When I came to Washington, DC, in March for the NASSP Advocacy Conference, I walked by the National Museum of the American Indian. I thought about what a great experience it would be for our Native students back in Lincoln County, OR, to have the opportunity to visit the museum as a way to wrap […]
Category: Teaching and Learning
An Eye-Opening Trip to the Nation’s Capital
Principals Lead the Fight for a Diverse Teacher Workforce
Black students who have just one black teacher in elementary school are significantly more likely to graduate high school and attend college. Yet, the chances of a black student—or any student of color—having a teacher who looks like them are unacceptably slim. For high school principal Cory Cain, these numbers aren’t just a statistic, they […]
Three Ways to Inspire Teachers
Guest post by Danny Steele, principal, Thompson Sixth Grade Center, Alabaster, AL Teachers are hungry for inspiration. They are committed to their work and see the value in it… but it can still be draining. They want leaders who will refill their bucket. In my experience, these three strategies can go a long way toward […]
Prove It: Ensuring Efficacy in Digital Learning, Part Two
Guest post by Eric Sheninger In my last post, we explored the importance of demonstrating efficacy to build support for, and ensure the success of, your school’s digital transformation. The Rigor/Relevance Framework offers a strong overall framework to reinforce pedagogical foundations while also moving practice from isolated pockets of excellence to systemic elements that are […]
What Can Summer Vacation Teach Us About School?
Guest post by Paul Hermes Now that the end of the year is upon us and many of us are taking a well-deserved break from our demanding jobs as school administrators, I find myself thinking about summer vacation and the many lessons all of us have learned from the various excursions we have taken throughout […]
Flipped Staff Meetings: Great Advice to Give and Follow
Guest post by Paul Hermes “You should try to make your classroom more student-centered and interactive. Don’t talk at your students so much.” “Do you think you could integrate the concepts of the flipped classroom to optimize student learning time?” “How much input do you give your students in choosing what, where, and how they […]
Good Leadership Starts With Strong Recruiting
Guest post by Cameron Soester Principals and assistant principals have a host of responsibilities. We deal with school safety, the learning environment, staffing needs, student discipline, and even lunch duty. In the midst of everything, there is one vital piece that I believe is often overlooked: recruiting the next wave of school leadership. We have […]
Playing to Our Strengths: Helping Teachers Hone Their Practice
Guest post by Jethro Jones I had someone ask me the other day, “What does effective teaching look like to you? What do you look for when you walk into a classroom?” I thought this was a really interesting question that I have not had to answer in awhile, but I think it is important […]
AVID: A Transformative Pathway for School Improvement
Guest post by Nick Nelson During the 2015–16 school year, The Dalles High School in Oregon was awarded a state grant for AVID training. We didn’t know much about AVID at the time, just that it was a philosophy centered on writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading, and that its goal was to close the […]
Get Real With Visible Learning
Guest post by Jamie Richardson Creating authentic learning for students is challenging. No longer do students simply complete a project, get a grade, and move on to the next assignment. Their learning is long-term and connected to the next experience. Our work at LaCreole Middle School in Dallas, OR, revolves around project-based, problem-based learning. We […]