Standard+1

__Standard 1__
Read over Standard 1, then find the best contribution related to it in a broad sense or specifically to one or more of the functions. Capture that example and post it to our wiki. You might post a link (file or widget) to a journal article, news story, document, web site, pod cast, video, etc. You need to annotate your post so that the connection to this standard is clear. Identify yourself at the end and remember to always click Save before exiting a page that you have worked on.

**Standard 1: An education leader promotes the success of every student by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by all stakeholders.** //Functions://
 * 1) Collaboratively develop and implement a shared **vision** and mission
 * 2) Collect and use **data** to identify goals, assess organizational effectiveness, and promote organizational learning
 * 3) Create and implement **plans** to achieve goals
 * 4) Promote continuous and sustainable improvement
 * 5) Monitor and evaluate progress and revise plans

The Educational Leaders Constituent Council (ELCC) has taken the ISLLC Standards and reworded them in the form of the expected knowledge and abilities that an aspiring leader should possess. Their wording makes it easier to ask questions of oneself in terms of readiness for a formal leadership role. [|ELCC 2009.doc]


 * Michigan Dept. of Ed, [|framework for school improvement] **

1.2 Data should play a role in any change process but we should be [|data-informed not data-driven] according to this blogger.

Harvard is sponsoring a seven-part series of thought provoking commentaries on the [|Future of Education Reform]. This link will connect you to the first three Commentaries.

This article advises leaders to [|stop doing four things] that are not working: 1. Ineffective PD. 2. Massive Annual School Improvement Reports. 3. Focusing on Structural Changes. 4. Focusing on Changing Culture. The source is the web site of the American Association of School Administrators. (BC)

Ever seen a [|one-page], school improvement plan? In the business world there is even a company that exists just to help develop one-page plans. Take a look at this [|sample] for a non-profit company. (BC)

Our district has required each building to come up with a Continuous School Improvement Plan. What I like about this plan is that it is shared amongst all teachers, it is used to drive PLC discussions and classrooms. The goals are posted in each classroom and the students know them as well. You can go into any classroom in our building and the teacher is able to explain each goal and the reason the goal was created. Although the Continuous School Improvement Team (CSI Team) only consists of one person from each grade level the goals were created as a school. I think our school is a great example of having a clear, shared vision. Click the link to check it out. (SP)CSI Goals for Scotch Elementary School

Here is an example of a contribution to our wiki for Standard 1. The Daily Riff (education focused) website has selected this 20 minute TED talk by high school principal, Chris Lehmann, as their "Best Video of 2010". This outstanding principal has a vision and is capable of sharing his beliefs about what it takes to have good schools. Jot down a few of his comments that strike a particular cord with you. (BC)

media type="youtube" key="6FEMCyHYTyQ?fs=1" height="385" width="640"
What are your beliefs about what it takes to have a good school? Are you familiar with research-based models for creating a good school? How would you go about leading a collaborative effort to develop, implement, and assess a good school?

Sir Kenneth Robinson's presentation, "Changing Education Paradigms", has been animated to provide a visual representation with his excellent voice-over. What can you learn from him that will help clarify your beliefs about education? At the end of his presentation, take a few minutes of quiet time to reflect and write down those aspects of his talk that affected you the most and be ready to explain why. (BC) media type="youtube" key="zDZFcDGpL4U?fs=1" height="385" width="640"

[|Rick Hess]' new book, The Same Thing Over and Over, criticizes not only those who protect the status quo but also reformers who think their pet reform is the answer to improving public education. The Hechinger Report review of his book provides a good summary.( The [|Hechinger Report] is a good source for analysis of current ed issues. On which of points do you agree with Hess, and on which points might you question his position? (BC)

