It’s not too often in life that you are able to meet someone that impacts your way of thinking and how you approach your job on a daily basis. For the past five years at Black River Middle in Chester, New Jersey, I was able to work alongside our building principal Bob Mullen. Unfortunately for us, and fortunately for him, Bob decided to retire recently. His impact was felt far and wide, so much that a tree was planted in the front of our school, a community retirement event was held, and the gymnasium was named after him. I was asked to speak at his retirement ceremony and provided insight on what we all learned from Bob over the years. Family First Without hesitation, Bob would always lead by the mantra “family first.” No matter the situation presented to him or time of day, Bob’s response would always be “go take care of your family.” It wasn’t about documenting a partial absence, getting sub coverage, or gathering lesson plans. To Bob, it was about getting home to your sick kids or loved ones. No one ever took advantage of this, but knew deep down in their hearts that Bob had their backs when tough times arose. Status Quo Is Not an Option Striving for excellence on a continuous basis was something Bob took great pride in. No wonder Black River Middle Schoolwas redesignated three times as a National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform School to Watch. Behind this great distinction was Bob’s leadership and bringing everyone together to ensure the needs of students were met. Bob took ownership of everything pertaining to the orderly operation of our school no matter how small in nature it may of seemed. He modeled what he wanted out of others and simply put, that was a commitment to creating and maintaining a learning environment for students that was nurturing and engaging. Pay Attention to the Details Nothing ever went unnoticed to Bob in that he knew about everything, good or bad, that went on in our school. He read everything, asked questions and followed up like I have never seen anyone follow up on anything before. Bob did this because not because of trust, but because he truly cared about every aspect of school life. He wanted to make sure that our students had a good day every day. Bob truly wanted every staff member and student to be in a good place so that they could bring their “A game” on a daily basis. Treat People with Respect Bob treated every single school stakeholder with respect no matter how special or difficult the situation may of been. Every conversation started and ended with a handshake. When a student got in trouble, he would treat them with dignity in order to get to the bottom of the situation. From time to time a staff member would need guidance on how they could enhance their effectiveness and Bob would do it in a way that got the message across favorably. His dealings with parents were always first class and approached in a way that they knew their child’s best interest would always be taken care of. As a parent of two school-aged children myself, I always wanted them to experience what it would be like to attend a school where Mr. Mullen was the principal. Dress for Success Bob set the standard for how educational leaders should dress 365/24/7. Every day he would wear a suit and tie and this signified how important every day was to promoting the success of students. Even during the summer months and on field trips he would dress for success. Could you imagine wearing a suit and tie on hot June day in Washington D.C.? Well Bob did every year on the annual 8th grade field trip. He took great pride in his own appearance and the appearance of Black River Middle School on and off school grounds. Help Those in Need “What can we do for others?” This was a question that often came out of Bob’s mouth. He knew that many of us were more fortunate than others and could help those in need. During any given school year Bob would receive numerous fundraiser or food drive requests from students, parents, teachers, and community members. WIthout hesitation he would find a way to support their thoughtful efforts. It would not be uncommon to walk down the hallways of Black River Middle School and see three of four collection boxes sitting there on the floor. Several years ago we had a student that was battling cancer and Bob led efforts to ensure this child’s education continued during this tough time. Almost every morning Bob would set up the VGO robot that would allow this student to be in all of his classes virtually. There are hundreds of other stories related to Bob helping other people out. He cared so deeply about people and always found a way to make their day a little more brighter. What Does the Research Say? Bob would always make educational sound decisions based on research. He implored staff to write down or post the objectives to the lesson. Why? Because researched showed that students would have a much better chance at retaining what was taught to them. He once led an online book talk that focused on the book 17,000 Classroom Observations Can’t Be Wrong and focused on one of the main themes of the book that looked at the difference between students being on-task vs. engaged. Bob read voraciously and was always excited