Lessons from a Detroit Carcass

Detroit Southwestern High School, 1969; 

Yale 1973; Univ. of Michigan

School of Medicine - Neurosurgery 1977

The PHOTO ESSAY version of this content can be found by clicking HERE.

How Neglect Can Teach Detroit about Investing in Children

In a perverse way it is fitting to examine the remains of a high school whose mascot was a Prospector and whose most famous graduate is running for President of the United States. After all, prospectors explore in the name of advancement as evidenced by Detroit Southwestern graduate and presidential hopeful Dr. Ben Carson.

My expedition of the lifeless corpse reveals a different reality - one about about unforgivable failure and the absence of optimism that we expect schools to nurture.

The photographs of Detroit Southwestern High School included below were taken this summer, three years after the school closed. The school fell prey to scrappers around the same time the City of Detroit filed for bankruptcy. Once the heart of the neighborhood, Detroit Southwestern High School became a two-story symbol of failure in a broken city.

The sign in front of the shell that was Detroit Southwestern High School 

reminds me of Chernobyl - frozen in time. It reads, "Good Attendance 
Equals Good Grades"  How about no attendance? What does that equal?

The filthy soot of abandonment and the feculence of neglect cover the campus. Beyond the broken glass and empty door frames there are relics of life - grade scales on the wall, motivational posters about teamwork and notebooks with messy scribbling. Empty lockers and leaves dancing to the wind whistling through the hallways where boys and girls used to laugh made me feel hollow.

Detroit's 139-square miles includes more than 140 schools 

that have closed in the last decade. 

All over Detroit dozens of abandoned schools are windowless tombstones casting shadows that reach into the yards where Detroit kids imagine the future. When hopelessness claims chalk boards and school libraries, the community suffers. When a demoralizing sense of desperation takes root in children, the causalities are measured in lost opportunities and crime rates.

Kids on a playground in Detroit. Scrappers stole the swing-set chains.

Inside the schools that remain open, inadequate health and safety standards are a constant reminder to Detroit students that education has little value and their school may be left for dead, just like the others. The media-hyped comeback for the Motor City should also include a realistic accounting for the despair of Detroit children who have been suffering for too long. Thankfully DPS teachers are fighting for social justice and drawing national attention to this crisis.

Imagine the anguish for children who are tempted by messages that they are expendable. This week Ellen DeGeneres generously stepped up to help Spain Elementary School in Detroit with a half million dollar donation. She demonstrated that she understands Detroit children are important. Her actions deserve praise and I am hopeful it is a call to action for others to be heard in the political process. We need to speak out and encourage solutions for the hundreds of Detroit children who are being cast aside and deprived of a quality education.

If we fail to stand up to the injustice, more schools will become soulless shells serving as harbingers of a failed social contract.
 
Vandalized schools remind children that neglect is normal and abandonment is part of their fate. When the stench of failure hangs in the air, children facing tough odds do not care about assurances from politicians. They deserve action, not well wishes and comments about who deserves the blame.

In too many Detroit classrooms where ambition is supposed to meet academics, a revolving door of substitute teachers and high classroom sizes leads to lost opportunities.


A lack of educational resources and incomprehensibly poor special education services tells Detroit students that they are not worthy. School is merely another stop in a long line of confusing set-backs.

Meager access to twenty-first century technology hurts Detroit children. Students are at a disadvantage when educational needs become an afterthought because the priorities demand we tackle health and safety issues first.


Rodents, broken windows, mold, heating and cooling issues and unsafe playgrounds are proof to Detroit children that their needs have been forgotten by elected leaders. Worse yet, student success goes in the loss column when appointed officials balance budgets by trimming the "excess" - things like academic materials, improved technology, additional highly qualified teachers and adequate pay for professional educators.

Sure, a resilient plant can grow out of the hood of a car, 

but why should it have to?    

