What Great Leaders Do Differently 2016

Brent Catlett (@catlett1) and Brad MacLaughlin (@IsdBrad) led a great session at #edcampliberty, What Great Leaders Do Differently in 2016. I really enjoyed the discussion. It was everything EdCamp should be. There was enthusiastic participation from the room. Lots of great ideas were shared. 

In fact, several ideas were actually applauded. How cool is it that educators are gathering on a Saturday morning to discuss leadership and cheer each other on? The session gave me plenty of inspiration for this post.

So what do great leaders do differently in 2016?

1. They lead themselves first. Instead of focusing on managing others, they lead by example and model the qualities they would like to see in others.

If I am going lead anyone, I have to lead myself first via @IsdBrad #edcampliberty

— Brent Catlett (@catlett1) March 12, 2016

2. Great leaders take risks. They view failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. Great leaders make others feel safe to try something new. They understand setbacks.

3. They come from every corner of the school (students, teachers, support staff, etc.—not just admin). Leadership is more about disposition than position. Great leaders help develop new leaders and share leadership roles with others.

As a principal, I realize the best chance of sustainable, meaningful change only happens with strong teacher leadership. #edcampliberty

— David Geurin (@DavidGeurin) March 12, 2016

4. Great leaders are flexible. They see problems as opportunities. They are comfortable with ambiguity.

5. They are present. The entire school is their office. Traditional leaders might manage from behind a desk, but 2016 leaders can work from anywhere.

School leaders need to be visible and available for both teachers and students. #edcampliberty

— Scott Miller (@Miller_BHS) March 12, 2016

6. Great leaders are instructional leaders. They are out of the office for a reason—to be supportive of learning.

7. They are authentic. They admit mistakes. They are self-aware. They know their strengths and weaknesses. 

8. Great leaders are digital leaders. They recognize what it takes to succeed in a digital world. They are modeling the use of digital tools.

9. They are quick to give credit. And even quicker to shoulder blame.

Great leaders share the credit and shoulder the blame. Tweet this image.

10. Great leaders know their stuff. They are lead learners. They remain curious and are always seeking to learn.

11. They listen. And strive to understand. They lead with empathy. They lead with heart.

Leaders learning alongside teachers impacts change in school systems! It is about listening and the conversation! @catlett1 #edcampliberty

— Tracey Kracht (@TraceyKracht) March 12, 2016

12. Great leaders help others reach their goals. They don't impose their own goals or organizational goals. They start with helping individuals grow.

13. They generate enthusiasm. They have a great attitude, have great energy, and inspire others to be stronger and more enthusiastic too.

A common theme seemed to be that schools should be 'flat' organizations instead of hierarchies. And leaders should be working alongside other team members, in classrooms and hallways, and not separate from them. We need more great leaders for 2016 and beyond. Judging by the group at #edcampliberty this shouldn't be a problem!

Question: What are your thoughts on great leaders for 2016? What do they do differently? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or share on or .

Poplular Posts Everyone's Reading #ICYMI

Listed below are some of the most popular posts from my site over the last month or so. By far, the article with the most views was 9 Ways to Make Learning Irresistible. In the post, I share ideas about finding a place of flow in the classroom, where the learner is totally engaged in the work. Check it out to see what you think about creating this type of experience for students.

The other posts were on a whole variety of topics. I tend to write about all sorts of things related to my work as a high school principal. And of course, one of the posts was from a guest blogger, Amber Dlugosh. She shared her experience getting students more fully invested in reading. We had a ton of feedback from readers, so that was exciting for sure.

If you see something here that looks interesting, I hope you'll check it out. And be sure to leave a comment or otherwise connect with me on Twitter or Facebook. I would love to hear from you.

