The Sine Qua What???
One of my favorite phrases from high school Latin is “sine qua non.” It very literally means, “without which there is nothing.” And in education, there is one thing, above all else, that is sine qua non.
Leadership
When It Comes to CFAs: “Just the FACTS, Ma’am”
At the risk of adding another acronym to our field, consider the following when thinking about your CFA: the FACTS. And just the FACTS, ma’am.
Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy
The beauty of the four Critical Questions of a learning team is that they are simple. That doesn’t mean the process is easy, though.
Leadership Lessons from…Where?!
Not wanting to just reflect on the past year, I thought I would share some leadership lessons I’ve recently learned from an unlikely source…
Get Started…Then Get Better
“Don’t do that” were the words out of Rick DuFour’s mouth, more than a decade ago, as I was excitedly and passionately explaining to him how the district I was in was going about our work.
If Only…The Irony of Continuous Improvement
At a fundamental level, continuous improvement means that whatever I do today won’t be as good as tomorrow, or next week, or next month, or in a year or more. Because I’m not perfect…indeed, I’m far from it.
Both-And: Trainings and Coaching
The school year is now in full swing, and that means a significant shift in the work I do with schools. I thought I would share my perspective on how that shift impacts (or doesn’t impact) the day-to-day work of learning.
That Whoosh You Heard?
What you say to students every day leaves a trace. What you do with and for students makes a difference in their lives.
Major Goal: Check!
Serving schools around the country as a PLC at Work® associate has been a blessing beyond measure. It is humbling to be accepted as an author.
Forced Breaks and Flexibility
Jury duty?! Aaaargh…But could there be a silver lining? A forced break and the opportunities that flexibility provides–if we can see them.