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Leadership

Five Tips for New School Principals

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you an aspiring principal or about to step into that role? Perhaps, you are responsible for supporting new principals? Every principal faces a mountain of new tasks aligned with district mandates. And they often have to sort through what is critical, important, and/or what can wait until later. But how do you support new principals? And if you’re a new principal, how can you get support? Earlier this year, I stumbled on a fantastic Facebook group that discusses a variety of relevant topics. Let’s take a moment to explore some of the top topics, tips for school leaders, and resources shared in preparation for your leadership journey. Then, I’ll share the Facebook group so you can join in on the discussion.

  • Take time during the evening to unplug from work.
  • Observe, listen, and learn. Avoid making changes right away.
  • Own your mistakes, and offer a sincere apology.
  • Schedule time for one-on-one meetings with your team.
  • Give yourself time to think about decisions.

Tip #1: Your First 90 Days

When I applied for a Career and Technology Director position, I came up with a 90-day list of tasks. It’s not a bad idea to take that list with you to an interview and showcase what you imagine your first 90 days in a new role will be like.

I love this spreadsheet of the first 90 days in a new school:

Gif of the New School Principal Checklist. The document is linked below .

Principal’s Checklist: 90-Day Plan

Tip #2: Empower the Chain of Command

When you first land in a role, it’s easy to want to solve every problem that you run across. But to lead with empowerment, it’s important to affirm your chain of command, that is to empower the people who are responsible as first responders to campus personnel. These people are in leadership roles and their responsibility is to resolve situations before they get to you.

Success of a leader is not how strong your team is while you are leading. Success is how strong your team is able to be in the absence of leadership.

One example is that of a principal who learned this lesson.

I was an assistant principal and principal in a school with over 1300 secondary students for 6 years.

My biggest mistake was not adhering to the line management roles. I always had my door open to teachers, parents and also students. At the time, I thought this was the best approach.

I have now moved on to another school and have changed my view. I feel I undermined managers and senior teachers with my open door approach.

Now, I have adopted what I should have adopted before – anyone should have to see a current line manager and, if necessary, the current assistant principal before me. Nothing should to come to me before this happens.

I felt I had to solve everything after moving up the ranks. In reflection, I disempowered others and added to my crazy workload

How are you managing the monkey, supporting other people’s work?

Tip #3: Celebrate Growth

“I asked each staff member to write two glows from the year on leaves and one grow on a rock,” said one principal. This is what they came up with:

This Principal Glows and Grows Activity shows a tree with leaves stating "glows" and rocks stating "grows" to highlight areas of success and areas of needed growth.

Isn’t that amazing? Glows and grows might be described in this way:

The idea of “glows and grows” is to boil a great deal of information down to a relatable level.

A “glow” is a bright spot we should call out as a strength and continue to nurture. A “grow” is an area where, if we focus on improving, we stand to make important gains. I didn’t want to anchor our thinking around challenges, but rather places where we can make great gains by growing and improving. (source)

What’s more, be sure to check out Mike Alpert’s collection of two-minute inspiring videos. Use these to enhance your staff communications.

Here are my top five favorites from Mike’s list (TIP: Grab a box of tissues):

What are your favorites? What lessons could you and your team get from these? Here’s an alternate list, although there may be some duplication.

Tip #4: Read a Book

From Leaders Eat Last to The IT Factor: Discover and Unleash Your Own Unique Leadership Potential, there is a wealth of leadership books to read. Some recommend Leverage Leadership (read MyNotes series on this text). Others suggest Ken Blanchard’s The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey.

What I find curious is that the book you choose reflects what you perceive as your biggest growth area. If it’s time management, Blanchard’s book may be the one for you. Or, if you expect staff management issues, Crucial Conversations might be the best pick. Take some time to reflect on what YOUR biggest area of growth needs to be, then plan your course of study accordingly.

Getting a leadership book group going isn’t a bad idea. Here are a few more suggestions from the group:

What books would you include on this bookshelf?

Tip #5: Be a Change Agent, an Instructional Leader

One tip that often goes unstated is, “Focus on being an instructional leader rather than a transformational one.”

Activities associated with instructional leadership had a greater impact than those associated with transformational leadership.”

(Source)

The climate and culture of a school mediate the principal’s impact on learning (Source). We know that different kinds of leadership are more effective than others. For example, Hattie’s research points out that transformational leadership differs from instructional leadership.

Reminder: John Hattie says that any instructional strategy has an impact on learning. The average impact on learning of any strategy is 0.40.  Anything greater than a 0.40 effect size accelerates student growth in a calendar year.

What are the effect sizes for these two types of leadership? Transformational leadership has an effect size of 0.11. Instructional leadership has an effect size of 0.42.

What activities do researchers associate with instructional leadership?

  • Engaging in classroom observations
  • Interpreting test scores with teachers
  • Focusing on instructional issues
  • Ensuring a coordinated instructional program
  • Being highly visible
  • Communicating high academic standards
  • Ensuring class atmospheres are conducive to learning

If principals can adopt these behaviors that speed student growth, shouldn’t they? Researchers and reformers say, “Yes.”

The Facebook Group

Where can you find these and other resources? Be sure to visit The Principal’s Desk Facebook group. You will be sure to find resources to support aspiring or new principals.

