One of the greatest challenges, I believe, facing school leaders today is the doom and gloom in education. There is so much material out there about what is wrong with schools and what we are not doing. We are often faced with so many problems, all of which are appear urgent, in a society where... Continue Reading →
There's so much that we can improve in our schools, the trouble is where do we start? Prioritizing the work that needs to get done in our schools is a challenge in itself, there are competing agendas depending on whose view you take - school leaders, teachers, parents and students. Even teachers, frequently, cannot reach... Continue Reading →
Going around someone in order to ensure that something gets done is not uncommon in most workplaces, including schools. Yet it can create significant issues for school culture and challenges for school leaders wherever they may be in the hierarchy of operations. People circumvent when they feel the person in front of them is blocking... Continue Reading →
In every school there are teachers who may be fabulous and make teachers who are good look quite ordinary in comparison. In so many ways it is wonderful to have committed great teachers who may go beyond the norm in delivering their classes, communicating with parents and contributing to the school as a whole. There... Continue Reading →
Ask teachers about how they feel about the parents in their school community and responses will probably be wide-ranging. We have heard of the ‘helicopter’ parents, the ‘tiger moms’ and those parents who make life for teachers, well, inconvenient. On the other hand, some teachers feel that a number of parents are not interested, have... Continue Reading →
When new leaders are appointed to their various roles in schools, they are often eager to make change, to help the school improve and move forward. There is nothing wrong with wanting to make change but how one goes about it is crucial to its success and the impact change will have on the school... Continue Reading →
How many times have you seen problems schools where teachers say something like, "the 'Admin' need to do something about that," or, "that's the fault of the 'Admin'"? Too often and conveniently so, teachers are quick to use the term 'Admin', which is not particularly helpful in solving problems and can have a detrimental impact... Continue Reading →
School leadership is a tough business. Our colleagues can be harsh critics at times and greatly supportive at others. Over the years, I have worked with some wonderful people who have held various leadership positions in schools and each one was / is treated differently. Interestingly, I have seen some ineffective school leaders adored by... Continue Reading →
School leaders receive many suggestions from other leaders, teachers and support staff for what can be improved in their school. In some instances, people are taking action themselves, often on their own, as they try to 'fix' things and make our schools 'better'. Invariably, despite so many good ideas, intentions and initiatives, schools are oftentimes... Continue Reading →
