Student Centred
Student centred is a term I have heard throughout my time as an educator. Most of the time, I feel like I have heard it wrong, especially in what that usually looks like in the classroom. Many educators do a fantastic job with differentiation, but really struggle with letting go of the control of the […]
Looking for the Real World
It’s the end of another school year, so I have been reflecting a lot on what we have been able to deliver for our students. I am happy with what has been going on in the classroom, the kind of universal learning my students are participating in, becoming expert learners. But the one question that […]
Details Matter
As a leader the big picture is important. You cannot get distracted by the minutiae of day-to-day operations. That’s where your leadership and guidance come into play, reminding your employees of the goal, and keeping them focused on it. And while you have to become adept at letting go, you cannot forget that details matter. […]
Politics and Leadership
Politics and leadership go together like pasta and sauce. You cannot have one without the other. It’s fantastic when our leaders are chosen purely on merit, but that is rarely the case. Those who lead usually have political acumen above that of us mere mortals. And honestly, I do not begrudge them that. Leadership and […]
Lead From the Side
There are so many analogies about leadership and space already. ‘Lead from the front’ tends to mean you are out doing the same work as the employees. ‘Lead from the back’ tends to mean that you operate like general, making plans. There are benefits and drawbacks to both; a better option for most is to […]
Why Take Charge
You are filled with great ideas, fantastic work ethic, people are constantly asking you opinion and questions. You are a leader in everything but name, so why take charge? Why would you step out in front and take on those extra responsibilities, knowing about all the challenging work that is to come? The answer to […]
Real Communication
The quickest way to lose any group you are working with is to not engage in real communication. Real in that way that you are communicating from a place of honesty and directness. If you want to lead then you need those people that you are working with to want to follow. It’s difficult to […]
Leadership is Wrong
Or, more accurately, they shouldn’t be afraid to be. From politicians to CEOs to teachers in classrooms, being wrong is just part of the job. Understanding that leadership is wrong, at least some of the time, allows us to adjust more quickly. To say that you are never wrong as a leader is exhausting. No […]
Leadership Culture
Leadership culture is the largest determining factor to a toxic work environment. The people around the leader give the rest of the workers the largest cues as to what kind of environment they are living in. Surrounded by sycophants? Then this workplace is not open to new ideas. Surrounded by bullies? Then the workplace values […]
Keeping Your Inner Protagonist in Check
Yes, your boss is terrible. They make horrible decisions that hurt overall productivity. They don’t understand their own impact and are openly nepotistic. Worse, you boss clearly has it out for you. Your inner protagonist is screaming. One of these statements isn’t true. No, your boss really is terrible. If they are making decisions without […]