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Back to School

Ways to Welcome Your Teachers Back to School

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

It’s important to go above and beyond in welcoming your staff back to school as the new school year approaches. Taking that time to make them feel appreciated and welcomed will go a long way toward setting a positive tone for the school year. Let’s take a look at some ideas.

Write a Welcoming Note

Writing a personal note is a simple and effective way to welcome your staff back. You can give them the note on the first day they return from summer break or wait until the first day of school. If you have a large number of staff, you might want to get started now or get some help. If you need a template, check out this Welcome Back to School Note that can be copied and modified. In the note, tell your staff how excited you are for the new school year and how thankful you are for them. Your note will go a long way in showing them how much you appreciate them. In addition, it will help build those strong relationships between you and your team.

Have an Informal First Day Back

There are a ton of meetings when staff come back from summer break. Why not have an informal first day back? Do some ice breakers and getting-to-know-you activities, provide lunch, and keep the schedule light. While I know there is a lot of information to cover at the beginning of school and schedules can be full, remember that the first day back is hard. Some staff might be anxious, so this will help take the pressure off. You’ll find that a lot can still be accomplished even if the first day back is informal.

Give a Self-Care Kit

The start of the school year can be stressful. Give your staff a self-care kit to start the year off right. You can include things like a mug, instant coffee or tea bags, hand lotion, lip balm, gift cards, energy bars, and other snacks.

Another thing you can add to the self-care kit is a gratitude jar. A gratitude jar is a jar filled with reminders of what you’re grateful for. Using small pieces of paper, your staff can write down what they’re thankful for and add a note or two to their jar each week. They can visit the jar whenever they need encouragement and pull out a note or two. Gratitude reminds us of what we have, and research shows that staying grateful can improve our mental health. You can even set up a table where staff can decorate their jars.

Get to Know Your Teachers

Building relationships with and getting to know your staff is critical. Give your team an opportunity to share special facts about themselves. Icebreaker and team-building activities are perfect examples of how to learn more about your staff.

In addition, have them complete a form that tells you even more about them. The form can include questions like, “What is your favorite snack?” This will help you personalize appreciation gifts throughout the year. Here is an example of things to include on your form.

Create a Memorable “Welcome Back” Video

In this blog post by Dr. Bruce Ellis, you can find ways to welcome your staff back that take little effort but some creativity. You could use Flip to introduce yourself to your team. You could even create a YouTube video and post it online. If you don’t like to be in front of a camera, you can still inspire your staff with video. Explore a variety of inspirational videos at http://bit.ly/educatorsinspire. 

These are just a few ways you can welcome your staff back. Also, while they may have been working all year long, don’t forget to include your secretarial staff, the custodial staff, IT staff, and everyone else that makes up the school community.

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Educational ResearchLeadership

How Principals Can Support Instructional Coaches

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you an instructional coach? If you are, then who’s the one person you want in your corner, supporting your efforts? If you said, “campus principal,” you are spot on. Research shows that, without principal support, many initiatives at the campus level fail. Whenever I wanted to push a technology initiative for the good of students and staff, I visited the principal. My campus principal knew how to bring people together, to problem solve and collaborate.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways principals can support instructional coaches. We’ll begin with three important aspects of introducing coaches to campuses.

#1: Cultivate Culture and Climate

If you are a principal, you are immediately responsible for the culture and climate of your school. Ignore the former at the risk of the latter. This truth became evident to me early on in my career. May I share with you how that happened?

When a colleague and I visited a campus in an urban school district, we were both shocked at the wave of negativity there. We felt it as soon as we stepped into the building.  The campus radiated an aura of despair and sadness. Teachers we met with confirmed the feeling.

How had this happened? Even though the principal appeared happy and positive, the underlying culture appeared broken. Trust was lacking. The only values that mattered were the principal’s. Finding out why was easy. Understanding how took years.

Image Source: Culture and Climate

As an instructional coach, when you step onto a campus, you must share the values and norms of that space. Without that shared culture, you will fail. One person who can introduce you, who can vouch for you, is a principal who is in tune with campus culture and climate.

Actions to Take

The climate and culture of school mediate the principal’s impact on learning (source). Some ways to do that include:

  • Identify existing school culture before trying to change it.
  • Make culture (values) and climate (behaviors) transparent to all.
  • Focus on long-term cultural goals to strengthen the learning environment.
  • Achieve real change when you start with school culture, rather than the way the school works.

Culture and climate are bound together. Culture is the values and norms of a school, while climate is the behavior. Researchers report that norms, values, rituals, and climate are all manifestations of culture. Some define culture as shared norms, climate as shared perceptions.

Building a coaching culture involves focuses on shifting unwritten rules. You are shifting values, norms, behaviors, and practices. These build the foundation needed to spread a coaching mindset and practices. The goal is to ensure that coaching becomes a key part of the campus’ identity (adapted from source).

A culture-sensitive principal can assist coaches in navigating the campus cosmology. That is, how everything at that campus came to be. That includes its origin, its development, and what the people there value, as well as how those values manifest themselves in the behavior of a campus. If you want to foster a culture of learning and growth, do what Jim Knight suggests. “Principals  need to do what they expect their teachers to do,” says Jim Knight.

