As an educational coach and leader, I have learned the importance of asking questions as I speak with those I serve. I have ditched a “telling” philosophy, and even shy away from unsolicited “suggestions”. Lately, I discovered that this shift has positively affected my interactions with students as well as adult learners. Feedback that Unintentionally […]
A recent conversation regarding social emotional learning (SEL) caused me to rethink my focus as an educational leader. I have been working in a couple of schools with high populations of students who have faced trauma and/or have been diagnosed with mental illnesses. As such, I have been doing a great deal of exploration on […]
Over a million teachers have participated in the hour of code, a global movement to provide opportunities for students to experience coding, to engage in computational thinking. In my current educational role, I have witnessed hundreds of students coding during this annual event, nearly all in classrooms in which the teacher has little to no […]
I was in a classroom this week during a teacher’s prep period. The educator was eager to show me the strategies she was implementing from recent professional learning, and shared student work that revealed learner improvement. I was impressed by the teacher’s willingness to apply her learning so quickly, as well as her desire to […]
As educators, we serve others. Nearly every educator I have had the privilege to come into contact with (classroom teachers, instructional coaches, administrators) entered the profession out of a desire to positively impact the lives of others. This altruistic mindset leads many to constantly seek additional resources and strategies that will benefit those they serve. […]
It is common for educational leaders to ask me to provide a training to their staff on a specific technology platform for an afternoon staff meeting. I think of this format as a “drive-thru PD”. When leaders are looking for a prepackaged meal of professional learning, it is akin to ordering a specific meal which […]
Recently, I had the opportunity to participate as a professional learning facilitator at a districtwide all day educational technology themed event. The district has had student devices for a couple of years. Leadership verbally supports pedagogically sound methods of student technology use in the classroom. District and site administration message the importance of integration of […]
I took a risk this week. While I am comfortable empowering learners with choice and autonomy on a regular basis, this time felt different. I admit that I was nervous about losing control, that learners would get off task, that I would be negatively judged by district administration sitting in the room. Perceived Challenges The […]
As a coach, you may have a couple of cheerleaders, fans who support the changes you are trying to make, eager to try to implement the strategies you introduce to teachers. It is affirming to work with these educators. These are the teachers who thank you for coming into their classroom. Their faces light up […]
At a department meeting this spring, our supervisor asked our team of educational leaders an important question. “How do you define success in your role?” We often ask similar questions regarding our students, “What will success look like in our content area? How will we determine mastery of learning goals?” But how often do we […]
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