From the Balcony

1. public display cases

2. transitions between classes

3. Eagle Eye

4. Random Acts of Kindness

5. Recycling

6. Parents at school

"This reminds me of a technique that I learned in art school that I later used with my own students when I started teaching. Artists spend a great deal of their time with their nose in the painting -- so close to the work that they must make the effort to step away and look at the whole picture. My professors (and I, in my own classroom) frequently asked students to stop drawing/painting/sculpting and to move to the other side of the room to look at the work from a distance or a different perspective. The purpose of this was to allow the student/artist time and space to see the whole work -- to look for the patterns, to assess the balance and harmony of the whole piece. The technique is very effective. I've also found it helpful when doing other kinds of projects -- painting rooms in my home, decorating, etc. -- and it's essentially the same thing as viewing "from the balcony."

Imagine your school from "the balcony."

What patterns do you see?

How might this view allow you to rethink solutions to the challenges you are facing in your school?

How might you help other members of your leadership team -- as well as other members of your faculty -- see the school from the balcony?

How might you also guide your team to apply what they've learned "from the balcony" to affect change when they return "to the dance floor"?" LeaderTalk by leadertalk@gmail.com (UCEA CASTLE)