Hundreds of dedicated DPS teachers have joined community leaders and families as the last line of defense in the battle for Detroit's future as elected and appointed officials have shamefully failed to solve countless problems. These courageous Detroit teachers deserve credit for drawing national attention to government failure. 

The determination of Detroit teachers confronting injustice inspires people throughout Michigan. Beyond the professional contributions Detroit teachers have made to enrich lives, they have demonstrated that their collective call for action is born out of warranted concern. Their critics may frame their cries for help as an inconvenience, but DPS teachers refuse to back down in their effort to serve others.

Let me be clear that the photographs offered here represent failure on many levels but they do not represent the deplorable conditions within currently operating DPS schools. By examining photographs of Detroit Southwestern High School, a school that that was bustling with students for more than seven decades, we can gain insight to the education crisis facing Detroit. I hope my photography will help you see what is at stake for Detroit.

Improving Detroit schools and standing up for the children in our largest city is vital to the future of Michigan. The politics of choosing sides needs to be replaced with the politics of urgency and compassion. 

The discourse about how quality schools fit into our communities needs to include solutions regarding the massive educational inequity we see across Michigan. The conversation about making education a priority for Michigan in the future begins by working together to fix Detroit today.

Detroit is much more than a collection of photographs or front-page stories about lost hope or revitalization. The conflicting narratives are a reflection of the complexity of the Motor City. In order for Michigan to thrive, we must value education with action, not just political talking points.

My aim is not to tell you who or what Detroit is or can be, but to invite you into a conversation about the role education will play in the future of Michigan. In light of the Flint water crisis and the dreadful state of too many Michigan school districts, we need to work together to heal our state.

"Seek Knowledge. Think College." 
As if it is really that simple...  

From the dirt roads across rural Michigan to urban neighborhoods and every suburb and town in between, Michigan children deserve advocates who will invest in their future. Our leaders need to gain trust by putting children first and reaching out to people who suffer in silence. Detroit Public School teachers have provided all of us with a blueprint for that advocacy.

Turn down the volume on the noisy politics out of Lansing so you can hear the cries of Detroit children who deserve the promise of opportunity.
   

Detroit Southwestern High School

Home of the Prospectors

Photography By Nick Gregory

Hard fall, Detroit Southwestern High School

4 the kids, Detroit Southwestern High School

Im dead, Detroit Southwestern High School

Detroit vs You, Detroit Southwestern High School

Passing time, Detroit Southwestern High School

When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, Detroit Southwestern High School

Ghost, Detroit Southwestern High School

Auditorium, Detroit Southwestern High School

Class dismissed, Detroit Southwestern High School

No Excuses, Detroit Southwestern High School

We are what we repeatedly do ... Jalen Rose, NBA star.
Detroit Southwestern High School Class of 1991

Monday Notes: For we are all equally human, 
Detroit Southwestern High School

Schools out, Detroit Southwestern High School

Success, Detroit Southwestern High School

Detention, Detroit Southwestern High School

Lost and found -
The caged bird sings at Detroit Southwestern High School

Authors Note: If you like photography, check out this Pulitzer Prize winning photo essay by Manny Crisostomo set at Detroit Southwestern High School in 1988. Schools are the lifeline of our communities and his incredible work honors that fact.  


ABOUT THE AUTHOR of CIVICS ENGAGED: Nick Gregory has been a social studies and journalism teacher at Fenton High School since 2000 and he has been a National Writing Project Teacher consultant and a junior varsity basketball coach since 2003. Gregory is a Michigan Education Voice Fellow and he has exhibited photography related to Detroit and social justice causes since 2011. Gregory, who has a Masters degree in Educational Leadership, believes that building positive relationships helps students find their passion for learning. You can follow him on Twitter @CivicsEngaged.

Let Go or Be Dragged

The issues raised in this blog are not specifically motivated by the policies within my own school or within my district. I write about many topics that are often related to discussions with educators who do not work in my school district. This blog in no way is intended to reflect solely on any specific leaders or my place of employment. 

