February 2013 Issue
What We Know About Growing Minds
How children’s brains develop and how children think are two of the most enduring mysteries for both educators and parents, but neuroscience is beginning to provide answers to many of these puzzles. Sam Wang, one of this country’s leading neuroscientists and the co-author of the books, Welcome To Your Brain and, Welcome To Your Child's Brain, joins us to provide insights into questions that many educators may wonder about, including: does building self- esteem increase a child’s achievement? What are the best ways for students to actually learn? And why is stress important for all children to experience as they grow up? Continue
Making the Case for Principal Mentoring
free With high-stakes accountability and the ever-increasing demands placed on school leaders, the job of the principal has become more difficult than it's ever been. Kathleen Sciarappa joins us to make the case for principal mentoring – what it is, why it's needed, and how it can help both new and experienced principals. Continue
Five Free Tech Tools to Help You Get Organized
Time management expert Dr. Frank Buck joins us to discuss five free technology tools that he recommends for all busy school leaders. Early on in his own career as a school administrator, Frank realized how important it was for school leaders to be organized and manage their time well and for the past ten years he has shared his ideas on the subject as a consultant and through his books. Continue
Supporting Learners With the Common Core
Barbara Blackburn joins us to talk about some of the issues that the Common Core State Standards raise when it comes to providing support and scaffolding. Along with the rigor that the new standards bring, there are going to be gaps that have to be addressed between what is taught now and what teachers will be expected to teach, as well as the lack of prior knowledge that will impact most students as the new standards are phased in. Continue
Update on the Move from Time to Competency
Fred Bramante, past chairman and long-standing member of the New Hampshire State Board of Education, joins us for an update on efforts to move schools away from the traditional concept of K-12 education towards a system where student achievement is based on mastering competencies not "seat time." Continue
Developing a Growth Mindset in Students and Teachers
John D’Auria, President of Teachers21, an organization working to ensure that all students learn from effective and caring teachers and that competent and persistent leaders guide every school, joins us to talk about the topic of developing a growth mindset in students and teachers. Continue
Data-Based Decision Making
Edie Holcomb, author of Data-Based Decision Making, she joins us to talk about the use of data to help school leaders make decisions and implement school and instructional improvements that increase student success. Continue
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