2016 has been a big year for me and my family. The biggest and most exciting change was the addition of our daughter, Joy, in April and the transition to a family of 5 that followed (it’s gone flawlessly, and we’re fully rested all the time; thanks for asking).
I also changed campuses for the first time in my career as I made the jump from high school to an intermediate school (a 5th and 6th grade campus) in the same school district.
All along the way I tried to blog through the things I was learning. The following posts are a small taste of all that I’ve thought through over the past 365 days.
This post was just what it sounds like–a big list of books that I find myself suggesting over and over.
2. An Educator’s Social Media Guide
This post is more clearly described by its subtitle: What I wish I had known before I Wasted 5 years not knowing how to use Twitter to grow.
3. Thriving as an Assistant Principal
Every role in education has its challenges. As I do my best to figure out how to serve in my role as assistant principal, I took time to write down what it looks like when it goes how I’d like.
4. 4 Skills Every Student Needs
We spend a lot of time thinking about the skills and knowledge we’re required to teach students. This post focuses on those other skills we all want our students to have and reminds me not to neglect teaching those.
5. 4 Videos That Inspire Perseverance
Clearly there is huge value in talking about grit, perseverance, and growth mindset. These four videos serve as a point of departure for conversations with students and teachers alike.
6. Grades, Learning, and Change
This post summarizes a conversation I had with a group of sophomores about grades and learning. I’m lucky to work with kids who are interested in this discussion and challenged by their thoughts each time I revisit this post.
7. Why Educators Must Innovate
This post is all about how innovation shouldn’t be seen as optional. We don’t want to end up looking antiquated, and innovation is our solution to prevent that outcome.
8. Leading with an Innovator’s Mindset
There’s a lot of conversation about innovation in the classroom, but not very much about innovaiton in professional development for teachers. This post is about trying to apply the innovator’s mindset to my work as a school administrator.
This post challenges us to think about the things that we aren’t thinking about enough.
I love this post. It’s all about the posts that have inspired me throughout the year. Reading the thoughts of others helps inspire and challenge me to keep getting better and refining my craft. If you only read one post here, read this one. So many great ideas shared from so many great educators!
I’m looking forward to all that 2017 will bring. Happy new year to you and yours!
Aaron, this is an awesome group of posts! I continuously learn from you, and I look forward to learning more from you in 2017. Happy New Year!
Jennifer