Notes to the Facilitator
Tapping into the essence of what it means to be a teacher, award-winning educator, author, and consultant, Timothy D. Kanold offers every educator—from first-year teacher to seasoned district leader—a self-directed exploration and reinforcement of why each has chosen and remains dedicated to this vocation.
In his book HEART!: Fully Forming Your Professional Life as a Teacher and Leader, Kanold begins by addressing a teacher’s heartprint. He states, “I define your heartprint as the distinctive impression and marked impact your heart leaves on others—your students and your colleagues, as your career and your school seasons unfold” (Kanold, 2017, p. 2).
What follows in the book HEART! are thirty-three chapters of personal narrative and contemplative studies, divided into distinct commentaries on:
Happiness—The state of being and the positive emotions educators display at school (Exercises revolve around recognizing the importance of compassion, the importance of character and hope, and the value of expressing emotion.)
Engagement—The roles that energy, effort, and mindfulness play in an educator’s professional life (Featured is the research-based Energy State Grid, highlighting the dynamic kinds of energies existing in the workplace and how these influence both students and colleagues.)
Alliances—The role the educator’s own heartprint plays in colleagues’ success and thus their students’ success (Exercises focus on the nature of collaboration, some philosophical underpinnings of the professional learning community process, and emotional intelligence development.)
Risk—Each educator’s decision if he or she is personally willing to take vision-focused, data-driven risks that will positively affect student learning (Readers analyze their skills at setting and realizing goals, building trust, overcoming resistance to change, and avoiding entropy.)
Thought—The role wisdom plays in sustaining a career as an educator who makes a difference in the lives of both students and colleagues
At the end of each part of the book, a final thoughts section presents reflections from noted educational researchers and structured affirmations to help each reader track the progress of his or her individual journey. These final thoughts sections include:
The World Happiness Report—Defining happiness for yourself
The MTXE Perspective—Seeing perspective as relevant
Why Helping Others Drives Our Success—Understanding the importance of alliances
A Sense of Urgency—Taking risks to ensure students will succeed
Hold the Mayo!—Recognizing why this journey has such value
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As a companion to the book, this workshop consists of three components that span a flexible time period.
1. Group session 1: The first workshop session includes a general introduction of the self-reflection process and the video, in which Kanold addresses the scope and structure of his program, and educators who have successfully completed the HEART! program give testimony. Participants should each have a copy of the book HEART! to read and complete the self-directed exercises. This first session should last approximately two hours.
2. Individual reflection: Over a school-specific predetermined time span, participants will read HEART!, conduct self-reflection and journaling activities, and incorporate lessons learned into their professional lives.
3. Group session 2: After all participants have had the opportunity to practice the mindfulness reflections contained in the book, they will reconvene at the end of the designated time span for a second session, in which they will analyze, evaluate, and share examples of the program’s efficacy.
How to Conduct the Workshop
Because of the unique self-directed format of HEART!, the author suggests reading one to two chapters per week so that the educator can incorporate lessons learned and insights gained into his or her professional life over time. Therefore, this workshop couples independent study with reinforcement and affirmation provided in two group sessions spanning either half a school year or a full school year.
Group session 1 is approximately two hours in length. Conduct group session 2 in one of two ways.
1. Option A: Conduct a single group session of approximately four hours after participants read and journal the entire book (several months after the first session).
2. Option B: Conduct five meetings of approximately one hour each, in intervals spread out over the half or full school year. Each time, participants meet after having completed one of the five parts of the journal.
This makes the workshop especially well-suited for school- or districtwide book clubs.
This package includes all the professional development materials you will need to conduct the workshop— facilitator’s guide with detailed teaching suggestions and participant handout masters, video resources, and a print copy of HEART! for the facilitator. Note that to complete the book study workshop, each participant will also need a copy of the book HEART!
To conduct a successful learning event, please consider the following issues.
Preparation: It’s important that you view the entire video program, read all materials, and complete all activities yourself before leading the workshop.
Location: The workshop should take place in an area that is large enough for individual, small-team, and whole-group work.
Equipment: You will need a DVD player and may need multiple monitors. Ideally, you will have one video monitor for every ten to twelve participants.
