100 Posts in 100 Days
It’s time for “The Pulse”, a collection of things that I have found interesting lately and that are keeping me going.
Red text are clickable links.
Check them out!
Adam Grant’s Work Life: How to Change Your Workplace (Podcast)
Adam Grant’s Work Life: How to Change Your Workplace (Podcast)
Let me be honest. Anything by Adam Grant could make any edition of “The Pulse.” I’ve used the prompt, “If you weren’t an educator, what job would you have?” with groups before and my answer is, “I think I would be an organizational psychologist.” This episode really resonated in light of Post 75: Change Models and Frameworks.
As always, Grant has insightful guests. In this episode: Dan Heath, co-author of Switch (and other books); Hubert Joly, turnaround CEO of Best Buy; and Emily Dia, an educator from North Carolina who changed her approach to teaching in response to COVID and then grew what she learned across her district and now continues beyond. Big ideas, practical tips for leading from the top, practical tips for leading from the ground up, and an example from schools. Worth a listen.
Book Stack
This is the professional book stack I’ve been carrying with me these past several days and am now using for some focused planning in the upcoming school year:
The Astonishing Power of Storytelling: Leading, Teaching, and Transforming in a New Way, by Bob Garmston: I’ve had this one for quite some time and it’s been calling my name. Reading it alongside writing this blog seems like the perfect time to make sure it’s in the stack and to get some good ideas.
It’s Your Turn: Teachers as Facilitators, A Handbook, by Bob Garmston & Carolyn McKanders: A shared goal amongst our school’s academic leadership team members and our Teaching and Learning faculty is better utilize the expertise (think SME) of our teacher leaders (grade level leaders, subject area leaders, department heads). I picked up this resource by trusted authors and experts Bob Garmston and Carolyn McKanders to help think through, prompt discussion, and design activities that might better prepare and support these teacher leaders in their unique roles.
Stretching Your Learning Edges, Growing (Up) at Work, by Jennifer Abrams: Another shared goal at our school, amongst all teaching faculty and leadership members, is to improve upon a “Culture of Feedback”. We have been working to improve the processes and quality of feedback in our classrooms and we are also working to improve the processes and quality of feedback we give to each other as the adults working in the school. Understanding ourselves, our workplace, and the facets in this book help us to understand ourselves and each other and provide us with tools for doing this kind of work: activities, shared language, and opportunities for reflection. I’m looking forward to the myriad of ways we might be able to use and apply the guidance and lessons offered by Jen.
The Power of Regret, by Daniel Pink: One of my core values is “no regrets”, so the title speaks to me. And since the book was published, I’ve listened to some podcasts with Daniel Pink as the guest author and was able to participate in the live session with him offered by AAIE earlier this year. I’m curious to study his research and perspectives more and learn how they influence mine.
Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience, by Brene Brown: My 100 Posts in 100 Days was noticed by an editor of an online publication for educators. I was invited to write an article on the topic of “Vulnerable Leadership”. Brene Brown is the premier researcher when it comes to vulnerability. So, this seems like a good resource for me as I begin to wrap my head around what I will write. (And, stay tuned. Once the article is written and published, I will post it.)
It’s Your Turn: Teachers as Facilitators, A Handbook (Book)
It’s Your Turn: Teachers as Facilitators, A Handbook (Book)
Yes, this one book makes it to my list twice in the same week. The day after I wrote Post 76: “A Culture of Growth” I was reading this book. In so many ways Garmston and McKanders said in one sentence what I was trying to find the words for in pages of writing:
“You are always more important than your agenda because you have the ability to respond to changing situations, while an agenda cannot.”
Ahhhhh…..
And, for any coaches familiar with the concept of an instructional playbook, this is a great example!
One Year and Counting!
My first post in 100 Posts in 100 Days starts, “July 7, 2021 was my fitness “day 1”.” Well, since the last edition of The Pulse, I’ve achieved a milestone.
One full year of consecutively meeting my move goal.
I went on to write, “Five countries, 11 plane trips, 2 train rides, 2 road trips, and all the time changes that come with travel are inside those 297 days (yes, I am blessed). “ I update that now to “Five countries, 16 plane trips, 4 train rides, 3 road trips, all the time changes, a flu, and a commitment to write everyday.”
My success with the move goal is actually the thing that keeps me writing on the days when I don’t know what to write or have something to say. Knowing I’ve accomplished that one day at a time, and incrementally increased the challenge by increasing the number of daily calories to burn, puts the writing within reach.
I’m keeping it going, too. Which means doing whatever it takes, including using Terminal C in Chicago’s O’Hare airport as my track in order to get it done!
