My Summer List

This summer marks the end of my 3rd year as an administrator.  This year has definitely been a crazy one; a roller-coaster of emotions and experiences.  Like most educators, I use summer as a time to reflect, regroup and recharge.

I am looking forward to the slower, less hectic pace of the work day and the ability to ditch the tie and wear sneakers to work (most days, at least).  However, the part of summer that I look forward to the most, is the opportunity to dedicate more time to my professional learning.  As I covered in my last blog post, as much as I value blogging, social media and other professional learning opportunities, it can be very difficult to dedicate the time that such ventures truly deserve during the heart of the school year.

Summer has always served as a time to "sharpen my saw" with new skills and ideas and to "whet my appetite" with inspiration and examples of excellence from my PLN.

That being said, like any good learner, I always like to create a list of goals for myself during the summer:

1.)  Finish Reading Teach Like A Pirate by Dave Burgess (Carried over from last year, Sorry @burgessdave)
- I started reading the book last summer as part of a book study through Twitter, but only made it through about 1/2

2.) Finish Reading Mindset by Carol Dweck
- I began reading this book in preparation of hearing Carol speak at the annual NASSP conference this past March.  However, after I accepted my new position at my current elementary school, I was unable to attend the conference and never got the opportunity to finish reading.

3.) Attend EdCamp Leadership at University of Penn in August
- I'm defnitely an EdCamp junkie and love that this year's EdCamp Leadership is in my hometown.  Such a great expereince last year!!

4.) Learn everything I can about Aurasma and Augmented Reality
- Learned about this app at EdCamp Philly this May and have fallen head over heels for it.  I hope that I can help share that passion for its possibilities with my staff and get some of them to take a leap of faith with it in their classrooms.  Lead by example, right :)

So there it is.  Four goals sandwiched around a few long weekend getaways and the normal summer work that needs to be done for August/September.

I hope your summer lists are meaningful and manageable.

Be well.

Joe

A Rebirth of sorts...

It's been a while since I have visited and posted on my blog. It's a frustrating and painful thing to admit, but I have struggled this year with the motivation to continue blogging. I started with fervor in July (as many educators do over the summer) with visions of regular posts, documenting the successes and trials of my daily leadership experiences.  However, as is the case with many educator's grand plans, those plans were met with a cold dose of reality once the school year started.  To go along with my regular duties as Assistant Principal, I was also given the responsibilities of Athletic Director for my middle school. 

Despite the efforts of my incredible support staff and my fellow building administrators, I felt myself growing more and more buried in the sea of administrative minutia.  I found it increasingly difficult to make time for the professional exercises (blogging, twitter chats, etc) that had made the previous school year and summer so positive.  I continually tried to recommit to those practices.  I even joined a great community running the #blogamonth challenge in hopes they would push and motivate me, but even they couldn't pull me out of the minutia quicksand.  I found myself with little time for classroom visits, conversations with teachers, or the type of instructional leadership that I had come to expect from myself.  I didn't like feeling this way, but I had no idea what to do about it.  This was NOT why I became an administrator. 

So in February, I made the difficult decision to resign my position and accept a new position as an Elementary Assistant Principal in another district.  It was extremely difficult to leave the students and staff at the middle school and dive into the relative "unknown" that was the elementary level.  However, professionally and personally, this change could not have come at a better time.

I started in my new position, which is split between two elementary schools, at the beginning of April.  While my head is swimming a bit as I undergo this transition, I have found the new experience incredibly freeing.  In my short time in this new position, I have been able to connect with students and teachers more as I work to become part of my new school communities.  I have also found the motivation to refocus on my own learning and the professional practices that help me be at my best so I can help students and teachers be at theirs.

I don't really have a theme or take-away for this post.  I guess its more of an explanation and an apology for my lack of activity.  It's also served as a bit of a cathartic exercise for me, so Thank you for reading.  I'm feeling more like myself, which feels pretty darn good, and that is definitely a victory worth celebrating.

Be Well.

Joe

The PLN Challenge

Over break, I was lucky enough to be encouraged by a few members of my PLN to take part in the #blogamonth challenge where a group of educators commit to blogging and commenting at least once a month.  As part of the challenge, Drew Frank (@ugafrank) nominated our group for the PLN Challenge.  Like most people in my PLN, I have never met Drew in person, but I have had the opportunity to learn with and from him in many chats and through his blog posts.  Drew is a wealth of excellent resources and ideas.  I would encourage you to follow him if you are not already.  On to the Challenge!

