| As academic leaders, reflective leadership can transform us when we look inward. When we use reflective leadership to look outwards and show our colleagues their strengths, it can transform a community. So in last week's pulse survey, we asked what you wanted to reflect back to your community about their growth this year. Below are a few reflections from your fellow leaders around the country! "We have persevered when the circumstances appeared insurmountable and unsustainable. We have truly accomplished tremendous feats: learning new teaching and technological skills and creating new student learning experiences while continuing to foster a connected, safe, and joyful community." - Kelley Black , St. Andrew's-Sewanee School (TN) "The measure of success in learning must be more than a graded effort. It must be the awareness that cognition is a progressive practice...and that even though distance and virtual platforms challenge us, they also provide a new type of structure on which we can build a new type of learning. This new "way of knowing" can expand our capabilities and enrich us in new and innovative ways. Then, we we come back together, we can reflect on how we have grown and changed and come to know more of who we are as learners and as people." - Mark Parsons , Christchurch School (VA) "We've been talking so much in recent years about having a growth mindset, and the past nine months have pushed everyone's growing edges. No one has been able to sit back and claim "I can't." "Yet" is the word of the year, simply because phrases like "I'm not a tech person," and "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," don't serve anyone in this environment. Everyone has had to transcend those kinds of labels and limits, and our teachers, staff, students, and parents have all learned new ways of doing old things. I hope that everyone in our community can acknowledge that we've all become improvisers, innovators, and most of all, learners." - Rebecca Yacono , Worcester Academy (MA) "While each of us has struggled, individually, what we have accomplished as a team has been powerful and shows that our collective work (as adults) is truly about educating and supporting young people - even in the face of enormous challenges." - Rachel Hirsch , The Cambridge School of Weston (MA) Now's the moment to take the reflective mirror off the wall, turn it towards others and celebrate the extraordinary work that's been accomplished this year. It's often easy to focus on the what-if's of this school year when we should instead focus on the innovative and transformational progress that will serve our schools in the future. Resources to Read: Reflective Leadership : On our blog, Liz reminds us that this is the moment to turn the 'reflective mirror' towards others. How To Give Concise Positive Feedback : This Forbes article offers some tangible advice on giving positive feedback. How to Lead With Positivity : This Edutopia article is about how when administrators maintain a sense of optimism, their teams act with more confidence and collaborate more effectively. For last week's Academic Leaders Webinar, Sarah, Liz and Peter had a conversation on celebrating the work of faculty and leadership as an outward-facing practice. Watch a recording here! |
As academic leaders, reflective leadership can transform us when we look inward. When we use reflective leadership to look outwards and show our colleagues their strengths, it can transform a community. So in last week's pulse survey, we asked what you wanted to reflect back to your community about their growth this year. Below are a few reflections from your fellow leaders around the country! | |
"We have persevered when the circumstances appeared insurmountable and unsustainable. We have truly accomplished tremendous feats: learning new teaching and technological skills and creating new student learning experiences while continuing to foster a connected, safe, and joyful community." - Kelley Black, St. Andrew's-Sewanee School (TN)
"The measure of success in learning must be more than a graded effort. It must be the awareness that cognition is a progressive practice...and that even though distance and virtual platforms challenge us, they also provide a new type of structure on which we can build a new type of learning. This new "way of knowing" can expand our capabilities and enrich us in new and innovative ways. Then, we we come back together, we can reflect on how we have grown and changed and come to know more of who we are as learners and as people." - Mark Parsons, Christchurch School (VA)
"We've been talking so much in recent years about having a growth mindset, and the past nine months have pushed everyone's growing edges. No one has been able to sit back and claim "I can't." "Yet" is the word of the year, simply because phrases like "I'm not a tech person," and "You can't teach an old dog new tricks," don't serve anyone in this environment. Everyone has had to transcend those kinds of labels and limits, and our teachers, staff, students, and parents have all learned new ways of doing old things. I hope that everyone in our community can acknowledge that we've all become improvisers, innovators, and most of all, learners." - Rebecca Yacono, Worcester Academy (MA)
"While each of us has struggled, individually, what we have accomplished as a team has been powerful and shows that our collective work (as adults) is truly about educating and supporting young people - even in the face of enormous challenges." - Rachel Hirsch, The Cambridge School of Weston (MA)
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Now's the moment to take the reflective mirror off the wall, turn it towards others and celebrate the extraordinary work that's been accomplished this year. It's often easy to focus on the what-if's of this school year when we should instead focus on the innovative and transformational progress that will serve our schools in the future. | |
For last week's Academic Leaders Webinar, Sarah, Liz and Peter had a conversation on celebrating the work of faculty and leadership as an outward-facing practice. Watch a recording here! | |
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