Standard 1: Professional Conduct
Standard 2: Trustworthiness
Standard 3: Unlawful Acts
An educator should abide by federal, state, and local laws and statutes.
Unethical conduct includes, but is not limited to, the commission or conviction of a felony or of any crime involving moral turpitude. As used herein, conviction includes a finding or verdict of guilty, or a plea of *nolo contendere, regardless of whether an appeal of the conviction has been sought or a situation where first offender treatment without adjudication of guilt pursuant to the charge was granted.
*no contest
The Leader in Me—Chapter 3
Stephen R. Covey
“Few things help an individual more than to place responsibility upon him and to let him know that you trust him.”—Booker T. Washington
Questions to consider for Chapter 3
What is the “ubiquitous” approach, and why does it work?
How does A.B. Combs Elementary use the 7 Habits, Baldrige tools, and data notebooks to drive student achievement and continuous school improvement?
According to Covey, what is the real key to success in creating a school like A.B. Combs?
Please relate your comment to Ethics Standard 3 or one of the questions from Chapter 3.
"Ubiquitous" means that it is built into everything the school does. I agree totally with this concept. What we do is what we do throughout; instruction, sports, social activities, etc. Leadership is included in what we do. Principles of leadership are taught, examples of leadership are displayed, leadership qualities are embedded in curriculum and daily lessons, etc.
ReplyDeleteI too agree with this approach. Everything we do must be done with the idea of navigating our school in the right direction. If we want to create leaders, we model leadership, teach leadership, and provide opportunities for leadership.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above but the one area that Cindy discussed that seems to give us the most problems is providing opportunities for leadership. Being creative in this aspect is crucial to being an effective leader. If you look at the best leaders, they tend to produce good leaders. It is imperative that with our busy schedules, paperwork, and mandates that we find the time to create such opportunites of responsibility to help fan the flames for future leaders.
ReplyDeleteEven with special education students we must place responsibility upon the student and trust them within a controlled environment. I believe, as does Muriel and the staff at A.B. Combs, the real key to success is letting students know you love them.
ReplyDeleteIn everything that we do... I like the idea of teaching leadership, but I'm not sure that we can have the best of both worlds. Covey points out that A. B. Combs looks for each students area of leadership then expects them to perform to that expectation. What if they don't? I've always felt that leadership is more than a learned skill. I think it is a quality. I agree that the 7 habits are a very good tool and I find myself going back to the book and the videos more and more which I think is the whole idea of this exercise. To make us as leaders in this system stretch beyond our comfort zones and look for new ways to lead by example. Lets look at Max's art work around his "my Goals" paper (page 59) Max shows us his comfort zone, his area of anxiety, and the area's of fear all on the boarder of the page. Go back and look. That young man captured in his simple art work the dynamic of leadership. We have to be ready to deal with each face, with each dynamic. Some happy (left side 3rd from bottom and some sad (top 4th from the end). How we deal with these tell us what kind of leader we are. Every day will not be a smiling face. It is how we apply the life skills and leadership skills to the bad days that make us good leaders.
ReplyDeleteStrong educational leaders exhibit and push traits that are demonstrated even when they are not present. Members of the faculty know and want to follow the expectations of their leaders. Often the expectations are met and then passed on down the ladder. The students who attend schools that have strong educational leaders also know the expectations. Successful leaders pass on ideas and values that others want to follow. I feel that most successful leaders realize that the school day will go on with or without them. Therefore, they must lead by example all of the time.
ReplyDeleteIn order to have a school like A.B. Combs, students need to know that teachers care about them. When this happens, students can accomplish anything they set their minds to doing. If all teachers were able to make their students feel this way, it would be amazing to see how the present world we live in would change.
ReplyDeleteWe should all strive to model leadership. Like at A.B.Combs, we should look to find the stregnths of our staffs and students and then encourage them to build on those skills. In order to accomplish this we need to make sure that leadership is in everything that we do.
ReplyDeleteAs effective leaders of our schools, one of our goals should be to make leaders out of the very students we teach and love. Like A.B. Combs, we should find ways in which to build up strong effective leaders in staff members and students. I have often contributed my strong work ethic and leadership qualities to have been given lead responsibilities as a young student. I think teachers sometimes have a difficult time releasing responsibility to their students and trusting that they will rise to the occasion. Many times, we will get what we expect out of our students.
