GSU Blogger - Dr. J. Kahrs

Last week, I attended a three day training session on project based learning. I attended this training with eight other teachers from my building. Half of the teachers were weary and unhappy about the training. They felt that this "PBL" business would cause chaos in their classroom, require way too much planning, and would not allow for them to teach the students. I kept saying to keep an open mind and hear what the facilitators had to say. Day one was rough, lots of small talk and negative statements out of mouths. By day two, the mindset began to shift and teachers began to realize the PBL was not chaos but a way to integrate multiple subjects into a project that will assess student understanding. By the end of day three, nobody wanted to leave. We walked out of the training with a PBL that we all created that will be implemented in classrooms next year. We created a project that doesn't take away from the learning but rather enhances it. The PBL is integrated into sma...

I'd like to ask for some candid feedback from some of you that are currently APs. We've been learning about the crucial role of the principal as instructional leader in the school, but aside from TKES evaluations, how much do you really lead and support teachers to improve instruction? Do you conduct PL workshops or teach model lessons in the teachers' classrooms? Do teachers actually come to you and say "Hey, do you have any ideas for an integrated lesson design for our lesson on these standards?"?  The reason I'm asking is that I'm starting an administrative internship next week, and I know that it could potentially lead to an AP position. Honestly, there's not very much about the AP job that I find attractive except being in a position to lead and support and help other teachers to do their jobs well and enjoy coming to work everyday.  Am I naive to think that I will actually be able to do that? I think I could make a significant and positive impac...

On the fence about becoming an assistant principal.  Today we only have one administrator in the building and I, along with our instructional coaches, was asked to help out. While I am excited about this, I am finding it difficult to actually function in this role. For instance, I had a student blatantly disregard something I asked her to do. It wasn't a major thing, but there was no course of action for me to follow since I don't have the authority to really do anything except send her to the only administrator here. If I were actually the assistant principal, I would be able to call her into my office and take appropriate action. Since I am already not sure I want to be an assistant principal, this incident made me really question if being an assistant principal is for me.  what I would like to hear is how you, as an assistant principal, really feel about the job. I am worried about having to deal with the students, teachers and parents. 

During my Masters and Specialist programs, I worked very hard and enjoyed the process.  However, I was a classroom teacher and a Special Education Lead Teacher working in an elementary school with early hours. I was able to manage all of my students and hours worked at the school. I moved to Middle School and in my second year I was promoted to Lead Teacher.  Middle School is a BEAST!  Administrators were constantly calling me to come "NOW!" to resolve some crisis.  Be that as it may, my special education compliance work was unfinished; therefore, I had to stay after 4:30 p.m. to complete the tasks given me from the district.  The hours passed and it's now 9:30 p.m. on several nights and I'm still not done.  I get home to attempt to study...I pass out. Everyday for the first semester, I am the first person in the parking lot and the last person the leave the school.  Yes, school was effected. I would like to thank Dr. Kahrs for coming out to my sch...

Sitting here I can't help but think about the lack of diversity in my school system i.e. teachers of color (Latino, African-American, Asian, etc.) and male teachers in the classroom as well as in administration.  I can't help but wonder why the disparities.  Is this population not wanting to teach or become an administrator?  Is this population not qualified to teach or lead?  The questions can go on and on.  The question is....how can effective quality teaching and leadership be maintained without diversity?  I really don't understand why we don't see the importance of staff matching student demographics. Is diversity MIA in your schools?  Please share any and all recruitment strategies or suggestions. 

     A few years ago in one of my graduate courses I was assigned to read Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton. Just recently, all of the administrators in my district received a similar book entitled StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. The latter book is claimed to be a “new and improved” version. Both books help readers to uncover their talents and stress the importance in developing their strengths instead of focusing on their shortcomings. After completing an on-line StrengthsFinder assessment (you have to purchase a book to receive an access code), I received my top five talents in which I totally agree with all five. Now, I have access to resources that will help me apply my strengths. Do you think people should focus on their strengths as oppose to their weaknesses in the workplace? What about in a school setting? Should teachers focus on students’ strengths instead of areas of weaknesses? 

I sit in the parent center at the school where I do my practicum and I watch the students and the teachers walk by.  The children are smiling, laughing, hopping on the squares (when the teachers aren't looking); they are on their way to specials.  The teachers are not so energetic.  They are stressed and they are tired.  You can see the wheels turning as they walk by, planning what they need to get accomplished during this "break". We are facing an impending teacher shortage in our state and in this country with teachers leaving the field in record numbers, and young students entering college not even considering the field of education.  As Educational Leaders, what can we do to head off this all too soon coming crisis?

With the new year upon us we are embarking on something new for next year. I am sure many of you have heard of personalized learning. We have a very veteran staff that seems lukewarm to the idea already. I want to know from those of you who have implemented this program already what are the positives and negatives. Do not hold back.

The most timely news event is the publishing of the survey results by the GA DOE questioning why teachers drop out of teaching and why there is currently such a high attrition rate. Over 53,000 teachers responded, and the highest participation came from teachers in the field from 11 - 16 years. The highest ranked reasons for teachers leaving were prevalence of mandated assessments and the current teacher evaluation practice. Please offer comments on your thoughts and responses to the report. What does it mean for the state of the teaching profession? Will the proposed compensation changes be affected by this survey? Should they be affected by the survey? GA Teacher Attrition Survey

January brought many changes at school. First, we cut our STEAM stations down from 5 days a week to one day a week. We began implementing instructional focus time 4 days a week and hold weekly collaborative planning sessions with each grade level (includes administration and coaches). Oh yeah, we also went to breakfast in the classroom to add more instructional time to the day. Students pick up their breakfast from the mobile carts and take it straight to their room. This was all brought to the faculty before the Christmas break, and some where weary and afraid. Others were excited, and then there were those whom you can never please. However, after almost two weeks of the new changes, there seems to be a feeling of calm coming over the building. The kinks with new scheduling has seemed to smooth out, breakfast is over and done with much fast than last semester, and teachers have now realized the importance of instructional focus. I am eager to see how the third quarter pans out...

Blog Post Comment on Posts January 18 Jones, Pair, Reeves, Williams H., Williams T., Glausier, Martin Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwards, Joe Gamble January 25 Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwards, Joe Gamble Jones, Pair, Reeves, Williams H., Williams T., Glausier, Martin February 1 Jones, Pair, Reeves, Williams H., Williams T., Glausier, Martin Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwards, Joe Gamble February 8 Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwards, Joe Gamble Jones, Pair, Reeves, Williams H., Williams T., Glausier, Martin February 15 Jones, Pair, Reeves, Williams H., Williams T., Glausier, Martin Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwards, Joe Gamble February 22 Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwar...