What a great class! I feel like we are already building a valuable, supportive, collaborative, community. I can't wait to get to know you all even better!! I think one aspect of this class that will be very valuable to me is learning and understanding the different aspects of assessment and accountability. It is a wild world that I am very interested to know more about. Becoming an expert in this area will be valuable as we enter into leadership.
Glenn and Cohort---wow, what an exhilarating class! I left tonight feeling so many emotions; excited, supported, ready (to make change), scared, and hopeful! Scared for the state of our educational system but excited to be a part of the change and success of our students. I believe that assessment and ongoing evaluative measures ensures that what we are doing is working. Can't wait to explore more ways we can look at data to foster success in our school. Thanks Glenn!
Well said, Jenna! It definitely is a time of both fear and hope. It all comes down to fighting for those kids - they need us - we (educators) are their hope:)
I, too agree, it is scary and invigorating at the same time. I am hopeful we will learn from each other and the great leaders who are in the middle of it, who we will hear from through this program...thanks Glenn.
The educational environment is crazy right now! As principals let’s make sure that we take the time to tell the legal story and past behind everything that is happening in our schools. Encourage staff to argue with state legislators and the union! During PD make the focus on student achievement and the now. “Who is going to tell the school scoring at the 97th percentile that they suck??” Glenn
Nate you're right on. It's so important to tell the why, get it out there and move on. There's nothing we can do "at the building" to change the laws, so let's move forward. "Change the things we can, and forget the things we can't" at least in the building!
It's like a police officer that I know who tells all of the angry people that he pulls over or arrests -- "Don't get mad at me, my job is to just uphold the rules. Get mad at the people who make those rules."
I couldn't agree more Nate and Vince! It was eye opening to me last year, how much I wasn't following what was happening in Olympia. Once I started to, I realized how much many of my colleagues weren't aware of what was happening legislatively either! A great site to bookmark and share...www.wssda.org (WSSDA-go to "legislation/government issues, then go to legislative updates. You can click on a date for the latest updates on what's happening in Washington and beyond!)
#EverybodyneedsaGlenn. Today was a great first day, I am truly looking forward to building relations with this cohort. I feel very fortunate to share a room with so many amazing leaders. I am a data nerd so I am beyond excited for this course. Glenn's uplifting speak of how our schools with never make it... actually did provide me with a new perspective to bring to my team. The laws and standards are there, there's nothing we can do to change them, so lets stop complaining, roll up our sleeves and get to work. I know I want my school to be a top school, and assessment is key in navigating this improvement. I hope this course provides me a deeper understanding of what data systems are currently in place and how can we interpret data with our staff in a more meaningful way.
I couldn't agree more, Kelsey! We need to focus on what we can control. I feel empowered to share with my staff that we need to place our focus on the WORK and let go of the things that are out of our control. I think they'd appreciate it!
Kelsey, I really appreciate the "rolling up our sleeves" and just immersing ourselves in this work. It's easy to get muddled up in the venting and endless debating of what should and could be done. However, as leaders and collaborators it is imperative that we help to move our staff to concrete steps of action so that we can start making a difference in the lives of students and their families!
I love the energy of this class! I can't wait to grow and learn from each of you throughout the next two years and beyond. I already feel like we are a cohesive learning community who value each other's experiences and ideas. As we discussed the reality of our state's position on meeting AYP, my thoughts drifted toward how this will impact my building and staff as it is a Title 1 school. I'm looking forward to applying what I learn in this class with my teachers using student data to foster student growth.
Totally agree Kristin! How amazing is it to sit in a room with so many educators with such wealths of knowledge? I LOVE IT! We are the difference to our kids and the future.
Agreed. Just today I was at a principal meeting and I overheard the confusion of 1-2-3-4-5 leveled schools vs focus/priority schools. I am so glad for the expertise of Glenn and Carrie.
All the talk of AYP had my head spinning. I did not know that Title 1 schools were the only ones the faced the negative consequences from not meeting AYP. As I am now teaching at a Title 1 school, I am even more motivated to use data to make instructional decisions. I am also anxious to understand AYP better.
What an exciting time of change for our state! As we discussed the need to drive student achievement with data, more so now than ever, I drifted to my building and the work we are doing with RtI. I am equally excited to glean any and all knowledge from this vast array of expertise in our cohort; And from Dr. Malone. I'm so excited to be a part of this group!
