The Power of Positive Relationships

1
PENTUCKET REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
FOCUSED ON LEARNING !
RESPECT
INTEGRITY
ACCOUNTABILITY
OPPORTUNITY
2
The Power of Positive Relationships

• WELCOME BACK !
• Pentucket Regional School District
• August 27, 2007

3
Fundamental Assumptions of Professional Learning
Communities

• We can make a difference our schools can be more
  effective.
• People improvement is the key to school
  improvement.
• Significant school improvement will impact
  teaching and learning.

4
The Three Questions of Professional Learning
Communities

• How will we know when they have learned it?
• How will we respond when they dont learn?
• How will we respond when they already know it?

5
Collaboration is Crucial on SMART Goals About
Learning !

• S SPECIFIC ( What do I want to measure?)
• M Measurable ( How am I going to measure it?)
• A Attainable (Is this a reasonable goal?)
• R Results Driven (What will my goal look like
  when I reach it?)
• T Time Bound (When should I reach my goal?)
• During the 2006 2007 school year, all students
  will improve their math problem solving skills as
  measured by a 1.0 gain in national equivalent
  growth from the previous year on the ITBS math
  problem solving sub test.

6
Quaglia Institute at Endicott College
Eight Conditions for Student Aspiration

• Belonging
• School is a welcoming and friendly place
• Teachers care about my problems and feelings
• Proud of my school
• Comfortable going to cafeteria
• Heroes
• Students respect teachers
• Teachers respect students
• Students respect each other
• Sense of Accomplishment
• I have never been recognized for something
  positive at school
• Teachers recognize me when I try my best

7
Quaglia Institute at Endicott College
Eight Conditions for Student Aspiration

• Belonging
• School is a welcoming and friendly place 63
• Teachers care about my problems and feelings
  42
• Proud of my school 50
• Comfortable going to cafeteria 67
• Heroes
• Students respect teachers 39
• Teachers respect students 53
• Students respect each other 30
• Sense of Accomplishment
• I have never been recognized for something
  positive at school 21
• Teachers recognize me when I try my best 57

8
Quaglia Institute at Endicott College
Eight Conditions for Student Aspiration

• Fun and Excitement
• I enjoy being at school
• Teachers make school an exciting place to learn
• Teachers have fun at school
• Curiosity and Creativity
• My classes help me understand what is happening
  in everyday life
• At school I am encouraged to be creative
• Spirit of Adventure
• Teachers help me learn from my mistakes
• Teachers think I can be successful
• Leadership and Responsibility
• Student Council represents all kids at school
• Teachers encourage students to make decisions
• I am a good decision maker

9
Quaglia Institute at Endicott College
Eight Conditions for Student Aspiration

• Fun and Excitement
• I enjoy being at school 50
• Teachers make school an exciting place to learn
  30
• Teachers have fun at school - 37
• Curiosity and Creativity
• My classes help me understand what is happening
  in everyday life 38
• At school I am encouraged to be creative 56
• Spirit of Adventure
• Teachers help me learn from my mistakes 56
• Teachers think I can be successful 70
• Leadership and Responsibility
• Student Council represents all kids at school
  34
• Teachers encourage students to make decisions
  62
• I am a good decision maker 63

10
RELATIONSHIPS COME FIRST!!!

• STEP I Relationships
• -Before PLCs with Teachers or Instruction with
  Student
• STEP II - Professional Learning Communities
• - Collegial Working Relationships Able to Handle
• Respectful Conflict

11
Teachable Point of ViewSparks

• When teachers are cared for and are excited to
  come to work, kids are excited to come to
  schooland when a staff builds trust with each
  other, they build trust with studentsand when
  relationships become the first order of business
  in a school, the level of success for everyone
  has no limits.

12

• Touch the Heart !!!

Love Them First, - Relationships They Will
Learn Better Later! - Professional Learning
Communities
13
REACH before you TEACH

• .if we dont reach, (relationships)
• we might not know exactly
• what they have learned..(PLCs)

14
Roland Barth On Common Ground

• I believe schools will succeed in promoting
  learning when students find on a regular basis in
  their school experience both pleasure and
  success.
• 1. Relationships - PLEASURE
• 2. Professional Learning Communities - SUCCESS

15
Jonathon SaphierOn Common Ground

• In every case I know, what rose and fell was not
  the curriculum, the safety of the neighborhood,
  or the resources at the schools disposalit was
  the leadership among the adults in the school!
• 1. What were doing here is important!
• 2. You can do it!
• 3. Im not going to give up on you!
• 4. Wont work without relationships

16
Lou Holtz

• - Can I Trust You?
• - Do You Care About Me?
• - Are You Committed to My Success?

17
Stretch Culture

• since encouragement is personal, the quality of
  relationships in schools
• is critical
• students respond to those they respect
• a stretch culture is, in fact, a culture of
  encouragement, caring and support, for both
  students and adults
• -Robert Eaker

18
The same strategies we use with kids, we use
with adults

• Talk to them and listen
• Get to know their interests
• Find their strength and build leadership around
  it
• Spend time with them
• Talk to them about things other than school
• Celebrate the short wins together
• Stay focused on the positives - no negatives
• Be honest

19
Strategies for Principals

• Schedule your day around relationships
• morning greeting, daily visits, time in the
  lounge
• Remember the small things make a big difference
• keep track of positive notes and recognition
• Set up a school wide recognition program
• fish bowl, apple jar
• Incorporate positives in daily routine
• catch of the day, wall of fame
• Review your ceremonies, rituals, celebrations,
  team rallies

20
Strategies for Principals

• Meet individually over the summer especially if
  new
• Meet quarterly to review student progress
• Establish horizontal and vertical teams
• Rotate leadership on teams
• vertical, horizontal, leadership
• Stay focused on their strengths
• Create a forum for a vertical talk
• Build teacher leaders to monitor the process
• hand pick the leadership team
• Trade staff meeting for monthly team time-more
  focused

21
Strategies for teachers

• Set norms and monitor them after every meeting
• Ensure time is spent on 3 critical questions
• Review scope and sequence every meeting
  (essentials)
• Tap into everyones strengths
• Create accelerated groups
• Departmentalize for Science and Social Studies
  Units
• Share leadership responsibilities on each team
• Build an intervention model within the team
• Be honest-then get the principal involved

22

• What We All Want
• In Life..
• Is A Shot