Chapter 3: Crafting a Blueprint for Leadership - The illustration on p. 60 of The Leader in Me suggests that we look at academic subjects through the lenses of Life Skills and Character. In other words, Life Skills and Character should be embedded in everything we do at school; bringing context and meaning to learning. This is a paradigm shift for many educators (it is for me.) Did you come across anything is this chapter that you've seen or heard before, but now you're looking at it in a new way?
Chapter 4: Aligning for Success - Alignment does not mean that we agree on everything, or that we all do the same thing. What does alignment mean? What does a school look like when there is alignment? What things need to be in alignment for long-term success?
63 comments:
As for Chapter 3 & 4, it all sounds exciting! I believe that we already have a workable blueprint. It just needs some tweaking.
One of my all time favorite sayings is “God given talents.” I do believe that every child has an ability to take a leadership role. He/she may or we may not know exactly what that is; but through listening to our students, trials, and just plain old feelings, we can come up with just the right place to start. As an old Girl Scout Leader, we were told to find something special about each girl. Showing our students that they are special even in the smallest way, lets them shine.
As for aligning, pulling together as school, this I am sure will take sometime. By nature, there is a comfort zone in doing the same thing year in and year out. Getting everyone on the same wavelength, WILL take time, but in the end, it will become easier and will go smoother. This is not to say that we will all see the rabbit instead to duck, but at a closer view, maybe we can understand how to blend relationships together.
The Hamburger Rubric was great! What a wonderful way to make kids understand. Those simple explanations come through loud and clear.
I am ready, let us get our kids confidence building.
Well, my last post about data notebooks was actually in response to Ch. 3, so I don't need to repeat that thought. I still wanted to say that I saw the duck first and then the rabbit.
The picture on p. 60 reminds me of a World Regional Geography class I had at UNT. Our professor was from Ghana and he always said that we see things through our "cultural glasses." It took me several classes to even figure out what he was saying (he had a heavy accent) but once I caught on it made total sense. We see people and society the way we have been brought up to see them and it carries over to our beliefs and practices in education. We must understand that our students are looking through a different pair of cultural glasses than many of us and it is our responsibility to adjust the lenses. With our leadership they will have a clear view of the life skills and character traits they need in order to capture the bright future that awaits them.
Michelle
Sorry but I have to admit that I have not had a chance to sit down and read.....but I will.
That last comment would be me.
Donna Barker
First thing I saw was a rabbit! I think what Michelle said is SO true! We look through cultural glasses- as much as I would like to say I don't, I do. This is especially true when talking to parents. I feel like we are all trying to make a shift in our thoughts and inner self but it is not something that will happen overnight or be a quick fix. It takes thoughtfulness on a daily basis. Sometimes that is easier said than done, especially when we are dealling with our 'have to do's'!
Last year I read The Essential 55 and began working on each concept daily with my students. They loved it. They learned new ways to respect each other. We would practice each concept we learned for the entire day. I saw students begin to be more respectful to each other and they also began to use the traits without being reminded. I wish I had used The Essential 55 more this year.
Being alignment to me means we are all working towards one common goal. We may be working in different ways, but we all have the same goal in mind. We can also teach each other concepts we see work and integrate them into our daily practices.
-rachel
At first I only saw the duck, but I knew there had to be more to the picture. I kept looking at it, hoping the other image would present itself. Finally, I gave up and did something else. Then, the next time I pulled up the blog, there was the bunny. In my mind, this is a good analogy for students. I need to keep looking beyond the duck, or the first thing I see about them, and find their bunny, what makes them unique, a leader, or a strength. I believe every student can have successes.
In chapter three the data notebook really stuck out in my mind. Earlier this year Mr. Gregory told me to talk to my students about their data and explain to them the school's goals and help them set their personal ones. I said ok and tried it. I really think this hit home with my students. They would ask what level book they could get and saw themselves move up to harder books. As they finish their DRA testing they are asking if they met their goals. I have seen other examples of this throughout the school. I didn't know data and goals would be something so public throughout the schools. I thought the reading levels and test score goals were kept secret from students. This is a paradigm shift for me, but I like it!
