A Review of Comprehensive Faculty Development by ISM Publications

            Because faculty ultimately determine the quality and success of the independent school, many independent school leaders find the recruitment, hiring and mentoring of faculty some of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of leading an independent school today. Likewise, because of the high stakes involved in recruiting, hiring and mentoring quality faculty, some independent school leaders cringe at the thought of walking through these steps. ISM Publications understands both perspectives and now offers an outstanding reference for all independent school leaders that takes the guesswork out of recruiting, hiring, retaining and rewarding quality faculty. Comprehensive Faculty Development sets the bar for faculty development guides by providing an in-depth examination of each of these key facets of the faculty life-cycle of events. Comprehensive Faculty Development directly addresses the faculty life-cycle and examines each of the stages from a number of perspectives. The book offers heads of school, division heads, business managers and human resource managers a systematic, research-based approach presented in a clear, concise manner.

The first section of Comprehensive Faculty Development begins with the initial stage in the faculty life-cycle: hiring and induction. The early chapters walk school leaders step-by-step through ways to include current faculty in the search for new faculty and provide recommendations on how to keep the process mission-based and centered on the school’s values.  These chapters also offer a wealth of information regarding the creation of job descriptions and effective advertisement, the potential issues involved with reference and background checks, to the proper way to conduct interviews and more. The final part of the first section emphasizes the difference between orientation and induction and explains how to properly get new faculty assimilated successfully into the school culture.

The second section of Comprehensive Faculty Development covers a stage of the faculty life-cycle that independent school leaders seldom manage properly and effectively: evaluation and growth. After addressing expectations, observations and evaluations, the second section provides guidance for school leaders on how to lead faculty through these often uncomfortable but necessary and rewarding steps. Additionally, the section emphasizes the importance not only of relationships but also coaching and mentoring.

The third section of Comprehensive Faculty Development tackles a part of the faculty life-cycle that probably always will be a touchy subject for faculty and administrators alike: reward and recognition. This extensive chapter presents a variety of traditional compensation models, such as salary schedules, salary grids and merit pay, as well as a few innovative and creative compensation models, including broadbanding. The book does not leave business managers guessing; the chapter notes benefits and downsides for each.

The next section of Comprehensive Faculty Development handles a sensitive and often painful part of the faculty life-cycle: corrective action and selective retention. Here the book spells out the steps involved in the correction action process and explains the options available when corrective action fails. This section also moves step by step through the processes of non-renewal and termination. Furthermore, the book provides suggestions for documentation and consideration of legal ramifications throughout the corrective action and termination part of the faculty life-cycle.

The final sections of Comprehensive Faculty Development outline ways to assess a school’s faculty development efforts and provide appendices full additional information.

Independent school leaders may find other books addressing some or even all of the issues included in Comprehensive Faculty Development. However, a number of characteristics make ISM’s latest book stand out from other similar books. First, and perhaps most significantly, Comprehensive Faculty Development approaches each of the aforementioned issues from a uniquely independent school perspective. The strategies and ideas presented have been researched and designed specifically for the independent school model. Second, the book clearly states that the plans, lists and forms included within should not be taken as is and implemented in their entirety in an independent school. The book provides, instead, step by step plans for customizing strategies and processes so they will be unique to, and more effective for, the school of the particular reader. Several sections offer lists and forms, all customizable, which will enhance the hiring and evaluation processes at most schools and provide a good frame of reference for school’s with well-established processes. Third, many chapters offer examples of dialogue that demonstrate both ideal and less than ideal ways to handle conversations occurring during the faculty life-cycle. Finally, the book’s pragmatic and usable plans make this a practical, ready-to-use resource that independent school leaders will refer to again and again. Regardless of years of experience or the size of the school, independent school leaders who play any role in the faculty life-cycle (recruitment, hiring, induction, mentoring, rewarding and, even correcting or terminating) should keep this vital tool at their fingertips all year long.

Free Summer Reading!

Here's your chance to grab some free summer reading! You can download Resurrecting Lazarus, Texas to your Kindle for free this weekend. Click HERE to make that happen. Also, click below to enter the Goodreads giveaway for one of four signed copies of Resurrecting Lazarus, Texas.

Check out my Facebook page and my website for more information about Resurrecting Lazarus, Texas.

