3 New Learnings -Are you a Catalyst for a change. -As a leader, you are a Dream Maker. -Language drives Expectations. Expectations drive Performance.
2 Ideas I can apply -Clear compelling vision in the classroom and in my leadership roles in the school and as a principal -Use powerful and outgoing language with everyone on a daily basis.
1 Concept I would like to learn more about: -Fostering productivity for all staff and students
---I am moved and inspired by all the support, teaching, and encouragement from all presenters last night. I am convinced that leadership is my Stepping Up pathway to make a difference in my community. What I know for sure is that I want to serve and support people be the best they can be -and help them realize their ultimate potential.
I look forward in attending other events where I can serve and help spread Dr. Sharratt's message.
Thank you again for such an incredible experience.
It was a great honor to hear Dr. Sharratt speak! Relationships, trust, urgency, simplicity, hope, honor and value are some of the words that come to mind if I was to create a Wordle of Dr. Sharratt’s presentation last night.
One idea that I heard throughout his sharing was the importance of not missing an opportunity. His presentation was embedded with pictures where he had made the decision to build new and powerful (life-changing) relationships.
I was shocked to hear about the number of calls (emails) recorded by the Legislator and Governor’s offices regarding education in relationship to other topics. As a community, we say we value education but this data shows otherwise. I look forward to sharing this information with whoever will listen.
In addition, I was also appreciative of the overview of K-12 educational issues. This list is important if we are going to meet the need of each and every students but I come back to how Dr. Sharratt spoke (and modeled) about simplicity. I look at this list and feel a very heavy weight on my shoulders and on my kid’s shoulders about the future of education over the next several years. He also shared about our role as leaders is to be "Dream Makers" so I will take this an invitation be part of the solution.
Two ideas I am going to apply is to be “Value driven not rules driven” and to honor, value and take care of the people I have the honor to work alongside.
One idea that I will continue to think more about is different resources we can use to educate and include families. Dr. Sharratt shared about the talk he had given and the families that needed the term “tuition” defined – how can I change that for our families and community? How can I reach out? How can my school reach out to close that opportunity gap?
Thank you for sharing your passion about education with us!
The one slide that keeps coming to mind after the presentation is OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE. That is such a powerful message of hope and change!
I have a son who is a currently a senior in high school and preparing to apply for colleges in the next few months. My new learnings were related to college information such as: 1) the trends in the costs of college education and the reduction in aid available, specifically the lack of increased amounts of the Pell Grants, 2) I did not know about the College Bound Scholarship program, and 3) I was intrigued by the statistics about opportunities in correlation to post secondary education.
Two ideas I can apply right now are: 1) be a solution finder and 2) to remember that I cannot influence those I offend.
One area I would like to learn more about are the legislative issues that education is facing and what all educators can do to make a greater impact on the direction our state is going.
Thank you for the opportunity to meet colleagues and hear such a powerful message about leadership! I am encouraged that Dr. Sharratt has such a positive influence on the direction of education in our state.
New Learning: I am honored and thrilled to be able to hear Gene Sharratt speak three times this school year! :) 1. There are 199 languages in our WA state schools. This reinforces my strong belief that Project GLAD instructional strategies must be MANDATORY for all pre-service, preparatory programs. 2. The importance of getting FAFSA filled out for students. The percentage regarding enrollment that it plays was phenomenal 3. I did not realize how WA is leading the work on maintaining and/or lowering tuition...and the importing of college-leveled jobs is alarming.
I can only strive to be half of the inspiration and action of Dr. Sharratt. 1) Yet, I can reward what we want repeated and measure what matters. 2) Be sure the goals (student-centered) are the funnel in which all decisions are made
Know more about: How to build systems for pro-education folks to share their opinions with state government so we are heard!
Another wonderful and empowering night with inspirational leaders. Thank you for another opportunity to hear Gene Sharratt. His love, passion, positivity, wisdom and energy never cease to inspire all of us. If only I could be more like him. What kind of impact could I have to those around me? Kids, parents, teachers, colleagues alike. 3 new learnings: • As school leaders, we play an important role in the success of the College Bound Scholarship program • Washington State is the only state not raising college tuition. • I was shocked to hear about the calls that come into the legislature and therefore drive priorities. We need to do our part to play an active role in the legislative process and encourage others to do the same. 2 ideas I can apply: • With commitment, vision, passion and kindness, I can change a culture for the betterment of kids. Our schools need leaders to make a change and I can do my part to inspire this change and empower others to do the same. Authentic leaders empower others to lead. • As an instructional leader, I need to provide meaningful professional development that aligns with a clear vision that makes a different for kids 1 concept I’d like to know more about: • It’s all about empowerment. I would like to continue to learn strategies to empower those around me to lead
Having the opportunity to hear Dr. Gene Sharratt speak again was priceless. So much of his presentation resonated with my own philosophy and provided a much need boost of inspiration. For me the most powerful take-away was the confirmation of core values, and that these essential values drive positive change. I believe that it is the passion and culture of our team that drives our potential success. Yes, I believe rules are always present and should always be a part of the equation, but I do not think they should be the driving force.
Gene also shared that “Everything we do, every activity we create, every relationship we build, every network we support is aimed at improving the capacity of schools to provide a quality education for ALL students”. I wanted to include this quote specifically because it speaks directly to my beliefs and feelings on leadership - as a teacher, coach, and future principal. The notion of all students in everything we do is an excellent way to visualize students and educational environments.
It was interesting to learn more about the direct alignment between Washington State employment earnings and educational achievement. The specific impact, that Dr. Sharratt shared, on Washington communities and families, was unbelievable. Adult men and women make up more than 75% of our minimum wage workers, here in Washington. Yet, we have professional, high paying jobs just waiting for qualified adults. The break lies in preparing students for successful high school graduation and completion of post-secondary education.
I would like to know more about legislative funding and initiatives - the data, planning, process, and implementation. Having more information and training, on my part, in these areas will help me better support and ensure the attention of needed stakeholders within our communities and state.
Dr. Sharratt’s Step Up Internal Plan was collaborative, direct, clear, and simple. This plan, along with his Stepping Up reward system, was something that I could see using within my own school. I believe that by having a plan, with goals and objectives, so clearly stated supports the need of all stakeholders to be able to understand and embrace their part.
The opportunity to hear Dr. Sharratt speak and spend time with new and old friends was appreciated. I want to thank all of you for planning and preparing for such an amazing evening of information and inspiration.
Seeing such strong long lasting relationships from our educational leaders spoke to how passionate people who choose education as their calling is. I found the evening to be a extremely motivating and enlightening. The opportunity to hear such experienced and knowledgeable leaders in education speak was humbling. It is a class I would like to sit in on for many years to come and to bring my professional colleges too. The opportunity to learn about other district around the state and network with others that believe in the power public education made me wish for more opportunities like the one provided Thursday evening.
