The #michED chat is a grassroots effort dedicated to giving teachers, students, and parents across Michigan a bigger voice in the conversation about education in our state. We welcome all voices through a variety of projects, media, and social networking. We’re trying to address educational issues through apolitical conversation, spreading ideas and stories of success from Michigan classrooms across the state, and helping teachers and students regain the courage to connect and demonstrate that schools in Michigan are creating amazing opportunities for learning. We want the face and voice of education in Michigan to be a mural of shared experiences and positive examples of connected learning.
Hello #MichEd chatters! Theresa Stager here from Saline, MI. 5th year admin, 2nd year in Saline. Who is here tonight, where are you from, and what do you do there?
It’s right around the corner! The METS Winter Virtual Rally! A free online PD opportunity brought to you by the METS group! Register today! https://t.co/nd8NQmz9sl#miched-mets
#Michigan teachers deserve more support & respect. Join us, along with @MEAOnline & @aftmichigan at 9:30 AM tomorrow in room 405 of the Capitol Bldg to hear our plan. #mileg#MichEd
A1: Having the honor to collaborate groups of people in order to do what is best for kids! #miched (Laura from Saline here). I'll be in and out of the conversation as well.
A1: School leadership takes on many forms and responsibilities. I believe a leader is someone who listens and applies feedback to help support departments, teachers, Ss, etc. Doing what is best for all parties, not just one. #miched
A1: Leaders
are role models
want input
encourage others to find their own path to the desired goal.
build up others. Leaders
create a collaborative environment.
#miched
Not only seeing it, but helping others to see it as well. Understanding the balance is huge.....I may have watched Star Wars (all of them. All. The. Star. Wars) too many times. #miched
Not only seeing it, but helping others to see it as well. Understanding the balance is huge.....I may have watched Star Wars (all of them. All. The. Star. Wars) too many times. #miched
A1: school leadership isn't a title. Defined by your actions to help AVS serve others, especially your Ss! So important that all stakeholders can lead in their own ways! #michED
School leadership is creating a school where students are learning and enjoying it and where teachers love coming to work. Parents are supportive and happy. #MichEd
A2: I have been working hard at bolstering my listening and coaching skills. I love opportunities to listen and facilitate reflection & problem solving. #miched
A2: Strengths lie in outside perspective many. I have learned a tremendous amount from classroom experience. Assist with ideas & as listener. Offer support & assistance. Difficult to maintain trust wall as non-evaliative coach when taking issues with admin, but a must #michED
I believe a strength of mine is reflection. My conversations with other leaders involve a willingness to be vulnerable and reflecting on current practices. #michED
A2: I have been working hard at bolstering my listening and coaching skills. I love opportunities to listen and facilitate reflection & problem solving. #miched
My biggest struggle is being weighed down with discipline. I often have the best of intentions and it has to be tabled due to difficult circumstances. #michED
A3: hands down: critical conversations where change muddy happen & rapidly. I struggle with the gentelness necessary but the words to change it #michED
A3: I consider myself a "people pleaser" so knowing that I can't give everyone the answer they want all the time. I just try and be honest and open when it happens, but it still is tough! #miched
A3: I struggle with being assertive as a leader. I spend far too much time worrying about others and events I have no control over; often at my own detriment on working towards goals. #michED
This is real, Daniel. A lot of leaders struggle with this in one way or another. Key is understanding and then focusing more on asking great questions. #michED
My biggest struggle is being weighed down with discipline. I often have the best of intentions and it has to be tabled due to difficult circumstances. #michED
When I have to tackle a problem that I really don’t want to address causes me a little more stress than I really want to deal with. Sometime this means putting out fires caused by someone else. However, I step up to the challenge. #MichEd
A3: I'm not an administrator. However, I am a leader in many ways.
I struggle with when decisions are made and it feels that as teachers our opinions are not valued in the process.
