Permit and Promote

February 26, 2017 hhigginbotham collaboration, community, culture, empower, growth mindset, inquiry, kids first, new beginnings, opportunity, personalize

“If you permit it, you promote it.” – Todd Whitaker, What Great Principals Do Differently

This quote was referenced by Todd Whitaker in the context of building culture and establishing expectations. He explains that the culture of any organization is shaped by the worst behavior the leader is willing to tolerate.

As we recognize and commit to the need to journey into uncharted pedagogical territory in education, this quote actually may be the key to moving forward. That is, if we flip the focus of the quote from negative outcomes to positive outcomes.

What if we permitted more in our classrooms in order to promote more of the kind of learning experiences our kids need?

What would happen if we permitted more projects, more collaboration, more reflection, and more student control?

If we permitted more of the kind of learning that will allow more inquiry, authentic application of skills, and opportunities for kids to reflect on their learning journey more often, we will promote a dramatic shift the learning culture in our classrooms.

As we move into Act III of the school year, think about what you might intentionally permit in order to authentically promote.

Have a GREAT week!

– Herb

Worth Checking Out —

Love this video by Apple — As we move to providing students with a One2One iPad experience next year I challenge you to think less about the tool and more about what’s possible with it:

What Makes a Master Teacher http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/267

what-makes-a-master-teacher

Upcoming Dates —

February

27 – Spring Flower Sale Kickoff

March

1 – School Community Meeting – Step Up/Build Skill, 10:45; Spec Ed Team meeting, noon

2 – Admin mtg (AM)

4 – ADE Family Fun Day, 10am-3pm

7 – BIT Meeting, 8am; 3rd Safety Drill, 10:45 am

8 – ADE Staff Meeting, 8am — Check in on Students’ writing performance since last month (Counts as monthly Data Team check-in for literacy)

10 – Principals’ One2One meeting, 10am

13 – Spring Flower Sale Orders due

15 – Olive Tree Spirit DAY; Spec Ed Team Meeting, noon; RTI Team meeting, 3:40

16 – 5th Grade Musical Performances: 10:50, 1:20, & 7pm

20-24 – Spring Break

2016-17 Testing Calendar

Inefficient energy

February 20, 2017February 20, 2017 hhigginbotham balance, culture, essentialism, growth mindset, leadership, reflection, Relationship

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I loved physics in high school. We did so many great experiments and had many conversations that challenged assumptions we had about science.

I remember my teacher, Mr. Mackey, telling us that heat is one of the most inefficient energy sources we have. He had us think about how the sun’s light heats the Earth each day and how most of that energy all around us during the day slowly starts to transfer to lower forms of energy as soon as the sunsets.

I thought about this lesson this weekend as I thought back on the week that was. There were a handful of times at home and at school when I was reacting to the heat of the moment. In those moments, I reacted with default behaviors instead of disciplined ones. I ended up spending more of my time and energy having to go back and clean up my own mess.

“Heat” is certainly an inefficient source of energy.

Adversity requires you to make a choice: react on Default or respond with Discipline. The choice, not the adversity, is what matters most.

— Tim Kight (@TimothyKight) February 17, 2017

This week was a great reminder to stay focused on behaviors and habits that have helped me stay disciplined in the past:

Meditating and running in the morning to keep balanced all day.
Getting plenty of sleep to keep my head clear.
Building 5 to 10 minutes in between projects and activities to get my mind right.
Continue to celebrate the positive and being grateful for the great things in life.

E+R=O is easy to say and hard to implement with 100% efficiency.

This week was a great opportunity for me to remember that culture and leadership is the experience you provide for others.

Heat is one of the most inefficient sources of energy, and it’s certainly not an efficiency energy source for delivering a culture or leadership experience.

I hope you reflect with me this week — How are others experiencing our culture through you?

Have a GREAT week!

– Herb

Worth Checking Out –

What Works Can Hurt: Side Effects in Education http://zhaolearning.com/2017/02/17/what-works-can-hurt-side-effects-in-education/

A new way to measure the benefits of school recess http://brook.gs/2lxMoLy via @BrookingsInst

Upcoming Dates –

February

21 – 4th Grade / 5th Grade Data Team Meeting

22 – Gifted Cluster PD (Cluster teachers); Staff Meeting, 3:45

23 – Fire Drill, 10:20am

24 – BAC, if needed, 8am

27 – Spring Flower Sale Kickoff

March

1 – School Community Meeting – Step Up/Build Skill, 10:45; Spec Ed Team meeting, noon

2 – Admin mtg (AM)

4 – ADE Family Fun Day, 10am-3pm

7 – BIT Meeting, 8am; 3rd Safety Drill

8 – ADE Staff Meeting, 8am

10 – Principals’ One2One meeting, 10am

13 – Spring Flower Sale Orders due

15 – Olive Tree Spirit DAY; Spec Ed Team Meeting, noon; RTI Team meeting, 3:40

16 – 5th Grade Musical: 10:50, 1:20, & 7pm

20-24 – Spring Break

2016-17 Testing Calendar

“Being a _______ is messy…”

February 5, 2017 hhigginbotham Uncategorized

http://www.downtownmagazinenyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/hand-84613_960_720.jpg

“parent”

“child”

We could all take turns filling in the blank to complete that statement. All of our words would work too because life is a guaranteed complication.

“Being a church is messy…”

This is what our pastor said to a member who just openly shared his story of addiction with the congregation. Her words were honest and sort of comforting at the same time because she then reminded us that we are all probably dealing with something too. We also need to remember that we have each other to get through it all as long as we have empathy and compassion for each other.

Today made me think about how the words and lesson shared by the pastor applies to so many parts of our lives.

Being a teacher is messy. We all work hard and do the best we know how to do. We are our own worst critic and often overthink to solve problems that have solutions sitting right in front of us.

Being a principal is messy. Packing up your emotions and feeling like you have to have the answer right away is more exhausting than it sounds.

Being a school is messy. So many things have to work right in order to have success and it seems like it’s more often than not that one of the pieces falls apart or goes missing.

Learning is messy.

Change is messy.

Life is messy.

But it’s all good.

All of it.

The bad things that happen make us stronger so that we can some day help someone get through the same struggle.

The good things in life are all around us — It’s the people, our community, our students and our colleagues. It’s in the joy of making someone’s day through a kind act.

So don’t fear the mess — Embrace it! This is how we learn more about ourselves and each other and this is how we get better.

Have a GREAT, messy week!

😉

– Herb