Elucidations
Elucidation 9 | “None knows the weight of another’s burden.” —George Herbert
Her seat was in the very back corner of my science lab where students along the outer walls had to sit on metal stools at high-top lab tables. At the very start of this particular day, I began passing out the unit tests quickly so students had every moment of class time. This was Honors… Read entire article.
If we are heedful during our professional educator career, we might glean lessons from others — from their successes and failures; from their exuberant highs and moments of frustration; from their wins / draws / losses; and from stories and tales they share in the break room, in the back of a faculty meeting, in the copy room, during a training session, and perhaps online.
We share our stories, our tales, and our lessons to elucidate your work!
Elucidation 8 | “Whoever is out of patience is out of possession of their soul.” — Sir Francis Bacon
As a school leader, the success of your ongoing leadership hinges on your most recent family/parent interaction. The reality of school leadership is that the sum total of these interactions are more likely to start negatively than positively because people often reach out… Read entire article.
Elucidation 7 | “There cannot be greater rudeness than to interrupt another in the current of his discourse.” —John Locke
“WHAT!?!” is the exact word I shouted…in the general direction of the noise…as the Associate Principal opened my classroom door and quickly stepped in with a purpose.
Let me start from the beginning – it was February (circa 2005) and my... Read entire article.
Elucidation 6 | “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.” —The Golden Rule
Many public and private school educators will spend time in graduate school during their professional career and that was certainly the case for me as I worked on a 6-year degree (Ed.S.) and then a 7-year degree (Ph.D.) while working in schools. I took a class in gifted education one semester... Read entire article.
Elucidation 5 | “What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What really matters is helping others win too. Even if it means slowing down and changing our course now and then.” —(Mr.) Fred Rogers”
“Denied! Rejected! You’re-Not-Good-Enough!”
Each year, high school seniors across America receive letters that say... Read entire article.
Elucidation 4 | “Personally, I am always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught...” —Sir Winston Churchill”
As a teacher, I was tapped to lead our school’s new teacher induction program for a few years just as teachers across the country were being issued laptops in place of desktop computers. One year, the collaborating assistant principal and I scripted a sequence of... Read entire article.
Elucidation 3 | “You can't save a person who doesn't want to be saved. It was like Mr. Eddie always told the new gardeners: Everybody's got to kill their own snakes.” —Pearl Cleage, Till You Hear From Me (2010)”
Infuriation is the precise term; except when you need a stronger emotion like enragement. These feelings will surge through you as a school leader when you realize someone else created a big sticky mess and you are the only one who can lead the clean-up. Read entire article.
Elucidation 2 | “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make the big things happen.” —John Wooden
I almost missed a meeting; a big one! It was December of 2013 and I was about three weeks into my first principalship. I was chatting on the phone with another high school principal in my school district and as we were concluding our chat, he casually mentioned “the principal meeting tomorrow morning”. My heart jumped… Read entire article.
Elucidation 1 | “Remember that time is money.” —Benjamin Franklin
My teaching career began in 1994. The dress expectations for male teachers included wearing a shirt and tie each day except Friday when we could wear a school-spirit polo/golf shirt. I settled into a routine of spending quite a few hours each weekend completing three educator-related tasks: (1) grading papers… Read entire article.