A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 9, 2024

That leader was Nicki Slaugh , my co-author of our book Personalize. My chance encounter with Nicki eventually led to the idea of writing this book after my first year of coaching. The book also emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships and a positive school culture to support these changes.

Tradition 420

Tradition Critical Thinking Cultures Leadership 420

A Principal's Reflections

AUGUST 14, 2022

Thriving cultures that produce results make every effort to keep this on the positive side. Pile on the positive feedback Sometimes there is never enough of a good thing when it comes to building up culture. Listening is one of the best tools that can be leveraged to gather crucial information on the pulse of a culture.

Leadership 487

Leadership Cultures Psychology Research 487

TeachThought

NOVEMBER 21, 2024

An entire book could be written about the topic (if not a series of books). This led to many dozens of answers. There are dozens of types of questions and categories of questions and forms of questions and on and on and on.

Critical Thinking 317

Critical Thinking Teaching Government Psychology 317

A Principal's Reflections

SEPTEMBER 5, 2021

Truth be told, no book or course can replace authentic experience. Autonomy creates a culture that promotes the freedom to take risks and fail forward. All of the elements above help a leader build trust amongst staff resulting in a positive school culture. Leadership is hard. Initiating and sustaining change is even harder.

Leadership 542

Leadership Cultures Research Education 542

A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 25, 2023

Co-create a vision A shared and co-created vision has the potential to transform an organization's culture. Leverage intrinsic motivators I recommend reading Dan Pink's book, "Drive." Extrinsic rewards are problematic as they create an expectation and seldom result in lasting cultural changes. The result is scalability.

Leadership 473

Leadership Cultures Humanities Research 473

A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 19, 2014

If you haven’t noticed, I have been a tad bit excited over the past couple of weeks leading up to the release of my new book. It is about taking a hard look at the type of school culture leaders are currently sustaining and asking is this really preparing our students for success.

Leadership 372

Leadership High School Cultures Tradition 372

A Principal's Reflections

SEPTEMBER 18, 2016

We were able to transform the learning culture of a traditional school and in the process got results while becoming an example that others emulated. Image credit: https://andrewherrick.files.wordpress.com If we are to improve learning and ultimately school-based outcomes student agency needs to be a real element of school culture.

Advocacy 394

Advocacy Cultures Government Tradition 394

A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 25, 2021

For me, in the case of the latter, that was writing a new book. In this book, my hope was to make a compelling case that the best way to do this is to create a disruptive thinking culture in the classroom and beyond. The pandemic gave many of us a great deal of time to engage in projects both personally and professionally.

Artifacts 427

Artifacts Teaching Humanities Cultures 427

A Principal's Reflections

AUGUST 29, 2021

Now I didn’t refer to them as these in the book, but the purpose of my blogging is to share my reflections and expand on ideas. In Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms , I identified six dimensions of disruptive thinking.

Project-Based Learning 545

Project-Based Learning Cultures Education Pedagogy 545

A Principal's Reflections

SEPTEMBER 1, 2024

Some see it as the holy grail of education, and this has manifested in countless books and presentations, especially at technology conferences. School leaders must build trust, foster a positive school culture, and make informed decisions based on data and human judgment. I am not going to mince my words.

Leadership 410

Leadership Pedagogy Humanities Library 410

ED Surge

FEBRUARY 10, 2025

I just worked with some third graders, and they had to explain why a characters traits in the book that we read helped them sell more lemonade than the brother sold. What advice would you give other educators looking to build a culture of authentic engagement using technology? Dont overthink it.

Cultures 74

Cultures EdTech Leadership Teaching 74

A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 17, 2022

During this time, I developed the Pillars of Digital Leadership and later authored the book around concepts that I found pivotal to the change process leading to transformation. Transitioning from a traditional to a more personalized culture emphasizes equity while providing learning spaces that are more reflective of the real world.

Leadership 424

Leadership Cultures Tradition Research 424

A Principal's Reflections

MARCH 8, 2020

The Book Professor blog provides the following perspective: How often have you heard the saying, “Experience is the best teacher.” I struggled to earn a good grade in both classes, but because of the classroom culture he created, I worked hard. I vividly remember the food and atmosphere, but not the score of each game.

