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"Everyone wins when highly effective leaders bring their passion to work." Beth Houf and Shelley Burgess, the authors of Lead Like a Pirate, explore what it takes to be a Pirate Leader. The first chapter of Section 1, specifically focuses on PASSION. What is passion and why does it matter? Passion can take on many forms: personal, professional, content. As we discover what drives us, it helps "...determine the direction we point our compass." Once we understand our passions, it is vital that we are transparent and share with all stakeholders. One challenge in this chapter is to share your passion with your staff. This critical step provides transparency and authenticity as a a leader. Furthermore, it provides a twofold benefit: 1. "...in the moments that are particularly tough, or when you are dealing with issues that you are not passionate about, you can draw energy to press forward from a content, professional, or personal passion." 2. "...being in tune with and vocal about your passions can help those around you to better understand you." It is not only important to know your passion, we also "...need patience if we want to initiate positive change. Once we light a spark, we need to give it time to catch." We can't just expect change to happen overnight. We can use our passion to chart the course and use our passion to recalculate when off course. It is not only important to understand our own passion, it is imperative that we survey our staff for their passions. Beth and Shelley provide a "Top 3" activity in chapter one. This simple, yet profound activity, can be used to reveal the passions of your staff. It acts as a staff builder and allows teachers to tap into their passions. "The point is to get to know what drives the people around you. And if you're a leader, the point is to help them tap into those passions and use them to make school amazing." My Connection, My Passion Like Beth, I would define myself as an educational freak. I love anything and everything related to improving teaching and learning. I spend hours reading daily and then narrowing down the content into manageable chunks for my colleagues. I love to create, design, and develop new resources that support teaching and learning. Over the course of two nights, I designed 101+ Instructional Resources to support a group of teachers that needed readily accessible ideas. When I noticed that new educators to our district didn't understand the language of our appraisal process, I designed a Padlet that included a SMORE for each Educator Standard Indicator. Each SMORE provides a definition for an "accomplished" educator, guiding questions that can be used to reflect on each indicator, and resources to help you if needed. As I worked with new educators, I realized that the appraisal process can sometimes feel like a one-shot wonder, a dog and pony show. As a means to provide purpose for this somewhat mundane task, I modeled reflection by designing my own Google Site where I reflect on my own professional learning and growth. When I am not sitting with a cup of coffee and complete and total silence (ok...sometimes I turn on my favorite K-Love songs while working), I am working with groups of teachers, district colleagues, or in one-on-one coaching sessions. During coaching session, I had teachers that needed help with long-range plans for Economics, AP Government, Pre-AP English II, Spanish I, Business Law, and Chemistry, and I was beyond elated when they asked me to help design long range plans (aka experiences), project-based learning, cross-curricular connections, or model lessons. I didn't care what the content was, I was passionate about designing experiences that would engage students and provide differentiated opportunities to meet all student's needs. My passion would keep me up into the wee hours of the morning to design Think Tank challenges, a Kindness Challenge driven by student voice and choice, creating a SMORE with Teach Like a Pirate HOOKS to support students as they mastered presentation skills, brainstorming formats for a Chemistry Family Night, or scouring Twitter and my professional learning network to find ideas to support teachers. While some may call me crazy, this is my passion. Why does immersion matter when navigating the C's of Change? As a PIRATE leader, you need to have a "...deep understanding and continue to grow in depth." Are you dedicated to walk the walk? Are you ready to dive in? Immersion begins with pulling up your sleeves, digging into data, and getting to know all stakeholders. This can sound like an unrealistic request; however, when you "...immerse yourself in the work that has the highest impact on increasing student learning and building a rich, powerful, and positive culture..." it can turn into a goal that will point your compass in a direction of change. By intentionally devoting "...time and focus to the right things" you will "...ultimately propel yourself forward." As we chart the course, and immerse ourselves into work that will impact students and build a positive culture, we must consider our role. Are we going to be a Lifeguard Leader or a Swimmer? As a Lifeguard, we sit in our towers and act as managers. We ensure our "operation" is running smoothly; however, we lose pulse of the kids trapped under the rafts or lose sight of our most important job, the swimmers. When we lead as a Swimmer, we roll up our sleeves and dive into the deep end. We work alongside the swimmers. We are immersed in learning. As immersed leaders, "...people won't try to hide their weaknesses from you; rather, they will seek you out as someone who can help them learn and grow." Together, we create an environment where people feel free to take risks. We open the door to a focus that propels the ship into uncharted waters. Waters that offer treasure chests of opportunities. Opportunities to navigate the seas of change by immersing as a TEAM and re-organizing our time to leverage systems, elevate impact, activate our team, and delete, delete, delete. How do you organize your time? Beth and Shelley share the acronym LEAD to provide tips for organizing your time so you focus on getting back time and and immersing yourself in the work that has the highest impact. Leverage Systems: Are you always dealing with discipline? Within this chapter a familiar story plays out...the principal spends hours dealing with discipline issues and is left with little time to focus on what truly matters. How can this change? 1. "The first step toward developing a system is to better understand the problems." 2. As a staff, generate a list of the issues from the teacher's perspective, office perspective, and principal's perspective. 3. Work collectively to create a system that addresses the issues. 