One of the best lessons I learned during the first months of my principalship was that diplomacy matters. In a life of service, verbal assaults become par for the course. Think Jackie Robinson. Think MLK. Think Barack Obama. Are you able to rise above the rumors, the attacks and accusations and focus on the work?Continue reading “The Lost Art of Diplomacy”
Author Archives: Andre Benito Mountain
The Other Side
Sometimes I feel like I’m just standing in place, ain’t no real race.Ain’t no other side. Life is like a circle and you end up where you started. If you end up where you started ain’t no other side. -Gil Scott Heron, The Other Side Our timing and God’s timing for our lives don’t alwaysContinue reading “The Other Side”
Augusta Literary Festival – 3.2.19
The Courage to Fight
courage noun . cour·age | \ˈkər-ij, ˈkə-rij\ . : mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty This month I’ve been talking to students about how to display courage. In order for our young people to understand how to embody courage, we must show them examples of those who have confronted obstacles and risked comfortContinue reading “The Courage to Fight”
Taking Notes: Jazz and the American Story
Make U.S. History classes come alive! Explore this culturally responsive approach to teaching that integrates the arts into instruction. Bring this presentation to your campus and increase student engagement. For more information, email principalmountain@gmail.com
Join me in Kansas City, MO in January!
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Trust the process. Pause long enough to see and experience the light at the end of the tunnel. Premature departures can cause us to miss out on the benefits of our collective efforts.
Arguments with Mrs. Collins
When I think of visionary educators, I think of Lucy Craft Laney and Marva Collins. Both women started their own schools in predominately African-American communities. Laney opened her school in 1883 in Augusta, Georgia while Collins founded Westside Preparatory School during the same year I was born – 1975. A solid elementary foundation was atContinue reading “Arguments with Mrs. Collins”
The Hard Knock Life
There is much symbolism around the idea of a door. Doorways represent transitions from one place to another. The doorway is where our guests are welcomed into a home or a school. The doorway is where first impressions are made. Our language is sprinkled with idioms alluding to the significance of doors: When one doorContinue reading “The Hard Knock Life”
Chapter 8: Be Coachable
{The following is an excerpt from the forthcoming book, The Mountain Principles: 28 Lessons on Leading and Learning} Be coachable, reflective and resilient in your work so that you can continue to sharpen your skillset. Years ago, while working as a curriculum coordinator, I was tasked with visiting the classrooms of social studies teachers andContinue reading “Chapter 8: Be Coachable”
The Art of No
Principle 28: Learn to gracefully say no so that you can say yes when it matters the most. Prioritize and don’t overcommit…just say no. Harvard Business Review published an article in 2013 entitled “Nine Practices to Help You Say No”. One of the best phrases in the article was “know your no”. Know what thingsContinue reading “The Art of No”
The Elephant in the Room
Principle #28: Confront the elephant in the room and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Soundscape: Wake Up by John Legend and the Roots There is an elephant in the room and it needs to be acknowledged. We tend to ignore things that make us uncomfortable. There are conversations with friends, family, and coworkers that needContinue reading “The Elephant in the Room”
ANDRE BENITO MOUNTAIN 