More Listening and Learning

“The gifts of those we serve are already there, and they are much easier to find if you choose to look.” George Couros recently shared this sentiment in his blog, and it resonates deeply. Learning is truly a journey, and if you’re in education, I’m sure you feel this too. In today’s rapidly changing world, …

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Leading Through Discomfort

“The heartbeat of education lives inside the walls of schools. Within those walls, you’ll find stories of kids and teachers in the mess of learning.” This sentiment, one I share in my book, The Leader Inside, speaks to the essence of what we strive to build—a learning ecosystem brimming with curiosity, collaboration, creativity, and growth. …

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Letting Others Lead

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 …

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Continuous Learning through Curious Coaching

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 …

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From Blog to Podcast: Turning Reflection into a Conversation with AI

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 …

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Defining Moments

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 …

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Leading Through a Coaching Mindset: Practices that Transform Dialogue, Instruction, and Student Growth – Part 1

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, …

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Beyond the Classroom

“The influence of our teachers is indelibly woven into the fabric of our lives.” This is the first sentence in chapter one of Julie Schmidt Hasson’s book Safe, Seen, and Stretched in the Classroom. I have previously shared this beautiful quote in my writing because I know that the impact teachers have extends far beyond …

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Caring Connections

In the book Leading the Whole Teacher by Allyson Apsey, she emphasizes that “Every teacher brings their whole self to school: their dreams, their personal challenges, their hopes and fears, and their desire to be valued, to be connected, and to learn and grow.” I think we have all faced times when the prospect of …

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