It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Final Exams

As we embark as parents with a high school freshmen, we have had many adjustments. No adjustment has been more difficult than the preparation for finals. I’m going to be upfront - we need to get rid of this archaic practice of assessment. Now, before you stop reading or roll your eyes, I did some action research in talking with some educators across the country (and even some at my son’s school). 

Here is what I learned:

1. We do finals because that’s what we’ve always done. Yep. we give students a final exam because we had final exams. Ridiculous.
2. It’s part of our student learning objective (SLO) that is tied to our evaluation. Okay. Let’s dig deeper. If you are measuring success you probably started with a pre-assessment at the beginning of the year. If you did you have a way to measure growth. Establish a scale that honors growth over performance. 
3. The final measures learning. Wrong. The final measures how well the student used the study guide that you gave them to prepare for a test. Let’s not even mention that many of these assessment assess Quad A Learning.
4. We need to have it as part of the education program. Wrong. I talked with a high school administrator in another state and they don’t give finals.

So what do finals do for students?

1. Creates unnecessary stress. 
2. Reinforces facts are more important than deep critical thinking. 
3. Reduces a semester worth of work in to one grade that isn’t an accurate reflection of learning. Note: This sounds eerily familiar to a state accountability test that most teachers oppose because it’s one moment of learning in time for an entire year’s or work.
4. Develops a game out of learning - only focus on the study guide. 
5. Lowers the overall grade for the semester (in most cases according to a high school teacher).

What can we do instead?

1. Build collaborative opportunities for end of semester projects. Allow students choice in selecting topics from the semester (either from a list or on their own). Give them a rubric for the expected learning. Offer them to work independently, partners, or in groups. 
2. Have a conversation. Meet with students individually or in small groups to talk about their learning. Let them share orally their learning and growth. Have a conversation. They can even put in writing what they learned.
3. Give them a new topic. Based on the skills acquired over the semester, have them research and present a topic that extends the curriculum,
4. If you MUST give an assessment (really ponder why first) whatever you do don’t weight the assessment. If you have a culture of respect and trust (relationships) than they will do their personal best. You don’t need to weight it to “make it matter”.

Why did I write this? Besides getting off my chest and stepping on a soap box (let’s admit it’s a pretty high step), it’s to generate conversations. Let’s rethink, reassess, and reorganize our mindset around the purpose and value of assessments. With that in mind, I’m off to help my son study for his Spanish and math final exams. Good thing he has two loving parents to support him at home.

It's a Beautiful Day for a Neighbor

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?

These lyrics always instill two emotions from me: happiness and sadness – both – at the same time.

I vividly remember watching Mr. Rogers and feeling a sense of joy that the world is going to be okay, as long as we do our part to make the world a beautiful place. Then, I think of the world today and all the violence, anger, and frustration – it makes me sad that so many have forgotten these easy thoughts.

With the resurgence of both the documentary and the upcoming movie release starring Tom Hanks, I was inspired to write this blog today based on the love Fred Rogers shared that will live in infamy.

As school leaders, we have a moral obligation to lead and model the way to be a beautiful neighbor. “So let's make the most of this beautiful day” and check out these

three quotes Fred Rogers states (based on the trailer) and let’s explore the implications for our work as eduleaders.

1.    “We are trying to give the world many positive ways to deal with their feelings.”

As school leaders, we must create opportunities each and every day for our students and staff to express their words and feelings in healthy way that are open and honest. Make time each morning to conduct a classroom meeting to discuss the day’s events of the previous evening. Or share a situation that occurred in school yesterday and break down how to handle the situation differently next time. We need to model in our classrooms each and every day how to handle situations when conflict occurs.

Note: Regardless of your level (elementary, middle, or high), we must call out inappropriate behavior and give alternatives for ways in which we handle challenging situations. We are called to help all kids be successful – we must develop positive relationships with students first then worry about our content second.

2.    “Sometimes we have to ask for help and that’s okay.”

School is a place where we learn from our mistakes. No one likes to be wrong and make mistakes. We must push students to try and fail. Then, reflect on our learning and grow from the experiences. Many of our students are fearful of making mistakes (let’s be honest – so are we!). We need to create safe environments where we can ask for help without feeling ridicule, sadness, or embarrassment. Use a quick Google Form and ask your students if they feel comfortable asking for help? What do you find out? How do you respond? Develop a focus group of students and adults to review the information. Act on the findings. Ensure school is a place where mistakes are okay, and help can be given to those who need it. Check out Way #33 in Instructional Change Agent” for more information.

3.    “I think the best thing we can do is to let people know that each one of them is precious.”

When is the last time you told a student he/she is valued? When have you told him/her you are glad you are school today? We may think we do this, but do we enter into a conversation with each student every day? When I taught secondary level, I had 100+ students and I felt disconnected from my students because there were just so many to keep track of each day. I found myself worrying about the masses and not the individuals. So, I pulled out a secret from my own middle school teacher Cindy Kiefer. I greeted each student at the door, shook his/her hand, and told him/her I was glad he/she was at school (or other variations).

I also divided my class into fifths. I made sure each day I spoke to those students about life, interests, and things outside of language arts. This was a challenge and felt a little forced at times. But, I stuck with it and became more natural. I spent less time ‘on the list’ and more time on the conversations. All students need to know they are precious and special. We must go the extra effort in ensuring they feel this way. Remember, students won’t learn from people they don’t like. By working each and every day to build a solid relationship we are ensuring that we help students reach their potential! Each student needs to know they are precious. You can make that happen.

