A Principal's Reflections

MAY 24, 2020

By investing in, and trusting the people around me, more time was freed up to focus on innovation and large-scale change initiatives to improve school culture. To be more effective, we need to realize that there is a wealth of human resources at our fingertips that can help us all do what we already do better.

Geography 544

Geography Humanities Cultures Professional Development 544

A Principal's Reflections

SEPTEMBER 13, 2020

Below I will address six specific areas that can help to create an empathetic teaching and learning culture. Grace Depending on your position, leading and teaching with grace is the epitome of an empathetic culture. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human." The virus will eventually be subdued.

Pedagogy 542

Pedagogy Cultures Tradition Leadership 542

A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 28, 2024

Strong leadership fosters a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and collaboration, which are essential for adapting to a disruptive world. Understanding that leadership can come from various levels within an educational system is crucial in fostering a culture of shared responsibility and empowerment.

Leadership 375

Leadership Cultures Education Policy Humanities 375

A Principal's Reflections

MARCH 19, 2017

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. This means re-integrating trade-based courses and programs that use to be the norm in virtually every school.

K-12 399

K-12 Pedagogy Tradition Cultures 399

A Principal's Reflections

MAY 2, 2021

Other inventions are within our grasp such as flying cars, driverless vehicles, and computers so powerful they have the operating capacity of the human brain. Some of the show’s bold predictions actually came true, includ­ing video conferencing, robots, smartwatches, drones, jetpacks, holo­grams, and automated homes.

Cultures 397

Cultures Tradition Humanities 397

A Principal's Reflections

JANUARY 16, 2022

Being human is more important than being right all the time. Curious leaders inspire while also breaking down traditional barriers when it comes to transforming culture. I shared the following a few years back: Be true to yourself and others. You will never have all the answers or solutions needed to move large change efforts forward.

Leadership 495

Leadership Tradition Humanities Cultures 495

A Principal's Reflections

DECEMBER 18, 2016

The human brain is wired to keep us safe, and as a result we often become averse to change. We must take a critical look at the effect fixed mindsets can have on a learning culture. Each day we have the opportunity to improve professional practice to create a better learning culture for students and educators.

Leadership 396

Leadership Cultures Humanities Teaching 396

A Principal's Reflections

FEBRUARY 12, 2014

Leading the transition from 20th century to 21st century schools includes attention to the human toll it takes when such large changes are being required. Students deserve leaders willing who are willing to extend themselves beyond their comfort zones in order to create a culture that aligns with a new vision for learning.

Leadership 404

Leadership Artifacts Professional Development Cultures 404

A Principal's Reflections

JULY 10, 2016

Other elements embedded in school culture cloud our vision as to what is both needed and possible. If not, then human nature will take over and you will make an excuse. It all comes down to leadership and the will to improve in order to create a better learning culture for all students.

Global Connections 420

Global Connections Leadership Cultures Tradition 420

Anthropology for Beginners

SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

Cultural Relativism Cultural Relativism expresses the idea that the beliefs and practices of others are best understood in the light of the particular cultures in which they are found. Most societies are not relativist: they view their own ways as good, other people's as bad, inferior, or immoral a form of ETHNOCENTRISM.

Cultures 100

Cultures Anthropology Artifacts Museum 100

A Principal's Reflections

AUGUST 14, 2016

Human nature compels us in many cases to take the easiest possible path to success. Instead of enabling the status quo to dictate the learning culture of a school, critical reflection is employed to disrupt professional practice in order to grow and improve. This question is a start, however it doesn’t really matter much what we think.

Leadership 356

Leadership Professional Development Cultures Educational Technology 356

A Principal's Reflections

NOVEMBER 19, 2023

Pursuing improvement is a never-ending process because the landscape of knowledge, technology, and human understanding is in a perpetual state of evolution. The dynamism of the world, driven by scientific discoveries, technological innovations, and cultural shifts, ensures that there is always room for improvement.

Junior High 327

Junior High Pedagogy Leadership Humanities 327

Sapiens

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

In the deep human past , highly skilled seafarers made daring crossings from Asia to the Pacific Islands. The authors acknowledge the contribution of Abdul Razak Macap, a social anthropologist at the Regional Cultural Heritage Center in Manokwari.) It points to the complex skills humans developed to live in rainforests.

