Student freedom

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As a long-time teacher, school leader, and parent, I can personally and professionally attest to the fragility of the human spirit. That’s because I have been there, along with you and the rest of us. One minute we believe we can change the world and the next minute we are ready to give up on it. The thin veil of self-confidence that envelopes each of us, and our children in particular, brings into question the propriety and opportunity we have as educators in the words that we use and the actions that we take. For just a moment, let us all think back as far as we can remember, for it is there among memories pieced together that we might recall the first time someone…

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student hands of hope

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It would be disingenuous to consider fresh approaches to teaching and leading in our schools if the system itself is designed to graduate young adults with only minimal skills, no continuity of learning, no sense of themselves, no understanding of the world around them, and no self-mandate to make things better. The reality of our current school model doesn’t always mesh with our lofty ambitions, though we have the expertise and wherewithal to do better. The hard work begins for each of us by admitting that our schools are not there yet and that they could be so much more if we tapped into our collective energy and expertise. Still, the progress we seek will never happen without some subtle and not-so-subtle changes to our…

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childhood memories

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It is clear that our schools play a central role in developing self-actualizing behaviors in children in keeping with our goal of preparing learners to thrive in adulthood. If we ever get it right, we will find just the right mix of curricula and lessons and collaboration designed to produce highly competent and confident young adults who are aware of their place in the world and their purpose in it. Still, no matter how well we do, these rich experiences will never happen in schools alone. Aspiring to such lofty heights for learning will require a wider reach for school systems and grander expectations around school-community partnerships.  One way to envision such a shift in the industry is to view our local communities not as…

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It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. You know what I mean. We’ve all seen those black-and-white photos of students from the 1800s sitting quietly in rows, silent, and in fear of reprisal like something out of a Dickens novel. And there on the wall, if you look closely, are the classroom rules for all to see and heed: Be silent during class. Do not talk unless it is absolutely necessary. I’m not kidding. This was actually a common rule in most classrooms. As someone who prefers to honor our history and not belittle it, I point this out only to say that we have come a long way as educators and as school systems. Still, as we stumble and explore better methods…

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school-leadership; instructional leadership

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Let me reiterate what has been said countless times. Leadership matters. This is especially true in schools and school districts where so much is at stake and where nearly everyone has an opinion about how schools should be run. Let me also reiterate my continued support for the dedicated and kindred spirits who each day stare down the awesome challenges of leadership in today’s public schools. They are heroes all. Still, despite our best efforts, academic progress in our schools is slow and we must own that. Blaming our shortcomings on politicians or public policy is not bold and is not leadership. Blaming teachers is cowardly, blaming parents naïve. What did Gandhi tell us?  “We must be the change we wish to see in the…

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Educational Leadership, A tribute to principals

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Oh, the pride and privilege of our youth. I’m certain that Shakespeare and our mothers warned us about such things. Yes, let us be clear that we never knew as much as we knew when we were 17. For those of us who are a bit older now and only somewhat wiser, it really is a great honor and blessing to congratulate our young people and join in the celebration of graduates everywhere. Here’s to each and every one of you! If I could get the attention of our graduates even for a moment (which is unlikely), I would offer a bit of advice. I would ask them to slow down, to take in these final few moments of their youth and experience them in…

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freedom, success, students

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School systems are social systems or what some call “human systems.” The entire structure is built around people, with planned social interactions and (get this) with a common sense of purpose. School systems, neighborhood associations, and even political parties are social systems that (if fully functioning) are designed to produce a great deal of energy and, hopefully, synergy around a common cause that brings together people and processes in connected and meaningful ways. Let us be clear that no system can be fully mature (self-actualized) until it is fully competent and fully connected. To frame what this means, let us imagine what a school or school district would look like if it was functioning adequately per its day-to-day operations, but was not truly inspiring its…

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childhood memories

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The secret recipe for all successful ventures is three parts innovation, two parts resourcefulness, and at least one part sheer trust and will. The lessons learned from successful corporate ventures, inspiring civic endeavors, and superstar public schools are the subject of countless books and movies in our never-ending fascination with what works. Though we may debate the attributes of success, most of us know it when we see it. There is something about hard-won victories that is so alluring that we find it difficult to avoid staring at them and wondering how they did it. In truth, the greatest of great ventures have always found success in transformative places that exist somewhere beyond corporate structures, business plans, and spreadsheets. In one form or another, such…

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Cultural competence, confidence

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I Shall…A Tribute to Small Things I was thinking that I might buy a few more board games and certainly a new chess set, for one cannot have too many of those. Or maybe I will teach myself how to sew or bake or garden. I shall certainly spend a few more quiet moments with my children so we can learn what it means to be alone together, and to appreciate it. Maybe we can even start a puzzle, one of those great big ones, and then not rush to give up on it as if there are more important things to do. No matter what, I promise to amass a great collection of books, the kind you can hold in your hands and not…

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Equal access to public school education has been available to every child for generations, though equitable access to knowledge and power still eludes us. Equal opportunity remains an unspoken dream deferred, an ambition unrealized, even within our public schools. Technology can narrow that divide. Rightly so, the work within our public schools has been focused for years on increasing access to technology, and that is a laudable first step. Still, if we do not distill our actions through a filter of equity, powerful instructional tools like laptops and tablets may have no more impact on equitable outcomes than having equal access to #2 pencils. To be clear, any honest pursuit of equality will require us to confront a number of personal and societal afflictions that…

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