Filling in the Spaces

Building Community to Improve Professional Relationships

and Inspire Student Learning

Teacher Leadership Certification Academy

CAPSTONE PROJECT

Shari MicheliJune 2014

Overview of Project

My goals for the English 1 Team, and the English Department:

I will assist in creating a stronger English I Team by establishing and organizing an Evernote site where team members share information and collaborate. I will encourage transparency and a sense of camaraderie within the English I Team that will lead to greater unity. I will also lead the English Department in Team Building exercises, designed to build trust within the department.

Overview of Project, cont.

My goals for the staff with NOVI Network:

I will help build a sense of staff community by hosting a weekly NOVI Network meeting in my classroom, with refreshments, on Thursday mornings before school. Here, staff members can collaborate and commiserate on professional and personal topics. I will also start a school-wide Evernote site for sharing of informational sites and information.

Rationale

The English I Team will be better and stronger if we are working together, feel safe working together, and feel a sense of purpose and pride for what we are accomplishing. Team Building and getting to know each other better will help build this trust.

Norte Vista students will benefit from a connected, positive staff. The NOVI Network will allow for teachers to come together in a non-structured environment to discuss work or personal issues, find inspiration, and share ideas.

Leadership Philosophy

Effective leaders:

believe in themselves, so that they may inspire others.

are vulnerable, and are willing to hear honest feedback.

are in the know, and are forward-thinking.

know the people they are leading, well.

offer authentic praise and meaningful advice.

have an inspirational, detailed vision that is worth pursuing.

Vision/Goals

Created an ELA 9 Evernote site

Created Team Building activities for ELA Dept.

Created Birthdays/Interests form for team, in order to build camaraderie.

Handed out “I’m Thankful For You, Because” notes, to inspire others to Encourage the Heart

Helped my Dept. Chair with Teacher Appreciation Day by writing cards

Vision/Goals

Held NOVI Network Meeting every Thursday morning from 6:45 – 7:25 am

Brought donuts and coffee to every gathering

Started a “Info Center” for sharing useful handouts and websites

Started an Evernote site for NOVI Network attendees, and the NOVI staff.

Teacher Leader Model Standards

Domain I: Fostering a Collaborative Culture to Support Educator Development and Student Learning

Element Leadership Level How Implemented

1.1 Utilizing Group Processes in Collaboration

Teacher Leaders utilize group processes to help colleagues work collaboratively to solve problems, make decisions, manage conflict, and promote meaningful change.

-Hosting weekly NOVI Network gatherings.

1.2 Modeling Collaborative Skills

Teacher Leaders model effective skills in listening, presenting ideas, leading discussions, clarifying, mediating, and identifying the needs of self and others in order to advance shared goals and professional learning.

-Leading English 1 Meetings

-Leading NOVI Network discussions

Teacher Leader Model Standards

Domain I: Fostering a Collaborative Culture to Support Educator Development and Student Learning

Element Leadership Level How Implemented

1.3 Employing Facilitation Skills

Teacher Leaders employ facilitation skills to create trust among colleagues, develop collective wisdom, and build ownership and action that support student learning.

-English 1 Evernote site

1.4 Welcoming Diverse Perspectives

Teacher Leaders strive to create an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are welcomed in addressing change.

-Information Center during NOVI Network.

1.5 Promoting Collegial Interactions

Teacher Leaders use knowledge and understanding of different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and languages to promote effective interactions among colleagues.

-English Department Team Building activities

Evidence of Success

Qualitative:

Emails/notes/verbal comments showing appreciation for bringing ELA Dept. closer

Positive comments on NOVI Network Survey

Cohesion in ELA Dept, and ELA 9 meetings

Community atmosphere in NOVI Network meetings

Willingness of attendees to continue bringing refreshments April-June

I think that attending these networking gatherings every week has helped me integrate into the Novi community and get to know other teachers. I have learned strategies to use in my class and learned what is working for teachers in other departments as well. Invaluable opportunity!4/9/2014 9:46 AM

On a daily basis, we are extremely busy. I use my prep and I work through my lunch in order to leave school at a reasonable time. On the several occasions I attended N.N., I felt very welcomed. It was refreshing. When we fly through the hallways from the lounge to the copy room, we are usually not able to engage other staff members with lengthy conversation. I guess being busy could be misunderstood as rude or unsociable. However, when I visited Novi Network, it was social and great to connect with friends that are from other departments who are not part of my structured PLC time.4/9/2014 2:00 PM

Text acknowledging NOVI Network and ELA Activities:

Survey Responses:

Evidence of Success

Quantitative:

Survey results showing that teachers are communicating across departments

Survey results showing teachers agree that students are benefitting from their time spent collaborating

Survey results that reflect that new teachers are assimilating better into our school culture because of attending NOVI Network meetings

The extensive ELA Grade 9 notebook built in Evernote

NOVI 9th Grade English Team’s Evernote Site:

Next Steps

Continue hosting the NOVI Network gatherings next year

Have regular attendees bring someone who hasn't attended before

Each week, have a couple of teachers bring handouts to share for the Info Center

Have another teacher in charge of updating the Evernote site after meetings

Have another teacher start an after-school gathering

Plan afternoon, evening, and weekend get-togethers

Growth in the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership

Model the Way

I have learned how to be more vulnerable, when presenting to our dept., and by having teachers in my room every week. I have been open and honest in my discussion, yet professional, all the while being cognizant that I'm acting in a leadership role.

Inspire a Shared Vision

I just let my enthusiasm shine through, and it came back to me twofold. This made me mindful of creating the kind of life I want, and made me want to share that positivity with others. Some of have criticized me for being upbeat in the past, but I no longer consider this a fault.

Challenge the Process

I took a leap of faith, and hoped that teachers would show up at 6:45 am to just sit and talk to one another. They did. I stressed at first about what we would do in the meetings, but just like we're learning in the classroom, the best moments happened when teachers got to really talk to one another. The dynamic told me what was needed, or successful.

Growth in the Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership,

cont.Enable Others to Act

Stepping away from myself has been one of my greatest victories with this project. I watched relationships being built, and I witnessed teachers becoming more confident during these meetings. I'm so proud of these teachers, and friends, and colleagues, and know they are continuing to build trust and share ideas with each other at other times now.

Encourage the Heart

Encouraging the Heart takes forethought and time. Lots of time. I've had to learn to manage my time better, in order to be better at this most important practice. I have to be available for those teachers who still need to talk, and have to be "present" when I'm listening. I've had the most growth in the other four practices, because this was the area where I excelled naturally, but I need to continue to be intentional and consistent with this practice. I've also learned that people who live in a negative head space fight against efforts to Encourage the Heart, and I can't let them derail these most important pursuits of the positive.

Learning/Growth I have learned that good, true leadership

is intentional. It is not enough to want to be a leader, or to be the loudest in the room.

I have learned that you have to believe in your abilities, before you can make anyone else believe in theirs.

I have learned that effective leaders are not resistant to change and are not afraid to hear feedback.

I have learned that sometimes it’s extremely difficult to educated about effective leadership, when others aren’t.