The PLN Challenge:

1.      Acknowledge the nominating blogger – Check!

2.      Share 11 random facts about yourself

3.      Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you

4.      Nominate 11 bloggers for the Challenge

5.      Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer and let the bloggers know they have been nominated.

11 Random Facts about Me:

1.      I have two wonderful little girls.

2.      Huge Philly Sports Fan - Eagles, Phillies, and Flyers (Not really a basketball fan though, Sorry 76ers)

3.      I met my wife on a trip to Disney World after HS graduation, even though we lived 7 minutes from each other during HS.

4.      My wife is the most creative person I know.  She crafts, knits, cooks.  She’s awesome!

5.      I love video games.

6.      I am secretly addicted to watching Cooking shows, even though I can’t cook a lick

7.      I am a believer that almost anything can be improved by adding cheese or peanut butter (but NEVER Both!)

8.      I am a self-proclaimed math geek…and PROUD of it!

9.      I am the oldest of 3children with 7 years difference between me and the next oldest

10.  I come from a family of educators.

11.  I knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was in 6^th grade.

 11 Questions from Drew:

1.      What is your favorite movie of all time?

It’s a tie between The Shawshank Redemption and Remember the Titans

2.      If you could go to have attended any concert anytime in history, what would it have been?

 I’m not a huge music fan, but I would have like to have seen the Beatles live in concert

 

3.      What do you do for fun?  Hobby?

 

Video games and Card Playing.  I love a good poker game.

 

4.      What two guests would make the best comedic pair as co-hosts for the Oscars?

 

Will Ferrell and Darryl Hammond as Bill Clinton and George Bush

 

5.      Cat, Dog or Goldfish? Why…

Dog, not even close.  Loyalty, companionship and unconditional love.  I love my dog.

6.      How do you caffeinate?

Not a coffee drinker.  I’ve tried, but just can’t acquire a taste for it.  I’m a Diet Soda guy.

7.      Favorite twitter chat?

#PAEdchat – I am co-moderator of this chat with my colleagues Bob Lochel (@bobloch) and Diane Holben (@DianeHolben) on Thursdays @ 9EST.  I am also a fan of #sbgchat and #mschat.

8.      Best place you ever vacationed?

My wife and I took a cruise of the Western Mediterranean for our honeymoon.  We hit Marseilles, Monaco, Tuscany, Rome and Naples all in one trip.  It was amazing!!!

9.      Best book you’ve read in 2013?

Shifting the Monkey by Todd Whitaker (@ToddWhitaker).  Simple, Practical ideas steps to implement.  I also love Todd’s style of writing

10.  Favorite television shows?

Game of Thrones, Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory

11.  What is one thing you never/rarely share that you are exceptionally proud of?

I played Division III lacrosse for DeSales University.  I started in goal for 3 years and, upon leaving, owned most game and season school goaltending records

My Turn to Nominate:

Now it’s my turn to nominate 11 bloggers.  I am nominating a mix of the #blogamonth participants along with other members of my PLN that have had an influence on me.  Please give these guys a follow and check out their blogs.

Name	Twitter Handle	Blog Address
Bob Lochel	@bobloch	http://mathcoachblog.wordpress.com/
Joe Mazza	@Joe_Mazza	leadlearner.com
Tom Murray	@thomascmurray	thomascmurray.com
Kevin Deissler	@MrDeissler	mrdeissler.wordpress.com
Justin Aion	@JustinAion	http://relearningtoteach.blogspot.com
Jeremy Lenzi	@MrLenziGS	http://dailylifeasateacher.wordpress.com
Steve Kwikkel	@SKwikkel	middleman2012.wordpress.com
Kevin Kelly	@EmmausKevinK	schoolpsycwaypost.blogspot.com
Justin Staub	@DrStaubSTEM	http://drstaub.wordpress.com/
Allison Petersen	@alcp	alcp.weebly.com
Rik Rowe	@WHSRowe	whsrowe.blogspot.com

 Here are your 11 questions:

1. If you weren’t in education, what would you do instead?
2. Who is your favorite actor of all time?
3. If you could go to have attended any famous speech anytime in history, what would it have been?
4. What do you do to relax?  De-stress?
5. If you could invite anyone to dinner who would you invite and why?
6. Would you prefer to visit a Zoo or Aquarium and why?
7. Favorite twitter chat?
8. What is one thing you tried last year that you learned about from your PLN?
9. Best place to be quiet and reflect?
10. Favorite book of your life?
11. What is one thing you never/rarely share that you are exceptionally proud of?

