PTC Pearls of Wisdom 2020 by Bambi Betts https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8 Can you share one practical leadership strategy for international shool leaders? en-us 2020-06-22 17:30:40 UTC 2023-05-04 08:58:54 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-uploads.storage.googleapis.com/627764751/6ae05594dea172fd825aface659ea41e/Parent_logo_with_white_border__1_.jpg The Spark of Recognition https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/637227589 When was the last time some one recognized and appreciated you for something you have put so much effort in? How did that make you feel? This year, I have experienced that when you create a culture of gratitude, appreciation and recognition in your school, it is contagious to others and they start to do it themselves. This creates a sense of community and cohesion that increases everyone's motivation to perform at their best.
Who did you thank today for something they have done? It takes one leader to start the spark of recognition and that can be you!

Katrin Gendy
High School Assistant Principal 
The American International School in Egypt]]> 2020-06-23 09:17:14 UTC https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/637227589 Take Your Work Seriously, but Consider Not Taking Yourself So Seriously lural1 https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/639229949 If our profession and our place of work sparks joy in our lives on a regular basis, if it is a space where we laugh and enjoy what we do, we avoid burnout, we remain more empathetic and we keep our perspective in trying times. As leaders, our work can be very serious and not every moment is a light one. However, as a leader, do you laugh enough? Can you be self-deprecating and vulnerable with your staff? With your students? When we show ourselves to be human beings and we model strong emotional intelligence, we inculcate this approach in others and we set the tone for joy. What made you laugh today? Try to set the tone of joy and the spreading of that joy with others and watch it spread throughout your school!

Lural Ramírez
Head of School
Centro Educativo Futuro Verde
Costa Rica]]> 2020-06-24 20:43:01 UTC https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/639229949 Walking conversations https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/639540296 At the beginning of the year, carving out 10 minutes per staff member to have a walking conversation to connect personally, find out more about their strengths and goals for the year. 
We use a protcol to begin the conversation which ignites the conversation which, more often than not, tends to be a one way conversation....giving staff a chance to share themselves and their voice.

The set up of these walking conversations was a blessing for when later in the year we had campus closures and we as a leadership team felt we had some understanding of where people were personally and professionally and how we could support them during these 'uncertain' times.

Tania Mansfield
PYP Coordinator
ISHCMC, Vietname]]> 2020-06-25 04:31:08 UTC https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/639540296 The Art Of Listening.. https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/639638141 This is one of the finest skills that we can develop in our profession. Talk less and listen more. Empathy, compassion and appreciation can go a long way in building the culture of a school. Building a culture of trust is most essential. Team building exercises where team mates begin to get comfortable being vulnerable with each other stand in good stead.
Franak Bandekar
Secondary School and A Level Head
Aditya Birla World Academy- Mumbai ]]> 2020-06-25 06:38:49 UTC https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/639638141 The secret sauce of School Improvement https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/648101368 The main ingredients in making that secret sauce are school culture and Professional practices.  The utilization of the leadership process to rewire the school culture is the essential cooking tip towards school continuous improvement. 
 
The ingredients:
·      Investing in current staff is a great way to improve the school. "It is people, not programs, who determine the quality of a school"(Whitaker, 2013, Page 12, Location 433)
·      Positive Discipline should be implemented in the school culture not only when talking about students' behavior.
·      Teacher evaluation is an improvement opportunity, not a labeling mechanism. 
·      Principal effectiveness should be evaluated: Using an instructional model of evaluating leaders' effectiveness will keep them attuned and aware of their skills and areas that need improvement.
·      Building positive relations and a culture of trust would help to improve the school. Relational Trust in schools is a core resource for school reform, it comes from interpersonal respect, Personal regard, in all kinds of social discourse that take place across the school community.
Marwa Elgezery M.Ed
Vice-Principal 
Kansai International Academy, Japan

References
Collins, J. (2001, September 30). Good to great. Retrieved from:  https://www.fastcompany.com/43811/good-great    

Gruenert, S., & Whitaker, T. (2015). School culture rewired: How to define, assess, and transform it. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Whitaker, T. (2013). What great principals do differently: Eighteen things that matter most (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
 
 
]]> 2020-07-06 07:07:45 UTC https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/648101368 Have you considered a Leadership Coach? moreland_kristen https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/655096924 The hunger from participants for MORE of this type of interaction can be sustained throughout the year with a Leadership Coach. If you are fortunate enough to have funding for coaches in your school for your teachers, hopefully, you have hopefully seen the transformational work that they can do.  Have you considered how a coach could impact your leadership?  Regular meetings with a coach can:
  • Ground you in your ‘why’ (personal and strategic plan-based)
  • Help you get "on the balcony" to see things in a different light 
  • Take you "pool side" to look at the details
  • Allow space for you own humanity to be nurtured
To be clear, a coach is NOT a therapist (from Elena Aguilar).  And a coach is NOT an expert coming to tell you how to do your job. 

What a coach can be is: 
•A listener.
•A ‘mediator of thinking.’ (from •Cognitive Coaching)
•A provider of perspective
•A holder of space to help you be your best self, to in turn help those around you be THEIR best selves. 

Interested in learning more about what a coach can do for you?  Send me an email!

Kristen Moreland | Instructional Coach at the Pan American School of Porto Alegre, Brazil

kmoreland@panamerican.com.br

Other references:
'On the balcony':   From The Practice of Adaptive Leadership by Alexander Grashow, Marty Linsky, and Ronald Heifetz

'Getting pool side':  From Driven by Data by Paul Bambrick Santoyo

]]> 2020-07-15 13:28:37 UTC https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/655096924 Day 1 Experiences moreland_kristen https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/657742383 We all know how important it is to set the tone from Day 1.  If you are on-boarding teachers virtually this year, that first impression is more important than ever.  Though you might have SO MANY THINGS to explain  to your teachers  to your teachers - both new and returning - about your specific re-opening scenarios, I gently urge you to be really intentional in holding space for teachers to process and make sense of how they are feeling about the new school year.  Just as with students in the classroom, investing the time in community building efforts now will reap significant benefits in the yet to be determined future.  For even more details about the power of the welcome or orientation week, check out this video from Dan Heath from his book, The Power of Moments.

It's going to be great!
~Kristen Moreland
Instructional Coach | Pan American School of Porto Alegre, Brazil]]> 2020-07-19 13:08:00 UTC https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/657742383 Leading Through a Crisis (LTAC) jenniferbertram https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/662118602 When I began thinking about "leading through a crisis" or LTAC, I began with the acronym. I liked that it reminded me of blue tack and what might "stick". In other words, what could leaders learn and take away from this experience? I was reflecting on the different "operational" skills required and contrasting them with "water-cooler management" wherein a kind word or well timed question could resolve a situation. 

There are three parts to the LTAC equation: communication; consistency and connection.  

  1. Leaders are required to convey meaning in direct ways that will lead groups forward. Virtually, messages and decisions must be easily understood. 
  2. Maintaining face-to-face traditions and guidelines are essential ways in which a successful leader can ensure staff unity which will benefit students. The essence of consistency is creating a sense of psychological safety for one's community. 
  3. We learned a great deal about connection virtually, and those lessons must lead us to innovative thinking about in the ways we strengthen our ties with community members. 

I think of learning and leading as a state of "perpetual beta" wherein we can be in a state of constant reflection.

Jennifer Bertram
Middle School Principal
American International School of Dhaka
]]> 2020-07-24 21:34:14 UTC https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/662118602 https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/673607142 2020-08-09 21:02:39 UTC https://padlet.com/bambibetts/tycm2amfhj989gr8/wish/673607142