Reflections

I watched as she just stared at the present. This young lady, invited to an after school Christmas party for her and some of her classmates, was mesmerized by the bows and glitter. She took in every moment of all things beautiful. She methodically moved the packages on all sides and smiled at every turn. She said something about not wanting to unwrap it. It was all so pretty and she was looking to keep it in tact. She eventually relented and peeled away the papers. She smiled the biggest of smiles at every present found within. Her head lifted and she watched as the invited classmates had already enthusiastically opened their gifts. She smiled with them. She smiled for them.  She must have thanked the adults in the room at least ten times with her own quiet words and thankful glances.  It was in these moments that the adults gathered in that room were reminded of the true meaning of Christmas.  She prompted us to take in the memory before us without regard for all...

When I was still a teacher, many years ago, there was a book series for students where they could choose "their own adventure".  Readers would read to a certain point and then depending on what they thought the protagonist should do, they would skip ahead to certain pages and continue reading.  I remember them being wildly popular for some of my most voracious readers. My mind has been skipping back to thoughts of this series as I process recent conversations with colleagues in district and beyond. Some of these conversations are sound bytes from my current role and some are sound bytes from networking sessions outside my formal role. In some ways, the words blend together as I think about the collective work "of school" and evaluate my own contributions within. In my mind, I see our protagonist as the school leader, district leader, or even a teacher. Someone who is juggling way too much on one plate and works desperately to keep children at the center of the d...

In my position, I have the opportunity to sit in on a number of conversations that turn to the topic of school improvement. These conversations are with a variety of stakeholders including teachers, support staff, parents, principals and even colleagues in other schools. The topic is often handled differently. For some, improvement can be stated in terms of the new. This might be new positions, new reading materials, or new policies. All of these actions happen outside the organization and are brought in. The chance for improvement is postponed and dependent on outside influences. For others, improvement is stated in terms of purposeful change and coordinated efforts within a building. An example of this approach can be found within a solid Child Study Team. Some CSTs have this process down pat.  Identify a concern, create an intervention plan which is developed (with teachers) and implemented by a team , and then monitor for progress or lack there-of. Re-meet and readjust. M...