My problem is you (Jackson Browne)

Photo by Egor Myznik on Unsplash

George Couros recently wrote about being paralysed with indecision through too much choice. He mentioned Barry Schwartz's TED talk on the paradox of choice - worth a look.

...as the number of choices keeps growing, negative aspects of having a multitude of options begin to appear. As the number of choices grows further, the negatives escalate until we become overloaded. At this point, choice no longer liberates but debilitates. It might even be said to tyrannize.

Barry Schwartz

On a minor scale I sometimes have the same issue with all of the great things coming into my inbox.

Currently I appear to have too many to handle because I don't get time to access them through my day and they quickly mount up.

Weekly newsletters are one thing: James Whatley; Austin Kleon; Warren Ellis; Edutopia Weekly; James Clear; Swiss Miss; George himself - I do get to them eventually in my week. 

The daily ones are the tricky ones I find: Leadership Freak; Seth Godin; Literary Hub; Morning Brew.

Yes - too much choice can lead to issues.

Of those the one I neglect the most is the Literary Hub. It's great but it's the one I often delete without reading.

A dilly of a pickle.

Hitch your wagon to a star (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

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This term I have the fantastic opportunity to visit all of my teachers and observe their unique classroom magic.

It is such a delight to visit them all because to a person they are an extraordinary bunch of educators. The visits are highlights of my week and I am very grateful to them.

That may sound a bit gushy and OTT but it's the truth. I've written before about how blessed I am to be surrounded by these teachers and support staff.

As chance would have it, George Couros had this on his recent post:

I'm very lucky !

My staff certainly inspire me, elevate me, and bring out the very best in me.

Thank you team!

One day at a time is good for you (John Lennon)

Dave Hoefler on Unsplash

New starts are just around the corner.

Term 2 begins tomorrow and we'll be without a couple of key staff members for a while this term. That means employing relievers for some time before help arrives.

One of those staff members will be starting her new job tomorrow and that's often an unsettling time.

Around week 4 of this approaching term we'll be back to near full strength with the introduction of two new staff members.

Again, an unsettling time for them and the campus as they and we adjust.

I have just opened up George Couros' newsletter in my emails and he has this to say:

Regret often comes in the things that you don't do.  

Change, even positive change, can be incredibly hard, but focusing on that "better" one day at a time can lead to something truly great. 

The only way to make the future better is by making the most out of the present moment.

That's a great thought to start the new term with and I agree with him - one day at a time, and focusing on that day to get the most out of it are the ways forward for those staff members who have left or are arriving and for us at the campus dealing with the gap.

You look around with both eyes clear (Mary Chapin Carpenter)

From George Couros

This is a great set of things for both observers and new teachers to keep in mind.  

No luck, no golden chances. No mitigating circumstances now. It's only common sense. There are no accidents round here (Peter Gabriel)

 

George Couros nails it.

Notice the key words: Relationships; Collaborate; Connect; Reflect; Learn. 

It's make believe until it's only a matter of time, and some might have learned to adjust but then it never was a matter of trust (Billy Joel)

Photo by Arno Senoner on Unsplash

Recently, I was asked a 'what if' question. 

My policy is to answer direct questions as honestly as I can, so I did.

Specifically, the question was, what if you had a magic wand and could bring about one change. What would it be?

I wrote the first thing that came to mind - which was, 'more trust'.

Co-incidentally, after submitting my response I reread this article from George Couros.

It's about the one trait that distinguishes effective teams: trust.

George mentions a finding from Google's research into team effectiveness:

In a team with high psychological safety, teammates feel safe to take risks around their team members. They feel confident that no one on the team will embarrass or punish anyone else for admitting a mistake, asking a question, or offering a new idea.

In other words, great teams thrive on trust.

My spur of the moment thought was a good one.

Long ago and far away I heard your voice (Blue Oyster Cult)

Our post covid-19 world will take some bedding in for lessons to be learned.

However, Dan Rockwell's poster statement (above) bears thinking about right now, as he says - Leadership is all about people, now more than ever.

Why is forward-facing kindness important? 

Because education is all about relationships. 

George Couros also mentioned this in a recent blogpost:

"You have a focus on relationships first (staff and students). – One of my favorite principals in the world stated that if you were exceptional with connections but weak with content, you could last a longer in education than if the reverse is true. Of course, we want educators with both, but focusing on the relationship piece is paramount, this goes beyond students as well. I know some very gifted educators, who are great with children but struggle with other adults. The focus is on finding school teachers, educators that are focused on the benefit of every child in the school, not only ones they teach directly. If the word “relationships” does not come up in your interview, I would be concerned."

Relationships and communication. Without those two elements, good will struggles to exist.

Have a think about how you were treated during covid-19.

See what I mean? Relationships right?!

Sign o' the times mess with your mind (Prince)

This image from Eric Sheninger comes via George Couros' blog. I like a lot of George and Eric's material.

This list is worth bearing in mind when we return to 'normal' school from lock-down.  

Me, I'm just the lucky kind (The Beatles)

Today's Baggy Trouser homage is to George Couros - nails it!

Knowing me, knowing you, it's the best I can do (Abba)

This question, posed by George Couros, is a good one.

If integrity is doing the right thing, even if no one is watching, then the other side of that coin is doing the right thing when everyone is watching.

Integrity doesn't get to take a holiday. Unlike me.

Waiting for perfect is a never-ending game (Seth Godin)

Last week, I had a fantastic visit to a school in Palmerston North. The Manawatu campus of Westmount School was a vibrant, exciting, open campus with great leadership and staff. Nice muffins as well!

Gave me a great buzz of excitement about what is possible. Not talking about the muffins now.

Reminded me of this George Couros model. A lot!

Jim Seumanu, the Principal, would be that bloke with the fertile brain in the middle.

Get going. Then get better. (Ahmed/ Olander)

Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash

Cutting edge, leaders in innovation, the tip of the arrow.

Recently, I've heard those phrases a lot. What do all these phrasas mean and what's needed to attain that status, and stay there? After all - everyone is doing their best to be cutting edge, right?

George Couros is my go-to-guy on innovation in education. 

Here he is on what it is and what it isn't:

To simplify the notion of innovation, it is something that is both new (either invention or iteration) and better. Innovation is not about the “stuff”, but about a way of thinking. 

For example, it is not the iPhone that is innovative, it was the thinking that created it in the first place. Innovation is about mindset more than anything. In fact, if you made an iPhone that looked more like the first version than the current one, it would no longer be innovative, but simply replication. There is no new thinking, nor is it better than what we have now.

What qualities are needed to be innovative?

The Velocity boys (Ajaz Ahmed and Stefan Olander)  are still my go-to-guys on this.

This is what they have to say:

It takes 'courage, focus and determination, but gives back efficiency and rewards intuition, iteration and gutsiness'.

Their warning is always one I aim to keep in mind:

For organisations with structures that sand down all rough edges and desiccate anything juicy, something terrible will happen: nothing.