4. Stay consistent in implementation Elevate Impact: What mundane tasks take up your time? What tasks are less than desirable? We are all responsible for a task, an activity, a supervision, that we probably find less than desirable. BUT...what if we flipped the script on our thinking? What if we turned mundane tasks into opportunities to enhance our culture? Activate a TEAM: How do you utilize teams within your building? Who makes up each team? Are students a part of a team? Check out Lead Like a Pirate to see how Beth started a Tech Team made up of students. Consider this..."People are less likely to tear down systems they help to build." Delete! Delete! Delete!: What can be removed from your schedule? Who else could help in your endeavors? Analyze how you spend your time (check out the sticky note activity at the beginning of this chapter) and then reorganize so you are immersing yourself in work that has the highest impact on increasing student learning and building positive school culture. It Starts with Trust "If we want meaningful change, we have to make a connection to the heart before we can make a connection to the mind." -George Couros, The Innovator's Mindset As a PIRATE leader, every move you make is pivotal. "To be a PIRATE leader, you need to have a heightened awareness of what trust is, how you earn it, and how you can lose it." Within this chapter, Beth and Shelley provide two essential components of earning trust: 1. Character 2. Competence Character means you have integrity in your words and actions. You are the same PIRATE whether you are leading a group of 200 or sitting down to lunch with a group of two. You choose to spend your time getting to know people and allowing them to get to know you. Together, you reveal a true commitment to a shared vision through a culture built on trust. Are you wondering how you build rapport? This chapter offers a plethora of ideas and strategies you can implement to begin this process. Here are just a few... 1. Staff Retreat/Social Beth describes an event so engaging that I couldn't write down her ideas fast enough. Here is a sneak peek of her amazing ideas (of course, you have to buy the book to discover more): --Tropical pirate adventure land --People, Not Programs --A game of "Have You Ever" --Mission Possible: Lunch! (Pizza Crew; Sensational Sides; Sweets for the Sweet) --Selfie Scavenger Hunt --#BestYearYet 2. Pokemon Go Staff Social Pokemon GO was "....was all the rage in the summer of 2016." Or maybe you are currently battling ____________. Regardless of your struggle with Netflix in the classroom, the battle against games, or the obsession with Instagram or Snapchat, take time to explore Beth's fun-filled ideas to embrace the negative press or the hype to ban the technology for all students. 3. "Year of Learning" Blog Shelley sold me on this idea (another thanks goes to George Couros for sharing the idea) for creating a blog that focuses on the "Year of Learning." It would provide a platform to build relationships across the system. Each day a new post would be published and teachers, students, admin, classified staff, etc..., would anticipate another celebration of the question: "What are you learning today?" 4. Staff Appreciation Beth and Shelley both share a variety of ideas to celebrate staff. Here is just a peak into their amazing ideas... --A week of pirate fun to celebrate you! --Buying P is for Pirate for each staff member and personalizing a note on the page in the book that best represents him or her --Personalized notes for everyone in the district. ---Annual raffle --- "free" day off from work How could one of these ideas help you earn trust? Build rapport? It is important that we remember that real progress will only come when we work as a team with a focus on a shared vision and we have built a foundation of trust. "Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers." - Anthony Robbins "If we want to get out of ruts, engage students and staff members alike, spark innovation, and build a culture of inclusion and excitement, then we need to make sure we're asking the right type of questions." Do you ask questions that: Invite curiosity? Encourage more questions? Help find meaningful and relevant answers? Check out how Beth and Shelley revived traditional questions and turned them into transformative questions that can spark innovation, invite curiosity, encourage more questions, and find meaningful answers. Traditional Question: "What will we do on the first day of school this year?" Transformed Question: "What can we do on the first day of school that is so wildly engaging and fun that our students are knocking down the doors to get in on day two?" Traditional Question: "What are your goals for this year?" Transformed Question: "What magic do you want to create in your classroom this year? How can I help?" Traditional Question: "What strategies will you use to engage students in your lesson?" Transformed Question: 1. "What could you do to create a 'buzz' about next week's lesson so your students are excited and engaged before they even walk in the door?" 2. "What will you do during your lesson that will inspire students to bubble over with excitement when parents or friends ask them, "What did you do in school today?" As PIRATE leaders, we need to develop guiding questions that are transformative in nature. These questions, and their subsequent answers, can be the compass that helps guide the ship. The feedback we receive cannot crush our spirits or take us off course because we are PIRATE Leaders. And PIRATE Leaders, "...don't throw their hands up and quit" when the going gets tough. "They dig deep to get to the root of the issue and they actively seek solutions." As Dave Burgess shares in Teach Like a Pirate, "There isn't failure, only feedback." We need to seek feedback, crave feedback, and use feedback. We need to ensure that our entire team can explain the "Why." When we ask transformative questions and analyze the responses, we are shifting from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. We are navigating the seas of change with clarity and the capacity to grow. We are moving from "...good questions that inform, to great questions that transform." "Transformation is much more than using the skills, resources and technology. It's all about the habits of mind." -Malcolm Gladwell, keynote, INBOUND 2014 "We have to be relentless each day if we are going to take traditional education to new heights for our staff and students." As PIRATE Leaders, we are willing to take risks and explore uncharted waters. We stake our flags into tasks that will make a significant difference. Throughout this chapter, Beth and Shelley share ideas that will have you revising or refining how you will courageously set sail for transformation. How are you implementing one or more of the following? --positive referrals --making a notable contribution --transforming student's lives --providing a clear vision --creating a healthy sense of urgency --skillfully managing and leading change As a PIRATE Leader, you "...believe in the moral imperative of providing students with an amazing set of educational opportunities." You are clear in defining these types of opportunities and then you seamlessly orchestrate the experience. Taking time to read and then re-read this chapter will provide ideas to transform extended learning times, academic extensions, or advisories, into a time that is differentiated and driven by student data. Data that is gathered digitally, updated daily, and utilized to rethink interventions. "Serious learning can be seriously fun." -Quinn Rollins, Play Like a Pirate How do you captivate your teachers? Your students? How do you encourage outside the box thinking? As the PIRATE Leader, it is you role to champion for each student and to be the cheerleader for your school. Throughout this chapter, Beth and Shelley share ideas for amping up enthusiasm. Here are just a few sneak peeks into the wildly courageous and exciting ideas: 1. How do you ring in the New Year? Do you roll out the red carpet and wear your favorite tux or prom dress? Does your entire staff stand outside and greet each student with smiles and music as they enter the building? You will definitely want to read more about this amazing idea. 2. Karaoke Friday: Are teachers lined up in the halls during passing periods? Singing? Dancing? Playing guitars? This idea had me grinning from ear to ear. I couldn't stop thinking..."I want to be a staff member at Beth Houf's school!" 