Saturday, September 28, 2013

Am I making the right decision?

When I take a photo on my smartphone, I quickly apply different filters to determine which one makes the photo look better. Some filters tweak the photo just a bit to make it look more polished. Other filters drastically change the photo - for better or worse.

As a leader, this makes me think about the filters I apply to decisions each day. I've learned to draw from a tool belt of "filters" and I think this makes me a more effective leader. 

Filter 1: How does my decision align with my personal mission and values?
I've learned visionary leaders are grounded in their personal values & mission. At the end of the day, I'm owning my decision and it has to align with my personal beliefs. I have learned to keep my personal mission and values at the forefront of my decisions.

Filter 2: How does my decision align with the shared mission, vision, and values of my organization?
It is essential for schools, districts, businesses, teams, and organizations to have a shared, mission, vision, and values that have been collectively developed and continuously communicated with stakeholders. I have learned to use this foundational filter each day.

Filter 3: What research-based filters have other leaders used in similar situations?
Here is a table of my "go to" research-based filters that I use on a regular basis. I tried to categorize them a bit and some filters overlap into many areas I didn't list. 

Filter 4: Who else?
Sometimes decisions are made in a split second and other times they're discussed for hours on end. Who else should I consult? Who else knows about this stuff? Who else has experience in this area? I use the insights of others in order to inform decisions that (hopefully!) result in a better outcome that meets our target objective.

Unlike applying filters to a photo, the key leadership piece is that no filter alone is perfect for my unique decision. It is by drawing on experience, research, and others that I become a leader who most effectively shapes the future.

Cross posted: http://edge.ascd.org/_Am-I-making-the-right-decision/blog/6551290/127586.html

WILL #5

What I Learned Lately (WILL 13/14 #5) by Dr. Josh Garcia (@Garciaj9Josh)

Woven in my soul, where the demons rest, I find the beginning on my edge.  Throughout this week, I have been gently reminded and I have been downright told, that the failure of our society is the fault of our schools and the people that work in them.  I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I am amazed by how many still see the world in black and white.  Make no mistake, I accept responsibility and I hold myself accountable for our results.  By itself, my dedication to our profession is an empty concept, unless our profession remains relentlessly dedicated to supporting every student, every day.  H. L. Mencken once said for “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”  Maybe it is me. Maybe I am blind and deaf to the realities of the world.  Maybe we should focus all our efforts on a system that is designed to be open only 180 days a year for less than 8 hours a day. 

This week, I learned more about the role of partnerships.  In every community there are a few brave people and or organizations that have courage to partner with schools to change the trajectory of their respective communities.  These people are committed to the notion that it take a village to raise a child.  In any partnership, language and beliefs can unite or divide.  Through several conversations this week, I found that many partners share in the belief of “Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships”.  As I examined the words and engaged in several conversations to discuss the practices that support these concepts, I was struck by the order in which we place them.  We have the right concepts, just in the wrong order.  Relationships first, Relevance next and then Rigor.  Sounds like a simplistic notion as I write it, but this is what good partners do.  The build relationships with our communities (students included) first.  Then they find relevant materials, activities and contents to hook our communities.  Then and only then they go deeper into the sophistication of the concepts.  As I reflect on the idea, I am proud of our staff.  Each day, I see examples of staff wanting to partner with our community.  More and more they are asking what they can do to support our partners and spending less time asking for “things”.  They understand that partnering is a two way commitment to a shared cause (our students, our future).  Our staff understands that the investment is not in our schools but rather our community.

The people are who serve in these partnership roles often are the unsung heroes of our communities.  Personally, I am not sure I have met my hero.  For me, I see flashes of greatness among many of the faces.  Yet, I am getting clearer on recognizing them in public.  They have a sparkle in their eyes that is undeniable.  They are relentless and crystal clear about their mission.  They know what they want to accomplish, how to measure it and are honest about the results, even when it may hurt. They consistently use their power for the good of others and they never walk away from a good fight with evil.  They see the world in bright, bold and beautiful colors.  They understand the complexity of the uniqueness of the situation.  Finally, they never have to tell you how important they are...

Finally By C. G. Jung,
“You are what you do, not what you say you'll do.”

