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  • Writer's pictureJim Mercer
    • 1 day ago

SamTastic Weekly Tip: 9/9/24 - Do Your Events Connect?

Do Your Events Connect?


I bet you are in the GREEN this morning. 


When you have your SAM Daily Meeting, take a few minutes to look at last week.  Can you find connections between instructional events? 


Research is clear.  You have to connect your work to improve teacher practice.  Did you work with students in a class while you watched a teacher’s lesson?  Can you find a feedback session later in the week?  A PD session or time with the teacher in a PLC?


We expect classroom teachers to connect their work with students from day to day to build skills and knowledge.  Doing the same in your work with teachers, and other staff, makes sense for the same reason.


Building relationships is important, too.  A SAM principal in Georgia meets weekly with her five new teachers as a group.  She facilitates a conversation each week without an agenda.  She lets the teachers pick what they’d like to talk about.  It allows her to model the value of reflection and constructive conversation.   When needed, she uses a prompt to get things started.  She works hard to stay non-directive.  At her next SAM Daily Meeting she schedules follow-up with one of more of the new teachers:

  • One of the four kinds of seeing instruction

  • Teaching and modeling

  • Directive or celebratory feedback

  • Attend a grade level/subject area PLC meeting


Connecting the principal’s work requires intentionality.  This Georgia SAM principal has a great SAM who consistently asks how to connect one event with another. 


In-person SAM Training this week:  The Bronx, New York

In-person SAM training next week:  Columbia, Missouri and Columbia, South Carolina


Online registration is open for the 18th Annual National SAM Conference.  This looks to be our best conference, ever, with a great line-up of keynote presenters, pre-conference workshops and breakout sessions.


Use this link to register and follow the prompts. 


Additional conference links:

NSIP Board President Bert Hendee is taking applications for the seat on the Board designated for a SAM principal.  Applications are due September 20.  Use this link to download the application.  https://bit.ly/3AeqJnd


  • Writer's pictureJim Mercer
    • Sep 2

SamTastic Weekly Tip: 9/2/24 - Online registration is open for the 18th Annual National SAM Conference.

Happy Labor Day


Online registration is open for the 18th Annual National SAM Conference.  This looks to be our best conference, ever, with a great line-up of keynote presenters, pre-conference workshops and breakout sessions.


Use this link to register and follow the prompts. 


Be sure to click submit when you finish.  You will see a screen stating your registration has been received and will be reviewed prior to confirmation.  At that point, you should make your airline reservation and forward flight information by December 1.  We are offering an option of staying Sunday night as the next day is the Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday.  IF you select this option, you will receive a credit card authorization link later in the week to pay for the extra night. (full refund if canceled by January 1) Everglades tours are available Sunday and Monday as well as a wealth of activities and experiences in Miami.


Additional conference links:

 

Labor Day is a great time to consider applying for a seat on NSIP Board.  NSIP Board President Bert Hendee is taking applications for the seat on the Board designated for a SAM principal.  Applications are due September 20.  Use this link to download the application.  https://bit.ly/3AeqJnd

  • Writer's pictureJim Mercer
    • Aug 26

SamTastic Weekly Tip: 8/26/24 - The new TimeTrack expands Connected Events to include automated scheduling,

Happy last Monday in August.


Once school is in session, most leaders make a point to do a lot of walkthroughs, one of the four kinds of seeing instruction.  Good SAMs make a point of asking the leader what follow up they want?  Feedback?  What kind?  SAMs do this as there is little evidence that simply being in a classroom leads to improved teacher practice.


Many SAM teams have used Connected Events to pre-schedule the four parts of a formal evaluation.   The new TimeTrack expands Connected Events to include automated scheduling of a coaching sequence:  Seeing Instruction, Preparation and Feedback.  It is easy to use.  Select a group if teachers and a date range you’d like to complete the sequence.  Connected Events then searches for open times in your schedule where it can place each event in sequence.  You can then click and drag events, as needed, to best meet the leader’s needs.


You will find Connected Events in the upper right-hand side of your TimeTrack.  Click and explore.



Online registration opens one week from today, Labor Day.  You can use this link:  www.SamProcess.com 


You will find the conference schedule, as well as descriptions of keynote speakers and pre-conference sessions, at these links:

 

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