Minute Meetings: Giving Students a Voice to Improve School Culture

 Originally posted on the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Shaped blog.

This blog post is part of a series on how school leaders can become instructional change agents. In last week’s post, Adam Drummond offered insight into how education leaders can serve as instructional change agents. 

When was the last time you intentionally talked to a student about his or her learning? How did that conversation go? What did you do as a result of the feedback you received? With whom did you share that information? How does the student voice impact your culture?

Research tells us that when we include students in decisions, we save time, energy, and resources.
ked to a student about his or her learning? How did that conversation go? What did you do as a result of the feedback you received? With whom did you share that information? How does the student voice impact your culture?

See more here:

To learn more about improving school culture and acting for impact in your district, join Adam Drummond, Author for ICLE, and learn his new book, The Instructional Change Agent: 48 Ways to Be the Leader Your School Needs.

How School Leaders Can Become Instructional Change Agents

 Originally posted on the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Shaped blog.

This blog post is part of a series on how school leaders can become instructional change agents. In next week’s post, Adam Drummond will offer advice on how to determine ways to improve school culture.

I glance at the clock, and it reads 6:30 p.m. on a Friday night. I sigh heavily and return my focus to the dual screens at my desk. The screens show a teacher evaluation I’m working on, as well as the upcoming round of NWEA testing for students. Email notifications continue to chirp in with messages from teachers, district folks, and parents. My fourth-grade son is hanging out somewhere in the school while I stare at the countless “to do’s” piling up before my eyes.

See more here:

To learn more about improving school culture and acting for impact in your district, join Adam Drummond, Author for ICLE, and learn his new book, The Instructional Change Agent: 48 Ways to Be the Leader Your School Needs.

Student Discipline - Another Way to Support Students & Teachers

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and getting the same results. This is how I felt as a new school principal when I dealt with discipline. Within a few weeks, I could tell you exactly what was going to happen when a discipline issue made its way to my office.

1. Teacher calls down to office about student.
2. Student either comes to office or I escort them to office.
3. Teacher shares what happens and leaves (because they have students in the classroom).
4. Student is upset.

   

   http://www.greatschoolsinwake.org/student-discipline/

5. Student either yells, cries, or goes silent.
6. Student eventually shares what happened.
7. Student and teacher story doesn’t match.
8. I wasn’t there and am now batting cleanup. The need to support the teacher is necessary, yet the student perspective weighs on my heart.
9. Offer a solution that isn’t really going to change behavior. I tried to use natural consequences.
10. I’ve spent anywhere from 15-30 minutes on the said discipline issue.

Sure, the steps may have varied time to time. But, this was the Groundhog’s Day experience.

Somewhere in my second or third year as principal two things made me turn behavior upside down in some cases.

• Teachers give up control when they send a student to the office and loss of respect and trust occur between student and teacher.
• The discipline issue almost always had a broken relationship between teacher and student.

Instead of following the 11 Steps of Madness, I turned the entire process on it’s head. I probably should have warned the first unknowing teacher what I was about to do. But, it came to me as I walked to her room from the office to retrieve a student for their 100^th time (it seemed like it).

I got to the door and the teacher shared all the infractions that said student did. She had him at the door ready to leave. He heard it all and I could see the anger in his face.

I asked the student to wait inside the classroom and asked the teacher to join me just outside the door. Then, the following happened.

• I shared that the only two people who can change the behavior in the classroom is the student and the teacher.
• I will support you (the teacher) in any consequence and even help brainstorm the consequence with you. But, you are going to deliver the consequence to the student.
• But, before the consequence you must spend 10-15 minutes talking with the student to learn his perspective, share your perspective, and get to the root cause of why the behaviors were occurring. The key is for you to listen to his feelings and perspective.
• You need to develop a plan that you can both agree upon.
• While you do this, I will teach your class.

You read the last bullet correctly! I traded spots with the teacher. While she had a conference with the student, I worked with the other 26 students in her classroom. What’s my thinking you are asking right now…

1. I am going to spend 15-30 minutes dealing with the incident and I wasn’t there.
2. The relationship is between the student and the teacher. By her conferencing with the student, the perceived power rests with the teacher and no longer with me. I am now just a “Yes Man”. I support and reiterate the decision of the teacher.
3. The teacher and student work on his/her relationship.
4. I get to work with 26 other students – something we rarely get to do!  I get to build different relationships because many of the students I rarely get to spend time with. Plus, I get to hone my own teaching skills so they don’t get rusty and I get too far removed from the art and science of teaching and learning.

The process worked beautifully. Did it solve all behavior issues? Of course not, but there were far less incidents. I didn’t use it every single time, but I used it frequently enough that we started to see our culture of discipline slowly change. There were less referrals, students were less angry at teachers, and everyone seemed to love what they did a little bit more.

Sure, there was a learning curve for everyone – students, teachers, and me. But, the benefits outweighed the challenges.

Remember, 100% of the students, 100% of the time. Think outside the box. Above all else – be tenacious! 