3. How do you turn mandatory content into engaging experiences? How could you flip a training on blood-borne pathogens into an EdPuzzle and send out six weeks before the school year begins. These is just a sliver of the appetizing ideas Beth and Shelley share within this chapter. My favorite quote, by far, is "We don't always have a choice in the day-to-day work we do, but we definitely have a choice in the way we do it." How will you turn a mundane task into a transformative experience that will leave teachers excited, engaged, and empowered? "The type of treasure you seek as a PIRATE leader defines the True North of your educational compass." Set Your Compass This section of the book is filled with treasures from Beth and Shelley that reveals the thoughts, ideas, and guiding principles that define them as leaders. Treasure #1: Developing a Vision Collectively Ask each team member to answer this question individually, "What is the most important work you are focused on right now as a school team to improve student learning?" Each and every person reads their answers out loud. The principal shares last. This activity provides a jumping-off point to discuss the school's vision and the clarity in which it is communicated. A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. "If a man does not know to what port he is steering, no wind is favorable to him." -Seneca, Epistle LXXI 2. "Never let an opportunity to make a reference to your vision, focus, or goals pass you by." 3. "If you are going to find educational treasure, you need to identify what matters most...." Treasure #2: Avoid the Blame Game Did you know that the blame game is toxic. And...it exits all over the nation! Did you know it prevents growth. The blame game creates a system that is "us" vs. "them." Instead of "...channeling collective energy and directing it to something positive, people committ to fight against each other." How much sense does that make? A core value we need to hold near and dear to our hearts, "...is the idea that we are all on the same team." As PIRATE Leaders, we need to tap into the unique potential inside each and every one of your staff members. When the "...utmost effort is spent to bring forth this potential..." we have achieved success. A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. ""When we learn how to work together versus against each other, things might start getting better." 2. "...it is a critical part of your job as a leader to help bring out the best in your people." 3. "Be relentless in seeking out and nurturing each person's greatness." Treasure #3: Harness the Power of Teams How can you harness the power of teams and become the summarizer and synthesizer of collective thoughts and ideas? How can you become the guide on the side who asks clarifying questions and encourage everyone to voice their opinions? 10 Tips for Teams That Tick (below is a tickler to the amazing tips ---do you want to read in its entirety? Check out pages 86-88 in the book.) 1. Start with a Purpose! 2. Develop shared norms 3. Start meetings with celebrations 4. Agendas. 5. Share the wealth! 6. Team timeout 7. Share minutes from the meeting 8. Use structures and protocols to allow everyone to contribute 9. Invite outsider to observe meeting and provide feedback 10. Review the "to-do list" Parameters and Guidelines for Teams: 1. Never turn over a decision you have already made. 2. Be clear up front about the purpose of the team. 3. Clearly share the goals of the team and establish timelines to achieve goals. 4. Be clear about what you can/cannot live with. 5. Design a team with unique voices and diversity. 6. Provide clear norms and ground rules. 7. Encourage an environment where ideas are challenged but attacks are not. 8. Create shared learning experiences. 9. Commit to a plan, not perfection. 10. Provide authentic feedback. 11. Explain what "consensus" means. 12. Create a communication plan. A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. "We treasure our teams. We believe in our teams. And our teams do great work." 2. "...we strategically create and empower teams to help design, implement, and monitor the work that needs to be done in our schools." Treasure #4: Find the Magic in the People - Not Programs We need to "...harness every available minute and spend every dollar we can on building the capacity of the people who are being asked to teach and guide the next generation." Questions to consider: 1. How can your staff dig into data and collectively design instructional programs? 2. How can you convey to your staff that the magic lies within them, rather than within the program? 3. How can you clearly communicate to your staff that programs are resources to support them rather than resources that define and confine them? 4. Take a closer look at the programs you have implemented in your school? Have you left room for professional judgment in their implementation? 5. Do teachers in your building feel constrained by the programs in your system, or do they have some freedom to innovate and create powerful learning experiences for kids? 6. How can you more clearly communicate to your staff that you honor and support their personal creativity and innovation? A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. "Magic is believing in yourself; if you can do that, you can make anything happen." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 2. "Programs don't teach kids; teachers do, and teachers are capable of making magic happen for kids." Treasure #5: Get the Right People on the Ship PIRATE Leaders travel with a crew and ensure the mission and intentions are clear from day one. As staff retire, or resign, you need to examine applicants and consider how they could help your staff grow. Who can bring something necessary to the crew? Who has relentless passion? When looking for a new crew, always consider whether they are willing to "...revise, redo, change, take risks, fail forward, and do whatever it takes to help our students succeed." Beth and Shelley share an engaging supply of interview questions. Questions that will lead to getting the right people on the ship. Here are a few that stood out to me: 1. "Convince me that I should place my own child in your classroom." 2. You have just walked out of a classroom and said, "Wow! That was an amazing learning experience for students!" What did you see? A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. "A crowd is a tribe without a leader. A crowd is a tribe without communication. Most organizations spend their time marketing to the crowd. Smart organizations assemble the tribe." -Seth Godin, Tribes 2. "We want people who can motivate our current crew to strive for greatness." 3. Look for "the sparkle of resiliency and the gumption of a risk taker." Treasure #6: If It's Important...Make Time For It As a PIRATE Leader, we must evaluate our schedules and determine if our daily tasks are aligned with our goals, our vision. We then need to ditch the items that are getting in the way of learning, planning, sharing and reflecting. A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. "Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem." -Zig Ziglar 2. "Time is a created thing. To say, "I don't have time," is like saying "I don't want to." -Lao Tzu 3. "What gets monitored gets done." 4. "If you have an initiative or a project you want to accomplish, it isn't enough to tell people what to do." Treasure #7: Make Changes without Capsizing Your Ship What do you need to consider when making changes? You need to learn how to lead complex change. This begins with an understanding that "full implementation" does not happen in a year. Begin with clearly articulated goals, measures to determine progress, and always evaluate and celebrate growth. As you journey through rough waters, it will be imperative that you "...foster an environment of collaboration and learning." Make sure that everyone on the team understands the big picture. How can we build enthusiasm and commitment to the great ideas surrounding the initiative? How can we deliberately make connections to work you are already doing? However, how can we clearly explain how this initiative is different and how it might look in the classroom. A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. "The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment." -Anthony Robbins 2. "Change for change's sake or change without a really good reason behind it will get you nowhere." 