The Elation of Eight

Today I had the opportunity to sit in some refresher professional development. It was awesome and really got my mind moving in the direction of possibilities. The training was on the Common Core State Standards 8 Mathematical Practices. As I reflect about the things that I thought were exceptional about the training I would say:

1. The trainer  -- Cylle Rowell, our District Math Coach, is highly motivating. She has such a passion about math and a love for students that she makes me feel as if I want to go back to the classroom and teach again just to try some of the exciting strategies she is showing us. However, Cylle tells me that the change to impact student achievement starts with the school leadership. I just need to "look for" these awesome practices when I am observing instruction in the classroom. Also, I need to train the teachers and support them as they learn these 8 practices for themselves.
2. Resources -- While doing our "reporting out" in small groups, we were discussing key concepts of the practices, and I (Self-Proclaimed SmartPhone junkie) was Google-ing this and that to support our conversations. I came across an amazing, DID I SAY AMAZING, website that has videos of each of the practices and what they look like in the classroom. Each of the 8 practices is described as it appears for students and as it appears for teachers. The site is www.insidemathematics.org
3. Knowledge -- I had attended Common Core State Standards training at a CCSS Summer Institute, a Jacksonville one-day professional development and several minor sessions. Yet, I had been paying attention to the new ELA standards and not the math. Our district has been coaching me on the math standards, and I feel more confident about them each time I am exposed to them. But TODAY, I really felt like I made a huge leap in my understanding of the 8 mathematical practices and all the benefits of students learning in this manner. I feel empowered to help our students!
4. Ideas -- It just so happens that I have been working with my school CCSS team to try and build awareness of the standards for our entire faculty. One of my super epic teachers has suggested the idea of presenting a CCSS best practice at each of our remaining faculty meetings. We have been exploring how to do this, and then EUREKA, today I walked away from this training with at least 7 (I missed the chance to use 8 again- LOL) different ideas how to create awareness that start at the faculty meetings and go even further.

As you can see, I am ELATED about EIGHT. I am grateful for a district that invests in its leaders and its teachers, and I am excited about next steps in moving my faculty toward the CCSS goals. I encourage you to experience the Elation of Eight!

The Moment Before the Splash

As I write this entry, I am looking at the calendar. We have 52 instructional days until our district's standardized testing window opens for reading, math, and science. Our writing standardized test is next month. There is a great deal of energy on campus. The teachers are very protective of their instructional time right now, and I am very protective of the school instructional time. Teachers are volunteering their morning time and their after-school time to provide tutorials for our children. AND, we just concluded our campus-wide data chats where I met with every single teacher and we discussed not only individual student progress but also class data trends and their action plans for the students. I have to admit, it was extremely rewarding to see some of the learning gains and progress being made by students at our school. Some students had line graphs that very steeply showed growth. 

Now we working very diligently to ensure success for our students, and I see evidence of it everywhere. But, I also have a huge lump in my throat, and I become very serious when I reflect on our school grade.  When I received my opportunity to be principal at our school, the school under previous leadership had been graded a B by the state of Florida but was actually very close to a D. The best way to explain it is--the state gave schools a safety net this year and only allowed them to drop by one letter grade. In all actuality, we were a C and only 9 points away from a D. Yikes. 

I have been at a D school in the past, and that school worked extremely hard to improve, and I assisted in the school moving from a D to a C and finally a B. It is a great feeling to reap the rewards of such hard work. However, the stigma that is applied to a D school is difficult to overcome especially with students and families leaving the public school system frequently to attend the charter schools. Our teachers and staff would like to avoid the stigma and all that comes with it. They deserve the best because they are an awesome, caring, and giving faculty and staff. Our students are lucky to have great teachers and staff to serve them.

So, I swallow hard and try to keep my positive viewpoint. However, I am a person that LOVES analogies. When I sought to describe how I am feeling right now, a memory from earlier this year came to my mind. During our fall festival this year, I volunteered to be in the dunking booth. It was a sunny day, but the water was cold, and I don't know anyone who enjoys that dunk in the frigid water. Sitting there on the board, I smiled and waved at each customer as they paid their money and got to throw the ball that might send me plunging into the water. Now, as I await the scores coming in later this year.....I have to compare it to this:

The Moment Before the Splash

I Digress:

It is at this time of year, the New Year, that many folks write their resolutions and their goals for the year. I have spent time thinking on those, and I have decided upon some worthy ambitions. But there are many, many thoughts that are with me as I turn the corner on a new year. I have tried to focus on the topic of education and my growth as a leader in my BLOG. However, I have noticed that in many educational BLOGS I subscribe to the person who writes the BLOG often has a belief or learns a lesson because of WHO they are. So, today,  I digress, and I share a personal moment in time that explains WHO I am and why I have the goals I do.

