On my first day of 6th grade at Teachers Elementary in Kinston, NC, my dad and I went to the classroom to meet the teacher and pick up my books. Having recently moved to the area, this was my first day at the school as well so no reputation to overcome. We stood at Mrs. Jarman's desk exchanging the customary pleasantries before my dad looked at her and said:
A survey of school websites produced this wordle image. The size of each word is indicative of the frequency of its usage on each page. As you can see, "Excellence" is used consistently and persistently as a means of communicating the high standards and quality of the program. But how does the school leader support this statement? What evidence can the faculty offer to support the school's "Excellence" claim?
With my daughter entering the senior year of her undergraduate degree in education, I can’t help but wonder if over $60,000 has been wasted in this pursuit. After working as a school administrator for more than 20 years, I recognize that she definitely has the gift to teach--it’s her passion to inspire young minds and she’s unusually good at it. My question, however, pertains to the best options available to become a professional teacher.
What should a board do when it has reached the conclusion that the chief administrator is no longer considered capable of leading the organization? Making a public move now could disrupt everything. Waiting only prolongs the inevitable, further stressing the relationship between the board and the chief.
In our Learning Journeys around the world to visit schools of all shapes and sizes, the School Growth team has discovered some valuable hiring secrets that are common among the best programs. First and foremost, they deliver on the priority of hiring well: Teacher selection and development is the most important responsibility of school leadership.
This week we launched #SchoolGrowth Thursdays to spark discussion among our followers! This week's question was "What is the biggest challenge facing today's school board?" Look at the answers below, and get connected on Twitter and Facebook to see our question next Thursday!
Training for new or returning board members is in high demand, and the three-part Board Bootcamp series is an easy way to get started. The goal of the Vision session is to set the tone for effective board leadership, providing affirmation, best practices, and potential trouble spots. Below is an overview of the video seminar. You can view the entire video here.
We love to instigate diologue - whether it's between teachers, administrators, or clients, some of the best ideas can come from great conversations. In an effort to increase the scope and reach of this diologue we will be launching the following two new features. We hope you will join us!