Consider taking these actions on a consistent basis, adopting them slowly over time.

  • Model the actions you want teachers to enact.
  • Work together with staff to identify campus values and behaviors before changing them.
  • Adopt norms, values, and rituals together that reflect who you are as a campus.
  • Immerse instructional coaches in the campus culture and climate.

#2: Embrace Evidence-Based Approaches

Brain-based learning research has powerful implications for what we do in the classroom. But they also speak to our work as campus leaders. Engage the brains of students and staff with approaches that start positive. Work hard to cultivate emotional and physical safety in meetings and interactions. Communicate often, chunk learning, and use collaborative inquiry. Combine the new and unusual to maintain interest in activities that aid learning. Culturally Responsive instruction, wellness, and Social-Emotional Learning are critical.

Adapt evidence-based, instructional strategies for use in classrooms. The work of Mike Bell (author of The Fundamentals of Teaching) combines John Hattie, Robert Marzano, and others. The result is a way to cut low-effect practices that detract from learning. Bell brings together three areas, shown below, and offers up a five-step process.

principal's guide

Image Source: Video, The Fundamentals of Teaching

The five-step process relies on these strategies:

  • Prior knowledge
  • Presenting new material
  • Setting challenging tasks
  • Feedback and improvement
  • Repetition and consolidation

You can find a summary of these ideas and others in the Amazing Lesson Design Outline (ALDO). It contains specific suggestions about strategies and digital tools.

principal's guide

Image Source: DianeSweeney.com, Lessons Learned: Team Coaching Cycles During Hybrid and Distance Learning

#3: Clarify the Coaching Vision and Model

As the instructional leader, involve coaches and campus staff to clarify the coaching vision. Decide on a specific coaching model. This can involve the following actions:

  • Articulate clear roles and responsibilities for coaches.
  • Outline a menu of services.
  • Set up a schedule for one-on-one, small group, and large-group coaching activities.
  • Use coaching cycles, and debrief coaches/teachers to ascertain effectiveness.
  • Avoid combining appraisal and coaching; keep them far apart.

“Create rich opportunities for teachers and coaches to work together,” says Diane Sweeney. The focus must be on “key strategy or instructional practice.” She goes on to encourage you to track how students progress in combination with a new practice.

Begin your journey to supporting instructional coaching with these three guideposts. You will find the negotiation and conversation can be powerful and work affirming.

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Leadership

10 Tips and Tools for School Leaders

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

Every leader has successes and failures. Ups and downs. Strengths and weaknesses. I want to start by saying that I am clearly not writing this article from the perspective of a former school leader who is an expert and who perfectly led her staff and school to success. Nope. I am writing this article as a former school leader who loved the work, but who also found it challenging and difficult; who had successes, but also learned from making mistakes. I am writing as a former school leader who absolutely loved being in leadership and who experienced growth, learning, and improvement over time, thanks to her incredible former faculty, staff, school community, and many wonderful mentors who shared their wisdom and provided a listening ear. I am sharing with you some tools that helped me along the way and some important lessons that I learned in the hope that you’ll find them beneficial. Some of these I’m still working on today, just in a different setting.

1. Block Off Time to Be Visible

Last year when I was a principal, I sat across from an elementary teacher during an informal check in. As part of the check in, I asked her for feedback. “Well, we need to see you more.” I was surprised to hear this. I felt like I WAS pretty visible! I asked her if she would mind explaining further. “We all feel more isolated this year. We don’t see each other as much as we did pre-pandemic, and we work more in classroom silos. People feel more alone. You are the person that connects us as the leader, and I just don’t see you in the hall or in my classrooms as much this year. We just need to see you more, and other teachers feel the same.”

Whoa. It was true. I had taken on more tasks since the administrative staff at the school had decreased in size, and these tasks kept me in my office more. And I didn’t even realize it. As a leader, you play a massive role in setting the tone of the atmosphere and building your school’s culture. Being visible reminds students, faculty, and staff that you are there for them, not just as someone observing and evaluating their work. Your presence matters. Being in classrooms, hallways, and in the library, around students and faculty, is one of the biggest joys in school leadership. Why not make time for it? It’s not easy, and it will always be a battle of priorities, but this should be at the top of the list.

A few considerations for visibility:

  • Block off “untouchable” time in your calendar to visit classrooms, even if it’s just 20 minutes a day.
  • Greet students, teachers, and families at the school entrance to begin the day and say goodbye at the end of the day. If you can’t do both, pick one. But be consistent and stick with it.
  • Ask teachers about special projects or presentations you can pop in on, then schedule these visits in your calendar. If you say you’ll be there, don’t miss it.
  • Spend some time in the teachers’ lounge and/or in the kitchen.
  • Ask your faculty and staff how they’d like for you to be visible. They may offer suggestions you’ve not thought of.

2. Schedule Your Emails to Staff

I had a lot of discussions with my faculty about reasonable work hour expectations, setting boundaries, and taking time to disconnect. We talked about not answering emails after 5:00 p.m. and how they were not expected to answer emails over the weekend. One teacher came to see me after a discussion on this topic. “But Emily, you are ALWAYS emailing. You email on the weekend, at 11:00 p.m., early in the morning. You’re always on! This makes us feel like we have to be ‘on,’ too.” This was a wake-up call. As a leader, you do a lot of modeling, whether it’s intentional or not.