Alignment means everyone is beginning with the same end in mind. Everyone will know their common goals and will help each other work toward these goals. The whole school will know the school's mission statement.
I have a song that says it all for me. The words are as follows:
I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. give them a sense of pride to make it eaiser. Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be. I saw the rabbit first and then the long billed duck. the duck has its beak open and the rabbit has laid back ears. It reminded me there are two sides/opinions in every ituation. Sometimes I think I am focused on my agenda only and do not really listen to others. Being the oldest person on campus sometimes causes me great stress and frustration as I see so many needy students in all areas of daily living and desire to help each one. This world is very different from the world I grew up in. Working every day with more than 100 students who have 100 different feelings, attitudes and chllenges is sometimes over-whelming, yet I find it very rewarding. Helping children to grow to be the best they can be requires me to grow to be the best I can be. We all have something to give. I believe we are all on the same track, but with different ideas on how to arrive at the same destination. We can choose to connect and work with each other making the train stronger. This is what I think alignment is.
At first when I looked at the picture I saw a duck, but then it changed into a rabbit.
I like the idea of getting some training. Then we will all be on the same page.
Jerrye
With all the testing we do and the records we keep, the data notebooks are a good extension of what we already do. I have a problem with displaying graphs showing reading progress for the whole class, but having each child maintain their own notebook is a good alternative. I keep graphs on my students progress and I show them to the child, but they will probably take more ownership of their learning if they handle the data more. Perhaps we could incorporate them with the vocabulary notebooks.
Alignment to me means developing a strong foundation and plan of action. It also means getting ourselves prepared personally. We need to make sure we are aligned with these principles before we can model them effectively to our students. I’m sure this will be a rewarding challenge.
We had another example similiar to this in our 7 Habits book; it was a picture that could either be an old woman who is sad and kind of creepy looking, or you could see a beautiful young lady. It is interesting to me how people see things. I especially like to see how my closest friends/family see things.
For our school in "alignment", I think we all need to work together and have a common goal for what we want for our students/school. We all have good ideas; now lets put them all together and make it great!
Kim Smith (my google blogger ID isn't working today)
I think right now our school is very similar to AB Combs in that we have many 'pet projects', not necessarily tied to our school goals and vision. In the book they described them as "a bunch on randomly aimed arrows". I believe that now is the time for us to align our small, random arrows with our mid-size and big arrow (being our mission and vision), it won't happen overnight but we will at least be pointed in the right direction! I find that when I start to trail off on a random arrow (which is often), if I look back at the book or website it helps me get pointed back in the right direction.
Lisa
The picture is misleading you first look and you see a duck then again a rabbit. Perception is everything - other schools in the district have these misconceptions about what our school looks like and how our students act. They have no idea the kind of love these kids can give or how hard they work to succeed. A closed mind is a terrible thing to waste - take a look it might be better than you think.
I saw the duck first, but then almost immediately after the rabbit. It reminds me that you have to work hard to look at both sides and not be biased toward one side or the first immediate impression. I agree with Lisa that I think our school is kind of like "a bunch of randomly aimed arrows," and that it is time to try and align those arrows toward the same target (our mission and vision, I think we would all really be excited at what our school would look and feel like if that happened.
I agree that we often have many small arrows that individually we are passionate about, and we get frustrated when others aren't supportive. I think that if we are going to turn our students into leaders we need to fill the roles ourselves. We don't all have to contribute extra time to these outside projects, but it is important that we show our support through talking about it with our students and really expressing to the students what great things are happening at DES.
It only takes a second to personally congratulate those who are leaders in the Running Club, Chess Club or Battle of the Books. I am embarassed when I get compliments about the garden, but I must admit that it makes me feel really good about the work I put in, so I know that it would make a child's day to be complimented by other adults in the building.
All this doesn't really follow the question asked, but reading other blogs got me to thinking that I need to do a better job of showing the kids I see the hard work they are doing and am very proud of them.
