Today we had our first RtI Wednesday of the year at Merton Intermediate School. I must admit, it is one of my favorite days of the month. Due to a variety of reasons, we have lost common planning time for our teachers. We could look at this as a problem or as a challenge. The principal of Merton Primary School, Mike Budisch (@headlearner) and I developed a way to make sure that our staff would have at least one hour and 15 minutes a month with no responsibilities for students. The students arrive at their regular time but instead of heading to class, they come to the gym in the Intermediate School or the cafeteria in the Primary School. Mike and I, with the support of some of our teaching assistants take around 500 students for a 30-minute assembly. We have a short staff meeting and then the staff goes to work using data to develop RtI groupings of students. The staff determine who would have targeted, selected, universal, or extension groups and then they plan activities, especially for the universal groups as these tend to be the largest. This morning the staff meeting was 10 minutes as I "flipped" the meeting, sending the staff a google presentation in advance (Staff RtI Wednesday 9.12.12). The staff left the meeting, went to collaborate, and I made sure, one more time, that I was ready for the students. I met the students outside and brought them into the gym for their assembly (Student RtI Wednesday 9.12.12). As is normally the case for these assemblies, I plan way more than I can get through, but it's always good to have something extra in case a link works at home but doesn't work at school. Today the assembly ended a bit differently as I had the staff come in to sit with their classes for the last 15 minutes. We celebrated the great start of both the students and the staff including an amazing statistic that still blows me away. I must admit, I was nervous the first time, but the personal stories I have been able to share with the students in these assemblies have helped the students see me more as a teacher and not just the person in the office who speaks with the "naughty" kids. If you're looking for a way to provide uninterrupted planning time for your staff, I encourage you to give this a try.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Striving to be the BEST
When I started as principal in Merton in 2007, I introduced a theme to the entire district. We discussed making Merton the BEST, which stands for Believe, Encourage, Share, Trust. As I think about the changes in the landscape of education in Wisconsin, and around the nation, I believe that I need to review and reinforce this theme and the four sub-themes.
Merton is the BEST. We have great students, a committed staff, and involved parents. Our students perform well in class, represent our school in the community, and perform well on placement tests and WKCE tests. The three groups- students, staff, and parents- have allowed Merton to strive to be the BEST. But we can always strive to be better. We can do this by concentrating on the sub-themes of BEST.
Believe- We need to believe in each other and in our students. We need to believe that we are all doing what is best for kids. It says that right on the bottom of our district letterhead. The morale of the staff is declining based on a number of factors, but we must still believe in one another. We can increase our belief in one another by sharing ideas, visiting classrooms to discover new learning techniques, and focusing on the great things that our students are creating in our school every day.
Encourage- We need to encourage each other more now than ever before. There are those not in education who don't see the valuable work that we are doing with students every day. We need to encourage each other to take risks, develop relationships with each other and our students, and to look for the best in every situation. This can't be done with words alone. It must be done with actions, as well.
Share- We need to share more with each other, and not just the "school stuff". When we share, we really get to know each other on another level. We can share about our personal lives, but with each other and with the students. This sharing really helps develop stronger relationships. We need to share what we do in classrooms, what we have learned from conferences or conventions, what we have learned from our PLN, and what we have learned from each other. As educators, we don't do this enough, but to really be the BEST, we need to share.
Trust- We need to trust each other more. How can we further develop this trust? That is a big question, but I think that trust can be built by believing in one another, encouraging one another, and sharing with one another. If, as a staff, we trust one another, we can truly be the BEST.
Your comments, thoughts, and suggestions would be appreciated.
Merton is the BEST. We have great students, a committed staff, and involved parents. Our students perform well in class, represent our school in the community, and perform well on placement tests and WKCE tests. The three groups- students, staff, and parents- have allowed Merton to strive to be the BEST. But we can always strive to be better. We can do this by concentrating on the sub-themes of BEST.
Believe- We need to believe in each other and in our students. We need to believe that we are all doing what is best for kids. It says that right on the bottom of our district letterhead. The morale of the staff is declining based on a number of factors, but we must still believe in one another. We can increase our belief in one another by sharing ideas, visiting classrooms to discover new learning techniques, and focusing on the great things that our students are creating in our school every day.