The Power of Reflection

If you've been an educator you know that more than 1000 decisions are made in a single given day. From instructional design choices to feedback for students, we are in a mentally exhausting position each and every day. Please note mentally exhausting does not mean that we don't love what we do. That's hardly the opposite. To know that we have the ability to impact three generations of family members each year is an opportunity that inspires, challenges, and if we are honest - terrifies - some days or weeks.

Sometime we are challenged in the day to day decisions that we make that we forget to stop and reflect on the actual work we are doing (think of a hamster wheel right now)! it's easy to get caught up in each moment and those moments pile on top of each other. But, a critical piece in making the BEST decision in our classrooms and schools occur when we have spent time in reflection about the work of you - the educator - and our students.

I know you are thinking, "My internal voice is reflecting with me all day long." I get it. But, what I am talking about is a different type of reflection. This is a deep, purposeful reflection on the work that happens in your role as an educator. We need to spend time thinking critical about how our students are learning, and how my voice impacts that learning.

Consider the idea of Friday Reflections to build purposeful reflection in your daily life.

Friday afternoons: Let's face it. End of the day Friday is often the least productive day of the work week for many. So, instead of wasting this time let's put it to good use. Spend 30 minutes every Friday after students leave and journal about how the week went for you. Consider these questions:

1. What went well this week and, why did it go well?
   
2. What did not go well this week, and why did it not go well?
   
3. What one activity assumed the most amount of time for the week, and how did it better the school because of the time spent?
   
4. What are your three goals for next week, and how will you achieve these goals?
   
5. What do you identify as a major obstacle for next week, and how will you manage the expectations for this task?

      Consider keeping a weekly journal as you answer these five questions. What you will find by spending time in personal reflection around these questions is that you feel accomplished about your work week (who doesn't want to feel good?), and you have your priorities set for the next week before you leave for the weekend (a focus for the next week eases anxiety and offers direction). 

      Give it a shot. Commit to the next four Fridays. It could change your outlook and your effectiveness. If nothing else, you give your brain some mental space to breathe! We all need that every now and then! 

      Hint: If you want to keep your responses electronically, consider creating a Google Form (see image). Happy Friday. It's almost time for me to reflect on my week. How about you?

Patience is a Gift

It's the time of year where we count our blessings, love our family and friends, and appreciate the wonderful season of the Holidays. But, after the lights are down, the holiday food is over, the real challenge can often begin. It can even be harder for our children of all ages.

The first of the year can be a challenge for our students as they return from a holiday break that might not mirror the love and hope we experienced in our home. They return to school with needs having been unmet. We come back to school and there are many days of learning back to back to back. So, what's the best gift you can give your students to the start of 2019?

Patience.

You can give patience.

Yes, we have been in school for a semester and they should know what to do.
Yes, it should be no surprise that students are expected to work independently during independent work time.
yes, we should be kind to our peers and to the adults.

But, let's face it that is not always the reality. When those moments occur that disrupt the 'natural flow' of learning, give patience. It's not something that is guaranteed or promised to anyone. But, I promise giving patience can make the difference between a great day and a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day!

Try these three strategies to give the gift of patience for the new year.

1. Breathe deeply. There are moments in our classroom where we may have to repeat ourselves several times or a student says something they should not to you. Resist the urge to jump on your emotions. Take three deep breathes and determine the choices you can make. Three deep breathes can make the difference in how we deal with a student issue before we make a mountain our of a mole hill.

2. Laugh often. See the humor in circumstances. When a little child decides to skip in line instead of walking down the line as she should, chuckle to yourself. Be appreciative that she has that much joy and love in life that skipping sounds so fun. In fact, try letting everyone skip. See what happens. Lots of smiles. High school friends - they may not skip in the hallway, but there are some great one liners kids say. Enjoy them and call them out!

3. Give Options. There are some 'battles' not worth fighting. If a student needs a pencil and doesn't have one, have options ready. Perhaps it's a borrow basket, ask a friend, or use a pen. A student asking for a pencil means she/he is wanting to work! Celebrate the small things. Anticipate options that allow choice for students to ask. When we have options its easier for us to practice patience.

Give patience as a gift. If you don't, who will?

Top Shelf: Favorite Books for the School Leader

It's hard to believe we are 13 days away from Christmas! This time of year offers a great opportunity for personal and professional reflection. What were you goals for 2018? How do you measure success? What might you revise as you look into 2019? Don't wait 19 more days to renew your goals - do it now!

Students benefit from leaders who read. I always work to increase capacity in understanding and application through professional reading. Consider the following Top 9+ Books to consider for your own reading pleasure for 2019.

#1: Results Now by Mike Schmoker
This was a transformational book when I was in a K-12 leadership role. This text helped generate a brand new professional learning model for the district I was in as we looked at how to increase student learning while building capacity in professional learning. Schmoker's book offers a laser focus view on professional learning communities for schools, literacy, and consistent curriculum.

#2: Bold School by Weston Kieschnick [#BoldSchool]
My colleague Weston sold over 25,000 copies in the first year of release -- and for good reason! This is a pivotal book for all teachers and leaders who are striving to to keep tried and true professional learning practices with building intentional and specific uses of technology. Wes created The Bold School Framework for Strategic Blended Learning to offer a clear and consistent approach to strategic learning in classrooms.

