Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured

Three Reasons I am excited for ISTE 2014 in Atlanta: A Newbie’s Perspective

From June 28 through July 1, I will be attending the International Society for Technology in Education’s annual conference near my hometown in Atlanta. (We will just call it ISTE2014 for short.) It will be my first ISTE conference so I have a mixture of feelings. I am in the home stretch of planning and am […]

Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, From the Front Lines, Instruction & Curriculum, Opinion, Parents

Let's Talk School Start-Up–Again

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”] Ever since I wrote my first piece about starting my own school I receive at least four emails a week asking for more information as to how other individuals can start […]

Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Elementary School, Featured, From the Front Lines, High School, Principals' Corner

Working for My Public School Is Just Like Working for the Mob

I am a mob movie fanatic. I’ve watched all of the classics (to my husband’s dismay), from Godfather, American Gangster to my all-time favorite, Goodfellas. Even though I know how the movies will end, I still get a rush right before the villain is outed and the mob boss brings the harsh retribution. Long after […]

Posted inCurrent Events in Education, English Language Learners, Featured, From the Front Lines, Middle School, Principals' Corner, The State of Education

How Can We Build "Cultural Capital" With Our English Language Learners?

By Maria Montalvo-Balbed Often, principals or school leaders with whom I am working ask me to provide them with no more than three implementable strategies to make an ELL population successful. I wish it were that easy to name just three “things” to help students automatically develop great listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. As […]

Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Featured, Instruction & Curriculum, Instructional Strategies, Middle School, Opinion

Preparing For Success: Helping Students Prepare For What Comes Next

I have two college-aged children, with my third a sophomore in high school. My husband and I, both teachers, planted the seed of ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ in all three of them early on. I remember playing blocks with my oldest and constantly saying things like, “Architects build!” or […]

Posted inCurrent Events in Education, Principals' Corner, School Improvement

Smooth Sailing to School Leadership: Transitioning from Teacher to Administrator

By Dawn Imada Chan Congratulations! You survived the grueling application and interview process, signed your contract, and can’t wait to take on your first year as a school administrator. Here are some tips to make the transition a productive one and sure to set you off on the path to success. Relationships, Relationships, Relationships Your […]

Posted inCurrent Events in Education, From the Front Lines

Teachers, Ways to Prepare for the First-Round Interview

By Matthew Mingle Getting your foot in the door is just the beginning. Acing the first-round interview requires preparation, confidence, and a clear sense of purpose. Here are five suggestions to aid in preparing for your next interview: 1. Know your audience.  If the person scheduling your interview does not provide information about the interviewer, […]