As a supervisor/manager/leader, your staff may feel obligated to answer emails from you in a “timely manner” or immediately. And if you are emailing at all hours of the day and night, this can send a message that your faculty should be doing the same. My biggest takeaway from this conversation: schedule emails to be sent during work hours. You might write that email at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, but you can schedule it to be sent at 7:30 a.m. on Monday. Don’t know how to do that? Here is a great article on how to schedule emails in Gmail. And here is a video on how to schedule emails in Outlook:

3. Know When to Disconnect

Now, I know I just referenced sending emails at all hours of the day and night. But that doesn’t mean I believe you should. It’s important to know when to stop. A principal and dear friend I worked with in school administration once told me, “The work will still be here tomorrow. And if you finish this work today, there will just be more waiting for you in the morning.” And it’s true. There is nothing so urgent and important that justifies giving up time with your friends and family or giving up self-care to complete.

Here are some ideas for setting boundaries:

  • Set work hours. Maybe this is something that’s set from the get-go, or maybe this is something you decide on each day based on what’s on your calendar. But decide your “stop” time and stick to it.
  • If it is hard for you to stop working, ask someone to hold you accountable.
  • Practice being “okay” with leaving a task or tasks unfinished at the end of the day, even if it is something important.

4. Have Fierce Conversations

One of the most influential books I’ve read as a leader was Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott. I am not a person who likes conflict, and I used to avoid it at all costs. This book changed the way I think about and approach challenging discussions.

Fierce Conversations

As a leader, it is imperative to push into conflict, be honest with yourself and others, seek resolution, and sometimes just listen in order for your school culture to be healthy and positive. It is also necessary for accountability. In her book, Susan outlines seven principles for fierce conversations. These can be a powerful tool for developing clear and effective communication, being assertive, using feedback, and building a foundation of trust by pushing into the discomfort of some conversations. It’s a skill to be practiced and honed, and it will change you and your school culture for the better. How can you solve problems if they aren’t discussed? Or even more concerning, how can you solve problems if you aren’t aware they exist because your staff feels they can’t truly share with you?

5. Use Covey’s Time Management Matrix

This has been an invaluable tool for me. If you’re not familiar with it, Stephen R. Covey introduced this matrix in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It is a simple way to manage your time and your priorities by placing them into one of four quadrants. As a principal, I often did this visually, on a whiteboard, or using sticky notes, my favorite office supply. This tool can be a game-changer when trying to distinguish between, plan for, and accomplish multiple competing priorities. Here is a great article that explains the matrix and how it can be beneficial.

time management school leaders
Davidjcmorris, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

6. Eliminate the Unnecessary

Take a look at what’s going on in your school, especially this year, when many educators and leaders feel overwhelmed, stressed, and tired. Ask your staff genuine questions about workload, resources, goals, and support. Listen to them.

And then, ask yourself:

  • What do I, as a school-level leader, have control over?
  • Which goals, initiatives, tasks, and objectives are essential and primary to meeting student learning outcomes?
  • Are the outcomes expected reasonable and accomplishable?
  • In terms of tasks, meetings, professional development, etc. what is absolutely necessary for meeting these reasonable outcomes?
  • How can I prioritize the well-being, mental health, and physical health of my staff?
  • Can any initiatives, goals, tasks, or objectives be paused for the time-being or cut completely?
  • What can I eliminate to positively impact instruction, staff morale, and school culture while still meeting or exceeding reasonable and important learning goals?
  • Last but not least: Can my staff support the goals, initiatives, tasks, and objectives we’re trying to accomplish and remain healthy, happy, and motivated? If the answer to this question is “no” or even “maybe,” it’s time to re-evaluate what’s essential to student learning in your school.

If plates are full and spilling over, why not remove some sides to focus on that main dish and save room for dessert. It’s better to meet a few goals fully, with a successful, celebratory, and energized staff, than to try to meet too many goals unsuccessfully and end up with an exhausted, discouraged, and stressed staff.

7. Ask for Feedback Often

One of the most powerful things I’ve experienced in school leadership is receiving uninhibited feedback from my faculty. Giving feedback to a supervisor is a very vulnerable thing, and if you have faculty willing to go there with you, cherish that. For example, I referenced two instances of getting constructive feedback above about 1) being visible and 2) the timing of my emails. Trust me; these are just two examples of constructive feedback out of a huge list. But what amazing feedback to receive! I was so appreciative that these teachers cared about me enough and trusted me enough to share this. And receiving feedback helped me improve in several areas over time. I recommend scheduling regular check ins with each faculty member and asking for feedback as a part of the meeting.

Our response to feedback will often influence the willingness of people to offer it up. It’s true that sometimes you get feedback that is difficult to hear or that you may disagree with, but it’s still a great discussion point. Either way, listening, talking it through, asking for clarification if needed, and thanking the person for sharing is important. This is modeling, it makes you a better leader, and it shows your faculty that you want to be your best for them. Also, you are telling them that their feelings and opinions matter to you. Plus, they have a different perspective and may share something that you’ve not thought about or noticed.