#3: Architects of Deeper Learning by Lissa Pijanowski [#AODL]
There are few things in life that get me more excited than instructional design! Creating purposeful and meaningful learning opportunities that translate into high levels of engagement is some of the most rewarding work we do. My good friend Lissa offers this exact solution. Her eight design principles offer a step by step approach to ensure that the most rigorous, relevant, and engaging experiences exist in classrooms. Lissa's wealth of experience in classroom, school leadership, and district leadership bring an unique approach to the instructional aspects of learning for all students.

#4: Learning Transformed: 8 Keys to Designing Tomorrow's Schools, Today by Eric Sheninger & Thomas Murray.  [#LTKeys]
First, using the #LT8Keys offers a great professional learning network that compliments this great resource for leaders. Sheninger and Murray offer an approach that helps shift districts from the industrial model of education to the 21st century, future-forward education that students should be engaging with each and every day. What I appreciate about this professional reading is the importance of meeting the needs of students at a personal level. The level of leadership needed for schools to achieve this requires us - school leaders - to be inspirational, intentional, and innovative. The eight keys offers an opportunity for great reflection - be sure to check this one out by Eric and Tom.

#5: Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies From a Life at Disney by Lee Cockerell
As a school leader, our stakeholders are critical to the success of the school. When I was a school principal, this was the must read book for our cabinet. Through this text, we redesigned our customer experience families experienced in school. Don't get me wrong, we had friendly and supportive in our cabinet - some of the best I ever worked with in my career. But, this book took us to the new level - we were intentional and strategic in the how and why we created the experience for our families. I cannot tell you enough how powerful this book is - a 2019 must read for your team. Plus, it's a Disney nod and who doesn't love Disney!


#6: The Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap: Small Ideas that Lead to Big Impact by Daniel Bauer
I just recently connected with Daniel and the work he does for school leaders. Daniel is a true connector and finds value in bringing teams and resources together. Daniel walks the walk in the support he offers in his new book. Built upon ideas around creativity, servant leadership, and mindset, educators will enjoy this resource. If you want to be challenged in your thinking and refine the 'why' you do what you do, this is the book for you.

#7: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
This powerful book has taken the educational world by storm - so much in fact that the word "grit" is now another educational jargon in our repertoire.  But, it's not the word that is powerful - it's the practice. Duckworth's challenges the status quo in how we prepare students. We must help students build tenacity in all that they do. Effort, effort, effort is critical for our students. We must build these skills to become part of the student learner DNA make up for each and every student. Teaching grit is different than teaching thinking and relevance. Grit requires persistence, modeling, and productive struggle. It's also a pretty self-reflective assessment - take Duckworth's Grit Scale and you will see what I mean!


#8: 10 Mindframes for Visible Learning: Teaching for Success by John Hattie & Klaus Zierer
If you are in education and you have not heard about the text Visible Learning, stop and and go get it right now. Seriously. While you are ordering that book, grab this one, too. Hattie and Zierer works from the research presented in VL to offer 10 mindsets teachers need to create high levels of student outcomes. This practical mindframe approach offers teachers to go from theory to practice to action. What I most love about this text is that building powerful relationships is one of the 10 frames - remember kids don't learn from people they don't like. We must be relationship builders all day every day.


#9: When by Daniel Pink
I first heard Daniel Pink at ICLE's Model School Conference in the summer of 2017. To say that my world was rocked would be an understatement. There are so many variables in education that impact student learning and teacher efficacy - an infinite really. But, Daniel offered one more to me that was powerful - time! Pink immediately puts you right into reflection and thinking by asking you to find when is your perfect "When". Reflecting on your day and what you do impacts your performance and attention to details (among many other things!). We may know some of this intuitively, but Pink puts the research and rationale behind this. The implication for education is exciting. A great leadership book read to brainstorm the how and why we do things in school suddenly now matters.

Wait, why is there not a #10? Great question ... in the coming weeks I promise to share the #10 book that is a must read for 2019. The #10 book promises to be an exciting and powerful resource for school leaders, district leaders, pre-service leaders, and teacher leaders. Stay tuned for this new and exciting book to add to your Top Shelf!

Top Four Leadership Legacy Skill: #4 Listener

Top Ten Leadership Legacy Skill: #4 LISTENER

God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. I have always remembered this phrase from my childhood. I couldn’t even tell you if it was my parents, my great-grandmother Cookie who I spent many a day with (she made the best sugar cookies and let me put a raisin in the middle), or just heard it in the many phrases that are tossed around. But, it has been a phrase that has great promise as a leadership trait: listening.

We live in a global world of noise. We have industrial noise such as factories, trains, planes, and automobiles. We have visual noise in television, social media, and the internet. There is also family noise – bills that need paid, homework to be assisted with at home, activities for children, caring for ailing parents, and keeping a house running smoothly. There is also work noise. No need to add details here – you all feel and know that one, too well, I am assuming. But, how do we filter all this noise and do a better job of listening.

We first must be in the moment. There is nothing more gut wrenching than hearing your child say, “Dad isn’t really listening to me, he is on his phone again.” I admit that I have a huge challenge with the use of electronic devices. They can be all assuming. My wife can tell you all the issues. She even tried to name my phone once. That was a blow to the stomach, and a lesson well learned for me (She may still have a name for the phone, but we did not discuss one together). But, we must work to be in the moment with the people we are sharing life with. As a principal, I had an open-door policy. Faculty and staff could come in any time, truly. This was great, but also required me to do a better job listening. I found at times I had to turn off my computer screen or put my phone in the drawer. The auto notifications on our devices are like the Pavlov’s dog study. Every time we hear a ding, we must see who ‘needs’ us know. But, the people in the room need us now.