I agree Melissa! It is a madhouse, but come on... we didn't sign on to be teachers because we wanted an easy...every day is the same kind of job! We are passionate about education because it is a challenge and our kids are worth overcoming that challenge.
Well said Kelsey! It's a wonder the lot of us didn't try out to be ring leaders in the circus. We have the fearlessness, confidence, and skill to take a somewhat dangerously-unknown situation(student learning) and build trust and rapport to make amazing things happen in our own "rings" of the classroom.
I really wondered how I was going to pull off earning this certifctae in the midst of taking on this new role. I spent most of August worrying this might be too much. After last night (and Tuesday) I can already see how it is an extension and almost job embedded learning. :) I NEED to understand this information. I desire to learn more about leadership. So heck, I may as well earn a cert at the same time. Thank you for making our work relevant to our current day and to our near and exciting future. Enjoy the three-day weekend.
I agree (on wondering how I am going to do this in the midst of my regular life) and also on needing this information- embedded learning for sure- I am excited to get going and learn more!
I was at the edge of my chair last night listening to Glenn explain the state of our educational system right now and couldn't help but think it should have been recorded and sent to every school in the state for teachers to hear! It is the political situation that we are in...it needs to understood by all so we can move on. As Kelsey stated earlier, I like looking at numbers, graphs and data in general. The numbers don't lie. I'm excited to learn what kind of data/assessments have the most validity and how best to use it to improve student learning. It's all about student growth and how else to show that, than with accurate data - preferably with nice, colored pie charts and graphs:)
I agree, Sari! It's crazy how much numbers are driving education right now and it's a little exciting how much we're going to learn about how critical data will be to our jobs.
Sari I agree 100%! It's definitely something teachers need to hear. The only way to change the state of our ed system now is to talk to the unions, and our legislators. But for now, the most pressing issue is understanding data (in I agree, nice colorful graphs) so we can move forward and make the necessary changes at our school sites to improve student learning. I'm so excited to get to know you all!
I agree with the recording idea Sari. I shared what I heard with my peers on the way back to Washington and they wished they had heard the message first hand. The consensus in the van was, Glenn's message should be the opening message for our professional development day. That way, people will focus more on what "needs" to be done and less on the "why me, why now, and this too shall pass". Thanks Glenn for providing the background information.
What an incredible cohort! I am so excited to learn from all of your talents and experiences. Something that stuck with me during class was when Glenn said, "Relationships precede teaching." This is something that I plan to build upon this school year in the buildings where I teach but I can't wait to build those relationships with all of you along the way. I've had one other administrator who is as transparent as Glenn and it made a huge difference in the morale and working relationships of not only our staff but the students as well in our building. I love it and it's something that we can all strive for as we make the jump to "The Dark Side"!
I agree completely. Glenn put in perspective for me the importance of relationships (good solid that is). When you know the person you are working for doesn't have any hidden agendas and understands that you are human, it is easier to follow them and have conversations about performance and change.
left class last night completely exhausted...mental overload...but so excited about this process. I love the talk of relationships. In my screening interview for Clover Park School District and then for Carter Lake and Hillside, when asked how I foster a community in classroom, my answer is always by building positive relationships in my classroom. Robert Quinn in The Heroic Journey said "relationships often play a key role. We have our greatest sense of joy and meaning when we connect with other in mutually enhancing ways. We are disempowered, when we choose "peace and pay," we do not create or attract mutually enhancing relationships. We are left to ourselves, depleted, tired, and disempowered." I am looking forward to learning with you and from you all over the next two years.
