Category: Articles
For School Leaders, Empathy Isn’t Optional
November 16, 2022
Leading with empathy helps us become more effective supervisors. “Leading through empathy sounds wonderful,” the principal said to me, “but how do you do this while also being a good supervisor?” She was attending a workshop based on my book, The Principal as Chief Empathy Officer (ASCD, 2022), and her question inspired me to reflect on the pressures that cause tension between the need to give strong and directive supervision […]
How School Design Can Hinder Or Help Collaboration
October 20, 2022
If your school culture lacks energy, think about reworking physical spaces to encourage “creative collisions.” Do you remember hearing about the medieval tales of King Arthur and his knights of the square table? Well, most likely that’s not how you remember the tale. That’s because, beyond being strong enough to extract a sword, Excalibur, from a stone, Arthur was wise enough to convene his team around a round table, one […]
Why Surveys Are a Key School Leadership Tool
August 26, 2022
If you want feedback, you have to ask for it. Principals, how effective was your back-to-school preservice this year? Did teachers gain knowledge and learn new skills? Sure, everyone enjoyed the donuts in the teachers’ lounge, but how did people feel about the professional development sessions that were offered? Were they effective? Did they meet teachers’ needs? The past couple of years have been especially tough for educators, and I […]
Is Teacher Appreciation Week Really a Good Idea?
May 3, 2022
Let’s appreciate and recognize our teachers throughout the school year. When I was a principal, I lived close to the school that I led and often saw students’ caregivers at the grocery store, gas station, and local park. It was always a treat to run into them because, very often, they would smile and say, “Tom, we just love New City School.” Hearing those comments about my school made my […]
The School Smile Quotient
March 22, 2022
Let’s measure success by smiles, not test scores. As a school leader, how do you measure the quality of your school? It’s an important question to reflect on—and often. Take a moment to think of two or three indicators that determine success in your building. In my experience, enthusiasm for learning is key. As a former principal and current leadership consultant, I frequently hear questions about school quality posed by […]
Leading Your School as “Chief Empathy Officer”
January 20, 2022
Empathy sets exceptional leaders apart from pedestrian ones. Take a moment to identify the best school leaders you have worked with or encountered—hopefully, several come to mind—and list the qualities that made them so effective. What sets them apart from those perceived as just OK administrators? No doubt, these exceptional leaders are hard workers, knowledgeable about best practice, and focused on student and faculty growth. But in my experience, what […]
Embracing SEL for Success
November 18, 2021
Sometimes as school leaders we are so focused on making progress—improving student academics, streamlining workflow, and engaging professional development, etc.—that we neglect to pause and ask ourselves if we are charging up the right hill. Sure, schools have always been about academics, but the world is changing and we need to reexamine how our teaching impacts our students’ well-being and ability to build community above all else. The Questions We […]
Hey Principals, Let’s Show Some Gratitude
October 19, 2021
What offers great benefits at little cost? Gratitude, taking the time to express appreciation. I suspect this doesn’t surprise you. And yet, many people underestimate the power of gratitude. How recently have you taken the time to thank someone in writing, either in a personalized email or, better, in a handwritten note? When was the last time you truly thanked someone? And by “truly,” I mean more than giving a […]
Ending “Transactional” Teacher Observations
September 21, 2021
Teacher observations: As a school leader, you might see them as an opportunity to help teachers reflect on their pedagogy. We know observations can lead to important changes, but we cannot stop at focusing only on the lesson being taught. Observations should not be mere transactions, short visits that result in us sharing our judgments and handing out recommendations to teachers. Rather, they should be part of a transformational exchange […]
Decluttering the Teacher-Centric Classroom
August 1, 2021
Classroom spaces should tell us about our students, who they are, and what they value. The building was bursting with energy: Empty boxes and welcome banners filled the halls. Teachers were creating and mounting bulletin boards, unpacking boxes and assembling learning materials, and decorating their classroom doors. I still remember how each year our faculty worked late into the night preparing for opening day. And sure enough, when students arrived […]