New Professional Standards for School Leaders Approved

New Professional Standards for School Leaders Approved

Building the Leadership Capacity of Assistant Principals

As part of National Assistant Principal Week Celebration (April 13-April 17, 2015) NASSP (@nassp) hosted a live Google Hangout with the Wallace Foundation (

School leaders from Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) discussed how assistant principals are being developed and acquiring skills to become effective school leaders.

Prince George’s County Public Schools (MD) is one of six districts supported by the Wallace Foundation to participate in the Principal Pipeline Initiative, which investigates the challenge of developing and supporting new principals. Hear how assistant principals are being developed and acquiring skills to become effective school leaders as they discuss their experiences with strategies and practices that strengthen school leadership.

Participants:
Jerenze Campbell, Supervisor, School Leadership Programs, Prince George's County Public Schools
Damaries Blondonville, Wallace Grant, Project Manager, Prince George's County Public Schools
Katrina Lamont, Assistant Principal, Ernest E. Just Middle School, MD
Dr. William Blake, Assistant Principal, Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School, MD
Douglas Anthony, Executive Director, Office of Talent Development, Prince George's County Public Schools

Facilitator:
Andy Cole, Consultant, Wallace Foundation

"A Matter of Principals"

"A Matter of Principals" highlights two highly effective leaders demonstrating the "tricks of the trade".

Principals featured:

Len Stevens - Joe T. Huffman Elementary  | Plano, TX | http://planoblog.dallasnews.com/2013/06/plano-principal-named-new-superintendent-of-irving-charter-school.html/

Alisha Coleman-Kiner (@AlishaKiner) - Booker T. Washington High School | Memphis TN |
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/05/26/33kiner.h30.html

Developing Clear Leadership Standards

Cultivating Assistant Principals

Always #LikeAGirl - Unstoppable

5 Ways To Help Your Students Become Better Questioners by Warren Berger

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My STEM professor , Dr. Wil Parker  introduced the graphic below to my doctoral class.  He asked us to take a minute to review the graphic and then asked us what resonated with us...

My school district uses Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching for our Teacher Evaluation and Component 3b: Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques always seems to be the area in which teachers score the lowest.   The elements of Component 3b includes: Quality of Questions, Discussion Techniques, and Student Participation.

Inquiry is a basic to science instruction and the desire is that  inquiry will be the basic to all instruction. As many of us can attest, young children have mastered the art of asking questions as it seems they have a never-ending supply of questions about EVERYTHING...What happens with older children?  They very seldom ask questions...

 Warren Berger provides suggestions (and a wonderful graphic) on how to encourage more student questioning.

Thanks Dr. Parker for bringing this graphic (and article) to my attention!


How to Encourage Questioning:

1. Make it Safe
2. Make it "Cool"
3. Make it Fun
4. Make it Rewarding
5. Make it Stick

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/help-students-become-better-questioners-warren-berger

School Leadership Resources by Ross Cooper via Edutopia

A collection of great resources for administrators!


http://www.edutopia.org/school-leadership-principals-teachers-resources

Top Tips for School Leaders

• 5 Strategic Tips for First-Year Administrators, by Ross Cooper (2015)
  For admins just starting out, it's helpful to establish relationships, visit classrooms, understand others, flatten the hierarchy, and become an active social media presence.
• 8 Top Tips for Highly Effective PD, by Vicki Davis (2015)
  Among the top strategies for highly effective professional development are making it useful, making it relevant, and making sure that teachers start practicing it ASAP.
• 8 Tips to Create a Twitter-Driven School Culture, by Elana Leoni (2014)
  Administrators can create a more connected school culture by modeling Twitter use and encouraging staff to work, play, and learn through the medium. For more ideas about using technology to communicate, check out Josh Work's five-part series "Technology SAMR Model for Administrators," which examines how administrators can use the SAMR model (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition) for clarity and efficiency in presenting to and communicating with school staff.
• School Administrator's Guide to Supporting School Counselors, by Dr. Kimberlee Ratliff (2013)
  Ratliff, a National Certified Counselor and APUS Associate Professor and Program Director, offers school administrators a checklist for what they should and should not expect from their school counselors.
• How To Expand a Successful School Model, by Suzie Boss (2013)
  Karen Kodama, the founding principal of John Stanford International School in Seattle, shares advice for administrators on expanding and replicating successful programs.
• Four Suggestions to Help You Lead by Relationships and Realize Your Vision, by Scott Taylor (2013)
  Taylor, an assistant superintendent, writes about the importance of leading by relationships in order to realize your vision.

