MRVED Update - October 27, 2021

MRVED Business

MRVED Meetings

October 29, 2021 - Principals' Council

November 12, 2021 - Title III Teachers (Virtual)

November 18, 2021 - Teachers' Advisory Council and Principals' Council

November 19, 2021 - Title III Paraprofessionals

November 24, 2021 - Superintendents' Council

October 20 Recap and Evaluation

The MRVED hopes that Jon Gordon's message resonated with each of you. There certainly was something there for everyone!

If you haven't already filled out the evaluation on the day, please be sure to complete that by the end of the week. The MRVED takes all feedback seriously. Our Teacher Advisory Committee combs through the survey results and makes suggestions for future professional development. Our Principals and Superintendents also review the evaluations and make suggestions and decisions based upon the feedback.

Deadline Extended for MELT 2022 Call for Presentations

The MRVED is excited to announce the return of the MELT (MRVED Educators Learning Together) Conference on January 17, 2022 to be held in-person at LqPV High School. It has been 2 years since we were last able to get together as a MRVED and we are so excited to have this opportunity to learn and grow together. There are so many talented people in the MRVED and this is your opportunity to share those talents with others. We have learned so much since the 2020 MELT that I am hoping to have a record number of local teachers presenting this year. Presenters will receive a small stipend and be able to register for sessions early to ensure they get to attend the sessions they want to attend. Please consider presenting by filling out the form linked below. The deadline has been extended to the end of the day November 3rd.

2022 MELT Call for Presentation Proposals

**Please Note: You are not committing to presenting by filling out the form. You are providing your name and idea to be considered to present.**

Resources

Empathy Maps

Empathy maps are a great way for teachers to get to know their students personally and academically. In education, an empathy map is a simple visual that captures knowledge about the behaviors, attitudes, needs, strengths, struggles, emotional states, and other key attributes of a particular student or group of students. The template and more information can be found in this Edutopia article or video by Jorge Valenzuela.

Professional Learning

101st National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference

The Centennial Celebration continues with the 101st NCSS Annual Conference. The conference, which was slated to be held in Minneapolis this year was recently moved to a virtual conference. Even though the conference was moved to a virtual one, participants can still access 100's of great sessions from some of the greatest social studies minds in the country.

You can register for the conference HERE.

Book Study

The Power of Positive Leadership - Chapters 5 & 6

Chapters 5 & 6 in The Power of Positive Leadership go hand in hand. Chapter 5 is about leading with optimism and chapter 6 is about confronting, transforming, and removing negativity. In a nutshell, its about leading with optimism and not allowing pessimism and negativity to thrive in your culture.

Jon talks about building a team that optimistic and has the same set of beliefs as the leader. He provides the example of Donna Orender, who was once the commissioner of the WNBA. Her job was to grow the WNBA. When talking about putting her team together, she says this, "You have to give people excuses to say yes. Some will be all in based on what you say. Some you need to show. For those who still didn't believe, she had to help them leave, letting them know they weren't in the right place." (Gordon 49) Think of a time in your life when you were trying to get people to follow you. You had some people with you from the start, they needed no convincing. Once you got started, you would gather a few more, because they could now see your vision. And you also had some people that didn't want to join you. In an organization, especially when trying to establish a culture, the same thing is going to happen. It's how you work with those that don't get on board that will make or break things for you.

Sometimes we have little voices in our head that tell us something can't be done, or we should quit. Dr. James Gills, a famed triathlete when talking about how he learned to complete 2 triathlons in less than 24 hours says, "I learned to talk to myself instead of listen to myself." (Gordon, 52). This is a very powerful quote. We have the power to feed ourselves positive thoughts instead of listening to the negative voices in our head. Learn to talk to yourself, not listen. Control the conversation with yourself! Jon Gordon says, "The story we tell ourselves determines the life we live" (Gordon, 55). Then, "when you see that the world has no power over you, you will lead more powerfully in the world" (Gordon, 60).

Chapter 6 talks about the "energy vampires". These are the people in the organization that suck the energy & life out of an organization. Jon Gordon says, "You must address the negativity. Confront it, transform it, or remove it." (Gordon, 71) Energy vampires and negativity can be like a cancer in your organization/classroom. Once you see it, address it before it spreads. Give the energy vampires an opportunity to change or transform before fully removing them. After all, nobody really wants to be an energy vampire. Jon Gordon also talks about his no complaining rule. It's simple, if you want to complain, provide 2 solutions as well, otherwise don't bring it up.

It also should be noted that, as a leader, you shouldn't just be getting rid of all the people that don't believe in your mission and vision. Sometimes it takes time for people to see your vision as a leader. Your job as a leader is to help these people grow & learn. Remember, some people will willingly hop on your bus needing no explanation or picture of where you are going, these people trust you as a leader fully. Some people are going to need to see the flyer or postcard explaining where you are going. They may need to ask some questions, but eventually they will get on the bus. Some people need to hear from others on the bus before they grab their seat. Some people need help making the big first step to get on the bus. Some will refuse to get on the bus. Just remember, it takes a whole team to build up a culture, but only one person to bring it down. How will you handle the few that won't get on the bus?

Think about:

1. Are you an energy vampire? Do you know an energy vampire?

2. Has there been a time where you let the energy vampires roam freely for too long?

3. A time when you overcame the voices in your head with positive speak.