Open Learning Spaces

Open Learning Spaces

NZPF Conference -Queenstown 2017

Whetu Cormack
 I felt absolutely supported by this leader and could not agree more !

21st Century Leaders

A Thought… Leadership

9 ESSENTIAL 21ST CENTURY LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Posted at 18:02h in 21st Century Leadership by Maxine Driscoll 0 Comments

Educators around the world have been grappling with the concept of 21st Century Education for the past 20 years! Some are earnest, some are cynical and some are overwhelmed with the whole notion.

How are you dealing with the changes we need to make in schools to meet the needs of 21st Century Learners? Do you have a clear vision of your way forward? Are you feeling confused, frustrated or overwhelmed? Or are you just too damn busy to even think about it?

I understand how you feel! As a passionate educational leader for over 20 years I have recently carved out some time to research 21st Century Learning and 21st Century Leadership because I was feeling confused, frustrated and overwhelmed.

I don’t have all the answers but I now have a much clearer understanding of what we should be doing as 21st Century School Leaders and I’d like to share it with you.

Here’s a snapshot of my thinking to date.

1. 21st Century School Leaders are visionary. They …

• Want the world to be a better place
• Want to make a difference
• Believe in collective genius
• See now and the future as collaborative

2. 21st Century School Leaders are emotionally intelligent. They …

• Lead from the heart, align vision with passion and unite people
• Use a distributed leadership model
• Empower others and unleash passions
• Actively seek and promote Talent Development in their teams
• Use an abundance not scarcity mindset
• Recruit smarter more creative people than themselves
• Think ‘Yes’ and then work out ‘How?’ and encourage others to adopt this approach
• Are supportive, authentic and sincere
• Do not use a ‘blame’ approach and ultimately take responsibility for everything that happens in the school or organization
• When necessary, hold people accountable to the vision and their individual responsibilities

3. 21st Century School Leaders master self-leadership. They …

1. Are driven by purpose, not ego, power or money
2. Have grit and commit to see tasks through
3. Develop ‘Focus’ as a 21st Century Skill and simplify wherever possible
4. See their work as joy, creating their own happiness and making a difference to the lives of others
5. See failure as a growth point, an iteration and ask what have I/we learnt from this and plan next steps
6. Are courageous and conquer their fears and limiting thoughts
7. Manage their well-being

4. 21st Century School Leaders embrace change and innovation. They …

• See opportunities and possibilities in everything
• Are Change Agents and Change Advocates
• Understand how to manage organizational change
• Nurture a desire to innovate in their teams

5. 21st Century School Leaders welcome and value diversity. They …

• Seek different perspectives and empower others
• Are compassionate, responsible Global Citizens
• Empathize and adjust communication and styles of collaboration across cultures and generations

6. 21st Century School Leaders develop a 21st Century Mindset. They …

• Have a growth mindset
• Have a positive attitude
• Think outside the box
• Think strategically
• Are solution-oriented, proactive and non-reactive
• Use data analysis to inform decision-making
• Seek constant improvement for themselves and the organization they are leading, pushing themselves outside their comfort zone

7. 21st Century School Leaders are learners. They …

• Focus on learning for themselves and the organization
• Use systems thinking, design thinking, innovation and disruption to create Learning Organizations
• Are reflective lead learners
• Are Instructional Leaders
• Are learning partners with students and teachers
• Seek different perspectives about the future of learning

8. 21st Century School Leaders are connected with the world. They …

• Develop fluency with digital and social media
• Develop agile and flexible partnerships with others
• Are intercultural and Intergenerational savvy
• Understand that Sustainability must be embedded into the curriculum

9. 21st Century School Leaders take action. They …

• Operate with a strong results focus
• Emphasize the importance of efficiency, productivity and priorities
• Solve problems effectively
• Create the future.

Reflective feedback

Feedback

Neuroscience Implications

9-ways-neuroscience-has-changed-the-classroom/

Decision making

Medieval philosophy Occam’s Razor

Confidence Goals

Confidence

Self Preservation

Science Has It: You Should Stop Doing These 10 Things To Be More Productive

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/science-stop-10-things-productive.html

Want to master the 24 hours you have in each day? Use these scientifically-backed strategies to be more productive:

1. Stop ignoring your ultradium rhythm!

Every person experiences a natural lull in productivity after doing an activity for about 90-120 minutes. This period is called the ultradium rhythm, and you shouldn’t ignore its power. Instead of trying to “push through” mental fatigue, it’s better to take a break when your ultradium rhythm cycles. Get up, walk around and do something different for up to 20 minutes.

You may even want to take a nap, especially if you work for a company that has a napping room or policy as do NASA, AOL and – not surprisingly – Google. After your break or some power shut-eye, come back to your original activity with more energy, creativity and focus.