I saw the duck then the rabbit. I have kids all of the time that I have already taught their older siblings. I am a parent and believe me I know that siblings can be extremely different. But still, I come across those siblings with a preconceived idea of how their behavior and academics will be. Many times, I am completely wrong. I hope to be more open-minded and not pass judgments before I know a child.
I enjoyed seeing all of the different sources that AB Combs uses as tools for their school. I feel like we have a ton of things that we use to make us better educators. But, like AB Combs, we need to have the leadership theme embedded in everything we do.
Our school being aligned would mean that we are all headed in the same direction. I think that all of us reading the book is a good start. Then we need some definite training so that we all are on the same page.
I agree with Shelly on this. I have lived this as a teacher, and I've seen it with our kids at home. I can think of several teachers that have had Cameron, Brooke, Abbye, and Annie, and we hear from these teachers that they are all four very different. Yes they are!
Alignment is a difficult process because we often disagree on strategies in achieving goals and working toward fulfilling a vision. Disagreement is a good thing in the alignment process because bringing together a lot of different ideas is the first step toward true synergy. It is OK to keep our individual creativity intact when we work with others. We can share goals and vision and still utilize our unique strengths and talents to achieve them.
Thanks for that post! I think what you just said is probably the best summary of alignment I have read, and I have read many notes on the habit of synergy! It really brought it home and made it applicable to our vision. Thanks for sharing!
lisa
I have to say I'm really grateful to be reading this book at this time in my life. Part of what I am going through now is learning how to develop my professional self. The Seven Habits have given me a framework towards positive thinking and being a good team player.
After reading some of the other posts, I decided to read more about synergy and how this habit relates to alignment. I found this quote on the web,"be mentally committed to the idea that a solution that will benefit all parties may be constructed; next invest the necessary time and effort to really understand the other party and do that first; finally creatively brainstorm a synergistic solution." I believe this blog and everyone reading the book is a great way to do the first phase of being "mentally committed to the idea."
I saw the rabbit first—but I have a thing for rabbits, so I have probably trained my eye to be on the lookout. I think this speaks to treating all students as if they are gifted, and then looking for that giftedness.
Alignment—I thought about a car being aligned, or rather out of alignment. The car still functions, but the ride is rough and bumpy and the driver has to fight to keep the car going in the right direction. Yet, getting the car back in alignment is easy and cheap. Taking the time to go get the car aligned is usually the stumbling block.
I think sometimes this is the problem with school alignment. I believe, at least I hope, we all have a vision of what a school functioning in total alignment looks like, but it is work and it is often easier to just keep on the path that we know than to stop and take the time to make those adjustments.
Focus and alignment for me was finally articulated in the sentence, “So, yes, it is teaching the same traditional subjects, but it is done through a whole new set of lenses” – life skills and character.
A school being in alignment isn’t about the rating a school received on standardized testing. That is data. Data is vitally important, however, it is highly unlikely that any employer is going to ask in an interview what the standardized rating was for each school attended. Can this person think, make decisions, follow through, work as a team, set goals; are they “loyal, honest, trustworthy and brave”—this is what society wants and needs, this is what an employer wants to know.
For alignment to happen in a school, our paradigm shift has to be towards those goals. By the time our kids get to middle school, and certainly by high school, they already know that our standardized tests are not true measures of who they are or what they know. They want relevance, so our alignment must be towards relevance.
Practically speaking, what we are doing at DES with “The Leader”, the blogs, the garden, is a fantastic first step towards alignment. The thing about aligning a car is it isn’t a one-time deal. It is part of regular maintenance. AB Combs is successful because they took time to put training in place first, but still continue to train and make modifications.
Rene Grimes
I too saw the duck first then the rabbit.
As far as alligniment, I had to laugh because I had the same vision as Rene with that I was comparing it to a car alligniment; I looked at it as though the car is the whole and that each tire has its own function and direction that it travels. If they are all working together and are alligned then the car will go smoothly. This process we are wanting to start, will also go smoothly if we each realize that each child is different, just as each of us are different. But even with these differences, if we have the same vision, mission and work together, we can all acheive what we want our school to become. After all we are all good at what we do and we can accomplish great things given the right equipment and ideaology.
