The success of leaders depends, maybe more now than ever, upon the ability to know one's self, be one's self, and stay true to the purpose that guides one's life. If that ability can be paired with the ability to extend open minded and open hearted welcome to others, then break through moments can happen.  For a few, these seem to be naturally occurring co-creative, innate gifts. They inspire us but we cannot depend on those with natural gifts, only.  …

We believe that a systemic understanding of what STEM can be and do in schools allows for a locally chosen disruptive innovation that can catapult education into a new learning design. Our definition of STEM is broader and different from others. It is an inclusive term that reaches beyond the four subjects of science, technology, engineering, and math. It…

No matter from where the demands come, preparing students for college and career remains primarily in the hands of the educators. A global economy has impacted workplaces and technology is redefining required workforce skills. Educators must keep pace with the world outside our walls. Only with that growing understanding can we prepare students for their graduation into college or career. Teaching and learning, itself, must be alive and…

Conversations about mandated change are far easier than having conversations and leading non-mandated change.  It is familiar to attribute the problems associated with change (loss, resistance, reallocation of resources, relocations, etc)  to the source of the mandate, be it a legislature or a regulatory agency or a board. It is where the leader begins alone, this territory where he or she raises questions and initiates change that is not mandated.  'Let sleeping dogs lie' is a short…

The impact of childhood adversity and trauma--such as physical and emotional abuse or neglect, or mental illness, addiction or incarceration of a parent or close family member--can last through adulthood. Research shows that children exposed to adversity are at higher risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes, learning difficulties in school, contact with the justice system, as well as addiction and economic hardship. The crisis crosses socio-economic, racial and…

Praise is certainly not a bad thing, but knowing what to praise and when makes the difference. Carol Dweck's research teaches more than mindset. In her 1999 article entitled "Caution-Praise Can Be Dangerous!", Dweck argues that one sentence of praise can have "powerful and pervasive effects."  Students are extremely sensitive and, from the interactions and experiences they have with adults,…

Bias is a very personal and deeply stealth orientation, set of feelings, and frame of mind; so deeply, in fact, can bias be hidden that it can go totally unnoticed by the holder. Denial may not be dishonest. It may be the result from simply being unaware. Gender bias exists from the very beginning of life. It does not begin in schools. It begins at birth.  One might think that "we've come a long way baby" and in some ways we have.  But evidence that "we've got a long way to go" exists…

Although STEM is a four-subject acronym, it is not only the subjects themselves that prepare students for the future. It is the manner in which these subjects exist in service to each other, and the manner in which their application serves as an externalized learning process that becomes visible to the teacher and the learner.  Our belief about STEM is, as we have written often, that it is an expansive term that invites all subjects into the process all based upon the talents and…

Bringing the use of technology forward, embedded into teaching and learning, is the responsibility of school leaders. The words "professional development" create a picture of Superintendent Conference Days or trips to conferences. Without the leaders' attention, support, and modeling, pockets of use and resistance will remain within the school leaving uneven opportunities for use by students. Resulting changes may be seen in cases of individual efforts. Yet unless truly led by the…

Each educator has a responsibility to create the environment in which every student can succeed. Roles may be different, but the responsibility the same. However, it is the superintendent, in concert with the central office and building leaders, who hold the responsibility for leading a community of faculty and staff. Certainly, if a teacher is dedicated to that end, within that specific classroom, there are successes which can become foundational for future…

In a business that calls for its leaders and teachers to be problem solvers all of the time, it seems that staying on task and doing what needs to be done may not lead to anything more than solving the problem at hand. Since we hold the work close and it is always somewhere in our thinking, allowing attention to disconnect, may just be the route to more innovative solutions. Then, disconnecting creates the space for attention to other things; allowing the mind to wander into new places…