(Originally posted on Servant Principal.) By Walter A. Kozlowski We all makes mistakes. When utilized properly our errors become learning opportunities. What’s better than making our own mistakes and learning from them is learning from other people’s mistakes. It gets us to our next mistake – our next learning opportunity – more quickly. I […]
A Leader’s Most Important Tool? Their St
(Originally posted on Front Office Leadership) By Jeff Krieger Can meaningful leadership exist without quality communication? Do great communicators always provide great leadership? What comprises a great communicator to you and your campus? Should communication be a priority for campus leaders? Why all the questions about communication? The above is meant to illustrate the […]
Top Ten Things to Not Forget as a Princi...
(Originally posted on Love the Learning.) By Jessica Hanson Embarking on a new journey to become the principal of an elementary campus has already had it’s highs and lows and I haven’t even started the school year yet. I have already been faced with tough decisions that required me to “Move people’s cheese” and “Dip […]
Using the Formative Assessment Process W...
(Originally posted on Habits of Reflective School Leadership.) By Dan Fowler As a FAME (Formative Assessment for Maryland Educators) Leader at the district and school level, I have found, and believe, that the formative assessment process is one of the single most important things that educators can do for their students. The statement “formative assessment […]
Principals and Other Humans – Bjorn Paig
Originally posted on Skins of Ill Shaped Fishes.) By Bjorn Paige It was simpler as a teacher. In my thirteen years in the classroom making meaningful connections with students was my first priority. Sure, we had books to read and papers to write, but I knew that kids don’t learn from teachers they don’t like […]
Lessons from Outside of Schools – David
(Originally posted on Hallway Access.) By David Hochheiser Do you know what these are? I didn’t until a stranger tossed the red one to me, and my seven-year old lit up with a “That’s the kind I usually use.” The joy in his face and the fun we had after will forever be a perfect […]
What’s Most Important on Opening Meeting
(Originally posted at On Principal.) By John Falino It’s hard to believe that the start of another school year is quickly approaching. As school leaders are putting the finishing touches on a summer that was filled with scheduling, staffing, professional development, and a multitude of other tasks that go along with ensuring the successful start […]
Embrace the New Year and the New Teacher...
(Originally posted at Education, Leadership and 21st Century Pedagogy.) By Pam Gildersleeve-Hernandez The Back to School blog posts are appearing. They’re showing up in our in boxes, our Twitter feeds, on Google+ and our Facebook feeds. Where just a week ago, our social media was filled with pictures of smiling couples, groups of friends […]
Gathering Feedback from Staff for Person...
(Originally posted on A Principal’s Life.) By David Ellena As we approach the end of the school year, my thoughts inevitably begin to turn towards the next school year. It is like this every year. I start to look at what went well, what didn’t go so well and things I want to focus on […]
Key Practices of High-Performance Instru...
(Originally posted on Eduleadership.) By Justin Baeder What does it mean to be an instructional leader? Too many definitions contrast instructional leadership with “mere” management, as if the management work that administrators do isn’t related to teaching and learning. I believe that it’s all connected, and that an effective instructional leader is also an effective […]
On Becoming a School Leader – Steven Web
(Originally posted on ASCD EDge) By Steven Weber School leadership has changed over the past twenty years. The role of a building principal is similar to the combined roles of a chef, architect, tightrope walker, public speaker, supervisor, investment broker, and pilot. As a chef, the school leader stirs the right ingredients and takes risks, […]
If It’s A Contest, I’d Rather Play Offen
(Originally posted on Eknost’s Blog.) By Dr. Eric D. Knost I have been an educator my entire adult life. I have lived and breathed education as I worked with kids in one capacity or another through multiple decades. Just like anything else, when you live something long enough, it becomes part of you. It becomes […]
Compliance or Commitment? – Dan Butler
(Originally posted on Once a Bobcat, Always a Bobcat.) By Dan Butler A couple of weeks ago, I had a conversation about instructional coaching with an educator outside of my district. We were talking about the coaching model that we utilize in Western Dubuque, and how we have implemented this in the past seven months. […]
Major League Communication – Walter A. K
(Originally posted on Servant Principal.) By Walter A. Kozlowski I recently read a description of a miscommunication between a major league starting pitcher and the team’s manager. Following the completion of the sixth inning, with ninety-nine pitches thrown, the pitcher assumed he was done for the day. The manager, however had other plans. […]
Top 10 for New Principals – Julie Trepa
(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 […]