TurnAround Blog
We believe schools are responsible for ensuring that all children are prepared to attend college. This blog is for courageous teachers and tenacious principals who embrace that moral imperative, and who seek strategies to make that daring dream a reality.
NEU Principal Named Administrator of the Year
The Courier Press and University of Evansville have named NEU at Fairlawn principal Lisa Hale the administrator of the year. Incredibly talented, Lisa and her staff continue to change lives by promoting college readiness for all through the NEU endeavor. We are so proud of their efforts! Read the article below.
Who Says No Excuses Can’t Be Fun?
Principal Haidi Appel, from the NEU at Mitzi Bond in El Paso Texas, motivated her students to achieve excellence in math by dying her hair pink. Check out the story by clicking on the link below.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/communities/ci_17674923?source=email
NEU Principal Named Principal of the Year in Washington
Kathleen Werner, principal of the No Excuses University at Stevens Elementary in Aberdeen Washington, was named the Principal of the year for the Association of Washington School Principals. Her work, alongside her terrific staff, inspires us all. Check out the article below. Well done Kathleen!
A New Partnership for the NEU at Hollingworth
The staff of Hollingworth Elementary School continues to lead the way in promoting college readiness for all. Check out this great story in the Tribune.
NEU at Prince Elementary: Hope for America
Take a look at this heartwarming story about the exceptional students at one of our schools in Tucson Arizona. We’re so proud of principal Tassi Call and her staff.
The Evolution of Teamwork
Come out, come out, where ever you are! When we as educators venture out of our classrooms and offices and intentionally share our talents and experiences with our coworkers, the result of this convergence oozes with the potential of teamwork. Most schools encourage or even require groups of staff to spend time together over the course of a school year for a variety of reasons. Sometimes when we converge with other educators we call ourselves a “committee.” Lately though, the term “team” seems to be a popular title for any part of our staff that gets together to work on something. We have our School Improvement Teams, our Leadership Teams and Grade Level Teams. Not to mention our Departmental Teams, Goal Teams and Support Teams. Whatever happened to the esteem of a “team?” When teachers meet in the same classroom or office at the same time, even with the same purpose, what makes this group of people a “team?” The point here is the term “team” is easily slapped on any group of staff that has the audacity to consider themselves one. However, it’s how the members of the team interact with each other to produce results, otherwise known as their “teamwork,” that is the difference maker. Teamwork evolves as the team learns to work together. Bruce Tuckman’s Group Development Model was first proposed in 1965*. Tuckman found that all of these phases are necessary and inevitable for a team to grow. The Michigan Department of Education’s Office of School Improvement (http://mi.gov/mde/0,1607,7 – 140-28753_33424 — ,00.html, 8 – 2 Team Capacity (Inserts)) describes Tuckman’s four stages of group development in a way that I think many of us who have the privilege of serving on a team can identify with:
Forming
In the early stages of group development, members learn from the reactions of others what behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable to the group. Members learn the ground rules for task requirements and interpersonal relationships.
Feelings often include: hope, worry about the responsibility, optimism about possibilities, curiosity, and anxiety about interpersonal relationships and power dynamics.
Behaviors often include: efforts to define the task, attempts to set “ground rules,” abstract discussion of concepts, and generalized conversation about the school.
Storming
Group members become antagonistic toward one another or the leader as people realize the amount of work ahead and adjust to group norms. Unwilling to trust the group yet, they assert their individual expertise and resist collaborating.
Feelings often include: discomfort with methods and norms different from individuals’ familiar ones, sharp attitude shifts about the team’s prospects, and annoyance.
Behaviors often include: arguing (even when in fundamental agreement), choosing sides and developing factions, and questioning the team’s charter and membership.
Norming
Cohesiveness develops, new (sometimes more realistic) norms and expectations develop. Members find new roles, learn to trust each other in new ways.
Feelings often include: surprise at liking each other more, sense of cohesion, tentative hope again, feeling of belonging, and relief that things might work out.
Behaviors often include: conflict definition and constructive efforts at resolution, friendly interactions, and reminding each other of agreements and norms.
Performing
Focus shifts from how the team works to its task. People develop a sense of standing with each other to look at a problem “out there” together.
Feelings often include: revitalized energy, insights into group dynamics, a sense of not being alone, satisfaction, and pride in work.
Behaviors often include: diagnosing and solving problems, choosing changes, naming downsides of choices before choosing, and planning communication with others outside the group
Is your team’s ability to work together (a.k.a. your teamwork) evolving? If so, how has your teamwork grown? If you don’t think your team’s teamwork has evolved, what’s holding you back? Awareness of your team’s ability to work together could be your first step toward progress.
*Smith, M. K. (2005) ‘Bruce W. Tuckman — forming, storming, norming and performing in groups, the encyclopaedia of informal education, www.infed.org/thinkers/tuckman.htm.
Frank Nardelli is the Quality Schools Facilitator for MAPSA
and an Associate for TurnAround Schools
The Words We Say . . Or Don’t Say
My daughter was home sick Monday and Tuesday this week with the stomach bug. When I went home on Wednesday I kissed and hugged her and asked her about her first day back to school since being sick. She responded “OK.” She is 16 and you don’t get much out of a 16 year old unless you ask a lot of questions. So I kept questioning. Did they miss you? She responded, “My friends did.” Did anyone else say anything? She responded, “No.” Do you have much make up work? She responded, “I don’t know, they didn’t say anything but can you believe my teacher made me take a quiz today and I hadn’t even been there this week.” Did you remind the teacher you hadn’t been there this week? She responded, “Yes dad. He didn’t care he said just do the best you can.” How did you do? She responded, “I made a 10.” The story went on with about 20 more questions from me without her offering any information.
Kids are kids regardless of where they live or go to school. Not one adult asked her where she was, if she was OK, nothing from her perspective. True or not this is her perspective. This is a child with two college educated parents with masters degrees and both are educators. If my child is thinking this how do you think at risk kids of poverty think? The same exact way. I don’t understand the thought process of a 16 year old, but whether I understand it or not, it is how today’s youths think.
The moral to the story is: the words we say or don’t say to kids daily stick with them. Never forget your influence.
NEU Featured in Education Week Magazine
The movement is truly sweeping the nation and we are excited by the interest that is shown by major media outlets. Take a look at yesterday’s article about No Excuses University in Education Week Magazine.
NEU Principal Receives Terrel H. Bell Award for Leadership
Sandi Jones, Principal of the NEU at West Side Elementary in Jacksonville Texas has received the coveted Bell Award for school leadership. This award, given by the Texas Education Agency, recognizes outstanding school leaders and the vital role they play in overcoming challenging circumstances. We are proud of our colleague and the work that she is doing with her amazing staff.