I think we just have to look at each child as an individual not as a group and find the best out of EACH child no matter what. If we expect that, I feel each of our students will deliever the best and can and will be good leaders.
Here is my blog that disappeared, as best as I can remember...Is it possible to see the duck & the rabbit at the same time? I think I saw the duck at first, but almost immediately saw the rabbit because I knew there would be two images(e.g. in Seven Habits of Highly Effective People). I expected to see two things, so I got what I expected. Hmmmm. As for alignment, I believe it is agreeing on what the end result should be. It does not mean we will all do things the same way, but we will all be striving to reach a unified goal.
I am finally attempting to blog again. First I have to say that I was in elementary school when a teacher showed us the old woman/young woman image and I found it fascinating way back then!
It is always helpful to realize that there are many possibilities to evaluate any given situation.
Ever since I read the Leader in Me back in December I became very excited about all that we could do right here at DES! Of course I still keep asking many questions as to how we will accomplish this goal. My personality is one that wants to do it all right now! I even wanted to go to the schools that were written about in the book and "steal" their ideas. Seems silly to recreate the wheel, but as I read deeper into the book Stephen Covey makes it clear that we are to make this "our" own unique recipe, and I feel confident that the enthusiam and talent of our staff right here at DES will be sucessful and a school that Stephen Covey brags about in the Leader in Me Part 2! :)
That last comment was written by
Puala Keller. So...how do you get your name on there???
Isn't LIFE all about adjustments?!!
Well at least mine seems to be in "Shift" constantly! Maybe that is why I see the challenge of the paradigm shift as a blessing! Sometimes I think we get in a rut...this is a way to require us to un-rut ourselves!!! Thanks for the push...Covey! ;)
The first principal I worked with was said to have a pilot's license due to all the programs she would try out at the school. Much of the staff would just wonder what they'd have to do next and whether or not this new program would work. After reading chapter 4's section on bringing people on board, I wonder if the reason things just didn't take off with that school is because we were expecting the principal to do it all. We trusted her enough to know that the programs she wanted to try were good for the kids, but didn't invest too much in the way of time or investigation on our own. So, being good for kids is still top on the list, but investment and follow through and belief on our parts as teachers may be the deal maker or deal breaker.
Cindy Hallman
There were several things I liked about these 2 chapters. First, I really liked all the examples they gave, especially for Kindergarten. It helped me realize when I was reading it that this is possible, even at such a young age. It also emphasized once again to me that this is something that can so easily be incorporated into everything we are already doing, that, like the book says, it's not "one more thing" that we have to do, but something that can just be added into what we are already doing.
I also liked that the book showed how easily it is to incorporate the Baldridge tools into this approach. This is something we're already focusing on as a campus, and I loved all the examples of how these tools can be incorporated into the 7 habits.
As a speech-language pathologist, I have been pleased with how easy the 7 habits are to incorporate into both our speech goals and our routine daily interactions. I have students who need to practice the independence habits defined in Chapter 3 in order to generalize their capabilities from the therapy room into their everyday communication. Discussing their
goals in terms of being proactive and working with the end in mind has seemed to make a positive difference. I can think of two students in particular who have taken to heart that they are the ones ultimately responsible for their speech, and their parents and teachers see evidence of this at home and in the classroom.
I've really enjoyed reading about the "Leadership" theme and how AB Combs implements the idea of being a leader throughout their school. Students are given the opportunity to be leaders in different areas and different ways, some of them finding that they actually do have leadership qualities that they may not know they had before! I also liked how they focused on the qualities of different leaders. Often, I think our students are exposed to "heroes" on TV and in sports that are not necessarily good role models, so it is very important to show them others who have been leaders in one way or another that have used their abilities and talents to make a positive contribution to the world.
Chapter 4 reinforces something I believe in immensely. This belief is about creating firm foundations upon which to build the future. Muriel describes the young man who arrived new to A.B. Combs with a bit of an attitude. Genuine caring and a love for this young man made a difference in this young man's academic performance and in his response to the staff. I think we see students come through our doors each year with mammoth problems that only love and caring can begin to solve.
