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.
Education
Opinion
School Leadership: Stop Saying It's 'Going to the Dark Side'
So often leaders hear that they are "Going to the dark side" when they enter into school leadership. We need to stop treating leaders like they're leaving the trenches when they're actually right there in them with teachers.
Education
Opinion
Authentic Feedback: What It Is and Isn't
In education we talk a lot about feedback but giving feedback is much more complicated that we think. This blog offers suggestions on what feedback is and what it isn't.
Education
Opinion
Why Don't Educators Want to Be Coached?
In less than a week we will all be leaning in watching the Olympics. Thousands of athletes who have worked for years with their coach to improve in their sport. Why don't more teachers take advantage of the coaches they have in their buildings?
Education
Opinion
3 Reasons We May Never Be Like Finland
We know that Finland is great when it comes to education, and we want to be more like them, but there are at least three reasons why we may never get there.
Education
Opinion
Is There Really a Visual Approach to the Common Core?
If used properly, visual learning offers teachers and students a simplified path to meeting the challenges associated with ELA Common Core, including quantity, rigor, and a lack of precise resources.
Education
Opinion
Why Collaboration Doesn't Work
If we consider what it is we want to collaborate on, the process to take, the people involved, and how it all fits into our context, collaboration can be very powerful. Many times however, it all falls flat and these are some of the reasons why.
Education
Opinion
Synergy or Consensus: Which One Do You Build?
Compliant learning. We all engage in it, and then do it to our students. It leads to consensus building rather than synergizing where we build the best ideas together. We need to meet, model and motivate in order to synergize those best ideas.
Education
Opinion
6 Beliefs to Help Prevent Communication Breakdown
We enter into conversations all the time without thinking much about it, and we certainly don't practice the art of communication like we train before a 5K. All of that can lead to a communication breakdown, and here are 6 ways to make sure that doesn't happen.
Education
Opinion
What's Easier to Change: Location of a Cemetery or Curriculum?
School curriculum historically has not been easy to change. Will the Every Student Succeeds Act help change that?
Education
Opinion
Equity and Academic-Language Access for ELLs and SELs
All students can benefit from academic language development modeling, scaffolding, and practice, but ELLs and SELs need it to survive and thrive in school.
Education
Opinion
Professional Development: Are You Content With the Scenario?
Professional development is done with us, and sometimes it's done to us. When it comes to your professional development, are you content with the scenario? If so, here are a few ways to change that.
Education
Opinion
4 Steps Toward a More Inclusive Curriculum
In schools we have many diverse students entering into our classrooms but the literature we read doesn't always represent those diverse students. Here are 4 ways to change that.
Education
Opinion
Why Do We Label Our Students?
There are many more benefits to not labeling students than there are to labeling them. So why do we do it so much in schools?
Education
Opinion
14 Things Gifted Students Want Teachers to Know
Our students don't often feel comfortable telling us what they are thinking, and sometimes their reactions can be misunderstood. This is especially true for gifted and talented students. Here are 14 things they want their teachers to know.