 

Why I Lead? - #SAVMP

This post marks the beginning of my journey into the School Admin Virtual Mentor Program (#SAVMP) organized by @gcouros.  This program is designed to bring together school leaders to connect, to learn, and to grow through the utilization of social media.  I am very excited to be connecting with @Joe_Mazza, @kmnutting, and @drsnerling and I am looking forward to sharing and learning with them.

Now onto the purpose of this post.

Why I Lead:

In reflecting on this question, I had difficulty separating the “Why” I lead from the “How” I lead.  I guess this makes sense since all of my actions as a leader are based upon my beliefs.  So I took some inventory on my educational beliefs.

·         I believe that all students can learn.

·         I believe in building relationships through mutual respect and trust

·         I believe that all students deserve a champion working for them. (If you have not seen Rita Pierson’s TED Talk, you NEED to click here.)

·         I believe that while you may finish your education, you should never stop learning.

·         I believe in celebrating every victory, no matter how small.

·         I believe that I can be a positive role model for my students, my staff and my school community.

·         I believe in positive change.

So Why do I Lead?… I Lead because I Believe.

Be well,

Joe

Lollipop Moments

I’m going to level with you…

This is scary.  I mean, like, really scary. 

I began building my PLN through Twitter at the beginning of this past school year.  Slowly and surely I have built a community of learners, educators and leaders who I converse with, share ideas with and learn with.  I went from lurking in chats to participating in them regularly to planning to co-moderate one with a few fantastic people (more on that at a later date).

Blogging, however, has always been an intimidating undertaking.  I have been toying with the idea of blogging for some time now, but anytime I would start to really consider it, I was shut down by self-doubt.  I read the blogs of many of the people I follow on Twitter, @casas_jimmy, @NMHS_Principal, @twhitford and @gcouros just to name a few.  These were leaders who present at National Conferences sharing their great accomplishments, their forward thinking, their deep, sometimes profound, reflections and messages.  How pompous was I to think that I would have anything to offer the community that could not be found from someone else with much more experience and knowledge than me.  And so I remained simply a reader rather than a contributor…

 

However, last week I saw the outstanding TED talk above from Drew Dudley entitled “Everyday Leadership”.  In this talk, Drew shares the idea that by only celebrating mammoth accomplishments as Leadership, we devalue the great things all of us do every day that impact people’s lives.  This devaluing causes us to not always recognize “Lollipop Moments”, moments when our words or actions ended up making a remarkable difference in someone’s life.  Drew’s message pushed away the fear and intimidation of blogging.  It helped remind me that Leadership is as much about our daily actions and conversations as it is about major events and initiatives, perhaps even more so.  These small victories that we experience in our schools need to be celebrated just as grandly.

So as I plan for September, one of my goals is to be more conscious of my everyday words and actions and their impact on my students and staff.  To focus on my ability to, as Drew puts it, create, acknowledge, and pay forward more Lollipop Moments.  
   

Drew’s message also forced me to reflect on the Lollipop Moments that I have experienced in my young administrative and educational career.  The moment that I immediately recalled was a conversation I had as a 2^nd year teacher with my then Assistant Principal.  During my year-end evaluation, she told me, “Joe, you have such great things going on in your classroom.  You need to get out there and share them with people.”  That single statement, that vote of confidence in a young teacher, sparked a desire in me to share and to collaborate, to grow and to eventually lead. Those 22 words have had a profound impact on my career and my life; they have been the catalyst for all of my leadership endeavors to this point.  And I don’t think I have ever shared that fact with the wonderful woman who said those words to me.

As referenced towards the end of the talk, a major part of acknowledging Lollipop Moments is saying “Thank you” to those who have provided these moments to you.  So before I rush out to get my bucket of lollipops for September, I have an important email to write to a very special lady.  Have you thanked the person(s) responsible for your Lollipop Moment?
  

Be Well,

Joe