First I will share one of the events that has shaped me more than any other -- my mother died when she was 44. She was 5 months short of her 45th birthday. Well, this year I will arrive at my 44th birthday. Cancer took my mother's life, and at age 41 I spent 9 days in a hospital and missed 5 weeks of work because Cancer tried to befriend me. The number 44 and all that it stands for are terrifying to me. However, because I am a "half full" girl and have always been so, I only think sadly for a few minutes before I begin to clearly recall all that I have been blessed with in this life. I have an amazing family. My husband is my "rock", and my children are my delight. My father is my personal hero. I have been blessed with wise and true friends, and I continue to follow and learn from my mentors. My faith has wavered at points in my life, but it always returns to lift me and encourage me. 

So, you could say this is a special year for me. I want to live through this year and beyond! I want to really LIVE and appreciate this fabulous life we are given. I am reminded of variations of the same theme such as Tim McGraw's Live Like You Were Dying. And while it TRULY, REALLY, REALLY is a goal of mine to ride a mechanical bull, I am also reminded of the Latin phrase, Memento mori meaning "Remember your mortality." Popular belief says the phrase originated in ancient Rome:  As a Roman general was making his way through the streets during a victory parade, he had a man walk behind him to remind him that while today was a success, tomorrow he could lose or even die. The man is believed to have continually warned the general, "Memento mori."

I would like to remind everyone I know ... vita est brevis ... which means, Life is Short. This takes me back to the painful events of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012. The students and staff of that school were involved in learning. I was shocked, just as everyone I know was, that the children had their lives cut short. This tragedy is beyond words, and because of my own history, I want to live every day to its fullest. I am especially lucky to work with children. Their innocence and hunger for learning make each day a new day filled with joy. It is my goal to do the very best job that I can EACH AND EVERY DAY for my own family and for the students who are in my care. 

Right before our school got out for Christmas break, one of our first grade teachers, Dee Dee Prevost, held a Star-Gazing Event where 1st grade students came to the school at night, drank hot chocolate with marshmallows, and they used telescopes to look at the brilliance of our solar system. Students saw Jupiter and the star, Aldebaran, along with several constellations. These are the experiences that cause me to pause and to value every moment. My husband attended, and as we watched the excitement build in the students as they sprawled on blankets to look up and count stars, we grinned at each other. I am grateful for such moments, and I pray that each day I remember just how short my life is. I need to live it and love it. 

The Joy of Work

     One thing I keep trying to emphasize during the course of this school year, both for my faculty and for myself, is the need for enjoying our daily work. We spend between 8-12 hours at our schools, and we must fill those hours with laughter and joy. Students must see the joy in our lives as we are often the only successful role models many of them will see. It is critical that we make learning fun and build opportunities into our schedules for celebrating the fun part of life. With the requirements of our state standards and other curricular mandates, teachers feel that there are always so many things to do and so little time to do them. As a whole, educators feel more and more pressure to get things done. However, we can not forget the medicine for our souls that fights stress. Whether we experience corporate stress or personal stress, stress is unhealthy and should be released. Let go of the stress and look for innovative ways to plug in some F-U-N.
     Our school media specialist is very talented, and she often injects fun into learning. She has hosted family reading nights for our campus and has the entire crowd answering puzzles about Harry Potter and Hogwarts. For instance, to increase the motivation to read, she has built a year long motivational reading program around exciting themes. This year, she chose the superhero theme to get students reading interests stimulated.  SHE ABSOLUTELY MAKES READING FUN. Every Friday, on our morning announcements, I assist in energizing the students to join in the fun. The excitement is contagious, and most of our faculty will wear superhero t-shirts on Fridays. Here is a picture of some of our wacky antics on the morning announcements.

This is from left to right:

Jeremy Centeno, Bay District School's Staff Training Specialist as Wolverine

Ema Rinehart, Student Anchor for the morning announcements just being cute

Yours truly, Principal Carol Rine, showing off her Spidey Sense

Talking through the full face Spider Man mask is not much fun, but if I get the students, teachers, and staff to laugh, then I have accomplished much! 

I believe having a sense of humor is critical in the art of enjoying our work. It often helps us to interpret events that occur in our daily lives. The way we perceive the events we encounter determines whether our perceptions will greet these events as a challenge, a threat, or as opportunities for growth-- leading us to ultimate satisfaction and joy. Humor provides us with necessary and different perspectives on issues. If we can bring levity to our situation, it no longer appears negative. If you encounter a tense situation, that is where you need to laugh the most. I wish you -- the joy of work.

The Search for Balance

Finally, our school system has reached its first true break. It is such a relief to have some time to rest and refresh. I look back on my BLOGGING history from the past few months, and I am disappointed in myself because I have not kept up with my goal of writing an entry at least every other week. I have not done a good job of maintaining BALANCE. I recall in my last position as assistant principal at Mosley High School, the talented reading coach for our school gave me a gift. It was a beautiful canvas painting that said, "SEARCH FOR BALANCE."

