Leveling Up Leadership: 7 Engaging Protocols to Elevate Your Practice

Outline

NOTE: while the following protocols might be familiar to a good number of educators, the session will really push on the ways school leaders can use these playful experiences to push on deeper skill building around key skills: communication, active listening, designing for equity, problem-solving, nurturing creativity, etc. - and will empower educators to facilitate the dialogue back in their own schools in such a way that educators grow their skills AND are able to use these strategies with their students as well.

OUTLINE
(5 minutes): Introductions – Meet the presenters, goals for today
(10 minutes): Playful Protocol #1 – Participants will play the The Right Family + Debrief on the power of active listening & other messages leaders could share with educators
(10 minutes): Playful Protocol #2 - Participants will play Paper Telephone + Debrief on communication strategies for school leaders, especially when working to improve something somewhat intangible - like educational equity.
(10 minutes): Playful Protocol #3 - Participants will play Squiggle Birds + Debrief on various strategies for observation and scaffolding that better support collaboration
(15 minutes ): Four more playful protocols & the benefit of using them as school leaders (examples might include: String Geometry, Drawing a Rhythm Together, Say-Say-Do, Helium Hoop, etc.)
(10 minutes): Closing & Reflection - Benefit of using protocols and play-based learning, as well as where to access resources that can be used tomorrow!

Supporting research

Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (formerly School Reform Initiative) : Why Protocols? https://www.schoolreforminitiative.org/download/why-protocols/

Example of a protocol that might be used in this session: https://www.schoolreforminitiative.org/download/the-right-family/ (document provides one explanation of a deeper meaning - our session would help highlight how this could help school / district leaders more specifically).

ASCD article detailing the benefits of play in the workplace for educators: https://ascd.org/el/articles/make-time-for-play

Peer reviewed article on 10 principles for improving the culture of a workplace through game-like activities: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00014/full