The calendar's shortest month is a teachers longest month. Sandwiched between Christmas break and spring break, the endless stream of dark February mornings can take a toll on our psyche. Hanging on and making the most of the learning experience until winter thaws requires a mindful approach.   

This magnet on our refrigerator at home serves as a daily
reminder that I always have a choice about my attitude. 
Sometimes the best thing we can do is to let go, 
hit the reset button and move forward. 

For me that means I "let go" of distractions at work and I focus with precision on the things that really matter. I began doing this out of necessity a few years ago and I am more fulfilled as a result.

Issues in which I have no control or influence never even make it to my inbox. And when it comes to influencing others I carefully assess how I can get the most bang for my buck.

This is not an act of defiance or me thumbing my nose at leadership. I am talking about intentionally hitting the reset button and refusing to accept survival mode. I avoid the litany of distractions that seem to surface at this time of the year. In February, efficiency and fun - often seen as opposing forces - are both at a premium.

Letting go of the following frustrations has made me a better teacher because I am more focused on the students I serve:

• Teacher evaluations - An inquisitive 13-year-old could see past the well-intentioned legislation and recognize that the words on paper do not match reality. In too many districts, teacher evaluations that could get to the heart of teacher growth and improved student learning have been an abysmal failure. Don't believe me? Ask teachers from different buildings and different school districts. If you really want to know, check in with teachers employed in schools where teachers are being laid off based on faulty evaluation protocols. Fixing this mess while sitting in the middle of it is impossible. Let go. For now. 

• Short-sighted "quick fixes" - School districts adopt ideas without input and then we pretend to be on board until things just kind of "drift away" and new ideas replace the old ones. We do a good job of meeting the minimum expectations, which flies in the face of what we are trying to teach our students. It is difficult to get a feel for what is really important if the communication is poor and the resources are stretched too thin. The status quo is easy. Respectful inquiry with an eye on progress simply does not thrive in group-think settings. Let go. 

• Frustrated Parents Playing the Blame Game - This is rare in my experience, but I know it can be a nightmare without support and guidance. When it happens I remind myself that doing right is more important than being right. These are opportunities to educate parents, and as teachers we are professionally equipped to educate and learn. Having witnessed some skillful administrators navigate these situations first-hand has helped me improve in this aspect of my craft. I am pro-active and empathetic and that defuses most conflicts. When difficult people require my attention in February I do my best to do what is right and I stay mindful of the fact that I am tired. Then I let go.  

• Administrators too busy to notice - I get frustrated that many of the good things that my colleagues do appear to be taken for granted by our leadership. It's not intentional and I have the ability to shine a light on the great things happening in education (Maybe my next blog will highlight some of my colleagues who inspire me?). In other words, I cannot afford to be too busy to notice. I am not even certain leadership is taking things for granted and I remind myself it could be a communication challenge more than a gratitude deficiency. A culture of creativity and empowerment is worth fostering and that does not require a specific job title to get it going. That's on me. It is energizing to offer genuine praise to others and I turn to gratitude and praising others when I get the winter blues. Time to let go of disappointment in school leaders.   

• Contract Negotiations - This is difficult because I have often felt the negotiation process is a direct reflection of how teachers are valued. Thankfully, how we are valued by students day to day has nothing to do with the employee contract and the hard work that goes into good faith negotiations. When I have strong feelings or animosity about school business I work very hard to consciously let go once I have taken some type of action.   

• Bad Days - How does it go? First Attempt In Learning = F.A.I.L.  So, if the bad day was due to a risk or trying something new then it probably wasn't a bad day after all. If the bad day was due to something else, it's normal with so many variables at play in teaching. I try to find the humor in those situations, especially in February when everyone seems a bit worn down. February is the time to take yourself less seriously and reach out to others and share experiences. It's also a time to focus on letting go. 