Hey guys, wait up. I am appreciating the dedication from this bunch already. It is making me want to keep my laptop in my back pocket, or buy some new technology for my car in order to keep up with the conversations. I don't know, can a '96 accord be outfitted with such efficiency? Anyways, my thoughts are still provoked about the legal ramifications, or there lack of (mentioned HS's in Puyallup) of schools not making expected gains. I want student's confidence in learning to improve, and their data scores to increase, and my school's achievement percentiles to go up, and the district's gains to be noticeable and applaudable, and the legislators to know why the enacted accountability policies that trickle down are contributing to the confidence of learning for my students. In other words, if the notable emphasis on high- stakes testing is going to be prevalent and schools are going to be on display, for their gains or there lack of, for the community to see, then it seems like there should be a concrete achievement goal to strive for, as there has been with past policies, ie. ESEA, NCLB. Instead we are in an awkward season of ambiguity between waiting for the next "school improvement initiative" and the "we SUCK" letter and we'll try harder. OK, sorry for the philosophizing...I feel better though, thanks. I'll turn the corner to the home stretch of my reflection now. I want to give a big compliment to the accepting attitude of our cohort and the great sense of humor. Like some of you have said, lots of laughs have been had already in a not so funny environment when you think about it. We really, hardly know each other(YET...and looking forward to it) in a graduate program with a daunting amount of work :) I am so glad we are optimistically making it a place I am going to look forward to coming to two nights a week. Be well y'all, Paul
I left class feeling a little worried about the future of our schools, but loved how Dr. Malone explained that something has got to change! The laws don’t make sense and are a bit crazy right now, however I believe as our focus stays on our students and supporting teachers, our schools can’t help but improve. It might not look like that with all the laws but truly our kids are working hard at learning, and teachers are working harder than ever! I am excited to learn how to use Data and Assessments for the benefit of our kids and teachers.
I have just finished reading everyone's reflections and replies. I can appreciate all the feelings of excitement and concern about the kind of work that lay ahead of us all. I felt that way last year as I looked at the formidable stack of books just from Dr. Adrian's class! However, through your readings and discussions with our instructors (they ROCK), so much of this will start to make sense. The bigger picture and how we will be able to help shape and reshape it will be a much greater part of our world than ever before. That's exciting...and a bit scary! I am SUPER excited about digging into data with Glenn and all of you. More than ever, what we learn from Glenn and from each other will play a critical role in our ability to lead a staff and school to greatness. Data is everything...especially as we look at the role of technology and it's capacity to disaggregate data with a single keystroke, turn Data Meetings into powerful intervention opportunities, and connect teachers worldwide. Have you seen the Digital Library through Smarter Balanced yet? Holy Cougars Batman! The potential to share and to use high quality resources linked to our CCSS is right at our fingertips! Through our awareness of the many resources we do have-personal and digital-we can feel supported in using the variety of data that surrounds us in ways that are intentional and productive. With Dr. Glenn at the helm and all of us in the same boat, I feel so confident that we will walk away from this class more empowered to tackle the challenges of a 21st century administrator!
I am glad we are all in this "boat" together and excited to have Glenn navigating us through these new waters. If we ever encounter rough seas let’s make sure to throw each other a life preserver.
I bought a WSU t-shirt today. Some of you may be thinking “What’s the big deal?” well in fact it is. Our home is purple and gold country and I never hear, “GO COUGS!” but more often hear “Bow Down” –to Washington. That being said, with the purchase of my first cougar t-shirt, I am embracing WSU and I have the blessings of my family to wear it and be proud of my new journey as a Washington State Cougar. I think they will give me a hard time… but it is all in fun. The past couple of weeks have been busy with the demands of setting up the classroom, facilitating and attending trainings, meeting with students and their families, as well as attending our first two classes. Oh my! With the hustle and bustle of everything, it was nice to begin this program with friendly smiles, laughter and positive attitudes. All of you have contributed to a welcoming environment which has reaffirmed my thoughts that this will be a remarkable adventure. I enjoyed listening and learning about everyone’s life experiences. I believe understanding who we are and where we are coming from is vital to our success as a cohort and will assist us with moving forward. I appreciate and enjoyed the time spent on learning about one another, ensuring these relationships start off in a positive direction. Yesterday (Friday) morning up bright and early … off to science training. As I am walking to the school I see Alyssa getting out of her car and we walk to the building together. When we arrive Paul is there for the same training. It was nice to see people in our cohort outside our class time. It was even better that I knew their names and a little bit about them. Already, I am seeing how creating these relationships and connections are essential to the cohort as a learner but also the importance of the professional connections we will have outside of our WSU class time. On the more serious side of Thursday evening class, I appreciated the history lesson in regard to Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It is nice to know the evolution of Title I and have an understanding of the current reality and the implications of what a denied waiver means for schools who are receiving Title I funds. Thank you Glenn, you presented this information in a way which allows me to understand the big picture.
