School & District Management Blog

LeaderTalk

The first group blog by school leaders for school leaders, LeaderTalk expressed the voice of the administrator in an era of school reform. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: school leadership and principals.

Education Opinion Our Decisions & Actions Are Symbolic
(Cross-posted at Change Agency)
LeaderTalk Contributor, October 10, 2011
2 min read
Education Opinion Does Innovation Have a DNA? Education Applications...
(Cross-posted at Change Agency)
LeaderTalk Contributor, September 20, 2011
3 min read
Education Opinion Beyond Your School's Tattoo
A few years ago The Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology released a study on the trend of tattooing. In it, they estimated that 24% of the population between the ages of 18 and 50 had at least one tattoo. But that was five years ago. It is likely much higher now.
LeaderTalk Contributor, August 20, 2011
4 min read
Education Opinion Bringing it All Together: Community, Shifts, Roles, and Tools
LeaderTalk Contributor, August 10, 2011
3 min read
Education Opinion Before We Let Them Power Up in Class ...
When one of our science teachers came to me last spring and told me we didn't have enough headphones to do the online state science test, I told him, "We have 600 pairs of headphones floating around this school. Just tell the students to take them out of their pockets and plug them into the computers."
Nancy Flynn, August 8, 2011
1 min read
Education Opinion A Story...
At a conference this summer, a man shared a story about a teacher who significantly impacted his life. In summary, when he was in 2nd grade, he was placed in the lowest reading level of his class, which was based on an assessment. According to this man, his teacher cared deeply about children and the success of each child. After spending time with him and learning about him as a student, the teacher taught him to love reading, and, before long, he was placed in the highest reading level of his class. For this teacher, student success was not an option, and what made a difference for this particular man was the teacher’s passion for teaching and learning.
Teresa Ivey, August 1, 2011
2 min read
Education Opinion What Can You Do With the Anger?
It has been quite awhile since I have blogged. There are many reasons for that, but suffice it to say life just got in the way. I have thought about getting back to it for a while, but an ongoing "conversation" via twitter and with other notable edubloggers has pushed me into action. I have followed the recent events and conversations - the S.O.S. march on Washington, D.C., the political decision-making aimed at tearing down public education systems and attacking those people who have dedicated their lives to it, and the handing over of our country's education system to those with no background and understanding in teaching and learning and whose motives are questionable, at best. So, I have decided the very least I could do was add one more voice to the conversation.
LeaderTalk Contributor, July 31, 2011
4 min read
Education Opinion Hope, Title IX, and Dreams of the World Cup
It hadn't occurred to me that the U.S. would actually lose to Japan in the World Cup Soccer Final last Sunday. Our women's team was magical. They came from behind against Brazil and won on penalty kicks and the rest seemed pre-ordained. All that was missing was Al Michaels roaring into the microphone: "Do you believe in miracles?!!!" and the jingoistic chant of "USA!...USA!...USA!...".
LeaderTalk Contributor, July 20, 2011
3 min read
Education Opinion Reflection
In my district this year, there was a lot of turn over in the district due to retirement. However, in reflecting on all the people that are leaving. They are people that I have established special bonds with throughout my career in the district.
LeaderTalk Contributor, June 29, 2011
1 min read
Education Opinion A Leadership Mistake
LeaderTalk Contributor, June 28, 2011
1 min read
Education Opinion What Pottermore Points Us Towards
LeaderTalk Contributor, June 24, 2011
2 min read
Education Opinion The Summer Triangle
Our stars mock us. I realized that this morning when I read about the Summer Triangle which will appear tonight in the eastern sky just after dark.
LeaderTalk Contributor, June 21, 2011
2 min read
Education Opinion Horizon Report 2011 K-12 Edition - Summer Reading
The New Media Consortium has released The NMC Horizon Report: 2011 K-12 Edition (link is .pdf download) which "examines emerging technologies for their potential impact on and use in teaching, learning, and creative expression with the environment of pre-college education." Each edition of this (annual) report introduces six emerging technologies or practices that are likely to enter mainstream use in the educational community within the next five years.
LeaderTalk Contributor, June 17, 2011
2 min read
Education Opinion 10 Reasons Your Educators Are Resisting Your Change Initiative
Here’s a little something for you to think about over the weekend. Those resisters and naysayers in your school organization? You know, the ones that are pushing back against your change initiative? The ones that you like to complain about because ‘the train is moving’ and they’re not ‘getting on board?’ What if they’re right?
LeaderTalk Contributor, May 20, 2011
1 min read