about sharing resources at faculty meetings and presentations that he made around the country. He was true “lead learner” of Black River Middle School and so many other school leaders in our county and around the state. Be Visible Every morning, Bob would stand out on the sidewalk and greet our students as they entered the building. Every afternoon, he would stand out by the buses and say goodbye to the students. He was in the hallways, classrooms, lunch duty, recess, extracurricular events, concerts, and meetings. You name the school or district function and he was there. Bob was visible not so much to make his presence known, rather he truly cared about what students and staff did outside of the classroom. He knew that informal conversations and a friendly wave made all the difference in the world. Through these simple gestures, Bob contributed immensely to our solid school culture and climate. What’s Best for Kids Creating and maintaining an educational environment that is all about doing what’s best for kids is easier said than done. Bob had a knack for making decisions that would ultimately put our kids in a position to be successful. When issues came up it was never about “I got you.” It was always about how can we learn from this situation and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Don’t get me wrong, Bob held himself and others accountable every step of the way, but it always came back to doing right by students. Every once in a while, students would struggle academically and needed a bit of tough love. Enter Mr. Mullen’s after school homework club. It was not uncommon for students to stay after school to catch up on school work. Bob would be there sitting with them ensuring that they complete assignments and more importantly understand why they were learning what they were learning. Staff, students, and parents appreciated these efforts and felt comforted knowing that Mr. Mullen would always be there for them through good times and bad. Surround Yourself with Talented People Not sure if this applied to me as the vice principal of Black River Middle School, but I would like to think that Bob hired me because he knew that I would have a positive impact. Every time we interviewed candidates for a particular position, Bob never hesitated to hire top notch educators that would move our school from good to great. Being new to our school, I could tell that over the years Bob hired some tremendous people that would ultimately make his job as a leader a little easier and help kids reach their fullest potential. I got to be honest, it’s quite amazing to work with such talented educators and being to see how they all reached students in their own unique ways. There is no doubt that talented teachers who truly get what it means to be an effective educator have the greatest impact on student learning. Bob understood this and continually hired folks that would rise to the occasion and make the Chester community proud of their schools. Boost People Up The greatest and most lasting impact that Bob had on me and others was his ability to boost morale and confidence. He truly believed that every single staff member was tremendous and could do great things for kids. From a personal standpoint, Bob made me feel like I could do anything and really contribute to the educational programs that we were providing students at Black River Middle School. In many ways, the distinct honor I received as the 2017 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year was in recognition of the tremendous impact that Bob had on my educational career in the Chester School District. I would often come to Bob with ideas on how we could improve our already outstanding school and almost every time he would say “that’s a great idea!” He would do the same with my fellow colleagues and made everyone feel so valued. There is no doubt that the reason so many of us wanted to contribute to the excellence at Black River Middle School was because of Bob’s supportive nature. Bob Mullen will go down as the single greatest educator I have ever worked with or for. I learned so many wonderful leadership lessons from him over the years. Anyone that was fortunate to know or work with Bob undoubtedly feels the same way. If there is anyone that deserves to experience the fruits of retirement, it’s Bob Mullen. His legacy will last for the ages and all of us are better educators because of the high bar he set for himself and the entire school community. Brad Currie has been an educator for more than 17 years as a coach, teacher, and administrator. He currently serves as a Director of Planning, Research, and Evaluation for the Chester School District in Chester, New Jersey. Brad is the 2017 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year and part of the ASCD Emerging Leaders Class of 2014. He is the co-founder and co-moderator of a weekly Twitter discussion for educators called #satchat. Brad has authored four books including 140 Twitter Tips for Educators and Hacking Google for Education. He presents nationally on educational technology and social media in the school setting. Connect with Brad by following him on Twitter @bradmcurrie or visiting his website at www.evolvingeducators.com.
