By Mike McGown News and updates that affect a school district can quickly turn into a game of telephone. A small incident can spark a bubbling rumor; a larger event can generate widespread confusion. Without a proactive communications strategy, misinformation spreads fast and leaders end up firefighting perception instead of guiding it. A more effective … Read more

Guest article: Jill Drum When my son was one year old, he loved taking video cassettes out of their boxes. To encourage him to help clean up, I would ask him to hand me a tape. If I picked up a Barney box, he would hand me the Barney tape from a jumble of twenty. … Read more

By Donald Ray West, PhD, PE, MBA Faculty Member, School of Business at American Public University Most readers know the parable of the blind men and the elephant: each person touches a different part and reaches a different conclusion. The same scenario often plays out with textbooks in higher education. Students, faculty, booksellers, and administrators … Read more

By LeiLani Cauthen Are you a teacher? If so, do you also find yourself acting as a classroom foreman, logistics manager, mentor, drill sergeant, disciplinarian, cheerleader, data-entry clerk, cultural advocate or analyst? Many educators perform all of these roles and more. It’s worth reconsidering what teaching actually is in most schools today, and whether that … Read more

Guest article from teacher Elizabeth at 51Talk My name is Mary Davisson; at 51Talk I teach under the name Miss Davisson (Elizabeth). I bring more than 30 years of experience in teaching and professional training, and joining 51Talk has been one of the most unexpected and rewarding turns in my career. In 2017, while scanning … Read more

Resilience and Practical Advice for the Self-Employed By Charles Sosnik There’s a truth many of us learn the hard way: if life keeps pressing down on you, eventually it will get tired. Another blunt way to put it is the old Latin maxim, Illegitimi non carborundum—don’t let the bastards grind you down. That mindset is … Read more

Grit, Growth Mindset, and the Learning Mindset By Betsy Hill We have many words to describe the qualities that help people tackle difficult tasks and overcome setbacks: grit, perseverance, tenacity, resilience, persistence, backbone, stamina. We use other terms to describe the capacity to learn from mistakes and try new approaches: growth mindset, adaptability, flexibility, willingness … Read more

The only recommendation on this site: Revue Newsletter Review I rarely make recommendations on this site, but Revue is an exception. After trying many newsletter tools, I consistently get the best results with Revue. It’s simple, flexible, and designed for people who want to send thoughtful, curated email newsletters without a steep learning curve. Highlights … Read more

Social media and technology can feel intimidating for many educators — and with good reason. Today, roughly 80% of teachers use social networks for personal or professional purposes, and the expectations placed on educators’ online behavior are especially high. What might seem routine or private to someone outside education can quickly become a public issue … Read more

By Betsy Hill and Roger Stark Learning is a fundamental function of the brain. As we engage with our environment, neurons form and strengthen connections through experience and practice; unused connections may be pruned away. This ongoing adaptability of the brain—often called neuroplasticity—means our brains are continuously learning and changing. While everyone can learn, individuals … Read more