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
We're starting off 2016 with a deep dive into Instructional Leadership. Throughout January, you'll hear from authors and experts with proven strategies for leading schools. For this and every theme throughout the year, we'll provide a short reading list to provide you with even more
A colleague of mine, a fellow educational presenter, reached out to me a few weeks ago and asked me for support with how to help a principal “get his staff” motivated for a new school-wide initiative. The issue, according the principal, was that the teachers
Recently, I returned from leading the pilgrimage of El Camino de Santiago, the medieval path across the north of Spain. This pilgrimage is much more than a beautiful walk. It is much more than a destination, or the repetition of footsteps along the path. It
Can educators at all levels of a system learn how to use feedback with each other to improve teaching practice, and, in the process, create healthy cultures of learning and critical inquiry? The number one investment an instructional leader can make is in strengthening teachers. Instructional
Discipline is one of the most commonly stated reasons for not having enough time for effective implementation of school or classroom programs. This is true; however, what is sometimes overlooked is that a reactive school discipline approach takes more time in the long run than
Did something awesome happen in your school today? Did a student or staff member do something that really impressed you? Are you proud of your classroom, school or district? If so, who knows about it? Are you the only person in your classroom, school or
This post was originally published on Finding Common Ground. School Leaders’ Dilemma: Distraction: The New Normal Catherine, a busy school principal in a large urban school in New Jersey, recounts her workday in exasperation at a recent mindfulness and school leadership training session offered by Lead Smart
A teacher who gives up on a student who can’t read is similar to an administrator who gives up on a student by only using suspensions to discipline. Handling discipline with only this approach is the easy way out and does not get to the
As someone who has had the privilege of working with educators the length and breadth of the United States, I can confirm this: there is no shortage of leadership in American education. At every level – school, district, state, higher ed – and, yes, even