Reflect - Regroup -Reconnect- Refresh

Reflection has always been an important part of my practice. It is something I promote, provide for others in the form of feedback, and use to connect, ponder, and articulate my ideas. Whereas some folks enjoy reflecting through active dialog, I find it much more rewarding and useful to do so in writing. A lot has happened since July 7^th when I began a new professional role. Although I have spent time reflecting, I have not done so through my blog, which I am disappointed in since I find it the most meaningful and personal way to reflect. But, it’s never too late. I will try to get back in the habit. Although, I have reflected through: a daily tweet, parts of entries on my school site, and through emails and letters to others I work with about topics that are up for discussion.

What are some ways, beyond the traditional blog entry, that help you to reflect on your professional practice? I would love to expand my horizons. 

Getting Started: My View From The Hill

There are no step by step instructions or a logical plan for your first days as you transition into a new position and school. All the professional reading that you do or the research you do on the your new school’s mission, program and people, most likely will not influence your first step, stride or jump into your new community. I did not receive any concrete advice, and I did not have an image in my mind or an outlined schedule of how things would fall into place during my first week on the job as Head of Lower School at Wakefield School.  I must say, not having gone through a big change in 15 years, I truly was uncertain of what to expect or even how to approach my first day – but in the end a week has  passed and I feel settled, comfortable and at home in my new surroundings on the Hill! This is how the week naturally fell into place.

  Day 1 and 2: Creating a sense of space and belonging

The campus was very quiet; teachers away, and many admin on vacation. I sat in my office in awe just contemplating where to begin. I felt the need to be on the move and to understand my surroundings, so my Division Assistant gave me a thorough tour which helped me to quickly feel grounded.

Day two amounted to folks coming in and out, fixing phones, connecting printers, and then moving furniture. I think we flipped the desk around three times – my heart was set on the window view; after all it is what is taking place outside of the office that truly matters in a school setting. I was anxious to be able to see both the beauty of my surroundings as well as the hustle and bustle of the students once school is in session. With furniture in place, I began to unpack my belongings and create a space that would help me, and hopefully others, feel at home and comfortable. By the end of day 2 I felt that I belonged. It is an essential human need to feel that you belong in a community. It sets the stage for engagement, happiness, and productivity. It is the responsibility of leaders and teachers to foster this sense of belonging within the classroom and the greater community.

Day 3: Traditions

When I arrived on day 1 I found two handwritten notes, one from my predecessor and one from a member of the board. The notes indicated that they had each left me an “official Wakefield School coin,” a challenge coin to be exact. There were two immediate issues of concern. First, there was no coin in sight, and second, I had no idea what a “challenge coin” was. Luckily, when I straightening up each corner of my office I found the coins! On day 3 I found the time to read the explanation of this tradition as well as my responsibilities as a “coin holder". Low and behold, I am now 100% prepared for the challenge. I look forward to “uncovering” many more Wakefield School traditions.  As leaders we must integrate traditions, rituals, and symbols into our practice in order to reinforce and support a strong community and culture.

Day 4: Relationships

I already know that at the end of each day someone will walk into my office to say hello; I am guarantied at least this one daily opportunity to speak my second language, a language that I love and appreciate. I know that each and every day I will see a helpful hard working colleague with a huge smile who will happily twirl my desk around 3 times, move my shelves up and down, or simply make sure all is set and up to par in and around campus. I know that I have a patient, supportive Division Assistant who will walk, sit, and talk with me to ensure I am in the know and ready for each daily adventure. I am looking forward to developing many more relationships with faculty, staff, parents, and of course, students! Relationships are the heart and soul of the school community. As a leader I will take the time to build effective, trustworthy relationships across and throughout the community.

Day 5: Integration

A special day! After reviewing each and every file, artifacts and book left for me in the office by my predecessor, today, I was able to interweave and place my own books, files and artifacts throughout my office, creating a special, authentic and meaningful office environment which I hope will be both welcoming for everyone who enters, as well as allow me to engage, learn, grow and support the community as a whole. An effective leader will honor institutional history and program while carefully and selectively integrating new ideas that support the school’s mission.

 Final thoughts of the week

Although I respect and encourage a balance between life at home and at work, I also recognize the value of including family members in one’s journey. It was important to me that my two boys visit my new environment. Both of them made it; Ricardo to deliver all of my books, and Charles to help put the finishing touches to my office. Now when they hear my stories, comments and reflections they will understand the context in which they have occurred. Meaningful connections between our community and families-that is what I hope we all want on the Hill!

