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"I shall be telling this
with a sigh
Somewhere ages and
ages hence.
Two roads diverged
in a wood,
and I-
I took the one
less traveled
by
And that has made
all the difference.
- Robert Frost
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it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be. That means working in the system. - Saul D. Alinsky
I t is the every day greetings and conversations, routines, practices, beliefs, events, expectations, and celebrations that help build the culture of a school. I have taken on the challenge of changing the culture of the middle school where I work into a more caring
one. Using the nine Essential Knowledge and Skills for Effective School Leadership, I am creating, promoting, and supporting the following activities and events to build caring and show that relationships matter:
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Having an open door policy to listen to and encourage staff to share their thoughts, suggestions, problems and accomplishments |
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Encouraging teachers to attend and present conferences and workshops for continuous learning and professional growth |
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Starting and supporting professional development through faculty reading and discussion of research based articles on educational issues such as inclusion, differentiated instruction, and strategies to improve comprehension and critical thinking skills |
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Promoting buddy relationships between experienced teachers and new teachers for support and to share best practices |
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Visiting teachers and students in classrooms to promote communication, interaction, and relationships |
| Working with teachers to decorate the school entrance and hallways with student work to support a sense of belonging and pride and to provide evidence of learning taking place in the school
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Creating student committee to keep school hallways clean, decorated and safe
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Implementing Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) period during lunch for sixth graders to increase reading fluency and practice |
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Having celebrations for students who bring books to read at lunchtime |
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Supporting and chaperoning student trips to broaden students' learning experiences and enrich classroom instruction |
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Inviting and advertising evening programs for parents to increase parent awareness and participation in school events and activities |
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Promoting and participating in an Adopt a Student initiative to provide motivation, support, and mentoring to at-risk students |
View PowerPoint Presentation of Student Trip to Lincoln Center
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