TRASCRIZIONE 🔗
WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.480 --> 00:00:04.839
This is your Morning Boost, recorded in the forward Ed
2
00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:09.279
Network studios, a weekly spark for educators and school leaders
3
00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:14.119
ready to lead, teach, and live with greater intention. This
4
00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:15.599
is your morning Boost.
5
00:00:18.280 --> 00:00:21.920
Good morning, everybody, Welcome back to your morning Boost. One
6
00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:24.679
of the biggest surprises I had when I first became
7
00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:28.559
a school leader was realizing that explaining something well doesn't
8
00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:32.600
necessarily mean people understood it. As teachers, we spend our
9
00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:36.920
careers trying to make ideas understandable for students. We check
10
00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:41.840
for understanding, we ask questions, we reteach when necessary. Then
11
00:00:41.880 --> 00:00:45.359
we become administrators, and somewhere along the way, it's easy
12
00:00:45.399 --> 00:00:48.119
to start believing that if we've said something clearly in
13
00:00:48.200 --> 00:00:51.000
a staff meeting, or if we put it in an email,
14
00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:55.479
then we've done our part. If people don't understand it
15
00:00:55.520 --> 00:00:59.000
after that, well maybe they just weren't listening. I've come
16
00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:01.719
to think of this different. I think one of the
17
00:01:01.719 --> 00:01:05.840
most important responsibilities of leadership is helping people picture what
18
00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:10.680
success actually looks like. Because here's the reality. Words don't
19
00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:15.760
create consistency. Shared understanding does. And I've learned that lesson
20
00:01:16.040 --> 00:01:19.439
more than once. One experience in particular, has stayed with
21
00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:22.280
me several years ago, I was part of implementing a
22
00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:26.000
new PBIS style behavior system, and this was in an
23
00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:28.599
eighth and ninth grade building, and looking back, I think
24
00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:31.280
it was a really good system. Eventually it became a
25
00:01:31.400 --> 00:01:34.040
very important part of how we taught behavior instead of
26
00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:37.239
simply just reacting to it. It gave us more consistency
27
00:01:37.239 --> 00:01:41.680
as a staff, and students understood expectations better, teachers had
28
00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:45.239
common language, and overall it made our building stronger. But
29
00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:49.680
the rollout wasn't nearly as smooth, not because the ideas
30
00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:52.879
were wrong, because the language certainly was. When we designed
31
00:01:52.920 --> 00:01:56.439
the system, the room was full of educators, and educators
32
00:01:56.439 --> 00:02:03.239
have a language all their own. We talked about behavioral expectations, interventions, reinforcement,
33
00:02:03.799 --> 00:02:08.400
student ownership, tiered supports positive behavior, and all of those
34
00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:12.080
words made perfect sense to everyone in the room. Nobody
35
00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:14.120
in the room needed an explanation. We all shared the
36
00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:17.759
same background knowledge. Then we introduced the plan to our
37
00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:22.319
students and parents. That's when I realized something. We hadn't
38
00:02:22.360 --> 00:02:25.719
written the plan for students. We'd written it for educators.
39
00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:30.479
Our families don't speak education ease, our students certainly don't either.
40
00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:33.560
To them, many of the words we thought were perfectly clear,
41
00:02:33.639 --> 00:02:37.479
we're really just educational jargon. And here's the interesting part
42
00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:40.840
the plan itself. It wasn't the problem. The language was.
43
00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:45.919
We had confused familiar language with understandable language, and those
44
00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:48.879
are not the same thing. I think that's something that
45
00:02:48.919 --> 00:02:52.599
experts struggle with in every profession. The longer we work
46
00:02:52.639 --> 00:02:55.199
in something, the easier it becomes to forget what it's
47
00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:58.560
like not to know the vocabulary. We skip steps, We
48
00:02:58.680 --> 00:03:03.520
used tons of acronyms, We assume background knowledge, and not
49
00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:06.680
because we're trying to confuse people, because we've become so
50
00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:09.719
fluent that we don't even notice we're doing it anymore.
51
00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:13.240
Schools are no different. Think about a word like respect.
52
00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:16.680
Every school I've ever worked in has talked about respect.
53
00:03:16.879 --> 00:03:21.800
Every parent wants respectful children, every teacher wants a respectful classroom,
54
00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:25.520
Every administrator wants a respectful culture. It's one of the
55
00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:29.960
most common expectations you'll hear in education. But here's the question,
56
00:03:30.520 --> 00:03:34.800
what does respect actually look like? What does the word mean?
57
00:03:34.840 --> 00:03:38.159
I'm not asking for a definition. What would I actually
58
00:03:38.599 --> 00:03:42.400
see if I walked into your hallway during passing time?