To be an effective listener, we must understand that listening does not require a response. There are times that people just want to be heard. That is all – nothing more. I am a fixer. I like to offer suggestions, solutions, and jump right in to make things better. But, I realize that not all people want me to be in a fixer mode. Again, my wonderful wife (as you can tell who puts up with a lot) will share a story about work (she is a high school Career and Technical Education Director) and I immediately start providing solutions or input. I have gotten to a place where I force myself to listen, and even ask on occasion if I am just to listen, dialogue, or problem solve. We must know our role.

One strategy I often use when I am needing to be in “Listen Only Mode” is to have pen and paper handy. I usually take notes and do a lot of work on my tablet. But, when I need to be strategically focused on the task at hand, I resort to paper and pencil. I find myself more engaged in what is being said, and even partially transcribe what I am hearing.

You may have a strategy that you use. But, the evidence is clear. We need to listen more and speak less.

Top Four Leadership Legacy Skills: #3 Knowledge-Seeker

I have something important to admit. I am a pluviophile. It’s true. I think I’ve been like this most my life. There is something comforting about rainy days. Wait. You do know what a pluviophile is, right? A pluvioph

ile is someone who loves rainy days. We had a rainy day last evening in our community. This rainy day turned into a thunderstorm which was peaceful and relaxing for me. I know I may be unique, but there is something calming about these days. As you can see, many reading may have learned something new today -- pluviophile. This, the ability to learn information, is our #3 trait in our “Top Ten Leadership Legacy Traits” – knowledge-seeker.

Our job as a school leader can quickly be overrun by answering questions, putting out fires, and creating pathways for effective communication. We may be up to our ears in budgets, hiring, and evaluations. But, if we do not take the time to be a seeker of knowledge, we will grow stagnant in our own growth and development as a human being. Below are five ways to increase your capacity in seeking knowledge.

#1: Use Social Media. Specifically, I recommend Twitter. You may be cringing. But, hear me out. Select entities to follow that increase your own capacity. I started my Twitter journey by following people I respected and from whom I wanted to learn. I then looked to see who they were following and followed those people. I quickly gained a social media feed that was chalk full of great professional reading and learning. I also added news organizations to my feed, and now keep up on news through Twitter, too.

#2: Read books. I was at a school conference last week and my son’s principal shared with me how she is part of the 60-book challenge for 2018. The challenge is to read 60 books in over a year. I thought first, “Man how could I do that?” Then, I realized if it was important I could. So, I have set a goal of 24 books this year (2 a month). I wanted to be sure to reach my goal and leave room for surpassing that goal. But, if you want to follow my son’s principal in her journey, check her feed out at @princiPAL99.

#3. Listen. This seems simple, right. But, I bet it’s harder than you think. Challenge yourself to listen for 20 minutes a day. This can be news, engaging in a conversation, Ted Talks, NPR, anything. But, here is the kicker. You must only listen. You can’t be on a phone, computer, or doing something else. Engage in the skill of listening. You will be surprised.

#4: Build a Question Bank. I keep a list of questions that I want to investigate and learn more about personally. For example, I saw a post about immigration (don’t worry I won’t get political) and the person arrested (a doctor with no adult criminal activity) had a green card, but had not applied for citizenship. I really did not know what the limitations were of having a green card. I also did not know what the requirements were for citizenship. So, I spent time researching. This topic had nothing to do with my profession and had no bearing on my personal life. But, I felt much more satisfied than I had in a while because I took the initiative to learn something new.

#5. Journal. I know, right? This isn’t ‘Dear Diary”, lock it with a key, and keep under you mattress. Research shows that reflection is a powerful learning tool to help move information from short- to long-term memory. For someone who just found out he must wear bifocals (or progressive lenses as they are called now), and has some gray hair coming in a very distinguished way, the importance of moving information from short- to long-term memory has new meaning. Journaling allows us to reflect on the day, find patterns in our thinking, and help us sleep better at night.

While you certainly do not have to do any of these or can do these, the ability to be a knowledge-seeker helps you professionally, personally, emotionally, and even spiritually. I encourage you to pick one and get started. Who knows. You might find out you’re a pluviophile, too.

TOP FOUR LEADERSHIP LEGACY SKILLS: #2 AMBITION

One time a man was walking along the beach and saw another man fishing in the surf with a bait bucket beside him. As he drew closer, he saw that the bait bucket had no lid and had live crabs inside.

“Why don’t you cover you bait bucket so the crabs won’t escape?” he asked.

“You don’t understand,” the man replied. “If there is one crab in the bucket it would surely crawl out very quickly. However, when there are many crabs in the bucket, if one tries to crawl up the side, the others grab hold of it and pull it back down so that it will share the same fate as the rest of them.”

Welcome to the #2 of the “top Ten Leadership Legacy Skills”. Ambition often gets a negative connotation in the work force. I have experience it first hand in the past. Despite this perceived negativity, I believe it is a skill that must me practiced, modeled, and shared with adults and students alike to (1) grow, (2) transform, and (3) lead.