When Gene spoke about the leadership values and the importance of making the human relationship connections. I thought about what are the ways we could make HUGE difference in our employees lives and show them we care. I would like to make the wordle below with my staff to find out what are the important values to them and also another wordle to show what are the areas that are most stressful.
A concept I would like to know more about is how to assist students in being college bound. The data shared about if you have a savings account set up for a student no matter the amount in the account that they have an 85% chance of attaining a bachelor's degree was powerful. As well as the fact that 25% of GET accounts are currently being used out of state because out of state schools are less expensive. It made me think how could I partner with our community to set up college savings for each student I work with. We are working on a SEPA science grant that has greatly increased the number of students interested in STEM careers if we could now find a way create a bridge to the dream that would help our students and community. My school community is extremely langauge impacted and the idea that parents are not able to assist their students with the next steps because they don’t have the academic language hit home. It made me think what could I do to help with this.
What an amazing night! I left Olympia with so many thoughts swirling around in my head, feeling both overwhelmed by the struggles that seem to be on the horizon for public education and inspired by the call for great future leaders.
A few things that I took away are:
1.) Dr. Sharratt highlighted how important it is to build a culture that reflects a specific mission and vision and is faithful to its core values. This begins from day one and one must recognize that this may take some time as has been suggested in many of our reading throughout this semester. 2.) Second, it is important to “Bend over backwards for your people because they are your most valuable asset” (Dr. Sharratt). Taking care of your people must be one of your top priorities as a leader. I certainly appreciated his commentaries about his team and the many opportunities he provides for each member such as: allowing working mothers to bring their babies to work and encouraging each employee to further their education free of charge and supported by the organization. As a future administrator I will need to find moments and opportunities to show that my team is a priority and support them in any way possible. 3.) Lastly, Dr. Sharratt cautioned us on the importance of leading by example. He stated, “You must lead by example – every action you take determines your ability to lead.” You are in the spotlight at all times and people look to see how you will deal with a problem, a conversation, or crisis. Your actions and responses will determine how people will judge your leadership or if they will trust you.
Something that I would like to know more about is government funding of initiatives - the planning, process, how it is implemented (or not for that matter).
Thank you for the opportunity to hear Dr. Sharratt! I look forward to future presentations as they are informative and inspiring!
It was a pleasure to be able to listen to Dr. Sharratt again, full of energy and inspiration- thank you for taking the time to speak! 3 concepts I learned (again…some of these things I have heard before, but sometimes it takes a few times to have it sink in!) 1- You cannot influence those you offend. Watching our new principal this year, and the interactions she is having- that one day I may have, I am learning from her example this very thing! She is careful with her responses and isn’t super quick to try to “fix” everything… as she has done this she has seen many things resolve themselves, whereas if she were to possibly jump in sooner, the risk of offending could be great! I really want to implement this in my own leadership and personal life! 2- Principals are the multipliers of good instruction. When I heard that this time, I thought about how not only are we examples of great teaching, but we allow for great teaching, giving encouragement, some autonomy and high expectations. 3- Language drives expectations, and expectations drive performance. This kind of goes with the 2nd one I listed. Setting expectations in the right way will lead to better performance. Two ideas I could apply right now: 1- Honor and serve those I work with! 2- Finding the “right” work as I want to “Do the right things right” One idea I’d like to know more about: 1- Why aren’t there more calls of concern to the capital about education? There seems to be a lot of concern on facebook…. What happens with those calls? Where does it go from there? How do you let people know that their concern makes a difference… and how does it?
3 New learnings: 1. The scope of education has elongated from k-12 to preK-14+. Too often, as educators, our vision gets truncated to our very small piece of the puzzle and we fail to see the larger picture. 2. It’s no longer enough to have a high school diploma. Some form of post-secondary training is essential in order to find success in today’s market. Fortunately there are myriad programs available to assist with that education. The trick is to connect need with support. 3. I knew that poverty is a rapidly growing problem in the U.S., but I had no idea that the national average of student poverty is at 51%, with some states over 70%. Sometimes it’s easy for me to become disconnected from this reality given the statistics of my own home school. Yes, we need programs to meet the immediate needs of these students, but we also need programs to break the cycle of poverty and grow the middle class!
2 Ideas I can apply: 1. Vision, ideals, values. I have these and I work from these and I have begun articulating these, but I need to become clearer with how I articulate these. I am not ready for an interview with Dr. Sharratt, but I think I’m getting there! 2. I like WSAC’s “Catch Me At My Best” program. It’s similar to the Tyee Tickets for students at Kalles. We also pass along Tyee stuffed birds to staff, but I think this more regular, frequent, and specific way of recognizing the good work of our colleagues is great! Sometimes it feels like we work hard with very little reward; it’s nice to be recognized and it helps build a team.
1 Concept I’d like to know more about… 1. Are there any locations that have been successful at moving the public toward positive political action on education? What are the means by which, if there are any, the political needs can more fully align with the educational best practices?
Three New learnings-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Slide 25 gave a visual depiction of poverty in the south. There is nearly a latitudinal line below which, poverty becomes the majority of students in the school statewide.
2. “Opportunity Gap” and “Discipline Disparity” were listed above “Graduation” concerns in the bulleted list on slide 26. Powerful.
3. The full impact of overpriced higher education in our state was new learning to me, and Dr. Sharratt eloquently depicted the full scope of the issue.
Two Ideas I can apply--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Changing demographics are challenges in schools, not excuses. This general idea came from slide 23, however an earlier slide, 12, points to the appropriate response. In the middle of difficulty, or challenge, lies opportunity. Take the opportunity to look for creative educational solutions to support all students in our changing demographics.
2. Stick with your values, make them crystal clear, and keep them on the tip of your tongue. No one has time, nor patience, for imposters. Be certain never to give off this vibe.
One Concept I’d like to know more about-------------------------------------------------------------
I think the question that keeps circling in my head, is the one that Dr. Sharratt proposed himself on slide 14, “What specific actions will you take to create a culture where people and programs continue to improve?” I know that I will have a proactive plan to foster such a culture, but I’m sure that this is one area of leadership that must be constantly reevaluated and tweaked to get as much productivity as possible from your people and programs. This would be a good question to place in a tickler file marked “Summer”, or “Back to School”. Current and “living” answers could be the key to a successful school year filled with academic and professional growth.
What a wonderful opportunity to listen to such an inspirational leader! Gene Sharratt is an eloquent speaker who is knowledgeable, excited and enthusiastic about education. Not only is he passionate about supporting the students of Washington in obtaining an education, he believes that as leaders our “greatest initiative is to take care of our people.” Dr. Sharratt definitely looks through a human resource lens. As a future leader who tends to look through the same type of lens, I can only hope that I can one day be half as successful a leader as he is now.
