Blog
Do We Over-Test Our Kids?
Right around this time of year, a couple of great seasons begin: the baseball season, hunting season, and, in schools, testing season. Educators across the country lament the emphasis we place on standardized, snapshot assessments – why, I’ve seen entire schools halt...
How to Survive Cascading Discipline
I was recently speaking with a school administrator who was lamenting the increase in disciplinary referrals to the office. He and his assistant principal were swamped, the staff was frustrated, and the campus was teetering on the precipice. As a response, he had...
In Search of the Elusive PLC
If there’s one thing we educators can agree upon, it’s that our schools can be better. If there’s another, it’s that operating as a true Professional Learning Community (PLC) is the most surefire way to improve our outputs. So if we’re clear on the vehicle, why aren’t...
How Many Classroom Visits Are Enough?
I’ve been working with several school districts lately on the topic of teacher evaluation systems. This comes as no surprise, since it’s a hot topic these days. One question always comes up: How many classroom visits (observations) is enough? From the administrator’s...
Capacity-Building 101
Recently, I have been doing a lot of work that’s framed around the idea of “capacity-building.” A lot of us have a general idea of what the term “capacity” means, though I think it merits a little clarity. The common definition is the static amount a container holds,...