One of the key differences that exist between learning environments in primary school classrooms and those in many secondary schools is the use of the classroom display space. Too often secondary school classrooms can be uninspiring places to walk into, so spare a thought for the students who have to put up with it. To... 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 →
One of my favourite quotes is: “If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.” from D.L.Moody. Our character is very much defined by our values and, based on this, we have a responsibility to put values at the forefront of every child's education. The news that we are fed... 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 →
“We must teach them good habits,” I overheard my football coach say when I was 15 years old. I can remember that saying and how it was said like it was yesterday. This message has stayed with me ever since and is a principle that teachers need to encourage in students. Behind all good habits... Continue Reading →
The degree to which school leaders are involved in actual teaching practice varies considerably between schools, which brings us to the question: Should school leaders teach more? To clarify for the purpose of this post, school leader refers to senior leaders in schools, assistant principals, principals and directors / superintendents. The demands of these senior... Continue Reading →
One of the obstacles educational leaders face when giving colleagues feedback is deflection. Over the years, through numerous conversations with educators centering on giving and receiving feedback, this issue of deflection often gets in the way of moving forward. Take the following example. Over several weeks a school leader received numerous complaints about the way... Continue Reading →
It is questionable whether teachers and leaders are given regular feedback in order to grow professionally. When teachers work with students feedback is given in most lessons throughout the learning journey. The same does not happen for the adults in the school. We need to change this. When busy, teacher feedback is often the first... Continue Reading →
It is a bit of a chicken and egg scenario, or is it that simple? Should teachers automatically be respected once they walk in a classroom, or is the respect that students develop for teachers something that is developed over time? It would be interesting to see how teachers poll on this question. Certainly, I... Continue Reading →
