Agile Leadership During A Storm

Steven WeberBlog, Innovate Better, Lead Better, Manage Better

TL;DR: Agile school leaders designing plans with multiple contingency plans and keep the end in mind. Seek clarity in the storm and in your plans to communicate with the public.  Embrace complexity and allow cognitive elasticity to support team decisions, rather than relying on traditional approaches and what worked in the past. “This is about identifying the direction you and the … Read More

Great Leaders Know When to Get Off Their Soapbox

Steven WeberBlog, Connect Better, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Lead Better, Manage Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: We all have a soapbox. It may be more important to get off the soapbox than to constantly stand on the soapbox and announce our good intentions.  The “Knowing-Doing Gap” is created when school staff know the jargon, but fail to change their practice. Eduspeak is one of the main barriers to supporting more students and transforming teaching and … Read More

A Professional Learning Network

Steven WeberBlog, Connect Better, Engage Better, Lead Better, Manage Better

TL;DR: Twenty years ago, teachers had each other’s backs. Their PLN were teachers down the hall. Now, PLNs look different. When you attend national conferences, you have the opportunity to connect with other educators across the U.S. You can learn and grow from others by asking questions. Five benefits of a PLN: learning, sharing, celebrating, reflecting, and growing.  A PLN … Read More

Climb Higher: It’s Not All Low-Hanging Fruit

Steven WeberBlog, Connect Better, Engage Better, Innovate Better, Lead Better, Lesson Plan Better, Manage Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: There are benefits to reaching for the low-hanging fruit: small wins, buy-in, momentum, easier to check off the list, requires fewer meetings and communication, and there is less risk involved. We cannot afford to pick low-hanging fruit for a prolonged time. It’s the second semester and summer break will be here before we know it. Teacher teams and school … Read More

5 Scandals in Education

Steven WeberBlog, Differentiate Better, Engage Better, Grade Better, Lead Better, Lesson Plan Better, Manage Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR: Scandals exist in schools. Teachers and administrators must analyze their schools to see if they exist or have the potential to develop. There are 5 scandals in education: low expectations, lack of instructional leadership, culture does not emphasize formative assessment, curriculum alignment is left to chance, and students are not required to think. Throughout history, scandals have been documented. … Read More