Opinion Blog

Finding Common Ground

With Peter DeWitt & Michael Nelson

A former K-5 public school principal turned author, presenter, and leadership coach, Peter DeWitt provides insights and advice for education leaders. Former superintendent Michael Nelson is a frequent contributor. Read more from this blog.


Peter DeWitt is the founder and CEO of the Instructional Leadership Collective. A former public school teacher and principal, he now facilitates professional learning in the United States and abroad based on the content of many of his best-selling educational books. Former superintendent Michael Nelson is a frequent contributor to this opinion blog. He is the co-leader of ILC and a former superintendent who has been an educator for more than 40 years.

Teaching Opinion How Reciprocal Teaching Can Transform Your Remote Faculty Meeting
For remote teaching and learning, a combination of the flipped model and reciprocal learning may elevate the voices of participants.
Peter DeWitt, June 7, 2020
7 min read
Education Opinion But I'm Not a Protester. What Can I Do?
As our friends on social media battle over who is fanning the flames of the riots and which political party is best for fixing our societal issues, we need to look at how we can stop oppressing groups who have consistently been marginalized.
Peter DeWitt, June 2, 2020
8 min read
Education Opinion 4 Legendary Approaches to Teaching That Impact All of Us. A Tribute to Dan Lortie.
Dan Lortie has died at the age of 94, and his seminal study of 94 teachers decades ago helped inspire the way we all work.
Andy Hargreaves, May 31, 2020
5 min read
Education Opinion Students Provide Feedback on 4 Areas of Focus During This Pandemic
What are you learning right now on your own, without teachers? It's an important question to ask students, and we can't do it if we always use the mute function when teaching them.
Peter DeWitt, May 26, 2020
8 min read
Education Opinion How the World-Cafe Model Can Enhance Online Discussion
As we move forward getting comfortable with online teaching and learning, we are looking for new strategies to enhance discussions. Will the old model of world cafe work online as well as it does in person?
Stefani Hite, May 20, 2020
7 min read
Education Opinion What Does Remote Instructional Leadership Look Like During a Pandemic?
We are over 8 weeks into this pandemic and teachers and leaders all over North America are engaged in pandemic teaching. But, the fall is coming and we will find ourselves in this position once again. We need virtual instructional leadership to move from pandemic teaching to virtual learning.
Peter DeWitt, May 17, 2020
9 min read
Education Opinion Classroom Connection Check-In: Making Sure All Children Are Seen During Remote Learning
During the pandemic, many students are feeling isolated and worry that their peers and teachers have forgotten about them. Here are some ways to make sure that all students feel seen, heard, and less isolated.
Tricia Taylor, May 13, 2020
5 min read
Education Opinion This Is What Teachers Want Us to Know About Pandemic Learning
Pandemic teaching and learning is difficult for many reasons. In a survey of more than 350 teachers across grade levels, they tell us why.
Peter DeWitt, May 10, 2020
12 min read
Education Opinion What Does Teacher Credibility Look Like During Pandemic Teaching?
Teacher clarity and teacher credibility are two important effects on learning, but they're harder to do during a pandemic, especially if they haven't been done while the students are actually sitting in front of us.
Timothy M. O'Leary, May 6, 2020
6 min read
Education Opinion This Is What Students Want Us to Know About Pandemic Learning
Adults talk so much about what pandemic learning should look like, but they never seem to ask the students. This is how students feel about it.
Peter DeWitt, May 3, 2020
11 min read
Education Opinion As Educators, Let's Embrace Our Own Fear. Here Are 10 Strategies to Consider
We are not short on fear these days, but instead of running away from it, we need to embrace it. There is a lot we can learn during the process.
Anthony V. Lipani, April 30, 2020
4 min read
Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion 6 Reasons Students Aren't Showing Up for Virtual Learning
Teachers are flocking to social media for support with student attendance. Here are 6 reasons why students may not be attending class.
Peter DeWitt, April 26, 2020
8 min read
Education Opinion Free Virtual Tools for All Teachers! They Won't Be Free Next Year
This is the time to expand on our virtual teaching and learning, but we have to make sure we don't break the bank in order to do it. Those tools won't be free forever.
Peter DeWitt, April 22, 2020
6 min read
Education Opinion Coronavirus, Virtual Learning, and the 5 Stages of Grief
When the coronavirus hit, educators, students, and families had their educational worlds flipped upside down. It was enough to cause educators to experience the five stages of grief.
Peter DeWitt, April 19, 2020
5 min read