I am presently working in several schools where we are engaging teachers in peer classroom observations with a focus on student learning production behaviors. One of the schools asked me to provide a “compelling why” that they could share with the staff in advance of my visit. I sent this: “The key to student learning […]

Michele and I recently had the wonderful opportunity of observing playing and learning. Outside of our second story apartment is our parking lot and driveway which has several low spots that create some substantial puddles when we get a steady rain. We had a three-day rain streak and on each of those days our afternoons […]

Boris Groysberg and Michael Slind, the authors of How Trusted Leaders Use Conversation to Power Their Organizations, present an article in Harvard Business Review titled “Leadership is a Conversation“.  They state that, “Traditional corporate communication must give way to a process that is more dynamic and more sophisticated. Most important, that process must be conversational”. […]

SCD Education Update posted an article, Are Grades Reliable? Lessons from a Century of Research, by Susan M. Brookhart and Thomas R. Guskey. I have always valued both authors’ insights regarding assessment, grades, and feedback. “But no amount of reform in grading policies or report card formats will improve grading if the grades reported are […]

I have always felt that working with a team was a benefit. I believe today it is a requirement. The complexity of desired outcomes we are looking to produce can no longer be accomplished with the skills and resources of an individual. School heads and administrators need to function as leaders of highly effective teams […]

In this week’s episode of the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast, Steve is joined by Professors of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University, Nancy Frey and Doug Fisher to discuss their experiences and work with PLCs. Read Nancy & Doug’s book “Better Decisions and Greater Impact by Design” here.  Subscribe to the Steve […]