In honor of Dr Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream Speech, Jamii Hitchcock will share her experiences from her recent trip to Washington. She participated in the re-creation of the March on Washington this past weekend. Jamii is Principal of Beverly Elementary School in Birmingham Michigan. I appreciate her thoughts and sentiments and for her sharing her personal thoughts on this monumental anniversary. Enjoy her powerful reflection. Read more
Ugh! Another Monday Moanin to begin a challenging week. For many of you the 2013-14 school year has started and here in Michigan PD days have begun and students arrive the Tuesday after Labor Day. This time of year can be filled with mixed emotions. It is exciting to be back with colleagues and yet there is a grieving for the loss of freedom and rejuvenation the summer provides. As I reflect on my experiences, the initial months of a new year do not allow for a gradual pace. Lets be honest, you hit the ground running. There are very few days without students for the first couple of months. There are also curriculum nights, open houses, and parent conferences to add to the intensity. There is one effective strategy and affirmation that will help you adjust to your demanding schedule, Stay In Your Lane. Read more
A Monday Moanin in August 2014, what could be better? For many of you the 2013-14 school year will begin in a few short weeks. As a result , many of you are in the planning stages of your opening staff meeting. Around fifteen years ago I attended a week long training on William Glasser’s Choice theory. The workshop was very powerful and the learning enhanced my effectiveness in a positive way. One of my takeaways was a template to introduce myself to learners in class or to staff. It is a productive way to help set the correct tone, communicate expectations and provide clarity for the school year. Over the years I used this template to begin the opening staff meeting with great success. I urge you to give consideration to using it this year. Read more
Here is wishing a happy August 2013 Monday Moanin to all of you. This past week was the Hickey Leadership Group Planning Summit 2013. 127 educators from 12 districts representing over 40 buildings attended. Seth Berg was one of the people who attended and he has agreed to post his blog regarding his thoughts about his experiences at the Summit. Please follow Seth @BergsEyeView and at his website bergseyeview@edublog.org. Thank you Seth and enjoy his thoughts and ideas. Read more
Happy Summer July 2013 Monday Moanin to all of you.
For the past several weeks many of my mentees have been preparing for interviews. Through the process of conducting mock interviews and planning meetings I wondered, could I answer all of the questions and challenges of the interview process? My last interview was twelve years ago and you may share a similar time frame. It got me thinking, why not self assess and take inventory of your performance by preparing for an interview? When I reflect on the preparation of interviewing for the Stoney Creek High School principalship, many things come to mind. I think of the deep internal audit I conducted of my strengths and weaknesses. I reflected on my philosophy and vision. I defined the difference between a manager and an instructional leader. I focused on what was good instruction and the importance of building a culture of readiness among staff to handle the changes and challenges of educating learners in the 21st Century. Read more
After a long and challenging school year it is important to recharge and get some rest. It is critical that all principals reflect on the year and focus on those things that you have control of. After a few weeks it is time to get to work. The following ideas hopefully will assist as you begin planning for the summer and upcoming school year. Give consideration to the following strategies. Read more
The end of the school year is near. Please read this archived blog on some important reminders that may help you as you navigate the last few important days. Oh, and have a great Monday Moanin. Read more
Today we honor our heroes on this Memorial Day 2013. I can’t help but think of what character strengths our fallen held during their service to our great nation. The list of these strengths would go on and on. I think a great way to honor these men and women would be to lead by focusing on one characteristic they all shared, Courage. Read more
It is hard to believe that this a Mid May Monday Moanin. In some areas school is coming to a close and in Michigan around 4 weeks remain in the 2012-13 school year. This is a perfect time to just ask some questions regarding education. Some questions may be thought provoking, encouraging, and laced with frustration. Please consider reflecting on a few of them and see if they may be a good prompt for your summer planning and work. Here goes: Read more
Today was not a great weather day in Michigan , and yet it was still a beautiful day as we celebrated a wonderful Mother’s day. I can’t help but think on this Monday Moanin that we need to lead like our Mom’s. Every one of us can think of how our mom’s have influenced us as people and leaders. When I think of my mom, I am filled with many examples of how she influenced my leadership over the years and she still influences me to this day. Read more