Departing Soon: It’s Time To Pack My Suitcase

Departing is not necessarily about saying good-bye. Departing is about carefully packing your suitcase in order to prepare for the next stop along your journey. What you decide to pack; what you leave behind; as well as how you pack your suitcase may define your leadership. When I embark upon a journey, I almost always inadvertently leave an obscure, luckily, non-essential item, behind…which in the end may enable me to say so long, see you later and not good-bye.

So WHAT is it that I am packing in my suitcase as I prepare for my new journey?

• Knowledge gained through collaboration, trust, and hard work
• Diverse abilities achieved and practiced through my interactions with others
• Skills mastered through experimentation with varied techniques, tools, and methods
• Empathy and compassion used regularly as I heard, observed and responded to the stories of students, colleagues, and parents
• Lessons learned through the development of essential relationships across the community
• Connections to people and ideas within and beyond my community that have inspired, motivated and engaged me professionally and personally.

So HOW do I pack my suitcase?

• First, by prioritizing, listing, and organizing the most essential items for the journey
• Second, by deciphering the most versatile elements that can be counted on multiple times along the journey
• Third, by attempting to efficiently place each item for easy access; as well as to leave enough space to add important treasures that I encounter along the way
• Finally, well, I do tend to stuff some favorite items along the sides suggesting perfection is just not what life is all about……… not yet sure what those items will be!

And WHAT will I leave behind?

Only time will tell, but considering all I have learned from my colleagues throughout my stay, some part of me most likely is resisting the departure, and will be left behind. I only hope, whatever it may be, it will be useful to a group of wonderful educators that have been such an important part of my journey. When you encounter that left behind item, please give me a shout, as I will be thinking of each and everyone one of you as I embark on this new journey. I do leave behind a heartfelt THANK YOU for sharing your expertise, embracing my passions and always looking for the opportunity to have some fun!

And little by little I will be unpacking that suitcase and gathering new experiences and expertise for my life-long learning journey……

See you later and THANK YOU.

Some Useful Blog Posts for Departing Employees:

http://leadchangegroup.com/what-will-they-say-when-youre-gone/

http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/05/the-art-of-saying-a-professional-goodbye/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2012/12/13/10-reasons-your-top-talent-will-leave-you/ 

(Thanks for sharing @mmreesescott)

http://www.fastcompany.com/3031659/4-ways-to-end-a-professional-relationship?partner=rss    (Thanks for sharing @mmreesescott)

Please add to the list.

Musings on Professional Growth

What surfaces to the top of my mind each day as I ponder upon my upcoming entry into a new educational community is professional growth: my own, my colleagues as well as the organizational climate for professional growth. I believe there are two main reasons behind these consistent and on going thoughts that persist in my head each day.

From my perspective as an individual – I yearn to learn and grow each day; I view professional growth as a necessary component to my success within an organization, and I believe my ability to model and share my professional growth process and thoughts will ultimately contribute to or in the least influence the professional growth of my colleagues. Second, the rapid and continuous changes affecting organizations in general, and educational systems in particular, due to technological advances, globalization, and information flow and processing, requires practitioners to adapt, change and grow professionally. Thus, it does not mater if I am entering a new community or if I continue to be a member of the community I have been in for 15 years – both professional growth and cultivating a learning climate within all educational organizations is needed to keep up with the demands of our global society.

I hope to spend some time, as I read and reflect over the next few months, setting the stage for optimal professional growth and to begin to cultivate a learning environment for the organization and for the individuals within it – me included.

Here are some questions I am pondering:

• How do we create optimal environments for professional growth?
• Is there a correlation between the environment we create and the personal growth initiatives of each individual?
• What are some strategies or processes that would help professionals reflect upon or record their professional growth?

Here are some topics I am pondering:

• Relationship building
• Goal setting
• Reflection
• Risk taking

What do you think I should think about in regards to professional growth for individuals and within organizations?

Why and how are Mentors Important?

I have recently accepted a Lower School Head position at an independent school in Fauquier County Virginia. I suspect many of my blog entries will be dedicated to my transition to this new role.

Why and how are Mentors Important?

After sharing with a friend that I was taking on a new opportunity as the Lower School Head of nearby independent school, I asked her if she would like to celebrate with me. Her quick response was yes let’s celebrate now! And so just a few days later we were together having a long, leisurely lunch. When I confirmed our lunch date, I mentioned, “By the way I have just named you my mentor.” Interestingly enough, this happened to be the second time she has been my mentor – when I first set foot in Virginia she guided me down the path of being a proactive diversity practitioner. My mentor now happens to be a Lower School Head at another nearby independent school, so I knew she would have a lot of insight to share. But truly, what we both wanted was simply to catch up and enjoy each other’s company.

