This is a keynote presentation I did for the Newport News schools in Virginia about a month ago. Over 100 district administrators gathered for a three hour breakfast and conversation.
3. Today’s objectives:
• Raise overall institutional/personal attention to workplace climate and job
satisfaction
• Explore steps to make this mindfulness affect attitudes, behaviors, policies,
and practices
• Establish positive boundaries and expectations around your own work/life
balance
• Encourage on-going professional dialogue amongst individuals in similar roles
around these issues and alternate ways of thinking
4. Haven’t you accomplished more when
you felt good about coming to work?
Aren’t you spurred on to do greater
things when you know that your
colleagues will respect and be receptive
of your ideas?
Don’t you feel more capable when
everything and everyone around you
support who you are and what you do?
6. Why so critical?
There is a growing
consensus among
researchers and educators
that the single most
important factor in
determining student
performance is the quality of
his or her teachers.
– Alliance for Education
7. Why are teachers leaving?
• 40% opportunity for better assignment
• 38% lack of administrative support
• 32% dissatisfaction with work
environment
Source: National Center for Educational Statistics
11. What makes a
good day at
work for you?
What makes for
a bad day at
work?
12. What makes a
What can SAVE a
good day at
bad day at work?
work for you?
What makes for
a bad day at
work?
13. WHAT WOULD THE IDEAL BE
PROJECT
HOW WOULD YOU CREATE IT?
DATE
3/6/09 CLIENT
HAMPTON SCHOOLS
14. WHAT ARE COMMON
WORKPLACE ISSUES?
• Symptoms versus the disease
• Promising practices within your schools:
• Pick
two: one in which solutions and practices have
emerged and one that remains vexing
17. Out of our control:
students parents funding
media mandates politics
crises society random events
18. Out of our control:
students parents funding
media mandates politics
As long as we are in
crises
controlrandom events
society
of our
relationships with one
another and in control
of ourselves,
NOTHING IS EVER
COMPLETELY OUT OF
CONTROL.
22. Do unto others as you would Be as good to yourself as you
have done unto you. are to others.
23. The reasons you Ways in which you
chose your now operate
present position and behave
Professional goals How you’ve changed the job
Potential influence on others
New challenge
Potential job How the job has changed you
Distance from your own goals
stress and Distance from your self-image
personal
toll
The further the distance, the greater the risk.
26. That
Daily Where are you in thing called
practice your days? “life”
Social
Laughter circle at
Celebrations Events work
Is that part of you that is the best part of you present
consistently in your days at work?
27.
28. When hungry, eat your rice; when
tired, close your eyes.
Fools may laugh at me, but wise
men will know what I
mean.
–
Lin-Chi
Dual metaphor: 1 --> systems and the people within them
2 --> personal practice and personal passions, needs, interests
ARE YOU ASKED THE QUESTION?
DO YOU ASK IT OF OTHERS?
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE RESPONSES?
what would make your school perfect for you?
what would need to change?
ACTION: ADULTS INVENT YOURS. STUDENTS INVITE YOURS. WHAT WILL BE THE SAME? WHAT WILL BE DIFFERENT?
Think of a systems change that went well because of personal changes.
Think of a systems change that struggled because of personal issues.
List the factors that in a single day are out of your control.
why are your friends/family glad that you do this work?
Unique challenges of your place in the school: What are YOU doing to affect your own experience?