• Cultivating Great School Leaders

  • School Leaders: Tips for Coaching Your Super Teachers by Ben Johnson (2015)
    School leaders and administrators: Check out these suggestions for supporting growth and development in the teachers you lead.
  • It Takes Courage to Make Schools Better by Maurice Elias (2015)
    Making one's school better requires honest conversation, and that requires courage. Check out these questions and conversation starters that can be used in faculty meetings or as a professional development activity. Also from Elias, "You Need an Elevator Pitch About School Culture and Climate," which highlights how your school's leadership team can help the community understand the importance of culture and climate -- and improve it.
  • What Makes a Great School Leader? by Elena Aguilar (2014)
    Longtime Edutopia contributor Aguilar highlights the three qualities she thinks most indicative of a great school leader: visionary leadership, community builder, and emotional intelligence.
  • Encouraging Teacher Leaders to Become Principals, by Bob Lenz (2014)
    Lenz discusses how a recent report offers a road map for system leaders to establish new standards, practices, and management structures for growing a strong pipeline of principals.
  • Don't Be Afraid to Give Direct Feedback, by Scott Taylor (2013)
    Superintendent and adjunct professor Taylor returns with advice about using reflective questions as a constructive way of delivering direct feedback.

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Drive Your CSF Strengths!

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/learning-drive-your-csf-strengths-nathanael-small?trk=prof-post

I love this analysis of the Clifton StrengthFinder Strengths!  Nathanael Small intereprets his 34 themes list as  driving a car with traffic lights and different types of roads.

It's definitley a fun way to learn how to "Name, Claim, and Aim" your Strenghts!

I am...RESTORATIVE, LEARNER, DELIBERATIVE, RESPONSIBILITY, and INPUT!



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The BEST Job Interview Advice Book by Devay Campbell

This is a wonderful resource for anyone preparing for an interview in any field. I will be definitely recommending it to the assistant principals I work with in pursuit of the principalship. The advice and tips are provided in a manner that is easy to implement. The author provides great reference tools as well as "lessons learned". I absolutely love the space provided for you to organize your thoughts and write down ideas and information as well as the valuable input from all the experts.

Perhaps the best part of the book is the conversational writing style that Ms. Campbell used. The writing style makes it easier to relate and it conveys the intended message perfectly!

You will definitely return to the book frequently for guidance either for yourself or someone else that is seeking your input on interviewing. This book is worth buying if you are looking for practical advice that you can apply immediately.

I highly recommend this book to all preparing to interview and those who assist individuals in preparation for interviews.

"Being prepared will ultimately make you more confident" ~Devay Campbell

You may purchase the book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/The-BEST-Interview-Advice-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZIQHFPO Tweet

Reflections of "Whistling Vivaldi" by Claude M. Steele

Reflections of Whistling Vivaldi by Claude M. Steele

I have just started reading Whistling Vivaldi by Claude Steele for a doctoral course at Howard University. The term "identity contingencies" truly speaks to me for some reason. The author defines identity contingencies as the "circumstances you have to deal with in order to get what you want or need in a situation". As an African-American female, I can certainly speak to dealing with certain situations because of  my race and gender. I pride myself on not harping on those contingencies. I am of the mind that there are NO EXCUSES success

The question was asked..."How do identity contingencies influence us?" I am extremely aware of the "stereotype threat".   I do everything in my power NOT to "fit the stereotype...After all, when you think of stereotypes, it almost always is negative when it relates to African Americans and females for that matter.

I was so curious to know what the connection to the title was....Alas, I finally came to it's meaning (I will not spoil it for you).  As the author states, "Whistling Vivaldi is about the experience of living under such a cloud--an experience we all have--and the role such clouds play in shaping our lives and society."

I really found the  blue eyed/brown eyed experiment by Jane Elliott, third grade teacher  in Iowa, truly fascinating.  She wanted to show her students the importance of Dr. Martin Luther King's life and work the day after he was assassinated.  I must find the ABC News documentary that reenacted the entire exercise.  She used felt collars to identify the students. Steele noted that Ms. Elliott deliberately set out to downwardly constitute her students, temporarily, but the college he visited was not trying to make a point.  Students felt too much of the time they didn't belong.  