I feel that I learned so much from Dr. Sharratt’s presentation. Much of what he stated is what we are learning in our readings, yet, it seems so much more real coming from him. A few things that surprised me to learn were: • That Washington State is ranked 48th in the Nation for enrollment in four-year public education institutions. This means that most of the jobs that require higher education are being filled by people imported from other states. I am especially surprised by this because as a somewhat new resident of WA State, I had always heard that Washington had some of the most educated citizens. I did not realize that most of these citizens obtained their degrees elsewhere. • The high cost of education in Washington has definitely contributed to the decrease in the number of students attending college here. It is disturbing to see that although, over the years, there is the trend of increase in tuition, the Pell Grant award has remained the same. How great that Washington universities are beginning to initiate a decrease in tuition. • That 48.5% of the minimum wage jobs are held by adult women and 27% of minimum wage jobs are held by adult men. Teenage boys and girls hold 24% of the minimum wage jobs. I am curious to know if the adult men and women holding these jobs have higher level degrees.
A quote from Dr. Sharratt that really resonated with me was “as a school leader, how will you be a catalyst for change in you school.” This leads me to one of two ideas, from presentation that I can apply as a leader of my school. • As a leader it is important to be a catalyst of change to create a culture where people and programs continuously improve. In order to do this, I will have to participate in and provide PD for my staff and model the same strategies that I expect my staff to use. I will have to build a culture of trust, which will make it easier to be transparent and honest about expected outcomes. • Another quote that I really appreciated was “Language drives expectation. Expectation will drive performance.” We need to be positive in our interactions with all of the stakeholders in our school. The encouraging language and interaction that we use will result in positive performance because positivity breeds positivity.
Finally, the concept that I would like to learn more about is Dr. Sharratt’s program about bringing your baby to work, which directly relates to taking care of your people. I think that this is a program that can be implemented at our schools. Why couldn’t we have students, and staff, bring their babies to school? A daycare (classroom) can be set up for students and staff to leave their babies; and schedules can be created that include a ‘childcare’ elective where the teenage parents take turns watching over the kids.
1. The Ready, Set, Grad! Program was a new learning for me. I was unaware of the program and the influence it could have for so many disadvantaged students with socioeconomic challenges.
2. The importance of values and ones ability to be prepared to discuss them without hesitation. One needs to have a well developed set of beliefs and values from which to stand on when leading. If hesitant, taking a couple of years to develop your values in a deep, meaningful, and coherent way is advisable.
3. The number and type of calls coming into the legislature that guide decision making. I am beginning to think of solutions to that low volume of educational calls.
2. Ideas I can apply -
1. I have the idea to work on communication between middle school and elementary levels about the Ready, Set, Grad program. I feel like there is a need to start the communication earlier in a students education because in the elementary there is a higher participation rate among parents and then a steep decline in middle school. If we are not communicating the information prior to middle school knowing the participation rate of parents, then we must change something.
2. "Catch Me At My Best" incentive is something I can apply tomorrow. Kids and adults alike love to be recognized for the work they are doing. This type of recognition is small in action, but great in reward. The year can become very long when we focus on the outcome versus the effort.
1 Concept I would like to know more about -
One concept I would like to know more about is how to break down barriers for disadvantaged and low socioeconomic families for pathways to educational advancement. I would like to know what gets in the way of allowing these families to see the steps needed for support. Is it a lack of communication or too much pride? Either way, I would love to see Sumner get to 100% in the Ready, Set, Grad! program.
3-The Pell Grant has not increased to correlate with increased tuition rates. Political candidates build their platform on issues the public cares about; supporting public education funding is very low on the list. By 2018, about 2/3 of all employment will require some college education or more. 2-The leader's primary role is to clarify the vision-you must be able to articulate your own values. Language drives expectations; expectations will drive performance. Tell kids "I believe in you"...every single day. 1-I would like to learn more about issues related to the discipline disparity--what systems of support are currently in place to close the gap in disproportionate discipline practices?
3: OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE - a great way to consider mindset. The Washington Student Achievement Council's vision WSAC's myriad efforts toward educational attainment
2: Catch Me At My Best for maintaining positive/encouraging culture Concept that Education = Lower Unemployment
3 New Learning's: 1) That students who are unprepared for college and need to take remedial courses are not only less likely to complete their degree but the remedial classes add to the students student loan load. As a high school math teacher, I am terrified that my students might have to take classes that can impact their financial lives if I don't prepare them well for college. 2) That 51% of students in our country are low income or in other words the majority of public school students are “poor”. That is shocking to me, but I can’t really say why it isn't expected. 3) The US still has not rebounded yet from the recession, but I realize I might have blinders on since I have a college degree and a good paying job because of that degree. 2 Ideas I can apply 1) I am starting to talk to my AP Calculus students about college every day since this presentation because I want to try to educate them the college system. They aren’t thinking about student load debt or why college is important for their future. They just think of college is what they do next, like a middle school kid thinks of high school. 2) Being more involved with the state politics and talking to people about issues which effect education. I may even call the governor’s office.
I want to know more about what is going to be the role the SBA assessment will play in college readiness.
Three New Learnings: 1. State of Political issues- nobody calls on education. When preparing for a campaign, what will the governor focus on? Those issues that create the most pressure. How do we start "raising the tempterature" on education. 2. Tuition: free and reduced lunch – the realization that some parents out there struggle with “what is tuition?” I think about how long it takes me to work through FASFA and applications and I've applied for higher ed, and been a part of the system, many times! Those that haven't been through the system may not engage with the process. 3. The power of visuals. The small girl with the large backpack created such a strong image in my mind, and is very symbolic of what falls on the shoulders of our youth. Also the use of the phrase "opportunityisnowhere." I see myself as a "glass half-full" person, so it shocked me that I saw this as no where instead of now here. Ideas I can apply: 1. Looking into the motivatin for those students who are supported with free tuition. I imagine there are counselors at the secondary level supporting students with this choice, but also working with parents to make the college enterence process easier on them. I've known handfuls of students who had the opportunity to use this resource and passed, or were not interested. It's such a valuable resource! 2. I love Gene's role and guidance around relationships within his organization. It sounds like a great place to work! The team building opportunities he provides for his employees keeps employees around, carrying on the supportive model of the organization. This shows through his wordle, the largest words reflect in the major themes we are encountering through our courses/readings.
My biggest wondering at this point is how will I encourage and be a part of k-12 educational issues (slide 26) as a princiapal/admin leader? It is interesting to reflect on McCleary being at the top of the list, and the rest of the list is consequently affected by McCleary.
Some people will wait to be informed – go out there and get the information, or find ways of informing yourself: publications/organization memberships.
