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Good Enough is Not Good Enough: Soliciting Feedback for Professional Growth
Guest post by Donald F. Gately, principal, Jericho Middle School, Jericho, NY I recently prepared introductory remarks for our end-of-the-year concert. Using the same “concert introductions” document...
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4 Ways to Support Beginning Teachers
Guest post by Abbey Duggins During an informal conversation with a veteran teacher who was grappling with a problem of practice in her language arts class, I asked her why she didn’t take her problem...
View ArticleRecalibrate Your School’s Opening During #1st3days
Guest post by Brian McCann It’s taken me nearly 15 years to get the opening of school “right.” And in all of the summer planning I did for more than a decade: the refreshing of the building, the...
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Five Simple Ways to Boost Social Capital in Schools
Guest post by Nathan Boyd, director, African American Student and Parent Services for South Bend Community School Corporation Whether it’s Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram, or the app du jour, our kids...
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How to Provide Meaningful Teacher Feedback by Observing the “Unobservables”
One of the ways I like to provide meaningful feedback to teachers is by observing the “unobservables” outside of the classroom. A classroom observation is just a glimmer of the real work that teachers...
View ArticleStudent Voice and Choice Through Personalized Learning Time
Each year I invite our teachers at Montour High School to participate in the Shadow a Student Challenge. For one week, a group of teachers spends time following students around the building, attending...
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When Going to the Principal’s Office is a Good Thing
As a child of the 1980s, I cheered on Ferris Bueller as he played hooky to hang out with his pals on his day off and rooted for John Bender as he snuck out of detention with the Breakfast Club. In both...
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Leading Schools in Disruptive Times: How to Survive Hyper Change
You would be hard-pressed to talk to a teacher, secretary, or school administrator who would say we are not experiencing some disruptive times in education. Since 2008, public perception of educators,...
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Transforming School Culture: Know It, Feel It, Live It
When I first arrived, Lake Shore Middle School (LSMS) was on the verge of a state takeover. With an F grade for two straight years on the state report card, LSMS was plagued with a host of problems...
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New School Year, New Energy: Setting Realistic Goals
New Beginnings Once upon a time, I had the greatest summer job ever: working at Seven Ranges Scout Reservation in east central Ohio. We were a bunch of teenagers and 20-somethings who got to exercise...
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How to Help Students Make the “Right” Choices for Their Future
The students at Graham High School in St. Paris, OH, participate in our Career Gears program. As I shared in a previous post, Career Gears aims to create relevant experiences that help students...
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Four Ways to Reenergize Your Next In-Service Opportunity
If your staff didn’t have to attend your next in-service training, would they? If the training covers the 54-slide overview of ESSA changes or a new literacy initiative, I’m sure we can all guess the...
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10 Things Great Principals Do Well
As we get ready to welcome students back to school, it seems like there is never enough time to get everything done. When I’m running around nonstop, sometimes it helps to have a quick checklist to...
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Are You the “Connector in Chief” at Your School?
When I was awarded the honor of being named the Assistant Principal of the Year in the state of Illinois, my local newspaper did a story on me. When they asked my principal about what made me a worthy...
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Eating Your Mistakes
It was the Fourth of July, and I was doing what I love to do in summertime: using my barbeque smoker to make pulled pork sliders for dinner. I woke up at 4:15 a.m. to get it started so that it would be...
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Four Ways to Fine-Tune Your Leadership Skills
After 18 years of being an assistant principal in various schools, I still love my job. But whether you are a new administrator or a seasoned veteran, it is always a challenge to stay current in the...
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Taking a Critical Lens to Instructional Design
No one can deny the fact that we are seeing some pretty exciting changes in teaching, learning, and leadership. Advances in research, brain science, and technology are opening up new and better...
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How to Keep Staff Motivated Throughout the School Year
I always love the first few of days of each year when the anticipation for school is palpable. The students are eager to get their schedules, see their friends, and make their Friday night game plans....
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What’s Your School Leader Story?
When it comes to school leadership, what really matters? Years of experience? Advanced degrees? Principal placement? While each of these indicators can play a role in a school leader’s impact on...
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Facing Professional Disappointments and Finding Peace in the “No”
“Rejection doesn’t mean you aren’t good enough; it means the other person failed to notice what you have to offer.” —Mark Amend How do you handle “no”? You’re getting ready for dismissal. You have just...
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