Today’s newsletter topic came from a conversation Will and I had last weekend when we were recording a podcast episode. Regular listeners of the Principal Matters Podcast know that we have two types of show. The first, Monday Matters, is Will and I pondering the things we’re thinking about with school leadership. The second, our flagship Wednesday editions, are episodes with guests, interviewed by either Will or myself. Before the guest comes on, Will and I open with a five-minute Q-and-A.
This time, we were pondering this listener question: “What are some strategies for developing my own professional growth while managing so many daily responsibilities?”
Before Will had even finished the question, I jumped in. “I think I’ve cracked the code on this.”
Will laughed. A bold response, certainly. But I do think I’ve cracked this code! I do! Let me tell you how.
The Code Isn't a Class, It's Curiosity
I used to think my own professional growth had to be these standalone things— a class, a conference, a workshop, whatever. I think differently now. It’s a bit more simple. My very best PD now is just this: I pay attention.
I’ve stopped trying to endure meetings and conversations; instead, I focus. I tell myself, “You need to learn something from this moment.” I can tell you, without an ounce of hesitation, that I always, always get something new when I slow down and listen to people who know things.
Just last week, I was in an informal meeting with a group of human resources professionals. I heard one of them say something about “MRSS.” I’d never heard that term. Instead of letting it roll away, I stopped him and said, “Can you tell me more about MRSS? I’ve never heard that before.”
Admitting what I don’t know. Check.
Asking for more information. Check.
Letting myself be taught. Check.
Job-relevant. Check.
“Sure,” he said. “It stands for Mobile Response and Stabilization Services. It give support for kids who are experiencing big crisis.”
“Huh,” I said. “Tell me more?” He explained that MRSS can be accessed through a hotline, and it serves children under 21 who are in a mental emotional, or behavioral crisis. A team of specialists— people who are trained, people who understand— can help work through the crisis with the student, and can even come on-site to help de-escalate a bad situation. The MRSS can provide intervention, help make a safety plan, and connect families to up to 42 days of in-home services.
Who knew? Well, I do, now.
Absorbing Complexity
I stopped into a meeting the other day with a group of instructional coaches who were discussing standardization of report cards. I’ve been reading some of the struggles Harvard has been having with grading practices, and I have my own internal challenges with assessing students I teach. This has been an issue forever. Twenty-five years ago, in a parent-teacher conference, a student’s mother lambasted me because she didn’t understand why everyone in the class was getting As and Bs. She felt her daughter— who was truly one of the most intelligent and high-performing students on my roster— should be at the very top of the class— alone. I tried to explain differentiation— “Everyone’s ‘A’ is different!”— but my shaky voice revealed me as scared and inarticulate. So, yeah. Grading has always been a lightning rod.
Now, though, I was in a room with twenty people who think about this every single day, and they guide teachers through it, too. Curious, I listened very carefully. The conversation reinforced that grading is complicated and emotional. Outcomes can be wildly different depending on who’s doing it, who’s interpreting it, and who is affected by it.
Every school and community is different, so the conversation is different depending on where you are. Here are some things to consider when leading a discussion about grading:
Balancing subjectivity (teacher judgment) vs. objectivity (rubrics)
Factoring in student effort and participation vs. pure mastery of content
The disproportionate mathematical penalty of a zero—or even a 50%— on a final average
Potential for implicit bias to influence grades
Potential for student behavior to influence grades
Pressure for grade inflation from parents, students, and administration
Inconsistent grading policies between different teachers for the same course
Using grades for practice (formative) as penalties (summative)
I left the meeting and thought about grading for the next few hours. I did not attend a conference. I did not sign up for a class. I did not pay for this knowledge. I did not read a book. I just listened.
That’s not to say there isn’t a place for those types of PD. I’m a girl with a couple masters’ degrees and a doctorate. I’ve learned a lot by sitting in a classroom, and I love me a good education conference. But I’ve learned more applicable things just by paying attention to job-embedded, timely, and relevant topics. The learning is constant. I’m a question-asker like I’ve never been before. The people around me are experts! They know what they’re doing! They are walking around the world with knowledge and skills that I will never have! —and they are so happy to tell me what they know.
I hope that helps someone today, especially if you’re feeling guilty about not doing self-focused PD.
Don’t. It’s all there, surrounding you.
Let’s stay curious—
Jen
P.S. No AI is used in creating this newsletter. Except for spell check. I definitely use spell check.
P.P.S. If you like this newsletter— and I hope you do!— will you tell your principal colleagues about it? Use this referral link (it’s unique to you!) and you’ll get credit for the referral, and if you have ten friends subscribe, you’ll get a free signed copy of “Trusted.”