ASCA 2014 has kicked off here in Orlando, Florida and once again I am reminded why it is so important that as professional educators we continue to seek out professional development. ASCA is the American School Counselor Association but many of the lessons and sessions I’ll be attending over the next few days can apply […]
What’s cool, trending, or in is often hard for us to grasp as educators. By the time we can spot and clearly identify a trend, it’s probably at the end of its shelf life and our students are ready to move on to something new. Cool changes so fast that often our students can’t keep […]
Today was the last day of school of the 2013-14 year. The students were enjoying their first day of sleeping in for the summer, but the faculty was tasked with one final School Improvement Day. Long days of meetings can be a challenge even for the most focused educator and when you hold said meeting […]
These past few weeks have been the perfect storm of special activities and extra curricular involvement at my school. There have been countless days where I have been asked to tackle tasks outside the scope of my job description. There have been nights where I have been called upon to pick up extra duties. State testing, […]
Every year at the end of April, high schools in Illinois are faced with the PSAE. Well they are for now, PARCC is coming, but that’s for another post. State mandated testing is simple enough: the state tells you who to test and the school is responsible for testing them. In the case of the […]
Two weeks ago we held a career fair at my school. Now this wasn’t your typical high school career fair for students looking for summer/part-time work. This also wasn’t a career fair for senior students about to graduate and enter the work force. This was a career fair for freshman students. Students who have little […]
Last week was perhaps one of the busiest school weeks I’ve ever experienced in my tenure as an educator. And while the days were long and the stress level was high, it was one of my most rewarding weeks as well. Too often in education, specifically at the high school level, we isolate ourselves in […]
Master scheduling can be difficult because there are so many factors to consider: student conflicts, contractual obligations & limitations, teaming, content area certifications, and general preferences. In the scope of keeping the school and my decisions student centered, I choose to start the scheduling process by looking at potential student conflicts. A master schedule and […]
In the life of a school administrator there are leadership tasks and there are managerial tasks. Pause for a moment and develop your own opinion of a leadership task and a managerial task. What comes to mind? Which is more favorable in your eyes? What type of principal do you have, a leader or a […]
When the general public is talking about teachers, one complaint that you’ll often hear is that those in education have too many days off. It seems like every other week my kid has a day off, a half day, or a late start. Teachers have it so easy; I wish my job had that much […]
