Top Opinion Blog Posts of 2017: Education Week's Most Viewed

The editors of Education Week compiled a list of the 10 most-viewed posts this year from the educators, researchers, and education experts who make up our opinion bloggers. Below, the posts are listed in order of the number of online visits they generated. Revisit these blog posts, and examine perspectives you may have missed this year.

1. 4 Things Great Principals Don't Do

The true beauty in leadership is being able to discern when to pull back and not give teachers things they don't need, writes former Texas Teacher of the Year Monica Washington. (Oct. 4, 2017) | From the Blog: Teacher-Leader Voices

2. Misinterpreting the Growth Mindset: Why We're Doing Students a Disservice

Educational researcher John Hattie addresses the misperceptions of the growth mindset that he says contributes to the movement's low effect size. (June 28, 2017) | From the Blog: Finding Common Ground

3. 7 Habits of Highly Ineffective Leaders

"Stephen Covey created a list of habits that he found true in highly successful people," writes Peter DeWitt. "Unfortunately, there are also leaders who exhibit the 7 habits of highly ineffective leaders." (March 7, 2017) | From the Blog: Finding Common Ground

4. 17 Critical Issues Facing Education in 2017

"Education wasn't always the hottest topic of the presidential campaign," writes Peter DeWitt. "It took a backseat to Tweets, fake news, and name calling. However, there will surely be changes in education because of so many issues bubbling up to the top that need our attention." (Jan. 10, 2017) | From the Blog: Finding Common Ground

5. Teachers Need Their Days Off

Teachers who refuse to take a day off when they need the rest are setting themselves up for burnout, argues Walt Gardner. (Oct. 4, 2017) | From the Blog: Walt Gardner's Reality Check

6. 3 'Simple' Ideas Every Educator Should Work on in 2017

"It's 2017 and we are all in the mood to have deeper relationships and make the year better than the one we had in 2016. The big three strategies in this blog are sure to help deepen the relationships we have with others," says Peter DeWitt. (Jan. 1, 2017) | From the Blog: Finding Common Ground

7. 'Mom, You Don't Get It. They Only Do Stuff for the Grade.'

Trying to get students to ask questions instead of always looking for the answers is hard. Too often they're just doing it for the grade, which is a culture we created. It's time to turn that game around, argues Melissa Weatherwax. (Jan. 12, 2017) | From the Blog: Finding Common Ground

8. Why Shouldn't Teachers Become Principals?

When people leave the classroom in order to take on a leadership role, they are often confronted with more than a few people saying it's too bad that they are leaving the classroom to go to the "dark side." Peter DeWitt asks, is that fair? (June 4, 2017) | From the Blog: Finding Common Ground

9. 4 Phrases All Teachers Say and No Students Understand

Think you have teacher clarity? Lisa Westman outlines four phrases all teachers say that confuse students. (Jan. 22, 2017) | From the Blog: Finding Common Ground

10. Standards-Based Grading Made My Kid Average

Standards-based grading is sending a message to some parents that their children are average. This comes as a shock to those parents who have always heard their children exceeded expectations with traditional grading, argues Lisa Westman. (March 14, 2017) | From the Blog: Finding Common Ground