TL;DR: Instructional leaders don’t have all the answers, especially at the beginning. It is important to tap into tools and resources to be an effective instructional leader. How does an educator become an instructional leader? “An instructional leadership mindset includes an intense moral purpose focused on promoting deep student learning, professional inquiry, trusting relationships and seeking evidence in action” (Timperley, … Read More
Teaching About Current Events and Controversial Issues
TL;DR: Teachers can press pause to develop a lesson, collect factual sources, and determine how to teach the lesson in an age-appropriate manner. Determine if you are ‘preaching’ or ‘teaching.’ Provide a balanced perspective and seek resources from multiple perspectives. What is the best approach to teaching about current events and controversial issues? Americans are divided on issues related to … Read More
The Reluctant Leader
TL;DR: We often don’t expect to become leaders. Sometimes we may even avoid it. There are moments when you see the need for your leadership, and you step up to help create change. Pssst…I am going to share a secret about myself. I didn’t want to be a leader. Never have, and I never thought I would be calling myself … Read More
Embrace Differences in Teaching Styles
TL;DR: Different teaching styles work for both teachers and students. Spiraling concepts helps students build knowledge. Take time for students to build relationships. Check in with parents for additional feedback. Embracing Differences in Teaching Styles I recently got the opportunity to reflect as a mentor in a guest panel at the Mentoree Podcast through Voice Ed Canada. Authentic questions were … Read More
Braving Tough Topics Blog Series
Braving Tough Topics Blog Series Overview You can use several communication strategies to address challenging topics as they enter your classroom and the broader community. As educators, we must take these tough conversations with students, parents, colleagues, and administrators, but what is the best way to do that? This blog series shares de-escalation strategies, ideas to enhance structures to create … Read More