Better Leadership Through Better Communication by Scott Love
I told my son about a movie that I rented last week. "It was called ‘Lord of the Rings,’ Dagsen." "What was in the movie, Daddy?" "It had kings, monsters, elves, and rings." "Did your movie have any bath tubs in it, Daddy?"
"No, son. There were no bath tubs in it." I tried not to ask, but I couldn’t help it. I finally had to know. "Dagsen, why did you ask if there were bath tubs in the movie?"
"Because of the rings," he responded. Ah, yes, of course. Bath tub rings. His interpretation of what I said reminded me of the time we were driving through our neighborhood and he asked me why houses have garages and carports. I told him that it was to protect the cars from the elements. When I told him this, he burst into laughter. "Daddy, you’re silly! There are no elephants in this neighborhood!"
When it comes to communication, there’s always a chance for an unanticipated misunderstanding. If we knew when misunderstandings were about to occur, we could head them off and be more specific and clear in our communication. But we can’t. All we can do is polish up our skills of conveying the message. To help people understand exactly what you are saying, your effectiveness in delivering your message needs to develop into a core competency. And your ability to clear up a misunderstanding should become a mastered skill.
Communication is a key element (not elephant) of leadership. It’s probably one of the most powerful tools in your management tool belt. Yet when was the last time you sharpened that skill? There are five key concepts that must be followed to prevent and manage misunderstandings.
1. First, when you communicate a message, you need to make sure the timing is appropriate for delivery to make sure the message is understood. Think about the time you had three radio stations playing at the same time. Not only is it confusing, it’s maddening, it’s irritating.
2. If you have to deliver bad news, anticipate the feelings that could be a derivative of the message. Anticipate, empathize, validate, and understand. If what you are saying is upsetting to the other person, you can’t tell them that their feelings aren’t valid. "You shouldn’t feel that way," or, "Don’t feel that way," will only cause their feelings of anxiety or whatever they are to transition to feelings of frustration and possibly move on to rage. There is a crisis of understanding in our society, and if the other person doesn’t feel understood and validated, then you’ve just lost points in the respect and affiliation game. All feelings are valid and your understanding of this will bring them closer to you. When Tom Nelson, CEO of Charlotte-based National Gypsum Company, was a White House Fellow he had a chance to observe Colin Powell’s leadership style. He saw that Powell was always congnizant and conscientious whenever he gave a command as to how that order would cause the troops to respond on an emotional level. Being sensitive to this doesn’t mean you are a pushover or that your focus on mission accomplishment is any less. It means that you are an empathic leader, and that you try to understand what’s going on in the hearts and minds of your team. Simply by doing this, you are more effective in how you issue those commands and you draw your followers closer to you as a leader, which is what every leader wants. When you lead this way your staff will respond with all their heart and soul to your requests, and sometimes that little difference makes all the difference in giving an organization a competitive edge. The enthusiasm and commitment energy of the team can help bring that team to a whole new level of innovation, performance and achievement, simply by you becoming a leader who can empathize on an emotional level in how you communicate.
3. When they do respond with emotions of anger, sorrow, or anything else that wasn’t exactly what you anticipated, you need to treat this single conversation as if it was your most important. Your attention must focus with intensity to resolving this misunderstanding. Close the door, press the ‘do not disturb’ button on your phone and put everything on the back burner until you resolve this issue.
4. Communicate back to them what you are perceiving. "You seem angry, Joe." This validates that you understand their emotions. People are finally starting to admit the fact that the world of work is filled with emotion.
5. It’s okay to disagree over something, as long as you convey understanding. As your conversation moves on, you could say, "I understand your feelings and they are valid. I can see your point. I do disagree on what we need to do, though, because. . ." Most people are fine with disagreeing on something as long as there is legitimate empathy and understanding between each other. They just want to be heard. When I was a young naval officer on a ship, I took the time to just listen to my sailors. Even if I disagreed with what they had said, they knew that I understood them and it made it that much easier for them to follow the order. When you empathize, you get the team to give their heart and soul, not just the bare minimum effort.
Follow these steps to ensuring that your message was met with understanding, and that your understanding of your team’s response is conveyed to them as well. It’s this little difference in how you deliver the message that makes all the difference in how people respond to your communication. And when it comes to leadership, communication is the sacred ring that keeps the team together.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Nonjudgmental Awareness
Tim Gallwey, college professor-turned tennis pro-turned corporate consultant, focuses his theory on the workplace. He says we have two internal voices: Self 1 is the teacher voice: "Do this. Don’t do that. What a lousy shot!" Self 2 is our human potential. We had it as children, learning to walk, for example, without any formal instruction. For most of us, our command-and-control Self 1 shouts down Self 2.
Gallwey proposes that our potential to learn and work productively, with enjoyment, comes only when we stop interfering with the process. To accomplish that, Gallwey offers three principles for learning and coaching: awareness, trust, and choice.
The Power of Nonjudgmental Awareness Rather than perceive an approaching ball—or work situation—as a threat, maintain a nonjudgmental focus on things as they are.
Trust in Self 2 Trust yourself and your natural capacity to learn. Let go of Self 1’s inferior control system. The heart of Gallwey’s process, this principle must be learned "over and over in each new situation."Keep Choice with the Choice-maker As coach or principal, you realize that A) command-and-control will meet with resistance, and B) "when choices for learning and change are allowed to be self-initiated and self-regulated, they become more comprehensive as well as more enjoyable
Thursday, September 29, 2005
Another interesting one
Take a look at this: http://www.funmansion.com/html/Magazine-Illusions.html It's a site dedicated to interesting blends of magazine pictures with people. You'll get the idea.
Time Management Tips
We all have the same number of hours in a day, it’s up to you how you use them. We all have different responsibilities, illness, holidays, change of job, relationships or lifestyle can all make an impact
COMMON SENSE RECORD KEEPING Keep only ONE diary, ONE calendar. ONE to do list. Use a small notebook instead of post it notes to avoid clutter. Create a list of birthdays, items on loan to others, CDs you’d like to buy, books you’d like to see, movies you want to watch... Keep all this information central. A list of your bank accounts, tax file number, health fund membership etc in a safe place. Customise a diary for a great way to store lottery tickets, shopping lists, day to day information that you need at your fingertips. Update information regularly and archive the old as back up.
SHORT ON TIME? “TAKE 5” A great way to tackle clutter and disorder is to “Take 5”. An example of this is the kitchen sink, where clutter can breed. Resolve to take action by taking 5 – put away, throw out, tidy, reassess or straighten five objects in that area. Don’t move away without touching 5 objects! This is also a great strategy if you feel overwhelmed and short on time. Works a treat with paper too. You’ll be organised in no time at all!
DELEGATE! Can certain tasks fall off your list altogether? Can someone assist? Can someone else take care of these tasks for you? Try not to be a control freak. It’s not in your best interests!
LEARN TO SAY NO If you’re over-extended, it might be because you’re not practiced at saying no. A reality check could be in order. Constant requests (or expectations from others) can lead to a shortage of hours in the day for you! You’d be amazed at how much more time you’ll have when you learn to say no. If saying no is a big problem for you, defer. When you are asked to do something that you’re not sure about, simply say “can I get back to you tomorrow?” This gives you a buffer zone to really consider if you want – and have the time – to commit.
SCHEDULE & PLAN AHEAD Make time for all the things on your To Do List – allocate time and write it in your diary! The rest is up to you to be disciplined to do it. If you had a Personal Assistant, he or she would manage your time. They would do that by planning and scheduling. Schedule time for you. Many disorganised folk NEVER do anything for themselves. They are living their lives for others (often family). It’s important to make time for you, to do things that are important to you whether it be gardening, relaxing, reading, studying or just time alone. Schedule time for the unexpected. If a task takes 45 minutes, allow 60 for interruptions or things that might go wrong. Chances are you’ll get it done in 45, and then have time up your sleeve.
FOCUS Don’t spread yourself thin. Having too much on the go means you’re setting yourself up to fail. Focus on one thing at a time. Flitting from one thing to the next means you are unlikely to do a job properly, or ever complete anything. Gather everything you need to perform a task from start to finish in the one place. It’s like the concept of gathering all the tools and ingredients to bake a cake before you start... It also means that you can give that task your full attention because you’re not distracted.
FINISH Aim to finish tasks. Decide what you need to do, and then set about doing it to completion. If it’s an on-going task, set yourself a goal date to finish. Learn to let go of things you have NOT FINISHED IN YEARS!! If you haven’t finished it by now, you are unlikely to do so in the near future. Leave the finished job behind you, you never have to come back to it.
USE A TIMER If focus is difficult for you, or interruptions commonplace, use a kitchen timer. Set to blocks of time (five, ten or fifteen minutes is good) if you find your attention wandering.
