Monday Morning Musings: Looking in, Looking Out, Looking Through

Principal ponderings...

Every year around this time, I write a post about reflecting on the year. I have done it in different ways over the years, but one of my favorite ways was from the end of last year when I had everyone think about mirrors, windows, and doors.

Last year, I participated in a Principals in Action Twitter chat (#piacahat) that focused on reflecting on the school year. I loved the concept behind it and wanted to share it with all of you. The reflection centered around three parts of a house: a mirror, a window, and a door. Thank you Kelley McCall, Jay Posick, Mark French, and Ryan Sheehy...hope it's ok to borrow your reflection questions and build on them!

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the best educator of them all? Ok, I might spend a little too much time with princess dolls. Sorry, that's not the mirror question I was thinking of. Here was the first question that we discussed in the chat:

Like a mirror, what did you do this year to reflect on your practice?
I would also add...
If you are looking in the mirror, do you like the educator who is staring back at you?
Are you the same educator that you were in the beginning of the year?
How have you changed and how has that impacted your students?

With the weather getting nicer (maybe we will have a day with no rain?!), and the sounds and signs of summer beginning to appear outside, this is when students (and adults) can't help but stare out the window thinking about days of summer ahead. The next reflection question focuses on the concept of the window:

Like a window, what did you see someone else do that you then implemented in your classroom?
I would also add...
Did you allow yourself to look out the window every once in a while? Whether that meant observing in another teacher's classroom, learning about something someone did on social media, or simply having a conversation with another educator?
Was there a window into your room?
Did you allow others to see or hear about your teaching?
Did you celebrate and share your successes with others?
Did you also share your struggles and keep the window open for feedback?

Probably my favorite sound of summer is the opening and closing of the screen door. Granted...this year I would probably be ok with a few less door bangs from the two four year olds in our house who spend a lot of time running out to the backyard and running back in! The question from the chat that dealt with doors was...

Like a door, what opportunities will you open for your students and your colleagues next year?
I would also add...
With a second year with new leadership next year, there will be even more opportunities to continue looking at everything through a new lens. How will you help keep the door open?
In what new and innovative ways will you connect with your students, create learning opportunities, and celebrate growth?

Whether you choose the mirror questions, the window questions or the door questions, it's important to stop and reflect on the past year and think about moving forward next year. As we reflect, we constantly improve ourselves and our teaching. And as we improve as educators, automatically our students improve and reap the benefits of our self-reflection.

For me, I am excited to take time now and once school is out to reflect on my first year here at Mayo School. It was certainly a big change for me to leave a place that I had spent seven years growing and learning in, but I am so glad that I made the transition. Change is hard, but you all have made this change a positive experience for me. Thank you.

As I think back on the work we have done so far, mainly getting to know everyone and connecting with everyone in the building, I love thinking about this quote from another reflecting principal...

"Many leaders believe that the way to sustain change is to communicate a vision, and then monitor compliance. They use evaluation, write-ups, or walkthroughs as a hammer to ensure 100% compliance. This philosophy will never lead to sustained change...we have to realize that change doesn't get done in the faculty meeting or staff email. It gets done one conversation at a time. It gets done in one-to-one relationships. It gets done with a lot of talking and a lot of listening. It gets done inviting disagreement and conflict in a safe environment. It gets done addressing the concerns and obstacles of the people closest to the change. It gets done over the long haul." (https://principaljoey.wordpress.com)

I feel like I have done a lot of talking and listening with each of you this year. Some staff more than others, but hopefully everyone feels like I have connected with them in some way. I am excited about the possibilities of what we will accomplish together over "the long haul." There's so much for us to do to keep having a positive impact on our students. As we begin to finish up our first year together, I am already looking forward to rolling up my sleeves with you and doing even more work together next year!

Currently reading:
We went to the public library on Saturday to check out some new bedtime books. I don't usually check out books since I am currently reading several. But I started reading Mountain Dog while the kids were playing and decided I wanted to keep reading it. It's a novel written in verse about a boy whose mother goes to prison and when he moves in with an uncle, he forms a bond with a search and rescue dog.

Super excited to get a new order of books in the mail this week...including this funny one...

Will let you know how it is!

Events this week:
Monday - Grade 5 Science MCAS, Windows on Wildlife Program for 4th grade, Town Meeting @ 7:00
Tuesday - Grade 5 Team Meeting @ 8:00, Grade 5 Science MCAS, Kindergarten Orientation @ 6:30, PTA Meeting @ 7:30
Wednesday - Patty at Central Office in the morning, PTA Dairy Queen Fundraiser 5:00-8:00
Thursday - MCAS testing window closes, Kindergarten field trip to Davis Farmland, Grade 1 field trip to Southwick Zoo
Friday - Half day, dismissal at 12:20, 5th grader Principal for the Day, Staff Appreciation Luncheon, paras at 11:30, teachers at 12:30

Great things I noticed last week:

Lots of 1st graders have been book talking and this book talk included a model of the toy boat in the story!
3Pz was working on some genius hour projects when I popped in the other day. Besides help from Mrs. Palazzo, they also had help one day from Mrs. Palazzo's mom who came to visit!
I walked into one kindergarten class full of scientists who were recording observations of plant growth.
And then I saw another group of kindergarten scientists having fun exploring bubble science!
Ellen Miller from the District Attorney's office came on two different days to meet with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders to discuss bullying and internet safety. Hoping to bring her back next year during the beginning of the school year, and we might even add in a parent coffee chat session.
On Thursday night, I had the pleasure of attending the Wind Beneath My Wings Awards Program at Davis Hill. Several of our staff were nominated for their work with students with special needs. Thank you to all of the teachers and staff who work hard to provide the best services to students on IEPs.