Paraeducators constitute more than one-quarter of the instructional staff in U.S. schools and districts. They play a critical role, from providing behavior support to teaching both academic and social and emotional skills to students. Despite their important work, training opportunities for paraeducators are limited. Due to reduced contract hours, paraeducators are not often included in […]
Nestled in America's Heartland is a public school where two of our nation's most defining mottos, "The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave" and "The Land of Opportunity" intersect daily for military-connected students. At Knob Noster Public Schools in Missouri, we keep these thoughts in mind every day as we educate […]
Student success starts at the building level. Can you talk about the influence of the building culture as an "experience" generated by teachers and other certified staff? When you build culture and experience, you must also consider creating a positive organizational climate. From a student's perspective, successful schools have a defined culture based on a […]
Principal retention is a national issue. According to The School Leaders Network, "25,000 principals (one-quarter of all principals) leave their schools each year, leaving millions of children's lives adversely affected. Fifty percent of new principals quit during their third year in the role." In New York City, the nation's largest school system, addressing principal turnover […]
With the latest season of high school football concluded, now is perhaps an ideal time to consider whether or not there should be another. The game's big hits generate excitement, but a growing body of research indicates that the human brain is not equipped to absorb such violent impacts. Microscopic tears and plaque (dubbed chronic […]
Doug Johnson held the title of audiovisual director when he launched his career in school technology in 1991. Back then, teachers didn't have computers on their desks and technology needs maxed out at replacing the bulbs in overhead projectors, developing black-and-white film and silk-screening, says Johnson. His role has evolved since the dark days before […]
Professional reading has long been a practice of leaders in many disciplines. Education is no exception. However, to be truly innovative, educational leaders can discover amazing professional insights in the areas of business, politics, psychology, sociology, technology and the military. Here is a list of non-education books that today's educational leaders recommend to their peers: […]
Managing and keeping track of the many hours of professional development required for a district's non-instructional staff may be one of an administrator's more underappreciated responsibilities. "There are a lot of different employees within the system who can easily be left out of the loop if you're not mindful of the two types of training […]
In Oakland USD, girls who were chronically absent and suspended frequently told researchers in a 2015 study that sexual assault and harassment were among the biggest barriers for them at school. Every Friday, for example, boys in fourth and fifth grade and in middle school would make a game of slapping girls' butts. But those […]
