Reading part one of Innovator’s Mindset forced me to realize a few things. One was that I sometimes complain about things I could fix if I just find a different angle of approach. One light bulb moment occurred for me when reading about educators frustrated that they can’t share their expertise with staff because of the limited amount of time available at staff meetings. I complain about this constantly. I think I’m finally tired enough of complaining to do something about it. I’m now testing an approach that will both give me the opportunities I am eager for and help with this staff meeting issue. My current goal: create a more dynamic conversation flow among staff for the sharing of ideas, discussion of topics, and exchange of ideas with an online community forum.
Yesterday I started a Google Community for my staff and invited a handful of members to try it out with me. I am hoping it will accomplish some of the following objectives:
- Give staff a place to discuss current issues prior to the topic being reviewed at a staff meeting or afterwards to follow up
- Give more staff a chance to speak their minds who may otherwise feel limited by schedules, time, comfort addressing a large group, the lack of time to process, absence, or any other aspect of the traditional staff meeting that may be holding them back
- Offer a place for staff to share any type of professional learning or resources they think others might be interested in
- Provide opportunities to uncover areas of common ground between staff members who might not typically interact on a personal basis
- Cultivate the idea of a flatter concept of administrator-teacher-student by encouraging all members to share equally in the discussion
If we can get more people involved, more people sharing, I think it will open the doors to some great learning for all of us.