• Legislation out of Lansing - Pay attention. Engage. Be respectful. Speak up. Vote in every election. Repeat. 

Exploring should be part of our job description
as teachers. I decided I to create my own job 
description and it has made all the difference 
in my career.  Photo by me. 

Finding my niche 

I enjoy exploring different ways to express my ideas and elevate my voice. In the process I want to help others discover their voice. I am inspired by colleagues who live their passion as educators without falling victim to a culture of compliance.

Engaging in writing and photo-journalism projects gives me an outlet and connection to a greater purpose. I value exercising professional judgment about how I manage my time and I replace the mundane with creative outlets where I can have a broad impact. This has made my career more fulfilling and I am a better teacher for recognizing and walking away from the unimportant things that suck the life out of teachers. 

When I wrote about the crisis facing Detroit Public Schools and the failures of our state governor, the opportunity to share and discuss the topic was energizing. There is no substitute for dialogue in our profession. Writing about mentorship and mindfulness pushed me to articulate professional values that ultimately help students. Even this blog entry helps me prepare for handling the rest of February with an eye on improving.

The time dedicated to arbitrary "school business" that has nothing to do with student success has virtually disappeared. My writing and photography help me stay focused on students and building positive relationships. Basically, I devote most of my energy to honor why I teach and how I can promote learning as a meaningful experience. I am not interested in proving I can check off boxes.   

In a rut? Try Twitter. Endless ideas and connections that promote
collaboration. Look into #COLchat or #MichEd  as great places to start. 
You can connect with a new community of leaders and learners.
Twitter has been a useful tool for me.  Art by Liz Francis

With a nudge from the Michigan Educator Voice Fellowship, I turned to Twitter this year to build relationships and learn from other teachers. I regularly interact with educators in Twitter chats that support our profession. I explore education topics on a nation-wide scale and my interaction on Twitter has increased my motivation and confidence. My Twitter colleagues give my learning more meaning. They also raise my self-awareness about my need to improve. In terms of professional development, my Twitter community has helped me approach challenges with more creativity than my brick and mortar PD experiences.

Twitter has been a risk worth taking for me and my students. I post several tweets every week with our class hashtag (#fhsSS) to supplement our learning. Students regularly contribute and I get great feedback. An unplanned Twitter community grew out of our learning and we explore class topics on student terms. I love it. Twitter gives us a voice, a community of learners and access to loads of information. I have made room for new learning by letting go of old concerns and embracing an unplanned experience.

What it Means to Let Go  

As an educator, "letting go" simply means I have found a new place for the situations that were more likely to control me than the other way around. I am typically a glass-half-full kind of guy, but even I have to admit that life as a school employee has too much uncertainty without built-in incentives to take risks. I decided to write and execute my own job description and I make sure I build in some risk, laughter and time to reflect.

Moving forward together in our schools requires an honest 
evaluation of our priorities. In the absence of clear priorities 
we should simply create our own. Photo by me.

Teachers are not the only ones dealing with the prospect of getting worn out by moving targets and mandates that water down the culture of learning. For school administrators who battle being reduced to "middle management" tasking away at the day, it is difficult to keep up with education reform.

If we are not vigilant about recognizing our priorities, that sense of authenticity that makes our profession so great can fall victim to an institutional mindset. 

As a state, we need to change the way we address education policy. According to Education Trust-Midwest, Michigan is in the bottom 20% for funding equity and the bottom 10 % for reading levels among fourth grade students. The Michigan suspension rate for African-American students is the third highest in the nation and we have nearly 100,000 students attending schools led by state-appointed financial managers. It cannot be denied that we need to do better as a state.

The Common Core is a step in the right direction, and unfortunately the ideas coming out of Lansing have little to do with the principles behind the Common Core. Michigan has beefed up the teacher evaluation process and promoted policies that increase charter school enrollment. The problem with these priorities is that many school districts fail to carry out the new teacher evaluation expectations with any degree of consistency or emphasis on growth. Charter schools are not meeting student needs any better than their public school counterparts and there is a lack of trust in the state government to do what is best for Michigan children (Flint and Detroit come to mind most recently).