WORK UNINTERRUPTED Practice taking the phone off the hook (or let it go to message bank). Put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. Ask others for some time and space so you can work uninterrupted.
A STITCH IN TIME... This is a valuable proverb. Do it right first time and you have made an investment in saving time. Flag articles you want to keep in a magazine. Better still, cut it out straight away! You will save time by not re-reading the magazine again. Always read with a pen, highlighter and sticky notes at hand Invest some time making sure your clothes are well sorted. Put all your trousers together, short sleeve shirts together, sporting clothes together etc. then block them into colour... you will see what you’ve got and find whatever you want in an instant. Make sure you pack away anything out of season to avoid confusion. Mend, launder or press any items in need of care. Lose anything too small, too big, the wrong cut, colour or fabric. It’s TODAY we’re talking about, not next year! Cook in bulk in the kitchen for quick meals from the freezer. Chopping veggies for a meal? Prepare twice the amount and you’ll have half the prep done for the next meal.
K.I.S.S. Making things complicated, creating something that’s complex does not serve your best interests. Follow the K.I.S.S rule - “Keep it Simple Stupid”. Keeping two diaries creates work for you when you have to transfer information between the two. Do you really need both? Cut back on non-essentials. Do you really LOVE making sixty hand-made Christmas cards each year? Feeling obliged to send a big whack of Christmas cards may be more important to you than it is to the recipients. Creating handwritten index cards for recipes is great.. if you have less than a dozen favourite recipes! Think about simplifying what you do and how you do it. Are you the Body Corporate secretary because no-one else put their hand up to do it?
PRIORITISING. Break down big jobs – scope the work by listing elements of the bigger picture. What’s the first step? The step after that? Note all the other steps and make sure to include the last tasks required to complete the project. What’s the most important thing I can be doing with my time right now? How can my energy best be spent? Eliminate stuff that is trivial (anything that has no long term consequences), or delegate.
DO IT NOW Write new phone numbers in your address book; put that CD away; make the two minute phone call. When you have photos developed, chuck the dodgy pics away immediately. Doing it later only serves to harm you. You will double handle, spend more energy, waste your valuable time. Don’t put it down – put it away! Or, if necessary – throw it away.
ASK YOURSELF Have I got better things to do with my time? Don’t reconcile your bank statements if you don’t have to. Don’t save newspapers because you’re “going to go through them...” Don’t tell yourself you’ll renovate that cupboard when you clearly won’t ever make the time.
KEEPING FAMILY LIFE REAL If you haven’t already, start by dropping your expectations. You will give yourself a breakdown if you feel your home always has to have a clean floor. Mess = life. That’s a good thing! Celebrate the activity that happens in your home. A home that looks lived in is normal. Magazine homes are often not. Photographers, Art Directors and Stylists are paid to make spaces look gorgeous – uncluttered and streamlined, but often wildly unrealistic (but you knew that, didn’t you?). Keep some balance though... “A place for everything and everything in it’s place” means you can always return items you’ll save time looking for “lost” things.
A COMMON MISTAKE – Procrastination Perfectionism is your enemy. Unsubscribe.
DOING THE RIGHT THING (effectiveness) Is more important than DOING THINGS RIGHT (efficiency) Focus on the right task, then focus on doing it properly. Watch your achievements grow...
Plan your time. Are you procrastinating because you’re allowing one little element to hold you up? Do it now! Effective and productive people FORCE themselves to do the tasks they least want to do. Do the toughest or worst part of the task first. Everything that follows will be easier. Procrastination will only make you feel bad, miss deadlines, miss opportunities, and stress you out. Don’t do it LATER. Organised people don’t do this. Later never comes. Do it now and cross it off the list. Daily achievements (no matter how small) and productivity mean staying motivated and feeling better about yourself.
COMMON SENSE RECORD KEEPING Keep only ONE diary, ONE calendar. ONE to do list. Use a small notebook instead of post it notes to avoid clutter. Create a list of birthdays, items on loan to others, CDs you’d like to buy, books you’d like to see, movies you want to watch... Keep all this information central. A list of your bank accounts, tax file number, health fund membership etc in a safe place. Customise a diary for a great way to store lottery tickets, shopping lists, day to day information that you need at your fingertips. Update information regularly and archive the old as back up.
SHORT ON TIME? “TAKE 5” A great way to tackle clutter and disorder is to “Take 5”. An example of this is the kitchen sink, where clutter can breed. Resolve to take action by taking 5 – put away, throw out, tidy, reassess or straighten five objects in that area. Don’t move away without touching 5 objects! This is also a great strategy if you feel overwhelmed and short on time. Works a treat with paper too. You’ll be organised in no time at all!
DELEGATE! Can certain tasks fall off your list altogether? Can someone assist? Can someone else take care of these tasks for you? Try not to be a control freak. It’s not in your best interests!
LEARN TO SAY NO If you’re over-extended, it might be because you’re not practiced at saying no. A reality check could be in order. Constant requests (or expectations from others) can lead to a shortage of hours in the day for you! You’d be amazed at how much more time you’ll have when you learn to say no. If saying no is a big problem for you, defer. When you are asked to do something that you’re not sure about, simply say “can I get back to you tomorrow?” This gives you a buffer zone to really consider if you want – and have the time – to commit.
SCHEDULE & PLAN AHEAD Make time for all the things on your To Do List – allocate time and write it in your diary! The rest is up to you to be disciplined to do it. If you had a Personal Assistant, he or she would manage your time. They would do that by planning and scheduling. Schedule time for you. Many disorganised folk NEVER do anything for themselves. They are living their lives for others (often family). It’s important to make time for you, to do things that are important to you whether it be gardening, relaxing, reading, studying or just time alone. Schedule time for the unexpected. If a task takes 45 minutes, allow 60 for interruptions or things that might go wrong. Chances are you’ll get it done in 45, and then have time up your sleeve.
FOCUS Don’t spread yourself thin. Having too much on the go means you’re setting yourself up to fail. Focus on one thing at a time. Flitting from one thing to the next means you are unlikely to do a job properly, or ever complete anything. Gather everything you need to perform a task from start to finish in the one place. It’s like the concept of gathering all the tools and ingredients to bake a cake before you start... It also means that you can give that task your full attention because you’re not distracted.
FINISH Aim to finish tasks. Decide what you need to do, and then set about doing it to completion. If it’s an on-going task, set yourself a goal date to finish. Learn to let go of things you have NOT FINISHED IN YEARS!! If you haven’t finished it by now, you are unlikely to do so in the near future. Leave the finished job behind you, you never have to come back to it.
USE A TIMER If focus is difficult for you, or interruptions commonplace, use a kitchen timer. Set to blocks of time (five, ten or fifteen minutes is good) if you find your attention wandering.
WORK UNINTERRUPTED Practice taking the phone off the hook (or let it go to message bank). Put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. Ask others for some time and space so you can work uninterrupted.
A STITCH IN TIME... This is a valuable proverb. Do it right first time and you have made an investment in saving time. Flag articles you want to keep in a magazine. Better still, cut it out straight away! You will save time by not re-reading the magazine again. Always read with a pen, highlighter and sticky notes at hand Invest some time making sure your clothes are well sorted. Put all your trousers together, short sleeve shirts together, sporting clothes together etc. then block them into colour... you will see what you’ve got and find whatever you want in an instant. Make sure you pack away anything out of season to avoid confusion. Mend, launder or press any items in need of care. Lose anything too small, too big, the wrong cut, colour or fabric. It’s TODAY we’re talking about, not next year! Cook in bulk in the kitchen for quick meals from the freezer. Chopping veggies for a meal? Prepare twice the amount and you’ll have half the prep done for the next meal.
K.I.S.S. Making things complicated, creating something that’s complex does not serve your best interests. Follow the K.I.S.S rule - “Keep it Simple Stupid”. Keeping two diaries creates work for you when you have to transfer information between the two. Do you really need both? Cut back on non-essentials. Do you really LOVE making sixty hand-made Christmas cards each year? Feeling obliged to send a big whack of Christmas cards may be more important to you than it is to the recipients. Creating handwritten index cards for recipes is great.. if you have less than a dozen favourite recipes! Think about simplifying what you do and how you do it. Are you the Body Corporate secretary because no-one else put their hand up to do it?
PRIORITISING. Break down big jobs – scope the work by listing elements of the bigger picture. What’s the first step? The step after that? Note all the other steps and make sure to include the last tasks required to complete the project. What’s the most important thing I can be doing with my time right now? How can my energy best be spent? Eliminate stuff that is trivial (anything that has no long term consequences), or delegate.
DO IT NOW Write new phone numbers in your address book; put that CD away; make the two minute phone call. When you have photos developed, chuck the dodgy pics away immediately. Doing it later only serves to harm you. You will double handle, spend more energy, waste your valuable time. Don’t put it down – put it away! Or, if necessary – throw it away.