I really liked the description and examples of the "ubiquitous approach" of teaching the habits...incorporating them into everyday lessons and routines. I have found this not only something I do automatically, but I have found it actually easy to do! I have also seen my students be able to relate more to the habits when I use them in day to day language and lessons.
I also really liked the idea of leadership roles for each student in the room. In my classroom, the students I have are probably the least likely to have leadership roles in the school, and I believe that giving them leadership roles in the classroom could build their self-confidence immensely! I can see so many ways to use this idea and to do it in a way that benefits many as well as helps with some of their IEP goals.
I say YES to Darla when she asks if it is possible to see the duck and the rabbit at the same time. I am seeing alignment with mission, vision, and strategy at both the district and the campus level. Combined with practices currently in place the 7 Habits have fit seamlessly into the culture that has been established at Porter.
Lori Ward
This book makes so much sense. Chapter 3 said to me that we don't just teach the 7 Habits and then move on to academics, we incorporate the 7 habits into the academics we teach as well as life skills that we teach. I also learned more about the leadership role each child takes. After hearing from team members who visited with the school in Aledo, this week each student in my class will take on a leadership job for the etire year. This will allow me focus more on my job as the "teacher" leader while the students are responsible for their particular job while they will strengthen their leadership skills.
The students will learn these leadership principles as WE model the habits we are teaching.
Even though we have been trying to implement the data folders for awhile, I have still been struggling with how to make it meaningful to young children. By combining the ideas/language from the 7 habits and focusing on the individual growth of each child, I am hoping it will encourage a higher level of ownership of learning. If anyone has suggestions for organization of these at the K level, I am open to suggestions!
The last page of chapter 3 summarized what I feel we do have in place at Porter: love and respect for all--children and teachers.
In chapter 4, I liked the idea of leadership roles. This will take some time upfront to "train" for those positions, but in the end it should save us time in accomplishing our goals and helping each child gain independence.
I especially liked the section about incorporating successful leadership stories of leaders in various fields, including arts, and the Leader Wall of Fame. In the music room we have Aaron Copland as an example. He helped lead the way for classical music composition in America. Through his "Fanfare for the Common Man" he showed his belief that during World War II everyone had an important role (leadership) - not just the soldiers, but the people back at home who were working hard to build planes and ammunition, sewing uniforms, making boots, sending food, etc. Through listening to that composition we are reminded of the important role each person has to play in our society.
The background material on Malcolm Baldrige was very informative and helped me to see how the Baldrige principles and the 7 Habits can work so well together.
I also found it interesting that the author considers the first three habits to be Private Victory, the next three to be Public Victory, and the last to allow greater peace of mind.
It's important that we weave this into what we are already doing so it's not 1 more thing...
We are going to try the leadership idea so everyone will feel a paret of the process.
I am so proud to be a part of a school that beleives we do need to instill these habits in our students. We have a great opportunity before us and I have seen it working on every type of learner. I have seen my students take on their new jobs with enthusiasm and pride because they are the leader in that area. I also think the 7 habits will look different in every school but what an impact it can have. This is an exciting time in education.
I thought the part related to the'ubiquitous' approach extremely pertinent because it is important for students and teachers to live the startegies as compared to just viewing them as another set of rules. Furthermore, by everyone following the same strategies students gain a sense of continuity sometimes lacking in other areas of their lives.
My favorite part of these two chapters is where the 7 habits are explained so easily and clearly in Chapter 3. The first three work together to help a person become more independent and responsible, with skills that enable them to set priorities, plan and organize their tasks, and stick with them until their goals are met. The next three goals work together to help them become interdependent, with good communication, problem-solving, listening, and empathy skills. The final habit encourages renewal and balance that will help individuals adapt, grow, and change. It gives people resilience to bounce back in the face of setbacks, struggles and disappointments. These are all areas where I see my special education students are lacking vital skills that will help them succeed in a world where they will face more obstacles and disappointments than most.
