Dr. Robyn Jackson, School Leadership Reimagined
Website: mindstepsinc.com | schoolleadershipreimagined.com | Twitter: @robyn_mindsteps
Website: vrainwaves.com | Twitter: @VrainWaves | Becky Twitter: @BeckyEPeters | Ben Twitter: @mrkalb
Dr. Jackson’s books on ASCD4 Disciplines of BuildershipWhy leadership is insufficient (03:18)“A builder goes out ahead, then they invite people to that.”“Bosses say ‘Go’. Leaders say ‘Let’s go.’ Builders say ‘Come’”.The importance of culture (05:45)“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” - Peter Drucker“Whoever controls the narrative controls the culture.”How do you regain control over your narrative (and therefore your culture)? (07:27)Have compelling answers for these three questions:What are we building? (have a compelling vision)Why is it important? (have a compelling mission)What’s my role? (a set of core values)Mindsteps, Inc - core values: (11:02)1 - Drama-free work environment2 - Do the right thing, even when it hurts3 - Figure it outCore values as decision filtersVision / Mission / Core Values (13:41)They don’t mean anything if they don’t govern the work.They have to be non-negotiablesOnly 3, no more than 4, they should be rankedEverybody has to sign off on themHire based on those things - shape interview questions that tease out people’s core valuesMaster schedule has to support your core values (BONUS: See this article from our very own Andrea Smith, Lyons Middle / Senior Principal, on how your master schedule reflects your climate and culture!)Has to hit 100% of your studentsBuilders Lab WorkshopsAdvice for teacher leaders (21:55)Culture = organizational habits & the stories we tell about them
Robyn’s AP Class story (22:30)
Jay Matthews’ book on Jaime Escalante“What you start in your classroom can be powerful enough to change the culture of your entire school.”“Be who you want to see.” (28:23)“If you really want to change your culture, you are in the most powerful position to change it. There is nothing more powerful than a teacher.”Pygmalion effect (29:49)Kids will rise to the expectations you have for yourself. (not the expectations you have for them)Blog post about itMaster Teacher Project (31:12)7 Principles of Effective Instruction (32:29)“Use Feedback to help you both get better”What kind of feedback is this assignment going to give me about how students are doing?How do I respond so I can give the student the type of feedback this assignment was designed for?Color-coded rubrics (36:22)Feedback has to give kids a pathway to improvementRigorous Instruction (38:34)Free tutorial for rigorous instructionRequires students to construct meaning for themselvesRequires students to impose structure on informationRequires students to integrate skills into processesRequires students to apply what they’ve learned to more than one context and to unpredictable situationsUnit planning templateDr. Jackson’s interview with Ashton Kutcher - Curious Not Furious (42:29)Kutcher’s work on human trafficking / Bodies are not Commodities A21 curriculumFunding Iowa Donors Choose projects“If you don’t take every opportunity to learn something, if you’re not looking at everybody as ‘they have something they can teach me’, then you’re significantly cutting yourself off from insights, some perspectives that could really broaden your own.” (47:32)Being passionate about something makes you quicker to judge sometimes (49:52)“Curiosity and judgment can’t fit in the same space.” (51:08)Summer PD opportunities with Dr. Jackson - 2 Builders Labs (June 24-26 in CA; July 15-17 in Arlington VA for Instructional Coaches)Takeaways (52:50)AP Progress in St Vrain10 signs of a toxic culture (Episode 8 - How to Detoxify your school culture - School Leadership Reimagined podcast) “Safety is not about removing discomfort.” Are people safe enough to be uncomfortable with me?