Many of us are in the leadership roles we are in because we have ambition. We have a desire to reach a certain goal, support a certain cause, or lead for a change. This ambition helps us (1) GROW as learners. Whether it was taking additional classes, trial and error in solving problems, or watching and observing others, we all used this skill to grow into who we are today. Furthermore, if we want to continue to grow, we must employ this skill to further develop ourselves. It’s okay to have ambition—ambition allows for dreaming, future planning, and goal setting.

Many of us have been in a situation where there is a time in which we feel stuck, lost, or frustrated in each situation. In these challenging times, we must pause, assess, and create a future plan. This future plan helps us (2) TRANSFORMS our dreams into actions. I first learned of future plans when going through a certification training with Ruby Payne’s “A Framework for Understanding Poverty”. This strategy allows for students to think about the future. Dream. Set a goal for the future, and then develop plans in how to get there.

As an elementary student, I knew I wanted to be a teacher –  a principal someday even. I never thought about my doctorate or working for a highly respectable educational company as a director of professional learning. Why? I simply didn’t know it existed. But, I had a dream—a plan in being an educator. Then, after earning my appropriate credentials I achieved that dream of being a teacher and then a principal. Are we talking to our students about their dreams? Are we instilling ambition in our students by having them craft their future story? We should know every one of our students’ ambitions.

When we utilize the ambition that is within us or make a point to help students create a future story, we can begin to plan. We make thousands of decisions daily as leaders. But, are these decisions made in the moment, by happenstance, or are we methodical in our decision making? When we know the goals that we want to achieve, and have created a plan to reach those goals, we are able to be more strategic in the decisions that we make. This allows us to (3) LEAD at a high level of efficacy. Our ambition really grounds are thinking and planning.

Top FOUR Leadership Legacy Skills: #1 Integrity

Top Ten Leadership Legacy Skills
#1: Integrity

Gosh, 2017. What a pain in the butt you were, right? I can hardly begin to put my finger on all the not-so-great events that took place in our world. I’m not sure you’d want me to list them and give my opinion either – we might not be friends by the end of this post if I did. But, here is what I did in 2017 that you are about to learn in this journey with me. Through my observations in US and World politics, journalism, Hollywood, and frankly every other experience that I encountered was an entire series of leadership qualities that we need today in education. I have taken 2017 and created a Top List of Leadership Legacy Traits that are necessary to pull us from the brink of an educational meltdown (and I’m pretty confidence that other sectors of the economic world would also benefit). Are you ready?

Integrity. If you visit my Twitter Account (go ahead and do this – follow me, too!) @adamddrummond you will see that my description begins with: Integrity. [W/O it nothing else matters]. I’ve longed value this trait and believe it serves as my own personal moral compass. Before we explore this trait, please know that I’m not on a might horse looking down and judging. I have my own flaws – ask my wife, children, or parents. They are brutally honest. ALL. THE. TIME. But, I do strive to use integrity in everything that I do.

Why Integrity? Why do we need to have leaders that use integrity? Why is this the most important leadership trait? Why do we need to model this daily? I could give you a thousand more whys – they make great essential questions you know? But, truly why integrity? There are three reasons why integrity is a leadership trait that educational leaders must model to be successful.

The first is DECISION MAKING. I’ll never forget Dr. Marilyn Quick’s leadership classes at Ball State University (Chirp! Chirp!) when studied the Thinking Hats theory. Simply put this theory takes a current problem and positions the leader to examine the situation from multiple perspectives. After examining the situation from these perspectives, the leader can better predict the outcome. So, what does this have to do with integrity. We have an obligation to approach problems with an open mind and examine all facets of the issue. Then and only then, are we able to begin formulating a plan for solutions. Our solutions must be rooted and based in a belief system. The belief system is what helps guides the decisions. When we use our belief system and this theory we can make decisions rooted in integrity. We can develop a well-rounded solution that has been thought out, examined from multiple perspectives, was not concocted in a rash and flippant moment.

EYES ARE EVERYWERE. If we have observed anything in 2017, social media has created a horrific black hole of facts, fiction, and everything in between. Plus, we are all an expect because we have an @ in front of our name on Twitter or an Instagram Account or a like button that has become more powerful than the sword (#ToldYouSo). Now more than ever we must operate within elevated levels of integrity. We must do this because everyone watches how we act as leaders. We are always ‘on’. When I was a principal, I shared with my staff that I always tried to be the “same Dr. D.” every day. This meant that no matter the situation I was approaching that moment in a calm, rationale, level headed moment. Our students (and staff) deserve that. Was I 100% successful? No, but I strived to be darn close. Even when a fifth grade threw his entire tray of food on me (I walked up to the line and was treated to this gift because he thought he was in trouble) I managed to keep my cool in front of 125 other students (#WillPower). You see, more and more students are unable to have experiences where adults are consistent in their own behavior and choose to act with integrity in each situation. We, as educational leaders, must model this and intentionally teach and call out the behavior when it is modeled.

WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. It’s true. Education has become scrutinized in all aspects. State and federal accountability don’t help when we minimize a school’s performance to a letter grade (though that may be changing for some states). Or when we have political leaders continuously criticize teachers and educational leaders. Or when everyone is now an expert because they graduated from high school or college. But, through all this, we must make the right decision for our students. Every. Single. Time. We don’t have any other option. We must act with integrity so that our own decisions and solutions are not questioned. When we jeopardize our integrity to make an easy choice even though it’s wrong, we lose even more credibility. We must operate at the highest level of integrity at all costs for the sake of our students.