I do often feel overwhelmed with all the positive initiatives we in education try to undertake. It's impressive to read about the successes of others, but can be intimidating when you are out in the trenches struggling with all we have to do. I am trying to overcome that by adding a little thing at a time as we continue this process. Most recently, I let students choose classroom jobs and responsibilities they enjoy and feel successful with to be responsible for throughout the year. The kids and I are all excited about having them take on some of the day to day responsibilities of our classroom. It also cuts down on time spent arguing when all are so eager to help the teacher!
Tracy Clegg
I love the idea of the "Ubiquitous Strategy". Even though I have always liked the character education, I have always believed it was important to tie it in with everything we do. Good character should be woven in our students' lives.
I love that A.B.Combs also brought in Baldridge. I like the example of the personal goal as well as the academic goals. I want to implement that. That can be tied into sharpening the saw.
I am going to be adding the "jobs" and look forward to seeing how that works out.
The children in our room have responded very well to the 7 habits. It's been easy to incorporate the habits in all the lessons. We've been able to see a big difference in their habits and behavior this year. Additionally, I feel we are fortunate to have a small class each year in that we can spend more one-on-one time with each student. We're able to talk about the habits as we work with them individually.
Our students always want to help out, even with the smallest task. Sometimes it's a race to see who thinks of it first. I'm looking forward to the kids having specific responsibilities they can have ownership of every day and be proud of it.
One of the statements that jumped out at me was in the 3rd chapter. The ubiquitous approach is what has taken this from simply being a new curricullum to making it the foundation for the school's culture--a culture that has proved to be conducive to higher learning, greater satisfaction and reduced discipline challenges. Ever since we have started this journey, I have believed that it must be more than "Just Curricullum", if we are going to make an impact on our children, our school and our community. It must be a way of life for us and we must all be on board not only in our teaching, but in our own behaviours toward each other, our students and our parents.
Lynnette P.
For me, the habit, "Begin with the End in Mind" gives me a real sense of security. It helps me feel that I have goals, and plans to get there. I think the same holds true for the students. I see a real comfort level with the kids this year because they know there we have an end in mind for them, and that they also know HOW to get there by using the continuous improvement strategies in combination with the seven habits. Not that I didn't, or we did not have a path to success for the kids, it's just that this is very clear, laid out and totally logical. I really connected with Chapter 4-Alligning for Success.
I really like the quote in chapter 3-"The 7 habits are like vitamins. They can be found in all kinds of places and are needed whether you are aware of it or not. They can be mixed together, or taken one at a time. You don't need just the vitamins or just the 7 habits to live. However, you're healthier, happier, and more successful when the habits are a daily part of your life."- Arlene Kai, student from China, A.B. Combs Elementary.
I agree with this. I think a lot of us used the 7 habits on a daily basis before and were just not aware of it because it is just a part of what you believe.
Ginger Griffin
There were two parts that stood out to me in these chapters.
The first part that caught me was the way that the 7 habits were described. They were put into two groups the first being habits 1-3 and things that are individual. The first three habits are within you and things that you are fully in control of as an individual. The second group 3-6 was described as habits that require interdependence. That means it may not mean that you can completely control the situation but it does mean that you can work with people to make the best of the situation and get the best result that you can. The second group develops people skills. It seemed so obvious to me once I read this but I really had not looked at it this way before. I gained a new perspective on how to present it to my students.
The second part that really stood out to me was the diagram with all the arrows. I feel that I am still working to get a clear picture of all the arrows here at Porter. I am trying to learn as much as I can but I am still formulating which arrows are the mid-size arrows and how many of those there are. I really liked the visual because it made me think about where we are at as a school and how I am fitting into that picture.
Katy Gott
I found these chapters to be an easy read. I love the idea of leadership roles for all people. My students wrote about leadership roles they would like to have in the classroom. They will take charge of these roles this week.
Reading Chapter 3 and 4 confirmed for me that we are on a great path for our school. The Seven Habits and the Baldridge model of continuous improvement are the foundations for helping students become leaders. We have been using the Continuous Improvement quality tools for several years, so it seems natural to incorporate the 7 habits into everything we teach.
I am so encourgaged by what is going on here at WA Porter!! I really feel as a staff we are all coming on board with The Leader in Me and the 7 Habits! It is so important that we continue to work together to put Habits in place!
