1/8/2015
Preparing Today for Administration Tomorrow
FRANCES R. FINNEY, PRINCIPAL - FULTONDALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 2014 ALABAMA’S NATIONAL DISTINGUISHED PRINCIPAL
So you want to be a School Administrator?
Schedules
Purchase Orders
Broken Pipes Finance
Benchmark Tests Tests Teacher Crisis
Substitutes
Copiers
THE KEYS
Lesson Plans
Grades
Emails
Parent Concern Custodians
Parents Tardies
Teacher’s Sick Child
No Heat
More Parents
Discipline
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…in the first few hours of a typical day!
Preparing for Leadership TEN INSIGHTS TO CONSIDER…
The things we truly value…. We will give our TIME, ATTENTION, ENERGY, & RESOURCES Favorite quote of Dr. Mark Kirkmier
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WHEN A COLLECTION OF BRILLIANT MINDS, HEARTS, & TALENTS COMe TOGeTHeR… …expeCT a masterpiece! Finney’s Favorite quote
1. Our Vision Every Child a Graduate – Every Graduate Prepared
for College/Work/Adulthood in the 21st Century
Prepared Graduate Defined as: Possesses the knowledge and skills needed to enroll and succeed in creditbearing, firstyear courses at a two- or four-year college, trade school, technical school, without the need for remediation.
Possesses the ability to apply core academic skills to realworld situations through collaboration with peers in problem solving, precision, and punctuality in delivery of a product, and has a desire to be a life-long learner.
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There comes a time when the systems & processes of yesterday no longer adequately address the needs of tomorrow…
IT’S ABOUT THEM….
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Leadership
2. Be the person that helps release the potential in those around you!
The “environment” we create – the “vision” we communicate and the “confidence” we model will be the heartbeat of our schools!
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The things we truly value…. We will give our TIME, ATTENTION, ENERGY, & RESOURCES Favorite quote of Dr. Mark Kirkmier
WHEN A COLLECTION OF BRILLIANT MINDS, HEARTS, & TALENTS COMe TOGeTHeR… …expeCT a masterpiece! Finney’s Favorite quote
3. Public Relations & Communication… Communicate well… Communicate to understand… Vocabulary is key… Based on Shared Understanding
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Ma & Pa Kettle…Can they communicate well?
Without first creating the correct environment, any other attempts to improve ~ change ~ or impact student learning are essentially friutless.
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Learn the current culture Listen
Share beliefs and best
practices Get the right people in the right seats on the bus.
5. DEVELOP A SHARED
Culture
By helping teachers not bossing Hiring Good Teachers Nurturing Relationships & Earning Trust Get to know your Faculty & Staff; your Students; your Families & your Community Ongoing Process
“Organizations are products of the way people within them think…” (Peter Senge) ~You will be the final decision maker – Learn all you can & then MAKE A DECISION.
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6. Develop Effective Instruction habits with your teachers…
What is “Effective Instruction”? What does it look like? How would your teachers define it? How do we develop a shared
understanding of Instruction?
Be the Instructional Leader Never stop learning Be Present Choose to give your time to what’s most important Develop processes Be purposeful
Inspect what you expect
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Learn together – support each other Make Learning Common Practice Empower Teachers to WANT to do more
“…the emphasis placed on student learning in a PLC does not diminish the importance of teaching…. The PLC process is specifically intended to create the conditions that help educators become more skillful in teaching because great teaching and high levels of learning go hand in hand.” -Leaders of Learning
Dufour and Marzano p.23
Pyramid of 25
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F J R N
U L A O S P E V D X C Y K T G W B I Q M H
Pyramid of 25
F J R N
U L A O S P E V D X C Y K T G W B I Q M H
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PLCs – A Team or A Group? GROUP
TEAM
The things we truly value…. We will give our TIME, ATTENTION, ENERGY, & RESOURCES
WHEN A COLLECTION OF BRILLIANT MINDS, HEARTS, & TALENTS COMe TOGeTHeR… …expeCT a masterpiece! Finney’s Favorite quote
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What are the highest
leverage steps we can take to make that vision a reality?
Who can we involve?
8. Motivational Leadership
What are the three things that motivate people? Autonomy-Fun Opportunities Sense of Purpose-Be open to
thinking outside the box
Mastery-Challenge & Making
contributions
Daniel Pink: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us – you tube
9. School Wide Behavior Plan What has the most significant
positive impact on the climate/context of your school?
Should we punish more kids,
more severely, more often?
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Leadership Think about the majority of
the students at your school…
In my experience, the
majority of the students do the right thing most of the time.
10. Create Systematic Processes
Agree on Consistency
Honor and recognize the behavior you want people to exhibit!
Give your time and attention to the correct behavior!
Communicate how the system works
Create Opportunities to share your successes
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The things we truly value…. We will give our TIME, ATTENTION, ENERGY, & RESOURCES
WHEN A COLLECTION OF BRILLIANT MINDS, HEARTS, & TALENTS COMe TOGeTHeR… …expeCT a masterpiece! Finney’s Favorite quote
Socio Economic Status?
Parental Involvement?
HQ of teachers? Teacher Training?
District Leadership?
Building Leadership? Prior Educational Experience? Type of School Schedule? Arrangement of grades/structure of school?
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The things we truly value…. We will give our TIME, ATTENTION, ENERGY, & RESOURCES
WHEN A COLLECTION OF BRILLIANT MINDS, HEARTS, & TALENTS COMe TOGeTHeR… …expeCT a masterpiece! Finney’s Favorite quote
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BEFORE YOU LEAVE
1.
Was this helpful/beneficial?
2.
What do you need next?
Leadership IT’S NOT ABOUT US…. IT’S ABOUT THEM….
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What now? Alabama
needs courageous leaders willing to do the right things for children!
We
must take advantage of every opportunity we have to positively impact the lives of everyone in and outside our building!
Bring
your best to the job EVERY DAY!!
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