Handouts: Reproducible handouts for all participants start on page 13. Duplicate these handouts before the workshop begins and distribute them to participants according to the workshop instructions.
Additional equipment: In order to conduct the workshop, you will also need notepaper, index or note cards, flip charts, chalkboards, or whiteboards with appropriate writing materials.
Refreshments: The agenda for the workshop should include breaks at which you should offer beverages. Snacks are optional, but water should be available throughout the workshop.
Video Program
The workshop incorporates a video program that is approximately fifty-one minutes in length. The video features discussion with award-winning educator, author, and consultant Timothy D. Kanold as well as documentary footage
2 HEART!
of school leaders from North Hanover Township School District in Wrightstown, New Jersey. These highly trained educators share their experiences and insights when implementing the strategies featured in HEART!
The Professional Learning Community (PLC) at Work® process is embedded in the culture of the North Hanover Township School District, and the footage captures the sights and sounds of effective teacher teams and leaders in action. There are no scripted scenes in this program. Participants learn from the real-life experiences of successful PLC practitioners.
Other Resources
Print
HEART!: Fully Forming Your Professional Life as a Teacher and Leader (Kanold, 2017)
The Beginning Teacher’s Field Guide: Embarking on Your First Years (Boogren, 2018a)
Take Time for You: Self-Care Action Plans for Educators (Boogren, 2018b)
Web
go.SolutionTree.com/HEART
www.turningvisionintoaction.today
Notes to the Facilitator 3
Workshop Teaching Suggestions
This workshop asks teachers to consider through self-reflection how they can develop the heart for the education profession. This means finding happiness in the work by engaging in meaningful alliances and by using intelligent thought and wisdom to take focused risks.
The journey begins with five questions that align with the five elements of HEART!:
1. Happiness—Are you a person of passion, positive impact, and perseverance for the education profession?
2. Engagement—Are you an inspiring person with the day-to-day energy required to be fully engaged in your work life?
3. Alliances—Are you a person open to influence and shared values, able to become relationally intelligent and collaboratively interdependent with others?
4. Risk—Are you a person of vision-focused risks for sustainable change, with a growth and data-driven mindset for learning and life?
5. Thought—Are you a person with surface and deep knowledge capacity, thought, and wisdom? (Kanold, 2017, p. 2)
Learning Objectives
After viewing the video and participating in the activities for the workshop, participants will be able to:
Consider and address the underlying reasons why they have chosen and remain in the teaching profession
Explore the challenges and stressors related to the profession, as well as their own inner strengths and resilience
Recognize, support, and engage in alliances with other educators who have an intrinsic motivation to work for every student’s success
Understand what it means to develop and pursue a deeply mindful teaching and leading life and professional career
Recognize the wisdom of becoming more intentional about choices made in their professional teaching lives
Program Overview
Acknowledging the special challenges that all educators face, Kanold has created a self-reflection and journaling program that examines the five unique elements composing the HEART required for a successful and fully formed professional life: (1) happiness, (2) engagement, (3) alliances, (4) risk, and (5) thought.
The purpose of this workshop is threefold.
1. To give educators an opportunity for guided self-reflection and personal growth
2. To provide a plan of action for forming alliances with professional colleagues
3. To foster thoughtful, vision-focused risk taking for sustainable change in educators’ and their students’ lives
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Materials
Video program: HEART!
Book: HEART! (one print copy for each participant)
Reproducible handouts:
} “Tips for Successful Journaling”
} “Energy State Grid”
} “The Professional Educator’s Mission and Principles”
Additional materials: Notepaper, index or note cards, and flip charts, chalkboards, or whiteboards with appropriate writing materials
Activities
It is recommended that you follow the viewing instructions and activities as outlined in the How to Conduct the Workshop section. For group session 1, have participants view the video in its entirety. For group session 2, have participants view the video in segments. After showing each video segment, lead a group reflection and allow participants time to comment, express opinions, ask questions about the material, and complete the activities suggested in the guide. If requested, you can replay portions of the program.
