JTA Middle Managers Website Resources
Keynote Speaker – Dr. Maurice D. Smith, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Youth and Information
Key points:
The audience is punctuated by expertise, as there is wealth in our experiences. Middle Managers play a very important role in schools sometimes more than the school realizes. He commented that one person couldn’t run an organization. All members are needed if the school is to be effective. Often times when Middle Managers think about leadership they think about others. Leadership is about getting up and doing something, waiting on somebody else. Being ascribed the title leader for an extremely long time does not mean anything is being done. Leadership is about crossing the threshold from simply being a member of staff. Leadership is about having a strong belief in what is being done to the point you are willing to die for the belief. It is about having standards. Periodically the leader should ask self; I’m I the kind of leader I ought to believe, one that I would want to have?
Recommendations:
“ Iron will sharpen iron” – Leadership is about self-growth
- Action means: get it done, create something that doesn’t exist – what am I going to do about….?
- Defy the barriers: remove the self-barriers to get from better to best. Re-energize everyday
- Conviction: without reservation about excellence
Should his book be added here?
Transitioning to Middle Managers’ Role
- Dr. TanieshiaIngleton, Director of Programmes, National College of Educational Leadership
- Dr. Janice Scott Cover, President & CEO of Improving Schools Consulting Services
Leadership should embrace the contribution of experience, trust and collaboration. A leader does not have to be the brightest person on the staff but should know how to involve others. Leadership is not about knowledge. Be authentic in who you are as a leader, the leader should not change personality, be consistent. Work at being who you are, and show respect. Before the teacher becomes a Middle Manager he/she should have been a model teacher”
Key points to consider:
The presenters advised that leaders should be transparent; they should not become a member of a clique. Leaders should organize a “think tank” around themselves; they should also organize, and establish committees. Importantly, they should be prepared to do the job they are asking somebody to do. Notes should be made at meetings to be used as a guide to complete tasks. Ask questions for clarity.
Recommendation: Be humane and build credibility. The middle manager should make decisions based on data.
Attachment 1.Powerpoint - Transitioning to Middle Management
Attachment 2Handout - Middle Leadership
Attachment 3Handout - Knowing Who People Are
Attachment 4 Book - IMPROVING SCHOOLS - 7 Insider Secrets to Transform Your Low-
Performing Elementary School and Score an "A" in Record Time.
Managing Relationships with Effective Interpersonal/Intrapersonal Skills
- Ms. Antionette Brooks, Consultant- Guidance & Counseling
- Dr. Susan Lycett Davis, Organizational Consultant/Trainer
- MrsHyacintheLafontant, Risk Management Administrator/Trainer, Broward Schools
Key Points:
Needs addition of key points from Dr. Sue and Hyacinathe’s presentation
Individuals who are emotionally intelligent learn how to navigate challenges, make personal decisions, and manage their behaviour in order to achieve success and positive results. Emotional intelligence has a skill component which includes self-awareness, self management, social competence which focuses your ability to understand other people’s moods, behaviour and motives and allows for relationship management. Emotional Intelligent individuals apply empathy when managing others in a work environment. To be effective, leaders must have a solid understanding of how their emotions and actions affect the people around them.
Attachment 5Powerpoint
Does Ms Brooks have additions?
Effective Instructional Leadership
- Mr. Dwight Pennycooke, Senior Inspector, National Education Inspectorate
- Dr. Beverly Mullings, Reading Curriculum Team Leader, Boyd Anderson High, Broward Schools
- Ms. Joan Segre-Leroy, Educator, Western High School, Broward Schools
Key Points:
Students learn when supportive adults push them beyond where they thought they could reach. Instructional leaders should give clear instructions. Students’ work should be analyzed to determine the skill or knowledge the student demonstrated, to note the performance level of the entire class, to identify possible misconceptions as well as children’s learning needs. Teachers should create a framework for minimum standards.
Attachment 6Analyzing Student Work
Differentiation Strategy Sort
Differentiating Instruction
Analysis of Student Work Process
Needs PPT from Mr. Pennycooke
Managerial Communications: A Whole School Approach
- MrsCharmaine Gooden Monteith, Assistant Secretary General, Professional Services, JTA
- Ms. Lorelei Boyden, Trainer/Peer Reviewer, Office of Talent Development, Broward Schools
Key Points;
Communication is the life-blood of any organization. Conflict can block communication or allow for new growth as creative ways are sought to make things work. Everyone is important to the process of communication. The simpler the messages being sent the accurate it will be when the final receiver gets it. There are different types of communication: Non-verbal–gestures, facial expression and verbal modes that include speech and letters.
Recommendations:
- Be careful of the speech and body language in professional spaces.
- Learn some of the current vernacular so that you can process intellectually what students say and you can be a part of the conversation.
- Keep tone even during a professional phone call.
- Control self. Try not to be a combative leader.
- Have face-to-face dialogue and reduce the use of e-mails unless they are being use to connect previous discussions.
NeedsPPT from Charmaine
Attachment 7 - Sample Faculty Meeting Agenda
Attachment 8 – Powerpoint – Planning Effective Meetings
Management and Use of Data & Technology to Improve Practice
- Mr. Alex Bourne, Principal, Knox College
- Mrs. Judith Pitter, Principal, Plantation Elementary
Key Points;
- Decision-making is continuous. It is imperative that data be gathered about teachers as well as the students, as an effort is made to create an effective school. The data should be analyzed to determine areas of concern, and strengths and weaknesses.
- Leaders should analyze data and use analysis to prioritize the need of the learner. Quality prioritizing requires a thorough understanding of the curriculum. The leader should establish SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound)
- An effort must be made to increase learner-centered approach to teaching and reduce incidents of lecture type teacher centered approach. Data teams can be created that provide feedback about activities that were tried, the results should indicate if the plans that were made worked.
- The use of technology has several benefits, including the promotion of independent learning, there is easier access to information; it provides resource opportunities for students and it promotes the use of exciting visual presentations.
- Technology can be used to create forms and checklists for observations meant for data gathering purposes.
- It is important to document challenges noted during observations so that a teacher cannot falsify information when spoken to about the matter. The presenter mentioned the use of a camera to take a photograph of error on a chalkboard.
Challenges: Technological availability encourages laziness, some students forget how to study and others develop poor interpersonal skills.
Overcoming challenges: Instill responsible use of technology in students.
Need PPT from Mr. Bourne
Attachment 8Powerpoint- Management & Use of Data
Attachment 9The Data team Experience, a guide to Effective Meetings – Angela Peery, Ed.D.
Attachment 10Beyond the Numbers, Making Data Work for Teachers & School Leaders – Stephen H. White
Attachment 11Data Teams- The Big Picture, Looking at Data Teams Through a Collaborative Lens
Attachment 12Leaders Make it Happen!, An administrator’s Guide to Data Teams – Brian A. McNulty & Laura Besser