to local downhill mountain biking trails and many field trips capitalise on this opportunity. We share our building with a daycare and preschool business, as well as a Strong Start facility. To say this last year was complex is the understatement of the year!

As I prepare for another move and the transition to my first principalship, I am feeling excited and not a little nervous. I will be in two schools, both small and rural. They are very well resourced and have excellent teaching and support staff. I think the piece that keeps gnawing at me is how to "keep it simple" in the face of such complexity. I will do my best to keep the simple goals in the forefront of my mind, and to make good use of my PLN. I'll continue reading the great blogs out there (thanks to @justintarte, @hatcherelli and @jvincentsen) and tackle a few more professional reads over the summer. Most of all, I'll be taking some time to reduce the volume, reduce the complexity, and enjoy some rest time. Sometimes the best preparation is taking time to relax!

Vision Reimagined

I will be a vice principal for a few more days. Then I will begin to wrap up this part of my career, and look forward to a new stage. I've spent so many days working on becoming an administrator, and a few years as a vice principal learning from my colleagues. It feels strange to be moving to a new school and taking on this new role.

I am keenly aware of the need to continue learning from the students and teachers I work most closely with, and to cultivate a growth mindset in my interactions with other colleagues. I think what is affecting me most profoundly is this fresh opportunity to recreate myself, to reinvest with purpose in my growth as a learner and a leader.

I am very excited to close out my school year with another visit to UBC to participate in the annual Short Course. I think it will be an excellent way to refuel after an exciting (but exhausting) school year. I look forward to making new connections and catching up with friends. I know I will come away with new eyes and fresh ideas.

I am interested to hear from others what works for them when they transition into new roles, as leaders and learners. I am eager to learn about the cultures at my new schools (2 rural schools), and find my niche with my new colleagues. If you have any suggestions or ideas, any and all feedback is welcome.