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In response to the post, Core Leadership Values, a reader writes,
"AMEN and AMEN!"
That's the kind of response that makes you try harder.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Friday, April 3, 2009
E. Don Brown Recommends...
E. Don Brown sent the link to the following article, Report: Suburban segregation increases as minority enrollment grows
If E. Don thinks it is important, it is probably worth it to check out the article. http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-03-31-schools-hispanics-study_N.htm
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
If E. Don thinks it is important, it is probably worth it to check out the article. http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-03-31-schools-hispanics-study_N.htm
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Book Review - Beyond Character Education
I just finished reading, "Beyond Character Education," by Mawi Asgedom.
I can't come out and recommend this book. It's not bad, but I wouldn't bump anything off my reading list to get to it.
That being said, I don't disagree with the author or his premise, that character education is more than a guest speaker, a food drive, and/or a field trip. And in many cases, the author and I preach the same sermon.
Specifically, Asgedom is dead solid perfect when he writes, "...(the good kids) don't actually have to do anything distinctly good; just avoid the bad things and they will be on par. The metric is the absence of something bad not necessarily the presence of anything good."
We both believe that the focus of character education must be increasing positive behaviors, not decreasing negative behaviors.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
I can't come out and recommend this book. It's not bad, but I wouldn't bump anything off my reading list to get to it.
That being said, I don't disagree with the author or his premise, that character education is more than a guest speaker, a food drive, and/or a field trip. And in many cases, the author and I preach the same sermon.
Specifically, Asgedom is dead solid perfect when he writes, "...(the good kids) don't actually have to do anything distinctly good; just avoid the bad things and they will be on par. The metric is the absence of something bad not necessarily the presence of anything good."
We both believe that the focus of character education must be increasing positive behaviors, not decreasing negative behaviors.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Recommended Book - Real Leaders Don't Do PowerPoint
I just finished reading "Real Leaders Don't Do PowerPoint," by Christopher Witt.
It's a need based book. If you don't do a lot of public and/or large group speaking then I wouldn't move this to the top of your reading list. On the other hand, if you are a principal, a superintendent or aspire to be one; this book can help you become more effective when you present.
I speak to large groups on a regular basis so I had the opportunity to use some of Witt's suggestions during my last speaking engagement and I noticed the improvement in the audience's attention and response.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
It's a need based book. If you don't do a lot of public and/or large group speaking then I wouldn't move this to the top of your reading list. On the other hand, if you are a principal, a superintendent or aspire to be one; this book can help you become more effective when you present.
I speak to large groups on a regular basis so I had the opportunity to use some of Witt's suggestions during my last speaking engagement and I noticed the improvement in the audience's attention and response.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...
Evil Unions?
I work in a number of districts that have active teacher associations. In these districts, it is generally accepted that the associations are the reason that nothing ever changes. It becomes everyone’s excuse of choice. For example, your will hear,
“We would do that, but the Association would fight it,” or
“The Association won’t let us get rid of bad teachers,” or
“The Association doesn’t care about kids.”
What is interesting about the above excuses is that when change effects the way leadership has to conduct its business, the concerns about a contrary Association are bandied about more, not less. The local teacher association becomes the crutch of the weak and ineffective school leader.
The pattern I am observing more and more is that teacher associations are used by all parties as the reason to maintain the status quo and not feel guilty about it. For the record, I believe that teacher associations are dangerously close to having outlived their usefulness. They exist solely to advocate for the needs of adults in a system that must be (though still is not) focused on students first, second and always. But in my experience, schools failures are leadership failures not teacher failures.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn…
“We would do that, but the Association would fight it,” or
“The Association won’t let us get rid of bad teachers,” or
“The Association doesn’t care about kids.”
What is interesting about the above excuses is that when change effects the way leadership has to conduct its business, the concerns about a contrary Association are bandied about more, not less. The local teacher association becomes the crutch of the weak and ineffective school leader.
The pattern I am observing more and more is that teacher associations are used by all parties as the reason to maintain the status quo and not feel guilty about it. For the record, I believe that teacher associations are dangerously close to having outlived their usefulness. They exist solely to advocate for the needs of adults in a system that must be (though still is not) focused on students first, second and always. But in my experience, schools failures are leadership failures not teacher failures.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn…
Core Leadership Values
To create a system that adds significant value to student performance requires some unique and specific leadership values. Performance then hinges on the level of individual and organizational commitment to those values. The more rigorous the commitment to these values, the better the results. Be less than rigorous and the system either quits moving forward and/or quickly sinks into the mire of mediocrity.
Here are the core values:
School Board Core Value: The district will always put the needs of children above the wants of adults.
Superintendent Core Value: When I am faced with competing agendas, refer to the Board’s core value.
Principal Core Value: I am the best / only pure advocate for my students.
Ignore, short-cut or compromise these values and you put the future of your students in peril.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn…
Here are the core values:
School Board Core Value: The district will always put the needs of children above the wants of adults.
Superintendent Core Value: When I am faced with competing agendas, refer to the Board’s core value.
Principal Core Value: I am the best / only pure advocate for my students.
Ignore, short-cut or compromise these values and you put the future of your students in peril.
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn…
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