Humanities 97

Humanities Archaeology Artifacts Heritage 97

A Principal's Reflections

MARCH 10, 2019

Create a strong vision A vision can undoubtedly change the culture of any organization if it is shared and co-created, but the real work and testament to great leadership is moving from the visioning process by developing a strategic plan to turn vision into reality. Being human means that you will screw up once in a while.

Leadership 375

Leadership Tutoring Cultures Humanities 375

A Principal's Reflections

OCTOBER 30, 2016

With this choice comes a great deal of responsibility to initiate and sustain change that will lead to a transformed school culture. This is equivalent to a human-generated search engine that never shuts down and is powered by the knowledge of world-renowned experts and practitioners alike.

Leadership 387

Leadership Humanities Cultures Education 387

Anthropology.net

NOVEMBER 19, 2024

A Window Into Humanity’s Past Hunter-gatherer societies represent the foundation of human history, defining how humans lived for 99% of our existence. This fosters a deep understanding of cultural norms and values. “This broad network is vital to their development.”

Cultures 95

Cultures Humanities History Tradition 95

Anthropology.net

DECEMBER 4, 2024

However, the journey to this unique bond between humans and canines was far from straightforward. A new study 1 suggests that in prehistoric Alaska, humans repeatedly domesticated and lived alongside not just dogs but also wolves, wolf-dog hybrids, and even coyotes. Sablin, M.

Humanities 93

Humanities Archaeology Anthropology History 93

A Principal's Reflections

JULY 1, 2018

Planning aside, there is another inhibitory element lurking in every organizational culture including education, and that is excuses. So why is it a part of human nature to make excuses? However, the outcome might be impacted in a way that motivation to continue to innovate is tempered or even drowned. It is excuses that hold us back.

Humanities 402

Humanities Cultures Education Leadership 402

A Principal's Reflections

JULY 5, 2014

Excuses are just a part of human existence. Sustainable changes leading to cultural transformation in schools can and will only happen when one moves from a fixed to a growth mindset. When was the last time you came up with an excuse to get out of doing something that you did not want to do?

Leadership 401

Leadership Professional Development Humanities Cultures 401

A Principal's Reflections

JUNE 3, 2018

There is no substitute for real human interaction as this is the ultimate relationship builder. It is during this time that they get to share their ideas on the topic, discuss implementation strategies, reflect on what others have said, or provide positive reinforcement. I am always inspired when I eavesdrop on these conversations.

Pedagogy 412

Pedagogy Tradition Research Humanities 412

The Hechinger Report

NOVEMBER 22, 2021

The drop in college graduates who majored in humanities ranges between 16 percent and 29 percent since 2012. The last time colleges produced this few humanities graduates was in 2002. As the economy recovered, so did the humanities. The last time colleges produced this few humanities graduates was in 2002.

Humanities 142

Humanities Economics History Psychology 142

Anthropology.net

NOVEMBER 4, 2024

The Origins of Burial Practices in Human Evolution Around 120,000 years ago, both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals began practicing intentional burial in the Levant region, shaping a complex cultural narrative in human evolution.

Cultures 89

Cultures Archaeology Heritage Humanities 89

Anthropology.net

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024

Human evolution, as it turns out, has been profoundly shaped by climatic changes. A recent review published in the Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 1 journal explores how fluctuations in climate and vegetation were pivotal forces in the evolutionary journey of early humans. Read more

Humanities 72

Humanities Cultures 72

A Principal's Reflections

OCTOBER 28, 2018

Thanks to discoveries in the fields of organizational psychology and neuroscience, we can gain a better understanding of what human traits or behaviors are best suited for leadership, and why they are of benefit to the organizations and teams these individuals lead. Case in point.

Leadership 318

Leadership Psychology Cultures Humanities 318

Anthropology.net

SEPTEMBER 20, 2024

A groundbreaking study 1 of ancient human DNA from the Oakhurst rock shelter in South Africa is shedding new light on population history in one of the world’s earliest regions of modern human activity. It contained more than 40 human graves and preserved layers of human artifacts, such as stone tools, going back 12,000 years.”

