Professional Learning Should Directly Boost Student Outcomes
“Teachers aren’t scared of change. They are scared of wasting time on things that make no significant impact in their classrooms.” In an upcoming blog post, I reflected on this quote and shared a few thoughts. When developing professional learning, does it feel relevant to staff and connected to what they actually want and need to learn? It’s easy to blame people for not implementing new ideas, but more often than not, that’s a leadership issue. If professional learning happens during staff days and nothing changes afterward, the problem is likely the process and implementation, not the staff. A simple way to measure the value of professional learning is to ask two questions at the end of the day: What did you learn today? And because of that learning, how will students benefit? If we can’t clearly explain how learning will improve students' outcomes, then our time is probably better spent elsewhere.
Inclusion in Decision-Making Outweighs the Decision Itself
"What we choose matters, but how we choose matters more. Because in the end, people might forget the specifics of a decision, but they rarely forget how they were included, or excluded, in the process." Great Ideas Often Fail Without Great Conversations...
Gratitude Fuels Effort and Embraces Challenge
"When people feel appreciated for doing something good, they want to do it more. And when they know they are valued, they are more open to challenge." Tell Them: The Power of Gratitude in Moving "Forward, Together" https://t.co/mfZ8IguIhR https://t.co/1TczoFkOT2
Gratitude Shines Brightest in Moments of Loss
"Having gratitude matters most when you feel you’ve lost something, not when everything is going your way." When You Feel Lost, Gratitude Helps You Find Your Way https://t.co/EtZN1aGDEh https://t.co/yvaylqyjGU
Encourage Self‑Investors, Build Lasting Legacies
Invest your time in people who are willing to invest in themselves. A simple message of encouragement can be the simple nudge someone else needs to keep moving toward their goals and dreams. Even in minor ways, people always help...
Freeing Mental Bandwidth: AI Boosts Creativity, Not Laziness
"The ability to do things where we don’t have to think might inspire our most creative pursuits." How AI Can Save You Time—But Should It? Rethinking Monotony, Creativity, and Motivation https://t.co/DBLd6BKJfz https://t.co/IYJ5R2rqe8
Value People, Not Fix Them, Boosts Loyalty and Performance
“If people feel you are trying to 'fix' them, they will fight you tooth and nail. But if people know they are valued, they are more likely to be on your side.” #ForwardTogether The best boss taught me, through her...
One Caring Adult Shapes a Child's Lifelong Memory
"The presence or absence of one caring adult, like a parent or coach, can define how a child remembers an experience for life. Do your best to make it a good one." 3 Things That Shape a Child More Than We...
Joy Comes From Process, Not Just Goal Achievement
"No matter your goal, it will never bring you the joy you hope for once you achieve it. Fall in love with the process, because growth is the key to a purposeful life." The Best Way to Have a Door Open...
Blogging Helps Discover Your Voice Before Writing a Book
"And yes, blogging is a great way to share your voice, but finding your own voice and your own way through the process is what I see as the biggest benefit." Want to Write a Book? Start a Blog https://t.co/GXapGcBeFB...
Those Who Challenge You Show True Love
Powerful quote: "Anybody that's gonna push you loves you more than anybody that's gonna let you stay the same." Charles Lee
Holding Convictions While Embracing Others: Forward Together
"That is part of what makes 'Forward, Together' land the way it does. It does not ask us to give up our convictions. It asks us to hold them in a way that leaves room for other people. And it...
The Biggest Risk Is Staying Exactly Where You Are
Risk is moving from a comfortable average in pursuit of an unknown better. I share the following in #ForwardTogether: “When you think about it, risk happens when we try new things, yet often the biggest risk we take is staying the same....
Design Interviews That Make Candidates Want to Join
"We always want the best people for the positions in any organization, but you should also create an environment that makes the interview make someone want to work there in the first place." 3 Ways to Rethink the Education Interview -...
Check In On Those Who Appear Untroubled
Check in on the people who seem like they don’t need checking in on. Too often, I have been guilty of seeing someone as an overachiever and just thinking that everything is going amazingly well for them. Other times, I have...