I really liked reading about these chapters with lots of exapmles of how this has worked and how it got started!! I truly believe that every student has the capablility to be a leader of something!!! I also think the selection of the leadership role needs to fit the student not just assign a child to be a leader of something because it is their turn!! Let the kids be a leader where their own stregnths are!! I also found it is easy to incorporate the 7 habits into the lessons we are already teaching but just using that vocabulary lets the kids see it at work in all areas! Kim Harrington
I also enjoyed reading chapter 3 & 4. Like Kathy Hull, the reading continues to confirm for me that W.A. Porter is on a positive and proactive path!
The visual blueprint of the A.B. Combs learning model really spoke to me. As research and concepts are presented campus and district-wide sometimes we can't see the relationship. Their blueprint helped me to visualize the relationship of BISD's programs. Thanks A.B. Combs!
Like Tracy Clegg, our class implemented leadership roles. I decided to try it after the Leader in Me training with Robin Seay of Stuard Elementary in Aledo, TX. What a classroom transformation! My kiddos came up with their roles and gave reasons why they thought that they would be successful at them. Their ideas and reasoning surpassed the limitations of my mind. I was so proud of them and love the light in their eyes as the complete tasks within the confines of their role.
Continuous improvement has been our main focus for many years. Our children are use to setting goals and keeping data notebooks as Chapter 3 describes. I really connected with chapter 4. I have always given leadership roles to my students. I loved the acronym MAGIC. I want to post it in my room. When we expect the best, set high goals for ourselves and our students hopely they will strive to be their best.
In chapter 3, I loved the 8th habit that was added- Find your voice and help others find theirs. I love the idea that after you find your gift, you then need to share it with others. A gift is not a gift until you give it away! Also, I loved the examples of giving specific responsibilities to each student. I was blessed enough to get to go to Stuard Elementary in Aledo and see this in practice first hand. It was great to see the students take ownership of their school! They were truly proud of their school and were serious about their own, personalized leadership role! In chapter 4 it was comforting to know that the A.B.Combs success did not happen over night. They introduced things cautiously in order to allow teachers and staff to "get on board" as a natural choice when they witnessed success by others at their school. They were not forced , even though the goal was always to have "all on board". They also said that they were still a work in progress- making changes and re-aligning as needed. I think this is encouraging news for us at W.A.Poter as we work hard to develop our young leaders! Susan Anderson
Mindy I agree with you about how easy it is to relate the 7 habits into everyday activities. Just today we were reading a book and very quickly we were able to relate it to 3 of the 7 habits. Making these everyday connections reinforces it for my students too.
Just like Susan I felt better after reading that A.B. Combs did not make the transformation overnight but “Began with an end in mind”. I think W.A. Porter does have great plan with the success of our students as our ultimate goal. Reading through chapter 4 I can see that our campus has many similarities with A.B. Combs.
A quote from chapter 3 about A.B. Combs philosophy really struck me and goes hand in hand with my own personal belief about students “If you treat all students as if they are gifted, and you always look at them through that lens of being gifted in at least some aspect, they will rise to that level of expectation”
Julie Herring
I agree with the statement that teachers feel: "I must teach core academics + life skills+ character". The Seven Habits can be used to tie all three aspects together. I also like that he suggest that parents use the same seven habits at home.
I love the added 8th habit "Find Your Voice and Help Others Find Theirs".
I love the "Be Proactive Every Day" song. Cara Cagle
I loved the "ubiquitous" approach because it is exactly what Porter does. It is great to teach in a school that has so many of these elements already in place.
After reading the part on data books that (less is best) has made me feel better about the need to streamline my student's books. I was always taking too much time trying to include too much information.
It is easy to see how the 7 Habits and Baldridge Principals are at the very foundation of our schoolhouse model. They support us as teachers and students in evertything we do teaching our kids to be ready for the journey into their adult worlds.
I enjoyed reading how the 7 habits help prepare students to become leaders of all kinds. The young boy speaking to so many people was incredible. I love the acronyms LEAD and MAGIC and what they stood for. Also the hamburger rubric was a great way to explain to students what it means to go beyond expectations.
