Voicethread+Planning

=The Voicethread Planning Area=

What is the problem?
Collaboration—how do we get folks to work with us? How do we increase patronage by faculty members for co-teaching opportunities? Getting buy-in from all district media coordinators is also a challenge… Does using resources available to the schools and media centers tie into this or not? The challenge is getting media coordinators to collaborate more frequently and productively in the district's schools.

What are some elements of the problem that we should work to address? If appropriate, cite the school level (like flex time in elementary schools)
Teaching those who are habitual in their work to move into successful collaboration... Getting the media coordinators to use resources available to them in collaborative pursuits...

We have to be willing to do the scut work for them-- create powerpoints and prezis, handouts, lesson planning-- assessment too Doing positive PR to advertise all the resources and services we can provide for teachers and students Getting the media coordinators to move out of their admin/office comfort zone Giving staff development opportunities to the media coordinators to improve their knowledge of technology tools, best practices, instructional design so that they can be the "expert" in their schools --Kimberly (middle school but applicable to any level, I think)

Make sure we stay up on the latest technology because if it's out there, the students already know how to use it and how to integrate it into the classroom especially at the middle school level. We need to make sure our faculty feels comfortable exploring new technology.

What are the solutions? What are the leadership principles that are most appropriate for addressing the challenge?
// The Law of Navigation: Leadership is a process that won’t happen overnight. // // p. 38: Get information from several sources; talk to people on several levels and count cost before taking action. // Here the district leader could spend time in the schools, talking to media specialists at all levels to determine what areas need most attention and suggesting solutions to issues at individual sites. This would be especially important before the district leader changes policy or enacts a new policy. One example could be the allocation of funds for technology.

The Law of Solid Ground: **p. 58: Importance of Character and Trust:** “Characters makes trust possible. And trust makes leadership possible. That is the Law of Solid Ground.” p. 61 “By making sound decisions, admitting their mistakes, and putting what’s best for their followers and the organization ahead of their personal agendas.” Here the district coordinator could ask for feedback from MC on all levels while keeping that feedback confidential.

The Law of Magnetism p. 90: “What you get is not determined by what you want. It’s determined by who you are.” The Law of Magnetism: Who you are is who you attract. This would mean projecting a positive attitude even when you may not feel like it. Positive attitudes are infectious; no meetings should be permitted to be gripe sessions. The district coordinator should have standards in place for county wide meetings that everyone must follow – maybe according to Robert’s Rules of Order.

The Law of Empowerment p. 126: Ford was insecure and put people against each other. A true leader must empower others. “The people’s capacity to achieve is determined by their leader’s ability to empower.”

The Law of Victory p. 153: Raise leaders to their potential. Leaders do whatever it takes to win and don’t accept failure. “Victorious leaders feel the alternative to winning is totally unacceptable, so they figure out what must be done to achieve victory, and then they go after it with everything at their disposal.”

Influence the influential

I am not sure if this is what we are suppose to be doing but here are my suggestions for the high school level.

At the high school level the librarian battles with the testing monster. Testing is the driving force for the teachers and they are hard pressed to share their instructional time.

1. Conduct mini staff developments during the planning periods and get it approved so that the teachers also get ceu's. This development would introduce them to resources that would enhance their curriculum. The law of of sacrifice: You will have to give up admin and collection development time to prepare lessons and then most of the day to teach them. This also demonstrates to the teachers that they are valuable as well. The law of buy-in: Most people will not buy in to your vision or a product until they have an idea that it can work or it benifits them. By doing staff development they get a preview.

2. Ask a few teachers what their least favorite unit to teach is and work something up for it. The law of momentum: As Maxwell states, "Baby steps". By offering to help on a unit that a teacher dislikes you will help provide them a fresh approach and start the momentum of using you as a valuable resource.

3. Volunteer to introduce resources to the class in their classroom. The law of conntection: By being willing to go into their classroom during their time you are showing that you care and are willing to meet them half way. You are willing to do what works best for them. The law of connection says to put feeling/heart first. This is one way to do it.

4. Hold orientaiton for freshmen and the graduation project. The Law of Timing: Orientations allow you to get a jump start on exposing students to the resources available. Sometimes if you start with the student the teachers come around. Also, the students can spread the word pretty fast.

