Monthly Archives: February 2014

Attention: Focus it.

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Attention. Attend.

From Apple’s Dictionary: ORIGIN Middle English (in the sense ‘apply one’s mind, one’s energies to’): from Old French atendre, from Latin attendere, from ad- ‘to’ + tendere ‘stretch.’

To learn, we must attend, apply our minds, and stretch our knowledge. I found Peter Skillen’s comment important in this post because our students need to find their connections and passions; that often starts with small steps — reading or writing shorter blog posts or connecting with tweets and their links. They are often the reflection to solidify the learning from other areas — longer texts or critical discussions. We need both the short and the long.

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Let’s find balance in our expectations and requirements for rigor and attention.  Whether a tweet or classic, let’s “Stop. Look. Listen.” Dialogue. Learn.

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Anxiety to Growth

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It’s refreshing to read about the new evaluation system in a “growth mindset.”

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I wonder, though, if the requirement for comprehensive evaluations provides that mindset. It requires documentation for hundreds of bullets under over forty criteria in the Marzano Framework. The original framework offered choice in growth planning; that framework would encourage growth and change.

But like this dynamic principal, we look forward to a “promise of growth.” A promise. A hope.

What hope do you see?

Kaizen Learning

We are transitioning to a new evaluation system for both teachers and administrators.  This was something I shared with staff in regards to my transition to the new system.

“Anxiety is an unpleasant state of inner turmoil.”

Many people often experience this general state of worry or fear just prior to confronting something challenging.  Something that means a lot to them.  Something that comes with some kind of judgement.  Anxiety is most often associated with a test, interview, public performance, or presentation.  The feelings that accompany anxiety are easily justified and normal.  At least that is what I kept telling myself when I began to read and digest the leadership framework from which I will be evaluated this year.  The more I read the more anxious I became.  The anxiousnes I felt soon transitioned to feelings of inadequacy as a school leader.  Especially after reading the first two rubrics:

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