3. If you want to implement something new, "...put in the time and build the foundation for several weeks or even months before putting it before the whole team and committing to the change." 4. "Change is an opportunity to do something amazing." -George Couros, Innovator's Mindset 5. "Like teaching, you want to scaffold the learning for your staff until they are able to have a complete understanding of the initiative." Treasure #8: Use Stories to Personalize Data How can you take pages and pages of data and turn it into stories. Stories that connect to the heart? Stories that make data on papers into the real life stories that occur in your district. This treasure is one of my favorite as I am always looking for ways to turn the boring day-to-day information and share it in such a way that you make connections, spark ideas, and make a lasting impression. A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. "A story is a way to say something that can't be said any other way." -Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners 2. "Painting a picture through stories that capture people's hearts is much more effective at initiating change than sharing pages and pages of data charts." 3. "When you turn numbers into names and facts into faces you make your message more powerful. How can you transform a message you want to deliver to your staff through the power of stories?" Treasure #9: Use Social Media to Tell Your School's Story How can you harness Social Media to tell the true story of your school? How could you utilize one or more of the following ideas to share stories? --Digital Newsletter --Blog --Technology Night --Read Aloud Podcasts --"How To" videos for students and parents A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. "A hashtag is not just about communication, but developing community." -George Couros, The Innovator's Mindset 2. "The community wants to know what is happening in your school and you need to be the one telling the story." Treasure #10: Doing What's "Best" for Kids What if we started with the positive presupposition that ALL teachers are trying to do what is "best" for kids each and every day? What if each of us truly believes that our decisions are the "right" decisions. How can we lay it all on the table and take the time to ensure we understand each other. We understand that teachers don't come to school to destroy student's lives. We understand that as leaders it is our job to provide the realization that what is "best" for one student, one teacher, may not be what is best for the next. A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. "What's best for one child may be different from what's best for another." 2. "As a leader your ability to do "what's best for kids" often lies within your ability to inspire, influence, and support the adults in your school or system." Treasure #11: Professional Development -Like a Pirate! You will not want to miss this chapter as Beth describes Speed Dating and Genius Hour. She inspires you to think outside the box and challenges you to turn each and every day into an experience. A Compass to Point You in the Right Direction: 1. "Reflect: What is the current state of your typical staff meeting? Is it information getting? Could it be put in an email?" 2. "How much time does your staff get for personalized PD? How could you make this happen on your campus?" "Coaching is a form of professional development that brings out the best in people, uncovers strengths and skills builds effective teams, cultivates compassion, and builds emotionally resilient educators. Coaching at its essence is the way that human beings, and individuals, have always learned best." -Elena Aguilar, The Art of Coaching PIRATE leaders have a deep desire to look at each parent and say, "At this school, it doesn't matter who your child's teacher is. Whoever it is, I guarantee that your child will have an amazing learning experience here. And we want to mean it!" I was beyond excited to start reading this chapter. As an Instructional Coach at heart, I have seen the power coaching can have for individuals, teams, and entire buildings. As Beth and Shelley share, "One of the most essential roles of a school leader is supporting teachers in creating phenomenal classrooms. Doing that well requires spending time in classrooms as often as possible. And we can't just be okay at this part of our work; we have to exceptional at it." I could not agree more with this quote. In 2017-18, I mentored 40 new educators to our district in one building. A typical schedule for our Instructional Coaches splits you between multiple buildings. Having the opportunity to be housed in one building offered insights, opportunities, and consistent time in classrooms. When your time is consumed with listening, watching, learning, talking to teachers and students, and observing classrooms, you discover insights that can lead to amazing change. However, that was my full-time job. Administrators are filled with so many roles that I often wondered how they could ever do anything well. When you are responsible for a high school with 1000, 2000 students, how do you ever find time (on a daily basis) for what really matters? I have had the pleasure to work alongside 16+ different principals and assistant principals over the three years as an instructional coach. I can tell you without a doubt that they were doing what they believe is best for their staff. Just like their staff is doing what they believe is best for their students. As they do what is best for their staff, the evaluation process reminds me that the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. I believe 100% that administrators want to provide valuable and informative feedback; however, when one thing after another pops up and demands your attention, the evaluation process can sit on the back burner. Why does this happen? I truly believe administrator's believe in the educators they hire. They believe they are doing what is best for students, and unless they hear otherwise, the idea of formally observing their class and writing up a formal document, seems like an item they need to check off the list. I mean, seriously, how many administrators, let alone teachers, truly jump for joy and feel overwhelming excitement with this daunting task. "Like it or not, evaluations are a necessary part of school leadership." However, we cannot allow evaluations to become "...the driving force (and only reason for) classroom visits and conversations about teaching and learning." We don't want teachers to become masters of the dog and pony show. As PIRATE leaders, it is our mission, our goal to prevent "...fake, unfruitful conversations...." We want teachers to invite us into the "...real conversations about teaching and learning." If we want to achieve dramatic and systematic change, we have to "...know about the real challenges people face and the obstacles that are getting in their way. You want them to share the fears and work struggles that keep them up at night. Only then will you be able to effectively support them." "Changing culture requires changing the conversations." Beth and Shelley provide an acronym to help guide conversations that will be game-changers. Conversations that will eliminate evaluate feedback and "...anxiety associated with observations and feedback." DISCLAIMERS: 1. "For ANCHOR conversations to work, you have to start with a mindset that each member of your staff is capable of making magic happen in their classrooms." 