I don’t think I realized the importance of mentorship until I stepped away and reflected on all of her insights during a long, leisurely, insightful lunch. I am so grateful to have her expertise, knowledge and care. What are some of the takeaways?

• When you first accept a new opportunity you tend to think solely of all the positives; although you acknowledge the challenges you don’t contemplate the difficulties you will face – she ensured me that the difficulties will surface and helped me to be ready to confront them.
• When I mentioned I felt that many seemed to want miracles from my leadership, she responded, “Yes, they do want miracles from your leadership. So be prepared.”
• She helped me understand: How to enter into a new space; how to understand the different character types you will work with; and how to find networks of support.
• I left with a bibliography of reading material, a list of organizations to join, some quick tips, and of course a full stomach!
• But most importantly I left knowing how easy life seems when you love your job, and that the most important thing a mentor can do is to show how much they care about your success 

As I enter this new journey I have someone at my side who truly cares about this craft; I know as I become a mentor to the teachers I serve and support – the most important thing I can demonstrate is that I care about their success. What are your thoughts on mentoring leaders and teachers?

My First Edcamp, but Not My Last

INITIAL THOUGHTS

The open ended, flexible format of edcamp enabled me to follow my curiosities in both a private, reflective, as well as a public, collaborative manner, simultaneously.

My goals for the day were to become comfortable with something out of my comfort zone; explore an area of passion; find out more about something that intrigues me.

SESSIONS

You can find the schedule here and click on the links to review the notes in each Google doc.

15 Minute Film School – this was my choice to push me “out of my comfort zone,” I am very uncomfortable with video. @matthewfrattali provided great planning pointers; then I worked with 2 edcamp participants who introduced me to You Tube Editing. I now have what I need to attempt my first short video. I even have a topic. So readers out there, you may want to ask me in a month or so if got it done, because, this is something I will, can, may avoid – I am still out of my comfort zone.

Formative Assessment With or Without the Tech – Apart from the many shared resources, and an introduction to polleverywhere.com, what made this session special was knowing you were surrounded by educators who value, support and work on formative assessment. Personally, I know it is important but I don’t find it easy. Reviewing the importance of clear learning targets in student friendly language, and engaging in dialog about strategies to use for effective descriptive feedback was helpful.

Connecting to Each Other Globally – this was my choice to explore an area of passion. I am on a mission to incorporate more global initiatives into the curriculum for elementary aged students. I made a few contacts, and have a few more ideas. Check out the notes! The ideas fall like raindrops: Skype, shared wikis, simulations, shared virtual spaces, service learning. Dot Day, Read Around the World… However, I would like some feedback on how to ensure that this rainstorm of ideas does not turn into a disruptive storm. How difficult/important is it to interweave these initiatives into a curriculum. Would love some thoughts on that?

Mindfulness, Building an Empathetic Community - This was my find out more about what intrigues me session. And now mindfulness intrigues me even more! Here are a few things many participants seemed to agree upon:

Teaching Mindfulness skills will facilitate students’ ability to self-regulate and initiate a learning task.

Mindfulness is not a technique to be used to manage behavior, but a skill to learn to improve ones ability to be fully present for a learning/social experience.

Mindfulness techniques can be incorporated into the Responsive Classroom Approach.

As professionals, parents and in general adults who interact with students, families (our own and school), and colleagues, we need to model the importance of “unplugging,” downtime, and the importance of the non-digital moment!

FINAL THOUGHTS

I enjoyed this personalized professional development. I ended the day with 4 follow up goals:

Complete my short film.

Explore the global connections resources.

Fully embrace Evernote.

Look into Mindfulness training.

Well that’s a lot for one day of self-directed, collaborative professional development. Now I just need to reach my goals before I stumble upon another Edcamp!

Moving Beyond the Limitations of My Language.....

❝The limits of my language are the limits of my world.❞

- Ludwig Wittgenstein

I feel fortunate and honored to volunteer and work with my adult ESOL students through the Loudoun Literacy Council. I must say I have come full circle; I started my career as an adult ESOL instructor in Quito, Ecuador 27 years ago. Since then I have taught all ages, both ESOL, Spanish and Core subjects. But for the past 20 years I have been working with elementary age children. I finally found the time to reconnect with teaching English to adults and it has been invigorating. 