Monday, September 23, 2013

WILL #4


What I Learned Lately (WILL 13/14 #4) by Dr. Josh Garcia (@Garciaj9Josh)

I was thinking today about life.  I doubt that the students that I faithfully serve know me.  Which is a good thing, they have far more important things to occupy their time.  Yet, for me they run through my veins like my own, un-separable from my daily existence.  I often wonder what my students see on a daily basis.  Do they see the same injustices of our society as I do?  This week my experiences have reminded me of the reality of race in our country.  Three times this week, that I am aware of, people have judged me by my appearance and or name.  As I walk through the “real world” (outside of schools), I am often judged by my physical appearance and often by my last name.  For me this is nothing new, throughout my life, I have watched my family be denied medical services, fight to clear up “records” that are not their own (because we share a similar name) and be questioned if they can qualify for purchases.  When we see the students in our schools, what lens do we see them through?

This week I was involved in a community conversation about race, racism and institutional racism.  straight forth conversation about these topics can become very emotional.  We can be defensive and or aggressive based on our experiences.  However, it is the experiences of our ancestors that have helped shape our current realities.  Whether we as individuals have anymalice intent or not, there are historical barriers and systems thatare perpetuating racial power struggles in our society.  Although many can agree what race is, how many of us agree on what racism is?  Can we not define it and work to eradicate it like a disease?  I have yet to find a major philanthropist who has openly come out to provide financial and resource support to the effort of removing racism from our society?  In 2013, do we have the courage and urgency to have a conversation about racism in public education?  Are we still paralyzed by not wanting to offend our colleagues or community?  In our schools do we have a common definition of what racism is?  If not, how we will work to eliminate the institutional racism that has been in our school systems for over 100 years?  

In schools, let us take the lead by creating liberated zones.  We can lead the conversation by becoming anti-racist institutions.  We can begin by identifying the institutional barriers that arefostering policies, programs, practices and beliefs of racism.  Through ongoing conversations and shared meaning of racism, we can begin to operationalize the undoing of racism and ultimately operationalize equality.   We need to begin to create a space for students, staff and families to share their voices, as painful as it may be for us to hear.  If we can begin by focusing on the essence of the points and not argue the minor details, I believe we can learn from our history and not let it define our future.  I urge us to start locally and we will ultimately make impacts globally.

I wish there was a formula and or a one size fits all approach to eliminating racism.  However, I am not aware of one.  I do know this will be a struggle for everyone who has the courage toengage in anti-racist efforts.  As educators, our students are counting on us to have courageous conversations.  When we examine data and our results, it is disrespectful to be color blind.  As educators do we spend time identify which programs, policies, procedures and practices are barriers and which ones are designed to remove the institutional racism?  For me, the inspiration comes from knowing that the answer and the challenge lies in the mirror.  I look forward to looking in the mirror with you.

Finally by Langston Hughes “Go Slow”

Go slow, they say-
while the bite
Of the dog is fast.
Go slow, I hear-
While they tell me
You can't eat here!
You can't live here!
You can't work here!
Don't Demonstrate! Wait!-
While they lock the gate.
Am I supposed to be God,
Or an angel with wings
And a halo on my head
While jobless I starve to dead?
Am I supposed to forgive
And meekly live
Going slow, slow, slow,
Slow, slow, slow,
Slow, slow,
Slow,
Slow,
Slow?
????
???
??
  


Cross posted: http://edge.ascd.org/_WILL-1314-4/blog/6550104/127586.html?b= 

WILL #3

What I Learned Lately (WILL 13/14 #3) by Dr. Josh Garcia (@Garciaj9Josh)

Every 24 hours there is a moment where night turns into day.  The specific time of this moment continuously changes based on the time of year, rotation of the earth, weather and location.  In order to enjoy this moment, each week there are few days where I find the strength to get out of bed and run outside.  For me, it has become one of my favorite times.  It is a moment where I can see the brightness of the thousands of stars fade and the light of one sun take over.  I often wonder if I should call this moment night or day.  In a world that relentlessly strives to make meaning through words, Mother Nature continues to resist a simple answer to describe the beauty of the unknown.

With all the best intentions, the adults of our society use labels to separate our students.  We use these labels to provide extra support and or recognize the individuality of the gifts our students possess.  In the rare case, some use these labels for evil.  Our students need a variety of assets to be successful in life and many are not measured by grades or academics.  We must recognize and operationalize ways to make our students asset rich, even if they are economically poor.  Collectively, we must become increasingly more comfortable with the unknown of students potential.  I believe we should be honest with our students about their strengths and areas of growth.  Not every student is gifted in every area.  However, it is the responsibility of the adults to recognize the diversity of “gifted” in every student.

