(Originally posted at Leadership that Matters) By Julie Trepa I remember my first day on the job as an administrator. I had just been hired as an associate principal for a middle school of approximately 1,200 students; it was July 1, and I couldn’t wait to get my feet wet. I walked into my office […]
What’s Holding You Back? – Ben Gilpin
(Originally posted on The Colorful Principal.) By Ben Gilpin 2014 was the start of something special. That something was #ClassroomCribs. I’m a believer that learning spaces matter. As we jump start 2015, I feel it is critical to talk about where we’ve been and what we’re learning. This past summer +A.J. Juliani, +Erin Klein and I began working […]
Flipping Staff Meetings The Why, How, a...
Going into my 15th year as a teacher, I have been through a lot of staff meetings. This may surprise you, but they are not a highlight of my job. In fact, I never found them particularly helpful in my practice. Most of the information in typical staff meetings I have sat through could have […]
An Outline for Going Google – Brad Curri
(Originally posted on BradCurrie.net ) By Brad Currie Image Credit: http://edurolearning.com/images/2014/05/gafe.png A good friend of mine, Billy Krakower, recently asked about my thoughts pertaining to a strategic Google Apps for Education (GAFE) rollout plan. Below you will find what I shared with him via email a few weeks ago. I. Assess Needs of Staff […]
If You’re Ever Trapped Behind a Door, I
Originally posted on Skins of Ill Shaped Fishes.) By Bjorn Paige There is a big ax in my office, red handled, heavy, the kind a firefighter might swing. It lies next to a duffle bag of emergency supplies (bandages, rope, flashlights) and reminds me that part of being a site administrator is being ready for […]
Redefining Time – Prioritize for Effecti
(Originally posted on Habits of Reflective School Leadership.) By Dan Fowler As school leaders, we constantly find ourselves trying to work more efficiently by multi-tasking the many responsibilities that consume the time in our day. We conduct classroom walk-throughs, manage discipline, respond to email, police the lunchroom, and the list of “to dos” goes on. […]
Teacher Voice: The Secret Ingredient in ...
(Originally posted on Lead Learning with John Wink) By John Wink As a singer who loved music so much that I majored in it, I have never had a problem making my voice heard. It takes very little muse for me to share my gift with others. All I need is a tune in my […]
Avoiding Bear Traps – Chris Hubbuch
(Originally posted on Inquiry to Results.) By Chris Hubbuch Little could be more painful that being in the clutches of a bear trap. Just thinking about that word is enough to conjure thoughts of oversized metal blades clasping the limb of an unsuspecting animal or hunter. I like to use the term “bear trap” to […]
9 Leadership Lessons Learned as a Conduc...
(Originally posted at Larry Walsh, High School Principal.) By Larry Walsh Raised in the Seattle area, I have been a professional musician since my teens. I have directed award-winning High School Bands, musicals and community orchestras. My expertise in percussion and keyboard have allowed me to perform throughout the United States with orchestras, jazz and rock […]
Recognizing Your Teacher Rock Stars – Th
(Originally posted on SchoolAdministrationMastery.com) By Sam Rangel I just finished Dave Ramsey’s book, EntreLeadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches, and I plan on reading it again. It is filled with so many great ideas of how to lead effectively. It’s primarily for business owners, but as with many of the “business […]
The Principalship: What’s Most Important
(Originally posted on On Principal.) By John Falino I wrote a post over a year ago on the Principalship and the most important aspects of the position. As I move further along into my fourth year, the position continues to be multi-faceted, fast moving, and ever-changing. Simply put, no one day is ever the same. […]
Smarter & Harder – Amy Heavin
(Originally posted on Leading Inspired.) During a workshop a few years ago, it was shared that we, as educators, need to work smarter, not harder. I took this phrase to heart, because I always felt I was working so hard, spinning my wheels, and it was time for me to get smarter about the work […]
A Veteran Teacher’s Advice on How to Be
By Julia G. Thompson A Veteran Teacher’s Advice on How to Be the Inspiring School Leader Your Teachers Need A building administrator has a thankless job almost all of the time. Making sure that a school runs smoothly can be a crushing responsibility. Everyone in the known universe—parents, teachers, students, the community, social media–has plenty […]
5 Ways to Make a Change Happen Faster –
(Originally posted on Eduleadership.) By Justin Baeder When change happens too fast, it overwhelms people and diminishes their confidence that they’ll be successful. Skills take time to develop, and no one wants to be judged too quickly on a skill they are still developing. But some people think they should have three or four years to […]
Successful Leadership is Shared – Dan Fo
(Originally posted on Habits of Reflective School Leadership.) By Dan Fowler Over the past 2 weeks, our school leadership team has been fortunate enough to work alongside our teachers, both at the district level and school-based level, in developing their curriculum through the “Backward Design” process (A process created and perfected by Jay McTighe and the late Grant […]