Teacher Leader Coach

Having recently been an interviewee for the first time in years, I’ve been reflecting on the process of how to properly vet candidates. Selfishly, I hope it helps me improve my ability to hire the right people. Bigger picture, hopefully this helps districts find their right people. Research from Adam Grant and others shows that the best interviews allow the interviewer to project the candidate on the job. Past performance should not be discounted, but how they can think about what they will do is more important. Forward-facing questions like, “How would you handle (insert scenario for the role being hired)” are better indicators of their ability for your role than “How have you (insert scenario for their current role).”  Consider the role-critical skills, and ask questions about these. Look for depth of answer over breadth. Many interviews are going to be time-limited. If the interview is set to last for 45 minutes, 15 questions give 3 per answer. 9 questions give 5. For any positi...

Image created using Sora.chatgpt.com How can you get a kid who would rather play Roblox than exercise to walk 5 miles with little complaining? How can you get a reluctant reader to deeply read nonfiction and enjoy it? By hiding what they don’t want to do within things they do. Just like hiding peas inside mashed potatoes! A recent vacation to Hawaii has provided the previous two examples for our family. Hiking around the stunning landscape of Hawaii Volcano National Park and asking our children to teach us about Hawaiian geography, history, and culture worked magically. Walking through lava tubes and across a volcanic crater is an incredible experience. One almost forgets they are trekking 4.5 miles with a 700-foot elevation change when they are imagining creating a Minecraft world that resembles the Kilauea Iki Crater. Reading aloud about what to expect during the drive to the national park, the type of volcano that makes up the Hawaiian Islands, and how the volcanoes have shaped the ...

My 10-year-old asked that question when we were fortunate enough to visit Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. His point was not that history class or school was irrelevant, but that he learned more from an hour at the memorial than any time in class discussing Pearl Harbor. I was proud of his insight, and it was not the first time experiences with my children have raised questions about what and how we school. Should we encourage days missed from school specifically for first-hand experiences? How do we make school as impactful as experiences such as these? I am a strong advocate for student attendance. The first key to success in school is being there. But, as educators, we sometimes lose sight of the fact that not all education comes from school. It is frustrating when parents pull students out of school for a week or more to go on a vacation. And if legitimately the only thing that happens is suntanning on a beach, then that week of school and education is lost. But when the ...

  "Be You" was printed in large font on former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy's play sheet. Many people discuss how they need to be "authentic." I often write about making decisions and taking actions through core values. If our strengths and values have gotten us to pinnacles of success, then those are our "tiger stripes." And as the saying goes, a tiger doesn’t change its stripes. From an evolutionary standpoint, tigers' stripes make perfect sense. They allow the tiger to blend in with their habitat's dense vegetation as it stalks its next prey. However, if a tiger is placed in a different environment, its stripes can become a liability. In that case, it would make sense for the tiger to try to change its stripes or find a new environment. We also fall into these circumstances. Some environments allow us to thrive based on our personalities, beliefs, values, and strengths. And others where we fail or are miserable.  When our environment d...

In sports, most great coaches have the great fortune of having great players. Phil Jackson won 11 NBA championships, 6 with Michael Jordan and 5 with Kobe Bryant. He won none in his other 8 years as an NBA head coach without Michael or Kobe. As a head coach, Bill Belichick won 6 Super Bowls with Tom Brady. Before then, he was the failed coach of the Cleveland Browns and had a few miserable years after Brady left for Tampa Bay (and another Super Bowl title). These two brilliant minds understand how to coach the game and their players, and having stars on their team should not diminish their achievements. But without stars, even they could not win. Many other great coaches have never won anything significant. Besides star power, what do great coaches do in preparation for and during games? Adapt. All head coaches (insert the generic term leader here) have a game plan and a system they want to execute. The success or failure of the game plan depends on the players’ execution. There have l...

Accountability and Grace. Two dichotomous words that are necessary for growth. These two concepts are paradoxes for leaders to grapple with. By leader, I mean anyone responsible for overseeing the growth and development of another. That’s a loose definition that applies to bosses, teachers, parents, and coaches, among others. Accountability means holding others to the standards and commitments of their role. Ensure they complete satisfactory work and make corrections when necessary. Grace means showing understanding when those being led do not fulfill their responsibilities. This dichotomy is a balancing act for leaders. Leaders need those around them to complete their work well, and most are trying to do their job at a high level. It isn't out of spite or a lack of caring when they struggle. They didn't understand what they were supposed to have done, were too busy or distracted to do it properly, or hadn't yet gained the ability to. A leader can resort straight to anger, ...