National School Reform Faculty

Administrative Work
Date: September 22-26, 2005
Listserv: Coaches

Saturday, December 10, 2005 4:09 PM
Hi Ann Marie,
How are you? Busy, busy I bet. Our entire school is embarked in Action Research projects. My principal has finally realized that teams could benefit by using a tuning protocol to refine their A.R. questions and perhaps get feedback on whether their project procedure will likely get them to answer their queston. A big faculty meeting is planned in which I will introduce the protocol to new staff and folks that worked with me two years ago will facilitate the T.P. in small teams in January. I think the principal wants to do a fishbowl when some of the A.R. projects are complete. What do you think?
Rick, ME

Thursday, September 22, 2005 5:57 AM
Hi Everyone,
I have a wonderful opportunity to expand our work in Phila. & NJ with a few groups of principals. I'm hoping you will find a few minutes to share readings and/ or activities that have resonated with/for administrators in your work. Who knows, maybe we can get a discussion strand started about this work.Thanks,
Debbie, PA

Thursday, September 22, 2005 8:10 AM
Debbie, How are you? I hope all is well.
I like the Jossey-Bass Reader on Educational Leadership book. It has articles to invite discussion around leadership issues.
Chris, PA

Thursday, September 22, 2005 9:33 AM
Debbie,
We recently started a CFG with the heads of the Solomon Schechter Day Schools in the New York/New Jersey area. We plan to meet 3-4 times a year and rotate the meetings at different schools.

As a former principal and the present director of a leadership training program,
I recommend the following newly published books:
Leadership and Sustainability, Systems Thinkers in Action, by Michael Fullan
Leadership Capacity for Lasting School Improvement, by Linda Lambert
Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations, by Barry Dym and Harry Hutson
Good luck with this most important work.
Fran, NY

Thursday, September 22, 2005 12:01 PM
Debbie:
A book from a different point of view (that of students) - Sent To The Principal by Kathleen Cushman, would help administrations' perspectives
Hannah, CA

Thursday, September 22, 2005 1:43 PM
I truly appreciate the conversation regarding CFGs and leadership. Here in Hawaii, I have been facilitating a CFG for Educational Leaders. We meet 6 times/year. The group has involved UH Hilo professors, school principals (independent, public, charter), and curriculum coordinators. It has been meaningful and inspirational. Resources for leadership will enhance our work.
Eva, HI

Thursday, September 22, 2005 2:09 PM
Debbie,
What a wonderful idea! I'm working with a group of "Co-Principals" in M-DCPS. Each team has been put in one of the lowest performing urban high school. There are four pairs in our learning community.
Pete, FL

Friday, September 23, 2005 8:26 AM
Hi Pedro,
I'm getting ready to coach at a large comprehensive urban high school that has converted into 4 small high schools - all with new, young urban principals. I'd love to hear more about your group. I'd like to set-up a support group for them and use my CFG coaching experience/tools to work with them. I've got to create a proposal. Thanks.
Annmarie, MA
CNejman@AOL.COM
Friday, September 23, 2005 6:05 PM
Hello All,
When I was doing my Superintendent's work I had a wonderful professor who invited us to look at leadership beyond the school walls. We read "The Leadership Moment" and had lengthy discussions on how and why these non-educational leaders were successful or not. I think it might be interesting to apply our CFG knowledge to this and see what happens. The book is divided into short stories about leaders in a wide range of professions and situations. The lessons we gleaned from the leaders in the book as seen through our lenses was amazing. We truly created new knowledge and had few rethought thoughts.
All the best with the work
Carol Nejman, PA

Saturday, September 24, 2005 8:06 AM
Thanks for all the responses about work with administrators. I’ll ask Chris to archive the list of materials for us, but before I do…here’s another text. Camilla Greene suggested this book to me a few weeks ago, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni. I just read 75 pages this morning! I’m really excited about using the lessons about team building and leadership in this book. I’ll share my thoughts later, I want to read some more now : )

Debbie, PA
Gayle Allen gayle@mail.mancabelli.com
Saturday, September 24, 2005 8:46 AM
Debbie,
I had two very specific questions I would like to ask you about the work you're doing with administrators, however, I don't want to bore the listserv members with them. Would you be willing to share an email address that I could email the questions to?
Gayle, NY

Sunday, September 25, 2005 11:15 AM
I think Teacher Leadership by Lieberman and Miller (2004) is a great text for both administrators and teachers to read. It is short and does an excellent job of explaining teacher learning.
Jim, PA

Sunday, September 25, 2005 1:03 PM
Greetings colleagues...I have been working extensively with district teams for the last few years. Over time, have deepened my belief that doing the hard work of making administrative/practitioner work pubic to their peers for the purpose of receiving feedback to revise and improve that work is at the heart of any CFG regardless of the level of educators in the group.