1. One new learning was related to the K-12 Public Education Issues. While I deal with the majority of these issues and reforms in my daily work, I did not realize that they were prevalent on the radar of policymakers. Some of them, I think I just took for granted. However, seeing them all listed here, I realized that many things that I take for granted, such as Professional Development opportunities, are in fact at the forefront of issues in education being discussed. 2. The rate of tuition increase (despite the past few years actually seeing tuition rises remain stable in Washington) was a shocking piece of data for me. I had not seen actual number regarding tuition increase and had not realized just how much it really has gone up in the past decade. 3. A third new learning was the lack of community member outreach to the governor’s office concerning educational issues. I wonder why this is so? Is it a matter of lack of information, awareness, priority? This was a very interesting data point to me. Things I Can Apply 1. Dr. Sharrat’s overarching emphasis on taking care of the people in your organization is something that I can immediately apply to my own work. The value he places on caring about the well-being of others is very clear, and translates to his staff’s work in supporting and caring about our students. 2. When speaking of the goals for level of high school diploma attainment and postsecondary credential attainment in Washington, Dr. Sharrat’s view on the necessity of this goal resonated with me. I appreciated how he explained this goal and realistic because, there is no single person that does not deserve the opportunity to earn a high school diploma. A concept I would like to know more about is the McCleary Act and the multiple facets of it and its lack of funding. I feel that this is something that I need to take upon myself to do my own research and learning as it is my duty to stay current on issues that are so directly impacting education in Washington state.
3 New Learnings: -The cost of tuition and how it is directly impacting students in WA. -51% is the National Average of Low Income Students in the US. -199 languages in WA state. That we are the most culturally diverse state. 2 Things I can apply: -How will I be a catalyst for change as a school leader. How will I build trust and relationships with my staff and still work on the changes that need to happen to help all students be successful? What are my specific actions that I will take to create a culture of trust and implement programs to improve learning for all students? -The question about what do I value and how will I show what I value really resonated with me. The very next day I started making a list of what I value and how I will communicate those ideas with others. "Every leader is telling a story about what he or she values." 1 Question: How do we involve families starting in Elementary School about the future? This is when we have a lot of parent involvement, how can we seize this opportunity and better inform all families about their options for higher education and the programs that are available/
3 New Learnings- 1. I was surprised to see his proactive approach on how he treats his staff and letting workers bring young children to work, as a solution with various staff members and child a Day Care issues. This approach, seems to work for his colleagues.
2. I heard for the third time this year; students that have a Bank or Credit Union Savings Account with money saved for Higher Education or Training, have a higher attendance rate of participating or achieving a higher education certificate or degree.
3. The other thing I was not abreast was, SeaTac Washington has over a hundred different languages spoken in the Highline School District, which is the most in the nation for that category.
2 Things I can apply:
- Be a Positive Advocate for change in Washington State Education even though law makers (parents, colleagues, etc.) will disagree with good education policy, but maintain positive relationships with those who viamittly disagree with you because you will see them many times in the future.
-Don't be afraid to make positive changes that work in our schools as leaders. It takes strong leaders to make changes that are innovative and that work
3 Things I learned 1. FUN=PRODUCTIVITY 2. "Language drive expectations and expectations drives performance...call a kid a name and they will fulfill it." 3. Low percentage of secondary graduates with bachelor's degrees (5% to 9%) haven't changed much since 1995 in the state of Washington.
2 Things to apply 1. Changing culture is hard, change people to make them feel warm, valued, and respected. "Catch Me At My Best" helps to change people. 2. I can learn how to grow the pie of opportunity for all.
1 Concept to Learn More I would like to learn more of how we can close the opportunity gaps for racial subgroups and those in poverty as well as how to grow the secondary graduates with degrees in the state of Washington.
3 Things I learned 1. FUN=PRODUCTIVITY 2. "Language drive expectations and expectations drives performance...call a kid a name and they will fulfill it." 3. Low percentage of secondary graduates with bachelor's degrees (5% to 9%) haven't changed much since 1995 in the state of Washington.
2 Things to apply 1. Changing culture is hard, change people to make them feel warm, valued, and respected. "Catch Me At My Best" helps to change people. 2. I can learn how to grow the pie of opportunity for all.
1 Concept to Learn More I would like to learn more of how we can close the opportunity gaps for racial subgroups and those in poverty as well as how to grow the secondary graduates with degrees in the state of Washington.
Another great night with Dr. Sharratt! His passion to help others succeed never ceases to amaze me.
3 New Learnings: 1. Leadership characteristics are the second strongest predictor of a school’s effect on student results, behind teachers and classroom factors. The role educational leaders play as a catalyst for change is humbling and inspiring. 2. Washington State is the only state not raising college tuition. 3. OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE - It’s your choice! Use every opportunity to build relationships.
2 Ideas I can apply: 1. Changing demographics are challenges in schools, not excuses. 2. I was caught “stepping up” to my very best – I love the idea of staff and/or school community recognizing each other. Another powerful way to build capacity in others and build relationships.
1 Concept I’d like to know more about: Helping people who have college credits obtain an AA degree.
It is always GREAT to hear Gene share. His genuine caring for all people is evident in everything he says and does. 3 New Learnings *Establishing a saving account specifically for post-secondary education gives student’s a dream. *OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE *Let people define their own limits… don’t put a lid on their possibility.
2 Ideas I Can Apply *Honor your people. *Be a Dream Maker
1 concept to know more about *How to be a catalyst of change in a school.
3 New learnings we are not teaching or planning for the needs of the 21st Century based on the chart a number of the student graduating are going to be working for minimum wage. We are hiring more out of state students to take on jobs that our students should be able to get. 2 Ideas I can apply Share this information with more people in order to get more attention to these issues Catch me at my best is a great idea of the school environment 1 Concept I'd like to know more about... how to get the legislature to care more about education and actually take action
3 New Learnings: -Nobody is calling Olympia about Education...including educators! It was very eye-opening to see the statistics Gene shared about how many calls are made about a variety of issues, very few of them related to education. -Multiplying teacher value. Principals are multipliers of great instruction. Are we doing the things we need to do in order to multiply the value of our teachers? (capacity building) -College Bound Scholarship rates-I was curious about my own school district and why we aren't one of the schools with 92-99% or even 100% participation rates.
2 Ideas I can apply: -Remember that in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. I found this visual to be very powerful: OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE. -Great organizations are values driven-not rule driven. We must serve, respect, and admire the people we work with.
1 Concept I'd like to know more about: -how do go about defining what the right work is in our building without it sounding too cliche.
3 New Learnings
ReplyDelete-Are you a Catalyst for a change.
-As a leader, you are a Dream Maker.
-Language drives Expectations. Expectations drive Performance.
2 Ideas I can apply
-Clear compelling vision in the classroom and in my leadership roles in the school and as a principal
-Use powerful and outgoing language with everyone on a daily basis.
1 Concept I would like to learn more about:
-Fostering productivity for all staff and students
---I am moved and inspired by all the support, teaching, and encouragement from all presenters last night. I am convinced that leadership is my Stepping Up pathway to make a difference in my community. What I know for sure is that I want to serve and support people be the best they can be -and help them realize their ultimate potential.
