TL;DR: We must meet students where they are. There is not a math gap, only a distance you must travel to meet your students. First, determine where the students are. Then plan, implement, reflect, adapt, and repeat. Be sure to advocate for your students, your method, and your plan. For many of us, this past calendar year has felt a … Read More
5 Tips to Reimagine School as a Verb
TL;DR: Reimagine school as a verb with these five tips. Start with defining the problem. We need to focus on more than preparing students for the next grade; we need to focus on the necessary human skills of success. Reflection: The pandemic has forced us to relook at the whole learner through a metacognitive lens. Establish a growth mindset to … Read More
3 Ways to Activate Growth as an Aspiring Leader
TL;DR: The transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly is comparable to the development of an aspiring leader. Do not be afraid to ask to experience new and different leadership tasks. Be available to help and support at any moment there is an opportunity. Go beyond and outside of your campus to gain leadership experience. A year ago, we bought … Read More
4 Steps to Create and Market Your School’s Brand
TL;DR: Plan and execute a strategic process for creating and communicating your school’s brand. Create a brand you want people to hear, see, and feel when they interact with your school district. Your school’s brand is how you do things. It is your culture. It is the WHY that drives you. And it’s the WAY you achieve your goals. Create … Read More
3 Suggestions to Make Evaluation More Meaningful
TL;DR: Reduce the teacher evaluation pressure by investing in more conversations and more time in classrooms. See tips for how to make a pre-conference more meaningful. Praise heaping, rating justification, and point proving are three conference styles. The best solution is to give 2-3 key goals for improvement. If anything, last year seemed to be EVERYTHING. I like to say … Read More