If we don’t, who will?

It's Hard to Pour from Empty Cup

Can you believe it is 2-0-1-8? I mean seriously where did the time go? I have thought about this a lot over the last two weeks as we celebrated another Christmas and New Year. Perhaps it’s the fact that my 7^th grader only has five more Christmas mornings where he still at home with us. Or maybe it’s the fact my sister-in-law moved to California in November and this was the first Christmas Eve that didn’t include her in 17 years. Or maybe it’s the fact that my three-year-old daughter is now potty-trained and we have officially ended the baby years. Yet, it could be the gray hair that shows up in the mirror.

Whatever the reason, I have committed 2018 to be the year of me. Yep, that is right I am committing 2018 to be one of the most selfish, Adam-centric years ever. You may raise an eyebrow at this comment or may even think he already does that. But, I’ve decided that I am going to worry about what is important to me and be sure I am prioritizing those areas above the needs of others. [Insert snarky judgement here]. You should do the same.

My Family. I have spent the better part of my adult life ensuring that I am giving back to my community, involved in service organizations, church, activities, etc. These are all noble and worthwhile endeavors. But, have I created a good balance for me and my family? Nope. But, that’s going to change. My wife and children often get the leftovers at the end of the day (and frankly there isn’t much). So, I need to do better.

My Health. Speaking of leftovers, I have spent the last three-year years in a real wind of change from the early arrival of our daughter and job changes. In that three-year period, I have chosen to not prioritize fitness and health. This has taken its toll on me (as I sit here feeling like an achy, old man). I need to recommit eating healthy, drinking lots of water, and exercising (saying that makes me nauseous already). I have joined an online fitness and health nutrition group that is going to be my accountability. I have My Fitness Pal ready to go. I just need a taser for every time I think of eating something bad (yes I know it’s moderation) or really wanting a diet mountain dew!

My Passion. I promised myself after completing my dissertation in 2014, I would not write anything for three years. Why? I just didn’t want to. After a 200-page dissertation, who wants to pick up the pen and doing anything? The problem is I have a story to tell. I have a passion for helping education leaders reach their dreams and goals. It’s time I put all the ideas into a sensible way to share my ideas with others.

Did you see what I did there? I started each of the last three paragraphs with ‘MY’. It’s about me. It’s about what I want and need. I know that if I make every decision based in these three areas I can create new habits that will create a successful and strong 2018. I need this. I think you might, too.

Goals Make the World Go Round

You've heard the phrase, "What gets measured gets done." These little words may draw anxiety, frustration, and anger even. But, what if I told you that transforming this phrase from words to action can make you more productive, more cheery, and more successful? I know -- it's true though!

As educators, we make thousands of decisions daily and answer that many questions, too, perhaps. We allow our schedule to control us and by the end of the day we are exhausted and running on E. Yet, many of have responsibilities outside the school day - our own children to raise, our own parents to care for, our own bills to pay, and house to clean. We can easily become trapped in our own world of expectations.

Allow me to challenge your chalk-full schedule with three simple ideas.

1. Write your goals.
Wake up 15 minutes early and record your goals for the day. Write them down, record them in your phone, or put them on a sticky note. But, record your 3-4 goals. They can be simple, but should be measurable. Such as:

• Grade two class periods of the short stories written in my 11th grade English class.
• Create the three stations for next week's Guided Math/Math Workshop.
• Build next week's course objectives and formative assessments.

2. Build in You Time.
Yes, I said it. And I mean it (I started with And for emphasis!). Give yourself 30 minutes to read something enjoyable, be on Pinterest, watch a show. It can be 30 minutes all at once or in chunks. Make this guilt free time. Your brain needs this down time. You also will be more productive in your work time because you aren't distracting yourself with Pinterest, Social Media, or other distractions.

3. Schedule your Day.
I know this just sounds exhausting just thinking about it. But, if you plan out your minutes you WILL be more successful. We all get 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, and 86,400 seconds. How we use this time creates the ability to succeed, feel dread, or be successful. When you prioritize your minutes to be spent on tasks you deem important, you feel success.

Easier said than done, I know. But, try one of these ideas. Besides time, what else do you have to lose?

Random Results Does Not Create High Performing Schools

Years ago, I completed the Gallup Strengths Finder inventory and found that my number #1 strength was strategic. Gallup believes that when we focus on our strengths we see more success. We can apply these same concepts in our schools.

The more time I invest in education, the more convinced I am that schools who are working to achieve high quality education may be missing one (or all) of three things: structures, processes, and transparency.

Structures. Random implementation produces random results. When schools fail to create structures in the school setting, we tend to spend more energy in handling similar situations in different ways, provide inconsistent communication, and build frustration among all stakeholders. Structures help us handle complex situations with more ease. Structures could be the development of data teams, planning sessions to increase rigor, relevance and student engagement in the classroom, or a rigorous curriculum design process.

Processes. A process is defined as: a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end. Teachers need processes. We need processes. When we create processes to handle scenarios we are able to be more effective, efficient, and successful in our work. Processes can be used for how we handle email, organize walkthroughs for evaluations, or develop communication tools for working with staff.

