Page 56 - EdViewptsSpring2021

it, but do we communicate why we do of a team vision directly from our Five-
it? In academia, the “what” and “how” Year Curriculum Team and remains Your vision is a written
are evident. What we do is teach and our focus states; “North Warren representation of your
guide. How we approach teaching is Regional will meet student needs
dependent on our style. But, why do through a program that is efficient, leadership. It is also
we do the things we do? Why don’t standards based and grounded in best paramount that you
we always start with “why”? According practices in instruction for all students. share this statement
to Becoming Your Best (BYB), less This vision will be realized through the
than 1% of leaders have a clear, development of rigorous curriculum, with your constituents
written vision. A personal vision should modern career pathways, a focus to enhance your ac-
highlight who you are and how you on meaningful assessment and
want others to view you as a leader. consistent, individualized professional countability.
Think of it as your legacy and how learning.” This vision keeps us focused
you want people to remember you. An on our collective “why” and regardless Step 4: Solve Problems as a
excerpt from my vision is “I center my of the challenges presented to us, we Team
leadership around collaboration and remain dedicated to this purpose.
focus on improvement in achievement, Perhaps the most powerful outcome
communication and culture.” When of this philosophy is how we work
developing your vision, it is essential Step 3: Focus on Meaningful together as teacher leaders and
that you use affirmative words such Goals administration. Our team has an
as is, will, and am instead of want, established trust and respect, and we
try, etc. Your vision is a written Only 10% of people have clearly approach “big issues” together. There
representation of your leadership. written goals yet according to BYB, may never be a more challenging
It is also paramount that you share you are 90% more likely to accomplish hurdle for educators than the recent
this statement with your constituents a goal when it is written. Sharing that COVID recommendations on schools.
to enhance your accountability. Your written goal makes you 33% more Our teams have engaged in a
personal vision reflects your “why” and likely to accomplish it. The act of process called the Six Step Process
your purpose. writing goals down and increasing as outlined in the book Start with the
accountability leads to a focus on what Vision. This process revolves around
matters most. School leaders must a paradigm shift. Instead of focusing
Step 2: Develop Visionary focus on both. How does this relate to on the problem, it shifts focus to the
Teams teams and collaboration? All members vision. This allows teams to focus on
results. If done correctly teams will
in the district have access to our vision
The integration of school-based teams and goals. Furthermore, our teams focus their energy on the solutions
has transformed the culture in our either create or review goals before to the problems; not the problems
school and the relationship between officially adopting them for the school themselves (Shallenberger, 2019). It
administration and staff. During my year thereby improving commitment allows for a voice among all members
tenure at North Warren Regional, we and accountability. To take this a and taps into the creativity of all team
have initiated a Five-Year Curriculum step further, PDPs are based on members.
Team, Academic Council, Technology the overarching goals of the district. As our school navigated the challenge
Steering Committee, Becoming Your These goals are written as S.M.A.R.T of reopening school and making
Best Task Force, Instructional Tech (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, changes to that plan, we stepped
Cohorts and Hybrid/Virtual Learning Relevant and Time-based) goals. For outside the proverbial box in our
Teams. Teachers are motivated for example, “By the end of October, plan collaboration. We combined school-
these volunteer positions in addition to sustainable PD for staff that focuses based teams and formed a “Hybrid
participating in recommended teams on individual needs and academic Task Force.” This task force was
such as ScIP. In our school, each of improvements in the Hybrid/Virtual then further broken down into three
these teams developed its own vision environment.” Even in the challenge distinct planning groups whom each
and goals. of COVID, our PDP goals link to the completed the Six Step Process. Our
When creating a team vision, it is vision in the Five-Year Plan as well as teams included a panel on Logistics,
important to understand how this a district-wide goals on Professional Instructional Technology/Professional
approach differs from a school mission Development. Our goals keep us Development and Instruction/
statement. Focusing on the team and focused on the “why” and give us Assessment. Issues do not feel
what they are trying to accomplish is direction on our collective “what” and insurmountable when engaging in this
what sets a team vision apart from a “how” in all decision-making. manner. This process has transformed
school mission statement. An example our approach to concerns and issues,

Educational Viewpoints -54- Spring 2021