Vicki Wilson is an educator, serving children and the field for over 28 years as a teacher and principal. She is passionate about education and strive to make it better every day. I am particularly interested in educator learning, leadership, organizational change, progressive and innovative practices in education, and leveraging best practices at school to make an improvement so that all students get the best possible education. She recently retired from the principalship of Monroe Elementary School in Wyandotte, Michigan. Monroe is a learning and student-centered school that values both student and adult collaborative learning. Monroe Elementary was named a nationally recognized Model PLC School by Solution Tree in 2018.
In 2020, she Published Lead With Instructional Rounds: Creating a Culture of Professional Learning,(Discover a strength-based approach to instructional rounds implementation that strengthens school culture while improving the instructional practices), a Lead Like a Pirate Guidebook, with Dave Burgess Consulting. In 2021, she was part of a 100 author collaboration to write 100 No-Nonsense Things That All Teachers Should Stop Doing and the newly released 100 No-Nonsense Things That All Administrators Should Stop Doing, both published by Pushing Boundaries Consulting.
She enjoys connecting with a professional learning network (PLN) through Twitter, Twitter chats, blogs, and events. I am an educational author, blogger, and presenter. I present and consult around Instructional Rounds, Professional Learning Communities, Positive Behavior Supports and Restorative Practices, and Reimagining SROs: Stopping the Schools-to-Prison Pipeline.
Trenches story: she wrote her book about a time after she became principal, bringing staff together thru instructional rounds. Had been teaching there for 3 yrs. interesting perspective to see teachers in a new light. Had to close ES & merge with another due to declining enrollment. Were 2 diff. schools. Struggle to unify them. Helped them see what colleagues. Another time with leading change around restorative practices. Change mindset around restorative discipline. Ppl got angry because they felt like kids weren’t being disciplined like they wanted. Hard to shift from consequence-based to relationship-based. Wanted t’s to get into each other’s CR. Wanted to do it in a non-threatening way. Looked @ strengths teachers had to share, how it impacted student learning. Has done it since 2012, monthly.
Talk about your book Lead With Instructional Rounds: Creating a Culture of Professional Learning and your chapters in 100 No-Nonsense Things That All Teachers Should Stop Doing and the newly released 100 No-Nonsense Things That All Administrators Should Stop Doing, both published by Pushing Boundaries Consulting. in her book, teachers look at positives rather than deficits. How to grow, share, validate? Book starts with story of school closure, how to create 1 unified new school. Ties in Hattie’s, Marzano’s work. After observation, they have a convo about how we can grow from what we saw. A chapt. addresses logistics of sub coverage. Can knock off a lot of School Improvement goals, Title 1 funded, so can use that for sub coverage. Brings joy, celebrating, validation back to our work. 100 No-Nonsense Things That All Teachers Should Stop Doing: takes back to restorative practices, chapt. titled “Stop punishing st’s w/o listening to their side of the story”. She writes about st’s sent to office during recess. 100 No-Nonsense Things That All Administrators Should Stop Doing: chapt. titled “Stop ignoring feedback of any kind from anyone”. It’s hard to know lenses ppl coming into school bring. Valuing what they have to say, being a listening ear goes a long way. It takes courage for ppl to go to principal esp. when it’s something critical.
Talk about consulting- will transition to FT consulting after 22/23 SY: highlight Strength-Based Instructional Rounds & School Leadership Mentoring, what will your availability be & when? Leaving principal role to start Vicki Wilson consulting. Heart is drawing her to support schools all over. Grow strengths-based approach. Has designed some packages from a few days, to coaching over time. Work would involve writing school’s playbook. Building enthusiasm around instructional rounds. Offers coaching days to work with a facilitator, around CR observation. Wants to mentor leaders both F2F or virtual. Through MI ES/MS principal’s org, she is mentoring newer leaders.
Out of everything? There’s a great opportunity to grow/learn from strengths, what we bring & what others bring. Highlight strengths over deficits. Click To Tweet
Where can ppl find you online? HOME | My Site (vickiwilson.org) Twitter @vickilwilson5 View this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZmcLVolewJc
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