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A New Year, Another List of Initiatives A new school year brings fresh energy, renewed optimism, and an opportunity to improve outcomes for students. It also brings something many educators have come to expect: a long list of new initiatives. A new instructional framework. A new technology platform. A new assessment system. A new behavior program. A new professional learning focus. None of these initiatives are inherently bad. In fact, many are grounded in research and design

The First Day Should Not Feel Like the Last Every August, schools come alive again. Hallways are polished. Bulletin boards go up. Class lists are finalized. Teachers return with fresh ideas, renewed optimism, and hope for a great school year. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a former school where I once supported teachers. It was wonderful to reconnect with familiar faces, but something caught my attention almost immediately. It was only the first day of pre-planning.

The Annual Debate Every August, it happens. Social media fills with posts asking the same questions: “Why do I have to buy school supplies?” “Don’t schools get funding for this?” “I’m tired of sending extra supplies just so another child can use them.” Almost immediately, teachers begin sharing receipts showing how much they’ve spent preparing their classrooms. Parents explain the rising cost of living. Schools point to limited budgets. Before long, everyone has chosen a side

Every decision to protect a culture killer comes with a cost. The question is: who's paying for it? Every school has a culture. Whether it's intentional or accidental, healthy or unhealthy, someone is teaching it every single day. While leaders often focus on curriculum, instruction, and student achievement, culture is shaped just as much by the behaviors that are tolerated as by the expectations that are communicated. The culture you protect is the culture you create. Someti

When instructional leaders walk into classrooms, something changes. Teachers notice. Students notice. The atmosphere shifts, if only for a moment. Sometimes that shift is positive. Sometimes it's tense. Regardless of how experienced or confident a teacher may be, there's often an unspoken question in the back of their mind: "What are they here to find?" As instructional leaders, that's a question worth reflecting on. Because every classroom visit begins long before the first

PD + Culture Series Recently, I’ve been supporting schools around teacher effectiveness. What I’ve seen is both promising and concerning: Some teachers are genuinely receptive to support and lean into coaching. Others nod along, appear compliant during training, and then privately express frustration — not to me, but to their administrators. Instead of holding teachers accountable and framing support as essential to improving instruction, administrators sometimes pass along t

“When I say every classroom has its own language, I'm not talking about English, Swahili, or Spanish. I'm talking about the unspoken language of culture, lived experiences, identity, relationships, curiosity, fear, confidence, and belonging. Every classroom speaks it. The question is whether we're listening.” -Anjanette Farrar A Lesson I Never Expected to Learn When I packed my bags for Tanzania, I expected a language barrier. I speak English. Many of the students I would be

The Truth Nobody Wants to Name About Schools Right Now Scroll through social media any day of the week and you’ll see the same tired narrative: “Parents aren’t raising their kids.” “Kids are wild now.” “Teachers can’t do anything because parents refuse to help.” But walk into enough classrooms — really walk into them — and you’ll see the other side too: Teachers speaking to kids like they’re problems, not people. Adults using sarcasm, shame, and hostility to “manage” behavior

There is a fine line between leading with vision and leading with ego. Most leaders begin with the best intentions—to raise achievement, strengthen instruction, and create schools where students thrive. But somewhere along the way, the pressure to perform begins to eclipse the purpose to serve. The conversation shifts from “What are our students learning?” to “What will our data look like?” And just like that, the heart of teaching and learning starts to suffocate under the w

Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere right now. Some see it as a pathway to efficiency and innovation, while others fear it is a fast track to people losing their jobs. The tension is real — and as an educator and consultant, I often find myself asking: Is AI here to replace us, or can it be a partner that amplifies the best of who we are? The Fear of Replacement There is no denying that AI can do some incredible things. It can generate lesson plans, draft emails, analy

Picture it: your mitochondria slideshow is on slide 3, the room’s energy is on slide zzz, and a witty student explains cellular respiration better than your deck—complete with dance references. The class roars. You smile… and also think, “Okay, but how do I bottle this energy and point it at learning?” This post is your playbook. The signal underneath the silliness A lot of “class clown” behavior isn’t defiance—it’s data. Boredom often shows up when work feels low-challenge,

When schools talk about “doing STEAM,” they often start with projects: 🌱 A hydroponics lab. 🚁 A drone lesson. 🎨 A STEM night with colorful student displays. These efforts are creative and well-meaning — but often short-lived. Why? Because STEAM is not a program to implement — it’s a mindset to adopt. 🚫 The Pitfall of “STEAM as an Event” One-off projects and themed days can spark excitement, but they rarely shift instructional practice long-term. When STEAM becomes a seaso

What happens when students are invited to bring their full identities into the learning space? They engage. They create. They thrive. That is the cultural power of STEAM education. 💥 We often talk about STEAM as a way to integrate subjects and make learning more “hands-on” or “real-world.” But it is also a powerful tool to uplift student voice and connect with the cultural assets students already bring to the table. STEAM is where innovation and identity can coexist. It is w

Too often, STEAM is misunderstood as something “just for science and math.” The truth? STEAM belongs in every classroom. Whether you teach Art, Spanish, PE, or History, here are 3 simple ways to bring STEAM into your instruction—without overhauling your lesson plans: 🔹 1. Frame It Around a Real-World Problem Shift from rote to relevance. 🧩 PE: “How do we create a fitness plan that keeps students motivated all year?” 🎭 ELA: “What can we build to support a character’s journe

When leaders overlook or underestimate the power of school culture, they risk more than they might realize. Culture is not a side dish to the main course of instruction—it’s the environment that shapes every decision, every relationship, and every learning experience. The Cost of Neglect Left unchecked, a toxic or negative culture can erode trust, stifle innovation, and breed resistance among staff and students. Misalignment between stated values and actual practices can dem

When educators say, “It’s just been a hard year,” they’re rarely talking about curriculum. They’re talking about culture — the morale, relationships, and trust that make real learning possible. As a former STEAM & PBL Coordinator, I’ve worked across elementary, middle, and high schools. I’ve seen firsthand that the schools that thrive are not the ones with the newest programs — they’re the ones where the culture is strong enough to carry those programs to success. So what doe