Teachers (and Students) Can Only Take So Much
Brains can only take so much. The exact line that marks the boundary between “enough to manage” and “too much” is defined by individual experiences and personalities, but I think it’s safe to say that the last two years have…
An Administrator’s Approach to Supporting Reading Instruction
Teachers and administrators know that reading scores are in the news across the United States, with 2022 NAEP results showing significant declines in student proficiency since 2019. Many variables contribute to this crisis: the disruptions of pandemic learning, inequitable educational systems that…
Why Schools Should Stop Adding and Adopt a ‘Subtraction Mindset’
For educators, the past few years have been punishing. Emerging from the pandemic, they’re now putting in longer days packed with classes but also juggling meetings, emails, grading time, and professional development that often stretch far beyond their normal workday….
Soliciting Feedback Effectively as an Administrator
At the monthly staff meeting, the principal makes an announcement. “At our staff meeting last month, our focus was differentiated instruction. In the feedback, many of you indicated frustration that it was hard to learn about the topic when someone…
5 Ways to Protect Your Time as a School Leader
Have you ever been running late to another meeting or in the middle of a project that requires deep thought, and heard the dreaded words, “Got a minute?” Don’t get me wrong; I want to be available, visible, and helpful…
Achieving Balance as a Time-Starved School Leader
School leaders are time starved. That’s the nature of the job. We can give everything to our work, and the job will still ask for more. Researchers have found that years of experience correlate with better success for principals; however, at the same…
4 Shifts That Lead to Better Staff Meetings
We’ve all been there, sitting in yet another meeting where we feign interest. Many of us resign ourselves to the routine of these “time suck” meetings, but we should demand more. So, facilitators, no matter the meeting you are designing,…
A Guide to Psychological Safety for Educators
As a teacher, when you consider your workplace within your school system, how does it make you feel, and what people and experiences have shaped that response? Do you find yourself avoiding certain activities, locations, or colleagues because of what…
Preparing Students With Disabilities for Life Beyond School
Family and school partnership is an important component of school success and student achievement. Engaging families of youth with disabilities is especially crucial. When students with disabilities enter middle and high school, schools and families need to begin to ensure that…
How School Leaders Can Pave the Way for Productive Use of AI
Leading in an era of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence (AI) requires that leaders articulate a clear vision, build consensus around it, communicate effectively with the school community, and allocate support and resources for their policies. This is no small challenge: As school…