TL;DR: Empowering staff in the decision-making process means listening to your staff’s needs. Consider the potential barriers before making any big decisions. Be open with staff and solicit feedback to increase buy-in. Be sure to explain the “why” of your decision-making process. School administrators are continuously looking for new strategies to help their teachers and students in their schools achieve … Read More
Be More KNOWABLE Than KNOWLEDGEABLE
TL;DR: As a leader, it’s not always just about what you know, but it’s about who you are as a person. Leaders are models for teachers, who all are models for students. As a leader, you don’t need to know everything, but others must know you. Be more KNOWABLE than KNOWLEDGEABLE. It’s not about having THE answer; it’s about allowing … Read More
Staff Meetings That Empower
TL;DR: There are numerous ways to conduct staff meetings that excite, engage, and empower your staff to learn and share their expertise to build capacity. Staff meetings should leave teachers feeling empowered. Highlight teachers during staff meetings and amplify their voices. Immerse teachers in an experience to model different ideas for them to try in their own classrooms. As a … Read More
A Culture of Collaboration
TL;DR: Create a culture of collaboration by celebrating the wins, checking in with your staff, and having teacher-run PD sessions. Using a communication tool like Voxer can provide opportunities to open up a dialogue between staff in different areas. Leading with empowerment involves being genuine, showing vulnerability, and a willingness to acknowledge imperfection. I recently met with Foreign Language teachers … Read More
Transparent Leadership
TL;DR: It is important for leaders to be transparent, as it allows teams to come together easier and promotes authentic relationships. Keys to transparent leadership include sharing the whole story, asking questions, promoting sharing, tackling issues, encouraging individual voice, and consistent communication. The date was March 18, 2020, and I was facilitating my very first staff Zoom meeting. There are … Read More