#edsymposium - Michael Fullan "Principal as Change Agent"

Handouts with quotes, participants were told to circle favorite quote. Then, move around room to share quotes.

I had to step out, but when I came back, this was on the screen. Look at this and think about where you might fit:

Watched a video and we had to determine if the people portrayed are too "pushy" or too "pully."

"Some teachers volunteered and some were 'voluntold'" - quote from video. Haha!

Teacher teams feel like they are constantly being support - continual, ongoing. Support is not just a one-off. Not told "do this. You are on your own. There is support all along the way."

Principal

 - Push - use of the word "voluntold"

 - Push - implementation of teams, expectations that teachers would take part

 - Push - Gather and use the data to confront situation

 - Push - High expectations, but provide support (pully)

 - Pull - Multiple groups to handle different aspects.

Teachers

 - Pull - Teachers being drawn in

 - Pull - Teachers decided what the roles within groups would be

 - Push/Pull - Data was pushed on them, but then they wanted the data (pull)

Complex, but not complicated to implement.

Participants looked over various scenarios:

• Leader too eager to make a difference
• Undervalue the ideas of others
• Lack confidence
• Lack strategic skills to execute
• Trip on their own strengths

Skills for Leading Change:

• Challenges the status quo
• Builds trust through clear communication and expectations
• Creates a commonly owned plan for success (beware of fat plans)
• Focuses on team over self
• Has a sense of urgency for sustainable results
• Commits to continuous improvement for self
• Builds external networks and partnerships (Kirtman, The Principalship, p. 128 - according to Fullan's notes)

Dealing with resistance

• Give people respect before they earned it
• Practice impressive empathy - understand someone who is in your way
• Love your employees - create conditions in which they can be successful
• Deal firmly with what's left over
• The road to reducing resistance is to increase enthusiasm

Things to think about:

• What have I learned about my leadership? (or skills or processes etc)
• What should I work on?
• What is the overall takeaway from today?

I think every conference attendee should ask themselves the last three questions after attending ANY conference!