Transparency. Very little can be accomplished behind curtains and closed doors. When we ensure transparency happens in day to day operations of running a school, we create buy-in, trust, and student success. When we deal with a student issue as an administrator and we close the loopholes of communication by ensuring the teacher, parent, or other individuals are included, we are to ensure a better resolution and outcome.

Randomness does not create success. Specific and strategic actions ensure that our students receive the best opportunity and chance for student success.

B2S Means Security

(Inhales deeply). There is nothing like the smell of a new box of crayons.

I sit here with a T-Minus 12 days until school starts for my 7th and 2nd grade student. The dreaded 'practice routine' conversations have happened where we tighten up bed time rituals, look at shoes and clothes, and work to offer a bit more structure. Probably the most visual back to school event is the school supply stations set up at your favorite Big Box store.

As I trolled my social media watching teachers comment that they were not ready for the July 5th displays, I found myself reflecting how many children who see these displays and breath a sigh of relief. As a school principal, I personally observed so
me of my students truly panic about school ending -- the daily routine, the ability to make mistakes and learn, and the care given were going to be going away for a series of weeks. The day to day patterns would disappear leaving a void that may or may not be filled by others in the summer months.

As I work with my own second grader who is NOT ready to go back to school, I know there is another 2nd grader who cannot wait to start. Our role in education is beyond academic achievement and state data. It's more than 162 days of accountability attendance and teaching the Common Core (insert your own state's name).

As we prepare for the first day of school, remember to take time to do the following:

1. Enjoy the back to school experience. Have your students smell the crayons and remember that smell. Those unique smells will stay with you forever. (Check out this great link about the research: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK55967/)

2. Build a family in your school. I had a parent recently post that she commonly referred to me as the "school dad" for her child. It really is the truth. We create the culture for our room or school. How are you impacting the culture daily. Just like you lesson plan, you need to culture plan.

3. Tweet daily. Spend time in your classrooms. Take photos of your environment, interactions, and learning. Give your school a hashtag (#LincolnExcels). Brand your learning and families can follow. This creates the sense of family and belonging.

4. Share a piece of home. Give students an opportunity to bring in an item from home that they can keep close by to create the emotional school and home connection. One teacher I observed used contact paper and allowed each student to have a photograph on the desk and covered with the contact paper.

Back to School is challenging at best - we have a responsibility to create the best B2S experience. It's their only kindergarten, seventh grade, or senior year experience. You have the ability to make it special. Make it count.

Caring Counts

Madeline Hunter states, "Kids don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Think about that statement. We work in a profession where focus is on standards, testing, and data. I think about "The Brady Bunch" and 'Marcia, Marcia, Marcia'. Data, data, data!

I work with a fantastic group of people that truly believe in Ms. Hunter's philosophy. Yet, we struggle to find that balance between state and political expectations. So, how do find the balance.

It's easy. Relationships make the difference. Our kids need to know you care about them. Spend time developing these relationships with your students. So, how do you this? Here's three strategies:

1. 10-4 Good buddy! Over the course of the first 4 weeks in the school year, learn 10 facts about your students that are not related to academics. Take a loose leaf notebook and create a page per student. On each student page, record 10 facts about each student. Learn your students outside the class.

2. Stick it to 'Em! Each evening write 1-2 sticky notes with a positive prompt about 1-2 students. Do this each evening. Imagine what would happen if you do this daily, and how this would improve your relationships.

3. Develop Deep Family Connections! Build connections with your students' families. Make a phone call, drop an email, or make a visit. Imagine if you made this contact once a month for each family. Phone calls and emails take five minutes. Praise points go a long way, especially if you do this repeatedly. Other benefit? When there is a challenge, you know that the parents are going to be very supportive!

Why do we do this? Show your kids your care, and then they will care to learn what you know!

Feel the heart, and you feed the brain. Inside, out!

Lead Like Their Lives Depend on It

As is this time of year, we often reflect on the successes of many as commencements across your community happen. I'm reminded that the sense of completion and the time of new beginning. What I love most about this time of year is the restart button for educators.

We close up the classroooms, level up the classes, and type up the copious amounts of data we have for evaulatiions and state reports. But more importantly, it's a time for us to reflect on our leadership skills. For a new set of kiddos are around the corner. 

I often argue that being a leader in Education is the most demanding of all fields. Having worked in public education, non-for-profit, and corporate, I am more convinced of this. The stakes are way higher than any other profession. What we build are the traits and behaviors that future leaders and community members carry with them for the rest of their lives.

As a school leader, consider the following:

1. Be in each and every moment - there is nothing more important than the conversation you are having with that child or adult. Listen more than you speak. We know you are the leader. You don't need to show us through words. Show us through actions. Find the root cause of an issue, and tackle it together. 



2. Every class, every day - Make a point to visit every classroom even if it's just a walk by. It's the best proactive support you can offer. Set aside 30 minutes to visit and be seen. I wish I had down this more. Looking back, im afraid I missed many "right there" opportunities to build confidence, reinforce positive actions, and learn.

3. Be a Teacher - model why you want. Spend time once a month teaching in a classroom. Maybe it's an interactive read aloud or teaching a guided math group in fourth grade. It could be a new recess game or a science experiment in chemistry. 

They are looking to you for guidance, for approval, and for affirmation. Your actions make a difference. Whatever you do, lead like their lives depend on it. Why? Their lives may really do depend on it.