2. Stop checking your social media accounts every hour!

Are you one of the millions of people who keeps his or her social media account live and active on your smart phone, tablet, laptop or desktop? Doing so presents an attractive nuisance, and you’ll end up wasting tons of minutes per day watching cat videos and finding out your second-cousin once removed’s neighbor’s boss saw a penguin at the zoo. Make a pact with yourself to relegate checking your social media accounts once or twice per day instead of allowing them to suck your time.

Spending time with people as people – and not avatars on a screen – was very useful for one Citrix vice president.  He discovered that relationships made in the “real world” were not only more satisfying than those made in social media, but that they produced a stronger sense of supportiveness.

3. Stop saying “yes” to everything and everyone.

Are you a “yes” man or woman? It’s time to rethink the way you’re responding when you’re asked to do something. While you can’t always say “no” to your boss, your spouse or your friends, you are allowed to pick and choose most decisions you make during the day. By saying “no,” you can avail yourself of the scientifically-based Pareto Principle. The Pareto Principle claims that 20 percent of efforts produce 80 percent of results. Conversely, 20 percent of results consume 80 percent of efforts. Spend your 80 percent doing what matters, not what doesn’t.

If this is a difficult principle for you to adapt, don’t worry – you can always schedule one day a week to say “yes”.  That’s what TED Talks’ guest speaker Tania Luna does.

4. Stop checking your email incessantly.

Most of us habitually check our email on an unstructured basis. That is, we look whenever we feel like it. This turns into a problem because emails can sap time that is better spent elsewhere. Get off the email train by making it a point to only check emails at specific points during your day. For instance, you may want to check yours at lunchtime, and then again in the evening.

Tim Ferris, author of The 4-Hour Work Week, recommends picking two specific times each day for maximum productivity.

5. Stop doing everything yourself.

Sure, it can be thrilling to tell everyone that you are “doing it all,” but there’s no reason to try and be superhuman. Eventually, you’ll fail – miserably – without help. If delegating is tough for you, just remind yourself that the old adage “many hands make lighter work” holds true in all aspects of life.

Need a little help?  Buy or borrow the Harvard Business School Press bookHidden Value: How Great Companies Achieve Extraordinary Results with Ordinary People.  In it, author Charles O’Reilly gives tips on how to begin the process if you’re uncomfortable with or unaccustomed to delegation.

Reach out and get the assistance you need; in fact, you may want to start looking at areas where others can do the tasks you’re doing now. Free up your time to work on other things, and start really being productive.

6. Stop trying to be perfect.

Let’s get this on the table right now: You’re not perfect and you shouldn’t try to be. A research study published by University Affairs illustrates this point. The study showed that professors who were perfectionists had lower productivity levels than those who accepted the fact that they were only human. The moral of the story is that, on most occasions, being good is good enough.

Besides, Google has had incredible success fostering leaders who weren’t top students from universities.  That says something.

7. Stop being busy all the time.

A Harvard study and scientific evidence has shown that spending downtime by oneself is more important than we might have otherwise thought. Dubbed “The Power of Lonely” by a Boston Globe writer, the principle suggests that people have stronger memories of moments they spend by themselves. In other words, it’s time for a little introspection to get to the heart of who you honestly are, as well as what you want to do “when you grow up.”

When Brigid Schulte slowed down, she found the time to pen Overwhelmed: Work, Love and Play When No One Has the Time.  Schulte shows how doing less can be freeing, and recommends this to anyone who truly wants to be a success.

#8. Stop saying “I can’t.”

Want to kick a habit or keep yourself from overeating? Don’t tell yourself “I can’t,” because it just sets you up for failure. Instead, replace “I can’t” with “I don’t.” For example, those who say they “don’t” do something actually do it in half the cases of those who say, “I can’t.” If you want to give up smoking, tell yourself you “don’t” smoke rather than you “can’t” smoke; you’ll find that you have a better chance of quitting.

Exercise guru Joe English talks about the power of “I can” in this blog poston Running Advice. While Joe’s discussion of “I can” applies mainly to exercise and working out, he touches on some universal strategies all of us can use to be more productive. Rather than thinking, “I can’t do this” or “I don’t know if I can do this,” Joe says he thinks to himself, “You can and you will.” Changing the way you think about the obstacles in front of you can have a huge impact on your daily productivity.

9. Stop multitasking.

It seems like multitasking is embraced in our culture as a “given,” but it isn’t exactly efficient. Researchers examined the skills of multitaskers and were shocked to discover that they didn’t do well on any of the tasks to which they were assigned. Focus on single tasks, and leave the multitasking to those who haven’t read this article yet. You’ll be in good company – theCBS Evening News started discouraging multitasking in their offices and had fascinating results.

