A Principal's Reflections

DECEMBER 18, 2022

Unlike the days when there was no Internet, anyone can provide deeper context or supporting examples to supplement and piece of traditional written work. There is a nice mix of concepts including personalization, educational technology, leadership, and school culture. Below are my top posts from 2022. Here’s to an amazing 2023!

Leadership 534

Leadership Educational Technology Tradition Cultures 534

A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 22, 2023

It represented a true turning point in how I thought about change in education. Up until this point, my thinking was relatively traditional and as such, so was the culture of my school. It was now time to become a true leader and that required being honest about where not only I was but also the culture of my school.

EdTech 511

EdTech Cultures Leadership Tradition 511

A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 9, 2024

Packed with practical examples, research-based strategies, and stories, any educator can find the most effective way to personalize learning. Here is the synopsis: Not Just One Way Are you an educator stuck in the traditional teaching or leadership mold, yearning for a spark to reignite your passion? Join the revolution.

Tradition 409

Tradition Critical Thinking Cultures Leadership 409

Catlin Tucker

SEPTEMBER 8, 2021

September 8th is International Literacy Day, a great time to think about promoting a class culture that values reading. Below are strategies and resources I’ve used to cultivate a reading culture in my classroom. Some educators love them; others loathe them. Cultivating a culture of reading doesn’t happen overnight.

Cultures 199

Cultures Controversial Topics Library Tradition 199

A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 13, 2021

Accomplishing this feat also requires educators to take into account when and where students learn. In the lead-up to a curation of a vast amount of research, UNESCO stated the following: In today’s world, education systems must constantly evolve in order to effectively respond to the rapidly changing demands of the societies they serve.

Tutoring 532

Tutoring Pedagogy Library Cultures 532

TeachThought

SEPTEMBER 3, 2024

Don’t Use Physical Education As Punishment contributed by Dr. Kymm Ballard, Executive Director for SPARK Think about any time you’ve seen “army boot camp” portrayed in pop culture — are you picturing the traditional drill sergeant, ordering his troops to do endless laps and push-ups, as punishment for their errors that day?

Education 300

Education Elementary School Psychology Classroom Management 300

A Principal's Reflections

MARCH 17, 2024

It thrives under the guidance of a passionate, skilled educator who is constantly evolving alongside their students. Nevertheless, just like their students, educators thrive in personalized learning experiences. Embrace Choice and Variety Move away from the traditional "sit-and-get" PD model.

Professional Development 469

Professional Development Leadership Cultures Educational Technology 469

A Principal's Reflections

DECEMBER 27, 2020

From a blogging perspective, I kicked it off with a post on what could be as a means to pump up educators as they continued to move towards embracing innovative strategies and ideas. It is always an honor to share the incredible work of educators in the field. The year began like any other. This happened on March 12, 2020.

Pedagogy 525

Pedagogy Leadership Tradition Cultures 525

Sapiens

MARCH 11, 2025

An anthropologist plunges into the world of Patagonian heavy metal music in Argentina to explore how the genre relates to language and cultural revitalization. Mapuche shamans, or machis , play the traditional kultrun drum in 1900. I FIRST HEARD Patagonian heavy metal on a cold winter night in Esquel, Argentina.

Heritage 132

Heritage Cultures History Government 132

A Principal's Reflections

DECEMBER 4, 2022

Now let’s apply the same concepts of innovation and transformation in response to a disruptive world of education. While no one can deny that some exciting changes have taken place in schools across the globe, the reality is that traditional schooling remains firmly in place. Schooling, in my opinion, is what is done to students.

Tradition 467

Tradition Cultures Teaching Education 467

A Principal's Reflections

JULY 4, 2021

No one goes into the education profession for accolades or to make big bucks, although I wish the latter were a reality. However, when the dust settles, educators can take solace in the fact that the actions they do take to help kids learn do make a difference in both the short and long terms. And they were.

Cultures 511

Cultures Economics Tradition Teaching 511

A Principal's Reflections

MARCH 19, 2017

This applies not only to K-12, but also higher education. Thus, schools and education in general need to create a learning culture that not only inspires students, but also prepares them for success in their future. We are at a crossroads in education. Traditional measures of success often blind us from the truth.