5. Start with colleagues you are close with and already have a relationship with. The law of the inner circle: they already believe in you and they will be your willing guinea pigs that can spread the word. Also, surround yourself with people that believe in you and are positive always help good things happen.

Note to group: I am not sure if I am on the right path. See you tuesday night. Tabitha

6. Follow through-- on both the big and little things. The Law of Timing: If you do goof and drop the ball, apologize sincerely and offer to make up for it in some way. Be the go-to person for staff and students who need help in all kinds of ways. Try hard not to violate the trust that others put in you when you say "Yes, I can do this for you."

7. Develop good working collaborative relationships with key teachers in each subject or grade level (within teams and departments in middle school)... offer to teach lessons or a unit with those teachers. As word of mouth gets around other teachers will want to have their classes experience the same lesson, and now you have lots of collaboration happening in many areas: The law of explosive growth

--Kimberly

Middle School-- I think we have a combination of the scheduling issues and testing pressure as well. Also a challenge to juggle all the various groups: teams, departments, and grade level. plus the clique issue listed below.

Elementary issue – Scheduling issues – Elementary teachers are so pushed for time that what they want is a time they can bring their students to the Media Center so they can have a open period to use for planning. They need additional time in their day and they don’t feel they have the time to partner/collaborate on what is being taught in the Media Center.

Elementary issues from Melissa: You are a new librarian who has just started at an elementary school. The previous librarian did not foster good relationships with teachers so they do not use the media center much at all. They are also very hesitant to work with you because they have been burned in the past. How can you turn that negative perception around and lead them over to your side to work together? Maxwell's Law of Connection 1. The stronger the relationship and connection between individuals, the more likely the follower will want to help the leader. 2. To connect with people in a group, relate to them as individuals. 3. It's the leader's job to initiate connection with the people. 4. The tougher the challenge, the greater the connection.
 * 1)  Begin with a few teachers to collaborate/partner with on a lesson they are already are covering as part of the curriculum so you can show them what can be accomplished through working together. **//The Law of Influence//** –Once a few teachers are convinced of the value added by collaborating, they will talk to other teachers and help to influence them to give it a try.
 * 2)  Show how you can assist a teacher on a specific lesson and add value to their teaching through collaboration. Once the lesson is done, make sure the principal is made aware of how you both worked together, giving as much credit as possible to the teacher. **//The Law of Addition//** –Teacher assessments require teachers to show proof of collaboration and you will be not only helping the students, but also providing teachers with validation of their collaboration efforts.
 * 3)  After you have had the opportunity to successfully collaborate with a couple of teachers, share the experience at a staff meeting so that other teachers see how you can be used as a resource. **// The Law of the Picture //** – By describing the experience of how you worked with these teachers, you will be providing them with a picture of how to use you as a resource.

Everyone in your elementary school is very busy. They feel there is not enough time to cover topics for EOG's much less add in new technology and research projects that the media coordinator is so enthusiastic about. How can your leadership change the situation for the better? Maxwell's Law of Buy-In 1. Develop a good relationship with them through excellent service 2. Give them the tools to do their job better 3. By being honest and authentic and developing trust 4. By holding yourself to high standards and setting a good example Hope this is right!

In middle school it's the Law of the Inner Circle: There are always cliques because sections are divided up by both curriculum area and grade level. There is always that one strong person in those groups that leads the rest and is very influential. If you invite that person into your inner circle and collaborate with him/her, it will go a LONG way toward getting others to do the same. The leader wants to continue to lead and if they are first given the opportunity to collaborate with you they will take that experience (so make it a good one) back to the rest of the team/group.

1. Find out what this person is teaching a unit on by asking him/her, their students, and referring to the SCOS. Provide info on the unit without them asking you to and suggest ideas of projects, etc. that use new technology and thinking outside the box. Suggest that it will be both easier and more fun to grade and that the lessons on the unit that he/she will have to teach will be lessened with you doing some of the work.

As Maxwell says, you can not directly lead everyone at your school so have the most influential people in your inner circle and they will help lead others to you. Does this make sense? Christie Canter