10. Stop being so negative.

Are you someone for whom the glass is always half-empty… or just empty? While a little negativity can be understandable, a lot of it will only cramp your style and keep you from achieving your goals. According to scientists from Japan, when we think negative thoughts, we color our world with pessimism and make it harder to attain success.

So start looking at the glass a different way and enjoy your newfound outlook on life, business and everything under the sun.As sales guru Zig Ziglar said: “Winners evaluate themselves in a positive manner and look for their strengths as they work to overcome weaknesses.”

As you can see, being productive means “stopping.” If that’s tough for you to do, just practice. Changing behaviors takes time. However, doing something for about 21 days usually makes it easier to continue with the routine. Make this day one, and in three weeks your productivity level should be much higher.

4 Simple Phrases That Instantly Earn People's Trust

 Your team is more likely to thrive if you can make them feel that you are trustworthy.  @SteinbrecherInc CREDIT:
 Project Aristotle is a recent Google study that was undertaken to understand why certain teams in their workplace thrived while others seemed to struggle. After studying hundreds of Google's teams and analyzing years of data, the researchers behind Project Aristotle discovered that "psychological safety" is the secret to building and maintaining successful teams. Amy Edmondson, a Harvard Business School professor, describes psychological safety in her definitive 1999 study as "a team climate characterized by interpersonal trust and mutual respect in which people are comfortable being themselves."
The Google study solidifies what we already know:
 that people need a sense of security to do well at work.
Honesty, transparency, and an overall atmosphere of mutual respect are imperative when building a psychological safety net for your team.
But first, you must earn -- and keep -- their trust. Building trust will allow you to develop meaningful relationships and cultivate an unspoken mutual understanding; your team can count on you to do what you say and say what you mean. In turn, they will do the same for you. This sense of security, precipitated by you, means that your employees' self-esteem is upheld.
A safe haven of trust allows them to speak freely and think more creatively, without feeling rejected or embarrassed. You have the ability to make a significant impact if you engender the trust of your employees. Make it a priority to inject some positivity into each workday. Be aware that your words have the power to sway the opinions and actions of others. If you treat your team members with respect and understanding, interpersonal trust and a sense of security will follow.
Here are some phrases that will instill trust and confidence within your team.
1. "What can I do to help?" When you are truly committed to helping others, it creates a ripple effect. Your team will have more passion to work with you and for you if they believe you have their back.
 Simply saying, "I know that this project is important to you. How can I help?" can move mountains.
 2. "I trust your decision." If your employees feel you trust them to do the right thing, it will boost morale and productivity. Remember, to be trusted, first you must trust.
3. "What can I do differently?" Serve those you're leading, not the other way around. Let people know that their opinions count. Part of your job as a leader is to remove the barriers to success by observing what might be standing in the way of your employees achieving their goals. Determine how you can facilitate their progress without eliminating accountability.
4. "What do you think is our best course of action?" Ask questions versus handing out orders. Considerable insight can be gleaned by asking for someone's opinion. This approach will win the hearts of your team members, as you'll be viewed as a leader who values the perspectives of others and cares enough to ask for feedback. Have faith in the process. Trust the people you lead. Say "thank you" more often, admit when you are wrong, and be open to new ideas.

How to get the Best out of your team / Springboard Alumni

How am I actually developing the capability of my lead team ?

 Leader and coach

1. Clarity- clear expectations
2. Capability-
3. Motivation-want to do this   

Words - I know you are clear, I know you are capable. I know you are motivated.

 Help me understand the gap and how I can help you.

As a leader 3 areas for coaching. 

New Team

Take temperature... Is there a lack of confidence?

Take to a neutral envirt

Do a reading re growth mindset in prepn.

 Grievances??

Ted Talk 

Brené Brown | TED Speaker Re vulnerability and shame.

Ted Talk -watch as a team

Who we are.

What do we want to achieve?

Reset visions and goals .

Care enough-what can you change?

People may need to expose themselves to the team . See Ted 

Core framework and culture.

Response to question re a leader of teachers .

Create challenges to be a little bit uncomfortable .

CEO What works ? What doesn't work ?

 Upwards coaching /mentoring. Reverse mentoring .

 Youth ideas YLT - Youth leadership team - Learning Agility.

 HES a group of recently trained teachers as upwards mentors. 

Garth, Jenny, Edie, Bex, Georgia, Sarah. 

RT Team. Matauranga Team .

Issues for them . Expectations etc 

 What do they expect from a Principal. 

Never promote someone to a level of inability. 

Creating a team - diversity of thinkers .. not necessarily diversity in ethnicity /gender.

Think about the style of the people you are leading.

 Be mindful not to gravitate to people like self. 

 Discussions- if you dont agree lets discuss it..

