Week 2 Reflection - Culture and Community

 I’ve had the privilege to serve at an amazing campus.  The moment I stepped foot in the school, I could “feel” the character of the building.  As I walked the halls for the first time, the principal asked me if I could “feel the goodness”.  I enthusiastically replied.  She said, “there is goodness in the mortar of this building and that goodness affects us each day in all we do”.  Crafting a school culture and connecting to that school community is essential to the overall success and health of a campus.  This culture and climate is in all you do.  Therefore, all "wonderings" and "passions" should be focused on the culture and climate you seek to develop within a campus.  

Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, recently passed away.  He leaves a lasting impact on the nature of developing leaders in schools.  In Chapter 5 of his profound Leader in Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time, Covey (2008) says, "A school's "culture" results from the combined behaviors of the people involved in that particular school.  It is sometimes referred to as the "way we do things around here."  Culture is not the mission, the vision, or the strategy that is printed on a sheet of paper or mounted on a wall.  Culture is not the list of school values or the school's policy manual.  Culture is not what is proclaimed out of someone's mouth.  Rather, culture is how people actually behave and treat each other on a consistent day-in and day-out basis.  Culture can be seen, felt, and heard." (p.91)

Ode to the Blogs

Obtaining information in the 21^st century has greatly been impacted by the growing use of technology and availability of resources.  Blogs (or weblogs) have become an ideal place for administrators and teachers to communicate information, share findings, pose questions, elicit responses, and connect with others in the profession. This powerful tool can help the school leader develop their own personal “hub” to influence not only their campus but also reach the professional community at large.   

What I've Learned...

Administrative inquiry or action research is a systematic, reflective process in which professionals, in this case a school principal, engages in intentional study focused on learning and school improvement.  This process empowers the principal or “head learner” to model a powerful tool impacting student success, making changes for the school, solving problems, and leads to a rich professional development and self-improvement.  Administrative inquiry is as systematic as logical deduction with a process similar to that of the scientific method.  By sharing the findings gained from this reflective and insightful practice, it demonstrates a commitment to the profession and empowers the “head leaner” to connect with the campus in a collaborative leadership effort.  A natural component of action research is collaboration with staff and valuing time for improvement.  This will significantly impact having a shared vision, taking action for change, and sustaining improvement.  The synergy generated by this collaboration removes the frequent isolation sometimes suffered by administrators.  The secret to success in action research is reflection. The act of inquiry and reflection must be a commitment rather than a task. Reflection is meant to become a habit not an added agenda item on a continually demanding “To-Do” list.  It is the practice of seeking the best.  Our “wonderings” become our passion and our quest for change.  Research or administrative inquiry should be viewed as a healthy, essential component of success.