ASK YOURSELF Have I got better things to do with my time? Don’t reconcile your bank statements if you don’t have to. Don’t save newspapers because you’re “going to go through them...” Don’t tell yourself you’ll renovate that cupboard when you clearly won’t ever make the time.
KEEPING FAMILY LIFE REAL If you haven’t already, start by dropping your expectations. You will give yourself a breakdown if you feel your home always has to have a clean floor. Mess = life. That’s a good thing! Celebrate the activity that happens in your home. A home that looks lived in is normal. Magazine homes are often not. Photographers, Art Directors and Stylists are paid to make spaces look gorgeous – uncluttered and streamlined, but often wildly unrealistic (but you knew that, didn’t you?). Keep some balance though... “A place for everything and everything in it’s place” means you can always return items you’ll save time looking for “lost” things.
A COMMON MISTAKE – Procrastination Perfectionism is your enemy. Unsubscribe.
DOING THE RIGHT THING (effectiveness) Is more important than DOING THINGS RIGHT (efficiency) Focus on the right task, then focus on doing it properly. Watch your achievements grow...
Plan your time. Are you procrastinating because you’re allowing one little element to hold you up? Do it now! Effective and productive people FORCE themselves to do the tasks they least want to do. Do the toughest or worst part of the task first. Everything that follows will be easier. Procrastination will only make you feel bad, miss deadlines, miss opportunities, and stress you out. Don’t do it LATER. Organised people don’t do this. Later never comes. Do it now and cross it off the list. Daily achievements (no matter how small) and productivity mean staying motivated and feeling better about yourself.
Self-image
Andrew Matthews in his book "Being Happy" says ‘The world is a reflection of ourselves". Having a good self image of yourself is an incentive. Confident people always attract positive attention from people around them. So instead of saying "I can't do it", say "I will be able to do it." This would definitely improve others' impression of you. And they would more likely gyrate towards you, as they would be more confident when entrusting you to do things. In the process, you would make others happy which would also make you happy too. It is a circular interdependency process.
We do decide on what we want ourselves to be. If we tell ourselves that we are unhappy with something, we would definitely be unhappy even though we may not be so. But our body and brain believes what we want to believe. In the same way, if we tell ourselves that we are always happy and if we always look on the bright side of life, we would definitely live a life that is filled with happiness and positivism. Look into your life and ask yourself which part of my life am I unhappy about and if so, is it because I am really unhappy or is it because I just want to be unhappy with it? In most situations, by telling yourself that you are happy would rectify any unhappiness that you may experience.
"Most people are about as happy as they make up their mind to be" -- Abraham Lincoln
We do decide on what we want ourselves to be. If we tell ourselves that we are unhappy with something, we would definitely be unhappy even though we may not be so. But our body and brain believes what we want to believe. In the same way, if we tell ourselves that we are always happy and if we always look on the bright side of life, we would definitely live a life that is filled with happiness and positivism. Look into your life and ask yourself which part of my life am I unhappy about and if so, is it because I am really unhappy or is it because I just want to be unhappy with it? In most situations, by telling yourself that you are happy would rectify any unhappiness that you may experience.
"Most people are about as happy as they make up their mind to be" -- Abraham Lincoln
Sense of humour
"A Sense of humor can help you overlook the unattractive, tolerate the unpleasant, cope with the unexpected and smile through the unbearable." Moshe Waldoks
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Liquid Sculpture
Have a look at this: http://www.liquidsculpture.com/ It has pictures of some wonderful, er, splashes.
This way to Happiness
There is much truth in the statement, “Happiness is not pleasure. It is victory.” Happiness, it is safe to assume, is something everybody wants to have. It’s true that other people can give you pleasure, but you will never be happy until you do things for other people. Nothing brings more joy and happiness doing things for others that increase their enjoyment of life. Incidentally, happiness is not something you can buy with money, though it is true that adequate amount of money helps to eliminate some things that produce discomfort.
Studies reveal that people who are absorbed in tasks they enjoy and find challenging have taken a step toward happiness. Researchers have long recognized that people (particularly males) who are married are happier and live longer. People who are on a regular exercise program, keeping themselves physically in shape, particularly from an aerobic point of view, are happier.
An article in Psychology Today specifically states that one way to be happy is to “take care of the soul” The article points out that actively religious people tend to report more happiness and to cope better with crises. Faith provides a support community, a sense of life’s meaning, a reason to focus beyond self, and a timeliness perspective on life’s temporary ups and downs. A study conducted by David Jensen at UCLA covering a broad range of people from every walk of life concluded that people who set goals and develop a plan of action to reach them are happier and healthier, earn considerably more money, and get along better with the people at home than do people who have no clearly defined objectives. Consider this happiness factor as you set your goals.
Studies reveal that people who are absorbed in tasks they enjoy and find challenging have taken a step toward happiness. Researchers have long recognized that people (particularly males) who are married are happier and live longer. People who are on a regular exercise program, keeping themselves physically in shape, particularly from an aerobic point of view, are happier.
An article in Psychology Today specifically states that one way to be happy is to “take care of the soul” The article points out that actively religious people tend to report more happiness and to cope better with crises. Faith provides a support community, a sense of life’s meaning, a reason to focus beyond self, and a timeliness perspective on life’s temporary ups and downs. A study conducted by David Jensen at UCLA covering a broad range of people from every walk of life concluded that people who set goals and develop a plan of action to reach them are happier and healthier, earn considerably more money, and get along better with the people at home than do people who have no clearly defined objectives. Consider this happiness factor as you set your goals.
Attitude
Isn’t amazing how your attitude changes the way that you do things.
Case in point:
This morning I was very excited to be doing something positive. It was something that I had been looking forward to, but had put off for various reasons. When the day had finally arrived, I wasn’t thinking straight, making a number of mistakes because my mind was elsewhere.
The reverse is no doubt true – when we’re down, it shapes the way that we think and act.
Let’s be conscious of our moods and what they are doing to us and those people around us.
Case in point:
This morning I was very excited to be doing something positive. It was something that I had been looking forward to, but had put off for various reasons. When the day had finally arrived, I wasn’t thinking straight, making a number of mistakes because my mind was elsewhere.
The reverse is no doubt true – when we’re down, it shapes the way that we think and act.
Let’s be conscious of our moods and what they are doing to us and those people around us.
Respect
This is something that a student wrote, but that I felt was too good just to let lie where it was placed at that time. The students has elected to remain anonymous.
“Respect is all about regard for others – a deliberate choice to considers others’ well-being. The most difficult first step in learning respect is to take the focus off yourself. You also might practice the following:
· Commit to the golden rule – treat others as you desire to be treated.
· San “please” and “thank-you” whenever you can.
· Remind yourself that the other person is worthy of your kindness because he/she is a person.
· Use calm voice tones.
· Smile at others – it can help lift their bad moods.
· Celebrate differences between you an others – don’t expect them to change just for you.
· Do not judge, size up or criticise others.
· Tell yourself that you can’t read minds and you don’t know what suffering or issues other people may have had.
· Try and become more aware of people around you and how you can help them.
· Let someone else be first, right, in the spotlight etc.
· Be the first to say, “I’m sorry.”
· Stop demanding respect from others as much and start to lavish others with it.”Many thanks go to the student who put this together. I hope that others get as much from it as I have done.
“Respect is all about regard for others – a deliberate choice to considers others’ well-being. The most difficult first step in learning respect is to take the focus off yourself. You also might practice the following:
· Commit to the golden rule – treat others as you desire to be treated.
· San “please” and “thank-you” whenever you can.
· Remind yourself that the other person is worthy of your kindness because he/she is a person.
· Use calm voice tones.
· Smile at others – it can help lift their bad moods.
· Celebrate differences between you an others – don’t expect them to change just for you.
· Do not judge, size up or criticise others.
· Tell yourself that you can’t read minds and you don’t know what suffering or issues other people may have had.
· Try and become more aware of people around you and how you can help them.
· Let someone else be first, right, in the spotlight etc.
· Be the first to say, “I’m sorry.”
· Stop demanding respect from others as much and start to lavish others with it.”Many thanks go to the student who put this together. I hope that others get as much from it as I have done.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Communicating with Parents – the third partner in student development
Good communication between teachers and parents doesn't just happen. It requires special skills — such as good listening techniques, tact, kindness, consideration, empathy, enthusiasm, and an understanding of parent-child relationships. No matter how you interact with parents and the community at large — through conferences, telephone conversations, e-mail, written notes or reports, lobbying or fund-raising efforts, working together in the classroom — good communication and interpersonal skills will enhance your efforts.
