New GLDG Sessions

We have added 2 new sessions (and re-arranged 1) for the group. Session 5 in our series will be on Wednesday 30th June at 3.15pm. It is titled, 'Schools of the future and extended schools' and will be led by Ed Lott.Session 6 will be the following day on Thursday 1st July again at 3.15pm. This session will be led by our School Improvement Partner, Paul McHugh, and is intriguingly titled, 'Urban Leadership and the role of the SIP'.The final session for the year will be on Thursday 15th July at 3.15pm. It will focus on, 'Creating a leadership development portfolio' and will be led by Ed Lott.I hope to see many of you there.


Check out the GLDG website for more details

A Geography teacher's dream?

I have not blogged about teaching Geography before, but it is what I do when I get the chance to be in the classroom.
There have been natural disasters this year that have formed useful case studies for student learning, but although there are advantages in raising awareness, it sometimes feel like I am taking advantage of people's loss when I use them as lesson material. The Icelandic ash cloud is something different. I can use it to illustrate points from tectonic activity to globalisation, and use different points of the globe where teachers are stuck as references. All that and no one had to get hurt!


In this lesson I have used my fellow Deputy Head's absence (he swanned off to New Zealand at Easter and can't get back) as a mystery for the students to solve. It is free for anyone to adapt.

A year is a long time in technology

It is amazing to think that it is only 13 months ago that I wrote my first blog. At that time I did not use Twitter, Facebook, blogs, I Google, GMail and certainly shied away from the idea of setting up a website.



Although I am proud of what I can now do/have done, it is the technology that deserves my thanks. I never thought it would be that easy to set things up (and certainly not as much fun).



The final point is that what I have learned is not just a part of some desire of mine to become socially connected to an online world, but is having real benefits for my school and my development as a leader.



Now I just have to get others to join the revolution.

Message from the National College

This morning we received a card from the Chief Executive of the National College, Steve Munby. In his handwritten card read the following message,

"Dear Phil and Craig

I have been informed about the innovative and impressive work that is taking place at Greencroft Business and Enterprise Community School - linked to the Leadership Development Group. What is terrific about it is not only that it is developing future leaders, but that it involves 3 schools and is being done in partnership with the local authority and the National College. Most of all, it is an inclusive approach for future leaders whose current roles may be very wide-ranging. I am delighted to hear about about this exciting work and hope that I will be able to visit the school and to hear, first-hand, what is happening. My office will be in touch.

Best wishes,

Steve Munby, Chief Executive"

It is fantastic for our group that such a highly respected leader values our work and has taken the time to write to us.

It feels that we are all at the start of something that is very exciting and can only get better.

Greencroft Leadership Development Group - March Update

After the excellent initial session of the Greencroft Leadership Development Group (GLDG) on Wednesday 3^rd March things have moved on at a dramatic pace.

The website has been developed and can be found at http://sites.google.com/site/greencroftldg/

You need to have a Google username and password but this is easily achieved and it opens other opportunities for more than searching the web. I use it for sharing information and blogging for example. If you have any problems accessing the site let me know.

The site now looks like this…

And features the following sections:

· Message Board

· Discussion Page (click on ‘sign up’ under the discussion board to register)

· Leadership Literature Reviews

· Newsletter links

· Leadership Quotes

· Upcoming Events

· Previous Sessions

Plus many more.

The session will be at Greencroft School (Meeting Room 2) from 3-4.30pm on Wednesday 31^st March. The focus of the session is ‘Leading Teaching and Learning’ and will again be led by Ed Lott.

The existence of the group has also received some supportive comments from the wider education community. Geoff Barton (Head Teacher in Suffolk and speaker at a wide variety of conferences on Leadership including for the SSAT) contacted me via Twitter saying, “Sounds spot on. Is it an in-house leadership development programme for inspiring staff?”. I have also been emailed by John Dunford (General Secretary, Association of School and College Leaders) – see email below:

Sent: Fri 12/03/2010 07:41

Craig,

I am delighted to hear about the work of the Greencroft Leadership Development Group. I believe that leadership in schools is not just for the senior staff – everyone is a leader. So the work of the LDG is vitally important in creating this climate of leadership in which everyone is prepared to take responsibility and be held to account for the work of the school. Where this climate exists, schools think carefully about creating leadership opportunities for students too.

Nothing could be more important for current school leaders than encouraging the leaders of tomorrow. That’s why ASCL has an Emerging Leaders programmes to enable young leaders to carry out their existing leadership responsibilities and prepare for future ones.

And remember – good leadership is 10 per cent action and 90 per cent communication. Whenever a leadership group makes a decision, the next thought must always be: Whom do we tell? and How do we tell them?.

Every good wish with your LDG work,

John

John Dunford

General Secretary

Association of School and College Leaders

If you have any comments or questions about the Greencroft Leadership Development Group please don’t hesitate to contact me via the website, email or post a comment on this blog.

Educational Blogs

Thought I'd take a minute to record my thoughts on some of the educational blogs I am reading at the minute.


http://education.change.org/ is a US site written by a collaboration of educators looking to change the systems of education.

http://weblogg-ed.com/ is a very well written site concerning the impact of technology on learning across the world.

http://chrisyaktheteacher.blogspot.com/ takes the angle that technology is not having the impact that it could have in the classroom and we are wasting an opportunity to transform the way we educate.

http://edubuzz.org/blogs/donsblog/ is written by a Scottish director of education and encompasses teaching and learning plus leadership and cultural change.

http://creativetallis.blogspot.com/ is the site of a school in London and their student and teacher group focussed on promoting creative learning.

http://blog.ted.com/ is the blog of the TED 'ideas worth spreading' site. This was the site that I first saw Sir Ken Robinson's talk on creativity. It is about more than education - but is fantastic and inspirational.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/mortarboard UK education news and opinion from a liberal perspective.

http://teachingbattleground.wordpress.com/ a site that I almost totally disagree with evrything said, but 'could' be representative of views that others hold and therefore provides an interesting perspective.

http://olliebray.typepad.com/olliebraycom/ thoughts on school leadership, and teaching and learning with new technologies from a Scottish deputy Head Teacher.

http://heyjude.wordpress.com/ an unconventional view from an Australian librarian about learning in an online world.

Happy reading!

Good teaching means more time

What would happen if we used lesson observation data to decide how many non-contacts (over and above ppa) teachers got next year? For example if a teacher averaged 3s they would only get their PPA periods, if they averaged 2s they would gain an extra 'free', anyone averaging 1s would gain 2 extra frees. Too risky? Teachers would have to agree that for each extra free they got they would commit to one good practice session and to coach a colleague.