LeaderTalk
The first group blog by school leaders for school leaders, LeaderTalk expressed the voice of the administrator in an era of school reform. This blog is no longer being updated, but you can continue to explore these issues on edweek.org by visiting our related topic pages: school leadership and principals.
Education
Opinion
LeaderTalk: The End of an Era
As many of you know, LeaderTalk has been limping along for at least a year now. Our original cast of 50+ contributors faded over time due to natural attrition. Despite our best intentions to restock with new authors, we just never found the time, at least partly because LeaderTalk's unique niche (and our urgency) faded as others stepped up and gave voice to practicing administrators. What was new and bold in February 2007 isn't today. And that's okay. Times change and it's important to know when to move in other directions. So I just sent the note to Education Week that it's time to pull the plug on the blog.
Education
Opinion
Picking an Assessment
Many school districts are starting to choose common assessments from third party vendors. Some of this is due to new federal or state regulations, and some of this is due to allowing for an assessment that might be more reliable than one created internally. The purpose of this article is to provide practical advice on how to choose an assessment
Education
Opinion
Expand and Contract
n any industry, there are times where there is an expansion of competitors and then, through several different factors, there is a contraction. This is no different than what is happening with data specifications and models that states and the federal government are using to pass all the data that they need to collect.
Education
Opinion
The Trials and Tribulations of a Dissertation
Deciding to go back to school for your doctorate is a life-altering decision. There are so many unknowns that come along with returning to school for such a degree, which is something that keeps many people from pursuing this personal challenge and goal. Five years ago, I could not get rid of the nagging thought that it was time for me to seriously consider applying to schools for a doctorate in educational leadership. I applied, was accepted, and am in the final stages of dissertation writing...closing in on my last weeks without the title of Dr. Throughout the process of taking classes, writing, writing, writing, and then revising, revising, revising, people have shared their own desires to return to school; however, with those desires come all the fears of the unknown. In short, going back to school to obtain this degree has been well-worth the time, energy, and money; in long, you need to have stamina, perseverance, patience, emotional support, understanding family and friends, and really thick skin.
Education
Opinion
Online software
Educational software has been around for over 30 years now. In that time we have progressed from graphics that were just made by letters and numbers to programs now with rich graphics and that can really measure student progress in a multitude of areas. My current district has made a big push the last several years to move all software possible to online software.
We are now down to just a few titles that are CD/DVD based. These are mostly in the areas of music, art, and special education due to the size of the programs. Below I answer some of the questions that I get from educational administrators
Education
Opinion
Student Led Conferences
Student Led Conferences
Student Led Conferences (SLC's) might seem to be new but they've been around for awhile, at least 18 years - that's when I first encountered them as a newbie teacher. Since that beginning, I've had the professional pleasure of working with a number of school staffs and communities in adopting and growing SLC's. In my current position, this was our 3rd year with SLC's. Our school, a newly amalgamated K - 12 facility in a rural community, has an evening conference time and a morning conference when parents and their children can come to the school for the SLC. In my opinion, the best way to facilitate the SLC is to have them in the evenings/after school when both parents will be able to attend - as many families have both parents working.
Student Led Conferences (SLC's) might seem to be new but they've been around for awhile, at least 18 years - that's when I first encountered them as a newbie teacher. Since that beginning, I've had the professional pleasure of working with a number of school staffs and communities in adopting and growing SLC's. In my current position, this was our 3rd year with SLC's. Our school, a newly amalgamated K - 12 facility in a rural community, has an evening conference time and a morning conference when parents and their children can come to the school for the SLC. In my opinion, the best way to facilitate the SLC is to have them in the evenings/after school when both parents will be able to attend - as many families have both parents working.
Education
Opinion
Lean Transformation: From Danger to Opportunity
Lean and Six Sigma are powerful improvement tools that have great potential for K-12 settings. In this time of economic crisis and limited resources, it is essential that educators eliminate waste and empower all stakeholders.
