Here is something that has been on my mind for a while. Actually, this idea has been fermenting in my mind as I approach the time in my career when my long-time colleagues are retiring, and I welcome new leaders into their positions. I am very aware of my age and the generational cohort (Generation X) to which I belong. New…
There are many ways in which we are guided in our jobs. I hope we all start with a sense of morality and ethics as we go about our day. Undoubtedly, one of the biggest influencers on workplace behavior, especially in public education, is the law. What is written in the school code, to a large extent, drives the decisions…
I came across an article last week that is incredibly practical. It highlights the importance of a specific skill in helping leaders navigate change. The skill is adaptive thinking. Most, if not all, of us want to be adaptive thinkers. We want to ensure that our decisions, connections, and experiences are not based on a rigid, brittle worldview. As leaders, our…
The General Assembly granted all school leaders in Pennsylvania a gift in January. I think we have to be real about this. It occurred when the School Code was changed to move away from 180 days AND 900/990 hours of instruction to 180 days OR 900/990 instructional hours. I can’t think of a piece of legislation that did so much by changing one word.…
I am going to share a story with you that happened multiple times when I was a high school principal. One part of the job that I loved as a principal was going into classrooms. Whether it was for a formal observation of a teacher, observing a student, or just to go in and watch learning happen, I loved the…