Title	Views
9 Ways to Make Learning Irresistible February 21	7151
9 Reasons Every Educator Should Embrace Change January 24	3444
Guest Post: 6 Assumptions That Were Killing Reading in My Classroom February 8	2379
Good Leaders Know How to Get Out of the Way February 14	1781
11 Positive Tips for Dealing With Difficult Parents February 16	1548
17 Powerful Leadership Thoughts from #METC16 February 11	1461
Your Classroom Deserves to Get Noticed January 31	1206

Guest Post: 5 Ways to Create the Next Generation Library

Guest Post by Bobbie Wooderson

People don't have to visit a library anymore to access information. As a result, successful libraries are adapting to the needs of today's students. The overarching purpose of the school library is still to support literacy and learning, but the modern approach to these goals can look very different than the libraries of yesteryear. I've described five ways we've evolved our space into a next generation library.

1. Enlist brilliance

Every new idea for the library begins with input from students. Everything from the decor, to our Bolivar HS Makerspace, to reorganizing our fiction collection by genre. My students are brilliant, and when I empower them, they come up with ideas I would've never considered. They also share responsibility to carry through the ideas they develop. It has helped create an ownership of the space and has resulted in students promoting the library to their peers. Students feel this is THEIR space! Students are fostering a library community built out of their imaginations. They have helped transform a once traditional library into a high traffic collaboration space filled with creativity. See our Genius Hour group play this out!

(oh and we play music and let them eat in here too..shhh)

2. Repurpose, Reuse, Rebudget

I repurpose everything I can! And I beg for donations. Updating our library to a more current look started with just two cans of paint, two cans of spray paint, and a handful of artsy students and parents. We looked at every white space, blank window, etc. and asked, “How can we use it to promote reading?” Even though we set out to “design on a dime,” I think we did it for pennies.

When we needed a little more money for updated furniture, I surveyed teachers and students to see what online resources they were actually using. As a result, we didn’t renew a couple of our online subscriptions, and this provided the budget to buy eight new couches and funky Ikea lights. It is now a welcome “sanctuary” as the students like to call the space. We stretched our budget by redirecting library funds based on patron feedback. 

3. Focus on the customer

I encourage my students to “treat our visitors like customers.” We want them to walk in happy, and walk out happy with their “purchases.” Whether it’s helping with Chromebooks or finding the perfect book, I expect our student workers to smile, be friendly, and always be available to help. We also work diligently to promote our “products.” We are using Instagram and Twitter for book talks, shout-outs, peer-to-peer suggestions, and staff picks. We market the library and our books to our patrons enthusiastically. And it’s working. We’ve enjoyed circulation increases the last two years and our reading culture is growing stronger. We are creating an inviting atmosphere and teaching students “soft skills” for their future interpersonal interactions. 

4. Bring in the SWAT team

This year our school went 1:1 with Chromebooks. You might think our library would be less busy now with the removal of desktop computers and whole class reserves. Think again! The hub for Chromebooks has become our library. Our newly established SWAT (students working to advance technology) team is helping with any Chromebook/Google needs for students and staff. They will also be learning how to do basic repairs soon. Next year, our giant over-sized circulation desk will become the “help desk." Our library is now the go-to place for learning and technology support.

5. Collaborate like a crazy person!

I love my colleagues. Every day they amaze me with their creativity and passion for making learning purposeful. Along with our students, these like minded educators are the reason our library flourishes. When we heard phrases like “I hate to read,” I collaborated with other teachers to find new ways to put the fire back into reading. Check out my literary partner in crime Amber Dlugosh to find out more about it. Through this collaboration a fun new class launched, Reading Cafe. Check it out on my very bearded buddy, Andy Love's podcast.

Last but not least….my biggest fan is my principal! He believes in our library, supports our innovations, promotes our program, understands setbacks, and guides us by example as a reader and leader.

Collaboration and feedback guides every decision, every purchase, every change in our library. Bolivar High School Library is committed to making our library outstanding for the next generation patron!

Bobbie Wooderson is Library Media Specialist at Bolivar High School. She is passionate about reading, learning, innovation, and student ownership. Although she has worked in the Bolivar district for a number of years, she is in her 2nd year at BHS. In this short time, she has made a remarkable impact. She has been a leader for Genius Hour, makerspace, and modern library design. And, of course, she has been a champion of reading and research in our building.

http://bwooderson.wix.com/bhslibrary

https://twitter.com/bwooderson




Question: How has your library changed to meet current needs? If there were no barriers, what would your school library be like? I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below, or respond on or .