I have found the Issaquah protocol to be very effective in a group where many share a particular dilemma. Microlabs, Success Analysis protocol, Creating Metaphors, Origins of My Name, Feedback Nightmares, Feedback Norms, have all generated good conversation and reflection. Using Chalk talks generated by teacher groups about deepening and sustaining our wqork and then doing a CAC with administrators has been really effective.

I would add 2 books to the list, How The Way we talk Can Change the Way We Work, by Kagen and Lahey, and Leading With Soul, by Deal. Of course wwe shouldn’t forget Otto and Outlearning the Wolves (Hutchins). I have slides of all of the illustrations if anyone is interested.

I am more convinced more than ever that district transformation is essential if we are going to have a chance to really transform the culture of schools. Perhaps this list would like to explore what district transformation looks like and how we might facilitate for it. In Solidarity
Daniel, IN

Sunday, September 25, 2005 10:14 PM
Deb, what are the schools you are working with in New Jersey, I have done a lot of work with some schools in the Camden areas and if it is in these areas, I may be able to give you some insights
Angela, FL

Monday, September 26, 2005 5:45 AM
Annmarie,
I've got some ideas for your proposal and would love to share if you provide your email. Best,
Pete, FL

Monday, September 26, 2005 7:30 AM
Hi Everyone,
Could you please include your individual email address when you write to the list. I’d rather not reply to the entire list when individual questions are asked.
I am working with the Trenton District. Thanks,
Debbie, PA

Monday, September 26, 2005 12:10 PM
Greetings.....
This is my very first attempt to write to the list serve but I couldn't resist responding to Daniel's email re; Administrative Work. I have been involved with a project in Rural Northern New Mexico, LEAD NEW MEXICO, ( for 3 years) to support school leadership especially, adminstrators and aspiring principals. ( Read about what we have learned in Connections!) About 70 leaders, mostly principals meet with Ann House, director of the project,and I in 6 cohort groups(CFGS) once a month for a day. We have put into practice ALL that Daniel referred to and more ie; Microlabs, SAP, LASW Protocols including the Issaquah, Metaphors, Feedback Norms and Learning from a variety of texts. We have even led retreats for others including superintendents and our participants have become some of the facilitators. At the request of many of our principals we also led a two day introductory workshop for teachers on cfgs and looking at student work. Like Daniel, we spent 6 months using Kagen and Laheys' book, The Way You Talk Can Change the Way you Work with the purpose of helping our participants understand and reflect on where they might be stuck NOT changing. Leadership is very personal and this book helps leaders start with themselves. We thus spent a large amount of our time in small feedback groups using the process the authors offer for reflection. One of our focus areas grew to "How can we as leaders help change the conversation in our schools so that the talk is about what matters most, student and adult learningl."

We've moved on to DuFours book "Whatever It Takes" and our folks have committed to a personal goal, using the IMAP framework. Each goal is personal, about where they have been stuck or need feedback to help move their school systemically along toward improved learning for all students.
Each person is in a triad or quad that meets 90 min each time we get together(monthly) to give each other feedback on their progress etc. They are also finally using the CHAT ROOM set up for this purpose for support outside of our meetings.

This is the last year of our funding and we hope this will lead to deeper work for our participants.

One last comment. Due to less money, we are now holding our cfgs in the schools where our principals work. This is a scheduling nitemare but visiting the REAL schools, where REAL students and learning communities function has become a real gift and an opportunity for focused observation and feedback.
We are proud of our leaders, here in New Mexico. We recognize that we have MUCH more work to do but hope we have given them some theory , tools and strategies to work TOGETHER for change. Thanks,
Connie, NM

Monday, September 26, 2005 1:27 PM
Lynne Miller sent this reply to JMNolan's email re: using her book (Ann Lieberman as co author) for an administrator's CFG. She is here at the University of Southern Maine where we have an NSRF center (Southern Maine Partnership). Her message couldn't be sent out because she isn't officially part of the NSRF listserv, but wanted you all to know that she is happy to hear that folks are recommending her work!
Mary, ME