I look forward in attending other events where I can serve and help spread Dr. Sharratt's message.
Thank you again for such an incredible experience.
It was a great honor to hear Dr. Sharratt speak! Relationships, trust, urgency, simplicity, hope, honor and value are some of the words that come to mind if I was to create a Wordle of Dr. Sharratt’s presentation last night.
ReplyDeleteOne idea that I heard throughout his sharing was the importance of not missing an opportunity. His presentation was embedded with pictures where he had made the decision to build new and powerful (life-changing) relationships.
I was shocked to hear about the number of calls (emails) recorded by the Legislator and Governor’s offices regarding education in relationship to other topics. As a community, we say we value education but this data shows otherwise. I look forward to sharing this information with whoever will listen.
In addition, I was also appreciative of the overview of K-12 educational issues. This list is important if we are going to meet the need of each and every students but I come back to how Dr. Sharratt spoke (and modeled) about simplicity. I look at this list and feel a very heavy weight on my shoulders and on my kid’s shoulders about the future of education over the next several years. He also shared about our role as leaders is to be "Dream Makers" so I will take this an invitation be part of the solution.
Two ideas I am going to apply is to be “Value driven not rules driven” and to honor, value and take care of the people I have the honor to work alongside.
One idea that I will continue to think more about is different resources we can use to educate and include families. Dr. Sharratt shared about the talk he had given and the families that needed the term “tuition” defined – how can I change that for our families and community? How can I reach out? How can my school reach out to close that opportunity gap?
Thank you for sharing your passion about education with us!
The one slide that keeps coming to mind after the presentation is OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE. That is such a powerful message of hope and change!
ReplyDeleteI have a son who is a currently a senior in high school and preparing to apply for colleges in the next few months. My new learnings were related to college information such as: 1) the trends in the costs of college education and the reduction in aid available, specifically the lack of increased amounts of the Pell Grants, 2) I did not know about the College Bound Scholarship program, and 3) I was intrigued by the statistics about opportunities in correlation to post secondary education.
Two ideas I can apply right now are: 1) be a solution finder and 2) to remember that I cannot influence those I offend.
One area I would like to learn more about are the legislative issues that education is facing and what all educators can do to make a greater impact on the direction our state is going.
Thank you for the opportunity to meet colleagues and hear such a powerful message about leadership! I am encouraged that Dr. Sharratt has such a positive influence on the direction of education in our state.
New Learning:
ReplyDeleteI am honored and thrilled to be able to hear Gene Sharratt speak three times this school year! :)
1. There are 199 languages in our WA state schools. This reinforces my strong belief that Project GLAD instructional strategies must be MANDATORY for all pre-service, preparatory programs.
2. The importance of getting FAFSA filled out for students. The percentage regarding enrollment that it plays was phenomenal
3. I did not realize how WA is leading the work on maintaining and/or lowering tuition...and the importing of college-leveled jobs is alarming.
I can only strive to be half of the inspiration and action of Dr. Sharratt. 1) Yet, I can reward what we want repeated and measure what matters. 2) Be sure the goals (student-centered) are the funnel in which all decisions are made
Know more about: How to build systems for pro-education folks to share their opinions with state government so we are heard!
Another wonderful and empowering night with inspirational leaders. Thank you for another opportunity to hear Gene Sharratt. His love, passion, positivity, wisdom and energy never cease to inspire all of us. If only I could be more like him. What kind of impact could I have to those around me? Kids, parents, teachers, colleagues alike.
ReplyDelete3 new learnings:
• As school leaders, we play an important role in the success of the College Bound Scholarship program
• Washington State is the only state not raising college tuition.
• I was shocked to hear about the calls that come into the legislature and therefore drive priorities. We need to do our part to play an active role in the legislative process and encourage others to do the same.
2 ideas I can apply:
• With commitment, vision, passion and kindness, I can change a culture for the betterment of kids. Our schools need leaders to make a change and I can do my part to inspire this change and empower others to do the same. Authentic leaders empower others to lead.
• As an instructional leader, I need to provide meaningful professional development that aligns with a clear vision that makes a different for kids
1 concept I’d like to know more about:
• It’s all about empowerment. I would like to continue to learn strategies to empower those around me to lead
Having the opportunity to hear Dr. Gene Sharratt speak again was priceless. So much of his presentation resonated with my own philosophy and provided a much need boost of inspiration. For me the most powerful take-away was the confirmation of core values, and that these essential values drive positive change. I believe that it is the passion and culture of our team that drives our potential success. Yes, I believe rules are always present and should always be a part of the equation, but I do not think they should be the driving force.
ReplyDeleteGene also shared that “Everything we do, every activity we create, every relationship we build, every network we support is aimed at improving the capacity of schools to provide a quality education for ALL students”. I wanted to include this quote specifically because it speaks directly to my beliefs and feelings on leadership - as a teacher, coach, and future principal. The notion of all students in everything we do is an excellent way to visualize students and educational environments.
It was interesting to learn more about the direct alignment between Washington State employment earnings and educational achievement. The specific impact, that Dr. Sharratt shared, on Washington communities and families, was unbelievable. Adult men and women make up more than 75% of our minimum wage workers, here in Washington. Yet, we have professional, high paying jobs just waiting for qualified adults. The break lies in preparing students for successful high school graduation and completion of post-secondary education.
I would like to know more about legislative funding and initiatives - the data, planning, process, and implementation. Having more information and training, on my part, in these areas will help me better support and ensure the attention of needed stakeholders within our communities and state.
Dr. Sharratt’s Step Up Internal Plan was collaborative, direct, clear, and simple. This plan, along with his Stepping Up reward system, was something that I could see using within my own school. I believe that by having a plan, with goals and objectives, so clearly stated supports the need of all stakeholders to be able to understand and embrace their part.
The opportunity to hear Dr. Sharratt speak and spend time with new and old friends was appreciated. I want to thank all of you for planning and preparing for such an amazing evening of information and inspiration.
Seeing such strong long lasting relationships from our educational leaders spoke to how passionate people who choose education as their calling is. I found the evening to be a extremely motivating and enlightening. The opportunity to hear such experienced and knowledgeable leaders in education speak was humbling. It is a class I would like to sit in on for many years to come and to bring my professional colleges too. The opportunity to learn about other district around the state and network with others that believe in the power public education made me wish for more opportunities like the one provided Thursday evening.
ReplyDeleteWhen Gene spoke about the leadership values and the importance of making the human relationship connections. I thought about what are the ways we could make HUGE difference in our employees lives and show them we care. I would like to make the wordle below with my staff to find out what are the important values to them and also another wordle to show what are the areas that are most stressful.
