Month: January 2017

Focus on what is right…

Published on by Kristen KuhlmannLeave a comment

I was challenged by the #principalsinaction group that I am a part of on both Voxer and Twitter to have a full day out of my office.  It was an incredible challenge that definitely kept me focused where I want to be, which is in the classrooms supporting instruction!  There was so much to celebrate, I felt I had to blog about the greatness I witnessed in classrooms that day!

1. Listening to our amazing band as they prepare for their upcoming concert.  I didn’t want to leave the music was so beautiful.

2.  Our theatre teacher engaged students how to render light.  It was hands-on and high level.  I left wishing I had been involved in theatre in high school!

3.  I enjoyed spending time with the FAA students. You simply can’t help but smile when you are in there. The students were singing, smiling, and enjoying their hands-on binders created by the teachers.  Every time I am there, my heart bursts.

4. An English teacher had her students in a high level discussion about the Great Gatsby.  There is nothing more awesome than hearing students in a high level discussion where they defend their discussion points. Hello Blooms Evaluation!

5. A math teacher had a great activity showing exponential growth and decay using skittles. Students were completely engaged and had to defend their work. Who knew Algebra 2 could be so fun!

6. In Social Studies, a teacher used something he learned at the professional learning day on Monday! Instead of just the textbook, he discovered google maps.  Using his classroom set of chrome books, students were actually looking at different types of landforms by “going there” using google maps!

7. Show choir was awesome today.  Their vocal teacher is exceptional in challenging them.   When they sing, it’s simply amazing.   There is always something impressive happening in the choir room.

8. Saw some amazing photography in photojournalism class.  We are so blessed to have a teacher with previous experience in photography and journalism.   These students had some exceptional work today.

9. The health teacher utilized our school nurse to come to his class and teach. It’s always great seeing teachers utilize resources and experts in and out of the building.

10. US History students created “Twitter profiles” around their learning of the Home-front. Students then used google docs to make comments on the profiles. It helped students to understand what people really went through.

I once heard a quote, “When we celebrate what’s right, we find the energy to fix what’s wrong” by Dewitt Jones.  As the building leader, I wanted to celebrate what is right today and every day.

Dr.  K

 

What is great leadership?

Published on by Kristen Kuhlmann5 Comments

As the presidential inauguration takes place this Friday, leadership has really been consuming my mind. Donald Trump is our President-Elect and holds the most powerful leadership position in our country.   For the past few weeks, we have watched him put together a leadership team which will become his cabinet.   News outlets have been leading by providing information regarding the election, the cabinet and the upcoming inauguration.   Friends and family consume my Facebook feed with their thoughts and opinions around this election and their views on leadership come through without ever using the word ‘leadership’.  Twitter accounts of leaders all over the world are showing their “leadership” in 140 characters or less!  Leadership is truly all around us.

Needless to say, my mind has been swirling regarding leadership and everything that I have learned about it over the past several years.  Reading books about leadership have consumed me the last few months.  Leadership is a fascinating topic of discussion and as someone who is a leader of a high school, good leadership is of the utmost importance to me.  So, what makes a great leader?   Perhaps this question is more subjective than I originally thought.  What I believe makes a great leader, may not be what others believe.  This felt like my opportunity to truly identify what my beliefs are regarding great leadership.  My top ten beliefs for great leadership in education are:

  1. Leadership is not a title.  Leadership is serving others.  Leaders can be a child that helps to shovel a snowed in driveway or an adult that pays for the coffee of the car behind him in a drive thru.  If you are serving in a way that genuinely helps others, you are leading.
  2. Lead with your heart.  We’ve all heard in education, “They don’t care how much you know, until they know you care.” This isn’t just true for students it is true for adults.  Take the time to know the staff so they know you care about them as a human and not just an employee.
  3. Acknowledge people.  When someone walks into your school or classroom, greet them with eye contact, a warm smile and a handshake.  It’s amazing how far a small gesture will go in building a relationship with them.  Everyone wants to be seen and validated.
  4. Be compassionate.  Before ever attacking anyone for anything, whether it be a student or a teacher, stop and think what baggage they may be carrying with them that day.  Don’t jump to conclusions, seek to understand.   
  5. Explore their needs.  Make sure students and teachers have what they need to be successful.  You don’t always know unless you ask.  Find the time to ask.
  6. Model what you expect.  More that is “caught” is not taught, it’s modeled.  Actions speak louder than words and everyone is watching.  Teaching is not telling no matter what your age.
  7. Be open to feedback.  To quote a tremendous leader, Flip Flippen, “Feedback is the breakfast of champions.”  When you receive feedback, just say thank you.
  8. Communicate that you care before you communicate your message.  This can go a long way when leaders have to communicate something that isn’t always fun to discuss.  There doesn’t have to be conflict to confront and issue.
  9. Affirm. Affirm. Affirm.  Never let a day go by that you don’t write, text, email or say an affirmation to someone, even those hardest to affirm.
  10. Empower others.  Leadership doesn’t mean you do everything all by yourself.  It doesn’t mean you take all the glory.  Share the leadership on large tasks and most definitely share the glory with those who helped make it possible.

 

And so it begins…

Published on by Kristen Kuhlmann6 Comments

On August 15, 2016, I welcomed  60+ educators back from summer break to begin a new school year.  This time, my role was not at the district level, but as the building principal of a high school.  This is my second time to be a head principal but first time to be at the high school level.  After completing my first semester at Andover High School, I am implementing all of the lessons I have learned so far in education.  I have been to countless trainings about leadership and really want to be the best leader I can for the staff at Andover High School.  I am always the first to admit that I am far from perfect and I make plenty of mistakes, but I have always learned from those mistakes.  I prefer to say that I will find a way to “fail forward”.  I have made a commitment to myself that if I know better, then I need to do better.  Therefore, any lesson, good or bad, is tucked away for me to draw upon as I lead.

I have always been interested in blogging, but never really had the confidence to do so.  I know that I will be expecting teachers to step outside their comfort zones and try new things, so I also need to expect that from myself.  Blogging is completely outside my comfort zone, but I believe blogging can  be very powerful both from a self reflective and communication standpoint.

I am a huge supporter of twitter and all that it has to offer for my professional learning.  I was thrilled to come across this information.  http://theedublogger.edublogs.org/2016/11/30/join-the-edublogs-blogging-club-weekly-prompts-delivered-to-your-email/

By joining this club, I will actually receive weekly prompts every week about topics in education.  I was always so worried about trying to blog because I wasn’t actually sure what to write.  I’m so excited someone had the idea to send writing prompts to begin 2017!  I have no more excuses not to blog any longer.  I keep trying to think of questions to ask right now, but I don’t know what I don’t know.  I am nervous but excited because I always know that my largest learning growth happens when I take myself out of my comfort zone.

I do not follow a lot of blogs, but hope to read and learn about more of them as I create my own.  These are the current blogs I follow and am excited to add to this list.  I finally figured out how to subscribe to them so I get them sent directly to my email. (remember, I’m a very inexperienced blogger)

My goal is to blog once a month, possibly more and to stay relevant and current about what I am doing as a leader and what might be of interest to our staff, students and stakeholders.

I chose #oneword for my new year instead of a resolution.  My word is #commitment.  There are many things I want to stay committed to and this blog is one of them.  The blog prompts help keep me accountable and intentional.  It’s exciting now, but being intentional will come after a few weeks!

Here’s to my 2017 blogging adventure.

Dr. K