Leaders are often challenged by countless priorities and limited time, but knowing when to focus and when to lean on others can make all the difference. Yet, when there are too many priorities and only one you, what do you do? When the weight feels heavy, it's easy to get overwhelmed. In those moments, we …
I often ask myself, “What kind of leader do you want to be, Lauren?” My answer: The type of leader I always needed. That is the sentiment I share in my book The Leader Inside. As I was walking out of my high school office yesterday, I heard a familiar voice say, “Lauren, I left …
Continue reading Continuous Learning through Curious Coaching
Every week, I read George Couros’ blog posts. Although all of George's thoughts and insights draw me in and encourage me to reflect on my own learning and growth, this particular one titled, “Creating a Podcast with NotebookLM; What are the negatives and positives of that process?” piqued my interest in a different way. Are …
Continue reading From Blog to Podcast: Turning Reflection into a Conversation with AI
We all have moments in our lives that live at the forefront of our memories. Often, it's hard to recognize these defining moments as they unfold. In their book The Power of Moments, Chip Heath and Dan Heath write, “Defining moments shape our lives, but we don’t have to wait for them to happen. We …
“Bad news: You’re growing, and it’s uncomfortable. Good news: It’s uncomfortable, but you’re growing.” — Rachel Wolchin Even after 19 years in education, the start of a new school year still brings a mix of emotions—daunting, scary, unfamiliar, and, yes, uncomfortable. Can you relate? In the days leading up to my return, my sleep is …
“To truly support students, everyone in a school building must operate as both leaders and practitioners, seeing all angles of their school’s landscape.” This sentiment was shared by building leader Shayla Ewing in an Education Week article titled, “Principals, You Aren’t the Only Leader in Your School.” Ewing’s insights really hit home for me, reminding …
In the realm of education, you are inundated with a wealth of information at the district, building, teacher, and student levels. The challenge lies in harnessing this vast sea of information, commonly referred to as data to leverage the expertise of your teachers and students in the spirit of enhancing student learning outcomes. Throughout your …
Continue reading Pathways to Progress Through Student Choice
“Part of who we are becoming and what we go through to realize how we shine is always a process…. What are the strengths that somebody brings to the table and how do we teach to that?” This sentiment was shared by LaVonna Roth on Dr. Brandon Beck's Unlocking Unlimited Potential podcast. She went on …
This blog series will take you on a journey where we'll delve into six foundational practices that embody how leaders can embrace a coaching mindset. Each practice serves as a stepping stone, guiding us towards instructional change and student success. Together, we'll explore how coaching builds will, skill, knowledge, and capacity, breathing life into the …
Continue reading Leading Through a Coaching Mindset: Lift Instructional Practice (Part 3)
In the realm of education, leading through a coaching mindset has proven to be a guiding force that gently steers dialogue, instruction, and ultimately, impacts student growth. Leading and learning is a privilege and as I have navigated over eighteen years in education, I have been fortunate enough to be able to explore many roles, …
Empower. Collaborate. Connect. 