WLCSD Galileo Alumni Newsletter
February 2017
The Galileo Leadership Consortium will advance the development of teacher leadership to ensure high levels of learning for all.
News and Notes
We opened our meeting at Deerfield Elementary in Novi with two powerful quotes that challenge us to keep learning:
“Leaders need to be both experts and learners.” Michael Fullan
“We must continually chose between deep learning or slow death. We are either learning and growing or dying.” Robert Quinn, How Ordinary People Can Accomplish Extraordinary Results
As our connector, we each shared one learning goal we were willing to commit to for the next 20 weeks.
Then, we participated in a Ghost Walk, which takes teacher rounds a step further and asks the observer to focus on a few specific items and assume a ghost-like approach: do not be seen but see all.
Next, we watched a very powerful TEDtalk by Kelly McGonigal (“How to Make Stress Your Friend”) that Kate Murray of Grosse Pointe North shared with the Leaders Leading Leaders. Our big take away was that stress can be a mindset shift and how we think about stress matters; it can be an important tool to help us boldly move forward. It is well worth viewing and sharing with your staff and even some high school students. Joyce referenced McGonigal’s book, The Upside of Stress, as an additional resource. It is on sale on Amazon for $10! Here is the link to the Ted Talk https://youtu.be/RcGyVTAoXEU
Joyce then transitioned into Michael Fullan’s book, Coherence. Fullan’s core belief is that public schools exist to raise the bar, close the gap, and increase support for education. Fullan’s major push is systems—without a system, there can be no growth. An effective Fullan system relies on DCLA: successful leadership focuses Direction, cultivates Collaborative cultures, deepens Learning, and secures Accountability. Power Quote: pedagogy draws learning out while instructions give directions. Technology is a tool to accelerate learning, but if the pedagogy if flawed, learning will stall. Search “Michael Fullan keynote October 2016” for a powerful video of him speaking at Learning Forward’s 2016 Annual Conference in Vancouver, Canada. It is well worth a view.
Our last activity was breaking into cohorts and starting to brainstorm for the 20th Anniversary. Please see the Galileo Fun Fact below for more information on that.
Next Meeting is April 20th at Cooper Elementary of the Livonia Schools,
from 4:30-7:00.
READ to LEAD...with Joyce
INDELIBLE LEADERSHIP: ALWAYS LEAVE THEM LEARNING BY MICHAEL FULLAN
The book examines the "Six Big Tensions of Deep Leadership". The tension to "see students as change agents" resonated with me as I thought about Project Based Learning and the Leader In Me Program that empowers students. Fullan believes students can be agents for pedagogical change in teachers, of organizational change in schools and of societal change helping humanity.
Read this thought-provoking book to push your thinking and learn how you and your colleagues can uncover, discover, be open to and cultivate the ways in which your students can be powerful forces for positive change in all classrooms, schools and community colleges.
Power Quote: "Students are the hidden change agents for changing the profession and the world of learning."