Humanities 90

Humanities History Archaeology Anthropology 90

Anthropology.net

OCTOBER 22, 2024

Human evolution continues, driven by the pressure of extreme environments. High Altitude and Human Health: A Striking Contrast For many, ascending to high altitudes brings about altitude sickness, a result of hypoxia, where the body struggles to deliver sufficient oxygen to its tissues.

Humanities 99

Humanities Cultures Research 99

Anthropology.net

SEPTEMBER 21, 2024

A new study 1 challenges long-held beliefs about the origins of horseback riding, casting doubt on the Kurgan hypothesis, which claims that humans first began domesticating horses as early as the fourth millennium B.C. Horseback riding can indeed leave subtle marks on the human body. in a culture known as the Yamnaya.

Humanities 96

Humanities Archaeology Artifacts Museum 96

NCHE

MARCH 25, 2024

Some of those articles are written for mass-market publications, while others focus on specific topics and outlets ranging from nursing to Black culture to material artifacts. Many historians, faced with the difficulty of reaching beyond a narrow audience, have chosen to write for the burgeoning array of online publications.

K-12 312

K-12 Primary Sources American History Archiving 312

Edthena

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Improving school culture is high on many school leaders’ lists of building priorities. But cultivating a strong school culture doesn’t happen without intentional thought and planning. Why is this key to improving school culture ? Check out the highlights of what we’ve been reading below, as well as links to the full resources.

Cultures 106

Cultures Psychology Professional Development Classroom Management 106

A Principal's Reflections

APRIL 25, 2021

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. Regardless of the forces at hand, educators play a pivotal role in preparing students for success now and in the future.

Artifacts 403

Artifacts Humanities Teaching Cultures 403

Anthropology.net

NOVEMBER 8, 2024

High in the Zeravshan Valley of Tajikistan, the Soii Havzak rock-shelter has provided researchers with an invaluable glimpse into early human migration routes and daily life in Central Asia. It contains layers of human occupation spanning the Middle and Upper Paleolithic periods, approximately 150,000 to 20,000 years ago.

Humanities 74

Humanities Archaeology Artifacts Heritage 74

TeachThought

JULY 2, 2024

” These might be the wrong questions, a product of our sentimentality as a culture and human insecurity in general. Move farther and ask, ‘What human need did we originally design schools to solve?’ What do schools ‘do,’ and how might something else–a non-school–do it better?’

Humanities 256

Humanities Tradition Cultures Teaching 256

A Principal's Reflections

MAY 13, 2018

Of course, you have, as this is just a part of human nature. Growth in all aspects of school culture is something that has to be the standard. It begins with getting out of actual and perceived comfort zones to truly start the process of improving school culture.

Cultures 263

Cultures Tradition Humanities Education 263

A Principal's Reflections

NOVEMBER 8, 2020

I now had access to a human-generated search engine where I gleaned the best resources, ideas, supports, and advice. It was at this time that I began to shift away from PD and instead embrace a culture of professional learning. If we find and see value, the emphasis becomes embracement as opposed to buy-in.

Professional Development 356

Professional Development Leadership Humanities Cultures 356

Sapiens

DECEMBER 3, 2024

Humans huddled in caves. This framework has all manner of trouble—from narratives driven by assumptions of the straight-line rise and fall of societies, to an obsession with “lost” civilizations, to the belief that older cultures are harder (and therefore more prestigious) to “discover.” Dinosaurs roaming ancient landscapes?

History 137

History Archaeology Heritage Oral History 137

Anthropology.net

OCTOBER 14, 2024

Archaeological discoveries in East Timor’s Laili rock shelter have unveiled evidence 1 of ancient human habitation dating back approximately 44,000 years. This finding, led by an international team of archaeologists, contributes significantly to understanding the migration and adaptation patterns of early humans in Southeast Asia.

Humanities 79

Humanities Heritage Archaeology Artifacts 79

TeachThought

JULY 2, 2024

For apart from inquiry, apart from the praxis, individuals cannot be truly human. Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other. Yet only through communication can human life hold meaning.

Pedagogy 234

Pedagogy Humanities Social Justice Cultures 234