K-12 401

K-12 Pedagogy Tradition Cultures 401

A Principal's Reflections

NOVEMBER 2, 2014

When one looks at education in general there is very little change from over 150 years ago. Back then the education system was designed to serve an industrialized world that was in desperate need of skilled factory workers. Fast forward 150 years and you will notice that the world has radically changed, but education has not.

Leadership 416

Leadership Cultures Tradition High School 416

A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 22, 2015

In case you haven’t noticed the education profession has been under attack as of late. In my mind education is the noblest of professions. Without education, at some level virtually all other professions would be non-existent.

Leadership 416

Leadership Artifacts Tradition Cultures 416

The Hechinger Report

OCTOBER 28, 2024

In my career as an arts educator and school administrator, I have met countless families whose children are excited to embark on a college education focused on filmmaking or acting. Given the financial realities regularly confronted by the arts and the high cost of postsecondary education, a bit of hesitation may be natural.

Education 117

Education Economics Tradition Humanities 117

ED Surge

DECEMBER 18, 2024

Teachers are asked to be more than educators to serve as counselors, advocates and role models all while grappling with the same grief and trauma as their students. These tastes and smells are etched in my memory, a reminder of her dedication to keeping traditions alive and passing them down to the next generation.

Education 120

Education Heritage Leadership Tradition 120

The Hechinger Report

JUNE 16, 2021

It was a moment she’d been waiting for since her freshman year — not just to graduate from high school, but also to wear her traditional Yup’ik headdress and mukluks. That year, 2019, the district changed its policies to allow Indigenous students to wear cultural items along with their caps and gowns. I felt completely violated.

Tradition 145

Tradition Heritage Cultures High School 145

A Principal's Reflections

NOVEMBER 29, 2020

It is nearly impossible to create a culture of learning if there are elements of boredom, inactivity, and lack of relevance. Early on, I used more traditional strategies since this was a new arena for me. Thus, I reverted back to what I was comfortable with in terms of what I could control and perceived that educators wanted.

Leadership 545

Leadership Tradition Cultures High School 545

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. This was achieved during a time of tumultuous change as the education reform movement was just gaining steam. It is driven by choice, voice, and advocacy.

Advocacy 388

Advocacy Cultures Government Tradition 388

Sapiens

DECEMBER 3, 2024

A team of archaeologists working in Southeast Asia is pushing toward a deeper understanding of history that amplifies Indigenous and local perspectives to challenge traditional archaeological timelines. This approach to archaeological research places value on the continuous cultural and social development of humans.

History 143

History Archaeology Heritage Oral History 143

TeachThought

NOVEMBER 21, 2024

It’s not very scalable in a classroom with one teacher and 34 students, which is where the Socrative Seminar comes in–a ‘built-for-the-classroom structure to bring learning-through-questioning’ into traditional educational spaces. What should I ask about this? How can I improve the questions I or others have already asked?

Critical Thinking 317

Critical Thinking Teaching Government Psychology 317

A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 8, 2014

For many years New Milford High School was just like virtually every other public school in this country defined solely by traditional indicators of success such as standardized test scores, graduation rates, and acceptances to four year colleges. If education is good for one thing it is making excuses not to move forward.

Leadership 405

Leadership Tradition High School Library 405

A Principal's Reflections

MARCH 5, 2023

Sometimes that means looking beyond traditional metrics of success to find other areas where the needle can be moved. Truth be told, when it comes to education, there is no perfection, no matter where quantitative and qualitative metrics reside. There is always work to be done and effective educators embrace this wholeheartedly.

Junior High 474

Junior High Cultures Leadership Tradition 474

A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 17, 2022

Transitioning from a traditional to a more personalized culture emphasizes equity while providing learning spaces that are more reflective of the real world. While I still firmly believe in their value, I have embraced a more nuanced lens that provides more clarity and relevance.

Leadership 419

Leadership Cultures Tradition Research 419

A Principal's Reflections

DECEMBER 27, 2015

This framework, based on traditional elements of education yet encouraging movement from acquisition of knowledge to application of knowledge, charts learning along the two dimensions of higher standards and student achievement. Education and digital have become inherently intertwined.