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Recently I was asked by one of my colleagues, Meryl Ironson, to speak with our 8th grade students about branding. Honestly, for whatever reason, I never that about the importance of students starting to think about and begin to build their own brand in the physical and virtual worlds. Whether they know it or not, students are being monitored by others on a daily basis. Their actions in school, on the playing fields, and in social media spaces paint a solid picture of who they are and what they will become. The purpose behind my visit to Mrs. Ironson’s 8th grade class was to get students thinking about who they are as human beings and what they are truly passionate about and how this translates to a brand they are intentionally or unintentionally creating. We started the discussion by defining the word brand. Students quickly realized that they had a pretty good understanding by sharing examples related to Steph Curry and Under Armour, and shedding light on what their parents do for a living. In one of the classes, a set of twin sisters shared how they use Instagram to brand their family farm. How cool is that? We also had a transparent conversation about the negative ways you can brand yourself and how that creates a hole that sometimes you can not dig yourself out of. I then shared my experiences with branding in the educational world and the passion I have in helping educators enhance their effectiveness. A look at how Black River Middle School tells their story through social media and how our students contribute greatly to the brand we have created. From a district wide perspective we looked at how our district is doing the same thing through the #WeAreChesterNJ hashtag. So not only are we trying build a positive brand in the physical world through the actions we take in the school setting but also in the virtual world with how we convey all the great things that are taking place on a daily basis. So what are the next steps we can take as educators to ensure that students begin to think about and actually start planning out their brand? One of the first things educators, and adults in general, can do is model what it means to have a brand. Then, expose students to how others in their age group or idols they admire get the word about all of the tremendous things taking place in their lives. Guidance and support can be offered as students start to plan out the steps they will take to ensure their brand is where they want it to be. It’s almost necessary now that middle or high schools offer a branding course of sorts. Now more than ever, people of all ages have opportunity to create a solid brand that helps move the story of their life and passions forward in a positive direction. Let’s start to have serious conversations as school stakeholders around how we can work with students to ensure they are successful in the future. Brad Currie has been in the field of middle level education for more than 17 years as a coach, teacher, and administrator. He currently serves as a Director of Planning, Research, and Evaluation for the Chester School District in Chester, New Jersey. Brad is the 2017 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year and part of the ASCD Emerging Leaders Class of 2014. He is the co-founder and co-moderator of a weekly Twitter discussion for educators called #satchat. Brad has authored four books including 140 Twitter Tips for Educators and Hacking Google for Education. He presents nationally on educational technology and social media in the school setting. Connect with Brad by following him on Twitter @bradmcurrie or visiting his website at www.evolvingeducators.com.
Recently I was recognized as the 2017 National Assistant Principal of the Year by NASSP. With this distinction came an opportunity to procure educational resources for Black River Middle School. For years, I wanted to find an easy to capture events and share them virtually with school stakeholders. Through my research and past experiences, I knew about the Swivl as a way to record, archive, and share video content. I was always impressed with the way it tracked movement and picked up sound clearly. So I ultimately decided to purchase a Swivl for our school as way to capture moments, like you see below with a Holocaust survivor, that will live online for a lifetime. So how can a Swivl benefit your classroom, school, or district? Here are four easy ways that I can think of right off the top of my head...
As you can see there many ways to make the Swivl work for your educational environment. Start out by locating a school or district that uses a Swivl and ask if you can take it for a test run. Then, at some point purchase a Swivl and try it out at a small event. Eventually, over time it will become a part of your daily routine and help enhance your transparent environment. Make sure to establish a Swivl team consisting of staff and students to help with the integration aspect. Ideally having multiple Swivls accessible for sign-out from your library will be very beneficial. The time is now to extend your role as story teller in chief and purchase a Swivl for all enjoy throughout the school year.
