Posts by Karen Anderson, PCC, M. Ed.
Imagine . . . Teachers Craving Your Feedback
Imagine teachers saying . . . “give me more” . . . “your feedback is critical to my ongoing growth as a professional.” Well, that is a reality in more and more schools – schools that are making the shift to a coaching culture with a growth mindset that presumes positive intent. And, they are…
Read MoreA Cashmere SCARF, Please!
The latest neuroscience from David Rock and others speaks clearly about what my brain wants and needs to do my best work AND to be the best person I can be. Two things when combined are key . . . coaching AND the five domains of SCARF! Status = Status can be increased through regular…
Read MoreI’m a Better Teacher this Year!
Really . . . how could that be? This is already an amazing teacher! How do I know? . . . firsthand, from being in her classroom. She is knowledgeable; grounded in effective teaching; one who cares deeply about each and every student’s success. In fact, she takes it as a personal challenge to ensure…
Read MoreSchool Culture – What Would Yours Reveal?
A visitor to a school is much like an anthropologist discovering the symbols, rituals, and traditions of the culture of the school. What would a visitor to your school discover about your culture? Knowing that the culture of a school can “stifle” or “lift up” the success of students, “What are the intentional steps your…
Read MoreTeam Effectiveness: How to Get It!
How does a team become high-performing and most importantly how do they stay there? When in place, these five attributes of high-performance can make a high-performing team a reality. Working Agreements – Whether they are called Norms, Agreements, or Covenants to Excellence, the team is intentional about the development of working agreements. The hallmark; however,…
Read MoreTeam Effectiveness: Life or Death
“Houston: We have a problem!” What if the effectiveness of your team were a life or death situation like the Challenger disaster? What if your team knew there was an “o-ring” flaw in some aspect of teaching and learning and you failed to address it? While some would say that our work as educators does…
Read MoreFive Important Ways to Keep Your Finger on the Pulse of Your School Culture
Many a school improvement goal has been focused on the improvement of the culture of a school. Whether you define culture as the learning environment, the morale of the school, or the symbols, rituals, and traditions of the school, its health and vibrancy has a direct impact on student performance. Kent Peterson says it this way,…
Read MoreBelonging Goes a Long Way on the Road to Improvement!
One Principal, who recognizes the importance of belonging as a key strategy for improvement in his school, works to create opportunities for frequent and regular conversation with and between staff and students. He believes the synergy that comes from collaborative work will accelerate progress in the school. He believes leadership is convening; that small groups…
Read MoreIs School Culture Really That Important?
Yes . . . absolutely . . . without a doubt! Just as a plant requires nurturing and attention, so does a school culture. The combination of conditions such as sunshine, water, and plant food can create a strong root system with beautiful and vibrant blooms. Many a school improvement goal has been focused on the…
Read MoreBuilding Community – No Longer Just a Nice to Have
“Leadership is not a matter of style or vision but is about getting the right people together in the right way: convening is a more critical skill than commanding” is a tenet of Peter Block’s work described in Community: The Structure of Belonging. Providing structures and spaces for conversations that create communal accountability and commitment…
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