My Takeaways
Advice from Bryan Brander: Know and communicate your values.
I value kindness, openness, and diversity. Kindness is better framed in light of Brene Brown’s recent discussions about brave leaders in Dare to Lead. Kindness or kind courage does not mean avoiding tough conversations, but giving honest, productive feedback. The cultural norm of “nice and polite” is not what defines kindness. “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” This Brene Brown quote reinforces to me that kindness includes talking honestly with others in a private space about private matters and being clear about expectations and modes of accountability as possible. It reinforces the idea of “celebrate in public, criticize in private.” I value openness because I think it encompasses how we interact with each other. I assume good intentions unless proven otherwise and openness is a synonym for growth mindset. Without a diversity of experiences, knowledge, cultures and a respect for diversity, we are not able to learn and grow together. By promoting learner agency and authentic student engagement I recognize that our diverse learners have unique needs and interests. Our goal as educators is to motivate, engage and support the achievement of each student every day.
We did not wake up today to be mediocre. We did not wake up today to simply open and close the schoolhouse door. We are not merely managers, we are instructional leaders. As such, literacy should be the foundation of our work. Literacy is defined as speaking, writing, reading and listening (SWRL) or the ability to decode and comprehend texts in order to apply what is learned to our lives. Although our instructor spoke extensively about how to teach literacy, it is our charge to figure out how to train and provide resources to support teachers to use a hybrid instructional model; not remediation/instructional level only and not standards/grade-level instruction only.
Literacy as a focus for improving core instruction in all high school departments means meeting teachers where they are in their understanding of teaching literacy across the subjects. Do we have rowers in our boat who are dragging their paddle or rocking the boat? Or perhaps teachers are rowing but just slightly out of sync and need some support. Resources needed might include PLT goals and PD training but also a Literacy Coach on staff or scheduling for remediation and co-teaching.
Are students authentically engaged or merely strategically compliant? Are teachers providing managed choice to raise learner agency? Isn’t this why EdCamps are so popular? What about book tastings in English class or activity choice or homework bingo boards that provide choice but also meaningful interaction with texts. Are we committed to #CAPtivate2Cultivate? In the teacher evaluation tool, Standard III:Teachers Know the Content They Teach, under Teachers align their instruction with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study states that teachers “develop literacy skills appropriate to specialty area”. As an evaluator/coach, I will ask about which strategies are used to engage students in literacy learning.
Need to Know More
What kinds of data support decisions about resource allocation and teacher support? Is this data being examined in PLTs at the high school level?
If possible actions steps could include PLCs, PD, Literacy coaching, teacher evaluations, walk-thru or learning walks and new faculty induction, how might the school improvement team settle of one specific school-wide strategy to meet the needs of our students?
Is leaders mow down barriers to teaching literacy, provide support and accountability, how might the accountability be clear and kind?
I value kindness, openness, and diversity. Kindness is better framed in light of Brene Brown’s recent discussions about brave leaders in Dare to Lead. Kindness or kind courage does not mean avoiding tough conversations, but giving honest, productive feedback. The cultural norm of “nice and polite” is not what defines kindness. “Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.” This Brene Brown quote reinforces to me that kindness includes talking honestly with others in a private space about private matters and being clear about expectations and modes of accountability as possible. It reinforces the idea of “celebrate in public, criticize in private.” I value openness because I think it encompasses how we interact with each other. I assume good intentions unless proven otherwise and openness is a synonym for growth mindset. Without a diversity of experiences, knowledge, cultures and a respect for diversity, we are not able to learn and grow together. By promoting learner agency and authentic student engagement I recognize that our diverse learners have unique needs and interests. Our goal as educators is to motivate, engage and support the achievement of each student every day.
We did not wake up today to be mediocre. We did not wake up today to simply open and close the schoolhouse door. We are not merely managers, we are instructional leaders. As such, literacy should be the foundation of our work. Literacy is defined as speaking, writing, reading and listening (SWRL) or the ability to decode and comprehend texts in order to apply what is learned to our lives. Although our instructor spoke extensively about how to teach literacy, it is our charge to figure out how to train and provide resources to support teachers to use a hybrid instructional model; not remediation/instructional level only and not standards/grade-level instruction only.
Literacy as a focus for improving core instruction in all high school departments means meeting teachers where they are in their understanding of teaching literacy across the subjects. Do we have rowers in our boat who are dragging their paddle or rocking the boat? Or perhaps teachers are rowing but just slightly out of sync and need some support. Resources needed might include PLT goals and PD training but also a Literacy Coach on staff or scheduling for remediation and co-teaching.
Are students authentically engaged or merely strategically compliant? Are teachers providing managed choice to raise learner agency? Isn’t this why EdCamps are so popular? What about book tastings in English class or activity choice or homework bingo boards that provide choice but also meaningful interaction with texts. Are we committed to #CAPtivate2Cultivate? In the teacher evaluation tool, Standard III:Teachers Know the Content They Teach, under Teachers align their instruction with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study states that teachers “develop literacy skills appropriate to specialty area”. As an evaluator/coach, I will ask about which strategies are used to engage students in literacy learning.
Need to Know More
What kinds of data support decisions about resource allocation and teacher support? Is this data being examined in PLTs at the high school level?
If possible actions steps could include PLCs, PD, Literacy coaching, teacher evaluations, walk-thru or learning walks and new faculty induction, how might the school improvement team settle of one specific school-wide strategy to meet the needs of our students?
Is leaders mow down barriers to teaching literacy, provide support and accountability, how might the accountability be clear and kind?