I enjoyed reading about the ubiquitous approach and was reassured that what I am doing in my classroom will continue to impact my children after they move on. I especially liked the visual on p.60 of looking through the life skills/character glasses and integrating these into academics. I have found this surprisingly easy to do.
As many have previously mentioned, I also gave my students year-long jobs that they created and chose. It was so exciting to see my students create positions and really invest in their jobs. I feel like this will help me work smarter this year, not harder, while giving my students valuable leadership practice!
First, I especially like the ubiquitous strategy, which means we build the 7 Habits into everything we are teaching. I also loved all the exmples and feel like they helped solidify the information that was being stated.
Next, I agree with the statement that teachers need to model the habits and give the students time to practice leadership principals. I've heard parents telling their kids, "Do as I say, not as I do."; however, this really doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Finally, I am thinking about leadership roles in the library and can't wait to try a few out this next week. I'm sure the kids can help me come up with some as well.
Heather Beaver
My favorite parts of these chapters are the "Ubiquitous Strategy" and the leadership roles. In the past when we have talked about "character education" in the classroom I felt like it was something to check off a list...check, done that. With this, it is all woven together and just makes sense! I love the leadership roles. My kiddos wrote me a letter to inform me of their desired role and why they would be good at it. We are starting those this week. They are so excited!
I loved reading about the unique leadership roles that students at A.B. Combs have taken. I completely agree that our students are going to go above and beyond when they feel they are a leader of of something. They feel they have an important role to play in their education no matter how large or small the role is. My favorite leadership example that I read about was that student leaders of a class are pulled out once a month to meet with principal in a chat session. I know that some of the students in my class would be able to represent our class in a very mature way and take that role very seriously. When they believe in what they are doing and understand why they are doing it, their learning is going to solid and last a lifetime. ~Margaret Hutto
One of the challenges for teaching fifth grade is that the students are at the age where they are evolving into adolescents. This transitional time can be quite tumultuous on occasions. The students are beginning their journey to independence and testing their limits as they go. I like the analogy that the 7 Habits are like vitamins. “They can be found in all kinds of places and are needed whether you are aware of it or not.” Giving my students the “vitamins” or tools they need to be successful in life is the groundwork I strive for as their teacher. It’s refreshing to follow an instructional plan where these skills are embedded in everything throughout the day. As it was stated, it isn’t “one more thing” we have to teach … it is “part of everything” we teach. Guiding fifth-grade students requires a great deal of understanding. It is our responsibility to model leadership and acceptance of different viewpoints. I agree that “the students will learn these leadership principles as WE model the habits we are teaching.”
I love that our entire campus has bought into the 7 habits and can see opportunities for teaching character all day, throughout the building regardless of the setting. This common language and goal setting can be generalized to most any situation.
I've seen it in the morning cafe duty when having to talk to a grade level about being a role model for younger students. They were able to think about their responsibility as leaders and role models for younger children, just as their teachers model lessons, so too they can model behavior and character. They were able to voice their understanding of the situation and decide how they could be better role models. When they participate in the process, they own the outcome.
As a school counselor, I love the idea of incorporating character education into every subject of the curriculum. In fact, I feel that Porter has been doing that for years based on what I've observed on campus this year. I think that's why the students have so readily taken to the 7 habits. For years they received such wonderful character education that they were ready to take it to the next level.
This presents a challenge to me as a counselor, though. I'm presented with the opportunity now to extend and expand guidance lessons so they're not stand-alone lessons about particular character traits. My guidance lessons could (and perhaps should) be something more or different. I'm not sure where to take it yet. Ideas? Suggestions? Since I do have the opportunity to interact with students across grade levels, altering guidance lessons as we know them would provide a chance to align across grade levels. I'd love to hear where you would like assistance in 7 habits education. . .
Lisa L.
I'm so proud to be associated with WA Porter in working on the Leader in Me. I am enjoying your comments, and I'm impressed with the work you are doing. Jaimie and I are working on getting our schools together on January 4th.
Thanks :)
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