Conflict in schools isn’t abstract – it’s lived daily. Offering tools, examples, and mindset shifts, veteran school leader Jen Schwanke helps principals understand and manage conflict and lead beyond it with clarity, empathy, and a steady hand, writes principal Dennis Schug.
It’s becoming increasingly critical for educators to understand both the benefits and the challenges of using artificial intelligence. Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn share 5 ways to make AI most helpful to school leaders, and 5 tasks to handle without much if any AI involvement.
Turning It Around by Todd Whitaker and Courtney Monterecy provides both a conceptual framework and a tactical approach for educational leaders committed to creating schools truly worthy of their students through a dual lens of incremental improvement and systemic change.
It’s easy to keep busy in just about any job, writes former principal Matt Renwick, now a regional systems coach. What’s difficult to discern is what we should be focused on in this moment. See how Renwick is using what he calls “productive presence” to stay organized and aware.
With its tools, approaches and ideas that can work in any school, Turning It Around by Todd Whitaker and award-winning principal Courtney Monterecy is a valuable addition to the literature on school improvement, writes former principal and leadership expert Dr. Ron Williamson.
Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn advocate for a three-step teacher evaluation process that emphasizes pre- and post-observation conferences designed to promote full teacher ownership and collaboration, with an emphasis on recognizing strengths and planning for growth.
Ignacio Lopez writes that effective school leaders must possess five elements of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. All five must be used to implement decisions reached with disparate input and centered on students.
Whether school leaders network using traditional methods like books and conferences or virtual solutions using social media tools and platforms, it’s vital to be a learner and to model learning in your organization. Ron Williamson and Barb Blackburn explore the PLN option.
When trust is present, people are generally more productive, more satisfied with their work, and less likely to search for a new job. Ron Williamson and Barbara Blackburn share six research-based strategies leaders can use to build a trusting, collaborative school community.
To help combat negative perceptions that can surround administration, DeAnna Miller offers three ways school leaders can cultivate mutual respect among staff: (1) offering meaningful feedback; (2) being highly visible; and (3) not being led astray by the Good Idea Fairy.