Artifacts 477

Artifacts Pedagogy Leadership Cultures 477

A Principal's Reflections

MARCH 3, 2024

It also ensures that education remains dynamic and meaningful, preparing students to make informed decisions and contribute positively to society. Relevant thinking in an educational context refers to connecting new knowledge and skills to real-world situations, making learning applicable to students' lives and future careers.

Critical Thinking 464

Critical Thinking Pedagogy Project-Based Learning Cultures 464

A Principal's Reflections

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

Now don’t get me wrong, I hired so many amazing educators over the years and will forever be indebted to the incredible work they did for our students. The hiring process can make or break a school culture. The learning space that was once in the traditional library has now been taken over by the students.

Library 408

Library Leadership Cultures Tradition 408

A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 25, 2015

Our education system has become so efficient in sustaining a century old model because it is easy and safe. It requires a dynamic combination of mindset, behaviors, and skills that are employed to change and/or enhance school culture through the assistance of technology. The bottom line is that they are bored.

Leadership 367

Leadership Tradition Cultures Teaching 367

The Hechinger Report

APRIL 12, 2021

Understandably, reports indicating that higher education is heading toward a looming enrollment cliff have university administrators nervous. The remaining 58 percent represent an untapped resource for higher education. These students do not enroll at the same rate as students who are better prepared for college.

Tradition 140

Tradition Tutoring High School Cultures 140

A Principal's Reflections

OCTOBER 12, 2014

My narrow focus was on sustaining a school culture focused on rules, compliance, conformity, and preserving the status quo. The end goal was to make sure standardized test scores increased (or at least didn’t go down) and traditions were preserved. Education had become more about schooling than learning. Then it happened.

Cultures 396

Cultures Tradition High School Education 396

A Principal's Reflections

JULY 10, 2016

There is always a great deal of discussion about change in education in order to better prepare students for success. Through my work I have seen in person, and through social media, some amazing examples of what education can and should be. It’s not just advancements in technology that have to be addressed in our schools.

Global Connections 420

Global Connections Leadership Cultures Tradition 420

A Principal's Reflections

AUGUST 14, 2016

In my opinion that is the case in education. Educators and stakeholders alike have been brainwashed into thinking that a successful school or district is one who achieves through quantitative measures. Are we more concerned about learning or traditional grading practices? Does homework improve learner outcomes?

Leadership 368

Leadership Professional Development Cultures Educational Technology 368

A Principal's Reflections

NOVEMBER 15, 2015

"We must learn how to unlearn and relearn in order to create schools that work for kids." - Eric Sheninger Change is a word that is spoken about in education circles more and more each day. This is also where it is sustained to the point that it becomes an embedded component of school or district culture. Herein lies the problem.

Artifacts 376

Artifacts Leadership Cultures Tradition 376

Teaching Anthropology

FEBRUARY 3, 2025

Nightingale College, South Dakota, US As I grade my Cultural Anthropoloy classs Emic and Etic Perspectives of Halloween essay, two things strike me: 1. Even with this growing fan club for correct AI use, educators seem to universally want to prohibit bad AI use. Chloe Beckett, M.A., 2023, and Ouyang et al., 2022, among many).

Anthropology 130

Anthropology Sociology Cultures Educational Technology 130

A Principal's Reflections

OCTOBER 25, 2020

The pandemic has really put a strain on educators, yet they continue to rise to the occasion on behalf of kids. The majority of educators fall into the latter. Now is not the time to revert back to traditional observation and evaluation protocols because, quite frankly, they will not result in improved outcomes.

Leadership 530

Leadership Pedagogy Professional Development Tradition 530

A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 20, 2021

Thus, it is critical that the culture in your classroom and school positively impacts learners while adequately preparing them for their future, not our past. Think about why you went into the field of education. Many practices in education can fall into the outlier category.

K-12 481

K-12 Tradition Cultures Research 481

A Principal's Reflections

JULY 9, 2014

Image credit: [link] Almost ten years ago, I was presented with an opportunity to begin my educational leadership career at NMHS. Little did I know that these ten years would profoundly shape me as a leader, educator, and person. Each and every one of them has played a huge role in transforming the learning culture at NMHS.

Leadership 419

Leadership K-12 High School Cultures 419