8. Set SMART Goals

If you’ve not heard of SMART Goals, it’s a great way to identify meaningful and attainable goals and can help with number six above. Whether you’re setting goals for yourself, with your faculty, or for your school, ensuring that they are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based can help set everyone up for success. This can also be used with students! Here is a previous TechNotes article on this subject, and here is another article that is very informative.

smart goals school leaders

9. Encourage Your Staff Regularly

You’re in leadership because you like seeing and helping others succeed. Encouraging your faculty is so vital to creating a positive culture. And, let’s be honest, a little encouragement and appreciation can go a very long way. Does your faculty know that you see what they do well? Do they know you recognize their individual gifts? Do they feel valued by you?

Here are some ideas for showing appreciation to staff in meaningful ways:

  • Verbal acknowledgement is powerful. And it doesn’t have to be in front of other people! Simply saying, “I really enjoyed watching your student presentations. I think you are very gifted at finding creative ways for your students to apply their skills.” or “I know that you’ve been helping your new colleague settle in. I really appreciate you doing so much to make him feel welcome and to help him get to know the school.” can be very meaningful.
  • Write a personalized sticky note message of gratitude to each of your faculty.
  • Send a positive, encouraging email highlighting something the educator is doing well, a strength, or something that you appreciate about them. “I have noticed how much you’ve been collaborating with Ms. Smith on her research unit. Thank you for curating such a great nonfiction collection in our library and for working with teachers like Ms. Smith on teaching research skills. It is meaningful and important work!”
  • A hand-written card can communicate so much. Getting a hand-written card from my previous supervisor was one of the most impactful things I ever received. Not only did he take time to do it, but it was personal and specific to me. It felt so good to receive these cards, and I still have them.
  • Send a follow-up email after a classroom visit to share what you enjoyed about the visit. But save constructive feedback for in-person conversations.
  • Give teachers a voice, and encourage them to encourage each other. Incorporating “Shares and Successes” or “Shout-outs” in staff meetings, for example, can go a long way.
  • Ask them how you can encourage them. They’ll tell you!

10. Communicate with Empathy

There are some things you can control, but there are other things you are required to implement and enforce. Educators are aware that you have requirements to meet and that sometimes, you are the messenger. One of the most difficult things about school leadership for me personally was having to deliver messages that I knew would not be well-received, that I knew would add more to my staff member’s plates, or that I didn’t necessarily agree with. It comes with the job. However, the way that we deliver a message will greatly impact the way the message is received. Acknowledging the realities, listening to and affirming staff members’ feelings, considering their input, reminding staff that you are in the trenches with them, and reiterating that you will do whatever you can to support them can be validating and reassuring. But you have to mean it and follow through to build trust and show your reliability. Being vulnerable with your staff, sharing how you feel, and delivering messages with empathy and compassion for their position and perspective is important.

School leaders, if you have other tools, words of advice, or tips to share, please leave us a comment to get the conversation going.

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Zoom chat in progress on laptop screen, green coffee cup to the side
Google Tips and TricksLeadership

Google Meet or Zoom Transcription

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

As most of us move online, we start to realize how important it is to make our communications accessible. One way to achieve that is through audio transcriptions. For many of us, a first experience with audio transcription involved Google Voice. Now most of us spend more time on video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Google Meet.

There are several tools available for transcription of video conferencing audio. Let’s take a look at a few of those.

Wait, Why Do I Need a Transcription?

That question isn’t unlike one I heard someone ask a principal. Then, it was, “Why do I need an audio recorder on my phone for this parent meeting?” Sometimes, you need a digital record. 

While video recording meetings has gotten easier, there are times and circumstances that may call for a written transcript you can share with your supervisor or keep for legal reasons. Please recall that it is important to ask and get the consent of at least one person. If you’re a part of the conversation, then you can record even if no one else knows. 

Note: Texas makes it a crime to intercept or record any “wire, oral, or electronic communication” unless one party to the conversation consents.” That means, if you know you are recording, and you are in the conversation, you can record in Texas (source). Learn more about recording meetings outside of Texas.

The main reason I would rely on transcription is to recall important points. This makes it easier for everyone to stay on the same page about what you and the others involved said. Out of courtesy, I encourage you to seek consent of everyone involved in the conversation with you.

Recording Tools Abound

Today, an audio recorder app on your smartphone works great for face-to-face meetings. But what about Google Meet, the tool of choice for many since it’s now free to schools and individuals? You can record, but it’s immediately obvious to all present. If you want to record, but want to keep that to yourself, how do you do that? Let’s explore a few tools that may be helpful to you in those sensitive meetings.

Tool #1: Tactiq 

Need a Chrome extension that can transcribe Google Meet audio? Look no further than the easy to use Tactiq. You can save and share with it. Some of its features include being able to:

  • Read the full history of the conversation in real-time
  • Export the transcript to a text file, your device’s clipboard, or store in Google Drive
  • Select memorable information in the transcription for later review

Here’s a quick overview of how it works:

Free features include the ability to auto-start in Google Meet and export to a Google Doc or text file. Also, the free feature list includes speaker detection and click-to-highlight. You may have to pay $5 per month to see more integrations such as auto-save to Google Doc and export to subtitles. 

