School Leadership 2.0
A Network Connecting School Leaders From Around The Globe
The New Normal Using Lessons Learned to Promote 21st Century Learning
Heather Clayton is the author of Making the Standards Come Alive! and is the principal of Mendon Center Elementary School in Pittsford Central School District, New York. She is also a co-author of Creating a Culture for Learning published by Just ASK.
The New Normal
Using Lessons Learned to Promote
21st Century Learning
We are now entering our third school year that has been impacted by COVID 19. The temptation we have is to rush back to what we know as “normal,” and not take the time to think about all we have learned from our time during this pandemic. However, if we slow down and reflect, we have the potential to come back stronger, leveraging the successes we’ve had as a result of being forced to rethink how we “do school.”
I begin this school year with a renewed sense of gratitude and hope. In the face of challenge and adversity, we are bouncing back stronger. It’s been difficult, but COVID has given us some invaluable lessons that will serve us well in the future. In this issue, I share five of my most personal, impactful lessons for the 2021-2022 school year.
* Never lose sight of your WHY.
* Streamline instructional planning.
* Place literacy instruction front and center.
* Foster relationships.
* Think strength-based.
Read on to learn why these five lessons so impacted my thinking.
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New Partnership
Mentors.net - a Professional Development Resource
Mentors.net was founded in 1995 as a professional development resource for school administrators leading new teacher induction programs. It soon evolved into a destination where both new and student teachers could reflect on their teaching experiences. Now, nearly thirty years later, Mentors.net has taken on a new direction—serving as a platform for beginning teachers, preservice educators, and
other professionals to share their insights and experiences from the early years of teaching, with a focus on integrating artificial intelligence. We invite you to contribute by sharing your experiences in the form of a journal article, story, reflection, or timely tips, especially on how you incorporate AI into your teaching
practice. Submissions may range from a 500-word personal reflection to a 2,000-word article with formal citations.
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