Do we have SuperHero Vision?

A question was posed to me this week that is still wondering around in my head...

"Are the structures we have in place promoting the status quo or creating a new perspective?"

This question has been so powerful to me in my thinking about how WE do school. In general, yes, but more specifically the different things we put into practice, such as small group instruction; the collective efficacy we know profoundly impacts student growth; and the support systems to ensure student success.

As an instructional leader I analyze what is it that we are doing, if it is working well and how can I facilitate processes that ensure we are seeing things with a new perspective.

Nothing we do at SRE is without purpose or intention. We purpose to be better and design PD and PLCs to foster collaborative instruction and collective efficacy. We intend to provide supports that bring about student success, promote student ownership of their learning and utilize data to guide joint-work decisions.

That is the vision or rather SuperHero Vision I have for us as a team of educators. But the question still remains...

"Are the structures we have in place promoting the status quo or creating a new perspective?"

Realistically, we are still doing some of the things we have always done. What can I do to help us all by creating a "new perspective" so that we do have SuperHero Vision?

Do we have a "can do" vision or a "cannot because" vision? Collective efficacy is Hattie's strongest hinge point for gaining over a year's growth with student learning. It is not individual but collective efficacy, a belief WE ALL CAN, together.

In the book, Collective Efficacy: How Educator's Beliefs Impact Student Learning, the author, Jenni Donohoo states: "By strengthening collective teacher efficacy, teachers will develop the resolve to persist against challenges and realize increased student results."

Realize... hmmmm... SuperHero Vision? I think so.

What is your perspective... is it new, is it SuperHero Vision? How did you get there?

Is it status quo? What can we do, together to gain new perspective... to have a SuperHero Vision?

How can we ALL have SuperHero Vision?

What "Fuels" Our Superpower?

Now that we have our first week of the 2017-18 year under our belt we can begin to determine what is it that truly fuels us as a campus. What rises to the top in our beliefs and actions that says... "This is Who We Are... This is a Longhorn!"?

As you built efficacy with your students, established norms as a grade level and came together as a

team, what consistently stated who we are as a campus? What vision did you and your students cast for what you hoped your class would be as a community of learners? How did that carry over into your classroom's mission for learning?

Reflecting on this past week, what was done well and worth repeating and/or revisiting? What might you want to improve or change?

When you consider your reflections of this past week and compare them to the eight criteria we had determined during our discussion about mission and vision during our beggining of year professional development, what remains true?

Here are the eight criteria:

1. Character and Individual Development
2. Measurable and Accountable ----> Data Driven
3. Accountability with all stakeholders
4. Learner Centered
5. Positive/ Affirming Relationships
6. Simple/Kid Friendly
7. Actionable (Intentional/Purposeful)
8. Worth Fighting For

Do the criteria we had determined still apply as what determines a well written and implementable Mission/Vision statement?

Based on what we have done, what we have set in motion to move forward and what we hope to do, how will that author our mission and vision statement?

How can we create a mission and vision that will "fuel" our superpowers and keep us continually striving? How can we ensure that what we do every day we are, in some way, changing the world for the better?

As we move forward in creating our mission and vision this Thursday during profesional development, consider where do you want us to be as a campus and how are we going to get there?

Our Greatest Superpower...

Tomorrow our doors will open and parents and students walking through those doors will be that concrete evidence that the 2017-18 School Year has begun.

We provided them the "trailer" or "preview" to what the year will be like for them last Thursday night at Meet the Teacher. And it was by far our best and most successful Meet the Teacher to date.

Monday is our opportunity to show them WE ARE that awesome, and every day after that.

On Friday I had the opportunity to talk with a potential parent who was considering sending their child to Sendera about our school. I told this parent how we do school. I knew he and his wife had a big decision to make for their child. The child could remain at another school choice or they could choose us. I told the father that at Sendera Ranch Elementary we start with the heart. I told him that we believe every child should be greeted in the morning at the door and have the opportunity to meet every morning with his class BEFORE the academics start for the day. I told him we believe, and research has shown, we cannot proceed or engage the mind of a child until we have won his/her heart. That, I believe is OUR SUPERPOWER.

I love when I am able to talk about what we do every day and share it and others think it is extraordinary. Don't underestimate what you do and think it is common in every educational setting. What we do at Sendera... it is common for us, but it is extraordinarily unique outside of our building. We are #SREEverydayHeroes.

In my thinking about my "challenge" to start off the 2017-18 year for our staff I came across the following blog post: Why I Hated Meredith’s First Grade Teacher: An Open Letter to America’s Teachers by Kylene Beers. Take a moment to read it. Then consider how are you going to capture your student's mind and heart for the next nine months so that you will have students giving you "hero status" much like Meredith's mother shares in this post.

Have a wonderful first day of 2017-18 and 179 wonderful days of school after that. I know the family I spoke to on Friday HAS made the decision to choose Sendera Ranch Elementary because of who we are as #SREEverydayHeroes. After all, we all have the greatest Superpower... to forever make a positive difference in the life of a child.