The Leadership Team is currently involved in a book study of School Leadership that Works by Robert Marzano, Timothy Waters and Brian McNulty. This book delves into the mountains of research that has been done to link leadership to student performance. There are 21 behaviors or responsibilities that are defined as being those of a successful school leadership. Affirmation is #1. It has long been tradition at Chets to recognize or affirm those who have done outstanding work in the classroom and this year is no different.Last year two of our teachers had the idea to start a program called Pixie Pointers whereby two teachers would be chosen each week to answer a question asked from the previous recipient about any topic. The questions and answers were passed among the faculty in two journals and the honored teachers wore a Tinkerbell necklace to signify their status for the week. About midway through the year one of our coaches, dayle timmons, decided to catalog these tips and strategies in a blog so that everyone could have access to this extremely valuable resource.
This year we have turned the spotlight on recognition of the cool technology initiatives that teachers are embracing and have transformed the affirmation into a two week period for teachers to blog about the way they incorporated the use of technology into their classrooms. Geeks from the Creek is born! In addition to the blogging experience these techies wil give a brief demonstration of their initiative at our next early release professional development training. 
Risk...Care...Dream...Expect...
4 comments:
As I mentioned last week, Eric's "story" is just incredibly inspiring, and it appears that Melissa is equally inspirational with her global outlook and her commitment to make our world a bit better for all (she's brilliant too!).
When I grow up, I would not mind one bit being a whole lot like either one of those cats!
Peace,
T-Cubed You left Moe in charge of WHAT? Don't you have to have some to be in charge of it?
Having affirmation embedded in our culture is such an important piece in what we do. From someone who has not always been at Chets Creek, I can say that I think if other schools would embrace this aspect of leadership it could start much needed change.
I'm excited to see technology highlighted because there are so many different ways teachers are learning to use it to change their practice. Go Geeks!
I love the way that you are combining the attributes of leadership from the Book Study with concrete examples of how we apply that to our everyday life at the Creek. People that visit Chets Creek always ask about how we created and maintain such a positive environment that encourages teachers to take risks. Affirmation is such a great example of how it was started and sustains.
I am so happy that using technology is valued and rewarded at Chets Creek. I used to think that using an Elmo or making a Powerpoint was very "technological". Boy was I wrong. I have been encouraged at Chets to go beyond "using technology for technology's sake" (as it says in Web 2.0). I need to stop reading that book before bed...I keep getting up to run to the computer.
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