As most of you know by now, Twitter has played a huge role in my evolution as an educator. It touches all six elements of the "Evolve As An Educator" framework as seen below. Specifically, Twitter provides an opportunity for educators to engage in meaningful professional growth opportunities that enhances their skill set and ultimately promotes the success of students. Outside of the E V O L V E construct, Twitter allows educators to tell their classroom, school, district, or organization's story as a way to engage stakeholders in the virtual world. In my newest book, 140 Twitter Tips for Educators, I share many practical examples of how Twitter can be used right away on your desktop computer, laptop, or mobile device. Let's take a look at a handful of additional ways that Twitter can work for you in the immediate future.
Steve Santilli reached out to a few of his PLN family members on Twitter and asked for some interview questions for a leadership position in his school. Here are some that I thought were important to ask... We are a Google Apps for Education District. Explain what this means and how students and teachers can thrive in this sort of environment?
When you observe a lesson are you looking at how the teacher performs or how the students are making sense of their learning? Tell me the difference between a class of students that are engaged and on task. Here at our school status quo is not an option. How do you enhance your ability to lead and grow professionally on a daily basis in the physical and virtual world? How do connect with students? What initiatives have you been involved with over the years that would speak to this connection? What is one initiative that you want to get off the ground running with this school year? What is your plan to make this happen? Tell me what you know about our school and is it related to innovation and putting kids first? An co-operating teacher comes to you in confidence and says that their partner is not following the curriculum. What are your next steps to address the issue? Tell me what you know about our state's HIB law. Give me the particulars as it relates to the investigation process. What are the potential outcomes? Picture it, October 2011 at the NJPSA/FEA/NJASCD Annual Fall Conference in Monroe Township, NJ. A young administrator looks over the various options for an afternoon breakout session he would like to attend. He has it down to two options, one on your typical run of the mill topics and one on a unique look at social media and branding. The young administrator decides on the typical run of the mill session. About 10 minutes before the session starts he changes his mind for whatever reason and decides to attend the social media and branding session. This decision would be life altering for this young administrator and set him on course to do some unbelievable things in the years to come.
The presenter of the session was Eric Sheninger, who at the time was Principal at New Milford High School in New Milford, NJ. He spoke passionately about the power of social media and technology in the school setting. In particular how important it was for educators to tell their stories using tools like Twitter and expanding your PLN. I immediately took to the message that he was conveying and inspired to run back to school and start tweeting, blogging, and innovating. Fast forward five years to the present and I am amazed at the progress I have made as an educator. The connections I have made within my PLN have been incredible. The ideas and resources I have consumed and shared have improved my practice and impacted countless students and colleagues. As the 2016 NJPSA/FEA/NJASCD Fall Conference approaches I ask that you really take the time to figure out what sessions you would like to attend and why. And if you change your mind at the last second it's perfectly fine. The reason being is that you never know who is going to inspire you to do bigger and better things. Know, that as a presenter or attendee at any educational event, you have the opportunity to motivate or be motivated. I recently wrote a digital playbook for Think Through Math on building a digital curriculum. You can access it by clicking on the pdf file below. Enjoy!
Over the past two years our school district has successfully integrated technology coaches. It has been a game-changer in the way our staff have moved from good to great in the digital world. Often supporting technology coaches is overlooked due to the fact that they are always supporting others. Here are eight ways we can support technology coaches...
The fact remains is that most school districts are spending more money on technology than ever before. Which is why it's imperative that technology coaches are hired, trained, and supported so they can help teachers and impact student learning. Brad is the Dean of Students and Supervisor of Instruction for the Chester School District in Chester, NJ. He is also the Founding Partner and Chief Information Officer for Evolving Educators LLC. Brad began his career in 2001 as a Middle School Social Studies and Computer Education Teacher for the Hanover Township School District in Whippany, New Jersey. He is a 2014 ASCD Emerging Leader, Google Certified Educator, Google Education Trainer, author of All Hands on Deck: Tools for Connecting Parents, Educators, and Communities, Personalized PD: Flipping Your Professional Development, and the newly released 140 Twitter Tips for Educators.
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