The Next Right Step

A rhetorical question for educators: Have you ever felt overwhelmed?

This week, Mitch Hammersley, assistant principal at Cumberland Road Elementary gives us suggestions of what to do when you’re feeling this way—and he gives us some great information about Professional Learning Communities and Growth Mindsets.

When you are overwhelmed, think in terms of the next
right step.  The way forward may become more obvious.

From Mitch: Keep it Simple!

I like the KISS Philosophy: Keep it simple, Sally!  (Or “Keep it simple, Stupid,” depending upon your mood at the time.) Few things, however, are truly simple. I tried to keep KISS in mind several weeks ago while I attended two days of training on Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

In the evening of the training, I texted Lisa after having more than a few moments of being overwhelmed by the thoughts of everything we could or should do to prepare for implementing a formalized collaboration time next year.

The key word for a Growth Mindset: "Yet."

I shared with her a line I have to keep repeating to myself: “What’s the next right step?”

It’s a good question for just about any situation in life, I suppose.  I imagine I will often answer, “I don’t know.” But, one reoccurring theme in our training last week was that a school that is a professional learning community is founded on the growth mindset. So, let me add a “yet” to the end of that statement to make it complete. “I don’t know, yet.”

The fact is that we do know lots already and we have a good start in many areas. Next year, we will continue our work of building a shared knowledge of why we are coming together in a more focused way each Monday.

Four questions will guide the way:

It’s What We Do

All of us in the district have quite a journey ahead of us next year, and each building has something that makes it unique.  At Cumberland Road, we will have a new math resource, a new reading resource, a new writing resource, a new collaboration framework, and new students—all while going through a remodeling project! What remains constant when I view all of this change through the lens of a growth mindset is that when we work together as a community of learning professionals, there isn’t much that we can’t conquer.

Working together is not new, and it’s not a Kumbaya experience.  It is what we know is best practice for the school and for the district.  Instead of being overwhelmed, it helps me to frame the work we will do the rest of this school year and next school year as a continuation of our journey.

PLCs are the next right step.

Eye of the Tiger

"My attitude frames my reality."

With my kids gone to my mom’s for part of their Spring Break two weeks back, I was actually able to sit down and watch a movie. Who better than The Italian Stallion to remind me that the greatest enemy of the growth mindset is myself?

In what I hope is the final installment of the Rocky series, Rocky takes Adonis, Apollo Creed’s long lost son, to the mirror in the training room and asks him, “Do you see this guy in the mirror staring back at you? That’s your toughest opponent.”

How true. It’s not external factors that force me to be a certain way. My attitude frames my reality. Yo, Adrian!

Here’s to the growth mindset. It’s strengthened by looking within and by seeing challenges as opportunities for learning.  I’m thankful we get to continue our journey together as a community of learners.

Respond to Mitch at mhammersley@hse.k12.in.us

We hope you enjoyed your break.  Time flies quickly between now and the end of the year, so take full advantage of the opportunities with the students.  Thanks for all you do.

Your HSE Teaching and Learning Team

When you finish well....

• Jan Combs, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
• Stephanie Loane, Director of Elementary Education
• Tom Bell, Director of Special Education
• Jeff Harrison, Director of Educational Technology
• Phil Lederach, Director of Secondary Education