Recently, I was told that I need to stop using the term “highly capable” to describe “ALL” students, because it didn’t recognize the definition of “highly capable”.  This was not the first time I have been asked to follow this request.  Usually, this request is followed by increased pressure to follow the research or the logic of science.  For over a decade, this endless back and forth reminds of the never ending battle between Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner.  Where Wile E. continuous to use logic and complex devices to capture that simple bird.  How can that one bird defy logic and sophisticated ACME technology?  Is it simply because he doesn’t know that he isn’t supposed to win?  Or is hit so gifted that logic can’t recognize the gift?

I have chosen to continue to use the terms Highly Capable and Gifted to describe the students who I serve.  Not in an attempt to say all students are the same, but rather to recognize the brightness of the individual gifts each one possess.   All students are highly capable and all students learn different contents/concepts at different speeds.    We owe it to each child to know them well enough to recognize and foster their talents beyond a battery of paper and pencil or computer based exams.  Although this information (data) is valuable to challenge students at new heights, it should not be used to create a destination.  We need to begin to recognize that the labels we use to describe our students, are not destinations but rather moments in time that are continuously changing and are often indescribable.  Labels are powerful and should not be applied without careful consideration.  I hope that we will remain open to be awakened by our students’ gifts, even when we are not sure if it is night or day.

On behalf of all students, I continue to say “Meep Meep”.
Finally by Raymond A. Foss - "An Awakening "
I have been born anew.
Like Venus from the shell
I awoke full and whole.
Ready to face the world as I am.

Facets of my soul
Long dormant have found voice.
You have released me from my slumber.
With you I am made whole.
Through you I am free.

Steps on the path
Now before me.
Confident I am making
The right choices.
Knowing you are with me,
Loving, caring, trusting.

Brave new world
Here I am.
A soul found.


Cross posted: http://edge.ascd.org/_WILL-1314-3/blog/6549584/127586.html?b=

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Looking Back to Push Forward

I have kept a journal since I was a sophomore in college and it has been one of the most valuable leadership tools I have ever used. At any staff meeting, professional development, or conference, my colleagues will often see me jotting down my thoughts in my Moleskine. I try to write something every day and now, ten years later, I can go back and see how I felt on any given day throughout the year for a decade. Since most of those ten years were spent as a teacher and aspiring educational leader, many of my entries contain observations, reactions and reflections on my experiences in those roles.

In the past ten years of keeping a journal, here are some of the most valuable things I have learned:

1.       Understanding the rhythms of the school year - Often, in the month of November, in that challenging time between Halloween and Thanksgiving, I will think that I am experiencing the most difficult year of my career. When I look back at my journal, I see that November is always rough. I also see that after Spring Break, everything goes better, and that the time after Winter Break until Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an all-out sprint to get things done. By looking back at my journal, I have perspective on what I am experiencing. I recognize that there are challenging times and there are good times, but that no bad time or good time lasts forever

2.       Reflections on the best intentions – Many of my journal entries are new ideas that I want to implement in my classes or my school. Afterwards I will write about the success, the failures, and most importantly the unintended consequences of the new ideas. The journal allows me to see how even the best ideas can sometimes go awry. It also shows me how things I once thought were unimportant actually became critical to my success. The journal reminds me to be deliberate about what I want to accomplish and to refine my ideas before implementing anything

3.       Space to think and ask the big questions - Again and again, scattered throughout my journal I find the same sentence, “I am not quite sure what to do with my life.” Following each one of those sentences, I then find an explanation of what I thought about my life and future path at the time. As I read back through all of the entries I find it hard to believe that I have accomplished anything since I have never really sure about my path forward. At the same time, by constantly asking this question and recording the answers, I focus myself on the things that are important to me. I write about my belief that education is my vocation and that I am meant to work in schools. I write about the fact that the students are what give me energy and carry me through the challenges of the day. I write about the desire to help those around me and try to not forget that I am working with people who have good intentions. My path forward grows out of the path I have been on.


For all of these reasons I continue to journal every day. I can always look back to my journal for guidance, to remind me of what is important, and to show me I can overcome all challenges. I have grown as a teacher, a leader, and a person throughout the pages of my journal, and I use them to support my continued growth in the future. As I push forward to lead the changes I desire for my school, my community and education, I can look back to these journals for strength. If you do not have one already, I encourage any leader to start writing.

