Educational Leadership

2 palettes with messy paint and brushes for article on teachers as artists and autonomy and creativity

Teachers are artists: To retain them, free them to be creative

I applaud teacher pay increases, but retention also hinges on viewing teachers as artists and giving them the autonomy to teach creatively.

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Consolidate communications for schools, district to increase family engagement

Our district cut through the clutter of different apps and paper messages to consolidate communications and ensure we are reaching families.

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Educational Leadership

Shifting focus: 4 ways to take a new view

Landing in a new environment or situation offers the opportunity for shifting focus, letting leaders exercise different approaches.

owl sitting among leaves, wood, tilting head sideways for article on sparking curiosity

Educational Leadership

Spark curiosity to tame anxiety, unleash productivity

Calm students down and help them get more done in class with neural activity that comes from helping to spark curiosity or a broader view.

Scrabble letters spelling resilience for article on resilient staff

Educational Leadership

Building a resilient staff is the key to positive schools

Teachers who develop and practice resilience and get support from peers and leaders often are better at regulating their classrooms.

young male student screaming in frustration for challenging student behavior article

Educational Leadership

3 strategies for managing challenging student behavior

Communicating classroom rules and having a plan for misbehavior are important steps toward managing problems that arise.

Female teacher bending over to point to papers on a table with two female students for positive school climate article.

Educational Leadership

3 keys to fostering a positive school climate

Educators who control their own actions and reactions can help students better control theirs, leading to a positive school climate.

Blank journal open with pencil atop, sitting on a wood table for article on energizing "spa days"

Educational Leadership

What do your energizing “spa days” look like?

Everyone has a different version of energizing "spa days" -- activities that help you focus and regenerate. They're vital to our work.

Black-and-white photo of hands on a laptop computer for implementing online tutoring article

Educational Leadership

Implement an online tutoring program with 5 best practices

Increase student achievement by implementing an online tutoring program. Outline your priorities and make sure you're thoroughly prepared.

Wheeled janitorial bin with stencil reading "Think before you speak; read before you think" for teaching amid political divisiveness article

Educational Leadership

How to teach kids in the midst of political divisiveness

Learning to weigh both sides of an issue carefully and accurately can bring people together amid political divisiveness.

Growth stages of butterfly for Ende personal growth article

Educational Leadership

3 valuable personal growth lessons learned in 2022

Education leader Fred Ende's reflections on 2022 spark the recognition of valuable personal-growth lessons.

Educational Leadership

Reindeer games: How educators can explain, reduce online bullying

Bullying by other students on social media can be especially difficult for students. Principal Michael Gaskell shares how educators can help.

decorative rocks with saying about gratitude fred ende culture of gratitude

Educational Leadership

Building a culture of gratitude

Creating a culture of gratitude strengthens your work community, enriches everyone in it and is worthy of full-time attention.

Female teacher working with student on computer for education technology

Educational Leadership

Leveraging latest research for education technology tools teachers need

Don't toss untested edtech into the classroom. It's better if all stakeholders partner to create research-based education technology tools.

barista in coffeehouse negative social media

Educational Leadership

Negative social media and coffeehouses: Distraction, focus or both?

Educators can help students focus using internet coffeehouse sounds and can counter fake, negative social media photos with the real thing.

Educational Leadership

Unexpected leadership lessons from a comic convention

A personal adventure to New York Comic Con brought to mind several unexpected leadership lessons for educator Fred Ende.

man with hand over face, leading through loss

Educational Leadership

Leading through loss: Being a leader after someone dies

The death of a colleague can affect leadership. Fred Ende shares three insights from his recent effort at leading through loss.

Educational Leadership

Brain science strategies to aid educator wellness

Feeling emotionally drained after the recent pandemic and school upheaval? Quick physiological tactics can ramp up educator wellness.

Educational Leadership

Creating a safe learning environment for refugee and immigrant students

Key strategies can help put refugee or immigrant students at ease and make them less confused or frightened.

Educational Leadership

Life and leadership: Turning lemons into lemonade

Feel like life has been doling out way too many lemons? Fred Ende shares some ways to turn them into lemonade.

Educational Leadership

Leadership lessons in reconnecting, Part Two

Fred Ende shares what he's learned from reconnecting -- personally or professionally --even after a short time away.

Educational Leadership

How alternative schooling better serves diverse students

Many students are suffering in traditional schools. Robin Harwick explains alternative schooling that embraces students' differences.

schenker schools change post-pandemic future

Educational Leadership

School changes: Shaking off the pandemic mentality

As districts confront a post-shutdown normal, school changes are a given. Leaders must decide where they want to go and plot a course.

Educational Leadership

4 leadership lessons from 2021-22

Contemplation always yields keen insights into the past that can serve the future well. Fred Ende shares his recent "aha" leadership lessons.

Educational Leadership

Network = Net Worth

Networks are vital to our growth, but they shouldn't be static or ever-growing. Fred Ende explains why networks that change are more valuable.

prevent violence by helping all students feel they belong

Educational Leadership

Prevent violence by helping every student feel like they belong

Educators may be able to prevent more tragedies by ensuring every student feels they belong and believes someone there cares about them.

Educational Leadership

Administrators need to give teachers real mental health support now

Educators need social and emotional development opportunities for their own well-being, as well as that of their students.

Educational Leadership

4 ways to accelerate learning this year

Edtech data can help accelerate learning more precisely and successfully. A superintendent shares her district's has done it.

Educational Leadership

Stigma-free CTE makes all students problem-solvers

Earlier exposure to career and technical education could benefit all students, while a reshaping of CTE would greatly help students who choose those pathways. First, though, we need to change the negative perceptions around CTE.

Alina Davis special ed positive partnerships with parents

Educational Leadership

Build a positive partnership with parents of students with disabilities

Program specialist Alina Davis shares 4 ways to work more effectively with parents on IEPs.

Educational Leadership

Change or sustain? Balancing mindsets for what works, what doesn’t

If we seek improvement, should nothing stay the same? Fred Ende shares how he meshes the mentality of change with the mentality for staying the same.

Educational Leadership

Learn the new language of transformational leadership

Learning to be a transformational rather than a transactional leader requires learning a whole new language and approach.

Photo of a classroom for article on higher ed organizational strategy

Educational Leadership

Lessons from higher ed on organizational strategy

Learn about the 4 pillars of organizational strategy that TCS Education System relies on and what higher education -- and any organization -- can learn from them.