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In this episode, we’re exploring a mindset shift for when you feel like you can’t move forward because you don’t have all of the answers. If you’re feeling stuck, have a sense of imposter syndrome, or fearful of making a misstep because you (of course) don’t know everything there is to know, this episode will give you an action plan for addressing those challenges.
Why? There is a lot of research on the value and organization of learning communities pursuing a common goal, including the connections to shared leadership, ongoing data collection and analysis, and learning in partnership with one another, both from failures and successes (Harvard). John Hattie’s work has highlighted Collective Teacher Efficacy (CTE) as having the largest impact on student learning when compared with 251 other influential factors (visible-learning.org). I propose we treat not just school committees and teacher teams as learning communities (e.g., communities of practice, PLCs), but also majority-student spaces such as classrooms and student groups. How do we create a culture of learning (in pursuit of justice)? Step 1: Recognize you literally can’t do it alone. The answers to adaptive challenges lie in the community, not with you or any one person (Heifetz, Grashow, & Linsky, 2009). Step 2: Form power-sharing structures and processes. At the school level: Bring students and teachers together to lead school committees. Clarify the decision-making processes for each type of decision. For decisions that will be made collaboratively, specify the process. For example: options are created by the leadership team, shared with grade team committees, shared with all students and staff in that grade, grade-level feedback is collected by grade team committees and shared with leadership team, leadership team shares final plan for approval via consensus voting. This episode contains several concrete ideas for shared leadership at the school level. At the class level: Teachers identify regular opportunities to gather feedback from students about what’s working, what’s not, and ideas for change. This data can be specific experiences students have in class. Consider a range of modalities for how students can share this information. At the peer group level: Co-create group working agreements. Determine how decisions will be made (e.g., consensus vs. majority vote). Specify at least one time point to check in with all members about how the group is functioning and how each member is feeling. Step 3: Regularly practice inquiry cycles Ground it in a search for positive deviance (where things are going well) and experiential data, centering people and perspectives that have not been/are not being served by the current way of doing things. Step 4: Systematize experiential data collection Identify who data is collected from, in which formats, how often, and by whom. Consult Dugan and Safir’s book Street Data for some excellent ideas for implementation. This month, I reviewed several of these ideas on my YouTube channel in 5 minute videos. Step 5: Practice building skills of critical discourse. Identify when and for which topics the group avoids talking about or deflects responsibility. Name the type of discourse being discussed (Bridges Patrick & Lyons, 2022)—namely, polarizing, silencing and denying, intellectualizing, or generative mobilizing discourse. The latter is the ideal form of discourse. Final Tip No one can know it all. The best you can do is to surround yourself with brilliant people with diverse experiences who can help you and the community learn and grow. And once you create this culture, it helps address a wide range of challenges! To help you implement a culture of learning in your community, I’m sharing my Leadership Bundle with you for free. It includes my Diagnosing Adaptive Challenges Mini Workbook, a series of culture building agendas you can use for staff meetings, and my Learning Walk protocol. And, if you’re looking for more details on the ideas in this blog post, listen to episode 152 of the Time for Teachership podcast. If you’re unable to listen or you prefer to read the full episode, you can find the transcript here.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out my YouTube channel where I share my favorite facilitator moves for leading PD:
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In this episode, we delve into the intricacies of school leadership and the transformation journey. We talk about equipping students with necessary skills, navigating staff dynamics, and the importance of self-awareness and emotional intelligence in leadership. Beth shares practical ideas including how to collect perception data to get the lay of the land and gain clarity on what to do next.