K-12 536

K-12 Government Cultures High School 536

Anthropology 365

APRIL 23, 2025

What He Wrote and Why it Matters Jons first book, Human Biodiversity: Genes, Race, and History (1995), came out of a simple but transformative observation: the science of human difference had changed dramatically over the twentieth century, and most people, including many scientists, hadnt caught up. That distinction was central to the book.

Anthropology 98

Anthropology Humanities Cultures History 98

A Principal's Reflections

MARCH 5, 2023

It was at this point that we planned longitudinal work over the course of the year, which included a book study using Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms. In every classroom, I saw evidence of a vibrant culture of learning and competency-based strategies where students followed a unique path and worked at their own pace.

Junior High 482

Junior High Cultures Leadership Tradition 482

Sapiens

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

I (Mariam) grew up in a Pakistani diaspora family, where I observed roti-making as an organizing tradition of my home culture, but one that remained a gender-exclusive space for girls, mothers, and aunties. Their cultural commentary on social media often rejects patriarchal expectations about making the perfect round, flaky roti.

Cultures 127

Cultures History Tradition Archiving 127

The Hechinger Report

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

It was a mistake to assume that all parents would be as enthusiastic about the book as I was. A concerned parent took issue with the language used in the book and its depictions of drug use. She immediately called the district to ask that the book be removed from my curriculum. This is a culture of fear, not of trust.

Cultures 140

Cultures Advocacy Lesson Plan High School 140

A Principal's Reflections

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

Upon leaving New Milford High School a few weeks ago, I was like a proud father who watched his children grow up, mature, and experience undeniable successes that forever changed the teaching and learning culture there. The hiring process can make or break a school culture. It needed a digital age and pedagogical reboot.

Library 412

Library Leadership Cultures Tradition 412

A Principal's Reflections

MAY 20, 2018

There are many changes I intend to make, but the most significant will be creating a book that is more “evergreen,” a book with less focus on tools and more on the dispositions of digital leaders. Society is now in the midst of the Fourth Industrial Revolution , which was in its infancy as I began writing this book.

Leadership 305

Leadership Cultures Professional Development Tradition 305

A Principal's Reflections

MAY 2, 2021

Purposeful use of tech-driven by the learner Equity and cognitive flexibility through personalization Learning environments that reflect current (and future) contexts Creating a classroom culture that empowers students to replace conventional ideas with innovative solutions to authentic problems can lead to prosperity in a bold new world.

Cultures 401

Cultures Tradition Humanities 401

A Principal's Reflections

SEPTEMBER 1, 2019

Each has been a disruptive force that has changed how people watch movies, book hotels, listen to music, access information, get assistance, store files, or get from one place to another. Many lessons can be learned from past innovations that have reshaped culture and society. Sometimes learning is devalued by a number or letter.

Cultures 371

Cultures History Research Education 371

A Principal's Reflections

NOVEMBER 15, 2015

This is also where it is sustained to the point that it becomes an embedded component of school or district culture. These successes can then be promoted within the school and district to serve as a catalyst for cultural transformation. Image credit: [link] Meaningful change has and always will begin at the individual level.

Artifacts 383

Artifacts Leadership Cultures Tradition 383

A Principal's Reflections

JULY 7, 2024

The Illusion of the Instant Fix Our culture thrives on instant gratification. All one has to do is look at the slew of books, social media posts, speakers, and podcasts boasting claims that their big ideas will transform practice over time. Small shifts to practice implemented consistently have the greatest impact.

Leadership 411

Leadership Cultures Teaching Education 411

A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 12, 2014

All of these examples are at the core of essential skill sets that most schools "want" students to possess, but many schools do a poor job of creating a culture that integrates them across the curriculum. It also requires an open mind, vision, and strategic plan to allow students access to real-world tools to do real-world work.

Leadership 409

Leadership Artifacts Professional Development Cultures 409

The Hechinger Report

JULY 25, 2022

An international study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that students who had more books at home reported that they enjoyed reading more. Teens who read more paper books scored higher on reading assessments. There’s a lot to like about digital books. Credit: Jill Barshay/The Hechinger Report.