GROUP SESSION 1
Welcome and Video Introduction
1. Welcome participants to the workshop and introduce yourself and anyone else serving as a workshop host, co-leader, or organizer. Briefly discuss the purpose of this self-reflective journaling workshop and details such as the number of group sessions and time span you have allocated for your particular group.
2. Even if participants are colleagues, conduct the following “getting to know you better” activity. Ask participants to form pairs and interview each other for a few minutes. Then ask the pairs to introduce one another to the group, stating the person’s name, something interesting or different about the person, and what the person hopes to gain from the workshop. (If there are more than twenty people in the group, have each pair join another pair and only make introductions within each group of four.)
3. Distribute two index or note cards to each participant. On the first card, ask each to complete the sentence: “I became a teacher because . . .” Using the second card, ask participants to complete two sentences.
a. “My colleagues see me as the type of teacher (or leader) who . . .”
b. “I know I am the type of teacher (or leader) who . . .” Have participants put the cards aside for future reference.
4. Distribute individual copies of the book HEART! and explain that the book is divided into five parts. Briefly allow participants to explore the book.
5. Ask participants to turn to page 2 in the book and read the author’s definition of heartprint. Elaborate that in this self-directed journaling workshop, they will explore the distinct impression they each leave on students and colleagues.
6. Introduce the video. Note that you can play the video in its entirety and in segments indicated on the DVD menu. For group session 1, you will play the video in its entirety. For group session 2, play the video one segment at a time. When played one at a time, each segment ends with a “Pause for Reflection” screen. This represents the time during group session 2 that participants will discuss what they have read in the chapters and written in the journaling exercises outlined in the book.
Video
1. Play the entire video, which includes the following segments.
} “Introduction”
} “Happiness”
} “Engagement”
} “Alliances”
2. Take a fifteen-minute break.
} “Risk”
} “Thought”
} “Conclusion”
8 HEART!
A Journaling Protocol
1. After the break, lead a group discussion and encourage participants to share their initial impressions of the HEART! concept and the stories reflected in the video. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
2. Ask participants to share their general feelings about, experiences with, and questions about journaling. Distribute the reproducible handout “Tips for Successful Journaling” (page 14), and discuss.
3. Direct attention to the list of questions at the bottom of page 2 in the book. Point out that each part of the book begins with an essential heartprint question. Participants should keep these questions in mind as they explore relevant chapters.
4. Direct attention to pages 49–51 in the book, “Final Thoughts: The World Happiness Report,” which include print and web resources, as well as the link to download three additional chapters. Point out that there is a final thoughts section after each of the book’s five parts.
Closing and Next Steps
1. Depending on which time span option you have selected for group session 2, announce the date and time of the next meeting. Remind participants to keep their index or note cards in a safe place, as they will need them in the next meeting.
2. Suggest participants spread out their reading and journaling over the interval between group sessions, apply the principles to their daily professional lives, and regularly record their thoughts throughout the book.
3. Remind participants that the first journaling exercise will include reading part 1 of the book, “Developing HEART—H Is for Happiness,” chapters 1 through 7. The essential heartprint question to focus on is, Are you a person of passion, positive impact, and perseverance for the education profession?
GROUP SESSION 2: OPTION A
With option A, when reshowing the video program, use the DVD menu to choose each segment and stop at the prompt “Pause for Reflection.” After showing each video segment, allow participants time to comment, express opinions, ask questions about the material, and complete the activities suggested in this guide. If requested, you can replay portions of the program as participants consider the questions and activities.
Welcome and Video Introduction
1. Welcome participants to the second session of the HEART! workshop. If necessary, repeat the “getting to know you better” activity found in group session 1.
2. Play the “Introduction” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
3. Ask participants to refer to the index or note cards they completed during group session 1.
Happiness
1. Play the “Happiness” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
2. Ask volunteers to share how they incorporated the concepts of happiness into their professional lives. Encourage them to refer to action steps they recorded on page 50 of the book. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
3. Divide participants into groups of two. Ask each subgroup member to describe his or her positive heartprint colleague—someone who exhibits joyfulness, stability, and gratitude—to the other. Allow a few minutes for this exchange.
4. Bring the total group together, and if time permits, allow a few volunteers to share anecdotes about their positive heartprint colleague.
