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"O" is for Open-Mindedness

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  When was the last time you truly listened to a perspective different from your own? As leaders and teachers, our role is to listen to understand, not simply to respond. I often remind myself of this truth with a saying: "We were born with two ears and one mouth, so G-d wants us to listen twice as much as we speak!" Open-mindedness is at the heart of effective leadership. It requires us to stay calm and present, even when we’re confronted with perspectives that challenge our own. Our task, as leaders, is to "bridge the gap" between differing viewpoints to create understanding and connection. Recently, I worked with a group of teachers grappling with a contentious topic that sparked strong emotions on all sides. Leading a group through this kind of conflict requires more than just keeping an open mind; it means helping others do the same. How do we achieve this? By listening intently—not to prove a point, but to find common ground. As I facilitated the discussion, ...
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Mentoring is My Jam! - A Writing Journey

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           Mentoring Is My Jam! I’ve spent years immersed in the world of mentoring, starting with a dissertation focused on advice that mentor teachers would offer to first-year teachers. I loved every second of the work! Along the way, I learned a startling statistic: nearly 50% of teachers leave the profession within their first five years, and the number one reason is their relationship with supervisors. Armed with this knowledge, I realized something had to change in how we serve and support new teachers. This realization sparked a journey that has shaped my career. Over the years, I’ve developed practices and frameworks to help new teachers thrive. At first, I thought these ideas were just "common sense." However, as I like to joke, "Common sense is not that common!" Treat people the way you want to be treated. Support them where they are in their growth. Meet them in the moment. But as I shared my work, people began to tell me I had something special...
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N is for Nonsense

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          It has been a long while since I have written. To be honest, I have been distracted by nonsense, or is it; I have been distracted...NONsense! Whichever it is, I am here now reflecting on the nonsense teachers and leaders face each and everyday.      I am currently reading "What School Could Be" by Ted Dintersmith which was given to me by a great friend (@RomanelliPaul). It is mindnumbing how much nonsense we ask children and adults to do in schools. I love this quote that I just read from the book from a school leader, "We don't need schools that make kids memorize the names of planets. We need schools that inspire kids to find new planets." What is Nonsense and Why Do We Do It Anyway? Take a moment and think about what you might do in your day... How much of your time is either spent on either teaching nonsense (material that has no relavence to a child's future or interest) or leading people through a process for compliance (state...
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Mentorship: Investing in Teachers to Shape Our Future

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       Mentorship is crucial to the work we do as teachers and leaders. Over 50% of teachers leave the profession within the first five years and since the current educational landscape has currently shifted, retaining new and veteran teachers has never been more vital. It is important to recognize that teachers may require different supports that are crucial for sustainability.  Why is it critical for school districts to invest in building strong foundations for new teachers that will lead to long meaningful careers?      Educators have limitless possibilities for shaping and developing the mindsets, actions, and choices for many future generations over the course of their career timelines. They have unique opportunities to create experiences that empower learners to choose a lens that paves the way to purposeful pathways of happiness and success. Since education is in a constant state of transformation, it is critical that educators are provided...
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"J, K, and L" for Jargon Killing our Leadership Style

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Jargon Killing our Leadership Style? #BlogginthruIt Preface/Planning:  Recently, I have been encouraged to write more and my friend Dennis Schug reminded me that we "get to write," that it is a privilege and should be fun.  In his Voxer message he explained how he has not had the time to write due to planning events for his moving up ceremony and various other planning activities.  I then opened our blogging chart of topic ideas and "Leadership from home" caught my eye, I then began thinking about my blog...  I'm up to J... "J" for Justice...  "J" for Jealousy...  "J" for Jargon...  Yes, think of all the new "jargon" we hear, but this Jargon has shifted how I am leading, how I am connecting, and how I am communicating... essentially killing my style of leadership because I am a connector.  Right?  Well, is it really?  If so, then, Why? Note to self: You probably will go back to "JK & L" after this pa...
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"I" is for Integrity

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       Schools are closed, so we are on early summer vacation right?!  With integrity, our educators responded by turning their "normal" classroom upside down, transformed learning for students, created ingenious ways to stay connected, and took this opportunity to focus on the learning because we are in this together and it is the right thing to do!  The question is whether our state and federal leaders will do the right thing for education?      Our state assessments have been canceled, graduation requirements have been modified , AP Exams have been adjusted , SATs/ACTs have been canceled , and final exams are canceled.  Without missing a beat, our teachers recognized the opportunity to turn to online platforms to teach anyway.  Working together, students, teachers, parents, and administrators have maintained an educational routine for children across our nation because we value learning.  We are no longer being asked t...
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H is for "Humbled"

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     On a #Read2Lead Twitter chat last night, I answered a question to continue my work on this blog page.  Today, I sit at my dining room table as my new office space "humbled" at the work our field has done over the past two weeks.  The COVID-19 epidemic proved that our educators across our country can pull together, support the varied needs of our children and families, and share resources with one another so others can benefit.      I began this journey working through the cancelation of our students trip to Italy, I immediately made my recommendations to my leadership team and teachers.  To my surprise, the parents and students humbled me by (although disappointed and frustrated with the travel company) expressing empathy towards our leadership team in making the decision to keep our students safe.  Soon after, the COVID-19 wave quickly moved towards the U.S. and this is where the real inspiration humbled many.     ...
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