ReplyDeletePrincipals must communicate expectations to their faculty and students. Lead by example,live what you preach. A good leader should not be intimidated and should strive to surround themselves with capable people.By creating opportunities to utilize the talent and leadership ability that surrounds you, one can only strengthen their organization.
ReplyDeleteThe real key to success at a school like A. B. Combs is that it has a solid foundation based on caring and love. The teachers want the best for the students and care enough to look for students' individual gifts and nuture the students to discover and use their gifts. The teachers not only do this for the students, but for each other as well.
ReplyDeleteI often find myself reflecting upon Covey's statement on page 11 which states that leadership principles are "focussed on helping students to take responsibility for their lives, to work with others more effectively, and to do the right thing even when no one is looking."
ReplyDeleteI like the ubiquitous strategy for any major initiative--leadership is no different! I am a firm believer that students (and teachers for that matter) will rise or fall to our expectations. If we expect our students to excel as leaders, we must model leadership, convey our belief in their success, and give them opportunities to thrive. Certainly, they will not all reach the same level--but they will soar to greater heights. Our challenge is to provide those leadership opportunities for our student, first in the classroom, and after success in this controlled environment, within the community and beyond.
Combining the ubiquitous strategy with a nurturing encouraging mentor our students will indeed mature to do the right thing--even when no one is looking!
It is vital as educators to create a loving and safe environment. We must strive to educate the "whole child." Educators must target a student's strengths and build on those while continuing to develop all areas. Successful schools are no longer defined in terms of "you and me" but in "we and us."
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ReplyDeleteEvery school has a climate that impacts everything related to the school. This attitude permeates throughout the school impacting everyone and everything. One leader with a negative attitude can shift the positive climate from one of optimism and opportunity to one of dissention and discord. Positive leaders, whether administrators,faculty, staff or students must work to ensure that these negative attitudes do not destroy the positive climate they have worked so hard to create. It is critical that positive leaders work together to create a safe, secure and loving learning environment where students and staff feel valued and are encouraged to use their talents and gifts without fear of ridicule or repercussions.
ReplyDeleteIn order to achieve "Victory In Our Schools" we must create the atmosphere for each student to find success academically and socially. When we empower a student to become more responsible, establish priorities and execute a plan for personal success we are helping the student to develop into a "whole person". Successful schools work to provide the necessary skills and opportunities for students to obtain "victory".
ReplyDeleteTeaching students to be responsible leaders is an important part of the physical education program. Keeping students involved in teamwork and decision making activities, and giving them opportunities to voice their opinions in responsible ways is a constant challenge. While striving to encourage each student to develop the leader in himself, Physical Education helps students to understand the importance of becoming more interdependent at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThe list of tools and research information used by A. B. Combs was outstanding. I was interested to note how many of the things described had been introduced to us by the Alabama Reading Initiative efforts. Reading that list and understanding them because I had been a part of their implementation in Blount County Schools was great! Our foundation too is strong as are our "doors" and "windows" in our own model of implementatin for improvment. Working together, much has been accomplished and I know even greater things are ahead!
ReplyDeleteA human being is only interesting if he's in contact with himself. I learned you have to trust yourself, be what you are, and do what you ought to do the way you should do it. You have got to discover you, what you do, and trust it.
ReplyDeleteBarbra Streisand (1942 - )
In chapter 3 it talked about having a priviate victory, then we can have a public victory. We must discover ourselves and put first things first, then we will begin to have the public victory.
I love the "ubiquitous" approach that Ch. 3 talks about. I truly believe that if something isn't brought forward in everything you do, reinforced at every turn, in other words, made a part of your culture, then it won't make a significant impact on a school or anything else. This is something difficult to achieve sometimes, because we are so used to having the initiative of the moment. The problem comes from letting that die down as the next one comes along. If it is true and lasting, then it is worthy of infusing it everywhere.
ReplyDeletePrincipals must communicate expectations to their faculty and studentsand the community they serve. Having a clear Vision is esential to being a good leader. Leaders in schools or any organization must learnto share the role of leadership and be willing to follow someone else's leadership. An effective leader can communicate their Vision through their leadership.