Encourage- We need to encourage each other more now than ever before. There are those not in education who don't see the valuable work that we are doing with students every day. We need to encourage each other to take risks, develop relationships with each other and our students, and to look for the best in every situation. This can't be done with words alone. It must be done with actions, as well.
Share- We need to share more with each other, and not just the "school stuff". When we share, we really get to know each other on another level. We can share about our personal lives, but with each other and with the students. This sharing really helps develop stronger relationships. We need to share what we do in classrooms, what we have learned from conferences or conventions, what we have learned from our PLN, and what we have learned from each other. As educators, we don't do this enough, but to really be the BEST, we need to share.
Trust- We need to trust each other more. How can we further develop this trust? That is a big question, but I think that trust can be built by believing in one another, encouraging one another, and sharing with one another. If, as a staff, we trust one another, we can truly be the BEST.
Your comments, thoughts, and suggestions would be appreciated.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
It's the little things
Over the last five school days, and because of some reflection time during Thanksgiving and hanging out on twitter, I realized that it's the little things that we do in education that really matter. I realize in watching these little things just how much education has changed since when I was in school. I watch as students assist and collaborate with one another in classrooms. Students assisting and collaborating used to be considered cheating. Now it's just the way we do education. I watch staff interact with students and each other in a cooperative way. There is still some work to do, especially in providing more time to collaborate to make this cooperation more a part of the every day workings of a school. It used to be so much more competitive but we're moving more toward "coopetition", the combining of cooperation and competition, because who doesn't want to be the best? Cooperation will allow all of us, staff and students alike, to be more successful. These two items are pretty big, but here are the little things I have seen in the last few school days.
- Staff greeting students and each other in the hallways, at the classroom door, and in the cafeteria.
- Two new students being accepted for who they are and other students befriending them with no hidden agendas.
- Staff stopping in the cafeteria to speak with the students about nothing really related to school.
- Students assisting one another when someone has dropped their books or their lunch tray.
- A former student coming in to share information about his high school marketing class, and every teacher allowing him to spend time in the classroom.
- Coaches putting in hours of preparation before and after school to provide better opportunities for success.
- Staff attending meetings before and after school to make the school an even better place to learn.
- Anonymous donors providing funds for expanding technology access.
- A former superintendent sharing his volunteer work in Sudan with all of our students.
- Parents coming in to cheer on their child during basketball games.
- Behind the scenes technology work to get the entire school on board with google apps for education.
- Conversations with staff about the difficulties in school with a change in the topic to what is good in school.
- Watching a back channel chat in a social studies classroom, and seeing everyone engaged in the discussion.
- Learning with a student how to use a color Nook for the first time.
- Having pie, an example of a treat, in the teachers' lounge.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Captain of the team
Over the last two months of school, I've been reflecting upon the leadership in our school. There are many leaders in our building who are a part of teams or committees, but oftentimes their leadership stops there. These leaders often don't extend beyond these specific groups. I've begun to wonder how I can facilitate theses leaders so that they can see that they are a bigger part of our school team. Everyone in a school has specific responsibilities and adding leadership to these responsibilities should not be seen as an extra duty. It's a part of our jobs as educators to lead within our classrooms, our grade levels or content areas, our school, and our district. Having one leader who is the only "go to" person, in my opinion, isn't practical. We are all educational leaders whether we have a title or not.
I had a great discussion about this with one of my teachers the other day and came up with an analogy that rang true for us as we have both coached basketball. We discussed the difference between a coach and a captain. I equated a coach to the way that principals used to be perceived in schools. They were in charge of any and every decision. We felt that principals now play more of the role of a captain. The captain on the basketball team knows what every player is supposed to be doing and directs them while they are on the court. They don't tell everyone what to do, but they do expect the players to know their job and to do it to the best of their ability. They also cannot play everyone's position, either due to height, quickness, court vision, or a variety of other reasons. The captain knows a good basketball play when they see one.
The principal in a school is like the captain of a basketball team in the same regard. He or she expects the teachers to do their job to the best of their ability. They can't teach every class or content area but they know a good teacher when they see one.
I struggle from time to time when the teachers who work with me call me boss. For some reason the term boss has a negative connotation for me. I always remind our staff that I am a co-worker. I'm responsible for everything that goes on in our school but I also rely upon each one of the teachers and staff members I work with every day. We all have to work together to be successful, just like the players on a basketball team. If everyone on a basketball team plays to the best of their ability, the team has a much better chance of being successful. The captain is there to make sure that the team is all going in the same direction.
