Four different speakers at four different sessions during the course of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) fall conference today focused on networking. Why did that stand out to me? I have been reflecting on how to intentionally teach and reinforce networking skills for our students. In the first session, the speaker focused on networking as a way to bring diverse voices to work on a problem, resulting in more creative and effective solutions. To do this, students must first see the diversity in skills, in life experiences, and in opinion, as a strength and be given opportunities to seek out this diversity when they have a problem to solve. Then, students need an environment where they have the time to solve problems by building a network, while getting feedback from mentors or teachers. Adults also benefit from this diversity of voices when faced with a problem. When you think about building your own network, are you intentional about pulling in people from diverse experiences and backgrounds? (Thanks to Eric Gordan, Maria Carlson, and Cindy Moss for sharing their students and their innovative summer programming based on their profile of a graduate)
In the next session, the presenter posed the question, “What is your positional power and who are you networking with?” Networking in this model is like chaining batteries together. For students who may feel their voice has not been heard or are working to make change in policy or practice, networking is a way to combine their positional power with that of other students, mentors and advocates to amplify their voice. This is the power of organizations like Voice4equity’s Policy Leadership for HS Girls Initiative. As education leaders, we all have some level of positional power. When you think about building your network, who can work alongside you to accomplish your goals or elevate your advocacy work? (Thanks to Dr. Christina Kishimoto, Mia Prewitt for sharing Policy Leadership for HS Girls)
The third session looked at the idea of networking innovators and creators across districts. For students, this is finding opportunities for students to build a network of leaders and innovators from other schools in the district and beyond the district. With Zoom, it is now possible to create virtual events where students can work together on larger problems that are important to them. Programs like 4H, Buckeye Boys State and Buckeye Girls State, Student Senate, Key Club, Model UN, and Robotics competitions are all examples of programs that have built in opportunities for older students to innovate or create together. What else can we do? What opportunities are there for younger students to connect to others who have innovative ideas beyond their own classrooms? As leaders, how can we identify the innovators within our own district and help them network across departments or across districts? What problems can we task this network with addressing? (Thanks to BIll Daggett for sharing his research)
FInally, the last session focused on networking as a way to find “wholeness”. A network can help put a problem in contextt, offer voices of support, identify resources, provide feedback, and strengthen collegiality. As leaders, we know that sometimes it is hard to see beyond the 4 walls around us. A network is that connection to the world around us. Students need that same wholeness as they work to navigate the world of home and school. We can model this kind of networking, sharing with students how we have used our network to help us work through a problem or find support. We can also build time into the student day for them to connect to their own network. It takes energy to maintain this essential network. Take time over the next few days to take an action to strengthen or reconnect to the network that helps you to find “wholeness” (Thanks to Superintendents Carey Buehler, Veronica Motley, Kim MIller, and Shelly Vaughn for sharing out their top 10 strategies for finding wholeness and living a full life as a leader)
Resources To Spark Your Thinking
Learn more about Bill Dagget’s research - Learning 2025
Increasing Authenticity In the Classroom - Edutopica Blog
Rich Math Tasks - Jo Boaler
The Top 6 Rules for Leadership Networking - Center for Creative Leadership
5 Networking Tips for Women - Center for Creative Leadership
And..to help you with making new connections -- Here is advice from indeed.com on how to introduce people over email https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-introduce-two-people-over-email