The bonds that exist between educators and families in small towns are unmatched in larger metropolitan cities. The tenures are more stable and a faculty’s community connections are as deep as family ties . It was 1983. Mrs. Doyle watched us file into her classroom as she clutched a handful of worksheets behind her back.Continue reading “Losing Their Voices”
Category Archives: Education
In a Virtual Way
“I’ll play it first and tell you what it is later.” Miles Davis It was 1987. I was awakened during the middle of the night by the sounds of tambourines, drums, and syncopated wailings from the park at the intersection of King Circle Drive and Norwood Avenue in Swainsboro, Georgia. Those sounds were a mixtureContinue reading “In a Virtual Way”
Principals on the Prayer Line
Analytical psychologist Carl Jung introduced the concept of ‘synchronicity’ in the 1920’s as the principle of “meaningful coincidences”. Nothing that occurs in our complex lives is an accident. Events that have no causal relationship are meaningfully related. My most recent experience with synchronicity occurred as I joined a conference call with fellow principals in ourContinue reading “Principals on the Prayer Line”
Emotional Intelligence Matters
Walking through Atlanta’s Little Five Points neighborhood is a Saturday ritual for me. From Moreland Avenue, I find my usual table in the corner of Sevananda Natural Foods Market and observe the steady flow of eclectic patrons pouring into the iconic store. I’ve been visiting Sevananda since the early 90’s and the experience has alwaysContinue reading “Emotional Intelligence Matters”
The Lost Art of Diplomacy
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”
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”
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”
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”
Protected: It’s Your Move
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
The Notion of Genius
Principle 24: Discover your inner genius and create opportunities for those around you to discover and unleash their own unique form of genius. Move beyond the archaic ideas about what genius looks like in the 21st century. Soundscape: Desire by Pharoah Monch The word ‘genius’ originated in ancient Rome and initially was applied to allContinue reading “The Notion of Genius”
