#prinleaderchat Archive
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is starting a new #prinleaderchat every Sunday at 9:00 pm EST. We will be starting this Sunday October 2. Our schedule is listed on this google spreadsheet https://goo.gl/SI9LVo.
Sunday October 30, 2016
Greetings from NJ for tonight’s Hope you're ready to escape from zombie faculty meetings!!
Please share who you are, position, school, and please tell us what Halloween Costume you are wearing this year.
Good evening! Steve Carlson, Principal of Sandusky Jr/Sr High School in Michigan.
Billie, high school principal from NC.
Howdy from Texas. I'm Melissa here representing Principals4Principals. I'm a principal in Texas.
Aloha Dennis, likewise, learned a lot from you as well.
great to have you join us Steve
Shivali Finkelstein, Assistant Principal (STEAM) at South Kingstown High School, Rhode Island.
Hi! Adam from VA. Principal
Lisa, assistant principal, from Bartlett, TN! Thanks for hosting!
Aloha Shivali! Welcome to
Gately brings it out of the gate!!!!!! Love it
great to have you join us!
Dennis -- Middle School Principal from Long Island, NY My main office team is dressing as superheroes. And I'm Clark Kent.
Q1: List the most grueling events that took place during fac. meetings. Can be from your meetings or experiences from past.
Kris, Elem prin from PA "BeeBrave"
PK-6 Principal from Dallas,TX
Looking forward to seeing those pictures.
greetings!! Glad to have you with us, even though I'm an Eagles fan 😳
A1: Gripe sessions, PD lecture style.. when the content does not match your role, needs, and feels like wasted time.
A1: complaining with no solutions https://t.co/uwjKenymem
Q1: List the most grueling events that took place during fac. meetings. Can be from your meetings or experiences from past.
Justin, Elem Principal in MN.
Ted, Middle School Principal from MO.
haven't we all? reflections make us better.
Sam, K- 5 principal in central NJ. Looking forward to learning with you tonight.
. Mike Curran, Teacher Educator. https://t.co/YNvsiJty9g
Please share who you are, position, school, and please tell us what Halloween Costume you are wearing this year.
Looking forward to learning from this PLN to make faculty meetings interesting!
High School Principal-Minden, Nebraska
A1: Straying off agenda, mostly, is what has frustrated me. Can't allow people to hijack a meeting. https://t.co/rROJJWETfo
Q1: List the most grueling events that took place during fac. meetings. Can be from your meetings or experiences from past.
A1: Reading through info items & convo/topics not directly related to learning
Lucas, assistant principal in Kansas
A1) when we are doing tech PD as a whole group and can only move as fast as the slowest person. Ugh.
Bill Elementary principal, Soldotna Alaska. Halloween costume Bag of M&M's with office staff
A1-Power Points... Sometimes I just deliver updates. I admit that I need to be more engaging.
A1. complaining about kids and being unwilling to engage them with something different
A1. Hand out memo on new policy. Read it together. Lecture on what they just read. Brains turn into mush
been there Adam --- been there....
A1. Unwillingness to change for the better and to embrace new ideas.
No costume planned, but my son & daughter are insisting I dress as Walter White, considering my obsession
A1 As teacher, not being able to complete the crossword puzzle. As principal, to ensure my teachers' time is honored better.
Q2: Why do we continue to allow ourselves to conduct or sit in on the same tortuous meetings that haven’t changed over yrs?
Hi! I'm an elementary principal from Ohio. Trying to balance this with playing tonight! This is serious, people.
A1. Discussing 2nd Order Change with staff.
A1 Not having enough time to cover everything and not being able to do more interactive things!
Really appreciating the honest and transparent answers tonight. Truthful reflection allows us to grow better!
Faculty meetings should be free PD. Making the most of the time you have together is vital. Ts are busy people.
hmmmmm not sure about that one buddy
A2 I'm better now but --- fear of ... being vulnerable?
Q2 is up on https://t.co/JaLijKxH9W
Q2: Why do we continue to allow ourselves to conduct or sit in on the same tortuous meetings that haven’t changed over yrs?
A2: Time. How can we communicate the info quickly and make sure everyone received it?
A2. It's what we've always done. Blind leading blind
Q2 Great question. Why not change the paradigm? Let Ts lead out. Put paper clip items in an email or give to Team Leads.
A2. I am working to break from that old format.
My book about the principalship might speak to you. Just sayin'. Message me to contribute to the next conversation!
