For some reason there seems to be a glitch with my Embed function and I am unable to post. Here is a link to my Prezi.
Link to Prezi
Link to Prezi
For some reason there seems to be a glitch with my Embed function and I am unable to post. Here is a link to my Prezi.
Link to Prezi
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1. Is failure a real and regularly option and experience for kids at your school?
I need to be totally honest I believe the word failure is NOT the correct word here. I understand what is being presented, but if I know I am going to FAIL at anything I most likely am NOT going to give my complete effort. I believe this should be rephrased as: are students challenged beyond their own independence and are they willing to persevere with educated questions while access others and outside resources. So, based my own description of failure, I would say yes students are challenged and presented with many opportunities to problem solve and work beyond their own independent level. 2. If so, what impact do you believe that is creating? If not, what structures have been put into place to accomplish alternatives? I would say the most noticeable example of this at my current location that I am observing is happening in the 11th grade math classroom. I say this because this class has been transformed from and assessment driven curriculum, to a multidimensional learning experience. Students are learning and embracing that the processes of learning is way more valuable than the academic content itself. Because students are understanding that failure is a part of learning they are more likely to take risks. This creates an amazing environment where students often socialize while using high level academic vocabulary to help one another explore and expand on new topics. 3. What conditions exist that make it too late to learn and reach competency in your school? Can you give an example? I would say the only limitation to reaching competency at my current location is a students own limitations (unwillingness to create a time and a plan). I say this because all teachers embrace the never too late to learn philosophy. 4. What would you do, if anything, to introduce/enhance “never too late to learn” structures in your school if you were the school leader? As a school leader I would first present the concept to the staff, and I would anticipate a bit of backlash. I would ask each staff member to take a few minutes to reflect on their own educational journey, and identify a time when an opportunity to learn was presented, but was not seized by them as a learner. I would ask why they are educators and to identify their priorities for their learners. Through a reflective process I would hope to open everyones mind to the never too late to learn philosophy. 5. What can you do in your present position to create “never too late to learn” structures into your current practice and those of your peers? Are those things in your sphere of influence? I can continue to provide office hours and guide students to strategically place study sessions within their week to make up work, or identify areas of concern and create a plan. 6. Commit to 5 things you are willing to do this semester that will make your school have increased learning opportunities:
1. What role does school play in building students’ agency and identity?
The school I am currently serving plays a huge role in building agency and identity within students. I can confidently say this because it is a nurturing family style environment that allows some students to escape the influences within their homes and neighborhoods. Students do not feel the need to uphold a certain image and often this is the first platform in their life where they have the ability to begin to understand themselves and build their OWN identity. 2. How aware are you and your colleagues of the impact our choice of words have on developing students’ agency and identity? Can you give examples? I would say that majority of the staff members at HSHMC are well aware that choice words can help develop a students identity. I say this because the staff will quickly prompt a student when they are not using choice words. This prompt can often come at unconventional times, and include when a student has negative self talk. 3. What would you do, if anything, to make using choice words a more conscious and accountable school wide practice if you were the school leader? I would explicitly embrace the pillar of "choice words", and embrace a campaign to understand student voice and their understanding of choice words. This campaign can include awareness, restorative circles, and even anonymous google forms. After collecting data it is important to share this with student and be transparent. 4. What could you do, if anything, to make the use of choice words a more conscious and accountable personal practice as well as one embraced by others on your site? Are those things within your sphere of influence? The best way to influence my sphere of influence would be by living and acting choice words. This can be done with students and staff members. Personally it is important for me to identify a professional language while also being able to connect with students. 5. Commit to 5 things you are willing to do this semester that will make your school choose words wisely? 1. Use the word PLEASE when appropriate. 2. Use the word THANK YOU when appropriate. 3. When un-choice words are heard, do not bypass an opportunity to bring attention to correction. 4. Model Choice Words. 5. Model Choice Actions. 1. When it comes to the concept of Do No Harm, I believe there are many factors involved, and not just the obvious physical harm. Of course physical harm is included, and individuals should be respectful and not physically harm them selves or others. It is important for individuals and especially stakeholders of a group to realize that it is critical to embrace this pillar within an environment. This can mean physically keeping an area tidy and respecting resources (table, chairs, structure etc...), as well as bringing in a positive and uplifting attitude to not toxify a work environment. The MOST IMPORTANT component of this pillar is to do no harm to ones self. This can include ways of thinking, and even seeking resources if it is difficult to maintain a positive outlook on ones self as well as finding individual value. It is also important to maintain balance between work, family, and social life to maintain and even drive overall well being.