The same is true of a school. Everyone has a role to play in our school and they all do their best. I am there to make sure that the teachers are all working toward the same goal of educating every child, just like the captain on a basketball team. I am hopeful that the staff I work with considers me more of a basketball captain than an old time basketball coach.
I had a great discussion about this with one of my teachers the other day and came up with an analogy that rang true for us as we have both coached basketball. We discussed the difference between a coach and a captain. I equated a coach to the way that principals used to be perceived in schools. They were in charge of any and every decision. We felt that principals now play more of the role of a captain. The captain on the basketball team knows what every player is supposed to be doing and directs them while they are on the court. They don't tell everyone what to do, but they do expect the players to know their job and to do it to the best of their ability. They also cannot play everyone's position, either due to height, quickness, court vision, or a variety of other reasons. The captain knows a good basketball play when they see one.
The principal in a school is like the captain of a basketball team in the same regard. He or she expects the teachers to do their job to the best of their ability. They can't teach every class or content area but they know a good teacher when they see one.
I struggle from time to time when the teachers who work with me call me boss. For some reason the term boss has a negative connotation for me. I always remind our staff that I am a co-worker. I'm responsible for everything that goes on in our school but I also rely upon each one of the teachers and staff members I work with every day. We all have to work together to be successful, just like the players on a basketball team. If everyone on a basketball team plays to the best of their ability, the team has a much better chance of being successful. The captain is there to make sure that the team is all going in the same direction.
The same is true of a school. Everyone has a role to play in our school and they all do their best. I am there to make sure that the teachers are all working toward the same goal of educating every child, just like the captain on a basketball team. I am hopeful that the staff I work with considers me more of a basketball captain than an old time basketball coach.
Friday, November 4, 2011
What took so long?
It's been quite a while since I wrote my last blog post. It took being at the the AWSA Principals' Conference and the Midwest Google Summit to remind me of what I had been missing. I was missing the chance to reflect on what I do as a principal and what I am as a principal. What you do and what you are can be two very different things. I sure hope that I do what I am as a principal. Now a bit about the conference and the summit.
At the AWSA conference I was a co-presenter with two incredible Wisconsin principals, Curt Rees and Jessica Johnson, on the benefits of twitter for administrators. They were actually the presenters and I was more of a lurker, adding points once in a while and helping out those new to twitter. It was a great experience and came about due to the connection I made with Curt and Jessica on twitter. I had met Curt before the conference but Jessica and I met face to face the day before our presentation. It was a bit scary but those who attended the session came away excited about the connections they began making on twitter during the last half our of our session. My PLN has grown because of this great opportunity.
At the Google Summit, I had a chance to learn about google, obviously, but also to make connections with the staff who attended with me and other educators in Wisconsin and many other states. Although some of the sessions were more "techy" than I understand, I came away with some great things to share with my staff. More importantly, the staff has come away with great things to share with their colleagues. That is the expectation. In a future blog I'll let you know how that goes. The Google Summit showed me the possibilities of all things google in our school. I can't wait to see how it works out.
At the AWSA conference I was a co-presenter with two incredible Wisconsin principals, Curt Rees and Jessica Johnson, on the benefits of twitter for administrators. They were actually the presenters and I was more of a lurker, adding points once in a while and helping out those new to twitter. It was a great experience and came about due to the connection I made with Curt and Jessica on twitter. I had met Curt before the conference but Jessica and I met face to face the day before our presentation. It was a bit scary but those who attended the session came away excited about the connections they began making on twitter during the last half our of our session. My PLN has grown because of this great opportunity.
At the Google Summit, I had a chance to learn about google, obviously, but also to make connections with the staff who attended with me and other educators in Wisconsin and many other states. Although some of the sessions were more "techy" than I understand, I came away with some great things to share with my staff. More importantly, the staff has come away with great things to share with their colleagues. That is the expectation. In a future blog I'll let you know how that goes. The Google Summit showed me the possibilities of all things google in our school. I can't wait to see how it works out.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The resiliency of kids
Today changed the entire outlook I have on all of the challenges I face as a husband, father, and principal on a daily basis. It came because of a two-minute conversation I had with a student before school. She is one of those students who greets me every time she sees me. She has a smile on her face and has a bubbly personality. But it's what she said after she greeted me this morning that still brings a tear to my eye. Not only did she say hello to me this morning, she couldn't wait to tell me the good news. It wasn't until she was done telling the story that I realized how much resilience this nine-year old girl has. This is what she told me.