Veteran teachers stress the importance of effective communication skills. We need to be honest and sensitive. Remember that you are talking about their most valuable family resource — their family's future. Always be tactful with parents. Think and plan what you are going to say to them, and how. Never be confrontational. Always speak in a pleasant voice, yet with firmness and authority when needed. Keep in mind that parents really love their children.
Writing about at-risk families and schools, L.B. Liontos lists other "beliefs" that teachers must adopt to work effectively with families:
All families have strengths.
Parents can learn new techniques.
Parents have important perspectives about their children.
Most parents really care about their children.
Cultural differences are both valid and valuable.
Many family forms exist and all are legitimate.
Recognize that schools and homes have shared goals. Both are committed to the nurturing, development, and education of children. Teachers must believe that parents have a crucial role in their children's education, and parents and teachers must trust each other.
Respect caregivers and communicate that respect. Tone of voice, word choice, facial expressions, body language, expectations, how long we make people wait — all these communicate respect or lack of it. Many parents have personal, family, work, health, or other problems that we know nothing about. Avoid being judgmental, and give parents the benefit of the doubt.
Acknowledge the changes in family circumstances. In most families, both parents work outside the home, including the families of school teachers. Yet many of us still think of this common lifestyle as an aberration. Further, millions of children come from single parent homes. Still others live with relatives or in foster homes.
Be positive! Parents enjoy positive communication, yet most teachers only make contact when something goes wrong.
Veteran teachers stress the importance of effective communication skills. We need to be honest and sensitive. Remember that you are talking about their most valuable family resource — their family's future. Always be tactful with parents. Think and plan what you are going to say to them, and how. Never be confrontational. Always speak in a pleasant voice, yet with firmness and authority when needed. Keep in mind that parents really love their children.
Writing about at-risk families and schools, L.B. Liontos lists other "beliefs" that teachers must adopt to work effectively with families:
All families have strengths.
Parents can learn new techniques.
Parents have important perspectives about their children.
Most parents really care about their children.
Cultural differences are both valid and valuable.
Many family forms exist and all are legitimate.
Recognize that schools and homes have shared goals. Both are committed to the nurturing, development, and education of children. Teachers must believe that parents have a crucial role in their children's education, and parents and teachers must trust each other.
Respect caregivers and communicate that respect. Tone of voice, word choice, facial expressions, body language, expectations, how long we make people wait — all these communicate respect or lack of it. Many parents have personal, family, work, health, or other problems that we know nothing about. Avoid being judgmental, and give parents the benefit of the doubt.
Acknowledge the changes in family circumstances. In most families, both parents work outside the home, including the families of school teachers. Yet many of us still think of this common lifestyle as an aberration. Further, millions of children come from single parent homes. Still others live with relatives or in foster homes.
Be positive! Parents enjoy positive communication, yet most teachers only make contact when something goes wrong.
How do we improve our own reflection capabilities?
"In our rapidly changing and confused age of unreason, which often places far more emphasis on hasty and unconsidered action than reflective learning, we are in grave danger of confusing leadership with expertise." McGill and Beaty (1995) explain that trainers must adapt their methods to accommodate the increasing need for student-centered learning, transferable skills, and closer links with industry. The authors explain, "In times of crisis or radical change, reflection becomes more important and also more difficult; it is at these times that we make powerful decisions about the future" (p. 21).
Schon (1983) emphasizes the need for today's leaders and managers to be more reflective in order to learn from their experiences, especially in today's increasing rate of change.
Beckhard and Pritchard (1992, p. 9) note, "Probably the most important single process involved in effective change in the process of learning while doing [italics is theirs]." McCaffrey (1994) found that while most students see themselves as reflective thinkers, traditional development methods provide few opportunities to think reflectively.
Schon (1983) emphasizes the need for today's leaders and managers to be more reflective in order to learn from their experiences, especially in today's increasing rate of change.
Beckhard and Pritchard (1992, p. 9) note, "Probably the most important single process involved in effective change in the process of learning while doing [italics is theirs]." McCaffrey (1994) found that while most students see themselves as reflective thinkers, traditional development methods provide few opportunities to think reflectively.
Monday, September 26, 2005
A little bit silly
If you go here:
http://www.reasonablyclever.com/mini/flash/minifig.swf
You can interpret yourself in Lego form, or a randomiser will come up with images for you.
My random one is a bit of a worry:
http://www.reasonablyclever.com/mini/flash/minifig.swf
You can interpret yourself in Lego form, or a randomiser will come up with images for you.
My random one is a bit of a worry:
We all should on ourselves
When you can't think straight, "should" is a good word to eliminate from your vocabulary. It resonates with judgment and guilt, and is often followed by a knee-jerk reaction rather than a deliberate decision. First, post this reminder on your telephone or daily calendar: "There are no shoulds." Then try this quick-lift.
Check your to-do list for any "shoulds." If you find any, ask a few questions: Am I doing this to avoid conflict? To look good? Out of guilt? Because I want to?
If you answer, "Because I want to," why are you perceiving it as a "should"? Reframe how you think about it, making it a choice. "I want to" energizes; "I have to" depletes.
If you can't say, "Because I want to," don't do it! Risk displeasing someone, ignore your ego, or find another way to deal with any guilt.
"Shoulding" indicates you have surrendered your power of choice and are following someone else's rules. The next time you find yourself thinking, "I should," ask yourself, "Who says?" The answer may surprise you.
Check your to-do list for any "shoulds." If you find any, ask a few questions: Am I doing this to avoid conflict? To look good? Out of guilt? Because I want to?
If you answer, "Because I want to," why are you perceiving it as a "should"? Reframe how you think about it, making it a choice. "I want to" energizes; "I have to" depletes.
If you can't say, "Because I want to," don't do it! Risk displeasing someone, ignore your ego, or find another way to deal with any guilt.
"Shoulding" indicates you have surrendered your power of choice and are following someone else's rules. The next time you find yourself thinking, "I should," ask yourself, "Who says?" The answer may surprise you.
Proactive
It’s amazing the effect that it has when you take the time to give a person a call to get back to them about something negative that has happened. They appreciate that yu have taken the time to be show that you are concerned about them and about how things eventually worked out.
It goes back to the notion that all of our relationships are in a constant state of flux. When we interact with a person, we each come away feeling better or worse about the relationship – never precisely the same.
Take some time to study the other people in your life and their reactions to what you’re saying. Done compassionately and attentively, even a difficult conversation can leave you both walking away feeling better about your relationship.
It goes back to the notion that all of our relationships are in a constant state of flux. When we interact with a person, we each come away feeling better or worse about the relationship – never precisely the same.
Take some time to study the other people in your life and their reactions to what you’re saying. Done compassionately and attentively, even a difficult conversation can leave you both walking away feeling better about your relationship.
I believe…
I believe …. That our background and circumstances have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I believe…. That no matter how good a friend is, they are going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I believe…. That just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to, doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.
I believe…. That true friendship continues to grow, even over longer distances. Same goes for true love.
I believe… that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I believe… that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I believe… you can keep going, long after you think you can’t.
I believe… that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I believe… that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I believe… that heroes are people who do what has to be done, when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I believe… that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I believe…that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I believe… that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
I believe… that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.
I believe… that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with how many birthday’s you’ve celebrated.
I believe… that is isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I believe …that no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn’t stop for your grief.
I believe…that just because two people argue, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. And just because they don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.
I believe… you shouldn’t be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
I believe…that two people can look at exactly the same thing and see something totally different.
I believe…that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don’t even know you.
I believe…that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
I believe…that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I believe…that the people you care about most in life, are taken from you much too soon.I believe…that life is more precious than money will ever be able to be.
I believe…. That no matter how good a friend is, they are going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
I believe…. That just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to, doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.
I believe…. That true friendship continues to grow, even over longer distances. Same goes for true love.
I believe… that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
I believe… that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
I believe… you can keep going, long after you think you can’t.
I believe… that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
I believe… that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I believe… that heroes are people who do what has to be done, when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
I believe… that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
I believe…that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.
I believe… that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down, will be the ones to help you get back up.
I believe… that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.
I believe… that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with how many birthday’s you’ve celebrated.
I believe… that is isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
I believe …that no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn’t stop for your grief.
I believe…that just because two people argue, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. And just because they don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.
I believe… you shouldn’t be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
I believe…that two people can look at exactly the same thing and see something totally different.
I believe…that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don’t even know you.
I believe…that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
I believe…that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
I believe…that the people you care about most in life, are taken from you much too soon.I believe…that life is more precious than money will ever be able to be.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Get back to work
After two weeks of holidays, it’s back to work tomorrow.
Whilst, it’s been great to have a break, I’m pleased to get back into it – they’ll stop paying me otherwise.
There are many challenges that await – from the strategic to the operational, from the enjoyable to the tense. But, that’s what life is all about.
May the enjoyable moments far outnumber the uncomfortable. May I continue to be able to see past the crud and remain focused on the positive.
