This is part of a series on recruiting and retaining teachers of color, presented in collaboration with leader Sharif El-Mekki. The first post, on focusing on the prerequisites for recruitment, can be found here. By now, most school leaders are familiar with the research that all students benefit when they learn from Black educators and […]
Teacher Appreciation Week is here! For leaders like you, showing appreciation doesn’t always have to involve elaborate gestures. It can be as simple as sharing heartfelt words or offering teachers the gift of time. Here are 7 ideas from leaders in the Principal Project community:
Today, I called a teacher to ask how she was doing. Halfway through the conversation, she stopped me and confessed, “I was dreading this phone call.” When I asked why, she said, “Because there are so many things I know I haven’t done yet, and I thought you were going to ask me for them.” […]
In Principal Matt Hornbeck’s school community, implementing restorative practices reduced detentions, suspensions and office referrals and increased teacher retention.
Beulah McLoyd is a former high school principal and now serves as executive director of Program Implementation, Midwest Region, for New Leaders. You can follow her on Twitter at @BeulahMcLoyd. When I first took on the principal role at a Chicago high school for the arts, I was charged with reopening a school that had […]
In the spring of 2020, when COVID-19 first prompted schools in the United States to shift to distance learning, our team was all in for kids. We connected with each family. We put together online resources. We copied paper packets. We made an “I miss you” video and organized a drive-thru car parade to wave […]
Before the pandemic hit, I was focusing on something exciting: Getting ready to open a new 6-12 school in my district, built around project-based learning and design thinking. I want to reimagine school so students play a larger role in mapping their own learning paths – and my goal is for every student to discover […]
This year is so hard for everyone, and our teachers are feeling it. They came into this work because they love kids, and distance and hybrid learning have changed what those connections feel like. For those teaching virtually, it’s challenging to teach to 30 boxes. Putting eyes on your students helps put things in perspective. […]
“My self-care strategy is simple: look for something to laugh about and someone to laugh with.” – David Golden, principal in Fayetteville, TN “Normalize healthy habits as the leader. You don’t have to be first to school or last to leave. You don’t need to email at all hours. Breaks are okay – and needed. […]
Martin Cisneros is a district director of technology in San Jose, CA. You can follow him on Twitter @TheTechProfe. I became a district director of technology because I’m passionate about edtech, and I wanted to have a hand in expanding blended learning practices. This school year, I’ve certainly gotten my wish. I’m amazed by what […]