I hope the author continues to document the findings of his research with the students at the distinguished liberal arts college in the Northeast throughout the book.  Steel contends that listening to the students, it seemed that a "concentration of factors" provided a better way to understand what might be causing their underperformance.

"Almost invariably, they take an observer's perspective, and they are trying to explain poor performance, not success."   The author provided an analysis of the coaching change with the Sonics. The sport writers had to now explain winning and not losing.

Claude Steele explains how identity contingencies forces us to face and overcome in a particular setting and how it affects our daily behavior.  Stereotype threat is the fear of what people may think about us solely because of our race, gender, ethnicity, age, etc.

With so many recent events that have taken place around race, stereotype threat is more "real" than I had previously thought. From the arrests and murder of several young black males to the racially motivated shooting in Charleston, SC it really makes you wonder if we are making any progress with race relations.

Steel focuses on how identity threats influence interracial interaction.  Actions truly contribute to persistent racial segregation.  I do believe that racial segregation is not always intentional.  People often time retreat to what is familiar.

We need to be "identity conscious".  I think it is time out for people saying "they don't see color". In order to improve race relations, you must see and embrace color!

This photograph taken by photographer Devin Allen of Baltimore, MD of the Baltimore Riots after the murder of Freddie Gray is a  fitting description of the book and recent events that have occurred.

Who, What, Why and When: Email Communication

Email is certainly  a convenient tool used to communicate at the workplace as well for personal and social use.  I am guilty of a few of the "not to do" items in this list.  Mainly, emailing all times of the night.  I do everything in my power to retire for the night rather early....only because I am often up at 2am....So this is when I send all my emails...After reading this article, I will now draft my emails and send them at a more decent hour.

One o of my email pet-peeves is "Reply To All".  Jasmine Kullar mentions this as well in the article below.  This is the one reason I use the blind copy (bcc) option when I am sending an email to a group of people.

What are your thoughts on the "Who, What, Why, and When" of email communication?


http://inservice.ascd.org/the-who-what-why-and-when-of-e-mail-communication-in-schools/

Every Child Achieves Act 2015 | 4 Things You Should Know | Rebecca Klein@rklein90

4 Things You Should Know About The Senate's Overhaul Of No Child Left Behind

The Every Child Achieves Act of 2015 ends the federal test-based accountability system of No Child Left Behind.  The responsibility for determining how how to use federally required tests has been given back to the states.

The tests MUST be included in their accountability systems, but each state will be able to determine the weight of the tests. Other requirements include:graduation rates and English proficiency for English learners.

Students in grades 3 through 8 and one grade in high school will still be required to take tests in reading and mathematics, in addition to science tests given three times between grades 3 and 12.

Federal grants to states and school districts are included to help improve low performing schools that are identified by the state accountability systems.  Individual school district will be responsible for designing evidence-based interventions for low performing schools, with technical assistance from the states.  States are required to monitor interventions implemented by school districts and may take steps to further assist school districts if interventions are ineffective.

Annual reporting of disaggregated data is still required.  States will decide what academic standards to adopt.

Building the Leadership Capacity of Assistant Principals | Google Hangout sponsored by NASSP

As part of National Assistant Principal Week Celebration (April 13-April 17), 2015 NASSP (@nassp) hosted a live Google Hangout with the Wallace Foundation (

School leaders from Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) discussed how assistant principals are being developed and acquiring skills to become effective school leaders.

https://youtu.be/Cj_Esi5oOS8


Prince George’s County Public Schools (MD) is one of six districts supported by the Wallace Foundation to participate in the Principal Pipeline Initiative, which investigates the challenge of developing and supporting new principals. Hear how assistant principals are being developed and acquiring skills to become effective school leaders as they discuss their experiences with strategies and practices that strengthen school leadership.

Participants:
Jerenze Campbell, Supervisor, School Leadership Programs, Prince George's County Public Schools
Damaries Blondonville, Wallace Grant, Project Manager, Prince George's County Public Schools
Katrina Lamont, Assistant Principal, Ernest E. Just Middle School, MD
Dr. William Blake, Assistant Principal, Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School, MD
Douglas Anthony, Executive Director, Office of Talent Development, Prince George's County Public Schools

Facilitator:
Andy Cole, Consultant, Wallace Foundation

Embrace the Change | Bill Powers

Change is definitely a process...Bill Powers speaks about how as leaders we must embrace the change and lead our staff through the change. We also must facilitate change...



https://cmslearning1.wordpress.com/2015/03/14/embrace-the-change/

Failure Is Actually An Option!