If there is one thing I have taken away from my experience this past year; it is that these students have lofty goals, determination, persistence and a will to succeed. They truly amaze me. It is my job to communicate my high expectations of them, and to support and encourage them to reach their goals. 

At the start of each class I ask them to answer two questions: What are your learning goals for this class, and what are your professional or personal goals?

These students have high expectations of themselves; they want to do grand things in our county and country, but they do indeed feel limited by their language abilities, and they are working hard to move beyond these limitations. Let me share with you a few of their goals.

To become a confident writer.

To pass the NOVA ESL entrance Exam

To go to College and get an MBA.

To communicate better in order to have better relationships with people.

To own my own charity in order to help people as there is nothing more important than helping people to have a better society.

My students talk a lot about confidence; they want to be confident communicators; employees, citizens. “You can do it! Go for it!” is what I consistently say to them.

Now let me share a story about my first Loudoun Literacy student.

I have had the pleasure of working with Hodan, for just over a year. Hodan will not settle for anything less than her best nor will she accept an easy assignment. I will give her an essay topic and her response will often be, no that is too familiar; I need to write about something to push me out of my comfort zone. Let me share with you an excerpt from Hodan’s very first essay.

                          Hodan Farah Story

My Name is Hodan Farah. I am married and have two beautiful children. I am originally from Somalia and I have lived in Europe for over 10 years. When I left Somalia I was 14 years old so it was due to the civil war. Lucky, we left Somalia save and arrived to Europe where I continue my studies. At that time, my parents were leaving in America and they had duplicate citizenship. They applied for me so that we can be reunited with the family. I came to the USA in 1994 and was very fortunate to have a supportive family. At that time, due to the different cultural life was not easy to for me so I had to adopt whether if it is a job or overall.  Now, I feel like I am Americanized, but, still I need to increase my English language I hope I learn and reach out my goal this year. Thank you for reading my story.

Following is an excerpt from an essay she wrote for our 8^th lesson. Please pay attention to the nuances, idioms, details and sense of humor.

My search for the perfect dress

      It is a week away from my best friend’s wedding and I still don’t have anything to wear. Now lying down in my bed, watching a movie I saw a dress that inspired me, a red dress. Concerned about the fact that the wedding is just a week away, I went to Dulles Town center in search of my perfect dress. Moreover, when I got to the mall I did not see a lot of choices to choose from and I was very particular about finding a red dress. I only had a $100 dollars to spend. Come to find out evening gowns are very costly L. I went to Lord and Taylor, a friend of mine said they have a big selection of evening gowns. I tried several dresses on but nothing was appealing. With my designated budget, I headed on to Nordstrom hoping I might find a bargain from the sale racks. The attendee at the dress salon was very helpful, and I liked the dresses they had; however, my budget would not allow me to purchase my dress there. Next, I had to catch my breath after trying to shop; I stopped by the smoothie stand to order my favorite drink, a mango and pineapple smoothie. I chugged it down so fast I got brain freeze. After cooling myself down with my drink, my search for the perfect dress continued on to J C Penney’s where I hoped to find the dress.

      After a long search, and back and forth trips to the fitting room, I finally found the perfect, red, wrap, dress that I was searching for. Now that I found the dress, I am looking forward to going to my friend’s wedding. I cannot wait to have fun and put on my red dress with my lovely silver shoes.

Hodan has wonderful stories, although sometimes they are heart wrenching. I have learned about her country, her religion, her family, her beliefs, values and traditions. I have worked with her to write a resume and a cover letter. She knows I am here to support and help her, but never to judge her. She has opened up my world to new perspectives and I believe I have done the same for her.

I would frequently tell her how wonderful her stories were. I first encouraged her to start her own blog. “No, I am not ready for that.” OK I said and then the next week, I showed up and said, “Can I write about you and publish it on my blog.” Ok, she said. “But maybe you should change my name.” I can do that, I said. So when I showed up the next week with my published blog entry. She said, “Why did you change my name? No I don’t want you to change my name anymore.” OK, I said and entered Hodan. When I spoke to Hodan two weeks ago She said, “ Oh, and I want you to know, I am ready to write a book about My Story.” My response was, Well, I hope I can be your editor!”  Now, that is a sign of confidence.

Thank you Loudoun Literacy Council for all that you do in providing English language learning opportunities that open up a world of possibilities for our county residents and thank you for allowing me to be part of it.   

Remember:

❝The limits of my language are the limits of my world.❞

- Ludwig Wittgenstein