Educators desperately want and need support. They need practical strategies that are not just effective but also can be developed in a reasonable amount of time. To achieve this goal, we must first examine the foundational elements that lead to successful teaching and learning, whether the environment is remote or hybrid. In no particular order,…
The COVID-19 unleashed an array of challenges that resulted in schools being closed for in-person instruction for many months. As I write this post, many have begun the year with remote learning, while others have opted for a hybrid model where a certain amount of kids are still learning at home. There are growing concerns…
This is a critical time to be a school leader. So much has changed in our world in the last few months, and leaders have had to adapt. These are perhaps the most challenging time for our nation’s educators; Covid-19 has disrupted our school systems for six months and counting. Therefore, an effective school leader…
As almost all schools across the globe are back in session in some form or another, many have decided to begin the year remotely with the hopes that COVID-19 cases will subside in the coming months. Others have started the year with some sort of hybrid model. There is no easy decision when it comes…
It’s has been great to be back in schools working shoulder to shoulder with teachers and administrators as I kicked off year two with the Corinth School District in Mississippi. Until this point, most of my interactions with educators have been through virtual presentations, workshops, and coaching. Now don’t get me wrong as this has…
U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos recently announced that schools would be not be granted waivers from annual high-stakes testing although states and school districts rail against that decision. DeVos has said it’s part of the agreement of the Every Student Succeeds Act and schools need to comply. Some members of Congress are saying that tests…
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in some monumental shifts to practice. Educators have taken a critical lens as to why they teach the way they do and how it can be done more effectively. For virtually every school that is, or will be, implementing some sort of remote or hybrid learning model, you can bet…
When the pandemic first started and we were hunkered down at home, my tennis lessons were cancelled. My coach asked if I wanted to purchase a license for a virtual tennis site where I could watch videos to learn from instructors and practice drills on my own at home. It sounded like a good idea,…
Over the past couple of months, I have written extensively on the topic of remote learning. As I continually work with more and more districts and schools on an ongoing basis, ideas keep percolating in my mind as to the pedagogically-sound strategies that educators can use now. Modeling on my part and active application on…
The past couple of months have been challenging for educators, to say the least. However, in the midst of it all, there have been opportunities to take a critical lens to practice in the efforts to effectively pivot to a remote world and successfully implement hybrid learning models in the near term. No matter the…