Lori---I could not agree more. On another note---I was taking a selfie with my daughter today and I totally realized that I was doing what you spoke about with my eyes. SOOOOOO, I put on sunglasses and ta-dah problem was fixed!
I tried to do a selfie again as well......even with the sunglasses it is ridiculous. My fingers will not cooperate with the camera. I guess I have a new personal goal.
Using the fly on the wall analogy, I must say relationships among staff members is a hands on activity/concept. In order to build a relationship you must make eye to eye contact and share the same room at some point in time in order to get to know one another. You must also decide to make the effort to get to know someone on a personal level before the hard conversations can take place. If you don't understand what a person values and respects, you can't truly connect with that person on the level that is needed to have the conversations about changing teaching practices to improve student learning. You also can't truly understand the dynamics of a person through second hand conversations or delayed messages, you must be an active participant. Although, I was there virtually I could not truly participate or connect with the members in the room. Thinking through the lens of a principal, I must be there in person, connecting with people face-face, and be an active staff member in order to truly be apart of the team. The work can not be done virtually. Thursday's class also made me think of my peers that dislike "getting to know you activities", how do I connect with them in a way that will make them step out of their comfort zone and feel the time spent was meaningful. I think Glenn did a great job doing this with a group of willing participants...what has the experience been when you have Mr and Mrs. Grouchy in the room?
Interesting point Tawana---Makes me sad that that is the reality of some in the profession....BUT we have all experienced those few---my guess is you try your best and never give up trying to form a positive relationship and rapport with your team.
What a great class! I feel like we are already building a valuable, supportive, collaborative, community. I can't wait to get to know you all even better!!
ReplyDeleteI think one aspect of this class that will be very valuable to me is learning and understanding the different aspects of assessment and accountability. It is a wild world that I am very interested to know more about. Becoming an expert in this area will be valuable as we enter into leadership.
Attitude is Everything!!!!
I like your attitude!
DeleteGlenn and Cohort---wow, what an exhilarating class! I left tonight feeling so many emotions; excited, supported, ready (to make change), scared, and hopeful! Scared for the state of our educational system but excited to be a part of the change and success of our students. I believe that assessment and ongoing evaluative measures ensures that what we are doing is working. Can't wait to explore more ways we can look at data to foster success in our school. Thanks Glenn!
ReplyDeleteFeeling the same way Jenna! Lets make the work relevant to our schools and positions!
DeleteDon't be scared...who better than us to do this hard work?
DeleteYes---Absolutely Glenn!
DeleteWell said, Jenna! It definitely is a time of both fear and hope. It all comes down to fighting for those kids - they need us - we (educators) are their hope:)
DeleteI, too agree, it is scary and invigorating at the same time. I am hopeful we will learn from each other and the great leaders who are in the middle of it, who we will hear from through this program...thanks Glenn.
DeleteThe educational environment is crazy right now! As principals let’s make sure that we take the time to tell the legal story and past behind everything that is happening in our schools. Encourage staff to argue with state legislators and the union! During PD make the focus on student achievement and the now. “Who is going to tell the school scoring at the 97th percentile that they suck??” Glenn
ReplyDeleteNice quote!
DeleteNate you're right on. It's so important to tell the why, get it out there and move on. There's nothing we can do "at the building" to change the laws, so let's move forward. "Change the things we can, and forget the things we can't" at least in the building!
DeleteIt's like a police officer that I know who tells all of the angry people that he pulls over or arrests -- "Don't get mad at me, my job is to just uphold the rules. Get mad at the people who make those rules."
DeleteI couldn't agree more Nate and Vince! It was eye opening to me last year, how much I wasn't following what was happening in Olympia. Once I started to, I realized how much many of my colleagues weren't aware of what was happening legislatively either! A great site to bookmark and share...www.wssda.org (WSSDA-go to "legislation/government issues, then go to legislative updates. You can click on a date for the latest updates on what's happening in Washington and beyond!)
Delete#EverybodyneedsaGlenn. Today was a great first day, I am truly looking forward to building relations with this cohort. I feel very fortunate to share a room with so many amazing leaders. I am a data nerd so I am beyond excited for this course. Glenn's uplifting speak of how our schools with never make it... actually did provide me with a new perspective to bring to my team. The laws and standards are there, there's nothing we can do to change them, so lets stop complaining, roll up our sleeves and get to work. I know I want my school to be a top school, and assessment is key in navigating this improvement. I hope this course provides me a deeper understanding of what data systems are currently in place and how can we interpret data with our staff in a more meaningful way.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more, Kelsey! We need to focus on what we can control. I feel empowered to share with my staff that we need to place our focus on the WORK and let go of the things that are out of our control. I think they'd appreciate it!