Whilst, it’s been great to have a break, I’m pleased to get back into it – they’ll stop paying me otherwise.
There are many challenges that await – from the strategic to the operational, from the enjoyable to the tense. But, that’s what life is all about.
May the enjoyable moments far outnumber the uncomfortable. May I continue to be able to see past the crud and remain focused on the positive.
Quotes
"Form the habit of saying 'Yes' to a good idea. Then write down all the reasons why it will work. There will always be plenty of people around you to tell you why it won't work."--- Gil Atkinson
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
It would make you cry...
THE FOLLOWING ARE ALL QUOTES FROM 11 YEAR OLDS' SCIENCE EXAMS:
"Water is composed of two gins, Oxygin and Hydrogin. Oxygin is pure gin. Hydrogin is gin and water.
"When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe, you expire."
"H20 is hot water, and CO2 is cold water."
"To collect fumes of sulphur, hold down a deacon over a flame in a test tube.
"When you smell an odourless gas, it is probably carbon monoxide"
"Nitrogen is not found in Ireland because it is not found in a free state"
"Three kinds of blood vessels are arteries, vanes, and caterpillars."
"Blood flows down one leg and up the other."
"Respiration is composed of two acts, first inspiration, and then expectoration."
" The moon is a planet just like the earth, only it is even deader
"Artificial insemination is when the farmer does it to the cow instead of the bull."
"Dew is formed on leaves when the sun shines down on them and makes them perspire."
"A super-saturated solution is one that holds more than it can hold."
"Mushrooms always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas."
"The body consists of three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abominable cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abominable cavity contains the bowels, of which there are five - a, e, i, o and u."
"Momentum: What you give a person when they are going away."
"Planet: A body of earth surrounded by sky."
"Rhubarb: a kind of celery gone bloodshot."
"Vacuum: A large, empty space where the pope lives."
"Before giving a blood transfusion, find out if the blood is affirmative or negative."
"To remove dust from the eye, pull the eye down over the nose."
"For a nosebleed: put the nose much lower than the body until the heart stops."
"For drowning: climb on top of the person and move up and down to make Artificial Perspiration."
"For Fainting: Rub the person's chest or, if a lady, rub her arm above the hand instead. Or put the head between the knees of the nearest medical doctor."
"For dog bite: put the dog away for several days. If he has not recovered, then kill it."
For asphyxiation: Apply artificial respiration until the patient is dead.
"To prevent contraception: wear a condominium."
"For head cold: use an agonizer to spray the nose until it drops in your throat."
"To keep milk from turning sour: keep it in the cow."
"The pistol of a flower is its only protection against insects."
"The alimentary canal is located in the northern part of Indiana."
"The skeleton is what is left after the insides have been taken out and the outsides have been taken off. The purpose of the skeleton is something to hitch meat to."
"A permanent set of teeth consists of eight canines, eight cuspids, two molars,and eight cuspidors."
"The tides are a fight between the Earth and Moon. All water tends towards the moon, because there is no water in the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight."
"A fossil is an extinct animal. The older it is, the more extinct it is."
"Equator: A managerie lion running around the Earth through Africa."
"Germinate: To become a naturalized German."
"Liter: A nest of young puppies."
"Magnet: Something you find crawling all over a dead cat."
"Water is composed of two gins, Oxygin and Hydrogin. Oxygin is pure gin. Hydrogin is gin and water.
"When you breathe, you inspire. When you do not breathe, you expire."
"H20 is hot water, and CO2 is cold water."
"To collect fumes of sulphur, hold down a deacon over a flame in a test tube.
"When you smell an odourless gas, it is probably carbon monoxide"
"Nitrogen is not found in Ireland because it is not found in a free state"
"Three kinds of blood vessels are arteries, vanes, and caterpillars."
"Blood flows down one leg and up the other."
"Respiration is composed of two acts, first inspiration, and then expectoration."
" The moon is a planet just like the earth, only it is even deader
"Artificial insemination is when the farmer does it to the cow instead of the bull."
"Dew is formed on leaves when the sun shines down on them and makes them perspire."
"A super-saturated solution is one that holds more than it can hold."
"Mushrooms always grow in damp places and so they look like umbrellas."
"The body consists of three parts - the brainium, the borax and the abominable cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abominable cavity contains the bowels, of which there are five - a, e, i, o and u."
"Momentum: What you give a person when they are going away."
"Planet: A body of earth surrounded by sky."
"Rhubarb: a kind of celery gone bloodshot."
"Vacuum: A large, empty space where the pope lives."
"Before giving a blood transfusion, find out if the blood is affirmative or negative."
"To remove dust from the eye, pull the eye down over the nose."
"For a nosebleed: put the nose much lower than the body until the heart stops."
"For drowning: climb on top of the person and move up and down to make Artificial Perspiration."
"For Fainting: Rub the person's chest or, if a lady, rub her arm above the hand instead. Or put the head between the knees of the nearest medical doctor."
"For dog bite: put the dog away for several days. If he has not recovered, then kill it."
For asphyxiation: Apply artificial respiration until the patient is dead.
"To prevent contraception: wear a condominium."
"For head cold: use an agonizer to spray the nose until it drops in your throat."
"To keep milk from turning sour: keep it in the cow."
"The pistol of a flower is its only protection against insects."
"The alimentary canal is located in the northern part of Indiana."
"The skeleton is what is left after the insides have been taken out and the outsides have been taken off. The purpose of the skeleton is something to hitch meat to."
"A permanent set of teeth consists of eight canines, eight cuspids, two molars,and eight cuspidors."
"The tides are a fight between the Earth and Moon. All water tends towards the moon, because there is no water in the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight."
"A fossil is an extinct animal. The older it is, the more extinct it is."
"Equator: A managerie lion running around the Earth through Africa."
"Germinate: To become a naturalized German."
"Liter: A nest of young puppies."
"Magnet: Something you find crawling all over a dead cat."
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Reunion
Today some people are using our school to host their 50 year reunion, celebrating when they left primary school.
I think that it’s amazing that they have made the effort to track down their classmates and organise a get-together. My congratulations to them for their efforts.
I think that it’s amazing that they have made the effort to track down their classmates and organise a get-together. My congratulations to them for their efforts.
Change is hard
Howard Gardner when asked: "Why do you think it is so hard to bring about change? Answered……
Gardner: "I think it's hard to change people, especially when they've been doing things for a long period of time, and feel that they're doing a reasonable job, and they're pretty unaware that they could do things differently. And, as Al Shanker points out, there isn't very much positive incentive for change. People have to want to change, but it's not like you get any rewards. In fact, often when you try to change things become more difficult and it's easier to go back to what you've done before. So I think that in the absence of compelling models of how things could be different and incentives for people to want to be different it's much easier for people to just stay with what they've been doing. I think that until you have a situation in which people really feel that they want to do things differently, that they feel they'll be rewarded for doing that, that the country cares, … the stakeholders" care, I think it's going to continue to be an uphill battle."
Gardner: "I think it's hard to change people, especially when they've been doing things for a long period of time, and feel that they're doing a reasonable job, and they're pretty unaware that they could do things differently. And, as Al Shanker points out, there isn't very much positive incentive for change. People have to want to change, but it's not like you get any rewards. In fact, often when you try to change things become more difficult and it's easier to go back to what you've done before. So I think that in the absence of compelling models of how things could be different and incentives for people to want to be different it's much easier for people to just stay with what they've been doing. I think that until you have a situation in which people really feel that they want to do things differently, that they feel they'll be rewarded for doing that, that the country cares, … the stakeholders" care, I think it's going to continue to be an uphill battle."
Killer Plant
There is a garden not far from here,
It contains a plant so bad,
It can kill with alarming swiftness,
It’s the most dangerous that they’ve had.
Sit under it for just ten minutes,
That time would surely fly,
And before you know what happens,
You will surely die.
No warning signs surround it,
You’re really on your own,
It is completely unadorned,
Yet the most wicked one they’ve grown.
Now, before you think I’ve gone mad,
Or even just a little silly,
This plant is quite a common one,
It’s a water lily.
Cheers
It contains a plant so bad,
It can kill with alarming swiftness,
It’s the most dangerous that they’ve had.
Sit under it for just ten minutes,
That time would surely fly,
And before you know what happens,
You will surely die.
No warning signs surround it,
You’re really on your own,
It is completely unadorned,
Yet the most wicked one they’ve grown.
Now, before you think I’ve gone mad,
Or even just a little silly,
This plant is quite a common one,
It’s a water lily.
Cheers
Friday, September 23, 2005
This is for the birds
We put out some seed and bread each afternoon for the birds who live in our area. Lately there has been a sharp increase in the number of birds calling in, as the weather has been very dry of late.
It’s nice to see them each afternoon, but their numbers suggest that the bird population are doing it tough.