5. Remind participants that the next video segment’s essential heartprint question is, Are you an inspiring person with the day-to-day energy required to be fully engaged in your work life?
Engagement
1. Play the “Engagement” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
Workshop Teaching Suggestions 9
2. Ask volunteers to share how they incorporated the concepts of engagement into their professional lives. Encourage them to refer to action steps they recorded on page 98 of the book. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
3. Distribute the reproducible handout “Energy State Grid” (page 15). Ask participants to reflect on their own techniques for getting themselves into the high positive energy state, Quadrant I, and the low positive energy state, Quadrant II. Ask volunteers to share their techniques with the group.
4. Remind participants that the next video segment’s essential heartprint question is, Are you a person open to influence and shared values, able to become relationally intelligent and collaboratively interdependent with others?
Alliances
1. Play the “Alliances” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
2. Ask volunteers to share how they incorporated the concepts of alliances into their professional lives. Encourage them to refer to action steps they recorded on page 149 of the book. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
3. Remind participants that the next video segment’s essential heartprint question is, Are you a person of vision-focused risks for sustainable change, with a growth and data-driven mindset for learning and life?
4. Take a fifteen-minute break.
Risk
1. Play the “Risk” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
2. Ask volunteers to share how they incorporated the concepts of vision-focused risk taking into their professional lives. Encourage them to refer to action steps they recorded on page 199 of the book. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
3. Remind participants that the next video segment’s essential heartprint question is, Are you a person with surface and deep knowledge capacity, thought, and wisdom?
Thought
1. Play the “Thought” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
2. Ask volunteers to share how they incorporated the concepts of thought into their professional lives. Encourage them to refer to action steps they recorded on page 233 of the book. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
3. Distribute the reproducible handout “The Professional Educator’s Mission and Principles” (page 16).
Conclusion and Next Steps
1. Play the “Conclusion” and “Epilogue” video segments.
2. Depending on the number in attendance, break the group into subgroups of four to six individuals. Have each subgroup appoint a leader and a recorder who will report to the total group.
3. Ask participants to review the cards they filled out at the beginning of group session 1 on the following statements.
a. “I became a teacher because . . .”
b. “My colleagues see me as the type of teacher (or leader) who . . .”
c. “I know I am the type of teacher (or leader) who . . .”
4. Have participants discuss lessons learned in the journaling experience. Ask participants whether they considered altering their initial comments on their note or index cards.
5. Reconvene the total group, and ask each reporter to present the subgroup’s findings.
6. Lead a discussion on the effects this workshop has had on the participants’ professional lives. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
10 HEART!
GROUP SESSION 2: OPTION B
Option B consists of five meetings, each dedicated to one part of the HEART! book. Before each meeting, announce the video segment you will discuss: “Happiness,” “Engagement,” “Alliances,” “Risk,” or “Thought.” Participants should complete the part of the journal that corresponds to the segment before the meeting occurs.
Welcome and Video Introduction
1. Welcome participants to the second session of the HEART! workshop. If necessary, repeat the “getting to know you better” activity found in group session 1.
2. Play the “Introduction” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
3. Ask participants to refer to the index or note cards they completed during group session 1.
Happiness
1. Play the “Happiness” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
2. Ask volunteers to share how they incorporated the concepts of happiness into their professional lives. Encourage them to refer to action steps they recorded on page 50 of the book. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
3. Divide participants into groups of two. Ask each subgroup member to describe his or her positive heartprint colleague—someone who exhibits joyfulness, stability, and gratitude—to the other. Allow a few minutes for this exchange.
4. Bring the total group together, and if time permits, allow a few volunteers to share anecdotes about their positive heartprint colleague.
5. At the conclusion of the discussion, announce that the next part of the workshop will include selfreflection on the concepts of engagement. Participants should read chapters 8 through 14. Remind participants that the next video segment’s essential heartprint question is, Are you an inspiring person with the day-to-day energy required to be fully engaged in your work life?