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ReplyDeleteThe "ubiquitous" strategy is all inclusive, not exclusive. Many times teachers have a tendency to teach one subject and not allow anything else to be brought out during the session. Once the teacher and students enter the classroom, every effort should be made to educate the "whole child" - regardless of whether or not it is in the lesson plan for the day. I realize there are guidelines/pacing guides, etc., that must be followed but we cannot allow these to restrict creativity to the point of becoming robots. If we fall victim to this, we will loose our personal touch with the students as well as our long-term effectiveness.
ReplyDeleteOn Monday, June 8, 2009, we gathered at the resource center and viewed a Covey video called "The Roots of Effectiveness". Remember, it was the one about the potato growing principles at work. Mother Nature's rules are universal: "Can't store good weather". For me personally, Covey was saying that experience teaches us: NO SHORT CUTS and we must continue to work hard. We must be prepared, competent and remember that the human element is the main ingredient and we have the ability to change. The "No Short Cuts" is resounded in the following quote from Theodore R. Size, Brown University, 1990: " Sound and rich schools will emerge in America only when we trust, nurture, and respect teachers in a manner commensurate with the importance of the calling they have chosen. There is no short cuts to achieveing educational excellence, no "teacher proof" techniques. Educational policy must start with high expectations for schools and ample trust in professionals." Policymakers must ponder the importance of the profession of education and those that teach the future!
ReplyDeleteThe real key to success at A.B. Combs was that the school had to have a "culture of caring" to be successful. I see examples all the time at school of how showing a student love can make all the difference. Sometimes it is the only time love is shown to that student during his or her day. It's so easy to get caught up in performing our duties and moving on in a cold, controlled way. I've made a conscious decision to try to stop and show more caring for the students as people this year, and it has paid off. How would you want your child treated? That's not to say you become a doormat. Tough love is still love, as long as you communicate that to the student. I don't think many of us could be cursed by a student, as in the A.B.Combs example, and simply overlook it. I disagree totally with that idea presented in the book.
ReplyDeleteI was impressed with A. B. Combs’ strategy of Developing Leaders One Child at a Time. It seems that they effectively used the 7 Habits and the Baldrige tools to form a foundation of respect and mutual trust. This love and respect permeated everything they did and made their leadership model thrive. All of us could benefit from intensifying this “culture of caring.”
ReplyDeleteIn any setting especially a school attitude of everyone is very important. The foundation or attitude must begin at the top meaning administrators. If everyone is to get on board the teachers and students must believe in everything thing that is going on to lay the trust and caring for the programs to work. As an administrator , I try to show the teachers and students that they mean alot to me and that I love and care about their lives when they are at school or away from here. We are always striving to the best school in both academics and our extra curricular activites
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that we are born with leadership abilities, those abilities must be nurtured and developed over time. As educators it is not only our responsiblity to demonstrate leadership but to help develop future leaders
ReplyDeleteAs administrators we need to remember the importance of all the things we do and how they affect the total school program. When you hire someone, design a bus schedule, develop a budget, or operate the lunchroom program, you should ask yourself, “How does this affect teaching and learning in our school?” That is the priority—it should always be first. At A. B. Combs, they realized this and they used the 7 Habits tools to implement this vision. I think the data notebooks were a great visual reminder of the process.
ReplyDeleteOne of the key components of A.B. Combs was the constancy of purpose. This stood out for me because the staff designed a path for growth and then determined which areas were constants and which were negotiable. A lack of steadfast vision undermines trust.
ReplyDeleteWhile a clear cut set of constants facilitates a trust in the education environment in the community as well as in the school staff. Therefore, it is imperative that the administrator have a clear understanding of the constants in the educational plan.
The Ubiquitous Strategy - built into everything the school (or system) does. When I read this section of chapter 3, the first thing that came to my mind was Blount County's Beliefs:
ReplyDelete- Learning should be the primary focus of our schools.
- All students can learn when provided with quality instruction.
- Students should be actively engaged in the learning process.
- Our schools should be safe and positive learning environments.
- We must commit ourselves to continuous improvement.
- Education is a partnership among schools, families, and communities.
We have the tools to grow student leaders if each of us, administrators and teachers, would simply make these beliefs Ubiquitous - built into everything the school (or system) does. I believe that if these beliefs were actively practiced in our daily contact with students, those students would be confident in their ability to learn and grow and Blount County Schools would produce students confident in their leadership abilities and ready to face the world.
As educators, we should seek to be the example of what we expect from our students. Students that believe that they are treated in a fair and consistent manner tend to respond to the guidance that they are receiving. As leaders in schools, we should seek to have the same relationship with our faculty, fair and consistent treatment of all employees. If we set these standards high for ourselves and our employees our students will be exposed to a strong ethical example based in fairness and equality.