So, do I put more out each day, or do I "let nature take its course"?
I’m of the opinion that I won’t put more out. Whilst it’s nice to supplement the food stocks of the birds, I don’t want them relying on us.
Cheers
It’s nice to see them each afternoon, but their numbers suggest that the bird population are doing it tough.
So, do I put more out each day, or do I "let nature take its course"?
I’m of the opinion that I won’t put more out. Whilst it’s nice to supplement the food stocks of the birds, I don’t want them relying on us.
Cheers
Creativity
"...creativity is a prime need of a human being and its denial brings about a pervasive state of dissatisfaction and boredom."
"The general decline of creativity in a society is itself a kind of 'illness' which must ultimately bring about its destruction."
David Bohm and F. David Peat, Science, Order and Creativity
"The general decline of creativity in a society is itself a kind of 'illness' which must ultimately bring about its destruction."
David Bohm and F. David Peat, Science, Order and Creativity
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Car Wash
I really love to wash the car
It makes the world seem greater
For I know with absolute certainty
That it will rain 24 hours later.
It makes the world seem greater
For I know with absolute certainty
That it will rain 24 hours later.
In Building Community in Schools (Jossey-Bass, 1994), Thomas Sergiovanni characterizes vision as an "educational platform" that incorporates the school's beliefs about the preferred aims, methods, and climate, thereby creating a "community of mind" that establishes behavioral norms.
Louise Bywaters in her article " Walking on Water or drowning in it? The risky business of the Principalship" advises us all and especially those of us new to the Principalship role to do the following to build our survival strategies until time, experience and learning fill the gaps during the next 2-3-4 years….
develop a personal leadership statement that outlines your own values, beliefs, standards and bottom lines about your professional work… it is like a safety net during tricky times.
keep the focus on the core business of your school
form or join a network of others in the same position, preferably with a mix of experiences
read good texts of undertake a program on time management and personal organization. Design a plan for your day, week, term, year.
work on a realistic strategic plan of what is important and possible in a school year and stick to this religiously.
develop a set of steps for a "problem solving under pressure and duress" strategy
establish a life-line colleague
look at the power of leadership and know how you tick in relation to power and how you get it most effectively
join a professional association that broadens your network and stretches your perspective
mix with people from other walks of life, share their knowledge and learn and teach in a new context
learn about systems theory and its relevance to schools. Apply systems thinking to your work.
understand chaos theory – give up trying to control, and work on strategic influence.
gather a toolkit of processes for building dialogue, problem solving, creative thinking and participative decision making
start the conversations about leadership and shared community building in your school. Build leadership capacity in others.
work on a long-term leadership development plan of your own
make your home and family your haven and your personal space
spend time learning about what drives you.
take regular does of humour and don’t take yourself too seriously.
use time and space for reflection and planning, documenting and analysis of data, writing and creating new things.
Louise Bywaters in her article " Walking on Water or drowning in it? The risky business of the Principalship" advises us all and especially those of us new to the Principalship role to do the following to build our survival strategies until time, experience and learning fill the gaps during the next 2-3-4 years….
develop a personal leadership statement that outlines your own values, beliefs, standards and bottom lines about your professional work… it is like a safety net during tricky times.
keep the focus on the core business of your school
form or join a network of others in the same position, preferably with a mix of experiences
read good texts of undertake a program on time management and personal organization. Design a plan for your day, week, term, year.
work on a realistic strategic plan of what is important and possible in a school year and stick to this religiously.
develop a set of steps for a "problem solving under pressure and duress" strategy
establish a life-line colleague
look at the power of leadership and know how you tick in relation to power and how you get it most effectively
join a professional association that broadens your network and stretches your perspective
mix with people from other walks of life, share their knowledge and learn and teach in a new context
learn about systems theory and its relevance to schools. Apply systems thinking to your work.
understand chaos theory – give up trying to control, and work on strategic influence.
gather a toolkit of processes for building dialogue, problem solving, creative thinking and participative decision making
start the conversations about leadership and shared community building in your school. Build leadership capacity in others.
work on a long-term leadership development plan of your own
make your home and family your haven and your personal space
spend time learning about what drives you.
take regular does of humour and don’t take yourself too seriously.
use time and space for reflection and planning, documenting and analysis of data, writing and creating new things.
You Mustn't Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest! if you must---but never quit.
Life is queer, with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won if he'd stuck it out;
Stick to your task, though the pace seems slow---
You may succeed with one more blow.
Success is failure turned inside out---
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt---
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit---
It's when things seem worst that YOU MUSTN'T QUIT.
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest! if you must---but never quit.
Life is queer, with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won if he'd stuck it out;
Stick to your task, though the pace seems slow---
You may succeed with one more blow.
Success is failure turned inside out---
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt---
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit---
It's when things seem worst that YOU MUSTN'T QUIT.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Quality Assessment Opportunities
Claire Wyatt-Smith identifies 9 features to assist teachers in developing Quality Assessment Opportunities. These are:
1: Alignment - how is the assessment opportunity/task aligned with the formal curriculum and intended learning?
2: Intellectual challenge and engagement - what knowledges (from a field of knowledge/learning area or across fields/learning areas) will students be involved in accessing, using, and creating?
3: Assessment scope and demand - what is the level of demand of the task? Is the task designed in such a way as to enable a heterogeneous group of students to achieve success at different levels? Is the task to be designed to meet a minimum requirement for success?
4: Language used to communicate the task - is the task to be written/presented in ways that draw appropriately on the accepted terminology of the learning area/s?
5: Literate capabilities involved in doing and completing the task - what curriculum literacies are being assessed? (How can these be made explicit for students, and taught to them?)
6: Performance contexts - does the task have any connection to students’ outside school experiences? If so, are the conditions for doing the school task simulating the conditions that students experience outside of school in a similar or related activity?
7: Knowing what is expected both during and on completion of the task - what information is provided to students about how to progress through the task, checking for example, on use of resources and time?
8: Student self-assessment for improvement - how are basic expectations of dimensions of the learning to be demonstrated communicated to students?
9: Intended purposes of assessment information - what is the intended use of the assessment information generated by the task? i) primarily formative purposes (for improving student learning); ii) primarily summative purposes (for reporting student achievement); or is it possible that the information may serve both formative and summative purposes?
1: Alignment - how is the assessment opportunity/task aligned with the formal curriculum and intended learning?
2: Intellectual challenge and engagement - what knowledges (from a field of knowledge/learning area or across fields/learning areas) will students be involved in accessing, using, and creating?
3: Assessment scope and demand - what is the level of demand of the task? Is the task designed in such a way as to enable a heterogeneous group of students to achieve success at different levels? Is the task to be designed to meet a minimum requirement for success?
4: Language used to communicate the task - is the task to be written/presented in ways that draw appropriately on the accepted terminology of the learning area/s?
5: Literate capabilities involved in doing and completing the task - what curriculum literacies are being assessed? (How can these be made explicit for students, and taught to them?)
6: Performance contexts - does the task have any connection to students’ outside school experiences? If so, are the conditions for doing the school task simulating the conditions that students experience outside of school in a similar or related activity?
7: Knowing what is expected both during and on completion of the task - what information is provided to students about how to progress through the task, checking for example, on use of resources and time?
8: Student self-assessment for improvement - how are basic expectations of dimensions of the learning to be demonstrated communicated to students?
9: Intended purposes of assessment information - what is the intended use of the assessment information generated by the task? i) primarily formative purposes (for improving student learning); ii) primarily summative purposes (for reporting student achievement); or is it possible that the information may serve both formative and summative purposes?
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Car Update
Whilst I have been very pleased with the way that my car has turned out, I'm continullay surprised each time I see it.
What amazes me is the way that it seems to be getting better. The panle beater advised me to use a particular car wash thay he stated would clean and add a layer of polish each time I washed it. This would mean that I wouldn't have to polish it, but that I really should wash it once a week.
I took his advice and don't know if that's what it is, but it really seems to be getting better each week.
Perhaps I'm just biased.
Cheers
Monday, September 19, 2005
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Poetic Response
A friend's poem abour frustration made me feel this way:
I have seen the sights you've seen
I have been the places you've been
I have struggled to understand
I have fretted when nothing's at hand
But the incongruous emptiness of my mind
And the endless nonsense that I find
That echoes so repetitious and so plain
At least there's no more nothing - I have pain.
Silly, huh?
I have seen the sights you've seen
I have been the places you've been
I have struggled to understand
I have fretted when nothing's at hand
But the incongruous emptiness of my mind
And the endless nonsense that I find
That echoes so repetitious and so plain
At least there's no more nothing - I have pain.
Silly, huh?
What can I smell?
Holidays are glorious things - your life resembles what it does when you're working, but it's the subtle differences that recharge your batteries.