Beth founded the charter network Chicago Collegiate and served as Chief Executive/Academic Officer. Prior, she led a team to train 650 new TFA teachers. She deepened her people and instructional leadership skills at KIPP, and first started teaching in Washington Heights with TFA. She's GallupStrengths-certified and is now a coach-sultant for leaders. The Big Dream Schools that act as microcosms of society, preparing students to live the lives of their choice and contribute positively to the world. Schools that actively support and empower students by equipping them with academic, social, emotional, and interpersonal skills and all kids have the opportunities they want. Alignment to the 4 Stages: Mindset, Pedagogy, Assessment, and Content Adult mindsets and culture within the school is a priority for Beth. She emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of partnership, ensuring clarity of roles and responsibilities, and aligning around common goals. Moreover, she stresses the need to use tools like surveys and focus groups to gather data and inform decision-making. Mindset Shifts Required Shift from focusing on issues to taking a broader view that includes understanding the dynamics of the school community. Action Steps Context as relevant… Step 1: Gain a clear understanding of their school dynamics. This could be done by conducting anonymous staff surveys and using the data collected to inform decision-making. Step 2: Be transparent about the limitations and constraints of decision-making. From there, you can involve others in the process and share the decision-making power, which can help build trust within the team. Step 3: Invest time in self-awareness and emotional intelligence. These skills help you become more effective! Challenges? One of the major barriers to transformation for leaders is the lack of clarity and alignment. Beth suggests leaders be clear about what they believe in, what they expect from their teams, and what they consider important. One Step to Get Started One practical step to start addressing these challenges is to take Beth's two-minute leadership quiz. This quiz helps identify what you need most as a leader and provides a starting point for addressing your needs. It's a quick, easy, and fun way to gain some insight into your leadership style and the areas you may need to work on. Stay Connected You can find Beth on the following platforms:
To help you get started with what we talked about today, Beth is sharing her 2-minute quiz to help you figure out what you need most as a leader for free. And, if you’re looking for more details on the ideas in this blog post, listen to episode 151 of the Time for Teachership podcast. If you’re unable to listen or you prefer to read the full episode, you can find the transcript here. Quotes:
If you enjoyed this episode, check out my YouTube channel where I go over a year long support plan for teachers:
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In this episode, Coach Carlos, explores the concept of performance-based relationships in education and highlights the importance of fostering a positive and healthy classroom environment for the success and well-being of both teachers and students. He delves into the pressing issue of teacher shortage and emphasizes the significance of parental partnerships in overcoming these challenges.
As a professional speaker, trainer, and author, Mr. Johnson, AKA “Coach Carlos,” is locally bred, but his work and research on culture and engagement have taken him national and international. His training and strategies have helped to change school culture and increase parental engagement, student enrollment, and staff and student retention. His driving belief: a highly engaged culture is the mother of high performance. The Big Dream Education is a holistic experience that goes beyond the traditional classroom. He dreams of creating a culture where performance-based relationships rule and teachers view themselves as life coaches who aim to bring out the best in each student. This transformative approach would pave the way for an inclusive, equitable, and fulfilling learning journey for all students. Alignment to the 4 Stages: Mindset, Pedagogy, Assessment, and Content Coach Carlos believes that the foundation for effective teaching and learning lies in cultivating a growth mindset that values relationships, embraces equity, and fosters resilience. This mindset should then guide pedagogical approaches, shape assessment methods, and inform content creation, ultimately resulting in a learning environment that prioritizes student well-being and success. Mindset Shifts Required One of the most significant barriers is the belief that some students are genetically incapable of succeeding, a misconception that can hinder teachers from building meaningful relationships with their students. Another barrier is cultural biases, which can prevent educators from connecting with students who have identities, experiences, and beliefs that are different from their own. Action Steps Once we address our biases, here’s what we can do: Step 1: Foster Healthy Relationships Coach Carlos encourages educators to cultivate healthy, performance-based relationships with their students and create a welcoming classroom environment that promotes student success and teacher well-being. Step 2: Involve Parents Involve parents in the solution and create a partnership between families and schools. Start by defining what “meaningful minimum” engagement looks like from families and school stakeholders. Step 3: Optimize Stress There is a specific kind of stress that is healthy: eustress. “That's the one we want. That's the basis for accomplishment, that is what gets us moving, that's what changes and that's what transforms.” Teachers can act like a “master chef in the kitchen…this kid over here, oh, I can turn the flame up…and here I better turn the flame down a little bit.” To do this well, we have to know each student well. One Step to Get Started Examine your biases and beliefs about their students' abilities and help your teachers do the same. Once we recognize and address these barriers, we can implement effective teaching strategies and create a positive learning environment for all students. Stay Connected You can find Coach Carlos at www.carlosjohnson.org and on YouTube. To help you identify some of the deeper culture pieces we discussed in this episode, I’m sharing my Diagnosing Adaptive Challenges Mini Workbook with you for free. And, if you’re looking for more details on the ideas in this blog post, listen to episode 150 of the Time for Teachership podcast. If you’re unable to listen or you prefer to read the full episode, you can find the transcript here. Quotes:
If you enjoyed this episode, check out my YouTube channel where I talk about overcoming barriers to student voice:
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In this episode, Dr. Daman Harris, the author of "The Anti-Racist School Leader," advocates for personal commitment, vision casting, and professional learning experiences as key components of antiracist leadership in schools. Daman discusses implicit bias and the role of homophily, suggesting that the tendency to gravitate towards the familiar can inadvertently foster discrimination. He also talks about the importance of continuous evaluation of the impact of professional development on student learning and growth and what this might look like.