Economics 145

Economics Digital Resources Library Cultures 145

A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 2, 2023

Pedagogical leaders recognize that management is a necessary part of the job, but it shouldn't come at the expense of cultivating a positive learning culture to boost academic achievement. If our ultimate goal is to improve, we need to prioritize the aspects of our job that impact student learning most.

Leadership 544

Leadership K-12 Artifacts Lesson Plan 544

Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Discovering Emotion in Ancient Mesopotamia From the flutter of "butterflies in the stomach" to the weight of a "heavy heart," emotions are often tied to physical sensations in modern cultures. Towards a Universal Understanding of Emotions This study opens new doors to understanding whether emotions are universal or culturally specific.

Archiving 98

Archiving Archaeology Humanities Cultures 98

A Principal's Reflections

JULY 9, 2014

Each and every one of them has played a huge role in transforming the learning culture at NMHS. For it is they who made the choice to go down the road less traveled five years ago when we began transforming our learning culture. The community welcomed me with open arms and I inherited a staff eager to grow and learn.

Leadership 419

Leadership K-12 High School Cultures 419

Anthropology for Beginners

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

archaeologists study past humans and societies primarily through their material remains – the buildings, tools, and other artifacts that constitute what is known as the material culture left over from former societies. Application of Archaeology Archaeology is the study of human past through material remains. How were those pots used?

Archaeology 130

Archaeology Cultures Anthropology Heritage 130

A Principal's Reflections

MAY 28, 2017

The work over those years put me into a position of authoring several books and sharing our successes across the United States and then the world. We pitched a book idea to ASCD that wouldn’t just tell educators what they should be doing, but more importantly show them how it could be done. Learning spaces must become learner-centered.

Leadership 299

Leadership Cultures Professional Development Economics 299

A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 27, 2022

While it is understood that management is a necessity associated with the position, it should not be something that comes at the expense of improving the learning culture. Try also to read one education book and another related to a different field such as leadership, self-help, or business.

Leadership 534

Leadership Lesson Plan Archiving Tradition 534

A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 4, 2015

To learn more in depth about the concepts associated with making be sure to purchase the book Invent to Learn by Gary Stager and Sylvia Martinez. For a maker culture to succeed and thrive in a school, leadership matters. For a maker culture to succeed and thrive in a school, leadership matters.

Library 413

Library Museum Leadership Cultures 413

A Principal's Reflections

JULY 17, 2022

Decisions must always be made, and sometimes delegation and consensus—both powerful elements in building a positive culture—are not suitable courses of action. Let me be clear: No one has all the answers, no matter how many books they have written, keynotes delivered, or years of experience under their belt.

Leadership 435

Leadership Cultures Education 435

ED Surge

NOVEMBER 29, 2023

There were few role models who looked like me outside of my family, and the only cultural representations I saw were insulting stereotypes that mocked Indian culture. She told me that although he enjoyed the new school, it was a culture shock from his previous school. Now, I’m not so sure.

Cultures 138

Cultures Individual Identity Pedagogy Teaching 138

A Principal's Reflections

SEPTEMBER 14, 2014

One just has to refer to the history books to see how this has played out across the world since the beginning of time. This is also where it is sustained to the point that it becomes an embedded component of school and/or district culture. This is a great example of forced change. Forced change rarely works.

K-12 359

K-12 Leadership Professional Development Cultures 359

The Hechinger Report

FEBRUARY 10, 2025

A ‘Knowledge Revival’ A 2025 book by 10 education researchers in Europe and Australia, Developing Curriculum for Deep Thinking: The Knowledge Revival , makes the case that students cannot learn the skills of comprehension and critical thinking unless they know a lot of stuff first. Weve all been there.

Teaching 132

Teaching Charter School Social Studies Geography 132

Cult of Pedagogy

FEBRUARY 18, 2024

In a book that is both practical and beautiful, she lays out a pathway for how schools can make more authentic connections with the people in students’ lives outside of school. This is one of those books, because at a time like now, when so many things feel broken, it gives us some ways to heal.

Pedagogy 287

Pedagogy Tradition Library Cultures 287