February is the perfect time to step back and decide where you want to 
put your energy. In the big picture, choose wisely what you let go of 
today in order to avoid being needlessly dragged. Photo by me

Educators can spend countless hours reading spread sheets intended to measure student growth, evaluate student data centers and check the box that indicates a learning target was appropriately provided. None of those "measures" help us adequately determine the value of a teacher, or the education provided to children.

When the teacher performance evaluations are shoddy, tracking data just for sake of doing it is futile. In some cases, administrators do not have the resources to actually carry out useful teacher evaluations that help teachers and students. In other places, high evaluation scores for everyone ensure the silent agreement keeps the district running smoothly - all the teachers get high scores and therefore do not complain.

All of that can be acknowledged and simultaneously let go ... for now.  Letting go, from time to time, is a healthy choice unless you wish to be dragged.
   

I will continue to advocate for children and raise concerns, but I have given myself permission to prioritize what's left on my plate and let go of most of it. My students benefit from my rational choice.

DISCLAIMER: This blog includes ideas and topics serving as a composite of issues from various sources. The issues raised in this blog are not specifically or solely motivated by the policies within the author's own school district.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nick Gregory has been a social studies and journalism teacher at Fenton High School in Michigan since 2000 and he has been a National Writing Project Teacher consultant and a junior varsity basketball coach since 2003. He has exhibited photography related to Detroit and social justice causes since 2011 and he loves to travel. Gregory, who has a Masters degree in Educational Leadership, believes that building positive relationships helps students grow their passion for learning. Gregory is a member of the Michigan Education Voice Fellowship.

The Legacy of MLK lives in Flint and Detroit

MLive Published this Blog Entry here

"There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into an abyss of despair."  - Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963) 

Detroit, By Nick Gregory

As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, perhaps its namesake should serve as a guide for assessing the sordid state of affairs in two Michigan cities paralyzed by injustice.

Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us that a great nation is a compassionate one. People are demanding action to correct failed government policies in Flint and Detroit and a 
compassionate nation is 
responding with support.

The Flint River, By Nick Gregory

Lead-poisoned water wreaked havoc on one of the nation's poorest cities for more than a year despite complaints by residents that the discolored water tasted bad and was causing skin irritation. In the most recent development of this distressing situation, a federal emergency was declared in Flint Saturday.

As Governor Snyder was hiding behind Michigan's executive privilege laws and withholding information about the water crisis from the public, Detroit teachers were taking bold action that called attention to the deplorable learning conditions within the state's largest school district. More than sixty Detroit schools have been shut down this winter due to teacher sick-outs. In response to their concerns Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan unveiled a plan to have all DPS schools inspected for health and safety standards. In the midst of a national conversation about the state of Detroit schools, the Twitter hashtag #SupportDPSteachers has drawn national attention with pictures of the rotting schools. The injustice is being confronted.

Detroit, By Nick Gregory

We should be proud of the teachers, protesters and citizens who are following Dr. King's edict that, "Justice too long delayed is justice denied." Today is a day to honor the heroic leadership of Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, who independently researched and spoke publicly about the unusually high lead levels in Flint children. In Detroit, community members have risen to the challenge and joined teachers to fight for Detroit children.

The Michigan legislature has avoided constructively working toward solutions to the DPS debt problem as the crisis facing Detroit gets worse every day. Teachers, tired of waiting for leadership out of Lansing, are standing up for Detroit children.

Detroit, By Nick Gregory

King reminded us in his Letter From a Birmingham Jail that society must protect the robbed and punish the robber. What about when the robber is the elected governor that absolves himself of responsibility?