A concept I would like to know more about is how to assist students in being college bound. The data shared about if you have a savings account set up for a student no matter the amount in the account that they have an 85% chance of attaining a bachelor's degree was powerful. As well as the fact that 25% of GET accounts are currently being used out of state because out of state schools are less expensive. It made me think how could I partner with our community to set up college savings for each student I work with. We are working on a SEPA science grant that has greatly increased the number of students interested in STEM careers if we could now find a way create a bridge to the dream that would help our students and community. My school community is extremely langauge impacted and the idea that parents are not able to assist their students with the next steps because they don’t have the academic language hit home. It made me think what could I do to help with this.
What an amazing night! I left Olympia with so many thoughts swirling around in my head, feeling both overwhelmed by the struggles that seem to be on the horizon for public education and inspired by the call for great future leaders.
ReplyDeleteA few things that I took away are:
1.) Dr. Sharratt highlighted how important it is to build a culture that reflects a specific mission and vision and is faithful to its core values. This begins from day one and one must recognize that this may take some time as has been suggested in many of our reading throughout this semester.
2.) Second, it is important to “Bend over backwards for your people because they are your most valuable asset” (Dr. Sharratt). Taking care of your people must be one of your top priorities as a leader. I certainly appreciated his commentaries about his team and the many opportunities he provides for each member such as: allowing working mothers to bring their babies to work and encouraging each employee to further their education free of charge and supported by the organization. As a future administrator I will need to find moments and opportunities to show that my team is a priority and support them in any way possible.
3.) Lastly, Dr. Sharratt cautioned us on the importance of leading by example. He stated, “You must lead by example – every action you take determines your ability to lead.” You are in the spotlight at all times and people look to see how you will deal with a problem, a conversation, or crisis. Your actions and responses will determine how people will judge your leadership or if they will trust you.
Something that I would like to know more about is government funding of initiatives - the planning, process, how it is implemented (or not for that matter).
Thank you for the opportunity to hear Dr. Sharratt! I look forward to future presentations as they are informative and inspiring!
It was a pleasure to be able to listen to Dr. Sharratt again, full of energy and inspiration- thank you for taking the time to speak!
ReplyDelete3 concepts I learned (again…some of these things I have heard before, but sometimes it takes a few times to have it sink in!)
1- You cannot influence those you offend. Watching our new principal this year, and the interactions she is having- that one day I may have, I am learning from her example this very thing! She is careful with her responses and isn’t super quick to try to “fix” everything… as she has done this she has seen many things resolve themselves, whereas if she were to possibly jump in sooner, the risk of offending could be great! I really want to implement this in my own leadership and personal life!
2- Principals are the multipliers of good instruction. When I heard that this time, I thought about how not only are we examples of great teaching, but we allow for great teaching, giving encouragement, some autonomy and high expectations.
3- Language drives expectations, and expectations drive performance. This kind of goes with the 2nd one I listed. Setting expectations in the right way will lead to better performance.
Two ideas I could apply right now:
1- Honor and serve those I work with!
2- Finding the “right” work as I want to “Do the right things right”
One idea I’d like to know more about:
1- Why aren’t there more calls of concern to the capital about education? There seems to be a lot of concern on facebook…. What happens with those calls? Where does it go from there? How do you let people know that their concern makes a difference… and how does it?
3 New learnings:
ReplyDelete1. The scope of education has elongated from k-12 to preK-14+. Too often, as educators, our vision gets truncated to our very small piece of the puzzle and we fail to see the larger picture.
2. It’s no longer enough to have a high school diploma. Some form of post-secondary training is essential in order to find success in today’s market. Fortunately there are myriad programs available to assist with that education. The trick is to connect need with support.
3. I knew that poverty is a rapidly growing problem in the U.S., but I had no idea that the national average of student poverty is at 51%, with some states over 70%. Sometimes it’s easy for me to become disconnected from this reality given the statistics of my own home school. Yes, we need programs to meet the immediate needs of these students, but we also need programs to break the cycle of poverty and grow the middle class!
2 Ideas I can apply:
1. Vision, ideals, values. I have these and I work from these and I have begun articulating these, but I need to become clearer with how I articulate these. I am not ready for an interview with Dr. Sharratt, but I think I’m getting there!
2. I like WSAC’s “Catch Me At My Best” program. It’s similar to the Tyee Tickets for students at Kalles. We also pass along Tyee stuffed birds to staff, but I think this more regular, frequent, and specific way of recognizing the good work of our colleagues is great! Sometimes it feels like we work hard with very little reward; it’s nice to be recognized and it helps build a team.
1 Concept I’d like to know more about…
1. Are there any locations that have been successful at moving the public toward positive political action on education? What are the means by which, if there are any, the political needs can more fully align with the educational best practices?
Three New learnings-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ReplyDelete1. Slide 25 gave a visual depiction of poverty in the south. There is nearly a latitudinal line below which, poverty becomes the majority of students in the school statewide.
2. “Opportunity Gap” and “Discipline Disparity” were listed above “Graduation” concerns in the bulleted list on slide 26. Powerful.
3. The full impact of overpriced higher education in our state was new learning to me, and Dr. Sharratt eloquently depicted the full scope of the issue.
Two Ideas I can apply--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Changing demographics are challenges in schools, not excuses. This general idea came from slide 23, however an earlier slide, 12, points to the appropriate response. In the middle of difficulty, or challenge, lies opportunity. Take the opportunity to look for creative educational solutions to support all students in our changing demographics.
2. Stick with your values, make them crystal clear, and keep them on the tip of your tongue. No one has time, nor patience, for imposters. Be certain never to give off this vibe.
One Concept I’d like to know more about-------------------------------------------------------------
I think the question that keeps circling in my head, is the one that Dr. Sharratt proposed himself on slide 14, “What specific actions will you take to create a culture where people and programs continue to improve?” I know that I will have a proactive plan to foster such a culture, but I’m sure that this is one area of leadership that must be constantly reevaluated and tweaked to get as much productivity as possible from your people and programs. This would be a good question to place in a tickler file marked “Summer”, or “Back to School”. Current and “living” answers could be the key to a successful school year filled with academic and professional growth.
What a wonderful opportunity to listen to such an inspirational leader! Gene Sharratt is an eloquent speaker who is knowledgeable, excited and enthusiastic about education. Not only is he passionate about supporting the students of Washington in obtaining an education, he believes that as leaders our “greatest initiative is to take care of our people.” Dr. Sharratt definitely looks through a human resource lens. As a future leader who tends to look through the same type of lens, I can only hope that I can one day be half as successful a leader as he is now.
ReplyDeleteI feel that I learned so much from Dr. Sharratt’s presentation. Much of what he stated is what we are learning in our readings, yet, it seems so much more real coming from him. A few things that surprised me to learn were:
• That Washington State is ranked 48th in the Nation for enrollment in four-year public education institutions. This means that most of the jobs that require higher education are being filled by people imported from other states. I am especially surprised by this because as a somewhat new resident of WA State, I had always heard that Washington had some of the most educated citizens. I did not realize that most of these citizens obtained their degrees elsewhere.