A2: We changed it last year. Name is "Staff Power Hour"- an hour of free PD focused on need and strategic direction
A2-Fear that the staff will reject change... Not a great excuse... But "it's always been done that way."
We need to re-culture the faculty meeting so the expectations change -- "we're all learners" -- I am not the EXPERT ---
A2: Sometimes our Ts are hooked on 'em.
Jofee' Tremain joining late from Fort Worth,TX
A2: being out of one's comfort zone.
A2: We run our meetings how we were taught. Oh we were not taught any differently..
A2. Change, at times, is not easily embraced by stakeholders. So you do need to move at a slower pace.
staff Google Classroom page helped me, you respect their time & can create ways to hold them accountable for info
A2 I forget what its like to be sitting on the other end during the meeting.
I began this last school year, Steve. Has made a bit of a dent. https://t.co/T4jsCPiRNS
staff Google Classroom page helped me, you respect their time & can create ways to hold them accountable for info
Q3: Share activities/ways that you have used (or want to use) to destroy zombie fac. meetings, and reawaken your staff?
Traditions are comfortable. So why not invest time in collaborating to establish new traditions?
Yes -- as principals --- like teachers --- we must examine our impact!
A2: Google classroom is my favorite tool right now.
My friend and idol -- gets it!!!!
https://t.co/90TuDLtXYN
Traditions are comfortable. So why not invest time in collaborating to establish new traditions?
Sorry! Jumping in late after a long phone call. I'm Jennifer, HS AP in AL. Great to be here!
A2 We must force change or yell "Bingo" loud enough to get the point across. https://t.co/eU5XCJ7E6h
Q2: Why do we continue to allow ourselves to conduct or sit in on the same tortuous meetings that haven’t changed over yrs?
really like the staff EdCamp model... simply to engage and model active learning for teachers https://t.co/5W9hsS9OoT
Q3: Share activities/ways that you have used (or want to use) to destroy zombie fac. meetings, and reawaken your staff?
A3: Have done flipped meetings, but haven't been well received.
I purchased three Arduino this summer at a seminar at ! Won the book thru NYC
A3) we are using the platform Its Learning to share information for meetings.
A3: T led PD sessions (offer choices), communicate info through Advisory committees, make it fun!
A3 We went to the EdCamp format once a week
A3 Move from being the "sage on the stage" to being the "guide on the side". Model protocols and tools teachers can use.
love that and done that!!!
A3: Use real examples and give time to talk, and be silly/have fun! I try and use Cooperative Learning strategies w/ staff.
always learn from you Jen!! Thanks
A3. Run for the Roses, Ice Breakers, Celebrations, Special Treats.
A3 I would love to incorporate EdCamp style PD in my staff meetings or maybe even a fun game of "Things That Suck?"
A 3 By modeling the topic. Create activities that you would want them (Ts) to use with the students in their classroom.
A3. contest where Ts grouped in 3 cmpltd wrksht on a new IEP reference notebook. Quickest to complete got to leave early
A3: post agenda earlier, upbeat, music, teacher lead, has to be relevant and meaningful
yes --- we populate a Google Form prior to (no time on day of meeting) all EdCamp rules appy
what are you waiting for?!?! Make it happen!
Neuroscience continues to tell us faculty mtgs, parent-teacher conferences & homework are NOT a good use of time.
I have tried it a few times.
A3: Involve Union leadership - have those hard convos
Educators are the worst to present to, I have often considered setting up a video camera and then playing it back
A3: Model collaborative strategies. Don't meet just to meet. Have a theme. Candy helps! ;-)
Q4: Share with how you overcame being a zombie,and went against traditional meetings? What book/people/events motivated you?
https://t.co/ktdAceIvMX
Neuroscience continues to tell us faculty mtgs, parent-teacher conferences & homework are NOT a good use of time.
Want (need) to do this for staff PD later this year https://t.co/MHGwpFAXRo
A3 We went to the EdCamp format once a week
YES!!! https://t.co/gicqgwRVKi
A3 I would love to incorporate EdCamp style PD in my staff meetings or maybe even a fun game of "Things That Suck?"
candy and food - can't beat that!
Fantastic! Can you share the biggest adjustment in that kind of shift? And what was the best outcome?
A4. My time in cohort changed my mindset on how to deliver information
A3 Share the load. Ask others to discuss projects on which they are working. They run meeting. https://t.co/stdivMjfUj
Q3: Share activities/ways that you have used (or want to use) to destroy zombie fac. meetings, and reawaken your staff?
We use most of our Faculty Meeting time for PD or School Improvement Plan work.
