This year I followed through with a decision I had in mind last year. Admin decided, that we would take soccer away as a consequence since it was causing so many problems. Once I got the green light, I went ahead and sent out the email to all the duty teachers letting them know that there will be NO soccer for 1 week for grades 3 and 4.
Tag: Middle East
New Staff Check-in
The first week of the school year has passed. My new staff completed their first week with their students and had the opportunity to meet the parents. I usually meet with the new staff at the end of the first week for 15 minutes to check in and ask a few questions. However, after reading John Wink’s article on “5 Alternatives to Asking New Teachers How They’re Doing” I was excited to try a different approach. While reading this article, I realized how much I related to it. He described what I normally ask my staff, whether they are old or new. “Hi how are you? Or “Hi how’s it going?” He stated that when we ask those types of questions, it does not give us any indication on how they are truly doing. So instead, he states to ask specific questions.
Guest Speaker
A month and a half ago Kimberly from University of Washington found me on Twitter. She reached out to me asking if I would be a guest speaker to talk about about Kuwait’s education, the everyday life in Kuwait and about my personal life. I gasped when I read her email and automatically replied back saying that I would love to. I was very nervous but knew that this would be a great opportunity.
A simple yet powerful question.
A few days ago after school I was sitting at my desk and a staff member stopped by and asked, “How was your day?” I was so focused on the screen and thinking of what I had to finish that when I looked up at her I didn’t know how to answer. It took me a few seconds to understand what she was asking. Finally I answered back by saying “Come again? Sorry I was so focused on the screen I didn’t quite hear you.”
The +1 Principle Article
I just read an article by John Wink about the +1 Principle. I find it interesting how as administrators we keep adding onto our staff’s plate without removing anything first. When I was a teacher I felt that tasks were being added left, right and center without any tasks being removed for us. However, this year the admin team are trying to remove tasks before adding anything. We meet, discuss, and see if it’s worth implementing or not. We evaluate what would be the outcomes if we do.
To send or not to send reminder emails.. that is the Question?!
I rarely send emails to my staff unless I really need to. However, when I do, I expect my staff to read it from beginning to end as there would be important information for them to know. It’s mostly friendly reminders and I tend to do them all in one email and send it rather than sending them emails every few days. A few days pass and I get the same question asked at least 2 or 3 times from different teachers. I look at them and bite my tongue and feel like saying, “Clearly you did not read my email, otherwise you would have known the answer to this.” Instead I put a smile on my face and answer their question(s). Sometimes there are instances where I ask my staff, “Where is this?” or “Did you not do this?” and their answer would be like “Oh oops, was I supposed to do give it in or do it?” Again I think to myself, “Really, did you not read my email?!” In a very hard but diplomatic way, I respond by saying “Yes, you were supposed to as I mentioned it in my email I sent yesterday.”
Continue reading “To send or not to send reminder emails.. that is the Question?!”
The Challenges
The first 2 months were the most challenging. I must admit, cutting things out, changing my eating habits and remembering to write everything down was a killer. After 32 years I was being taught how to eat by my Dr. and how to order from a menu. I was learning which foods were healthy and what to avoid. Six to seven months later I thought that it would be easier and that I would get the hang of it but clearly I was wrong. Nine to ten months into my journey I plateaued for a few months. Did I want to quit then and there? YES! Did I feel like canceling my trainer because I wasn’t in the mood? YES! But did I dare to cancel? NO! Especially with his 24 hours cancellation rule. Instead I continued, I fought and tried everything my Dr, was telling me to try to break the plateau. Some days I thought to the hell with this, why should I go through the trouble, for what? But then I started losing again. My scale started moving again. I am all about the numbers. I got shouted at by my Dr. and trainer for letting numbers get to me but I never listened. My clothes started fitting better, the numbers started going down and I felt relieved. Finally there was hope again. My blood results were lower and my measurements went down. I walked my 10 thousands steps, drank all my water and ate clean daily. I started noticing the changes and people at work started complimenting and noticing as well. I felt good and healthier. But I won’t lie, even till this day there are times when I want to skip my workouts BUT I never would unless I couldn’t cause of work events that took place at the same time. That one hour is my sanity hour where I switch off and concentrate on just me.
Parent Conferences
We just finished our two nights of parents conferences. I must say, as a teacher it had a total different feeling than being an AP. As part of the admin team, we walk around, up and down, all through the hallways making sure everything and everyone is fine. Looking into classrooms and being able to read my staff’s facial expressions and giving them a thumbs up was a great a feeling. One advice my principal gave me was to keep a pen and post it with me to jot down parent’s complaints/requests. For the whole night we never sat in our offices as we wanted to be visible to the parents and staff. At one point, we got four staff members asking us to roam around their area at a specific time when those “difficult” parents came in. So we made sure we were there for them, checking in on them and making sure their conference went smoothly. I didn’t know we had so many difficult parents that staff needed us there just for comfort. Being a teacher you are not aware of what is happening in other classes or grades or how parents are except your own 23 parents. .