Engagement
1. Play the “Engagement” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
2. Ask volunteers to share how they incorporated the concepts of engagement into their professional lives. Encourage them to refer to action steps they recorded on page 98 of the book. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
3. Distribute the reproducible handout “Energy State Grid” (page 15). Ask participants to reflect on their own techniques for getting themselves into the high positive energy state, Quadrant I, and the low positive energy state, Quadrant II. Ask volunteers to share their techniques with the group.
4. At the conclusion of the discussion, announce that the next part of the workshop will include selfreflection on the concepts of alliances. Participants should read chapters 15 through 21. Remind participants that the next video segment’s essential heartprint question is, Are you a person open to influence and shared values, able to become relationally intelligent and collaboratively interdependent with others?
Alliances
1. Play the “Alliances” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen
2. Ask volunteers to share how they incorporated the concepts of alliances into their professional lives. Encourage them to refer to action steps they recorded on page 149 of the book. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
3. At the conclusion of the discussion, announce that the next part of the workshop will include selfreflection on the concepts of risk. Participants should read chapters 22 through 28. Remind participants that the next video segment’s essential heartprint question is, Are you a person of vision-focused risks for sustainable change, with a growth and data-driven mindset for learning and life?
Workshop Teaching Suggestions 11
Risk
1. Play the “Risk” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
2. Ask volunteers to share how they incorporated the concepts of vision-focused risk taking into their professional lives. Encourage them to refer to action steps they recorded on page 199 of the book. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
3. At the conclusion of the discussion, announce that the next part of the workshop will include selfreflection on the concepts of thought. Participants should read chapters 29 through 33. Remind participants that the next video segment’s essential heartprint question is, Are you a person with surface and deep knowledge capacity, thought, and wisdom?
Thought
1. Play the “Thought” video segment, stopping at the “Pause for Reflection” screen.
2. Ask volunteers to share how they incorporated the concepts of thought into their professional lives. Encourage them to refer to action steps they recorded on page 233 of the book. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
3. Distribute the reproducible handout “The Professional Educator’s Mission and Principles” (page 16).
Conclusion, Epilogue, and Next Steps
1. Play the “Conclusion” and “Epilogue” video segments.
2. Depending on the number in attendance, break the group into subgroups of four to six individuals. Have each subgroup appoint a leader and a recorder who will report to the total group.
3. Ask participants to review the cards they filled out at the beginning of group session 1 on the following statements.
a. “I became a teacher because . . .”
b. “My colleagues see me as the type of teacher (or leader) who . . .”
c. “I know I am the type of teacher (or leader) who . . .”
4. Have participants discuss lessons learned in the journaling experience. Ask participants whether they considered altering their initial comments.
5. Reconvene the total group, and ask each reporter to present the subgroup’s findings.
6. Lead a discussion on the effects this workshop has had on the participants’ professional lives. Have a volunteer record and post the results on a flip chart, chalkboard, or whiteboard.
12 HEART!
Reproducible Handouts
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Tips for Successful Journaling
Treat your entries with respect, sharing only with those you trust.
Date each entry.
Write quickly—avoid rewriting or editing.
Be honest with yourself.
Don’t worry about how it looks.
Forget about spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Focus on feelings—not just the chronology of events.
Make notes as you read.
Write in the margins if you want.
HEART! © 2019 Solution Tree Press • SolutionTree.com Visit go.SolutionTree.com/HEART to download this free reproducible. REPRODUCIBLE 14
Negative Energy
Quadrant III
High Negative Angry Fearful Anxious Defensive Resentful
Low Negative Depressed
Exhausted Burned Out
Hopeless Defeated
Quadrant IV
Quadrant I
High Positive Helpful Hopeful Joyful Connected Confident
Low Positive Reflective Serene Relaxed Tranquil
Peaceful
Quadrant II
HEART! © 2019 Solution Tree Press • SolutionTree.com Visit go.SolutionTree.com/HEART to download this free reproducible. REPRODUCIBLE 15 Energy State Grid HEART! © 2017 Solution Tree • SolutionTree.com Visit go.SolutionTree.com/HEART to access materials related to this book.
Energy
High
Positive Energy
Energy State Grid
Low Energy
Source: Kanold, T. D. (2017). HEART!: Fully forming your professional life as a teacher and leader. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.