• The high cost of education in Washington has definitely contributed to the decrease in the number of students attending college here. It is disturbing to see that although, over the years, there is the trend of increase in tuition, the Pell Grant award has remained the same. How great that Washington universities are beginning to initiate a decrease in tuition.
• That 48.5% of the minimum wage jobs are held by adult women and 27% of minimum wage jobs are held by adult men. Teenage boys and girls hold 24% of the minimum wage jobs. I am curious to know if the adult men and women holding these jobs have higher level degrees.
A quote from Dr. Sharratt that really resonated with me was “as a school leader, how will you be a catalyst for change in you school.” This leads me to one of two ideas, from presentation that I can apply as a leader of my school.
• As a leader it is important to be a catalyst of change to create a culture where people and programs continuously improve. In order to do this, I will have to participate in and provide PD for my staff and model the same strategies that I expect my staff to use. I will have to build a culture of trust, which will make it easier to be transparent and honest about expected outcomes.
• Another quote that I really appreciated was “Language drives expectation. Expectation will drive performance.” We need to be positive in our interactions with all of the stakeholders in our school. The encouraging language and interaction that we use will result in positive performance because positivity breeds positivity.
Finally, the concept that I would like to learn more about is Dr. Sharratt’s program about bringing your baby to work, which directly relates to taking care of your people. I think that this is a program that can be implemented at our schools. Why couldn’t we have students, and staff, bring their babies to school? A daycare (classroom) can be set up for students and staff to leave their babies; and schedules can be created that include a ‘childcare’ elective where the teenage parents take turns watching over the kids.
3 New Learnings -
ReplyDelete1. The Ready, Set, Grad! Program was a new learning for me. I was unaware of the program and the influence it could have for so many disadvantaged students with socioeconomic challenges.
2. The importance of values and ones ability to be prepared to discuss them without hesitation. One needs to have a well developed set of beliefs and values from which to stand on when leading. If hesitant, taking a couple of years to develop your values in a deep, meaningful, and coherent way is advisable.
3. The number and type of calls coming into the legislature that guide decision making. I am beginning to think of solutions to that low volume of educational calls.
2. Ideas I can apply -
1. I have the idea to work on communication between middle school and elementary levels about the Ready, Set, Grad program. I feel like there is a need to start the communication earlier in a students education because in the elementary there is a higher participation rate among parents and then a steep decline in middle school. If we are not communicating the information prior to middle school knowing the participation rate of parents, then we must change something.
2. "Catch Me At My Best" incentive is something I can apply tomorrow. Kids and adults alike love to be recognized for the work they are doing. This type of recognition is small in action, but great in reward. The year can become very long when we focus on the outcome versus the effort.
1 Concept I would like to know more about -
One concept I would like to know more about is how to break down barriers for disadvantaged and low socioeconomic families for pathways to educational advancement. I would like to know what gets in the way of allowing these families to see the steps needed for support. Is it a lack of communication or too much pride? Either way, I would love to see Sumner get to 100% in the Ready, Set, Grad! program.
3 - OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE - What is your mindset?
ReplyDelete- If you don't have values, you don't add value
- Pathways to prosperity
2 - Caught at my best
1 - Funding public education - how does it really work?
3-The Pell Grant has not increased to correlate with increased tuition rates. Political candidates build their platform on issues the public cares about; supporting public education funding is very low on the list. By 2018, about 2/3 of all employment will require some college education or more.
ReplyDelete2-The leader's primary role is to clarify the vision-you must be able to articulate your own values. Language drives expectations; expectations will drive performance. Tell kids "I believe in you"...every single day.
1-I would like to learn more about issues related to the discipline disparity--what systems of support are currently in place to close the gap in disproportionate discipline practices?
3: OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE - a great way to consider mindset.
ReplyDeleteThe Washington Student Achievement Council's vision
WSAC's myriad efforts toward educational attainment
2: Catch Me At My Best for maintaining positive/encouraging culture
Concept that Education = Lower Unemployment
1: College Bound Scholarship Program
3 New Learning's:
ReplyDelete1) That students who are unprepared for college and need to take remedial courses are not only less likely to complete their degree but the remedial classes add to the students student loan load. As a high school math teacher, I am terrified that my students might have to take classes that can impact their financial lives if I don't prepare them well for college.
2) That 51% of students in our country are low income or in other words the majority of public school students are “poor”. That is shocking to me, but I can’t really say why it isn't expected.
3) The US still has not rebounded yet from the recession, but I realize I might have blinders on since I have a college degree and a good paying job because of that degree.
2 Ideas I can apply
1) I am starting to talk to my AP Calculus students about college every day since this presentation because I want to try to educate them the college system. They aren’t thinking about student load debt or why college is important for their future. They just think of college is what they do next, like a middle school kid thinks of high school.
2) Being more involved with the state politics and talking to people about issues which effect education. I may even call the governor’s office.
I want to know more about what is going to be the role the SBA assessment will play in college readiness.
Ray Kurtz
Three New Learnings:
ReplyDelete1. State of Political issues- nobody calls on education. When preparing for a campaign, what will the governor focus on? Those issues that create the most pressure. How do we start "raising the tempterature" on education.
2. Tuition: free and reduced lunch – the realization that some parents out there struggle with “what is tuition?” I think about how long it takes me to work through FASFA and applications and I've applied for higher ed, and been a part of the system, many times! Those that haven't been through the system may not engage with the process.
3. The power of visuals. The small girl with the large backpack created such a strong image in my mind, and is very symbolic of what falls on the shoulders of our youth. Also the use of the phrase "opportunityisnowhere." I see myself as a "glass half-full" person, so it shocked me that I saw this as no where instead of now here.
Ideas I can apply:
1. Looking into the motivatin for those students who are supported with free tuition. I imagine there are counselors at the secondary level supporting students with this choice, but also working with parents to make the college enterence process easier on them. I've known handfuls of students who had the opportunity to use this resource and passed, or were not interested. It's such a valuable resource!
2. I love Gene's role and guidance around relationships within his organization. It sounds like a great place to work! The team building opportunities he provides for his employees keeps employees around, carrying on the supportive model of the organization. This shows through his wordle, the largest words reflect in the major themes we are encountering through our courses/readings.
My biggest wondering at this point is how will I encourage and be a part of k-12 educational issues (slide 26) as a princiapal/admin leader? It is interesting to reflect on McCleary being at the top of the list, and the rest of the list is consequently affected by McCleary.
Some people will wait to be informed – go out there and get the information, or find ways of informing yourself: publications/organization memberships.