If you get your free summer reading here, I'd love to hear from you!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Resurrecting Lazarus, Texas

by Nathan Barber

Giveaway ends June 15, 2013.
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Words of Wisdom for Change Agents

If you're a change agent and you're feeling a little uncomfortable with the risk you're taking, you're in good company. Because most people resist change at all costs, you're in the minority as a change agent. Consider these words from Niccolo Machiavelli: "It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things." Your uneasiness should not be a deterrent, though. If you've done your research, weighed all the options, and believe the direction you're heading remains the best or appropriate direction, then Godspeed to you.

Recharge Your Batteries

Last August I wrote about teachers who, like the football great, Jerry Rice, train hard in the off-season. I still believe it's true that some of the best teachers out there are those who train (pedagogically, in their content area, with technology, etc.) between the end of school one year and the beginning of school the following year. However, as this year winds down for most of the nation's educators, I want to present a different perspective on the off-season for teachers.

image borrowed from lifehacker.com

Teaching and/or educational leadership requires huge amounts of energy. Anyone in education will (or should) attest to this statement. Regardless of how well a year goes, how well we take care of ourselves, or how much rest we get during holidays, there are years that drain us of our energy and leave us with little or no gas left in our tanks. Or, to use a different metaphor, some years simply drain our fuel cells, our batteries, of all available energy.

Thankfully, our Creator has designed each of us with rechargeable batteries. In my home, I have no fewer than six sets of rechargeable batteries and they are all different in form and function. I have rechargeable batteries for a few different cameras, for the Xbox controllers, for my laptop, for my kids' RC toys, for my power tools, and more. No two sets of these rechargeable batteries look the same or use the same charger to refill the cells with power. Similarly, our Creator wired each of us differently. We all have batteries that need recharging, but our batteries become renewed in different ways according to how we were designed.

When my batteries run low, I need to sit on the couch or by the pool and read, have down time with my family, and do as little activity as possible. For others I know, running recharges their batteries (though I can't comprehend that). Still others seek activities like attending concerts, traveling, shopping, working around the house or in the garden, attending church more often, gathering frequently with friends, and the list goes on.

As an educator, when you find your batteries running on reserve power, you must recharge them. Battery-powered anythings do not function properly when battery power runs low. Humans operate the same way and full power is a must for educators. How can we inspire, teach, lead, create, innovate, manage, respond, mentor and empower when we aren't operating at maximum capacity? If you don't know exactly what recharges your batteries, I would encourage you to explore personality profiles like the Birkman or others to help you discover exactly how you're wired. Just be sure you start each school year with your fuel cells topped off. In order to do that, though, you must be strategic and intentional with recharging your batteries during the summer.

Need some ideas for recharging your batteries? Try some of these:

• read a book
• re-read a favorite book
• start writing the book you've always wanted to write
• finish writing the book you started
• start attending church
• attend church more often
• spend time in museums
• find a hobby
• reacquaint yourself with the hobby you've been neglecting
• spend more time with your significant other
• explore foreign or independent films
• remodel a room in your home
• explore new restaurants around town
• develop good sleep habits
• start exercising
• return to your exercise routine
• make a list of adventures to try
• begin a regimen of writing (by hand) encouraging notes and letters
• spend time sorting boxes of old photos
• commit to performing random acts of kindness each day or week
• travel to a favorite location filled with memories
• travel to a new destination and make new memories

There's No "I" in BulahBots

I recently shared some introductory information about the BulahBots, the FIRST Robotics team from Parkview Baptist School in Baton Rouge, led by Shawn Liner. Now that we have the introduction out of the way and you know a little about their story, I want to drill down and see if there's any educational value to this endeavor. We know that building robots can be challenging, fun, expensive and a nice diversion from school. But, the real question is, "So what?" In other words, what's the takeaway from a program like FIRST Robotics. Let's see what Shawn had to say about the lessons learned by the FIRST Team 3753, the team he's taking to Nationals April 24-28 in St. Louis.

Nathan: Shawn, you're the team leader or sponsor, but who actually was in charge of the whole project? the design? the construction?

Shawn: The students are in charge. I make a point of being the mediator and facilitator, not the boss. In fact this year they went against my initial wishes. I initially had decided that we should focus on the end-game (climbing the pyramid). However, the students debated and decided that run-and-gun approach to the task was a better, and more achievable, game plan.