2. "The ANCHOR conversation framework is what we use with most people, most of the time. However, it is not the framework we use when there are serious red flags or if we notice something egregious, harmful, or that in any way needs our immediate attention." Let's explore the six components that make up ANCHOR conversations. "Each component can work together in one conversation on one day and stand alone on another, but all aspects are important if we want to enthusiastically coach people forward in their work." This section of the book provides so many ideas that I ended writing a list of 20+ ideas I could use when coaching educators. Here are just a few ideas for ANCHOR Convserations... 1. "Share something the teacher did that you appreciated. Pick something specific and label it!" 2. "Link the 'why' to best practices, school goal, and/or student learning." 3. "Link the impact of a teacher's choice to student learning, sound pedagogy, and/or school goals." 4. "Give a message of appreciation." It is always a great way to start a conversation. 5. "A common language and understanding of practices can help prevent misunderstandings and conflicts." 6. "Always end with a THANK YOU." 7. "Don't say you support a choice when you really don't. If someone makes a choice you can't get behind, be clear up front and be prepared to share your reasons why." 8. "We want our crew to know it's not perfection but continuous steps toward improvement that we value most." 9. "At the end of every ANCHOR conversation, take a moment to reflect on how it went." This chapter is particularly powerful, in that, it forces you to reflect upon what you say and what you don't say. As a leader, you have the ability to send teachers home from work uplifted or beaten down. You can listen. You can be purposeful. You can think before you speak. Shelley offers a variety of treasures to explore the critical importance of good communication. Take a moment to consider the following: --"As leaders, we have the lost luxury of thinking out loud!" Try this: "...Instead of being the first to talk, [be] the last to talk." --"Find alternatives for loaded words and phrases." Try this: Consider taking loaded words/phrases out of your vocabulary. Shelley shares a story of how she removed the word rigor. Yes, that's right, rigor. It is not because she doesn't believe in the concept, rather she listened and watched her staff and realized this word turned people off. She used the feedback from her audience to alter her approach. --"Remove judgment language from your feedback." Try this: "One strategy that is particularly helpful to me [Shelley] when I feel that urge to judge someone is to stop and instead ask a question." --"Be careful...most of our praise is judgmental too!" Try this: Instead of positive phrases like "Great job!" advocate for "noticing" language instead. --"Take steps to understand yourself as a communicator." Try this: Work on awareness of your speaking patterns and habits to ensure the real message gets across. The final section of Lead Like a Pirate is devoted to 1) Dangers to watch out for on the journey and 2) How to strive for authentic greatness. We can begin this journey by listening to all stakeholders, rolling up our sleeves and choosing to do the hard work, increasing the capacity and talents of all staff members, and pushing forward regardless of the sometimes stormy seas. For in the end, "the haters gonna hate" and the ship must keep on sailing. So...choose greatness and the pursuit of excellence. and your ship will stay the course and discover endless treasures. If you have not purchased Lead Like a Pirate, stop whatever you are doing and purchase this book. I felt as though I was sitting down with two friends to a cup of coffee, an endless supply of wisdom, and a window into their PIRATE leader souls. This book will leave you excited to explore uncharted seas of change. You will feel as though Beth and Shelley are your guides on the side, leading you to be a better captain, a better leader, a better YOU. .

Chapter 1 -My Connections Like Jimmy, I had unique situations that shaped my views of education. Throughout my youth, I attended four different schools. Each school was unique and helped me to learn about the importance of building positive relationships. In this chapter, Jimmy openly shares his struggles with his baseball coach. How his lack of genuine interest, or inability to show he cared, left Jimmy pondering this event for the next thirty-two years. How can adults not think about how their actions can impact a child for the remainder of their life? What if we each asked ourselves that question each day? The 4 Core Principles are introduced in this chapter: 1. Be a champion for all students. 2. Expect excellence of everyone. 3. Carry the banner. 4. Be a merchant of hope. My Favorite Quote: "No one person is responsible for determining your success or failure but you, and no one is responsible for your morale but you." My Favorite Questions: "What if we were to pause, step back, and view our culture through the eyes of every child, every day?" ""Do the beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, and interactions of your staff with students and with each other scream, "I care about you!", "You can do better!", and "You are important to me!"? "Have we reached the point where we are willing to allow an average, typical culture to determine our students' or schools' potential for success? Chapter 2 - My Connection In this chapter, Jimmy shares two stories that immediately caught my attention: #1: When he was five, he went to work with his father and his father demanded a lot and expected high performance. He shares how his father taught him life-changing lessons and values. My father owned a restaurant the last few years of his life. I was lucky enough to work alongside my father. He made me do everything. I. Mean. Everything! I scrubbed toilets. Scraped grease off the hood of the grill. Emptied fryer oil. Deposited money at the bank. Shopped at Sam's Club. Ordered food. Practiced new recipes. Swept floors. Emptied trash cans. I can even remember, at the age of 18, having my father ask me to discuss with an employee (an employee that was 56) her tardiness to work. I remember thinking..."Is my father insane!?" Why was he asking an eighteen-year-old to discuss tardiness with someone that could be my mother? At that time, I didn't realize, like Jimmy's father, he was instilling a sickening work ethic, pride, and important leadership skills. There are three interrelated areas that either propel or inhibit a child's success in school: 1. Connection 2. Capability 3. Confidence ARM Yourself for Tough Conversations 1. Acknowledge - "Successful people enter every conversation focused on the other person." 2. Rectify - "Strong teachers and leaders recognize that it is possible to stay calm and rationally seek solutions even in the midst of chaos." 3. Move On - "Effective teachers and leaders have a unique ability to accept their circumstances and move on rather than spend time and energy dwelling on things that are beyond their control." Culture Builders: 1. Recognize What's Going Well 2. Change Student Behavior by Changing Adult Behavior 3. Reach out and Call Someone My Favorite Questions about the way you interact with students: 1. Are you honest with students? 2. Are you dependable in following through when you promise to do something? 