DeleteLovin the Dr. Selby hashtag! This is important work and you are the right person to lead it!
DeleteKelsey, I really appreciate the "rolling up our sleeves" and just immersing ourselves in this work. It's easy to get muddled up in the venting and endless debating of what should and could be done. However, as leaders and collaborators it is imperative that we help to move our staff to concrete steps of action so that we can start making a difference in the lives of students and their families!
DeleteI love the energy of this class! I can't wait to grow and learn from each of you throughout the next two years and beyond. I already feel like we are a cohesive learning community who value each other's experiences and ideas. As we discussed the reality of our state's position on meeting AYP, my thoughts drifted toward how this will impact my building and staff as it is a Title 1 school. I'm looking forward to applying what I learn in this class with my teachers using student data to foster student growth.
ReplyDeleteYour perspective and insight will be invaluable to the others in our cohort!
DeleteTotally agree Kristin! How amazing is it to sit in a room with so many educators with such wealths of knowledge? I LOVE IT! We are the difference to our kids and the future.
DeleteThis class will really help you to make sense of everything that is happening in your school as well as help your staff in their own understanding.
DeleteAgreed. Just today I was at a principal meeting and I overheard the confusion of 1-2-3-4-5 leveled schools vs focus/priority schools. I am so glad for the expertise of Glenn and Carrie.
DeleteAll the talk of AYP had my head spinning. I did not know that Title 1 schools were the only ones the faced the negative consequences from not meeting AYP. As I am now teaching at a Title 1 school, I am even more motivated to use data to make instructional decisions. I am also anxious to understand AYP better.
DeleteWhat an exciting time of change for our state! As we discussed the need to drive student achievement with data, more so now than ever, I drifted to my building and the work we are doing with RtI. I am equally excited to glean any and all knowledge from this vast array of expertise in our cohort; And from Dr. Malone. I'm so excited to be a part of this group!
ReplyDeleteI agree Melissa! It is a madhouse, but come on... we didn't sign on to be teachers because we wanted an easy...every day is the same kind of job! We are passionate about education because it is a challenge and our kids are worth overcoming that challenge.
DeleteSo glad to have you in the cohort!
DeleteWell said Kelsey! It's a wonder the lot of us didn't try out to be ring leaders in the circus. We have the fearlessness, confidence, and skill to take a somewhat dangerously-unknown situation(student learning) and build trust and rapport to make amazing things happen in our own "rings" of the classroom.
DeleteI really wondered how I was going to pull off earning this certifctae in the midst of taking on this new role. I spent most of August worrying this might be too much. After last night (and Tuesday) I can already see how it is an extension and almost job embedded learning. :) I NEED to understand this information. I desire to learn more about leadership. So heck, I may as well earn a cert at the same time. Thank you for making our work relevant to our current day and to our near and exciting future. Enjoy the three-day weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Brittane!
DeleteI agree (on wondering how I am going to do this in the midst of my regular life) and also on needing this information- embedded learning for sure- I am excited to get going and learn more!
DeleteI was at the edge of my chair last night listening to Glenn explain the state of our educational system right now and couldn't help but think it should have been recorded and sent to every school in the state for teachers to hear! It is the political situation that we are in...it needs to understood by all so we can move on. As Kelsey stated earlier, I like looking at numbers, graphs and data in general. The numbers don't lie. I'm excited to learn what kind of data/assessments have the most validity and how best to use it to improve student learning. It's all about student growth and how else to show that, than with accurate data - preferably with nice, colored pie charts and graphs:)
ReplyDeleteI agree, Sari! It's crazy how much numbers are driving education right now and it's a little exciting how much we're going to learn about how critical data will be to our jobs.
Delete& elaborate party favors!
DeleteA recording would have helped me! I'm glad we will hear more about all this so I can understand and internalize it more.
DeleteSari I agree 100%! It's definitely something teachers need to hear. The only way to change the state of our ed system now is to talk to the unions, and our legislators. But for now, the most pressing issue is understanding data (in I agree, nice colorful graphs) so we can move forward and make the necessary changes at our school sites to improve student learning. I'm so excited to get to know you all!
