“Leaders and would-be leaders today face double jeopardy. The demands on them are multifarious, disjointed, relentless, and chaotic. And the advice they receive—from their bosses, books, workshops, job descriptions, and consultants—is an amalgam of half-truths, vague generalities, piecemeal solutions, and ad hoc good ideas. Yet
What if we, as instructional leaders, supported creativity in teaching and learning? I mean really supported it. Here are a few things we might expect to see (and hear). We would see ourselves leading by example. We would view uncertainty as a sign that new
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” (Sinek, Leaders Eat Last) Leadership in education today is at a crossroads. Part of the challenge is due to a shift in demographics that has seen many veteran leaders
As anyone who has ever visited Ireland would attest, the people there are remarkably friendly and hospitable. How is this so? Is there a fine for being unfriendly? Is there an incentive program for those who are caught being nice? I don’t think so. People
As district leaders, we continually work toward the design of professional learning that is purposeful, meets the unique needs of our school communities, and, ultimately, has an impact on student learning. This endeavor is a tall order since our priorities and programs continue to shift
“Presence calls our attention to how genuinely and completely a person is in a situation rather than standing apart from it as an observer, commentator, critic or judge… Presence is a name for the quality of being in a situation or relationship in which one intends at a
As an administrator, it is easy to fall into this trap of being a manager who does (almost) nothing but take care of day-to-day (or weekly) issues/problems/events as they arise. As current administrators, we can definitively say
Last night I had a dream that I was asked to take a principal’s job, and I was wondering where in the world I should start. In my dream I kept promising myself that I would be highly visible. I would not be confined to my office
The un-asked question is how to engage students in deeper learning, such as being innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial? The NCR report (2012, p. 13) uses the following six elements: Using multiple and varied representations of concepts; Encouraging elaboration, questioning and explanation; Engaging learners in challenging tasks;
“Computer systems are changing the basic structure of education by providing a ready means for self-directed learning. Disparities in computer skills can create disparities in educational development.” -Albert Bandura It is no longer acceptable for any educator to say, “I’m not good with computers.” Neither teacher