Got a Lingering Issue?
It was a warm fall day. The teachers were slowly trickling into the 4th floor Art room. It was our biggest room to fit us all and tables to host discussions. I also picked this room for the art on the walls. My art teacher was such a hard worker. A bit hesitant to trust […]
The Myth of an Open Door Policy
Seven times. That’s how many interruptions occurred during my meeting with the principal. Someone came to his door, and then another person, then another person… We finished 20 minutes of conversation in an hour and 13 minutes. I wish I could tell you that each case was an emergency. The fact of the matter is […]
Losing the Lesson Planning Battle
We are losing. Some would call it a struggle or a battle or a straight-up war. The war of preparation of lesson planning for our students. We are losing because so many teachers are not ready to teach our students by the time the day begins or the bell rings. Curriculums are being sold to […]
Vagueness Disempowers
If you asked my teachers when I first became a principal in East Harlem, they would have told you that our students were different. They devoted a good amount of time (not a ton as there were levels upon levels of dysfunction) to talking with our students. When they weren’t learning, they used the same […]
Accept the Challenge!
After game-changing research conducted by TNTP where they produced informative reports like the Opportunity Myth, we see evidence that Black and Brown students are getting limited access (if access at all) to grade-level content. It also verified that students are not being prepared for college, which we have known for some time and are reiterated […]
Producing Jedis in Education – From Resistance to Feedback
How Do We Keep Producing Jedis in Education? Turning Resistance Into Leadership Feedback In education, we often talk about “producing Jedis”—teachers who lead with passion, purpose, and unwavering commitment to student success. But what happens when a promising Jedi starts drifting toward the “dark side”? When a once-energized educator becomes resistant, disengaged, or openly […]
The Core of Leadership: How To Drive Effective Leadership
In order to be an authentic leader, a person must have a clear set of moral or core values that guide aspirational focus. (Northouse, 2019). The moral and core values ground the leader and help maintain focus on the person he or she aspires to be.