Comments on: Leadership Experiences

By: Elona

Elona — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 23:36:40 +0000

John, it is interesting that you raise the point you do because that’s a concern that was expressed around the table during a recent Literacy Committee meeting at our school. Someone thought to ask how do we know these new infinitives make any real difference to the academic and social development of our students? Some teachers resent having to implement the new initiatives because they aren’t convinced that the new initiatives will really help the student. It was suggested that a lot of the new initiatives were designed to help all right, to help people move up the promotion ladder. I wouldn’t want to be that cynical. But, it does seem at times we are asked to do some things in blind faith, and we are much too busy for that. I think questions do need to be asked. Questions like why are we doing this, and how do we know it will have the desired effect.

By: John Wills Lloyd

John Wills Lloyd — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 18:27:35 +0000

As I’m not in a leadership position, I don’t have the authority to comment in depth here. However, I’d like to drop one idea into the mix: I hope that leaders encouage the use of evidence-based practices and provide guidance in assessing empirically whether educational interventions are improving students’ outcomes on trustworthy measures of important academic and social development.

By: Elona

Elona — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 19:15:25 +0000

Sherri, thanks for your reply. It’s interesting to see how much we have in common with others. I refer to the commitment we have to helping students be the best they can be. We all want to help students, but we come at it from sightly different ways.

By: Sherri Fisher

Sherri Fisher — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 19:03:37 +0000

Hi, Elona and Friends–

Here are my answers:They are primarily related to my work..though I may digress..

-What’s working well?
I have reframed my work as a result of my UPenn MAPP degree and the number of ways to use positive interventions with students, teachers and families is limited only by the combination of creativity and sensitivity you bring to your work with them. In my March 5 article upcoming in the Positive Psychology Daily News (www.pos-psych.com and also on http://www.studentflourishing.com), I’ll go into detail about how I use one of the empirically tested interventions with students who have given up on both pathways and agency for improvement.

- What brings you great pride and joy?
Despite the negative spin in the press about Positive Psychology being potentially dangerous for you, I am really proud of my degree and continuing work in the field of Positive Pscyhology as it relates to education.

- How have you made a difference for good in the lives of those you serve?
Most of my clients have significant multi-level school struggles. By the time they get to me, they have usually burned through several other specialists and they do not trust anyone, especially students 8th grade and up. I know I make a difference when students I have not seen for years search me out on the internet and call or write to tell me that they are now “using their powers for good.” Last month a 30 year old who I taught in 6th grade called. Wow!
See what other people have said, too:http://studentflourishing.com/coach.htm

- What brings you quiet satisfaction?
My daughter who is now in college e-mailed last week to say that I would be proud of her for cleaning her apartment, folding her laundry and doing the dishes in the sink even they were not her own and no one had asked her. Ok, I was jumping up and down!

- What have you learned over the last few months?
I have learned that I need to be more focused in my work in education since it is my passion and calling. The best way to do this is to partner with people who have complimentary strengths. It feels like we are getting more work done, but it is less stressful and of higher quality. I am a helper at heart, but miracles by the hour are not always enough…The starfish thrower is saving each one he throws back, but he is working against the tide.
- How can you use this information (above) to move your organization forward?
I have worked alone for about the last 8 years. I miss and benefit from working with others, so I am devoting time to seeing who else is out there:-)

By: Elona

Elona — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 19:18:08 +0000

Doug, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. You are in a leadership role in the classroom and on the net. I’ve been inspired to try things that you have shared via your blog. It’s true that there’s so much out there, and one needs time to reconstruct it in one’s own way.

By: Doug Belshaw

Doug Belshaw — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 11:28:07 +0000

Hi Elona,

I’m not really in a leadership position as such, but if I widen the definition to include leading learning, I suppose I’d respond in the following way:

1. What’s working well? – using a wiki with my Year 10 History students as well as getting them blogging. I’m trying to hand some – if not most – of the responsibility of their own learning back to the students.

2. What brings you great pride and joy? – my newborn son. Oh, in a professional context? Seeing students go beyond what is required of them because they’re motivated and interested.

3. How have you made a difference for good in the lives of those you serve? – I try to be the equivalent of a parent at school for those in my tutor group and someone who’s not just a stereotypical teacher to those who I help learn. I can’t point to hard-and-fast ‘results’ but I would hope that I develop and enable others – teachers and students alike!

4. What brings you quiet satisfaction? – the number of people reading my teaching blog. It’s not about the number of people who subscribe to my RSS feed, but it is nice to know that someone’s reading my inane ramblings…

5. What have you learned over the last few months? – more than I could ever hope to summarize here! I’ve actually learned more through reading blog posts than I have through my Ed.D. programme. Sometimes, however, you have to turn the firehose off for a while to let it all sink it. There’s a lot of knowledge out there and you need time to filter it and reconstruct it in your own way…

6. How can you use this information (above) to move your organization forward? – it’s not just about moving my organization forward – there’s a few barriers to doing that – but helping move the whole system forward. If I can help to do that, I’ll be happy. I think the best way of doing that it sharing good practice and building up a group (or network, or whatever you want to call it) of reflective and innovative practitioners who can influence schools in the future!