I've been fortunate that I have a few gear-heads on my team. These guys have rebuilt cars with their dads and know how to use tools. They are in charge of construction, and they're responsible for teaching these skills to our underclassmen. I feel that the real game happens before we go to regional. My team is competing the whole time they are building.

Nathan: How much ownership of the project did the kids have?

Shawn: Actually, as much as possible. I have six non-students on my team: two adult mentors, three college interns and me. While it's been great to have that kind of participation, we work together to prevent one another from taking over. The team belongs to the kids. They design the robot. They build it, invent the name, the logos, the t-shirts, everything. We (the adults) keep them on task, keep them safe, and ask questions. It’s all very Aristotelian.

Nathan: How does the camaraderie of the BulahBots team members compare to what an athletic team or an orchestra might experience?

Shawn: That's difficult to say. Our “season” lasts six weeks plus a regional competition. We do build some great camaraderie, but the short time probably doesn't allow us to approach what can be accomplished in a year-long sport. I can say that we have had some great teamwork and the students have grown closer together. For example, I loved seeing my senior programmer teach my sophomore, and an upperclassman show an underclassman how to build and use tools. However, we still are a young, developing team. We long to resemble the more developed teams (http://team1912.com) that are year-round and more outreach and training based. I believe that when we reach those levels we will see more of that camaraderie.

Nathan: Were there ever disagreements on the team? If so, how were the conflicts resolved? Did the adults intervene or were the team members left to sort things out?

Shawn: This is perhaps my biggest job as a coach.  The truth of engineering is that there's always another way to do anything you set out to do. (Part of the fun of regionals is seeing how the other teams chose to flesh out our discarded ideas). There may be two ways to do it, but what do we have the resources and talent to flesh-out? Therefore, the conflict management is turning the conflicts into debates. I direct the team members' debate.

Nathan: Was there a "light bulb moment" in terms of teamwork and coming together as a team? 

Shawn: One moment that stands out happened immediately after our kick-off presentation during our rookie year. I had half a dozen students who'd never heard of robotics competition staring at me with fear at the thought of trying to get a mini-bot to climb a pole. Nobody (including me) had the slightest clue how we would go about making it happen. We decided that we would have a driveable robot at regional. That was our definition of success and we reached it. Many of these same students are still with me this year, but our goal was much higher. This year’s goal included a much-improved image at competition, and a cleaner robot that we could be proud of. The best moments this year included setting up our pit and getting ready for inspection. We felt like a team.

Nathan: What collaboration/teamwork skills did you see grow or develop during this process?

Shawn: I've often been curious about the dojo style of teaching. In a dojo, the Sensei teaches the blackbelts and then supervises as the blackbelts teach the brown belts who then teach the blue belts, etc. Because of how effective I found this method, I have always wanted to try it in education. I saw it happen here. My senior programmer taught my sophomore and, as a result, learned it more clearly himself. I saw my senior builders help my underclassmen understand how to use the drills. This was a great thing to witness, and I want to see more.

Additionally, I also saw disagreements about how to accomplish our goal get worked out with minimal effort from me. Students had to brainstorm an  idea, and then present it to the team. Unlike our debates in class, the students didn't just wait for the smart kid to answer and then agree with him. They actually had a good debate.

Nathan: If no member of the BulahBots grows up to become a robot-designing engineer, what is the takeaway from the experience for them? What do they get out of this? What’s the point? What's the takeaway?

Shawn: The most obvious goal of  any robotics team is to increase the number of students studying STEM degrees. However, our team has many components that are not directly related to building and engineering. In fact, with our miniature engineering firm, we've recruited graphic designers, web site designers, video editors, public relations members, etc. There is more to preparing students for STEM than just preparing them for engineering. 

One of my students will graduate and most likely will become a businessman, or politician. This student has learned quite a bit as he has fielded questions about our team and our robot to inspectors. Additionally, he has learned some engineering and how to deal with the creative/technical side of a business.  All of these people will be involved in technical careers in some fashion. Even the modern author has to have some problem solving skills when their word processor fails them.

You can follow FIRST Team 3753 on their website, on Instagram (@bulahbots3753) or on their Facebook page.