Learning Network -- Weekend Homework

"No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn starting from scratch. To be successful, we absolutely, positively have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the things that we need to learn to achieve our goals." -- Brian Tracey


What a great quote as I sent an invitational e-mail out this morning to encourage my network of educational leaders and providers to join our blog and share their expertise. The feedback that I have received from many educators that we have worked with is that they don't take enough time to reflect on their own personal goals, identify people who can help them succeed and actually tap that expertise by taking action. So, here is a quick exercise to get you started:

1. Write down 3-5 goals you would like to accomplish in the next 12-15months (personal/professional).
2. Create a list of the people/groups that can help you be successful at accomplishing these goals.
3. Write down the specific knowledge, skills, information, resources and support each is in a position to provide you with (be specific).
4. Set-up a meeting with a minimum of one of these people each week until you have talked with them all (in-person, phone, etc.)
5. Send a follow-up note with regards to how they have helped you move toward your desired goal along with a thank you.

If you are skeptical, take the 10min to go through the process with just one goal and with just one contact. Then you be the judge.

Have a great weekend! Let the network know your thoughts.

Protocols

From this month's Tools for Schools, NSDC. Protocols are simply an agreed upon set of guidelines for conversation. Protocols help educators take conversations and learning to the next level. The need to have a more challenging conversation, reference protocols @ www.nsrfharmony.org for more information. Volume 12, No. 3 provides examples of three protocols that you can use to improve learning and development in your educational team - 1) Wagon Wheel 2) Three Levels of Text and 3) Success Analysis. I am looking forward to integrating these protocols into our upcoming educational team work, coaching and training.

Please share some of your thoughts and experiences with protocols.

Also, you may want to pick-up Professional Learning for School Leaders @ store.nsdc.org.

Professional Learning in the Learning Profession

This morning, NSDC releases Professional Learning in the Learning Profession: A Status Report on Teacher Development in the United States and Abroad. The study, conducted by Linda Darling-Hammond, Ruth Chung Wei, and a team of researchers from Stanford University's School Redesign Network, presents a comprehensive look at teacher professional learning in the U.S. and in other high-performing nations. The report examines how teachers in the U.S. experience professional learning compared to teachers in other high-performing nations. NSDC members can access the report as well as the longer technical report and the press release at www.nsdc.org/stateproflearning.cfm.

"You have to 'be' before you can 'do,'
and do before you can 'have.' "
— Zig Ziglar: Is a motivational author and speaker

January is flying by. I get a motivational quote a day from a couple places. I enjoy reading them and it is amazing how aligned they tend to be with my work for that day or week.

This one seemed to stick as we prepare for our Teacher Leadership in Action: Making Instructional Change Happen conference being held next Thursday and Friday. Our main differentiator is a dual factor model that includes both the instruction side as well as the teamwork side. So this quote got me thinking.

1. What do teacher leaders have to consider with regards to "being" before doing?

Our answer: "Being" is personal leadership. Insight and understanding into your own personal talents and leadership capacities as well as taking ownership for your results. Modeling desired behaviors and getting the coaching support you need to "be" the best.

2. What do teacher leaders have to "do" before having?

Our answer: "Doing" is about building a high performance team that can execute and take action vs. talk a lot and never seem to implement change. It is about measurement and accountability. It is getting positive results and using them as a springboard for even greater accomplishments.

3. What can teacher leaders (and their teams) "have" as a result of being and doing?

Our answer: "Having" means that teacher leaders and their teaching teams improve learning and student success. Today's results are better than yesterday's and tomorrow's will be better than today's. A powerful teaching and learning environment is created that sustains long-term excellence.

While this doesn't seem too complicated. School leaders must consider if they are providing the resources and support to allow teacher leaders to "be" and "do". Only then will they get to "have" what all educators, students and parents desire.

Share your thoughts. How are you "being", "doing" and "having"? What is your district doing now or should be doing?

Bob

The 20/20 Perspective

Prior to going out on my own as a talent management consultant and leadership trainer, I worked for one of Rochester's top companies in human resources. We always used the 20/20 scenario to reinforce the importance of being a great place to work and shop. What is the 20/20 scenario? Lead, work and serve (model behavior) so you are always ready for a 20/20 (news) investigation. If 20/20 was to investigate you, your business and your people, are you ok with what they will find. Better yet, do you think it will be a great opportunity for some positive PR? If yes, great.

As far as schools go, consider the following when evaluating what you are spending your time on and how you go about doing what you do:

1. What would your school's 20/20 headline be?
2. If 20/20 conducted interviews with your students, staff and parents what would they say?
3. As the cameras caught everything live, what would they be catching?

What is less important is your answers to these questions. What is most important is if your answers to these questions raise any concerns, you begin to take the actions needed to be a 20/20 Spotlight on Success vs. an investigation.

Don't forget to share your thoughts and have a great weekend!!!

Bob