1. One new learning was related to the K-12 Public Education Issues. While I deal with the majority of these issues and reforms in my daily work, I did not realize that they were prevalent on the radar of policymakers. Some of them, I think I just took for granted. However, seeing them all listed here, I realized that many things that I take for granted, such as Professional Development opportunities, are in fact at the forefront of issues in education being discussed.
ReplyDelete2. The rate of tuition increase (despite the past few years actually seeing tuition rises remain stable in Washington) was a shocking piece of data for me. I had not seen actual number regarding tuition increase and had not realized just how much it really has gone up in the past decade.
3. A third new learning was the lack of community member outreach to the governor’s office concerning educational issues. I wonder why this is so? Is it a matter of lack of information, awareness, priority? This was a very interesting data point to me.
Things I Can Apply
1. Dr. Sharrat’s overarching emphasis on taking care of the people in your organization is something that I can immediately apply to my own work. The value he places on caring about the well-being of others is very clear, and translates to his staff’s work in supporting and caring about our students.
2. When speaking of the goals for level of high school diploma attainment and postsecondary credential attainment in Washington, Dr. Sharrat’s view on the necessity of this goal resonated with me. I appreciated how he explained this goal and realistic because, there is no single person that does not deserve the opportunity to earn a high school diploma.
A concept I would like to know more about is the McCleary Act and the multiple facets of it and its lack of funding. I feel that this is something that I need to take upon myself to do my own research and learning as it is my duty to stay current on issues that are so directly impacting education in Washington state.
3 New Learnings:
ReplyDelete-The cost of tuition and how it is directly impacting students in WA.
-51% is the National Average of Low Income Students in the US.
-199 languages in WA state. That we are the most culturally diverse state.
2 Things I can apply:
-How will I be a catalyst for change as a school leader. How will I build trust and relationships with my staff and still work on the changes that need to happen to help all students be successful? What are my specific actions that I will take to create a culture of trust and implement programs to improve learning for all students?
-The question about what do I value and how will I show what I value really resonated with me. The very next day I started making a list of what I value and how I will communicate those ideas with others. "Every leader is telling a story about what he or she values."
1 Question: How do we involve families starting in Elementary School about the future? This is when we have a lot of parent involvement, how can we seize this opportunity and better inform all families about their options for higher education and the programs that are available/
I also wanted to say that I found your presentation very inspirational Dr. Sharratt! I have so many questions and look forward to hearing you again.
Delete3 New Learnings-
ReplyDelete1. I was surprised to see his proactive approach on how he treats his staff and letting workers bring young children to work, as a solution with various staff members and child a Day Care issues. This approach, seems to work for his colleagues.
2. I heard for the third time this year; students that have a Bank or Credit Union Savings Account with money saved for Higher Education or Training, have a higher attendance rate of participating or achieving a higher education certificate or degree.
3. The other thing I was not abreast was, SeaTac Washington has over a hundred different languages spoken in the Highline School District, which is the most in the nation for that category.
2 Things I can apply:
- Be a Positive Advocate for change in Washington State Education even though law makers (parents, colleagues, etc.) will disagree with good education policy, but maintain positive relationships with those who viamittly disagree with you because you will see them many times in the future.
-Don't be afraid to make positive changes that work in our schools as leaders. It takes strong leaders to make changes that are innovative and that work
3 Things I learned
ReplyDelete1. FUN=PRODUCTIVITY
2. "Language drive expectations and expectations drives performance...call a kid a name and they will fulfill it."
3. Low percentage of secondary graduates with bachelor's degrees (5% to 9%) haven't changed much since 1995 in the state of Washington.
2 Things to apply
1. Changing culture is hard, change people to make them feel warm, valued, and respected. "Catch Me At My Best" helps to change people.
2. I can learn how to grow the pie of opportunity for all.
1 Concept to Learn More
I would like to learn more of how we can close the opportunity gaps for racial subgroups and those in poverty as well as how to grow the secondary graduates with degrees in the state of Washington.
3 Things I learned
ReplyDelete1. FUN=PRODUCTIVITY
2. "Language drive expectations and expectations drives performance...call a kid a name and they will fulfill it."
3. Low percentage of secondary graduates with bachelor's degrees (5% to 9%) haven't changed much since 1995 in the state of Washington.
2 Things to apply
1. Changing culture is hard, change people to make them feel warm, valued, and respected. "Catch Me At My Best" helps to change people.
2. I can learn how to grow the pie of opportunity for all.
1 Concept to Learn More
I would like to learn more of how we can close the opportunity gaps for racial subgroups and those in poverty as well as how to grow the secondary graduates with degrees in the state of Washington.
Another great night with Dr. Sharratt! His passion to help others succeed never ceases to amaze me.
ReplyDelete3 New Learnings:
1. Leadership characteristics are the second strongest predictor of a school’s effect on student results, behind teachers and classroom factors. The role educational leaders play as a catalyst for change is humbling and inspiring.
2. Washington State is the only state not raising college tuition.
3. OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE - It’s your choice! Use every opportunity to build relationships.
2 Ideas I can apply:
1. Changing demographics are challenges in schools, not excuses.
2. I was caught “stepping up” to my very best – I love the idea of staff and/or school community recognizing each other. Another powerful way to build capacity in others and build relationships.
1 Concept I’d like to know more about:
Helping people who have college credits obtain an AA degree.
It is always GREAT to hear Gene share. His genuine caring for all people is evident in everything he says and does.
ReplyDelete3 New Learnings
*Establishing a saving account specifically for post-secondary education gives student’s a dream.
*OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE
*Let people define their own limits… don’t put a lid on their possibility.
2 Ideas I Can Apply
*Honor your people.
*Be a Dream Maker
1 concept to know more about
*How to be a catalyst of change in a school.
3 New learnings
ReplyDeletewe are not teaching or planning for the needs of the 21st Century
based on the chart a number of the student graduating are going to be working for minimum wage.
We are hiring more out of state students to take on jobs that our students should be able to get.
2 Ideas I can apply
Share this information with more people in order to get more attention to these issues
Catch me at my best is a great idea of the school environment
1 Concept I'd like to know more about...
how to get the legislature to care more about education and actually take action
3 New Learnings:
ReplyDelete-Nobody is calling Olympia about Education...including educators! It was very eye-opening to see the statistics Gene shared about how many calls are made about a variety of issues, very few of them related to education.
-Multiplying teacher value. Principals are multipliers of great instruction. Are we doing the things we need to do in order to multiply the value of our teachers? (capacity building)
-College Bound Scholarship rates-I was curious about my own school district and why we aren't one of the schools with 92-99% or even 100% participation rates.
2 Ideas I can apply:
-Remember that in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. I found this visual to be very powerful: OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE.
-Great organizations are values driven-not rule driven. We must serve, respect, and admire the people we work with.
1 Concept I'd like to know more about:
-how do go about defining what the right work is in our building without it sounding too cliche.