Tool #2: Scribbl

You can use Scribbl to auto-record and transcribe a meeting in real time. It allows you to tag and focus on excerpts and save them as sound clips. Scribbl works with Google Meet, as well as Zoom. Like all the other tools mentioned, it works with a wide variety of conferencing tools.

Tool #3: Fireflies.Ai

Like other tools, Fireflies.Ai records and transcribes  Google Meet and Zoom. For Zoom calls, you add fred@fireflies.ai to your calendar invite. At that point, Fireflies.Ai will join the meeting and capture everything. You can get the Fireflies Chrome extension. This gives Fireflies the ability to work from within your Google Calendar.

Did You Know?

The other day, while playing a YouTube video I had uploaded, I noticed that YouTube transcribed my audio and showed my text at the bottom of the screen. You can take your video conferencing recording from Meet or Zoom, then upload to YouTube. YouTube will then automate a transcript. Amazing, huh?

Never Forget

From this point forward, you no longer need to ask, “What did we talk about in that meeting?” While a video recording may be undesirable, a text transcript may be enough to jog your memory.

Don’t be afraid to give this app a try with your young reader. It may be the type of engagement your child needs. Read along with your child to improve engagement.

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TCEA Convention
Announcements/Important DatesProfessional Learning

Who Belongs at TCEA 2020? You, of Course

by Andrew Roush
written by Andrew Roush

Each year, thousands of educators, from district administrators to classroom teachers, meet at TCEA’s annual Convention & Exposition. They come to discover the latest trends in education and how technology might be able to aid learning outcomes.

But this isn’t just an event for die-hard tech lovers; it’s a can’t-miss event for anyone passionate about building a vision for the future of education. Wondering if attending the 2020 TCEA Convention & Exposition is right for you? Check out the roles listed below, find the one that best fits your work, and then see how TCEA can inform and inspire you.

And when you’re ready, don’t forget to register!

CTOs, Tech Directors, and Technology Consultants

  • Specialized sessions in the convention’s CTO Strand, from asset management, disaster recovery, strategic planning, and learning management systems to student information systems, network and infrastructure planning, mobile device management, and more.
  • Boost your PLN with exclusive networking events designed for technology leaders.
  • Find the very latest products and services in the exhibit hall for all things ed tech. More than 450 companies will be there. You should, too.

Campus and District Leaders

  • Hear from leading education experts on tools and best practices for innovative learning and assessment.
  • Find the tools and ideas to support successful, lasting transformation and preview the most up-to-date ed tech solutions in the robust exhibit hall.
  • Preview poster sessions showcasing real examples of campus and district initiatives that have improved student learning outcomes.

PreK–12 Teachers and Special Ed Professionals

  • Immersive workshops go beyond just learning a new tool. Learn how to incorporate it into your lesson plans and create better outcomes.
  • Opportunities abound to strengthen your PLN through facilitated discussion groups and other networking opportunities with like-minded teachers.
  • Discover ideas and resources to support learning for special needs, ESL, GT, and bilingual students in our Special Populations strand.

IT, Network Administrators, and Technical Support

  • Attend sessions with industry professionals in the Technical Support strand that meet your needs and provide real-world solutions for everything from BYOD management and security to end-user support.
  • Enjoy networking opportunities with ed tech experts, including facilitated Solution Circles on topics relevant to your work.
  • Meet with hundreds of technology vendors showcasing the latest in products and services for your school or district in the exhibit hall.

Librarians and Media Specialists

Photo by Spencer Selvidge

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principal whack-a-mole
Leadership

Principal Whack-a-Mole with Your iPad

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

If you are a campus leader, you may often find yourself playing whack-a-mole with a variety of problems. You knock one problem down, but another pops up in its place in a never-ending cycle of moles. In this blog entry, learn how to leverage your principal iPad to facilitate enhanced communications in a way that solves three moles, er, problems.

What’s Your Mole?

An ASCD article (now offline) a few years ago listed these “moles” as typical problems for campus leaders:

  • Family Concerns
  • Instructional Rounds
  • Student Discipline
  • Email
  • Professional Development
  • Communication

This last mole, communication, can be “whacked” through the use of iPad apps. In any communication challenge for principals, there are three problems to solve that the right iPad apps can be a solution for. Let’s examine those:

  1. Time – Minimize the time you spend preparing communications.
  2. Planning Communications – Plan short, plan long. Send information in short bursts. These bursts are the concrete, steel, and fiber that bridge school with home and community.
  3. Sharing Great Stories – Capture with technology what children are learning and doing and then share it.

Let’s take a look at some iPad apps that can facilitate communication and solve the above three problems. (By the way, avoid the pitfall of pointless app acquisition. Add these apps one at a time. Learn to use each alone and then combine as needed.)

Level 1 – Photo/Video Creation Apps

Note: There are a multitude of apps that allow you to create. These are a few that are easy to get started and get you going.

  1. Camera Roll – This is an app that comes pre-loaded on your iPad. You have probably already used it to snap pictures.
  2. Annotate – This app makes it easy to add comments, circle, or draw arrows. Save the marked-up photo back to your Camera Roll. Import the annotated image into other apps below.
  3. Shadow Puppet – Take a collection of photos, organize them as slides in any order you want, and then add audio narration.
  4. Haiku Deck  – Stunningly beautiful images, text, and chart presentation maker. With this app, you can quickly create a slideshow using free images (copyright-friendly) on the web or from your own camera roll. You can easily export this slideshow as a PowerPoint via email or view it on the web via the Haiku Deck website.
  5. Optional:Strip Designer ($2.99) – Lets you create comic strips using photos from your Camera Roll. You can build your comic, then save it as a picture into your camera roll. Once a comic is in your camera roll, you can import into Explain Everything, Book Creator, or iMovie for further fun.

Level 2 – Narrating Your Work

Note: You can “remix” anything you’ve created at Level 1 with the apps below. Unfortunately, these apps may cost money.

  1. Book Creator ($4.99) – Create your own ePub books with embedded video, audio, and text.
  2. iMovie (Free) – Inexpensive movie creation tool. I prefer Pinnacle Studio, but iMovie will do for most.

Level 3 – Sharing Your Creations

  • Readdle Documents – Less of a creation app, more of a viewing app,this is an app that makes it easy to share your content with others, as well as copy your final product to Google Drive, Dropbox, and other cloud storage locations.
  • Seesaw – Make a seesaw portfolio that features your teachers as students. Ask teachers to share projects students create on a device (e.g. Chromebook, iPad, Windows/Mac laptop) with you. You, in turn, can publish those shared projects as a blog.

If you are just getting started, then consider Level 1 apps to be the easiest to get started with! The workflow for using these apps can be quite simple and I encourage you to try them. To help, remember these three tips.

Tip #1: Connect with Time-Saving Activities

Consider these sharing opportunities that only take a moment of your day.

Teacher or Student Highlight

In this highlight piece, snap a picture of the teacher, their classroom, or both and then put that picture into a sequence in the Shadow Puppet app (works on your iPhone). Prompt teachers to share their responses to the question What are some successes you experienced this week?

Classroom Walkthroughs

In this sharing activity, capture pictures and video on your daily campus and classroom walks using your iPad’s Camera Roll. As you walk through your school, take your iPad with you. When you see something you like, want to celebrate, and/or share with your school community, snap a photo or do a quick video interview. Make a comic strip featuring student reflections with Strip Designer.

Capturing Learning as It Happens

When doing a video interview, don’t spend a lot of time prepping before the interview for it. Simply ask four questions that will help the person you’re interviewing overcome their shyness at being on camera:

  • What’s your name and job title?
  • What are you doing?
  • Why are you so excited about it?
  • What have you learned?

These four simple questions will get people sharing, probably more than you want. Make sure to arrange a signal to let them know when the interview starts and ends.

Photo Interview

If a video interview is not appropriate, then consider taking a photo of what you are seeing and then making a mental or written note that answers the questions above. You can later assemble the photos into a narrated slideshow that will convey a powerful message about what is happening at your campus. When video recording or photographing students, make sure that you have collected permission forms for sharing that content online.

Tip #2: Decide where and with whom you will share your communications.

Now that you have been collecting content, you need to take a moment to ask yourself How can I make this content available? You’ll want to pick some online space that you can easily update and share. Several solutions abound. The easiest one is to use a tool like Seesaw’s built-in blog tool. You can access it on the go, publish content to the blog, and then share it via social media.

Tip #3: Cultivate a Culture of Sharing

Once you start sharing, it will automatically encourage students, parents, and staff. Nurture this culture of sharing. Encourage students and staff to create their own “great stories” to share. Once all embrace the concept that they are storytellers as well, you can begin to switch back to your role of campus administrator, manager, and leader.

Principal Whack-a-Mole with Your iPad

Whack-A-Mole is one of my favorite games. I suspect that if you whack-a-mole like communication with your iPad and the tips suggested in this article, you will find yourself spending less time focusing on negative interactions and much more on positive ones. That’s worth the up front effort of learning a new mole-whacking tool, don’t you think?

 

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LeadershipProfessional Learning

Six Ways to Spice Up Back-to-School Inservice

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

The beginning of the school year is fast approaching and teachers will be walking in the front door for their first back-to-school inservice. This can be one of the most important and productive professional development opportunities of the school year. But on the other hand, it can also be one of the most dreaded for teachers, who want time to work in their classrooms. So how can you spice up your inservice and ensure it isn’t a wasted meeting? Find some suggestions below.

1 – Have a Plan and Invite Your Staff to Share in It

The first “must” for a successful inservice meeting is to have a plan and an agenda in place. Agendas make it easier to stay on track and follow up with important items. When creating your agenda, remember that you want to make effective use of everyone’s time. Be sure to include a section for action items so that everyone can have an overview of what needs to be done.inservice

It is so easy to create your agenda electronically, for example with Google Docs. There are many agenda templates that exist as well. Look at this sample agenda. Once thing you will notice is that it has a place to take collaborative notes. There’s no need to have notes or minutes being taken separately when they can be done on the agenda itself. If you share the agenda with your secretary or even some of your staff members, they can collaboratively take minutes.