Toxic water that infected Flint schools and neighborhoods was the result of a money-saving scheme supported by the governor's appointed emergency financial manager in Flint. The people of Flint were robbed of trust as their complaints about the water fell on deaf ears. The inaction of Governor Snyder in light of all the red flags is inexcusable. Snyder's dismissive behavior and his failure to make public the state's records and information about the handling of the issue has shattered the public's confidence in him. In the face of disaster, Snyder's response shows how out of touch he is with his constituents.

Detroit, By Nick Gregory

If he were alive, Martin Luther King, Jr. would applaud the work of the free press that has exposed the corruption and called for answers. He would protest at City Hall and draw attention to the failed policies that harm innocent families. King would ask people from different political ideologies and races to come together in the name of social progress. Advocates for children are not bound by race, geography or income.

Meanwhile in Detroit, life is being choked out of Detroit Public Schools due to neglect at every turn. Four different emergency managers in six years have been unable to get DPS on track. As the leadership failures mount in the face of public pressure, thousands of children across Detroit struggle under heart-breaking learning conditions. Children are expected to learn in schools contaminated with black mold, pest infestations and leaking roofs. Hundreds of students are moving through revolving classroom doors with new teachers assigned regularly. There are heating and cooling problems with classroom temperatures ranging 30 degrees, massive plumbing problems and a culture of learning that has been decimated by a lack of resources.

Detroit, By Nick Gregory

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. we should be thanking the teachers who have brought these issues to the forefront of the nation's conscience. Teachers advocating for students is honorable.

When Dr. King warned us about the shameful desire to maintain the status quo in the face of injustice, he was talking about the schools in Detroit. The status quo for Detroit children has been reduced to dreadful. The talk out of Lansing has turned to punishing teachers for staging sick-outs. Lansing would be better served addressing the broken promises handed down to Detroit and Flint children. Our government should be answering the pleas of professional educators and concerned parents, rather than taking out their misguided angst on the people who have stepped up to help Detroit children.

Elected officials have offered band-aid solutions to gashing wounds that have placed DPS on life-support. Understandably, there is no confidence that the State of Michigan will help. Teacher and community concerns about student safety went unnoticed until the teacher sick-outs garnered national attention this winter. As Dr. King reminds us, the time is always ripe to do right.

Problems that have existed for decades in Detroit Public Schools went ignored. In Flint, the cries for help went unanswered until it was too late. Fixing these problems is never going to be easy, but the failure of our leaders to substantively address them is intolerable.

King reminds us, "There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into an abyss of despair." He calls it the point of "unavoidable impatience."

Detroit, By Nick Gregory

All of our children deserve healthy living conditions and educational opportunity. We should remain impatient, keeping a watchful eye on our elected leaders in hopes they will take action to honor one of the great lessons Dr. King preached - "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

Flint, By Nick Gregory

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nick Gregory has been a social studies and journalism teacher at Fenton High School since 2000 and he has been a National Writing Project Teacher consultant and a junior varsity basketball coach since 2003. Gregory is a Michigan Education Voice Fellow and he has exhibited photography related to Detroit and social justice causes since 2011. Gregory, who has a Masters degree in Educational Leadership, believes that building positive relationships helps students find their passion for learning. You can follow him on Twitter @CivicsEngaged. 

Leadership & Employee Engagement

The issues raised in this blog are not specifically motivated by the policies within my own school or within my district. I write about many topics that are often related to discussions with educators who do not work in my school district. This blog in no way is intended to reflect solely on any specific leaders or my place of employment. 


I am bucking a trend that reveals most teachers become less engaged after their first couple years in the classroom (Teacher Engagement Starts Low, Worsens With Time). More than ever, I am committed and fired up about teaching.   

My renewed passion is the result of my attempts to make sense of what is going on around me in regard to education policy. My career has been equal parts reward and challenge. I embrace the challenge. I am grateful for the reward. And I have a lot of ideas about how we can improve education.

