Once I was working with an entire class of freshmen at the beginning of a school year, and one of the kids made some kind of wise-guy comment in front of the whole group. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but I do remember that I felt a little d…
Connected Principals Posts
No matter your position in education, you can influence change. If we are waiting for “someone else” to create meaningful change, it might not happen. In this podcast, loosely based…
We recently had a full PD Day for teachers in our building and wanted to do something special to start off the day. I’d heard of book tastings from my Twitter PLN and wanted to give it a try.
A book tasting is an event where people sample differen…
Read More Authentic PD: 7 Benefits of a Book Tasting Event for Your Teachers
It goes without saying that in order to lead you must have followers. But taking others to a destination doesn’t just mean accomplishing all the to-do’s on your checklist. Leadership requires relationships. And meaningful relationships do n…
Read More PMP184: 5 Voices for Leading Teams with Jeremie Kubicek
Ever read a sentence or two, and it just stopped you in your tracks? This quote from Seth Godin’s blog did just that for me: “Ruts don’t dig themselves. Most…
Ever read a sentence or two, and it just stopped you in your tracks? This quote from Seth Godin’s blog did just that for me: “Ruts don’t dig themselves. Most of the time, we’re in a rut because that’s precisely where we put ourselves.” Yup. Sometimes it is easy to feel lost professionally and personally, … [Read more…]
I’m not sure exactly how it got started, but for the past few years I’ve shared a joke every morning with our entire building to start the school day.
It’s important to me to help get each day off to a good start and part of that is my daily atte…
In this week’s episode of the podcast, I discuss why it is imperative to move beyond a growth mindset; to create something meaningful with what we know. This podcast is…
I recently finished reading Peak: Secrets From the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool.
One of the things in the book that was interesting to me was related to the impact of experience on performance. In 2005, Harvard Medic…
Success can lead to failure. The Blockbuster video example has been used over and over again because it is a great cautionary tale of how success can lead to comfort,…
Success can lead to failure. The Blockbuster video example has been used over and over again because it is a great cautionary tale of how success can lead to comfort, and comfort can eventually lead to failure. I was asked recently to share what makes a successful school, and my answer was the same as … [Read more…]
“When is a time you have used grit, and what lesson did you learn?” This is just one of 100 questions you find included in the Table Talk Cards that come as a bonus with the book Generation Z Unfiltered: Facing Nine Hidden Challenges of the…
Read More PMP183: Gen Z Unfiltered, Part 2 with Andrew McPeak
This past weekend I watched the movie It’s a Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood for the second time. Like many educators, I’m a big fan of Fred Rogers. I grew up watching Mr. Rogers. I’m grateful for the impact he had on so many during his lifeti…
Read More 3 Lessons from the Life of Fred Rogers and "It’s a Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood"
Creating stronger connections with your students doesn’t require grand gestures. But it does require some intentional behaviors on the part of the teacher. It requires taking action.
But these actions can be simple in the sense that they don’t req…
Read More 5 Simple Habits to Build Connection With Your Students
I discuss the story below more in my most recent podcast. You can check it out on Apple iTunes or Soundcloud. Years ago, I had the opportunity to do my…
I discuss the story below more in my most recent podcast. You can check it out on Apple iTunes or Soundcloud. Years ago, I had the opportunity to do my first presentation for a conference outside of the country. I was asked by a group in New York to lead a session at a conference. … [Read more…]
Countless books have been written on the topic of leadership. There are styles, and theories, and frameworks.
But at it’s essence, leadership is about energy.
What kind of energy do you bring each day? Are you showing up with enthusiasm a…
Growth requires change. And it also requires doing some things that aren’t comfortable. We all have thought-patterns and beliefs that contribute to our progress or lack of progress. That’s why it’s so important to challenge any beliefs that might be …