3. Are you available when you say you will be? 4. Do you take the time to ask questions when they let you down rather than make assumptions regarding the reasons why? My Favorite Quotes: 1. "What we model is what we get." 2. "I write for my mother because I want her to be proud of me. It's one way to show my appreciation for her believing in me." 3. "Every staff member needs to remember that students are our most precious commodity. Without them, we don't have a job." 4. "If adults buy into the mindset that kids can't, then how can we complain when kids won't?" 5. "Behind every student success story is a staff member who championed for that student." Chapter 3 - My Connections I immediately smiled when I turned the page to Chapter 3. Jimmy starts off with a quote by my all-time favorite coach, Mr. John Wooden. He states, "A leader's most powerful ally is his or her own example." I could not agree more! Mr. Casas shares a heartwarming story of a special young man and how he allowed him to be a positive example. This young man would probably be shunned by most. An eye roll. A whisper to a fellow colleague about his inability to do anything right. However, Jimmy looked at him and took a chance. He championed for the young man even when giving up seemed much easier. This young man proved the system wrong and graduated. In the end, Jimmy shares that he owed Ben "...the biggest thanks of all for showing [him] the importance of not only seeing the best in all kids but expecting the best from all kids." This story reminds me of all the times I would discuss the importance of having integrity with my students. Now don't get me wrong...I am not Mother Teresa by any means, but I did strive to be (and still do) a positive role model for students. What forced me to be a champion for all kids? Honestly...it was my son. From the moment he entered pre-school, he was told he was not good enough, smart enough, or well-behaved enough. And the horrible list goes on. I was bound and determined to ensure that each and every student that entered my classroom would feel loved. Would know I cared about meeting their needs. Like Mr. Casas, I owe each and every student from the 18 years I have spent in the classroom a huge THANK YOU! Each and every single student taught me a lesson. Helped me grow. Helped me reflect. Helped me improve. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Leaders Don't Need a Title: "...you don't need to wear a patch on your arm to have honor." Excellent teachers and leaders have a few commonalities: 1. "They recognized they were a work in progress. They didn't consider themselves "experts" and valued the importance of learning from others." 2. "They didn't define themselves as "model" teachers/leaders; they defined themselves as model learners." 3. "They visualized the change they wanted for their schools. They understood how they thought and what they believed could impact what their students and school could become." 4. "They didn't shy away from challenges and never took a defeatist attitude. They stayed the course regardless of the arrows that may have come their way." 5. "They didn't expect everything to go as planned. They recognized that working in schools with kids was unpredictable. They saw student discipline issues as opportunities to both learn and teach self-discipline." 6. "When faced with adversity, they didn't dwell on the negative; they approached it as an opportunity to educate others." 7. "They were mindful that how they modeled teaching and/or leading each day was a choice, and they chose to bring their best each day, and the next day, and the day after that." Successful Schools = One Key Thing 1. "A core group of leaders who believe 1) they can change the world, and 2) the success of their students and staff starts with the expectation of excellence." Five Ways to Help Address Classroom, Building, and/or District Morale Issues: 1. Communication 2. Trust 3. Placing blame 4. Team builder 5. Follow through *read more on pages 86-88 My Favorite Quotes: 1. "...you don't have to have the title of 'principal' to be a leader." 2. "The most effective leaders are always learning and are willing to share their expertise in hopes that someone will benefit in some way." 3. "If students or staff members are constantly asking for permission, you have not done a very good job of building capacity." 4. "It doesn't cost a penny to jolt those who are in dire straits with a blast of positive energy to help them get through the rest of the day." 5. "Sometimes a no is the beginning of a deeper relationship." 6. "Leadership is not just about how we behave when we know what to do; rather, it is best seen in the actions we take when we don't know what to do." My Favorite Questions: 1. "When did you last trying something for the first time? 2. Why are you waiting for others to do what needs to be done? 3. "Do you believe that you can have a generational impact on families?" 4. "What qualities does an untitled leader possess that allow him or her to influence others to strive for excellence? Chapter 4 - My Connections 3 Ways in Which Your Vibe Can Attract a Tribe of People Willing to Carry the Banner: 1. Model Positive Interactions 2. Remember That Your Body Language Reflects Your Beliefs 3. Show Appreciation The best teachers... (see the remaining list on pp. 103-105) "Model a love for learning." "Value personal and trusting relationships." "Are extremely passionate." "Are empathetic." "Model risk-taking" "Are flexible Teach kids, not content My Favorite Quotes: 1. "Don't be an awfulizer; Be an awesomizer." 2. "Learning is critical, but learning from each other is even more critical if we do not want the success of our school communities left to chance." 3. "When you realize how your attitude and actions set an example and affect others, you might just decide to change the way you think, dream, plan, and act." 4. "It is important to take time to surround yourself with others who help keep you focused on the things that matter, who energize you, and give you hope." Chapter 5 - My Connection Home Visit Programs Jimmy shares a story of how he visited high risk students at home the summer before their freshmen year. They would take gift bags and discuss their middle school experience. This connection was the "...first step towards making a positive difference in the lives of students who had been identified as high risk." This reminded me of my intentional conversations and connections with 7th graders the entire year before 8th grade. I remember starting my career and listening to teachers share who was going to give me a run for my money. I thought it was normal to have this type of conversation. I remember hitting year three and realizing this was not what I wanted. I wanted to form my opinion, my own connection. One particular student that I connected with in 7th grade battled with teachers throughout her entire educational career. What did I find through my connection with her? She was hungry. She was tired. She wanted someone to care. She wanted someone to help. I cannot tell you how many times I fed her. I let her sleep for 10 minutes. I gave her perfume to spray on her clothes. She has always remained in my mind. I always wonder, "How is she doing?" Last year when she graduated from high school, I hugged her and gave her my number. I told her to reach out if she ever needed anything. It is now one year later and she sent me a text. She lost her mother and grandmother in high school. She is now couch surfing and without a vehicle. I feel completely helpless. I wish I lived near her. I wish I had a vehicle I could give her. It is at times like these...that I PROUDLY carry my district's banner. I sent an email to specific personnel and almost immediately received several responses. We now have numerous educators searching to find resources to help this young lady. It is moments like this that I am truly proud to know that we are not just focusing on graduating students. We are focused on ensuring students can be successful post-graduation. We are truly concerned with their well-being. Their future. Every Rose Has Its Thorns Activity Everyone shares their "rose and thorn" for the school year 10 Ways to Challenge Yourself to choose a Positive Response: 1. "Bring your best to work every day." 2. "Give two minutes of your time to one students one staff member every day." 3. "Be empathetic." 4. "Value the mistakes of others." 5. "Model forgiveness." 