This morning our eldest daughter came to me, after sleeeping in (yeeeehah!) and said, "What can I smell? Is it pancakes?"
I replied, "No, it's not pancakes."
She said, "How about we make some then?"
On holidays, I have the time to make pancakes for the family. So, my daughters and I made them and surprised Mum with them.
(But I still feel like I was just conned.)
This morning our eldest daughter came to me, after sleeeping in (yeeeehah!) and said, "What can I smell? Is it pancakes?"
I replied, "No, it's not pancakes."
She said, "How about we make some then?"
On holidays, I have the time to make pancakes for the family. So, my daughters and I made them and surprised Mum with them.
(But I still feel like I was just conned.)
Saturday, September 17, 2005
That'll learn me
You've just missed one of the most articulate and thought-provoking blog entries ever posted onto a blog.
It took me hours to finely craft the entry, honing every word until it was a sweetly timed masterpiece. I cried, I laughed, I was motivated to serve the greater good.
I then uploaded it to this blog, only to have it lost - eaten by the inability to connect to the blog server.
There is no way that I can hope to reproduce the lost post. It is a tragedy for which there is noi remedy, other than teaching me to save a copy of each post first.
It took me hours to finely craft the entry, honing every word until it was a sweetly timed masterpiece. I cried, I laughed, I was motivated to serve the greater good.
I then uploaded it to this blog, only to have it lost - eaten by the inability to connect to the blog server.
There is no way that I can hope to reproduce the lost post. It is a tragedy for which there is noi remedy, other than teaching me to save a copy of each post first.
Friday, September 16, 2005
The Phantom Strikes
I have a modest collection of DVDs. I don’t as a rule let people borrow them, as no-one looks after your things like you do. Plus, it’s a hassle keeping track of them.
In any case, I’ve just done a check of them and seven are missing.
The Phantom strikes.
I let my mother borrow them. Well, you do, don’t you. But I know that other people access them from there (i.e. steal. Plus, they know what ones I have and have the opportunity to get at them in my house. They also have a proven track record of theft from people and from businesses.). She swears she doesn’t have the missing ones, so who would you confront?
I won’t bother. They’ll get offended and I’ll be the bad guy. I’m such a bad person.
In any case, I’ve just done a check of them and seven are missing.
The Phantom strikes.
I let my mother borrow them. Well, you do, don’t you. But I know that other people access them from there (i.e. steal. Plus, they know what ones I have and have the opportunity to get at them in my house. They also have a proven track record of theft from people and from businesses.). She swears she doesn’t have the missing ones, so who would you confront?
I won’t bother. They’ll get offended and I’ll be the bad guy. I’m such a bad person.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
I was sent this link, which gave me quite a few laughs:
http://www.bash.org/?111338
This person states that "purely in the interests of science", the word "wang" has been substituted for the word "wand" in the first Harry Potter book.
Silly fun for everyone.
http://www.bash.org/?111338
This person states that "purely in the interests of science", the word "wang" has been substituted for the word "wand" in the first Harry Potter book.
Silly fun for everyone.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
We're a tough crowd
The girls and I went to a shopping centre today. Being school holidays, there was a song and dance act that was doing a lame remake of Little Red Riding Hood.
The performers were mainly kids, but they had that desperate air of preciousness that is an unstable blend of precociousness and the breathless anticipation of being discovered.
Their act was tired. They mis-pronounced the name of our city. They went through the motions. Then, they seemed surprised that the crowd wasn't enthusiastic.
Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
The performers were mainly kids, but they had that desperate air of preciousness that is an unstable blend of precociousness and the breathless anticipation of being discovered.
Their act was tired. They mis-pronounced the name of our city. They went through the motions. Then, they seemed surprised that the crowd wasn't enthusiastic.
Don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Anniversary
I got to thinking today that my darling wife and I have a wedding anniversary coming up next week - we'll have been married for 14 years. The experiences that we have had along the way - moving a number of times to promote my career, some stressful times, many wonderful times, the birth of our two daughters, a succession of interests/hobbies/obsessions... We are very different people to those that we were when we were first married.
Do you ever wonder if the person that you are today could meet the person that you once were, what the reulting meeting would be like? What impressions they would each walk away with? Would the meeting of the two personas, if they believed it were possible, change the present? future? past?
My head hurts.
Cheers
Do you ever wonder if the person that you are today could meet the person that you once were, what the reulting meeting would be like? What impressions they would each walk away with? Would the meeting of the two personas, if they believed it were possible, change the present? future? past?
My head hurts.
Cheers
Monday, September 12, 2005
Tamagotchi
Or however the Hell you spell it.
Our kids have been hounding us relentlessly for one of these little critters. Being a school principal, I have come to despise them at school – they get stolen, kids spend time attending to them at the wrong times etc. But, with the relentless attacks of our children, we relented, relentlessly.
And I have been proven wrong. They have proven to be hours of joy for both kids. Then, they connect and their two creatures play. Or, they meet kids in the street and their creatures connect and play. They share what they have learnt with each other. They are vigilant in caring for their creature. They are vigilant in looking after the device.
I have been proven wrong. But they’re still not coming to our school.
Our kids have been hounding us relentlessly for one of these little critters. Being a school principal, I have come to despise them at school – they get stolen, kids spend time attending to them at the wrong times etc. But, with the relentless attacks of our children, we relented, relentlessly.
And I have been proven wrong. They have proven to be hours of joy for both kids. Then, they connect and their two creatures play. Or, they meet kids in the street and their creatures connect and play. They share what they have learnt with each other. They are vigilant in caring for their creature. They are vigilant in looking after the device.
I have been proven wrong. But they’re still not coming to our school.
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Hair Products
Is it just me, or have the sale and use of hair products just accelerated exponentially? People on TV, football players, kids at school... They all seem to be outdoing each other with colours, tints, foils, gel, wax etc. Then there's the current mohawk, where parts of the hair are gathered togehter and stuck up in a mohawk fashion.
What's the driver here? Is it the hair product companies? Is it the nebulous world called "fashion"? Will the people participating in the hair revolution look at photos of themselves in the near future and say, "What was I thinking?"
I'm too old to join in. Plus, I usually accept and adopt a new fashion at least two years after it surface - so I still look out of date.
Cheers
What's the driver here? Is it the hair product companies? Is it the nebulous world called "fashion"? Will the people participating in the hair revolution look at photos of themselves in the near future and say, "What was I thinking?"
I'm too old to join in. Plus, I usually accept and adopt a new fashion at least two years after it surface - so I still look out of date.
Cheers
Friday, September 09, 2005
eBay
Having an old car, I like to look on eBay at the same type of car, to see what proces they are bringing. It never ceases to amaze me when I see the prices that are offered.
Some cars, that seem to be excellent don't attract a bid, or don't go very hgh. Others, which are in far worse vonditions, with inferior options, go sky high.
People are fickle - they know what they want and are often prepared to pay for it.
And no, I'm not tempted to list my car.
Cheers
Some cars, that seem to be excellent don't attract a bid, or don't go very hgh. Others, which are in far worse vonditions, with inferior options, go sky high.
People are fickle - they know what they want and are often prepared to pay for it.
And no, I'm not tempted to list my car.
Cheers
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Overtaking
Recently we were coming home from a fairly long trip. I marvelled at the way when you were in an overtaking lane, the car in front of us would accelerate past a slow car just enough to get themselves past, then slow down, thus stopping any other cars from passing the slow vehicle.
What the Hell?
And Heaven forbid if I flashed my lights at them, or even worse gave them a quick blast of the horn. Then they’d slow down even more. One even tried to ram into our car.
Has the world gone mad? Or is too much to expect a little courtesy, or consideration of people other than yourself?
What the Hell?
And Heaven forbid if I flashed my lights at them, or even worse gave them a quick blast of the horn. Then they’d slow down even more. One even tried to ram into our car.
Has the world gone mad? Or is too much to expect a little courtesy, or consideration of people other than yourself?
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
A large job
My daughter and I have the sacred task of bathing the animals - the five guinea pigs and their cage.
At least they're not elephants...
Cheers
At least they're not elephants...
Cheers
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Attitude Adjustment Hour
What is 'attitude'? The dictionary defines it as 'posture of the body; settled behaviour as showing opinion'. The thesaurus uses these words 'stance, type, kind, pattern, frame of mind, mood.' So that clarifies it doesn't it?! Ha, ha.
It seems to me that attitude refers to the way we perceive things in life. What we filter all our information through; the 'glasses' through which we look at the world. The way we taint, colour or tint what we see, hear and consequently feel. And it's a choice - we can choose the glasses we want.
When we feel 'up' or positive, our posture reflects how we feel - upright and ready to face what comes, or slouched with our eyes looking down when we are negative or 'depressed'. We are not sure if mood follows posture or posture follows mood - so until we are sure, if you feel down, make an effort to stand tall and look up and I bet it improves your mood.
