Teacher and principal evaluation season arrives with springtime. Evaluation season, unlike springtime, is rarely a time of excitement and color and new life. But, it is important to remember we can make a choice about how to approach the evaluation season. Perhaps, that choice may change the way the season is experienced, moving from a deficit model that focuses on what isn't, to one of what is and what can be.…

It was once clearly so and is so again. School leaders are increasingly responsible in the public eye to prepare students for lives beyond the school walls. This responsibility involves addressing the needs students bring today and creating learning environments which serve them well by developing knowledge and skills they will need for tomorrow. There are challenges to that responsibility.…

Today's leader understands that vision is a collaborative endeavor, with permeable boundaries and moving goalposts. These leaders can enable the conditions that support new types of relationships between teachers, teachers and students, teachers and leaders, and school and the broader community. Read…

A recent news reporter used the word 'gang' when referencing a young man wanting to join ISIS.  It was a word and idea that had been part of our thinking all these months, but there it was, the first time it was said out loud. What is it about gangs and gang-like activity that attracts young people? And what can schools do about it? Read more...

When accountability overtakes good work, heart is lost.  When worry, fear and stress overtake us, our head doesn't work at its best and our heart connection is lost.  When lists of "what to do" get too long and attention to "how to do" is regulated, the heart voice is diminished.  Read more...

Words are important.  They convey thoughts, ideas, concerns, feelings, and attitudes. They can be inviting and encouraging and they can be diminishing and limiting. We hope our use of words is intentional. We do know that in creating board policy and in reviewing and revising handbooks and Codes of Conduct words get a lot of attention, even little ones like 'can' and 'may'.  But emails and memos are often shot off without the same consideration and revision, so thinking about what…

 Before today's students leave our schools and graduate into their independent young adulthood, they may all be wearing their technology on their wrists, and in their glasses. Banning the use of them or the wearing of them in our schools may be impossible. It makes much more public than ever before. Hillary Clinton thought having one device was "convenient". We wonder what she thinks now. Unless we grapple with the questions about proper use, potential outcomes and ethics regarding…

Here, author Gregg Levoy writes about passion an its impact on our lives as leaders and learners...

The mechanics of inspiration being what they are, one person's passion can have a profound effect on the unfolding of other people's passion, and certainly for anyone in a position of leadership or stewardship--especially relative to children and young adults. Whether you're a teacher, parent, minister, mentor, manager, coach, counselor,…

Can we envision a system in which the local needs dictate the length of class sessions, the school day and year, the way subjects are organized and taught, and the manner in which external partnerships contribute to the education of teachers and their students? The design of the schools needs to be dictated by what we know about children's learning and organization capacity enhancements; then goals for the design of the instruction, and partnerships follow. The changes local school districts…

Identify the needs that are most important and find a private sector partner that understands the local workforce needs and has a vested interest in the success of the local community. The most successful partnerships are between organizations with similar goals. This allows both partners to contribute their expertise and resources to create measurable and enduring value. An ideal partner will provide the resources to begin a program and see it through to successful and sustainable…

Partnerships between the private sector and education have the ability to leverage a unique set of resources, talent, involvement, and know-how from each partner that can maximize collective efforts. In this two part series on school-business partnerships, bloggers Ann Myers and Jill Berkowicz asked the same set of questions of Dr. David Evans, NSTA Executive Director and Blair Blackwell, Manager of Education and Corporate Programs at Chevron Corporation. Today's answers come from Dr. David…

The Common Core and PARCC debacle continue to rage at conferences, in articles and blogs, at board meetings, in faculty meetings, PTA meetings, and in living rooms and legislative hallways. Actually we think this is a good thing. The attention of parents, board members, teachers, community members, politicians, and candidates on the quality of education is certainly larger than in recent memory. There are questions about the value of national standards, the appropriate nature of some…

Winning is associated with competition. Children begin to learn about winning at home; before coming to school, they have played games with family members or friends or in preschools. Others will learn lessons in activities like Babe Ruth or Pop Warner....or dance competitions.  But, almost all will learn something about winning and losing in school. So, what are we teaching? Can there be a winner if there is not a loser? How important is it to learn how to win and how to lose and the values…