When asked about school leadership, most people in the school community focus on specific behaviors they observe in formal leaders, then judge how those behaviors measure up against what they believe to be appropriate behaviors. Some people prefer leaders who leave them alone, whereas others
An excerpt from the white paper Collaborative Leadership: How to Inspire Your Leaders to Become Learners Peter DeWitt has his own take on leadership. DeWitt, a longtime teacher and principal, is now an author, leadership coach, education consultant, Education Week columnist, Visible Learning trainer working with
Building collective efficacy is a hot topic in educational circles as a result of John Hattie’s meta-analysis of what works best in education. While many of the research-supported characteristics of collective efficacy may seem out of reach for the average teacher, one simple practice, applied
I love the excitement and energy a new school year brings; everyone comes to school with a great attitude and hope for a positive school year. School leaders must commit to harnessing the energy of the start of school and carry it all the way
As summer draws to a close, school leaders’ thoughts turn to the new school year. The new school year brings new ideas, renewed energy, and creative opportunities. A new year is a fresh start and a do-over. Most likely, experienced leaders feel prepared for the routines
Researchers must treat their findings with ruthless objectivity to avoid dreaded “cargo cults.” And educators should consider doing the same. Back in 1960, the great British filmmaker David Attenborough visited Tanna Island in the South Pacific to document the lives of the islanders. What he witnessed
I began my first year as a literacy coach in multiple elementary buildings in the fastest-growing district in the state of Missouri. That meant we had a large amount of new teachers and it also meant I had to say ‘no’ to coaching more seasoned
Every teacher knows the feeling… when something just works and you can see the light of learning in your students’ eyes. Maybe it was a brilliant project that connected your students to the real world. Maybe it was a breakthrough moment with one particular student. We
The story behind the 1,400 meta-analyses, the over 80,000 studies included in those analyses, and the 300 million students represented in the Visible Learning research is this: learning best occurs when teachers see the learning through the eyes of their students and students see themselves
A new academic year is about to start. Data shows (Tulgan, 2013) an increasing number of Gen Z teachers, the first truly global and digital educators, will be joining schools’ weakened pipelines. Are you and your school ready to include them in your staff-line up? Here