As I completed my yearly self-imposed reading challenge, I thought it made sense to share a few of my favorites with others. Using GoodReads to log my completed books, the 5 star ratings are helpful, but rarely feel right. When I started writing this set of reviews, they had a similarly traditional feel, but still didn’t feel right. I had to look for inspiration elsewhere and luckily, my three-year-old niece provided. This Christmas, while opening her presents, she exclaimed, “I love my feelings! I love my heart!” I think this is the little kid equivalent of tears of joy. Using … Continue reading “I love my feelings!” books of 2019

On Monday, I take another step on a journey as a different type of educational leader in a leadership program. In preparation for the work with our group, we were asked to read a few books, one of which is … Continue reading Somewhere between art and science is wisdom

In other words, error in extremis – extremely pure, extremely persistent, or extremely peculiar – becomes insanity. Madness is radical wrongness. Like all equations, this one is reversible. If madness is radical wrongness, being wrong is minor madness. Kathryn Schulz, … Continue reading The Madness of Being Wrong(ed)

Each school year, I visit each classroom to introduce, or reintroduce myself to every student. As an administrator, I rarely miss the classroom, but I do miss the personal bond you develop spending 5-7 hours a day with a child. … Continue reading I am human: practicing empathy

20 years ago… I received an unexpected gift from a teacher. I could never fully repay her, but this week I realized I could provide at least a small repayment to let her know how meaningful that gift was. I … Continue reading An Unexpected Gift

Eight months ago, I wrote a list. Today, I found and reread it, feeling as if it it was lightyears away. As summer winds down, and I finish my preparation for the new school year, I feel lucky to have … Continue reading A reflection on failure and success: Preparing for the school year

What do you see when you look at this image? I honestly don’t know how other schools do their scheduling each summer, but this is actually the result of the work at the tail end of a three-day scheduling binge … Continue reading What can you learn from a schedule?