So here I am on my Fall Break wondering...where has my balance gone? Why do I feel so wonky? One of my fundamental lifestyle beliefs is to always try to balance my life between what Covey calls the  four dimensions of life: Spiritual, Social/Emotional, Physical, and mental. 

Since shifting gears in my career and taking over the leadership of a school I have been neglecting two quadrants: Social and Physical and apparently my own personal mental dimension. All of my mental energies have been committed to the learning that is required by moving to a new campus, learning a new curriculum, and learning the nuances of a new faculty.  I am hoping that this break is going to provide me with the time and energy required to RESET. I need to add back into my routine the exercise and nutrition that keeps me healthy. I also need to return to my personal goals of excellence outside of work. I want to be an excellent wife, an excellent mother, and an excellent student of life and the pursuit of happiness.

So I close this BLOG with a beautiful fall day before me. I hope to exercise today and to call a friend and talk just for the sake of talking. Wish me luck!

A Good to Great Remembrance

As I explained in an earlier post, I am trying to stretch my wings a bit and model the use of technology as a leader for my school. I am certainly enjoying the fun that Blogging has become for me. It is a good opportunity to reflect on my own learning as I grow a little more each day.

One struggle that I am having is MAKING the time to post the blogs weekly. Every day, I will think to myself, I need to post my latest Blog, and it gets pushed down the to-do list until I conclude my long day, head for the house, and go to sleep thinking..."I will do that tomorrow. I promise myself. I will."

My gap between posts has been weeks. Now that I am finally sitting down to do it, I think I feel guilty doing something so creative when there is so much real work to be done. What am I thinking? I have to cater to my creativity and the gift of ideation (A term from Strengthfinders). Even more important, I need to always reflect on the growth I am making--the progress toward my goals and how to make the move from Good to Great. I just ordered that book this week after hearing it referenced three different times by other educational leaders. It rolled in today from Amazon, and I couldn't put it down.

It describes effective leaders as those who look outside themselves for factors to credit when things go well--a mix of personal humility and professional will. I think back to the first real message I sent to my faculty, and it was through a VLOG or Video Log. I made one version and then made another and another. I labored over what to include in the video because I was so uncomfortable talking about myself, but I wanted to introduce myself to the faculty in a cool, technology-driven, and engaging way. In retrospective, I am glad that I have to exert myself to be out in front, because as this book tells me, it is okay to be humble. I should always credit others, even if it is purely good luck AND I should always accept responsibility.

As I close out this third Blog posting, I will post my video for a remembrance of that feeling of strain I sensed while doing something that could have been viewed as promoting myself. It was not self-promotion, but it was an undertaking of what I am doing tonight....modeling the use of technology as I etch my citizenship in the digital world.

True Grit

As an educational leader, I am certainly asking that my teachers continue to stretch themselves and learn continually. With advances in brain research and all the data that accountability has provided us, teachers can truly examine their craft with an eye toward improvement. Since I place this demand on my faculty, I will also demand this of myself.

To help me continue to improve my craft, I have two projects that I am working on at this time. First, as I have transitioned to my new school, I sent out a SurveyMonkey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/) 17 question survey to my staff. The survey was called "The New Principal Wants to Know." The data that came from this survey was exceptional and has helped to confirm many of the notions I have developed about the school I am tasked with leading. For example, I asked them to rank the top 3 things they most want from their principal. Here is just one instance of the excellent data I have gathered to help me navigate the waters that lie ahead.

Another learning project that I am in involved in is a book study with other principals. I have privately named it Team Willis after one of the principals in the group who is the de facto leader. I learn a lot from the books we read, but I learn even more from the conversations we have at each meeting. Currently we are reading, Frey and Fisher's, The Formative Assessment Action Plan. The book describes on page 23 the value of "grit." This concept is described as "...one's persistence and passion for long-term goals..." The book further goes on to say that, "Interestingly, grit has been found to be a primary factor in National Spelling Bee finalists, West Point graduates, and successful teachers (Duckworth, Petersen, Matthews & Kelly, 2007).

Our book study leader challenged us to take the Grit Scale that is available online. There are numerous versions, but after taking the 12-Item Grit Scale, I rated a 4.6 out of 5. This probably results from my having experienced colon cancer at age 41 and from some other set backs early in life that I had to "push through the pain" to overcome. 

What is my take-away from both of these learning experiences? I know that 1) Now my task is to really listen and learn from what my staff tell me through the survey. I should then make some decisions and lead. 2) I do have the strength to do this job based on my GRIT.....even when it feels like I am completely overwhelmed and faltering. I DO have the determination to do the very best job for my faculty, my leadership team, my students, and my community.