1 / 28

SIG Leadership Training

SIG Leadership Training. November 15, 2012 COMMUNICATION. Why are we talking about communication?. Schools focused on school reform experience many types of communication processes with complicated networks in constant motion. Commercial…..

sterling-channing
Download Presentation

SIG Leadership Training

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. SIG Leadership Training November 15, 2012 COMMUNICATION

  2. Why are we talking about communication? • Schools focused on school reform experience many types of communication processes with complicated networks in constant motion. • Commercial….. • As leaders….. Are we communicating our vision clearly? Concisely? Inclusively? Collaboratively? Pervasively?

  3. AS LEADERS WE THINK WE ARE COMMUNICATING EVERY DAY…..

  4. Yet, are we convinced our followers are listening or if they understand what we are envisioning as our purpose?

  5. THERE ARE SEVERAL STRATEGIES LEADERS CAN USE TO “BREAK DOWN THESE WALLS!”

  6. CASE STUDY…BROCKTON HIGH SCHOOLBOSTON, MA OVER 4000 STUDENTS • Lessons being learned • It isn’t the money that makes a difference • CULTURE eats strategy for lunch every day of the week • Transformed schools: high quality leaders, fidelity to implementation and focused vision • Highly effective teachers in every classroom

  7. Who are We??? Our Demographics • Comprehensive 9 – 12 • Enrollment: 4,218 • Poverty Level: 72% • Minority population: 73% • 50 different languages • 50% speak another • language in the home • Approximately 12% in • Transitional Bilingual Ed. • Approximately 11% receive • Special Educ. Services

  8. 57% Black - includes African American, Cape Verdean, Haitian, Jamaican, and others 26% White 14% Hispanic 2.5% Asian .5% Native American Meet our Students

  9. The Problem (Actually there were many) • Mass. implemented a high stakes test (MCAS) • Three-quarters of our students would not be earning a diploma • Culture of low expectations – “Students have a right to fail” • Negative image in our city, in the state • Yet we were living in DENIAL! • Who is responsible? We had silos (My kids, your kids, not OUR kids) • Success by chance; depended on who your teacher was. Are you lucky?

  10. STATE MANDATES…WE FACED: MCAS 1998 Failure ELA – 44% (Sped – 78%) MATH – 75% (Sped – 98%) MCAS 1998 Advanced+Proficient ELA – 22% MATH – 7%

  11. SO WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE SCHOOLS OF PROMISE? WE AREN’T LIKE BROCKTON HIGH! • Brockton High • Large enrollment • Urban setting • Needed to build leadership capacity • Needed to establish a shared vision • Needed to create a culture • Needed to align teacher/administrator selection, support, and evaluation • Needed to support decision making based on data systems! • Schools of Promise High • Small enrollment • Rural setting • Needed to build leadership capacity • Needed to establish a shared vision • Needed to create a culture • Needed to align teacher/administrator selection, support, and evaluation • Needed to support decision making based on data systems! • WE HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON..RIGHT?…WRONG!

  12. Leaders: All shapes and sizes and different intentions

  13. Leadership: CONTEXT MATTERS

  14. Leadership Matters and it Matters A Lot! • A study published in Education Next (2012) has found that the effect of highly effective principals on student achievement is equivalent to 2-7 MONTHS OF ADDITIONAL LEARING EACH SCHOOL YEAR, WHILE INEFFECTIVE PRINCIPALS NEGATIVELY IMPACT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BY A COMPARABLE AMOUNT!

  15. THINK OF IT THIS WAY…. • What would happen if all stakeholders…students, parents, community supported the shared vision, committed themselves to the shared vision, and implemented the shared vision in every aspect of the school day…..? • EVERYONE….MEANING EVERYONE supported the RISC implementation, the GRADUATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM, the NEW LITERACY PROGRAM (in all subject areas….everyone!) • ………………………..what would this mean to our kids?

  16. Leadership Secrets • Leadership Secret #1—Most Accomplished Leaders Have a Cause/Noble Purpose • Big and Bold • Inclusive • Why you do what you do • Fixes something wrong • More than a goal—it’s the journey • Brings honor to self and others • Provides direction • Fuels passion • Drives momentum • Builds CULTURES • Gives meaning to people’s lives

  17. …..MORE LEADERSHIP SECRETS • Leadership Secret #2—Most accomplished Leaders Let Go • Ego doesn’t determine the pathway • No excuses • You are better able to deal with CHANGE • Innovation happens • Leadership is shared • Leadership Secret #3—Most accomplished Leaders Make Certain that EVERYONE knows the strategy--- communication….in every way possible! • All stakeholders “walk the talk” • No finger pointing…we are in this together! • Leadership Secret #4—Most accomplished Leaders Make Certain that EVERYONE takes ownership—the superintendent to the principals to the teachers to the students! All means All

  18. Leadership • Whom do you follow? • Why? • Who is most likely to follow you? • Why?

  19. What is the connection to communication? • Sue Szach….. Top Ten Leadership Tips • #10—Don’t make a decision while walking around; it always comes back to bite you • #9—You can’t eliminate feelings; the key is managing them. “Why do you despise me so?” • #8—PLAN your “fierce conversations”….. • DIFFICULT, DISCIPLINARY, ADVERSARIAL, ETC….

  20. Fierce Conversations Susan Scott

  21. Fierce conversations are about moral courage, clear requests, and taking action! • 3 Steps in a Fierce Conversation….. • The Opening • The dialogue • The resolution

  22. Step One: The Opening • Structure the conversation, set the boundaries in an OPENING • “The purpose of today is…..” • “The procedure is…..”“ I will tell you everything I know about an incident and ask you to tell me what you know.” • Time frame: “and together we will come up with a solution” within the next 30 minutes. If we need more time, we will schedule another meeting.”

  23. Step 2: The Dialogue and Step 3: The Resolution • You extend the invitation to a dialogue • “Here’s what I’ve seen. I need to hear your take on this.” (Back and forth) • Then listen (Can be difficult) • USE and be prepared for SILENCE • Restate what the other person says (so, I hear you saying….) • Be CLEAR about why this matters. • When you give negative feedback be prepared to get it back. • Know when NOT to listen. • “Let me write down what you said so that I get it exactly” and then repeat it back. • Make it clear the intent is to resolve the issue. • “So where are we now? What have we learned? How do we move forward? • End the fierce conversation with a plan • Memorialize the discussion in writing!

  24. HOMEWORK….. • Think about a fierce conversation you need to have---the office bully, the obnoxious colleague you have tolerated, perhaps even the teacher who hasn’t been on time since school started…Give yourself a date by which you will have had the conversation, then….. DO IT!

  25. #7……DOWN TO #1 • #7 Contracts and unions don’t mean CAN’T • #6 “Because we have always done it this way”is not a reason to continue down the same path. • #5 Celebrate and publicize your successes, even the small ones! • #4 FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS • #3 It takes a team to implement change • #2 No excuses….life isn’t fair! • #1 Making change takes tenacity, NOT brilliance…if Brockton High School can do it…anyone can! • Dr. Susan Szachowicz, Brockton High School 470 Forest Avenue Brockton, MA 02301 508-580-733 • SUSANSZACHOWICZ@bpsma.org

  26. THEN NOW MCAS 2012 Advanced+Proficient ELA – 83.3% Math –70.3 % MCAS 1998 Advanced+Proficient ELA 22% Math 7% MATH – 7 %

  27. ALL KIDS…AND WE MEAN ALL! • Cain’s Arcade……could he be in your school?

More Related