DeleteI agree with the recording idea Sari. I shared what I heard with my peers on the way back to Washington and they wished they had heard the message first hand. The consensus in the van was, Glenn's message should be the opening message for our professional development day. That way, people will focus more on what "needs" to be done and less on the "why me, why now, and this too shall pass". Thanks Glenn for providing the background information.
DeleteWhat an incredible cohort! I am so excited to learn from all of your talents and experiences. Something that stuck with me during class was when Glenn said, "Relationships precede teaching." This is something that I plan to build upon this school year in the buildings where I teach but I can't wait to build those relationships with all of you along the way. I've had one other administrator who is as transparent as Glenn and it made a huge difference in the morale and working relationships of not only our staff but the students as well in our building. I love it and it's something that we can all strive for as we make the jump to "The Dark Side"!
ReplyDeleteThanks Vince!
DeleteI agree, Vince on how important relationships are, and building those with our kids and other teachers will only help us be more successful!
DeleteIndeed Vince. As it has been said, "they won't care what we want them to know until they know we value them and see their potential".
DeleteI agree completely. Glenn put in perspective for me the importance of relationships (good solid that is). When you know the person you are working for doesn't have any hidden agendas and understands that you are human, it is easier to follow them and have conversations about performance and change.
Deleteleft class last night completely exhausted...mental overload...but so excited about this process. I love the talk of relationships. In my screening interview for Clover Park School District and then for Carter Lake and Hillside, when asked how I foster a community in classroom, my answer is always by building positive relationships in my classroom. Robert Quinn in The Heroic Journey said "relationships often play a key role. We have our greatest sense of joy and meaning when we connect with other in mutually enhancing ways. We are disempowered, when we choose "peace and pay," we do not create or attract mutually enhancing relationships. We are left to ourselves, depleted, tired, and disempowered." I am looking forward to learning with you and from you all over the next two years.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to
You did it!
DeleteHey guys, wait up. I am appreciating the dedication from this bunch already. It is making me want to keep my laptop in my back pocket, or buy some new technology for my car in order to keep up with the conversations. I don't know, can a '96 accord be outfitted with such efficiency?
ReplyDeleteAnyways, my thoughts are still provoked about the legal ramifications, or there lack of (mentioned HS's in Puyallup) of schools not making expected gains. I want student's confidence in learning to improve, and their data scores to increase, and my school's achievement percentiles to go up, and the district's gains to be noticeable and applaudable, and the legislators to know why the enacted accountability policies that trickle down are contributing to the confidence of learning for my students. In other words, if the notable emphasis on high- stakes testing is going to be prevalent and schools are going to be on display, for their gains or there lack of, for the community to see, then it seems like there should be a concrete achievement goal to strive for, as there has been with past policies, ie. ESEA, NCLB. Instead we are in an awkward season of ambiguity between waiting for the next "school improvement initiative" and the "we SUCK" letter and we'll try harder.
OK, sorry for the philosophizing...I feel better though, thanks. I'll turn the corner to the home stretch of my reflection now.
I want to give a big compliment to the accepting attitude of our cohort and the great sense of humor. Like some of you have said, lots of laughs have been had already in a not so funny environment when you think about it. We really, hardly know each other(YET...and looking forward to it) in a graduate program with a daunting amount of work :) I am so glad we are optimistically making it a place I am going to look forward to coming to two nights a week.
Be well y'all,
Paul
I left class feeling a little worried about the future of our schools, but loved how Dr. Malone explained that something has got to change! The laws don’t make sense and are a bit crazy right now, however I believe as our focus stays on our students and supporting teachers, our schools can’t help but improve. It might not look like that with all the laws but truly our kids are working hard at learning, and teachers are working harder than ever! I am excited to learn how to use Data and Assessments for the benefit of our kids and teachers.
ReplyDeleteI have just finished reading everyone's reflections and replies. I can appreciate all the feelings of excitement and concern about the kind of work that lay ahead of us all. I felt that way last year as I looked at the formidable stack of books just from Dr. Adrian's class! However, through your readings and discussions with our instructors (they ROCK), so much of this will start to make sense. The bigger picture and how we will be able to help shape and reshape it will be a much greater part of our world than ever before. That's exciting...and a bit scary!