Dr. Daman Harris is the manager of professional development schools and higher education partnerships in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. He is also a co-director of the Building Our Network of Diversity Project, a Maryland-based nonprofit that supports male educators of color. Dr. Harris has had a wide range of experiences as a teacher, instructional coach, administrator, author, adjunct professor, speaker, and consultant. He leads courses related to effective teaching methods, research protocols, antiracism, teacher recruitment, and teacher retention. The Big Dream Everyone belongs and can achieve. Daman wants to see schools where antiracist values are not just talked about but acted upon. He believes that antiracism is a behavior, not a static characteristic, and encourages all school leaders, teachers, and community members to actively contribute to creating change. Alignment to the 4 Stages: Mindset, Pedagogy, Assessment, and Content The Table of Contents in Daman’s book aligns closely with these four pieces. In terms of mindset, he advocates for recognizing and understanding our biases and committing to change. Pedagogically and curriculum-wise, he emphasizes the importance of creating an inclusive curriculum that encourages critical consciousness among students and teaches antiracism. We also talk about assessment of learning for adults, specifically that we should have ongoing evaluation of professional development and its impact on student learning. Mindset Shifts Required Rather than identifying our in-group as race, religion, language, or political beliefs, we can see our school community as our in-group and strive to give all students and families the benefit of the doubt. I absolutely LOVE this framing! Action Steps What are the early steps we can take? The following steps are aligned to the first 3 chapters of Daman’s book. Step 1: Educate Yourself and Commit Learn information about and recognize the dynamics of racism. Commit to making a change. Step 2: Cast an Anti-Racist Vision Develop a vision for your school where anti-racism is not just a buzzword but a lived experience. Share your ideas, and then co-create with stakeholders. Step 3: Plan Professional Learning Experiences Develop a professional development plan that promotes critical consciousness and equips teachers with the skills to promote anti-racism. Use backwards planning to start with the end in mind. For Daman, this is the development of critical consciousness for all students! Challenges? Sorting through competing priorities. So there's a lot to do as a school leader. Here’s Daman’s approach to address it: Antiracism is a part of the solution to all of the competing priorities. This is not one of the competing priorities, this is a part of all of them. So when you think about holistic remedies for the obstacles for your students and their families, this is where you start. One Step to Get Started Find an accountability partner. Begin having these conversations about what you claim you want to do or what you claim you are going to do. Be a sounding board for that partner as well, and push each other to learn more. Stay Connected You can email Dr. Daman Harris at: [email protected] You can find his latest book at www.SolutionTree.com/Antiracist. For additional information on the book, click here. To help you identify white supremacy culture and related adaptive challenges in your school or district, I’m sharing my Diagnosing Adaptive Challenges Mini Workbook with you for free. And, if you’re looking for more details on the ideas in this blog post, listen to episode 149 of the Time for Teachership podcast. If you’re unable to listen or you prefer to read the full episode, you can find the transcript here. Quotes:
If you enjoyed this episode, check out my YouTube channel where I share the most important checklist for a root cause analysis:
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Time for Teachership is now a proud member of the...AuthorLindsay Lyons (she/her) is an educational justice coach who works with teachers and school leaders to inspire educational innovation for racial and gender justice, design curricula grounded in student voice, and build capacity for shared leadership. Lindsay taught in NYC public schools, holds a PhD in Leadership and Change, and is the founder of the educational blog and podcast, Time for Teachership. Archives
May 2024
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