I think that sys something very powerful about you and your staff!
A4: I hosted a team Scaventure to team build. I shifted when I became a roving coach to new teachers and mentors.
A4. I've used Screencast-o-amatic in the past.
A4: ReWork, Meetings Suck, Ego is the Enemy
A4: We don't havefaculty mtings after the 1st one of the yr. We do quarterly staff meetings where Ts attend on off period.
will keep plugging away to transform meetings into learning/sharing settings.
A3) some of my inspiration has come from Todd Whitaker, George Couros, Eric Jensen, Dave Burgess https://t.co/4DQacPtv5J
Just being connected to all of you amazing leaders MADE me up my game -- raised the bar -- learn everyday !!
Had to take some things off the plate. We also went to voxer for comm. Still have meetings but more as dept.
A4-The Multiplier Effect really stresses the need to build leaders among your staff.
Witgh Faculty Mtgs and DC meetings I try to put "Info for an Email: in an email.
A4: inspired me w/her passion about . Used it for a PD make-up session recently. Well received!
! https://t.co/CqFAvjx82g
Just being connected to all of you amazing leaders MADE me up my game -- raised the bar -- learn everyday !!
If is not yet possible, why can't faculty mtgs be more potluck? On/offline, synch/asynchronous
This is what I've been using for screencasts. Very simple to use and get videos uploaded. https://t.co/ajWJ60q8je
A4. I've used Screencast-o-amatic in the past.
A3 We ask 6-7 people to lead learning conversations on different topics, have people sign up for what they want rotate mtngs
thanks!! Sharing others in a few
Don’t stop being awesome and be the beacon of light for your school! Here are some helpful notes: https://t.co/6zSPXLftEE
DITTO! https://t.co/8yGl6qAYQq
Just being connected to all of you amazing leaders MADE me up my game -- raised the bar -- learn everyday !!
. do it, Don! I think it's a great way to free up time to focus on professional learning.
Yes -- use Faculty Study Teams to explore issues --- use Google Classroom (or Edmodo) to share ideas
Can you explain office hours?
Agreed! https://t.co/AvytjRF6Sq
Just being connected to all of you amazing leaders MADE me up my game -- raised the bar -- learn everyday !!
A4) We have postcards and labels with S's addresses so that T's can write a positive note to kids.
Autonomy, mastery, and purpose should be the backbone of every meeting. ( ) https://t.co/Awucn6WBRo
A4: Drive by really stressed the need for staff to have some autonomy in doing tedious tasks… https://t.co/S0ZSoAiJgp
Q4: Share with how you overcame being a zombie,and went against traditional meetings? What book/people/events motivated you?
If school leader is not an active learner during (insert form of PD) it's a missed opp to build culture
Thanks everyone for a great tonight!!!
I totally agree, same here! 👍
I think every one of our school and system leaders have read that book. Powerful read!
Thanks everyone for your insights
Thank YOU for BRINGING IT tonight! Awesome chat!
literally no research 2 support homework at EL+Middle Lvl. doesn't work anymor… https://t.co/3oIryXPqzd
Neuroscience continues to tell us faculty mtgs, parent-teacher conferences & homework are NOT a good use of time.
Mahalo Joe, Thanks for joining in the fun!
We have once per month PD meetings during the day called "Collaboration Hour." For learning & sharing.
We set time limits on "management issues" and focus on leadership learning & discussion. Google doc for input.
Mahalo Glenn, always enjoy seeing the ! Tell him Uncle Winston thinks he's awesome.
Thank you PLN for sharing!! 😊
Nice!
Might have to steal this title. https://t.co/yry0jJmWKk
We have once per month PD meetings during the day called "Collaboration Hour." For learning & sharing.
Thank you for your leadership! Great chat tonight!
Awesome to have you here Jennifer!
definitely will when he wakes up tomorrow!!
Thanks for a hosting and moderating! Always an awesome learning experience!
Thank you good sir! Teamwork makes the dream work. We are all in this together. https://t.co/LTKCg4gymo
Thanks for a hosting and moderating! Always an awesome learning experience!
Thanks for the chat, men. Enjoyed it!
The role of a leader is to create more leaders not more followers!
Aww, Thanks! But it takes a village.
👍 Got it! See ya next time
Mahalo Sam! Glad you could make it.
Glad I found this chat tonight...thanks for moderating it!
Great chat tonight! Thanks!
Oops, great catch! November 6th!
Already got it on the calendar....see everyone Next Sunday
Often we get caught up with the style of leadership, the substance is what really counts!
