Mrs. Cromer: Leading & Learning

This post has been in "draft" form for almost two months.  I'm officially declaring myself the worst blogger ever. I would use the excuse that it's summer, but that would mean I regularly update this blog during the school year. It is summer though and I hope that everyone is finding some time to relax and renew their spirit.  If you are like most educators (at least this one), your job is your passion and it can suck every drop of life out of you.  Summer is a time to reconnect with yourself and those that you love.  Take advantage of the slower pace. Of course, summer is no time to rest all of your laurels.  There is still A LOT of work to do in preparation for the upcoming year, the urgency level is just slightly lower than it is when teachers and students are in the building. I have thoroughly enjoyed the additional time at home and on the farm.  I have also managed to get in some reading, although my book pile is growing at a faster rate than I...

Whoa, what's that in your newsfeed?  A new blogpost from @MrsJCromer?! Its only been since February people, don't be so surprised. I've been just a little busy with my first year running a school and have not been the best blogger.  But have no fear - all of the learning I've experienced over the past year has made for a pretty decent blog post for all of the new administrators out there. Here are five truths that you need to acknowledge as a new principal and five ways I have found to help digest the reality of school administration: You do not control your day.   You might as well get used to a full calendar.  And by full, I really mean overflowing.  While it is nice to not write lesson plans, the sad reality is that you don't really plan anything anymore.  Everyone needs you in a meeting, needs to ask you a "quick question," needs you to call them back, and needs you to just BE THERE.  You have a huge to-do list, and it seems the whole wor...

Thank you for venturing into the digital world for our book study!  After reading pages 33-71, take a moment to reflect on the questions below.*  Comment on the post with your answer to one, two, or all of the questions - even add to a comment by a colleague!   "I can't do that.  I'm not as creative as you are."  Dave Burgess suggests that creativity is calculated and learned.  Is he right? What are the "right questions" we should be asking ourselves when lesson planning?  Ex. Can this lesson be delivered outside? Have you developed a system to capture your creative ideas?  Digital, pen and paper? What is your ideal classroom vision? What can you do THIS WEEK that will set that vision in motion? Do you have any lessons that you could sell tickets for?   "If you do nothing else but ramp up your enthusiasm, you will be far ahead of the game." How can your enthusiasm transform the class? "When we model enthusiasm it rubs off on everyone...

As a first year principal, I am always hungry to learn about new resources and strategies.  So when I heard that my favorite educational leader was publishing a new book, of course I pre-ordered a copy. www.tower.com The Secret Solution: How One Principal Discovered the Path to Success is a fictional tale that follows "Roger Rookie" through his first year as principal.  Along the way he encounters the typical school characters and undergoes several leadership transformations. The Secret Solution is an easy read and administrators are sure to identify with Rookie as he faces familiar issues with faculty, staff, and parents.  Although the struggles were simplified, the message was clear; the path to success is a mix of climate and accountability.  Oh, and the illustrations were a nice bonus. I would recommend this book to any current or aspiring administrator.  As a collector of Todd Whitaker books, it was nice to see his concepts put into practice, ev...

There is nothing better than a great professional development session.  One that really ignites your passion and sets your wheels spinning about how it will impact students. There is also nothing worse than bad professional development.  Everyone knows what I'm talking about and unfortunately everyone has experienced their fair share of bad PD. thecornerstoneforteachers.com As a new principal, I want to take advantage of every moment that my staff is gathered together.  The days are so busy and our time together is a precious commodity.  Below are a few ways that I try to keep staff development relevant and inspiring for my teachers. Flipped Faculty Meetings I had some success with flipping meetings in my previous position and knew that I would utilize this strategy at my new school.  At least one week before our scheduled monthly meetings, I send out all of the pertinent announcements in a presentation video.  (I've used Screenr and Screencast...

Merry Christmas PLN!  Thank you all for the gift that truly keeps on giving.  You have shared so many thoughts, ideas, and resources this past year - all of which have had an impact on my journey as an educational leader. I hope you are all taking some time to relax, be with those you love, and of course remembering the reason for the season! Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2014!

I love meeting educators.  I love being inspired.  I love attending conferences. So I was pretty excited to attend the Virginia ASCD conference last week. I brought back numerous resources for my faculty and a fresh pack of inspiration for myself.  My learning can be summarized into four main takeaways: What's green will grow, whats ripe will rot. This quote by Dave Weber sums up my feelings about professional growth.  While we would hope that all educators would be committed to lifelong learning, sadly we know that is not the case.  We can all think of someone who finds fault and makes every excuse for not moving forward.  The negativity broadcast by these individuals spreads like a rotten banana in your fruit basket. As a young administrator, sometimes I struggle with being perceived as too "green" to be a principal.  This quote reminded me that there is nothing wrong with being green.  As long as I remain committed to growth, I will ...