Content Category: Lead Literacy
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Embarking on a New Curriculum: What I Must Carry with Me
"The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change [their] future by merely changing [their] attitude." — attributed to Oprah Winfrey I am next in line to...
Coach-Principal Meeting Template
An Agenda Template to Streamline Principal-Coach Meetings Every administration and their building needs are different. For coaches, traveling between buildings can often feel like whiplash. The building goals are different....
Trying Something New
I hear that some people thrive on change. They get excited about new opportunities; they seek out ways to shake up their lives; they love the challenge of fitting themselves...
Professional Math Resources for Right Now
My student teacher from last year sent a text this summer asking me, “Do you have any good recommendations for math professional development books that I should put on my...
Thanks for the Feedback: Leaning Into Tricky Conversations
I finally had the class settled. The playground action outside our window had been hard to turn away from and caused playground behavior inside our learning space. After an interactive...
Be Hard on the Systems and Gentle with the People: How a Systems Approach Can Reduce Teacher Burnout and Lead to Better Outcomes
I could predict the hour when I would receive the call. Cameron consistently demonstrated destructive behaviors during writing time—nudging a pencil off his desk, tearing down anchor charts. His teacher...
Work/Life Balance
I love summer. I love the sunshine, late nights, long hours with an old book, fresh air, my favorite soft T-shirts. Most of all, I love the freedom and the...
Take It on the Road… I Dare You!
Some of my favorite moments come from the time I spend with family and friends at our seasonal campground—a place where adventure is always just around the bend. It’s my...
Acts of Service: AI and Student Feedback
When your values are in alignment with your actions, you will experience greater satisfaction and authenticity. —Irina Cozma, "Values, Passion, or Purpose—Which Should Guide Your Career?" Harvard Business Review Lately,...
Sometimes You Have to Grow a New Skin
The school year always seems to start off with a bang! However, it isn’t long before the days are flowing smoothly, one after another, settling into a rhythm that feels...
How to Build Your System for Knowing, Thinking, and Writing
Your notes deserve better than to be forgotten. When I started my new position as a systems coach for an educational service agency, my first project was to develop a...
Art as a Restorative Teaching Practice
Art has always been a way for me to express myself. I’m not the best artist, but I enjoy doodling, drawing, and making things with my hands. As a young...
Teachers as Leaders: Five Ways to Create the Conditions for Change (Part 2)
In Part 1, we introduced the five Vs and shared a process of using models to navigate the unpredictable terrain of school-wide change. The five Vs offer a pathway that...
Teachers as Leaders: Five Ways to Create the Conditions for Change (Part 1)
As I waited in an office lobby on a Friday afternoon to meet with a principal as an external coach, I remembered how demanding the work of positional leaders can...
Don’t Be in Such a Hurry to Put Out the Fire (and Completely Miss the Flame)
I settled into a coaching conversation, ready to roll up my sleeves and find the next solution. The teacher began to share what was on her mind when the first...
Gaining Confidence One Move at a Time
After I'd had a long afternoon of facilitating a professional development experience, a teacher approached me, saying, “There was something different about you today.” Oh no, I thought. Different how?...
Connecting with the Goals of the School Community
Remember, if people like it here, they'll come back. You treat every customer like a new friend. —Ms. Fortini to Eilis in the novel Brooklyn, by Colm Tóibín Background I...
Pay Attention to What You Pay Attention To: Leveraging the Power of a Door
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. —Wayne Dyer When I decided to eat more protein, there was suddenly more information about...
What I Learned About Having a Difficult Conversation
I had wondered about and lost sleep over it for long enough. I was ready to have the difficult conversation. I grabbed my coffee, looked at the clock (still 45...
The Difference Between Change and Transition
I stopped at our local pharmacy's new location to pick up a prescription. The owners had moved into a brand-new medical clinic, which includes a wellness space, physical therapy, and...
Goals Create Direction
You feel stressed because you don’t have a goal. This simple truth resonates deeply in our schools today. Many of our colleagues are stressed—overwhelmed with classroom behaviors, daily demands, and...