People who have a 'good' attitude take responsibility for themselves and for what happens to them, and they are usually fun to be around. They can turn situations around and see the positive side; they view mistakes as learning; they choose to avoid people that drag them down; they are optimistic and expect good things to happen to them; they see the best in others.
'Poor' attitude people blame others for their circumstances and are stress or 'depression carriers'! They will turn the best situation into one that is negative, and see mistakes as massive failures and as proof that life is miserable. These are the people who worry if they have nothing to worry about! They hang about other negative people and if you are feeling good they will try to point out why you should not! They expect the worst - and usually get it! Avoid them - at all costs.
We used to hear about people's attitude problems, now we just hear that someone has ' an attitude' - which means they have an attitude problem! So the concept of an attitude adjustment period is great! What if we set aside a period of time each day to review our current attitude, the way we are viewing the world, and change it if we need to do so.
For example, at the end of the day, do you arrive home tense and in 'hurry mode'? If you don't think you do, you probably do! Ask your partner and children (who are brutally honest!) if your fuse is short when you come home, or if you are irritable, or if your behaviour is any different from holiday behaviour. This should give you valuable information about how much you unwind on the way home - and whether you need to adjust your attitude.
I wonder if it might be a good exercise to have a few attitude adjustment moments during the day. Perhaps on the way to work or anywhere, become conscious of what you are thinking about work and your day. Do you have a positive or negative attitude at that moment? Are you feeling enthusiastic or bored? And what sort of attitude or thinking could you choose instead?
Before those cynics out there in the real world cry 'not more of this positive psychobabble!', let me add - people who are positive in their outlook have better health, live longer, recover from disease more quickly, are more popular and suffer less stress. But other than that, being negative is just fine!
On reflection, it's pretty easy to change your attitude to the weather. When I lived in an apartment with no garden, I used to hate rain. I would curse it and become irritable. The second I bought a house with a garden, I'd wake up to find it's raining and think 'hooray! I don't have to water today'. So we can change our attitudes very quickly! If we want to. Perhaps at lunchtime, you could spend a few minutes listening to yourself and the quality of your thoughts. How is your attitude?
One of the huge problems with having a negative, defeatist or victim mentality (another word for attitude) is that it somehow radiates out of your body and other people pick up on it. This shows up in meetings and corporate settings as much as in the home setting.
Be careful, you may infect your children with the 'negative attitude' virus which may affect their whole lives. You are certainly gifting your child a 'filter' - sort of like a pair of glasses that can be rose coloured or black. And everything the child sees through your eyes will be coloured the way you see it; and that's the way they learn to view the world.
Even though some people might feel we have no control over what we are thinking, we do! The first step is to become aware of what we are thinking at any time. What are we saying to ourselves? When we wish to change the text in a computer document we can delete and retype or just type over. Similarly with our minds, we can 'type over' the thoughts we would like to replace with preferred language. Then there is your attitude to yourself. Do you like yourself? What about your body image? Do you need an attitude adjustment on your image or perception of yourself?
Why not try an attitude adjustment hour once a week, and then have 'attitude adjustment minutes' throughout every day. Stop, listen to your thoughts and images, replace them with more appropriate ones where necessary and then look for the difference in your life.
It seems to me that attitude refers to the way we perceive things in life. What we filter all our information through; the 'glasses' through which we look at the world. The way we taint, colour or tint what we see, hear and consequently feel. And it's a choice - we can choose the glasses we want.
When we feel 'up' or positive, our posture reflects how we feel - upright and ready to face what comes, or slouched with our eyes looking down when we are negative or 'depressed'. We are not sure if mood follows posture or posture follows mood - so until we are sure, if you feel down, make an effort to stand tall and look up and I bet it improves your mood.
People who have a 'good' attitude take responsibility for themselves and for what happens to them, and they are usually fun to be around. They can turn situations around and see the positive side; they view mistakes as learning; they choose to avoid people that drag them down; they are optimistic and expect good things to happen to them; they see the best in others.
'Poor' attitude people blame others for their circumstances and are stress or 'depression carriers'! They will turn the best situation into one that is negative, and see mistakes as massive failures and as proof that life is miserable. These are the people who worry if they have nothing to worry about! They hang about other negative people and if you are feeling good they will try to point out why you should not! They expect the worst - and usually get it! Avoid them - at all costs.
We used to hear about people's attitude problems, now we just hear that someone has ' an attitude' - which means they have an attitude problem! So the concept of an attitude adjustment period is great! What if we set aside a period of time each day to review our current attitude, the way we are viewing the world, and change it if we need to do so.
For example, at the end of the day, do you arrive home tense and in 'hurry mode'? If you don't think you do, you probably do! Ask your partner and children (who are brutally honest!) if your fuse is short when you come home, or if you are irritable, or if your behaviour is any different from holiday behaviour. This should give you valuable information about how much you unwind on the way home - and whether you need to adjust your attitude.
I wonder if it might be a good exercise to have a few attitude adjustment moments during the day. Perhaps on the way to work or anywhere, become conscious of what you are thinking about work and your day. Do you have a positive or negative attitude at that moment? Are you feeling enthusiastic or bored? And what sort of attitude or thinking could you choose instead?
Before those cynics out there in the real world cry 'not more of this positive psychobabble!', let me add - people who are positive in their outlook have better health, live longer, recover from disease more quickly, are more popular and suffer less stress. But other than that, being negative is just fine!
On reflection, it's pretty easy to change your attitude to the weather. When I lived in an apartment with no garden, I used to hate rain. I would curse it and become irritable. The second I bought a house with a garden, I'd wake up to find it's raining and think 'hooray! I don't have to water today'. So we can change our attitudes very quickly! If we want to. Perhaps at lunchtime, you could spend a few minutes listening to yourself and the quality of your thoughts. How is your attitude?
One of the huge problems with having a negative, defeatist or victim mentality (another word for attitude) is that it somehow radiates out of your body and other people pick up on it. This shows up in meetings and corporate settings as much as in the home setting.
Be careful, you may infect your children with the 'negative attitude' virus which may affect their whole lives. You are certainly gifting your child a 'filter' - sort of like a pair of glasses that can be rose coloured or black. And everything the child sees through your eyes will be coloured the way you see it; and that's the way they learn to view the world.
Even though some people might feel we have no control over what we are thinking, we do! The first step is to become aware of what we are thinking at any time. What are we saying to ourselves? When we wish to change the text in a computer document we can delete and retype or just type over. Similarly with our minds, we can 'type over' the thoughts we would like to replace with preferred language. Then there is your attitude to yourself. Do you like yourself? What about your body image? Do you need an attitude adjustment on your image or perception of yourself?
Why not try an attitude adjustment hour once a week, and then have 'attitude adjustment minutes' throughout every day. Stop, listen to your thoughts and images, replace them with more appropriate ones where necessary and then look for the difference in your life.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Stress in Perspective
When your kids are giving you a headache and you just want to scream at them to stop, think of the childless couple who can't get one of their own to love.
Think about all the positive life experience that you have had, don't get stuck about thinking about the negative events only.
When you are upset over petty stuff or have had an argument with a person that you dearly love, think of the people around you who have lost their loved ones and would never see them again.
When you are complaining about how your family or friends are too critical think of their positive qualities and give them the gift of your positive thoughts.
When you think that you are putting on extra weight and are discontent about it. Be grateful and think of those people who do not have the security of knowing when their next meal will come.
When you find yourself complaining about life in general, think of how you can change the situation that you are in, work on the solutions.
It is hard to smile while the world around you seems to be crumbling. But keep in mind that times have been tough before, and we recovered. And so we will again.
Think about all the positive life experience that you have had, don't get stuck about thinking about the negative events only.
When you are upset over petty stuff or have had an argument with a person that you dearly love, think of the people around you who have lost their loved ones and would never see them again.
When you are complaining about how your family or friends are too critical think of their positive qualities and give them the gift of your positive thoughts.
When you think that you are putting on extra weight and are discontent about it. Be grateful and think of those people who do not have the security of knowing when their next meal will come.
When you find yourself complaining about life in general, think of how you can change the situation that you are in, work on the solutions.
It is hard to smile while the world around you seems to be crumbling. But keep in mind that times have been tough before, and we recovered. And so we will again.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Why go to a meeting?
"I do not go to a committee meeting merely to give my own ideas. If that were all, I might write my fellow members a letter. But neither do I go to learn other people's ideas. If that were all, I might ask each to write me a letter. I go to a committee meeting in order that all together we may create a group idea, an idea that will be better than any of our ideas alone, moreover, which will be better than all of our ideas added together. For this group idea will not be produced by any process of addition, but by the interpenetration of us all." --- Mary Parker Follett, The New State
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