ReplyDeleteThe culture of caring is the foundation for the success that A.B. Combs enjoys. Each teacher, staff member and administrator pulling together to reach all students, no matter what their issues/backgrounds might be. We must consider each child in the classroom and look upon them as if they were our own. Setting their goals high and seeking the best of them will encourage students to perform at a higher level and allow them to rise to meet your expectations.
ReplyDeleteJim Kilgore -- I seem unable to get my blog in, so I'm borrowing Beverly's site.
ReplyDeleteThe Ubiquitous approach is the idea that the goal is prevalent throughout the school setting. The masaic, the cut outs, the repeated motto, and the incorporation in numerous lesson units from kindergarten letters (P)and the physical education classes all demonstrate a repition of the theme. This works because it is always on the minds of the learning community and merged into its actions.
7Habits
As demonstrated by their bluprint drawing, 7Habits and the Baldridge Tools form the foundation for all else the school does. The data notebooks offer guidance and refleciton whether for individual achievement or group successes. The reflection leads the learning community toward greater achievement through analysis. Since the school claims "data dreives everything," the notebooks help quantify success, as determined by individual and school-wide goals.
Covey asserts that the key to success is the culture of caring. I have often said that I like to think that every student has someone at my school to whom they may go for advice and help. I have known teachers, coaches, and bus drivers who have filled that role. I suspect that, for some, it may be maintenance, cleaning, clerical, or lunchroom staff.
The first thing a child notices is whether a teacher cares about them or not. In most situations even involving special need students children respond positively when they know someone cares about them. Therefore by letting children know we care as they do at A.B.Combs we can develop the "culture of caring" for Blount County children.
ReplyDeleteAs one person said, faculty, staff and students tend to rise or fall to our expectations. The ubiquitous approach lends itself to expecting a lot out of others and then teaching them how to achieve their full potential. It can't be something that is brought out once or twice a week for a few minutes. Our whole approach to education has to be getting the most out of everyone, letting them meet their full potential. So I would agree that successful schools and systems provide the skills and opportunities for our students to succeed as leaders.
ReplyDeleteWhether its the quality tools at A.B.Combs, or the business plan for any organization anywhere, components for success are the same: setting goals, making better decisions, problem solving, and self-monitoring for progress
ReplyDeleteThe ubiquitous approach is a great way to build the Seven Habits into our lives as a true habit. Otherwise it would just be a charade. As professionals, we should live good character in front of our students so it would also be easy to incorporate the seven habits in the same manner. A.B. Combs used the ubiquitous approach so it would not have to be one more thing that the teachers had to teach. The Baldrige tools and data notebook, along with the Seven Habits, help to provide a visible way that the students can track their own progress. This is a visual reminder to keep striving to be a better student which will automatically raise grades/standardized testing scores. The culture of caring is the real key to success in creating a school like A. B. Combs.
ReplyDeleteAs part of the total school program the CNP must commit to continuous improvement. Each Manager is encouraged to use their leadership talents and lead by example. The most successful programs are those that operate a 'culture of caring' for both students and staff.
ReplyDeleteThe ubiquitous approach is a powerful, focused approach. When applied by a school leader leading improvement, can accomplish great change, but even more so, when applied by an outstanding school improvement team.
ReplyDeleteStandard 3 should be an easy one for educators to follow. However in today's society it seems that their is always someone from the education field in the media that cannot follow this standard. As teachers we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. How can we expect our students to achieve high expectations if we do not demonstrate this in our own lives? We are constantly under scrutiny from our students, parents, other teachers, and our community. Our schools are a reflection of the people who work there. We must take every opportunity to show the positive things that are going on in our school systems.
ReplyDeleteAs an assistant principal it is easy to find yourself looking for students doing wrong. When we go to evaluate the teachers they feel we are looking for what they are doing wrong. In order to have a school like A.B. Combs we must change this mind set and let students and staff know what they are doing right and build on that.
ReplyDeleteThis approach represents the fact that all members of the learning community buy in to the idea that everyone is capable of modeling behavior from top down. It is imperative that leaders model ethical behavior for our constituents, and not just tell them what is expected of them. The "do as I say, not as I do," approach will only take your learning community so far.
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