Onboarding & Orientation / Organization & Time Management / Teamwork Posted on:

Pre-Planning Template

Pre-Planning Template Pre-planning is an exciting, creative, critical, and stressful time all at once. Teachers are anxious to prep their plans and classrooms. Administrators want to give and protect teacher planning time, yet also devote team time to key initiatives and wildly important goals. In addition, there are other important groups that need time with both teachers and admin (CPR training, Advancement, Business Office, R & D), plus time to connect with “All School.” Finding the right balance can be challenging. In the spirit of sharing, here is the template we used this year. Gold represents Middle School team time. […]

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Leadership / Organization & Time Management Posted on:

Clutter Comes From Indecisiveness

Recently, I signed up for a series of webinars through The Principal Center. In the constant pursuit of greater organization and more effective workflow, I’m excited to learn more about how to improve some of my work habits. So excited, in fact, I want to share… The 5 key benchmarks that can dramatically increase your capacity to manage the work of leadership: Keep your desk clear Keep your inbox empty Work from your leadership agenda Keep your to-do list up to date Follow your calendar

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Gifted Education / Organization & Time Management / Reflective Practice / Space Configurations Posted on:

“My” Classroom Space Configuration 2006-2010 (Part 1 of 2)

Recently, our team was discussing classroom space configurations. Mary and Jim asked about the configurations I used as a teacher. I drew them a diagram (recreated in Google drawings here). We had one type of student desk (yellow seat attached to wooden desk with metal basket underneath). Desks were arranged in two groups of rows. One grouping faced the “front” of the room and the other faced the “side” of the room where the double whiteboards were mounted on the wall. At least 3 factors limited the flexibility of this space…1) the type of desks, 2) the role students were […]

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Design Thinking / Organization & Time Management Posted on:

What Can We Learn from Master Schedule Prototypes?

Google Doc with Schedule Prototypes   Questions to Consider What are the advantages/disadvantages of each schedule? Review each one. What was your best idea? What was your biggest priority? What was your group’s biggest obstacle? What is your biggest question? What is your most drastic proposed change? What is the easiest/obvious change to make? What are the non-negotiables? What did you learn about your own assumptions and biases about teaching? Education? Mount Vernon’s mission?

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Organization & Time Management / Strategic Planning Posted on:

Why is Pruning Important?

There is a great DVD by Dr. Henry Cloud called Simplifying the Challenge (white board/red couch). In session 7, Dr. Cloud talks about the importance of pruning as a means for continued growth of any living organism (or organization). He uses the metaphor of a rose bush… There are 3 types of roses to be pruned 1. There are more good buds produced than can be sustained or brought to “full vision.” Even though they are “good” they are not great and a skilled gardener knows which ones with potential for great beauty. The gardener will prune 80% just so […]

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Communication / Organization & Time Management Posted on:

# 25 Cracking the ‘Email Code’

For the past few years, I have been experimenting with a variety of approaches to email. My goal has been to respond to every email in a timely fashion and leave with my inbox at zero at the end of the day. I’ve literally gone months without being successful at this goal. The more you respond to emails, the more you generate. As my friend says, “It’s like digging a hole in sand, the hole just keeps getting deeper and collapsing on itself.” Thankfully, persistence pays off. I believe I may have finally cracked the code. For 7 days in […]

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Organization & Time Management / Teamwork Posted on:

#23 The Tension is Good

Notes from Catalyst Conference 2010 The Tension is Good  The Opposable Leader: Why Organizational tension is essential to progress by Andy Stanley Every organization has problems that shouldn’t be solved and tensions that shouldn’t be resolved. For example: What’s more important? If you “resolve” any of those tensions, you will create new tension. If you resolve any of those tensions, you create a barrier to progress. Progress depends not on the resolution of those tensions, but on the successful management of those tensions. i.     Examples of tension between… Fulfilling all responsibilities at work vs home Excellence vs careful stewardship Research […]

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