School leaders receive many suggestions from other leaders, teachers and support staff for what can be improved in their school. In some instances, people are taking action themselves, often on…
Read More Towards a ‘Slower Ed’ movement – when to move fast and when to move slow?
Understanding our role and responsibilities as leaders in schools is better understood by examining the way relationships change in the building as one moves up the leadership ladder. When we…
Read More 4 ways to lead school improvement with and through others
Bringing new teachers and support staff into a school can give the energy boost it needs, or maintain the momentum of positive change that may have been built up over…
Read More Recruiting the ‘Tweeners – why staff induction programs matter
One of the obstacles educational leaders face when giving colleagues feedback is deflection. Over the years, through numerous conversations with educators centering on giving and receiving feedback, this issue of…
Read More Feedback that pops the bubble – overcoming the deflector shield
It is questionable whether teachers and leaders are given regular feedback in order to grow professionally. When teachers work with students feedback is given in most lessons throughout the learning…
Read More Are you getting in the way of the feedback you really need to grow?
When observing classes in high schools, it is possible to see two extremes of teacher support. Firstly, there is complete hand-holding or, as some teachers would like to say, spoon…
Read More Supporting students with learning core transferable academic skills
Teacher and school leader workload issues very much stem from the fact that there is not enough time to do the job properly. Some time back I commented on two…
Read More The battle to find time in schools – we need to consider teacher efficacy
There is overwhelming evidence in support of developing professional learning communities (PLCs) in schools to improve teacher collaboration that has a positive impact on student learning. Yet, for a number…
Read More 5 necessities to successfully begin building professional learning communities in schools
In another post, I presented a case why teachers should seek feedback from their students. In deciding to seek feedback from students, it is important that it is worthwhile for…
Read More 4 pieces of feedback that teachers should collect from their students
Teachers are given a great deal of trust in giving feedback to students. Feedback is crucial to supporting students grow and develop in becoming lifelong learners able to take on…
Read More Why teachers should seek feedback from their students
Like it or not, school do need policies and guidelines, whether it be for how we go about assessment, giving homework, dealing with academic dishonesty, or matters pertaining to the…
Read More Struggling with school policy implementation? Some scenarios may help
Think of what Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon services and products you use daily. How much are they a vehicle for communications, work, social life, purchases and tasks? How often…
Disruption for many people generates discomfort, shakes the status quo and breaks routines. We all have an emotional response to this process: for some hesitation, doubt, confusion, fear, anger, bewilderment,…
Hindsight is a great thing. How many times have we said, as school leaders, I wish I knew that beforehand or I wish I was prepared or trained for that?…
Read More Five important things to know for new and aspirational school leaders
I recently viewed a TEDx talk titled ‘The surprising truth about learning in schools’. Other than the talk having an eye-catching title, there was nothing really surprising about it, as…
There is a belief that children nowadays are natural, “Digital Natives”, and that we adults on the sidelines are “Digital Immigrants”. The dexterity and comfort many children demonstrate when interacting…
It is heartening to see the number of articles and discussions that center on providing the best possible professional learning for teachers. Firstly, it is encouraging that professional learning is…
Read More Professional Learning for Teachers – go find the balance
I never grow tired of watching the TED talk by Rita Pierson ‘Every Kid Needs a Champion’. It is both inspiring and compelling – it capture the essence of why…
Read More I should teach it, they should learn it, case closed
There are lots of things that we would like to improve in our schools. At times, being an educational leader feels like being in a whirlwind of change; there is…