The first hour passed and there was not one complaint! YAAAY. My yellow post it was empty woohoo!! Then the second and third hour was just the same. Everyone was smiling, complementing and speaking highly about our staff. PHEW! Our night was a success. I didn’t sit down for 5 minutes! I was all over the place and when I would cross paths with my principal, we would check in with each other for 5 minutes to compare notes and continue walking, smiling and checking up on everyone.
Coming to work the next day with 4 interviews to do, meetings to attend and staff to check up on was truly exhausting, my goodness! Day 2 of PT conferences was another success, my post it was still empty. NO complaints!! Parents were smiling, less staff needing us to roam their hallways and all just went smoothly. To continue smiling and making small talk was hard and tiring. However, I managed and enjoyed it, despite it being exhausting and not being able to sit for more than 3 minutes before someone wanting you or calling your name. It was worth it for as long as our staff and parents were happy.
As admin what do you do during PT conferences? Are you in your offices from beginning to end? Would love to know.
My Recruiting Experience!
Over the weekend my superintendent, owner of the school and I flew to Dubai for the GRC recruiting fair. It’s a one day fair and I must say that I was nervous about this trip. Those two nights I barely slept. Especially the night before for the fair. I was told I was going since September. And since then I always wondered what it would be like. We got in on Friday. Friday night my superintendent and I met and we reached out to our candidates by email. We set up interviews timings to those that sent us their CV’s through the GRC website and went through our interview questions.
Saturday came and we sat up our table, had breakfast and was ready for the candidates. The doors opened at 8am. From 8 am till 10am the candidates came and confirmed their interview timings. Some people checked out our openings and dropped off their CV. Working 14 hours straight with 1 hour break was exhausting. Smiling, talking, interviewing, answering their questions and making small talk was insane but loved it. I did my first interview with my superintendent and then went solo with the owner by my side giving me tips and answering their questions. The whole experience was surreal. Between interviews we would get other directors/principals asking us for reference checks for our current staff that were there attending the fair as well. When we were done interviewing, it was our turn to email and ask for reference checks for those we interviewed and were interested in offering a contract. The minute we were finished interviewing, we debriefed over dinner, got their referenced checked, then sent emails offering some candidates a contract. It went by so quickly yet so slowly and I learned a lot from both my superintendent and the owner. So many countries and schools attended this fair. It was interesting to see lines were queues for China, Vietnam and South Korea. I went around to see which schools were there. The ballroom was filled with tables and schools from around the world. It was fun, tiring, exhausting and overwhelming all at once. Can’t wait till next year’s fair! 🙂
My First Presentation
I had to give my first presentation ever in front of our new staff. All forty nine of them, along with seven of my own admin team. I had known about this talk I had to give about Kuwait culture since May. I had worked on it during my summer break. But I had no time to review it nor practice as it’s been crazy since we have been back. Night before, I had gotten the flu so I slept by 7pm. I didn’t polish the presentation or give it at least one go. Wednesday morning came and my nose and ears were blocked, and I could barely hear myself. I took some medicine, and off I went to work.
I wanted to add personal touches which would both ease the audience, and offer a unique approach to the presentation. So I served arabic coffee, tea and dates to give them a little taste of Kuwaiti flavors. I also played background Kuwaiti music, and hung items of Kuwaiti clothing around the space in which I was presenting.
Lights off, and I began. Standing in front of room full of people, with hopeful eyes watching me to convey to them at least the essence of the place in which they’ll be spending several years of their lives, was exhilarating. A rush of emotions swayed over me and rolled around inside my body, and I flowed with it. I joked around to break the ice for both them and myself, and it definitely helped. Laughter eased us all into and throughout the presentation.
I thought it would take 20 minutes but it took about an hour between my presentation, their questions, and the anecdotal stories I shared. I didn’t want to overwhelm them with too much information, but I didn’t want to leave any of their concerns unattended to either. It was done, I did it – my first presentation as an AP – and I received a lot of positive feedback. I also asked for constructive criticism and what I could do better the next time.
I know there’ll be many more presentations to give as an AP, but for my first time, I feel good. I feel like I did a good job, and that I’m settling into my role. It all feels so great that most times, I’m lost for words.
If any of you have any suggestions on what I can do to get over the anxiety I have to speak in front of my staff, please do let me know. I hope not every time I have to give a presentation entails the same level of insane emotion!
Thanks 🙂
D*lightfully