Happy New Year! As we close out 2014 and begin 2015, it is time to think about commitment. Re-commitment actually. How do we re-commit to the children and families we serve so that we can come back strong in the new year? What do we need to do to re-commit to the work of turning around a school culture? Where did we fall short in 2014 that we must re-commit to honest reflection and more effective strategies? I would encourage you to think about re-commitment, rather than resolutions, because re-commitment to something you have already chosen is so much more powerful.
Turning around a failing school is deep, difficult work. There is no coasting - no easy way out. In Closing the Achievement Gap, edited by Belinda Williams, chapter 6 focuses on the importance of teachers in turning around schools. Building strong relationships and having high expectations for students - believing in their true capacity for success and not taking any excuses for behavior that does not align with their true potential - is what sets effective teachers apart. You can read the whole chapter here as well as access some checklist tools for self-reflection http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/102010/chapters/Turnaround-Teachers-and-Schools.aspx. This is important reading for anyone involved in a turnaround school.
In 2015, I will re-commit to building strong relationships with parents and families to help them see their role in turning around our school. I will re-commit to regular feedback and opportunities to practice the feedback for our turnaround teachers. I will re-commit to providing our students with the most effective educational strategies because they deserve a high quality education where they are believed in, able to achieve to high levels, and have access to experiencing success. I will re-commit to using data to determine what works and what doesn't work for our students and move forward with what works in our classrooms. I will re-commit to this deep, difficult work with a passion because it is what our students, our families, and our community need and it is what they deserve.
What will you re-commit to for 2015?
I recommit to honest, however difficult, conversations with teachers about how their practices directly impact student achievement. I recommit to NO EXCUSES! I recommit to finding resources to help teachers engage and motivate all students, especially struggling learners. I recommit to identifying best practices and resources for teachers to engage students with disabilities in the common core. I recommit to finding the bright spots and celebrating student achievement- let's DO THIS!
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