The Two Reflection Questions We Are Asking Every Teacher...

The two reflection questions we are asking every teacher during our end-of-year conferences:

Share something you are proud of from this year.

What is something you have learned/incorporated/done this year that you will benefit from continuing next year?#GrowthMindset #edchat

— Craig Smith (@CSmithGoBlue) May 19, 2021

Thank you for viewing,

CS

The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.

My Ten Most Popular Blog Posts from 2019

The following is a list of my 10 most popular blog posts composed in 2019, based on Blogger page-views.  Listed with each post is the original posting date:

1.  NCTIES - Thank You LNC
March 9, 2019

2.  LNC Commitment Day: Class of 2019
May 2, 2019

3.  LNC Class of 2019: Planned College Matriculation List
June 3, 2019

4.  2019 LNC Advanced Placement Success
July 8, 2019

5.  LNC PTO Showcase/Principal's Coffee Chat - Live Stream Archive
Feb. 5, 2019

6.  Special Guest LNC Women's Basketball HIIT Bodyweight Session
July 9, 2019

Two Mid-Year Reflection Talking-Points for Educators

My Assistant Principal and I just completed our Mid-Year Conferences with our teachers.  The format of these conferences are very teacher-centered with the goal to provide opportunities for our teachers to reflect and centralize their continued growth as professionals.

C/o letschangeeducation.com

During these Mid-Year conferences, we are asking every teacher and counselor the same two open-ended questions:

1.  What has been the the concentration of your own professional growth this year thus far?

This is the first year we, as a district, have implemented the autonomous LNChoice PD Your Way program for our faculty and staff.  Teachers were given the ability to identify and select the direction of their own self-paced professional development, customized by their own schedule.  We have required digital reflections that are checked quarterly.

More importantly, this first question asks our teachers to provide self-reflection of simply how they have grown as an educator from the beginning of the year, what they have done differently, the risks they have taken, etc.

Reflection-Points from Fierce Conversations

In preparation for the upcoming instructional week, I send a "Weekly Agenda" to all faculty and staff.
Included in each Agenda is a "Reflection" to generate personal and professional reflection in regards to a wide-range of components.

Our Administrative Team committed to participate in a book study this school-year of Sue Scott's Fierce Conversations.  Our Admin. Team consists of: High School Principal, HS Assistant Principal, MS Principal, MS Asst. Principal, Superintendent, Director of Business Services, Director of Athletics, Director of Community Relations, Director of Student Services, and Director of Facilities & Technology. 

Weekly Reflection Points

In preparation for the upcoming instructional week, I send a "Weekly Agenda" to all faculty and staff.  Included in each Agenda is a "Reflection" point to generate personal and professional reflection in regards to a wide-range of components.  I believe these reflection points are crucial for school administrators to reflect upon when completing Walk-Through's, engaging in meaningful dialogue with colleagues, and gauging the overall climate of the school.

This list will be updated weekly, with the most recent reflection point at the top:

Instructional Reflection Points

Every Monday, I send a "Weekly Update" to my teachers.  Two months ago, I started to include "Reflection" points in an attempt to provoke personal reflection for our teachers in regards to instruction, classroom environment, and content.  I believe these reflection points are crucial for school administrators to reflect upon when completing Walk-Through's, Observations, and engaging in meaningful dialogue with teachers.

This list will be updated weekly, with the most recent reflection point at the top:

Three Questions

I came across this and believe it is an effective reflective activity:

The answer to three questions will determine your success or failure...

1.  Can people trust me to do my best?

2.  Am I committed to the task at hand?

3.  Do I care about other people and show it?

Have a great Friday!


CS



The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith     and do not represent the school or district in which he works.

What A Difference One Year Makes

As we are about to welcome back our teachers/staff officially on Monday and welcome back students one week later, I can't help but reflect on how different of a feeling I currently have.  Mid-August of last year, I was about to embark on my first year at the school, as well as my first year in the district.  Clearly, I was excited, but also nervous and anxious about starting with a new staff, determined and focused to provide the leadership for which I was hired.

30 Reasons Today is a Blessing

Some people flip out on a day like today.  Me, on the other hand, have "30" reasons why today is an absolute blessing:

(in no particular order)

1. I have an amazing, beautiful wife who loves me, despite my faults.
2. We have an incredible daughter.
3. My mother would do anything for us at the drop of a hat.
4. My mother-in-law would do anything for us at the drop of a hat.
5. I have a father-in-law, who is truly my Dad.