New Year, Same Goals – Part 1

Tonight, as trick or treating comes to an end, I have been reflecting on my professional goals for this school year.  Last year, I had 3:

  1. Increase my leadership presence in and outside of my district
  2. Deepen Understanding of today’s educational environment
  3. Determine future of 1:1 devices

After sifting through my goals and evidence (below) I have decided to stick with these goals for another year.  

Leadership Presence Wheel

Image Credit – http://www.oracoaching.com/executive-coaching/

Goal 1 – Improve my leadership presence

I am not sure I will ever fully “arrive” with this goal but I know I can always continue to improve.  As I reflect back on what I did to learn/sharpen my skills I certainly feel I had a successful attempt last year!  

Action Steps

Meet and connect with peers and colleagues.  I will be honest, I am needing connection and networking right now… I actually am craving it.  Last year, I felt hyperconnected both f2f and online.  This year is different for me. The startup of the school year does not lend itself to allow for networking.  My personal life was certainly more chaotic than normal.  I miss #wsucohort1 and the regular conversations, debates, ideas, and action that came from that group.  I recognized missing connections this month when I was chatting about personalized learning with @travislape or visiting @katiemorlock and talking about student agency.  Or chatting with a steering team at WSU about the future of the ed leadership program and numerous convos with teachers and coaches in my district.

  1. Shadow 3 leaders in their field.  I would also like to shadow a  leader outside of education.  Maybe an entrepreneur?
  2. Attend MASA Executive Development Committee meetings
  3. Attend TI meetings both in SE MN and in the Metro Area
  4. Continue to build PLN.  Seek out and be active in a few more twitter chats! Both formal and informal!
  5. Continue walkthrus with coaches/principals – I would love to see 100% of classrooms.  (At least beat my goal last year of 25%)
  6. Personalized Learning Training Cohort (Both Leaders and Teachers)
  7. Connect 1:1 on a regular basis with a team of educators.  I have a desire to connect with educators to first and foremost learn and grow.  From my 360, as well as my own self-analysis, I need to learn what best practices and innovation (with or without tech) looks like in our schools and especially our lower grades.  However, my dream would be to have a couple of go to people in each building.  Interested?

Powerup Communication Skills.  

  1. Share strategies and success stories.  This year, 3 -5 grade has been added to our 1:1 program. We have migrated to Chromebooks in our HS. We are on year 2 of our ePortfolio adoption.  As we continue down the road of deeper learning and innovation, I would like to figure out a way to regular communicate strategies and success effectively.  I feel I do a fairly good job with Twitter – but I am missing quite a few educators if that is my main method.  I am actually curious about using a blog/vlog similar what @AndyLeiser used.  (USing SeeSaw Blogs)   https://blog.seesaw.me/200tips/#!/  Stay tuned!
  2. Continue to design and develop PD. I hate Sit and Get. Looking for innovative models I can use with both large groups 120+, medium groups 30+, and small groups 5-10. Model. Model. Model.
  3. Continue to build and practice coaching skills. Model. Model. Model.
  4. Explore co-teaching?
  5. Continue to blog.  Minimum monthly.  Don’t always try and write a book!
  6. Define and communicate my city on the hill. One of my favorite quotes my 360 was “Make sure to clearly define your “city on a hill” that you are trying to get to. Develop a path to get there and help people see how they can get on the path and move the same direction. Also, make sure that you are not overextending yourself in so many different areas. Make sure that the teams you are on feel supported by you since you are the one with many of the solutions they need.”  I have since created a scale that helps define a vision for technology.   I believe with the connections and learning (above) it will help me to understand if this vision is actually applicable in all grade levels.  We have included it in our walkthru observation tool as well.  This at least will provide a measure of where we are as a district.  And more importantly, is our PD efforts making a difference?
    Student Learning Tech Enabled
    Passive Learning – Students passively learning (reading, listening to lecture, watching videos provided by teacher) Student use of technology – Passive – Students begin to use technology tools to build upon prior knowledge and construct meaning. (Reading, Watching online Videos, Taking Notes)

     

    Drill and Practice Learning – Students use manipulatives, flashcards, worksheets, etc. to practice skills or memorize concepts. Student use of technology – Drill and Practice – Students manipulate technology tools to practice skills and/or memorize concepts. (Can be app based manipulatives, formative assessments, digital worksheet practice)

     

    Active Learning – Students create artifacts, of their own design, to construct deeper understanding and make learning/thinking visible to their teacher/classroom. (Creating, Critically thinking, Collaborating, Communicating) Student use of technology – Active – Students make connections with technology tools or design digital artifacts  to construct deeper understanding and make learning/thinking visible to their teacher/classroom (Creating, Critically thinking, Collaborating, Communicating)

     

    Transformative Learning – Students create complex artifacts, of their own design,  from real-world problems, to raise awareness, publish works, advocate for an issue, or take action on real-world problems for audiences outside of the classroom. Student use of technology – Transformative  – Students create complex digital artifacts, of their own design, from real-world problems and use technology to raise awareness, publish works, advocate for an issue, or take action on problems for audiences outside of the classroom.

 

Measurements

If I am successful with my action plan, I believe I could improve the outcomes of my 360 survey.  I also feel I can improve several survey questions in our 2016 21st Century Instructional Practices study.  Specifically, I would like to see 5% to 10 %   improvements in these areas:

  • Teachers in our 1:1 classrooms providing more authentic learning experiences – From 48% of classrooms to 58% of classrooms.
  • 35 % of Students (in 1:1) reported that they have NEVER created digital products/artifacts of their own design – I would like to decrease that number to 30%

Increase the number of people who consider my communication skills and stakeholder centered leadership as strengths or exceptional strengths by 5 %.

I will follow up with another post at a later date about the following goals.  Stay tuned!

  • Deepen Understanding of today’s educational environment
  • Determine future of 1:1 devices

 

 

2016-17 Goals/Evidence

Improving my leadership presence (GOAL)

Deepen understanding of today’s educational environment (Goal)

GOAL 3 – Determine future of 1:1 devices at Byron Public Schools

  • Evaluate current state of technology and 21st-century instruction practice
    • EvidenceCompleted Spring 2016
    • Tech Committee Work, Surveys, Timelines, Board Presentation
    • Result – Added Intermediate School to our 1:1 (with iPads) and switched to Chromebooks in the HS.  We now have devices 1:1 in grades 3-12.  However, access in only a single step! (reflection/publication to MASA Newsletter)

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