ReplyDeleteI am SUPER excited about digging into data with Glenn and all of you. More than ever, what we learn from Glenn and from each other will play a critical role in our ability to lead a staff and school to greatness. Data is everything...especially as we look at the role of technology and it's capacity to disaggregate data with a single keystroke, turn Data Meetings into powerful intervention opportunities, and connect teachers worldwide. Have you seen the Digital Library through Smarter Balanced yet? Holy Cougars Batman! The potential to share and to use high quality resources linked to our CCSS is right at our fingertips! Through our awareness of the many resources we do have-personal and digital-we can feel supported in using the variety of data that surrounds us in ways that are intentional and productive. With Dr. Glenn at the helm and all of us in the same boat, I feel so confident that we will walk away from this class more empowered to tackle the challenges of a 21st century administrator!
I am glad we are all in this "boat" together and excited to have Glenn navigating us through these new waters. If we ever encounter rough seas let’s make sure to throw each other a life preserver.
DeleteI bought a WSU t-shirt today. Some of you may be thinking “What’s the big deal?” well in fact it is. Our home is purple and gold country and I never hear, “GO COUGS!” but more often hear “Bow Down” –to Washington. That being said, with the purchase of my first cougar t-shirt, I am embracing WSU and I have the blessings of my family to wear it and be proud of my new journey as a Washington State Cougar. I think they will give me a hard time… but it is all in fun.
ReplyDeleteThe past couple of weeks have been busy with the demands of setting up the classroom, facilitating and attending trainings, meeting with students and their families, as well as attending our first two classes. Oh my! With the hustle and bustle of everything, it was nice to begin this program with friendly smiles, laughter and positive attitudes. All of you have contributed to a welcoming environment which has reaffirmed my thoughts that this will be a remarkable adventure. I enjoyed listening and learning about everyone’s life experiences. I believe understanding who we are and where we are coming from is vital to our success as a cohort and will assist us with moving forward. I appreciate and enjoyed the time spent on learning about one another, ensuring these relationships start off in a positive direction.
Yesterday (Friday) morning up bright and early … off to science training. As I am walking to the school I see Alyssa getting out of her car and we walk to the building together. When we arrive Paul is there for the same training. It was nice to see people in our cohort outside our class time. It was even better that I knew their names and a little bit about them. Already, I am seeing how creating these relationships and connections are essential to the cohort as a learner but also the importance of the professional connections we will have outside of our WSU class time.
On the more serious side of Thursday evening class, I appreciated the history lesson in regard to Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA). It is nice to know the evolution of Title I and have an understanding of the current reality and the implications of what a denied waiver means for schools who are receiving Title I funds. Thank you Glenn, you presented this information in a way which allows me to understand the big picture.
Lori---I could not agree more. On another note---I was taking a selfie with my daughter today and I totally realized that I was doing what you spoke about with my eyes. SOOOOOO, I put on sunglasses and ta-dah problem was fixed!
ReplyDeleteI tried to do a selfie again as well......even with the sunglasses it is ridiculous. My fingers will not cooperate with the camera. I guess I have a new personal goal.
DeleteUsing the fly on the wall analogy, I must say relationships among staff members is a hands on activity/concept. In order to build a relationship you must make eye to eye contact and share the same room at some point in time in order to get to know one another. You must also decide to make the effort to get to know someone on a personal level before the hard conversations can take place. If you don't understand what a person values and respects, you can't truly connect with that person on the level that is needed to have the conversations about changing teaching practices to improve student learning. You also can't truly understand the dynamics of a person through second hand conversations or delayed messages, you must be an active participant. Although, I was there virtually I could not truly participate or connect with the members in the room. Thinking through the lens of a principal, I must be there in person, connecting with people face-face, and be an active staff member in order to truly be apart of the team. The work can not be done virtually. Thursday's class also made me think of my peers that dislike "getting to know you activities", how do I connect with them in a way that will make them step out of their comfort zone and feel the time spent was meaningful. I think Glenn did a great job doing this with a group of willing participants...what has the experience been when you have Mr and Mrs. Grouchy in the room?
ReplyDeleteInteresting point Tawana---Makes me sad that that is the reality of some in the profession....BUT we have all experienced those few---my guess is you try your best and never give up trying to form a positive relationship and rapport with your team.
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