6. "Understand you will not always see immediate results when working with kids." 7. "Have high standards for all kids every day." 8. "Address inappropriate behavior" 9. "Don't be negative." 10. "Take time to smile/laugh and encourage others to have fun." My Favorite Quotes: 1. "How we respond is our choice." 2. "If you want to be an effective leader, be willing to sincerely accept an apology and move on. Believe that most people's intentions are good." 3. "Educators who wish to leave a lasting legacy understand that, before they can transform teaching and learning, they must transform their belief systems." Chapter 6 - My Connection "Remember to spend less time focusing on your own accomplishments and focus more time on serving others so they, too, can experience their own success." It is as if Jimmy Casas is my kindred spirit. I, too, received similar advice my fifth year of teaching when I won the Horizon Award and was nominated for Kansas Teacher of the Year. It was an important wake-up call for me at the age of 26. I needed to hear this. I needed to know that my goal was not to win award after award or to be recognized for each and every moment of success. This was the moment when I decided to volunteer for anything and everything that would allow me to lead with a servant's heart. Little did I know, that I was swinging from one side of the pendulum way too far to the other side. I found myself beyond exhausted at year ten. It was almost as if I thought I needed to take on anything and everything as my penance for my self-absorbed attitude in the first few years of my career. I found a good balance in year eleven and the last seven years have been life-changing. It is so important to reflect. To find positive mentors. To focus on seeing each and every moment as an opportunity to grow. As I look back on the last eighteen years of my career, I have so many people I need to thank. So many people that have given me hope, lessons, advice, wisdom, hugs, laughter, and moments of pure joy. What do wish someone had told you? 1. Focus more on experiences 2. Take time to invest in yourself as well as others 3. Stay connected 4. Don't just tell them; show them 5. Don't depend on the same teacher and leaders 6. Don't let the process become the product when trying to influence change 7. Stop putting so much emphasis on trying to be successful 8. Differentiate for staff like we do for students 9. If you want to improve your relationships with others, try changing he manner in which you have conversations 10. Focus on skill sets rather than knowledge when hiring staff 11. There are two ways to get in the last word - apologize or accept an apology 12. Take responsibility for your professional growth 13. Believe your words and actions can inspire others If you have not had the distinct pleasure of reading Culturize by Jimmy Casas, click here and purchase the book TODAY! Seriously...don't think twice. You. Will. Not. Regret. It! :) There are not enough words to describe how this book has impacted me. I could not ever truly thank Mr. Casas for his wisdom, his compassion, his 177 pages of stories, advice, tips, connections, and guidance. This book is not just for administrators. It is for all educators. Each and every person that opens this book will find connections and the amazing opportunity to reflect and, hopefully, grow into someone that builds a culture of positivity with every student, every day, whatever it takes.

Boring lessons remind me of childhood. The days when your parents tried to force black eyed peas down your throat and you endured the pain of chewing, tasting, and swallowing the little, round peas. Since I didn't have a dog, I would imagine the peas were peanut butter cups. Peanut butter cups allowed me to pretend I was enjoying dinner. My parents probably thought I actually liked black eyed peas. Little did they know... As I planned lessons, I always thought about black eyed peas. How could I hide the "black eyed-peas" from my students? How could I turn boring topics into games, simulations, FUN! Here a few of my favorite games: 1. Baseball Review Players: Two Teams Materials: review questions, a baseball field OR bases to create a field (you can play in your classroom too) Defense: catcher, 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, short stop, left field, center field, right field Offense: 1st base coach, 3rd base coach, at bat Pitcher (Teacher): Throw out a question - if the player answers correctly, they have an "at bat." If a player answers incorrectly, they are "out." Rotate play until there are three outs. 2. Human Tic-Tac-Toe (Numbered Heads) Players: Two Teams (X and O) Materials: use tape to create a human sized Tic-Tac-Toe board on the floor; prepare review questions in advance; white boards for each student; dry erase markers for each student Directions: 1) The teacher asks a question. 2) Each team is required to write down their response. 3) The teacher randomly chooses a player from each team. 4) The players with the right response can choose a space on the floor (create a Human-Tic-Toe board with tape) . 5) The first team to create a Tic-Tac-Toe wins. What happens if both players answer correctly. They play a Rock-Paper-Scissor war. The winner chooses a space first. 3. "Write-On" Players: Two students play against each other Materials: a typed handout with random words/people/places on paper; two different colored markers for each pair Directions: 1) The students all take off the caps of their markers. 2) Both partners raise both hands in the air (as if on a roller coaster). 3) The teacher reads the question out loud. 4) The teacher says, "1, 2, 3, GO!" 5) The first person to correctly circle the answer earns a point. WARNING: You will need to tell students that they will not earn a point if their paper is ripped or if anyone is shoved out of their chair. Yes, this will happen. They are so excited! :) What games do you enjoy playing in the classroom? Have you read Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess? If not, you are missing out a plethora of ideas to HOOK your students and turn the black-eyed peas into adventures, games, and non-stop FUN!

Pedro Noguera, author of Excellence Through Equity: Five Principles of Courageous Leadership to Guide Achievement, provides invaluable insight on the idea of equity. His main points include: 1. Equity means that every child is different and we need to ensure their needs are met. 2. All students need equity not just students with academic struggles. 3. He offers the following questions: 1) What are your student's needs? 2) How do you organize your school/classroom to meet their needs? 4. Why do we need equity in our classrooms? Our data tells us: 1) Students are not achieving at mastery level. 2) Students are not College and/or Career Ready. 3) Students are bored. 4) Students are disengaged. 5. We need to focus on conditions that allow for great learning to occur. 6. Building relationships is the first step. This is not easy. It takes skills, open mindedness, and a willingness to learn. 7. Students need to know they can trust you, you care, and you are invested in their future. 8. Students are open to learn when they know we are invested in their success. 9. We need to build relationships that are conducive to good teaching and learning. 10. We need to stop covering material. 11. If an educator wants to excel in equity for excellence, you need to have a growth mindset. 12. Commit to the reciprocal process of teaching and learning. 13. Generate evidence that students are learning. 14. Take creative ownership of your classroom. 15. Focus on excellence in teaching. The bottom line is we need to ensure student's needs are met. We need to ensure all teachers know how to build relationships that will create the conditions for excellence. We need to stop confining ourselves to the four walls surrounding us. We can't just think outside the box. We must BREAK the box!

