Dealing with a Crisis

The first ten minutes of a crisis often determine how a community reacts to the challenge.  What are five or six steps that a school leader might take during this vital time-frame? Communication is a critical part of the aforesaid crisis response.  What characteristics and skills should be considered when choosing a spokesperson for a crisis?  What is the most important ability needed? 

External Communication

·         Very few teachers are prepared to deal with parents, especially those who assume the role of a critic.  As a building principal, what action might you take to help teachers deal effectively with parents on the telephone, at conferences and through email, social media or other communications? 

·         Following a recent Administrative Staff meeting, your superintendent shared her concerns regarding the morale of all district employees.  She cited a general tone of apathy and asked for your help in developing a plan for improving internal communications and morale.  As a school principal, what suggestions and rationale might you provide to her to improve human relations?  Be sure to address internal communications within your response.    

Big Ideas - Communication

      The play write George Bernard Shaw once quipped, “The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” As a school leader how could you utilize knowledge of the 5 elements of communication and the Lionberger study to enhance communication and acceptance of ideas among staff members? 

Educational Change Leadership

Educational Change Leadership

Educational Change Leadership

Educational Change Leadership

Instructional Leadership

Love him or hate him, Mike Schmoker really puts it all out there when he talks about his walk-though study and does so again with the piece about the Caryloa curriculum. Is he crazy or do his ideas about good instruction make sense? What are his ideas about teaching and learning and could they be applied at a school near you?

Motivation

What is a graduate student to make of this deep theoretical mumbo jumbo about content and process theories of motivation? Does anyone really care what they are and/or do they really matter in the day-to-day challenges of leading in school or running any large organization? I’d like hear your thoughts, so why not compare the two theories and share what you think.  Don't be scared, tell us how you really feel about motivation.

PLC

Much has been written and said regarding the use of the PLC model as the best way to increase achievement for all students. Do you buy it? Has more been said then done??? Why or why not? What is working and/or not working within schools that you know about? Share the data if you have any to support your opinion.

Communication

Communication is a “make or break skill” for school leaders. The article we read from the Principal’s Partnership discussed the importance of communication techniques and identified the principal’s most important (communication) audiences. Please tell me about one or two things that screamed, “This is really important!” when you read the material and why you felt that way. Feel free to share any personal experiences that are related to this topic.