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COVID-19 District Plans
Some leaders have asked about district and school plans during this pandemic. In addition to those one-to-one conversations, I thought it would make sense to ask some leaders in my network to share what they are doing. I am proud to know all the leaders. I hope these...
212 Ideas to stay connected
The mastermind is about connection. Since 2016, I’ve been fascinated at how deep bonds can grow even in a virtual setting. I’ve had the privilege of meeting maybe 25% of the members face-to-face. The rest I know through Zoom, text messages, and phone calls....
Ben Owens: Creating Innovation in Schools
Ben Owens worked as an engineer for 20 years before becoming a STEM teacher for 11 years at a wall-to-wall PBL school in rural Appalachia. He founded the non-profit, Open Way Learning, and now works to help schools create the cultural conditions for localized,...
The best time to plant a tree
“The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”-Chinese Proverb The same is true of an ideal week. I was inspired to see one of my favorite school leaders tackle her ideal week recently during the pandemic. It makes sense to do...
Unhelpful stories
The stories we tell ourselves are powerful and at times, unhelpful. When you have repeated a story to yourself for years, it is easy to slide into these mental grooves and accept them as a fact. In time, you begin to resist certain actions because ‘that’s not who I...
Where productivity goes to die
Here are a few ways we get distracted and get less done … Social Media. There is no way your lizard brain is disciplined enough to avoid the allure of social media. It is designed to interrupt and then keep your attention. And there is both an ungodly amount of...
Systems-level thinking
Yesterday I shared this James Clear quote, “You don’t rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” It’s an interesting quote because it challenges the reader to not just set aspirational goals, but more importantly, to establish a strong...
It’s time to let go
Yesterday’s post was about a leader trying to figure out his new schedule. 7am-7pm is not sustainable. Last night in the mastermind I was hearing some similar things. "Just because I can do something, doesn’t mean I should." This leader gets it. The idea...
Finding your rhythm
For a time the world has changed and forced you to change along with it. In the mastermind last night, one member was vulnerable and shared: “I’m working from 7am-7pm … I’d like to hear how everyone else is managing their days? It feels like I’m a...