59
00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:47.000
How would I know students were being respectful. If I
60
00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:50.680
walked into a classroom during group work, what would respect
61
00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:54.960
sound like? If two students disagreed with each other, what
62
00:03:55.080 --> 00:04:00.159
behaviors would tell me they were still being respectful. It's
63
00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:04.879
a different conversation because now we're moving beyond vocabulary. We're
64
00:04:04.919
Load full transcript
--> 00:04:09.240
creating a picture, and pictures are much harder to misunderstand
65
00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:14.360
the labels. That realization changed the way I think about expectations.
66
00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:18.879
I no longer assume that because everyone nodded during the presentation,
67
00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:23.120
everyone is imagining the same thing. Instead, I ask a
68
00:04:23.160 --> 00:04:28.839
different question, can people picture success? Because if they can't
69
00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:32.920
picture it, they probably can't consistently produce it. And I
70
00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:35.639
think that's where leadership begins. We're going to take a
71
00:04:35.720 --> 00:04:37.480
quick break here, but when we come back, I want
72
00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:39.639
to talk about one question that has changed the way
73
00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:43.720
I communicate expectations with both staff and students. So hang on,
74
00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:44.639
we'll be right back.
75
00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:54.480
This segment is sponsored by Grunmeyer Leader Services. Since twenty thirteen,
76
00:04:54.920 --> 00:04:57.959
GLS has been a trusted partner for school districts across
77
00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:02.360
the Midwest, specializing in ex executive recruitment and leadership support.
78
00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:06.000
They believe that great schools start with great leaders, and
79
00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:08.240
they are here to help you find a perfect fit
80
00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:12.079
for your history, transform your school's future with the right leader.
81
00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:16.279
Visit Grunmeier leader search dot com to learn more. Grun
82
00:05:16.360 --> 00:05:20.800
Meyer Leader Services Transforming education one leader at a time.
83
00:05:27.680 --> 00:05:29.920
So that question I'm talking about has become one of
84
00:05:29.959 --> 00:05:33.360
the filters I use anytime I'm introducing something important. Can
85
00:05:33.399 --> 00:05:37.040
people actually picture success? Because if they can't, there's a
86
00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:39.519
good chance they'll each create their own version of what
87
00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:43.279
success looks like. And that's where inconsistency begins. I think
88
00:05:43.319 --> 00:05:45.839
about some of the language that we use in schools.
89
00:05:45.879 --> 00:05:50.120
We want students to be engaged. That sounds great, but
90
00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:53.360
what does engagement actually look like? If I walked into
91
00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:56.279
five different classrooms, what would I expect to see. Would
92
00:05:56.319 --> 00:06:02.680
students be discussing, writing, working, collaborate relatively, answering questions, or
93
00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:06.959
listening quietly. These could all be examples of engagement, depending
94
00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:11.160
on the lesson. Now, imagine asking five administrators that same question.
95
00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:14.879
If each one gives
a different answer, we don't actually
96
00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:17.519
have a shared expectation. We just have a shared word,
97
00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:20.480
and those are very different. The same thing happens when
98
00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:24.560
we tell teachers we want strong communication with families. Okay,
99
00:06:25.319 --> 00:06:28.879
what does that look like? Is that weekly emails? Is
100
00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:33.079
that phone calls or newsletters or responding within twenty four
101
00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:37.399
hours forty eight hours? Is this about frequency? Is it
102
00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:40.920
about quality? Is it about accessibility? All of these things
103
00:06:40.920 --> 00:06:44.120
are terms that we use constantly, and again, if everyone
104
00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:47.959
fills in those blanks differently, we shouldn't be surprised when
105
00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:52.639
implementation looks different from classroom to classroom. I think that's
106
00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:55.600
why one simple question has become so valuable for me.
107
00:06:56.199 --> 00:06:59.720
Instead of asking did I explain the expectation? I try
108
00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:02.879
to ask as could someone describe what success looks like?
109
00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:08.800
Those are completely different questions. One measures my communication. The
110
00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:13.079
other measures there understanding, and leadership should probably care more
111
00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:16.199
about the second one. Here's another example for you. Imagine
112
00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:19.079
you tell your staff we really want collaboration in our
113
00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:22.160
PLCs this year. Everybody's going to not on because that
114
00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:26.319
sounds really good. Now, ask one follow up question. If
115
00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:29.040
I walked into your PLC next Tuesday, what would I
116
00:07:29.079 --> 00:07:33.639
actually see? I bet the conversation changes. Instead of talking
117
00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:37.560
about collaboration as an idea, we're talking about collaboration as
118
00:07:37.560 --> 00:07:43.079
an observable practice. Would teachers be analyzing student work. Would
119
00:07:43.079 --> 00:07:48.360
they be discussing instructional strategies or planning interventions. Would everyone
120
00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:53.040
have a voice in the conversation. People can picture this now,
121
00:07:53.079 --> 00:07:55.839
and once people can picture success, they have a much
122
00:07:55.879 --> 00:07:58.720
better chance of actually creating it. I think that's one
123
00:07:58.759 --> 00:08:01.839
of the hidden responsibilities of leadership. Our job isn't simply
124
00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:06.040
to communicate expectations. Our job is to remove ambiguity, to
125
00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:10.079
make the invisible visible, to take ideas that exist in
126
00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:12.959
our heads and describe them clearly enough
that other people
127
00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:16.079
can see the same picture. Because here's what I've learned,
128
00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:20.560
when expectations are vague, people usually aren't being resistant. They're
129
00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:23.560
just being reasonable. They're filling in the blanks with their
130
00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:27.600
own experiences. They're doing exactly what any of us would do.
