Jennifer Abrams
About Jennifer Abrams
Speech topics
Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work
At this moment in time when things are ever shifting, it is critically important that we strive to develop ourselves, not just as educators, but as human beings. What can we do to be bigger and better versions of ourselves as collaborative team members and as leaders? This workshop, based on Jennifer’s new book, Stretching Your Learning Edges: Growing (Up) at Work, will introduce us to adult developmental theory and to five focused ways we can develop ourselves at work.
We will build our skills to:
- know ourselves and our identities
- better suspend our certainty and think with greater complexity and openness
- take increased responsibility for our language and communications
- engage with reciprocity and live ‘out loud’ our belief of mutual respect for all
- build our resiliency and work on our emotional hygiene
Consider what it means, in practice, to grow (up) – to develop our skills and capacities as lead learners in our schools.
Speaking videos
Books by Jennifer Abrams
“Swimming in the Deep End: Four Foundational Skills for Leading Successful School Initiatives (Managing Change Through Strategic Planning and Effective Leadership)” (2019)
With foreword by Ellie Drago-Severson Acquire the knowledge and resources necessary to achieve true success as a leader and enact strategic change and school improvement. In Swimming in the Deep End, author Jennifer Abrams dives deep into the four foundational skills required of effective leadership and change management: (1) thinking before speaking, (2) preempting resistance, (3) responding to resistance, and (4) managing oneself through change and resistance. Throughout the book, readers receive ample guidance for building these vital skills and leading school initiatives and implementation plans that face 21st century challenges head-on. Develop the educational leadership skills needed to create real, strategic change in your school: Gain an understanding of the most pressing issues facing schools today, learn why they must be faced, and consider your implementation plan. Enhance your leadership and change-management abilities by mastering the four foundational skills. Learn how to utilize your new mastery of the foundational skills to have critical conversations, resolve conflict, respond to resistance, and manage yourself through change and resistance. Utilize an online appendix of quotes as a source of inspiration and motivation in guiding effective organizational change and strategic planning. Access a comprehensive self-assessment designed to assist you in your growth as a leader. Contents: Introduction Chapter 1: Thinking Before You Speak Chapter 2: Preempting Resistance Chapter 3: Responding to Resistance Chapter 4: Managing Yourself Through Change and Resistance Epilogue Appendix A: Websites That Inspire and Support Resilience Appendix B: Additional Recommended Websites
“Hard Conversations Unpacked: The Whos, the Whens, and the What-Ifs” (2016)
Learn to speak up for what really matters In Having Hard Conversations, Jennifer Abrams showed educators how to confront colleagues about work-related issues through a planned, interactive, and personal approach. In this sequel, readers move deeper into preparing for those conversations while building expectations for meaningful outcomes. Emphasizing what needs to happen before, during, and after hard conversations, this resource explores What humane, growth-producing, and "other-centered" conversations sound like How to recognize and account for culture, gender, and generational filters How to spot and work with organizational dynamics that could influence discussions How to conduct hard conversations with supervisors
“The Multigenerational Workplace: Communicate, Collaborate, and Create Community” (2013)
Bridge the generation gap and achieve outstanding results! You might expect the occasional age-related misunderstanding to find its way into the classroom—after all, if today’s kids aren’t exactly fro
“Having Hard Conversations (NULL)” (2009)
Speak with clarity, confidence, and courage!Many educators struggle with discussing difficult issues with colleagues. This insightful book helps readers effectively lead challenging conversations with supervisees, peers, and supervisors. Emphasizing initiative and preparation as keys to a successful conversation, the author’s step-by-step approach provides: Thought-provoking questions and first-person accounts that help build communications skills Advice on overcoming personal hesitation about expressing concerns Guidance on goal setting and choosing the best “what-where-and-when” for a productive discussion Sample scripts and other interactive tools to help educators prepare for the conversation and achieve positive outcomes
At a glanceJennifer Abrams
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