Refusing to acknowledge problems makes improvement a matter of luck

For starters, why don't more schools districts provide yearly teacher engagement surveys in order to improve educational outcomes for children? 

When leaders engage the staff, they are 

putting students first

School leadership could determine if the school districts priorities are understood by the staff and identify obstacles to success. Most of my own criticism of leadership is not related to a lack of trust or confidence, it's usually because I do not understand the problem or I wish I had a voice in solutions.

Employee engagement feedback would help school leaders directly improve the quality of education by inviting teachers to give measurable feedback about issues that have an impact on student learning. It is a simple, inexpensive tool that could influence planning and communication strategy for school leaders - two areas school districts often come up short. Too many schools are mired in a bureaucratic stranglehold when it comes to improving the employee experience.

Effective school leaders welcome ideas that help them understand their staff better, especially when that feedback is used to encourage all hands on deck to row in the same direction. I cannot imagine an adept school leader scoffing at the opportunity to prioritize and address the concerns of the staff. When the important work of meeting student needs is at stake we should focus on working together without fear of consequences for speaking up and sharing ideas. Meaningful dialogue and identifying priorities that impact student growth is more likely to result from staff input than from a top-down leadership model based on compliance.

Improvement demands awareness

If the goals of the organization are understood, district leaders should have some way to identify why some buildings are succeeding in areas where others may be lacking. How do principals, instructional coaches and other administrators get a true sense of how engaged and committed staff members are to district goals when there is nothing formal in place allowing for teacher voices to be heard?

For some teachers, the reality is that we often feel isolated and wonder if our leaders care what's on our minds - collectively or individually. Employee engagement surveys can provide the entire education team a constructive avenue to work with a clear focus and gain the confidence of teachers. If teachers and school leaders are focused on the same challenges positive outcomes for students are more likely. We should dive into the messy process of meeting student needs together and that happens when we take the time to listen and share ideas.

Face to face conversations and trust are a necessary part of the equation too. In fact, those relationships and honest conversations are the most important aspect of school improvement. Getting to a starting point so we can assess and tackle our challenges is accomplished with regular employee engagement surveys. It just does not make much sense to me that we encourage teachers to take important risks to improve for the sake of student achievement and yet very few school districts take time to effectively survey staff about their levels of engagement. We should expect and support administrators in their mission to grow as leaders and foster a positive culture in our schools.

Twenty-first century learners demand a robust education that includes self-assessment, reflection and an emphasis on growth. We fail our students if we do not insist that teachers and school leaders engage in the same growth mindset. To effectively create a culture of learning for students, school leaders should accept the vulnerability that a growth mindset promotes and seek formal teacher feedback. Setting high expectations for students and helping children meet them requires feedback about the level of engagement of teachers.

Todays' political climate demands multiple 

skills of teachers and school leaders. The best 

seek feedback to improve. 

The same type of engagement survey is helpful for teachers to hear from students as well. I found great value in my first quarter survey of student engagement and it helped me see where I needed to improve. (In addition, I found weaknesses in the survey itself). Schools should actively seek engagement feedback from parents and community members. We are in the business of meeting student needs. School leaders should be elevating the voice of educators within their school communities in order to meet those needs.

Learn from the best

Just as we have master teachers serving as mentors, we need to give superintendents more tools to identify the unique leadership skills of building administrators. District leadership teams will be better able to meet students needs if they can identify the strengths and weaknesses of strategies and building personnel. Teachers and leaders, just like our students, feel more valued if their talent is recognized and their voice is valued.

Acknowledging our challenges and improving outcomes for students requires original thinking and new strategies. Employee engagement within our schools needs to be addressed. There's too much at stake to continue with top-down leadership models aimed at compliance rather than growth. We let our students down when we fail to seek feedback and recognize the strengths of teachers and school leaders.

DISCLAIMER: This blog includes ideas and topics serving as a composite of issues from various sources. The issues raised in this blog are not specifically or solely motivated by the policies within the author's own school district.