Time is magic. It may be our greatest resource, and the one we never seem to have enough of. Yet it’s not magic because it appears out of nowhere; it’s magic because of what happens when leaders intentionally create it. When leaders carve out time to learn with teachers, meaningful professional learning doesn’t just happen. …
I want to start by saying that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It’s because the only gifts we are expected to give are the ones that matter most…our presence, our attention, and our gratitude. And as we head into the week, I’ve been thinking a lot about where we choose to shine our “flashlight,” where …
I’ll never forget what learning looked like when I stepped out of the walls of my own classroom, into new learning spaces, and into various leadership roles. It quickly became clear that this was a unique opportunity to cross-pollinate ideas, share the magic happening inside classrooms with others, and witness how curiosity, creativity, and connection …
As I celebrate my 200th blog post, I’m reminded that every word, idea, and story shared here has been shaped by the people who have encouraged me to keep going. This post is for them and for all of us who believe in the power of lifting others. Five years ago, my good friend George …
This week, as I sat in meetings and one-on-one conversations, I noticed something. There were moments where it felt like educators and leaders didn’t need another initiative or plan. They needed space…space to talk, to process, and to be heard. In my book The Leader Inside, I share that “the people who cross your path …
One of the most unsettling thoughts I continue to have as a leader is that I might drift too far from the classroom, too far from what’s real, what’s possible, and what’s happening in the moments that matter most. Sure, I can do my classroom visits and walk-throughs, and I do, intentionally. I can conduct …
The night before work, I have a habit of looking at my calendar to mentally prepare for the day ahead. I noticed that a regularly scheduled meeting had been removed. I looked again… and then texted my team to confirm it was correct. That canceled meeting felt like an open door, an unexpected invitation to …
Continue reading Canceled Meetings AND Serendipitous Moments
“There is just not enough time in the day!” Sound familiar? Educators are always searching for ways to make the most of their instructional minutes. With the demands of various priorities, teaching multiple subjects, skills, and competencies along with packed schedules, the most effective approach is often integration...but, how can educators actually weave literacy into …
What do instructional coaches do? That’s a question I’ve heard a lot. Why? Because I’ve lived it. Over the course of my career, I’ve served as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, assistant principal, and now, district leader. Each role has shaped me, but stepping into the role of instructional coach allowed me to see beyond …
As I write this post after what felt like a long and busy week, I had many ideas. I thought about giving you another instructional strategy or another protocol to use with leaders and educators. But this time, I want to focus on something more essential to the work we do as leaders—and something we …
Empower. Collaborate. Connect. 