Monday, September 16, 2013

WILL #2

What I Learned Lately (WILL 13/14 #2) by Dr. Josh Garcia (@Garciaj9Josh)

What drives us individually and/or collectively? As we enter a new school year, I enjoy learning the new slogans, missions, and visions of schools across the world. However, I am often stuck by the difference between the school’s words and the community’s words. What is our collective mantra for our youth? A mantra is a personal message that inspires oneself or a group to do more. It is different than a mission or a vision. It is a statement that sticks with you when you are struggling the most. A mantra is a few words that breathes life in when you are struggling to find air.

Personally, I enjoy learning new mantras that push me. However, I think I have begun to really understand my drive. For me, the drive feels like I am pushing my heart out of my chest. It is a boom of rich emotions that shakes my soul. It is the mella drum in my brain that is no longer a mystery. Through this reflection, I become to know myself as a natural wanderer. By being in touch of breathing environment that surrounds me, I have come to thrill the opportunity to inspire student results and draw out shared values that bind us together. There is a new high to being lost, for now there is clarity that “opportunity” is surrounding. Being lost is really knowing where you are...

Although many may say mantras are a dime dozen, very few are operationalized to change lives. When mantras do stick they spread like fire. What are the mantras for our shared work? How are they grounded in something greater than a single test score? How do we use data as a mirror to have an honest and accurate reflection of whether we are living out our mantra?

Although mantras are extremely personal, we can't make the mistake of isolating ourselves in our journey. Nor can we afford to not allow anyone to get close enough to see our naked truths for surely we will lose sight of the battle for which we are protesting to fight for. There is opportunity for students in the air. If you stop - you can feel it, breathe it, see it, hear it and smell it. Starting Now -find what drives you personally and collectively, capture it, share it and live it.

Finally by Tony Hoagland - "Personal"
Don’t take it personal, they said;
but I did, I took it all quite personal—
the breeze and the river and the color of the fields; the price of grapefruit and stamps, the wet hair of women in the rain—
And I cursed what hurt me
and I praised what gave me joy, the most simple-minded of possible responses.
The government reminded me of my father, with its deafness and its laws,
and the weather reminded me of my mom, with her tropical squalls.
Enjoy it while you can, they said of Happiness Think first, they said of Talk
Get over it, they said at the School of Broken Hearts
but I couldn’t and I didn’t and I don’t believe in the clean break;
I believe in the compound fracture served with a sauce of dirty regret,
I believe in saying it all and taking it all back
and saying it again for good measure
while the air fills up with I’m-Sorries
like wheeling birds and the trees look seasick in the wind.
Oh life! Can you blame me for making a scene?
You were that yellow caboose, the moon disappearing over a ridge of cloud.
I was the dog, chained in some fool’s backyard; barking and barking:
trying to convince everything else to take it personal too.

Cross posted: http://edge.ascd.org/_WILL-1314-2/blog/6548432/127586.html?b=

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Leading Change with Relationships in Mind


A very wise former superintendent of mine once told me, “It’s all about relationships.”  Indeed, the people are what make a school successful or not.  The interactions that people have within a school make it a culture others want to be part of or want to escape.  When people decide to move on to other opportunities, the driving force is oftentimes relationships with other adults in the building that are the root cause.  Quality, positive relationships make the foundation of a strong, effective school.

As an aspiring principal, I was told repeatedly about the importance of not making any changes during my first year as a building leader.  The first year was only about building relationships and that making changes would cause distrust and ultimately lead to my leadership demise.  I would argue, however, that not acting and being reluctant to initiate positive change can also lead to failure in leadership.  Both of these situations have the potential to negatively impact future leadership opportunities, however only one has the potential to improve student outcomes. 

As the old adage goes, “there’s never a wrong time to do the right thing.”  While we may disagree about what the “right thing” is just as we might disagree about what is “best for kids”, it’s often not the message that leads to relationship issues, it’s the delivery of the message.  We must act.  We must initiate change. Most importantly, we must carefully plan how we communicate the change.