This is a CBS video discussing the state of America's Schools and the need for change. It features Michelle Rhee, the Chancellor of Education in Washington DC. She argues that schools need to be treated and run like all other businesses. She would like to see an increase in administrative and teacher accountability for failures and success. She also argues that teacher unions and tenure are responsible for keeping ineffective teachers, making student achievement suffer. The video shows Sousa Middle School in Washington DC, where Michelle Rhee implemented her philosophy by firing the principal along with 1/3 of the teachers, forced students to wear uniforms, and offered classes on saturday. media type="youtube" key="-Ayf0lmKOTE?fs=1" height="537" width="672"What are your thoughts on Rhees approach to changing the culture of Sousa Junior High? Was firing 1/3 of the staff, replacing the principal, and implimenting uniforms the way to change a failing school? Is the union holding back student achievement? (JC)

Take a look at this video; does your school have a video that talks about the mission and vision and gets boys and girls excited about attending that school?(BJ) Bishop Noll High Should nutrition education and offerings be a bigger part of schools' visions? Check out this article from the Washington Post: WP Nutrition Articlej I'm going to do more research and see if the new Congress has addressed this yet. UPDATE...THE BILL PASSED. NYTIMES Article (JH)

An Education World Article on a school's vision statement. I love the last paragrpah where the mission statement would be a great way to end the year and reflect on what happened and how things went. Also a link at the bottom to Franklin Covey to write your own mission statement. (TS)

This article shows a difference in vision between members of the Kent County schools. They discuss a possible merge into a county-wide district but find it difficult to figure out how they will keep their identities which they worked for many years to form. =Grand Rapids Superintendent Taylor says he'd back countywide school merger= GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP – Grand Rapids Superintendent Bernard Taylor says he'd “be the first to step aside” if one of his Kent County colleagues wanted to merge districts – or form a county school system. >>full article (KCP) Here is a link to the MEA's vision for school reform. Leaders discussed this plan with Snyder last week. Snyder in his state of the state address did not talk about any specifics, but I would guess his vision for school reform does not include point 5 of the MEA agenda. It will be interesting to see how and if he uses input from the MEA as we go forward. Colleagues and I were talking about it this week and we argued over the question, "Does the MEA still have power in Lansing to influence policy?" The school reform our state will take on over the next few years should be very interesting.

=Michigan Education Association offers plan to fund, improve schools=

Read more: [|Michigan Education Association offers plan to fund, improve schools | freep.com | Detroit Free Press] [] [|MEA's plan PDF] (RH)



I think that this video really hits it. If these are the activities that are students are engaged in, then we need to find ways to include them in our instruction or our classrooms will continue to be boring and outdated. It is up to educators to influence policies to lessen the restriction of technology use inside the educational boundaries. How are you using these activities in assignments that we give to our students. Can you start a blog or have chat room for your class? Do you have a Wiki for your class? What is your district's policies toward use technology? Is it too restrictive? (DD)

At first, I was struggling to figure out how this article about gifted kids relates to school vision etc. but a the end of the article came the answers...in the form of questions. And, the comments really speak to how prudent it is to think about all students in the spectrum of learning when developing a vision/mission for a school. Here’s the article: http://educationnext.org/challenging-the-gifted/

Here are the questions so you don’t have to read the article... I asked Davidson teachers and staffers what lessons public schools could take away from the academy. Their answers struck me a lot like the idea of getting rid of seat-time laws: logical, good for kids, and political showstoppers. • Allow youngsters to accelerate by subject. Colleen Harsin, the academy’s longtime director, proposed that a school group its core classes—hold all math classes during 2nd period, say; all English during 3rd—so students can move up or down according to their ability. • Promote dual enrollment so youngsters can take classes in both elementary and middle school, middle and high school, high school and college. That may strain transportation budgets, but students will graduate sooner, offsetting the costs. • Individualize learning. Davidson students each have a learning plan that’s refined during weekly meetings with their advisors, semester meetings with Garcia, and yearly what’s-next meetings with Harsin. That might strain a school of 2,000, but so do discipline problems caused by bored or out-of-their depth youngsters. • Group students by ability, not age. “You can’t teach to the middle,” Ripley said. “To say we’re all at an Algebra 2 level just isn’t accurate.” That’s Bob Davidson’s mantra: Ability grouping “may fly in the face of closing the achievement gap,” but neglecting the country’s brightest kids flies in the face of logic. “Don’t stop them,” he says. (JH)

Very good article introduction on several states professional developments. (TS)