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 Profession
Opinion
How Teacher Confidence and Emotional Regulation Can Drive Student Success
Educators also need support for their own emotional development in order to sufficiently support their students.
Professional Development
Opinion
How Superintendents Can Engage Board Members to Benefit Their Districts
Board members are often disconnected from the day-to-day learning needs of teachers and students. Here are strategies to change that.
School & District Management
Opinion
The Feedback That Made Me a Better Education Leader
Paying attention to what others say can be eye-opening and foster improvements in how we teach and lead.
Professional Development
Opinion
Want to Strengthen Leadership Coaching? Try Collaborative Inquiry
Education leaders need to be a part of the inquiry process so that they, too, can grow.
School & District Management
Opinion
When It Comes to Leadership, Self-Awareness Matters. Here's Why
One leader learned she had a habit of shutting down others' ideas instead of inspiring them. Here's how she changed.
Student Achievement
Opinion
How Do We Measure Student Engagement? A School Created Its Own App to Find Out
The school-created app enables students to share their feedback on lessons and teachers to find out what students are saying.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Opinion
How a Sense of Safety Shapes Student Learning and Behavior
Our brains are constantly scanning the environment to see if it's safe, and that has a big impact on student learning.
Professional Development
Opinion
How to Engage Educators When Leading Professional Development
The further removed a leader is from the classroom, the harder it is to turn training into practice. One PD facilitator has advice.
School & District Management
Opinion
How to Become a Self-Aware School Leader
Those in leadership positions sometimes default to “this is how I do things” thinking, but that disposition can be harmful.
Leadership
Opinion
How Self-Aware Are You as a Leader?
There are two types of self-awareness—internal and external—and they are both vital to a leader's success.
Curriculum
Opinion
Should Curriculum Teach Students to Obey or to Improve Society?
If educators are focusing on priority standards, they’re missing the big picture of curriculum-based teaching.
Professional Development
Opinion
Is Turnkey Training for Educators Really Effective?
Just because teachers attend a one-day session doesn't necessarily mean they can turn around and train others.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Opinion
Middle School Students Face a Trifecta of Challenges. Here's How to Help
Adolescents, often desperately, want to fit into their social groups, and that can sometimes prove harmful.
Professional Development
Opinion
Give Teachers Agency to Create Their Own Professional Development and See Engagement Grow
How one principal turned the stress of COVID and its fallout into a learning and community-building opportunity for teachers.