In my nearly 8 years as principal, I haven’t made everyone happy.  Not everyone has agreed with decisions I have made.  When relationships did become shaky in my school, it almost always was a result of how something was communicated, not what was communicated.  While I consistently try to always do the right thing as the old adage suggests, I recognize that I have to be thoughtful about how I go about initiating and communicating the change.  Based on my personal experiences in creating and sustaining positive relationships with colleagues, I would say,  “There’s never a wrong time to do the right thing, but you must go about it the right way.”   Just as an audience will respond to a joke more enthusiastically if it’s delivered well, a school team will respond more positively to new initiatives and change if it’s delivered in a way that is more palatable.

Relationships are not built in a day, but can easily be destroyed in a day.  Relationships are not built before the “real work” begins.  Relationships are built while you work.  They are built while you work collaboratively to improve your school.  Good, working relationships don’t cause improvement.  Effective relationships are built and sustained during improvement efforts.

Monday, September 2, 2013

How do YOU think its going?



This school year, like others before it, begins with new formal leadership in my school.  How many new formal leaders have you experienced as the principal, dean, or like?  It seems like each time a new one arrives, many hold their breath with great hope, and one of the first hope hoops is this one, “Does the leader engage individuals in dialogue?”  (Perhaps not in THOSE exact words….)

Particularly, people want to be asked, “What do YOU think?”  I’ve heard so many versions of hallway talk that lamented, “If only s/he would just stop by my classroom (or in my case, office) and just ask me how I thought it was going.”

I glean a couple things from this:

1.     We want to be asked.  Sure….all these folks could have marched in and said, “Here’s what I think!”  But they wanted to be valued by being asked.
2.     In the same vein, we want to be perceived as having valuable feedback.  New leaders don’t enter a vacuum, and there are so many times when we think we might know something that could contribute.  We can help!
3.     And, we want to begin building relational trust, understanding that it is the foundation of productive, positive future work with new leaders.  To build it, we need to be perceived as having something to offer, and be given the opportunity to give it safely to another in need.  Too often we think that the other has to give us what we need (course schedule, funds, etc.) – when in this case what we need is simply an opportunity to connect.

So, I wonder – why doesn’t this happen more often?  Are we not supporting new leaders to engage in this way, and what would it take?  Imagine the time it would take to connect one-on-one with every staff member.  New leaders, experiencing tidal learning curves, likely tend to the urgent and important and may not be able to indulge in the short hallway conversations that might pay off more in the short and long-run than any non-negotiable office paperwork.  I can foresee other issues as well.  (Maybe this is why the process is not formalized?)

For myself, I am going to try to start hijacking more folks - students, faculty, staff, administration -  in the hallway to ask, “How do you think it is going?”  And then…I’m going to shut up and listen.  No problem solving or explaining – which, believe me, WILL be a personal challenge.  I plan on simply acknowledging that others have valuable feedback and I hear them. 

How will you honor someone’s expertise today?

Sunday, September 1, 2013

WILL #1


What I Learned Lately (WILL 13/14 #1) by Dr. Josh Garcia (@Garciaj9Josh)

Throughout my travels and in my reflections this summer, I have become fascinated by the words we use to describe our world, our lives and our dreams.  

James MacGregor Burns defined leaderships as, "Leadership is leaders inducing followers to act for certain goals that represent the values and the motivations-the wants and needs, the aspirations and expectations- of both leaders and followers.  And the genius of leadership lies in the manner in which leaders see and act on their own and their follower's values and motivations".

As we go into a new school year, have we defined or redefined what leadership is for us individually and collectively?  Do we know the goals which represent our values and motivations?  Finally, do we know our followers well enough to ensure that we are acting on their behalf?

There are many days when I struggle to find where I belong and many days I can find where I went wrong.  When I think of what we as a Nation our attempting to do for every child within our borders, I am not sure I feel more pain for what still has to be done or pleasure for the opportunity to participate in such a noble cause. Throughout the unknown and the certainty of what I have not yet got right, I remain resolute to our students, our community and our team.  As educators (teachers, administrators, support staff), we cannot be divided against ourselves.  Our commitment to every child must be in trusted to each of us and we must conduct ourselves with such firm conviction knowing no one else, cares or works as hard as we do to reach every child.

The new school year is here and we have an opportunity to positively change lives.  As we collectively fight to fulfill the “Dream”, I wish you all the best.  Make no mistake, it is with pride and complete faithfulness that I walk with you.    

Finally by Stella Stuart

Why Should I Fear?    
“Behind me is infinite power.
Before me is endless possibility.
Around me is boundless opportunity.
Why should I fear?”