2. Future sphere of influence, as the school leader, how would my beliefs be reflected in discipline policies and practices? As a school leader it is important to start with the end in mind, so identifying the most significant areas of concern would more easily allow leaders to outline policies and practices. I believe that the most harm in a school setting can be done through not accepting and or understanding others. This can lead to gossip and harmful words being exchanged to influence an individuals self esteem. I would also identify negative self talk, or a cycle of failure as harmful to many students as well. For these reasons I would be proactive in establishing a community and culture building program to identify that we all bring value to a community, and the community is only as strong as what we are will to put into it. I would recognize that getting through to many students who have experienced the failure cycle will be difficult, however through foundational relationship building, students might begin to view themselves differently. I would hope that these proactive approaches would mitigate many of the potential conflicts. When conflicts arise a reflective process will take place to help students understand how the others involved might feel, and identify how they might feel if the roles were reversed. 3. Future sphere of influence, as the school leader, how would my beliefs be reflected in program practices and initiatives? mastery based, student driven, community partnership, differentiate. 4. Future sphere of influence, as the school leader, how would my beliefs be reflected in professional developments as a community of learners? This is a fine line because I understand the value of teachers having prep time. I also however recognize that developing a continuous learning community can be beneficial for the entire school culture. For this reason it would be important to be transparent and discuss potential school areas of concern, while validating all stakeholders input and really identifying a specific area that all stakeholders feel apart of and are willing to work on. This OFTEN requires using other outside resources and professionals to present concepts, and opportunities to the staff from an objective point of view. 5. Is the concept of of teaching students to "first do no harm" integrated into the culture of your school (workplace). YES!!! it is one of our five pillars. 5 things to commit to making my school more positive: 1. Have lunch with students everyday, and just converse about life. Get to know them. 2. Bring the staff little presents. Example: I often drink coffee that a coworker offers and makes, so I sometimes bring bags of coffee. 3. Allow myself to be human and make mistakes and learn with my students. 4. SMILE: even when I don't feel like it. 5. Take nothing personal (not to be mistaken with accountability, ownership and pride) This first pillar may potentially be my favorite. This pillar ensures that all stakeholders feel welcomed when they attend the school. This pillar includes students, visitors and other staff members. Dr. Pumpian discussed with us that chioce is a necessary condition for engagement and engagement is a necessary condition for learning. For this reason it is important that I ensure all students, staff and visitors feel welcomed so that we can all learn from one another.
Feeling welcomed to me is expressing an interest and or concern for every individual and their wellbeing. NOT just their well being as it is associated to work or school as a student or employee, but being a fellow human on the same journey willing to learn and support one another. Having a human conversation with students, staff and visitors can quickly build a bond and create trust. These conversation often are not even academic related but a probe into the individuals life that shows you are truly curious about them and their success. Through these conversations connections can be created and relationships built because an individual chooses to listen, relate, and engage. The following are a few prompted questions:
effective welcoming are the "quiet" students. These students are the ones that stay close to their friends and are hesitant to engage in conversation. This group includes every academic level, and includes both males and females. I found that overly social students are easily welcomed as well as students who are a "high priority", academically or behaviorally. But the students that fly under the radar are easily overlooked in a simple welcome salutation, but more often human dialogue that validates them and their work. 3. Future Sphere of Influence: What would you do to improve welcoming this group if you were a school leader? I would encourage each grade level, team, or teacher to ensure that they had contact with each of their students. 4. Current Sphere of Influence: What can you do in your present position to enhance welcoming these stakeholders? Recently as a team we created a Google doc and split the entire 11th grade between the 6 team members. Each team member is to contact all the students on the list at least once throughout the quarter with a letter home. At the end of the quarter we will shuffle the list and continue to send letters home. This will ensure by the end of the year that all students have been contacted. Current Sphere of Influence: Commit to 5 things you are willing to do this semester that will make your school a more welcoming place: 1. "Trash it don't pass it": if I see a piece of trash around campus I will pick it up. Students see this and recreate the behavior on their own. 2. Greet at least 20 students with a hand shake each passing period. 3. Greet and have a short conversation with at least 2 staff members during passing periods. 4. Continue to invite all students to the mountain bike club. 5. Use the phrase, "how can I help, I have the time" at least once a day. |
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