Innovation is About a Way of Thinking
The below tweet from Edutopia was shared over and over again through social networks yesterday, because of the power of the idea. “Alright stop, COLLABORATE, and listen.” pic.twitter.com/ZGVV9fhUsC —...
View ArticleDid we do that?
Talking to a group of students (probably around high school level), they shared that they believed “grades” in education were important. Some of their thoughts were that it was an accurate assessment...
View ArticleLead For the Job You Want
In Alberta, we have a document for leaders titled, “The Principal Quality Practice Guideline“, which is meant to share guidelines for effective leadership. The categories are as follows: Fostering...
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The Innovator’s Mindset (The Book)
I am excited to share that my first book, “The Innovator’s Mindset; Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity“, is now available. If you would have asked me years ago, if I...
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No Relationship, No Learning
A few years ago, I attended a session at a conference, and I didn’t agree with what some of the presenter was saying. Much of it was great, but what I chose to focus on was what I didn’t agree with...
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Communication and Community
When people first jump into social media, specifically Twitter, there seems to be this inclination from administration to start a Twitter handle (ie @sampleschool) so that they can communicate what is...
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Be a Change Agent
In 2013, I wrote “The 5 Characteristics of a Change Agent“, and the more I think about that post, the more it seems necessary that all educators look at themselves in this way. It is not that we...
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Purpose and Empowerment
I remember spending part of my career on my back, looking up at desktop computers trying to fix them for other teachers. Since my job had the word technology on it, that seemed to put me in charge of...
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The Network Investment
So yesterday, I received an email asking me for the following: I am needing some assistance with a parent survey. We are in our first year of our 1:1 Learning Adventure here at BBE. I would like to...
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Listening to Innovate
A question that was asked on, “How do we help people in our own buildings that are reluctant to move forward?” My response was to not try to impose what you want to teach them, but listen to what they...
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Why a Compelling Vision is Not Enough in Leadership
Early in my career, I remember a math teacher who was brilliant in the subject. His knowledge and understanding of the subject was astounding, yet his students struggled. Concepts that were easy to...
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Giving 100% When You Are Running on Empty
Staring at a blank screen…wanting to write something but having nothing to share. Feeling exhausted, tired, and running on empty. Yet I am still writing something down…Why? Because it is easy to do...
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Busy or annoyed?
I love reading leadership articles and books, and no matter how many times there is a “5 Qualities of a Great Leader” type article, I tend to eat it up, even though a lot of the information is...
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Asking Questions To Stand Still or Move Forward?
“The Only Stupid Question is the One You Don’t Ask” I read this quote from a post on “How Great Teacher Candidates Interview Differently“, and I have also heard variations of this quote several times....
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4 Ways To “Lead Up”
As the world around us constantly shifts, many schools and districts feel stuck. This is often times a direct result of “formal leadership”, as fear, politics, or a lack of vision (amongst a myriad of...
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5 Reasons To Have a Collaborative Blog
This was a quote from Kristin Melnyk, a member of the “Innovative Teaching and Learning Leads” that I am working with in Winnipeg School District. The program is focused on developing not only...
View ArticleSeeing Past the Behaviour
Just something I have been thinking about… Some teachers seemed to really enjoy me when I was a student and some teachers (at least it seemed like it) hated me. When I look back at it, was it me that...
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Created Serendipity
Check out this tweet from Nicole Papuga: I was just looking for some last night! Thanks for sharing. I will put these on my “listen to while I work out list” https://t.co/kWjoY44DNE — Nicole Papuga...
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Finding and Unleashing Talent
I was having an interesting conversation with a principal recently, and she had wondered how some teachers would deal with “change” that liked to control every aspect of their classroom. What she had...
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Push and Support
Steve Jobs: “If we want to move forward, see Apple healthy and prospering again, we have to let go a few things here. We have to let go of this notion that for Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose. We...
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