 Then , we are going to commit to ...........

 Please dont play devils advocate .

 Responses  need to have rationale or be evidence based. 

Mentoring individuals 

 Is the leader managing their team or time effectively?

 If they are not in control of the above the team feels different. 

Individuals - When are you at your best?

1-10 scale. 

Where are you playing from each day?

What might your team see?

 Self - awareness- look at self first.

 Ask the right questions to get feed-back on own devpt.

What are some things I could do better.?

Exercise

Should we observe each other's team meetings ?

Leadership

 Where are we going ?

Why will I follow you ? 

How are we going to get there?

 

 

Bruce Moody Mathematics Change

Change involves stress but not distress.
Our role is to find out how to communicate with learners.
Flavouring
The interface between child and maths is  the bit we can change.
 What do children have  that we can work with .
Ways of thinking about mathematics is in symbolic form .
Solve problems in meaningful contexts .
Numeracy project had some good points.
 Can we change what is happening in the time we have .
 New material  one story a day . Change the numbers .
Do not need to ask how learners got to conclusion unless you really dont know .

Time Management Ian Narev

Time Management for Strategic Leaders

Presentation Notes

1. Mindset

Your time is an extremely scarce resource and how you choose to use it is critically important for the

achievement of your strategic objectives.

2. Strategy

Your strategy guides the use of your time.

3. Delegation

It’s the printing press for time and a win-win with your people. Delegation gives a sense of

empowerment. It requires a ‘safe’ environment, trust, and coaching for success. Some of your saved

time from delegation goes to coaching and communicating with others. Remember you cannot

delegate accountability.

4. Calendar

How do you forward plan? Build in the ‘need to do’ items, give yourself time for reflection (this must

be done but is likely to get pushed out), work with people who assist you to enable good calendar

management. Be a little bit selfish – you can’t always say yes to everyone.

“There is nothing more wasteful than doing efficiently something that doesn’t need to be done.”

5. Culture

Being the leader of your school’s culture is your most important job. An effective culture takes a lot

of time to build and strengthen, and it takes active day-to-day management. How you spend your

time signals the important aspects of culture – carve time out for it.

6. Energy

Your visible energy is the most important success factor for your leadership. How you manage your

calendar is critical to your energy levels. Find the conditions that make YOU successful.

Rating Exercise:

A. How well-planned is your calendar?

B. What proportion of your time do you spend on key priorities?

C. The energy factor – how energised are you feeling?

Mantras

James Nottingham Choice Challenges WPA

James Nottingham

  Choice Challenges 

John Hattie  choice slows learning down ? Less choice is easier 

curling parents ? 

How much curling teaching - smoothing the way .

Out of comfort zone learn the most 

Do we help confused chn  when we support instead of praise

How do we respond to confused .

That's a great mistake what can we learn from it  ? 

 Let's make it more interesting..

EASY IS BORING.

Wobbling

Looking for best mistakes to learn from...

Examine mistakes ...

Thinking about micro managing staff

We set the culture ... what do we want our students to be thinking.

You get what you measure ... what do you value..resilience ability to wobble and not give up.. question quality. what do we do that values this?

• where is this in our toolkit??

• Diagram prestructural to abstract. Powerpoint to come.
• Significant struggle is from multistructural to relational.
• Next week we are ..... tell parents so that they can discuss or practise
• you have to be challenged to have that sense of Eureka 
• Jamesnottingham.co.uk/learning-pit
• Discourage staff from focussing on achievement  you get what you measure .
• Focus on progress put before and after starting and end drawing attention to the process
• Let's not compare chn let's talk about progress
• eg.Writing from feb and improve it .
• Ask teachers about progress eg sketching book what are you improving at the moment?
• Feedback has to answer the questions , what are we achieving , what progress  so far , what are we focussing on next ?

Mem Fox @ American immigration

Mem Fox Account
I shared this with all staff not because it is Anti -American ... just to remind us how it might be to walk in the shoes of others.

"They made me feel like such a crushed, mashed, hopeless old lady and I am a feisty, strong, articulated English speaker. I kept thinking that if this were happening to me, a person who is white, articulate, educated and fluent in English, what on earth is happening to people who don’t have my power? 

That’s the heartbreak of it. Remember, I wasn’t pulled out because I’m some kind of revolutionary activist, but my God, I am now. I am on the frontline. If we don’t stand up and shout, good sense and good will not prevail, and my voice will be one of the loudest.

That’s what it has taught me. I thought I was an activist before, but this has turned me into a revolutionary. I’m not letting it happen here. Instead of crying and being sad and sitting on a couch, I am going to write to politicians. I am going to call. I am going to write to newspapers. I am going to get on the radio. I will not be quiet. No more passive behaviour. Hear me roar."