Another thing you can do is share or email the agenda to all staff members in advance of the meeting. Invite them to contribute topics or ideas that they think should be added to the agenda. This will show that you value their thoughts and they will be more invested in your time together.

2 – Don’t Do All the Talking

As the principal, you don’t have to do all the talking at the inservice. Allow your staff members to shine by having them lead a part of the meeting. Giving your staff that opportunity will help develop your school leaders as well as build staff morale. You could assign teachers roles, topics, or updates that they will, in turn, share with the entire group. Your teachers will feel empowered by taking a more active part in the inservice. Remember, teachers love to teach, so utilize that when planning your inservice.

3 – Break the Ice

The start of a new school year can be nerve-wracking, not just for students, but for teachers, too. Why not incorporate a fun, getting-to-know you activity? Giving your teachers time to share special facts about themselves or share fun things they did this summer will help ease those nerves. This is also the perfect time to introduce and recognize any staff members who are new and learn a little more about them.

Icebreakers help you build relationships with your staff. Try to use icebreakers that your staff can use with students in the classroom so they can build relationships with their students, too. It never hurts to model what you want to see in the classroom. You can find a few icebreaker activities at Classroom Icebreakers for Back to School and Even More Classroom Icebreakers for Back to School. The great thing about those icebreakers is that they incorporate technology. The ISTE Standards for Administrators say that you should promote and model effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders using digital age tools (ISTE Standard 3c). Digital icebreakers will help you do that.

inservice

Click on the image to see a Two Truths and a Lie Icebreaker. The password is Icebreaker.

4 – Try Something Different

There are so many things you need to cover at the beginning of the year inservice, such as policies and procedures. These aren’t necessarily the most exciting topics to discuss; but nevertheless, they must be covered. Therefore, why not incorporate a little fun into reviewing these less-than exciting topics by using a little variety? Instead of showing a PowerPoint, have the teachers complete a scavenger hunt or some type of game. Have them compete in a smack down or rotate around the room to have quick conversations about specific topics. You can find these ideas and more at Innovative Professional Development Models.

back-to-school inservice

Example of a speed dating professional development activity

5 – Incorporate the Three F’s

Do your best to incorporate the three F’s:

  • Food. Food can have a tremendous impact on the meeting’s productivity and outcome. I always liked the saying, “To Meet Better, Eat Better.” You will especially want to provide a snack for your teachers to avoid afternoon slowdowns.
  • Freebies. It’s always a good idea to give your staff something to welcome them back. It could be something like a pen, water bottle, or coffee mug that has the school logo on it. If there aren’t any discretionary funds available for this, then you could make something for them. It’s the thought that counts.
  • Feedback. Feedback is important and we all know it. As mentioned in #1, getting input from your staff will show you value their thoughts and opinions. Make sure you provide opportunities for your staff to speak up during the inservice.

6 – Start with the End and End with the Positive

At the beginning of your inservice, make the goal or objective for coming together very clear. Ensuring that your staff knows what the expected outcomes are will make for a more efficient inservice.

Lastly and most importantly, make sure you end each day on a positive note. Let your staff know how much you appreciate them. Make these days about them and be visible and ready to help them when needed.

Have a Great Inservice

Hopefully, this has given you a few ideas on how to spice up your inservice and get off to a great start. It’s a busy time of the year, so make the first days with your staff count as much as possible.

 

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work smarter cover image
Google Tips and TricksLeadershipMicrosoft Tips and TricksProfessional Learning

Learn to Work Smarter, Not Harder

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

workplace study statsDo you find that it is hard to get everything done on your to-do list? That you don’t delegate some tasks because you want them done a certain way and you don’t have time to train someone? That anticipating a day off causes more stress because you know that it means there is less time for you to accomplish the same amount of work? Join the crowd. According to research, being stressed out at work may be more common than you think. Join us at the Productivity Tools for Leaders and learn how to make better use of your technology, time, and people so that you are more effective in your work.

TCEA is offering a full-day workshop that will help you with these very issues. The workshop is designed specifically for administrators at both the campus level and central office. Join us on June 15, 2017 at the TCEA headquarters in Austin for a day packed full of helpful information that you can implement the next day at work. You’ll be able to choose from a variety of concurrent sessions  to tailor your learning to best meet your needs. You’ll be inspired and motivated throughout the day, enjoy a good lunch, and  leave with handouts from all the presentations (not just the ones you attended). Our learning experience strands include:

  • Doing More with Technology – Sessions focus on features and tricks to help you make better use of technology that you commonly use.
  • Time Management – Sessions focus on best strategies and tools that you can choose from to help you better construct your day and accomplish the tasks on your to-do list more effectively.
  • Empowering Staff – Sessions focus on strategies and tools to deal with different personality types, improving customer service, and even how to work with “difficult people.”

This event is only $125 for current TCEA members and $174 for non-TCEA members. Fun and relevant learning, lunch, and continuing education credits are all included. Bring your favorite device and let our experts help you master the tricks you learn.

Register at this website today as space is limited. If you have questions or would like more information, contact me at bellis@tcea.org or by phone at 512-450-5396. We look forward to seeing you here and hearing the successes you experience as you start implementing what you learned!

 

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