#miched
A3: I struggle with asking others for help #MichED I chose to lead by example and hope others pitch in to make it all work! I need to work at delegation and finding a team
I think it's harder to communicate and message through other leaders versus leading people directly. Maxwell always says that leading people adds value but leading leaders multiplies value. To get that multiplication factor is a challenge. #MichEd#Communication#Leadership
Yes. And when I'm ready to make the jump into admin role, I should have my answers ready! Haha! I know. Reflection is really the key and essential to how I view my success in my role. #michED
Yes. And when I'm ready to make the jump into admin role, I should have my answers ready! Haha! I know. Reflection is really the key and essential to how I view my success in my role. #michED
A4: I had a HUGE work/life balance shift a few years back. Most evenings now belong to my family; no emails, little work, and only rare Twitter chats ;) #michED
A4) I love being married to an educator. When the kids go to bed, we hit the books, free PD, lesson plans, and collaborate on our individual successes and issues. #miched@Teach_MrsB
A4: My wife and I rely on @googlecalendar to plan out events and know what's coming up. Otherwise, keep it old school and let your colleagues know your general pattern for when you will be "disconnected" from devices. #miched
A4: I turn my watch notifications off when I'm at home (unless I'm waiting for something important.) This helps with lack of constant distractions. #MichEd
Balance is different for everyone. Some people have young families that require more home time.
You need to be at peace with yourself. If that happens you may be inching closer to balance. #michED
A4: My wife and I rely on @googlecalendar to plan out events and know what's coming up. Otherwise, keep it old school and let your colleagues know your general pattern for when you will be "disconnected" from devices. #miched
A4: creating time for yourself and family. Being an admin is sometimes seems like 24/7. But, being able to let go does take time to figure out. #Miched
A4: from someone who once spent 6-10 at school 3 or 4 times a week as a teacher, it's about finding boundaries and saying no to projects. In master's classes w/ a new born taught me a ton about balance & finding it. Focus in task at hand and priotized to do list saves me #michED
A4: Work/life. I try to make after school family time. When my son goes to bed, I'll get back to grading/planning. I try to get to bed on time. #miched
Q4 balancing it all is not easy. I’m trying to play more, schedule more nights out, get back to the gym, etc it’s hard to turn off your educator brain at night and focus on home. . #MichEd
A4: Knowing "the look" your spouse gives when you are on a twitter chat as children are attempting to escape from bedrooms. Thanks for the invite @PrincipalStager - gotta go! #miched
A4 My wife and I are both educators. We unplug at times, disconnect, and spend time together. Have fun on the weekends and go out to eat helps. #MichEd
A4: Thanks to my wife I get to play hoops (my 1st true love) once a week. I also love to coach my own kids and we love weekends with nothing to do. #boardgames#movienight#MichEd
#michED Excellent conversations happening this evening. Make sure you take a moment to follow one another. The connections that are made are what make this such a unique and powerful learning tool.
#michED Excellent conversations happening this evening. Make sure you take a moment to follow one another. The connections that are made are what make this such a unique and powerful learning tool.
A7: I was once told to "be the river and understand that the rocks in the water may not move, but the water still will" Ignore the rocks!
New initiatives, ideas and strategies take time. #miched
The challenge is when initiatives feel forced or mandated. Terrific ideas may be put on the back burner because of new laws or initiatives. #3rdGradeReadingLaw#michED
A7: I calibrate my leadership by having honest face to face conversations with teachers I trust to tell me the truth; those I've come to know will be honest about my decisions. #michED
A4: I laughed at this. I’m currently struggling on how this balance actually works. I take breaks and then stay up too late due to those breaks. It’s a lose lose situation at the moment. #miched
A7: Hard to do. Start by limiting my commitments (work in progress) & managing tasks with project management tools like Asana! Helps with reminds and deadlines. Subtasks as goals that show on my g calendar! #michED
A7) I check myself by attempting to limit the number of obligations that I can successfully handle and asking for feedback/help when I need it. #miched
On a positive note, I enjoy the challenge of letting teachers have autonomy, but also keeping learning opportunities similar. The Art of Teaching must be supported. #michED