"Mr. Posick. I'm so happy. I'm going to be living over the Custard Shoppe with my mom. I'll get to walk to and from school. It will be great." Had the story ended there, I wouldn't have cried later as I told the story to the members of our administrative team. It's what she said next that changed how I look at all the challenges I have and how truly insignificant these challenges are. She continued by saying the following.
"Mr. Posick. I have to move because my mom and dad are splitting up again. It's alright, though. They fight all the time and it will be better for all of us if they split up again. Can you believe I get to live above the Custard Shop? It's going to be great!"
Once she finished her story, I tried to say something profound but I couldn't speak. I just smiled and watched her skip away with her friends. I couldn't believe how happy she was after hearing that her family had split up once again.
As I continued my day, no matter what happened, I smiled about how insignificant my challenges are compared to this nine-year old girl. I smiled a lot today as I thought about the best ways to attack my challenges. I hope to smile even more tomorrow. I might even skip a little bit. If a nine-year old girl can smile and skip while her family is splitting apart, can't each of us smile as we attack the challenges we face every day?
"Mr. Posick. I'm so happy. I'm going to be living over the Custard Shoppe with my mom. I'll get to walk to and from school. It will be great." Had the story ended there, I wouldn't have cried later as I told the story to the members of our administrative team. It's what she said next that changed how I look at all the challenges I have and how truly insignificant these challenges are. She continued by saying the following.
"Mr. Posick. I have to move because my mom and dad are splitting up again. It's alright, though. They fight all the time and it will be better for all of us if they split up again. Can you believe I get to live above the Custard Shop? It's going to be great!"
Once she finished her story, I tried to say something profound but I couldn't speak. I just smiled and watched her skip away with her friends. I couldn't believe how happy she was after hearing that her family had split up once again.
As I continued my day, no matter what happened, I smiled about how insignificant my challenges are compared to this nine-year old girl. I smiled a lot today as I thought about the best ways to attack my challenges. I hope to smile even more tomorrow. I might even skip a little bit. If a nine-year old girl can smile and skip while her family is splitting apart, can't each of us smile as we attack the challenges we face every day?
Thursday, March 10, 2011
The unexpected
Yesterday I had a chance to speak with all of our 560 students in the gym before school started. I do this once a month to allow the staff the opportunity to collaborate for an hour, essentially providing a late start for all of our students without having to change bus arrival or parent drop off. Most of the time I am in the gym alone and have a chance to speak about a variety of topics- rules, responsibilties, trust, resolutions, friendship, and opportunity. Yesterday we discussed opportunities. I finished by reading "Oh, the Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss as a culmination of opportunity and to celebrate National Read Aloud Day. This was when the first unexpected event occurred. One student, an 8th grader, who is at times challenged behaviorally, volunteered to help me by sharing the pictures with the students while I read. His involvement allowed for the presentation to end on a very positive note.
As principal I often have to focus on negative issues and this can be draining. During my presentation, I spoke about sharing good things with me. I was in an 8th grade math classroom at the end of the day and a student came up to me with a piece of paper. This was my second unexpected event. This student has rarely interacted with me unless I have initiated the conversation. On the piece of paper was written his score for a speech he had given earlier in the day. He was proud of his score, 37/40 points, and wanted to share it with me. I was later able to speak to his mother about how his son had helped to make my day.
Sometimes the unexpected can ruin your day. Yesterday the unexpected made my day.
As principal I often have to focus on negative issues and this can be draining. During my presentation, I spoke about sharing good things with me. I was in an 8th grade math classroom at the end of the day and a student came up to me with a piece of paper. This was my second unexpected event. This student has rarely interacted with me unless I have initiated the conversation. On the piece of paper was written his score for a speech he had given earlier in the day. He was proud of his score, 37/40 points, and wanted to share it with me. I was later able to speak to his mother about how his son had helped to make my day.
Sometimes the unexpected can ruin your day. Yesterday the unexpected made my day.
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