“Skepticism has many definitions, but generally refers to any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere.” Source: Wikipedia Yesterday in a conversation with an elementary principal colleague, I allowed myself to become irritated. I wasn’t irritated with Bill. He seems to be a...
When I taught sixth grade science, our students were immersed in learning about wildlife characteristics, environments, and patterns in nature in relation to the Hawk Mountain Sanctuaryand our surrounding region. For weeks we explored and discussed the habitats and migratory cycles of raptors, plant life, conservation, as well as the formation of the “river...
I wanted to share this post here because it’s important to share examples of how the simple use of a collaborative tool such as Google docs can lead to more meaningful learning experiences for teams! Originally posted on The Principal’s Posts. Today a team of my school’s teachers attended a workshop at our...
“How do we get reluctant administrators on board with utilizing technologies to communicate, connect, and collaborate?” This is one of the most prevalent questions I encounter when chatting with educators on Twitter, through informal conversations, and in presentations I’ve shared. It came through loud and clear in the Connected Principals ISTE session that teachers...
Via the #cpchatq stream came this question from Justin Reich: “Most schools have pockets of innovation-a handful of teachers doing great work-How do you scale up the best in your school?” Great question! Just as with any program or innovation, there may be some teachers that immediately take to the ideals behind the initiatives...
For those of you venturing to Philadelphia next week for ISTE11, we hope you will join us on Monday, June 27, at 2:30 PM for a panel session led by Dr. Scott McLeod, where five of our Connected Principals contributors will discuss what it means to be an effective technology leader in education. Here...
Every now and then, a student is sent to my office. I don’t encourage this practice, because I feel as though a classroom teacher with whom a student has developed a personal relationship is in the best position to help transform a so-called “discipline” situation into a learning opportunity. As I peruse through office...
I recently had the opportunity to speak with a small group of our county’s elementary school administrators about social media use in education. I gave an abbreviated version of my Networked Administrator presentation, and while I did my best to showcase authentic examples of how social media use has benefited my school, students and...
This post was originally written and published for the Powerful Learning Practice collaborative blog, Voices from the Learning Revolution. The experiences shared by the Voices contributors are so very meaningful, and include perspectives from amazing teachers including Shelley Wright, instructional technologists such as Bud Hunt and Dolores Gende, and administrators M.E. Steele-Pierce and Ed...
Since much of the most relevant knowledge on the edge is tacit knowledge, edge participants naturally place a heavy emphasis on building diverse networks of relationships that will help them to collaborate more effectively with others in the creation of new knowledge. For this reason, conferences and other gatherings where participants can share stories...
Tonight I feel like a proud parent. While I don’t have children (my dogs rarely go out of their way to make me proud), I can only imagine that this is what it feels like when your kids dazzle, shine, and achieve great things right before your eyes. Our district approved the use of...
Educon has finally arrived, and I know many attendees are eagerly anticipating the learning experiences that await, whether making the trip to the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia to attend in person, or through attending virtually. So, just what is Educon? “Educon 2.3 is both a conversation and a conference.” While the infusion of...
I recently had a date with the dentist, thanks, in no small part, to the daily office deliveries of student birthday cupcakes and cookies and cake. (We have yet to become one of those schools that bans birthday treats. And I’m perfectly okay with that.) As I reclined in the not-at-all-comfortable chair and tried...
The other day I stopped my car at a 4-way, stop signed intersection. (Really, truly stopped, not one of those I-bet-if-a-cop-was-watching-me-right-now-I’d-get-ticketed-slow-rolling-pauses.) I glanced to the right, saw another car had arrived a few seconds before I did, so I paused to allow that car to proceed before I moved ahead. I’ve done this probably...
Three years ago when I first started as principal in my building, I told my teachers they should expect to see me on a daily basis, even if it was just to pop my head in the classroom and say a quick hello. As every administrator knows, this is easier said than done, especially...
Last weekend, a dedicated group of educational administrators and teachers explored the topic of social media use in schools and the different ways it connects, inspires, and leads to improved learning outcomes for students. George Couros opened by sharing this post by Scott McLeod to emphasize that schools are using social media effectively (be...
Please join us on Sunday, December 5, at 5:30 PM EST (find your time zone here) for our December Connected Principals’ Session focusing on the variety of ways administrators can use social media to positively impact their learning organizations. Akevy Greenblatt, Janet Avery, Patrick Larkin, and David Truss will be our featured presenters for...
My vision for how staff development should look in my school has undergone a transformation over the past year. In my first year as a principal I recall the dread of conducting the marathon faculty meeting on opening day, droning on and on about everything from recess line-up procedures to my expectations for lesson...
As leaders, one of our most important jobs is to build a community of trust within our organization. “Almost all of the work of the world is done through relationships with people and in organizations. But what is communication like when there is no trust? It’s impossible. It’s like walking through a minefield. What...
The topic of October’s Connected Principals Elluminate session focused on engaging parents as partners in our schools. Patrick Larkin, Janet Avery, and Chris Wejr offered their administrative perspectives on this issue, and parent Penny Lindalle spoke thoughtfully about how parents view true engagement in their child’s educational experiences and ways that administrators can foster...
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