My colleague, Barb Gonzales, shared an interesting fact with me. In the book, Making Teacher's Better, Not Bitter, it states that only 5% of all educators are considered experts. With this in mind, how can the remaining 95% become like the Michael Jordan's of the profession? First, we must ensure we lay the foundation. We can begin by asking ourselves: Does everyone have the same foundational skills? Although we have good intentions, the answer is likely, "No." We can begin to ensure a common foundation by discovering common definitions. In the article, "Words: The Power of a Shared Vocabulary" by Jim Knight, he states that "a common vocabulary [can] help us share emotions, share ideas, grow" (Knight). Further, he states that "powerful professional learning happens when teachers agree about the meaning of words." With an established system for common definitions, we must next create a model and resources that encourage innovation, creativity, and forward thinking. What does it look like to be accomplished in the area of differentiation? What resources can I use to help differentiate product, process, or content? As you continually review, refine, and reflect, it is imperative that you utilize data to inform instructional decisions and necessary changes. If we continue to "sit and get" at professional development sessions and ignore data that leads to our necessary changes, we are living the definition of insanity. "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." To begin the understand the Literacy of Effective Teaching, we have to begin with a basic understanding of the effective components of a lesson. Then we can move to a more advanced understanding of the strategies and resources that advance a teacher from a direct-instruction model to a symphony of learners. What do I mean by this? Imagine walking into a classroom where students are each playing their own "music," in their own way. The music is beautiful and the teacher is invigorated. Students feel successful because their talents can shine. The teacher is the guide on the side because mentoring and coaching becomes their job. They no longer need to lose their voice from 50 minutes of lecturing. Instead, they can sit down one-on-one with students, build deeper relationships, provide authentic feedback, and develop independent students with the skills they need to succeed in our ever changing world.

My goal is to create a systematic vision of teacher learning and student success. Since learning is of the utmost importance, I love to find the most up-to-date technology, instructional strategies, and resources for my fellow educators. This website was created as a means to enhance and improve teaching and learning in your classroom. I strongly believe that we need to work together to change the future for our students. With this in mind, our student's futures will be directly impacted by technology and our ever changing world. We cannot sit back and teach behind our desks. Our classrooms must evolve! If anyone walked into your classroom, would they see inquiry, differentiation, engagement, collaboration, Project-Based Learning, rigor, higher level thinking, Cooperative Learning, student-led discussions, and purposeful technology integration? Or...would they see the same "sit and get" method that has been in place since the Industrial Revolution?

I attended the ReThink EDU Conference at the Kauffman Foundation a few weeks ago. One of the sessions I attended was, "The Dream Director's Experience." As someone who finds insipiration daily, my mind started spinning. I kept thinking..."How can I turn this idea into a Professional Learning experience for teachers?" After allowing my hamster wheel of a mind to slow down, I started processing my ideas. What if teachers used this format to design ideas with students? What if they designed curriculum together? While brainstorming beginning of the year ideas with my fellow instructional coaches, I pitched the idea of using the Dream Director Experience to brainstorm the first days of school. What if we brought together teachers and students and they designed the beginning of the school year? What if student's voice was as the center of the design? This idea led to my boss proposing a PopUP PD to simulate the idea. "Let's try the idea with teachers and students and see how it works." The idea wheel started spinning. Of course, I was beyond excited. My amazing colleagues helped organize an evening of purpose, passion, and play. We outlined an evening that would allow teachers to discuss, "What do I typically do the first days of school?" After brainstorming a list of ideas, we watched a video of Olathe students sharing their opinion. What did they love, not love about the first days of school? Once we listened, truly listened to their ideas, teams of teachers designed the first days of school to engage and empower a culture of possibility. These amazing ideas were then pitched to our Shark Tank (Dave Burgess, Tara Martin, Jimmy Casas, and Kat Evasco). Each group of teachers pitched their ideas and received feedback from the Sharks. Although this portion ran longer than expected, it was the experience, the ideas that made each second worthwhile. My fixed mindset started thinking..."What if the teachers are frustrated because time ran over?" "What if they didn't walk away with a new idea?" I immediately had a colleague shake me and tell me that I needed to focus on all that positives. I needed to take my own advice. We cannot focus on what didn't work...in fact, if everything was perfect that would mean growth did not occur. For...it is when we fail, and get back up, that we truly grow. We take our failures and reflect. We think..."How can I improve this idea?" We yearn to make it better. Although everything didn't appear perfect, it didn't matter. The end goal was not perfectionism. The end goal was stretching our thinking. The end goal was to ask teachers to push the envelope. Did we succeed? 100%! Each and every moment was an opportunity to spark an idea, to develop a new mindset, to experience an unleashing of purpose, passion, and play.

My passion for learning began the day my first child was born. I would love to say I was an aspiring educator from the first day I entered grade school but that is not the story. My tenacious appetite for improving education started the day my first born entered pre-school. He was not the typical student. He struggled to follow directions, sit in his seat, and stay quiet the majority of the day. As I searched for different ideas on how I could help my son, I became very passionate about ensuring all students were provided the resources to succeed. I kept thinking...why do students have to sit in their desk all hour? Why do they have to be quiet? Why is my son so "different." What I learned is that my son is different and so is every single student in your classroom. It is our job as educators to build relationships with our students, discover their passions, their needs, and their dreams. Food for Thought: How can we ensure that every student that walks in and out of our classroom feels supported, cared about, and is engaged in learning that will support their personal growth? Challenge: Why did you choose to become an educator? What makes you passionate? Once you know your "why," start thinking thinking about how you can share your passions, your talents. We need to learn to celebrate each other. Everyone has different talents and gifts. They were meant to be shared. To be celebrated. To shine. How will you let your talents shine?