131
00:08:28.199 --> 00:08:31.160
The inconsistency. It's not a character problem, it's it's a
132
00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:34.759
clarity problem. And once I started looking at it that way,
133
00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:38.960
I found myself changing my own leadership. Instead of spending
134
00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:42.519
more time explaining, I started spending more time asking questions,
135
00:08:42.919 --> 00:08:47.279
what would this look like, what would we hear? How
136
00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:51.279
would we know if we are doing this well? Those
137
00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:56.039
questions almost always lead to better conversations than another explanation
138
00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:00.759
ever can because the moment people begin describing success us together,
139
00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:06.519
they begin building shared understanding together, and that's when consistency
140
00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:12.360
starts becoming possible. Leadership isn't explaining expectations. Leadership is making
141
00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:14.240
expectations visible.
142
00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:26.679
Strong schools don't just happen in classrooms, They happen in conversations.
143
00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:31.279
Bright Path Family Connect helps schools and families stay aligned
144
00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:36.240
with simple updates, reminders, and meaningful communication that actually get
145
00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:41.440
seen because when families are informed, students are supported. Bright
146
00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:44.799
Path Family connect, better connection, better learning.
147
00:09:52.279 --> 00:09:53.840
As I wrap up today, I want to leave you
148
00:09:53.879 --> 00:09:56.159
with one challenge for this week. The next time you're
149
00:09:56.200 --> 00:09:59.159
introducing a new expectation to your staff, your students, or
150
00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:03.080
even your leadership team, resist the temptation to ask yourself,
151
00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:07.279
did I explain it clearly? Instead ask that different question,
152
00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:12.559
Could they picture it? Could they describe what success actually
153
00:10:12.759 --> 00:10:17.279
looks like? Could two different people independently explain the expectation
154
00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:20.960
in roughly the same way, Because that's really the goal.
155
00:10:21.399 --> 00:10:24.919
Leadership isn't measured by how clearly we think we communicated.
156
00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:28.440
It's measured by how consistently other people are able to
157
00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:31.000
carry that vision forward. When we're not standing there in
158
00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:35.320
the room looking back that pbis system. It eventually became
159
00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:37.639
one of the best things that we implemented in that building,
160
00:10:38.039 --> 00:10:40.559
and not because we changed the vision and not because
161
00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:45.120
we lowered any expectations. We simply became better at helping students,
162
00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:49.200
families and staff understand what those expectations actually looked like.
163
00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:52.480
The plan it didn't even change very much, but our
164
00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:57.000
communication did and that made all the difference. As school leaders,
165
00:10:57.000 --> 00:10:59.720
we spend a lot of time talking, We present, we
166
00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:04.759
see and tons of emails, handbooks, we lead meetings. I mean,
167
00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:08.519
communication is a huge part of what we do, but
168
00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:12.600
maybe our real work isn't simply communicating. Maybe it's creating
169
00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:17.000
shared understanding. So as you head to your building this week,
170
00:11:17.080 --> 00:11:23.200
listen for the words you're using respect, engagement, collaboration, ownership, responsibility,
171
00:11:23.320 --> 00:11:25.039
all of those words you're going to use that are
172
00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:28.919
super super important. But don't stop at the word help
173
00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:33.240
people see it because when people can picture success, they
174
00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:36.000
have a much better chance of creating it. And that's
175
00:11:36.039 --> 00:11:39.960
what leadership is really about. Thanks for spending a few
176
00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:42.960
minutes with me this morning. We really appreciate the work
177
00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:45.399
you do every single day for your students, your staff,
178
00:11:45.480 --> 00:11:48.559
and your communities. Have a great week. Everybody. We'll see
179
00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:50.840
you again next time. Here on your Morning Boost.
180
00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:56.759
That's your Morning Boost from AWB Education and Media. If
181
00:11:56.759 --> 00:11:59.519
this episode helped you reset your thinking or take your
182
00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:03.200
next step forward, share it with a colleague, and don't
183
00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:06.200
forget to subscribe so your next boost is ready when
184
00:12:06.200 --> 00:12:10.399
you need it. Keep showing up with intention, keep moving forward,
185
00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:11.799
and we'll see you next time.