Teaching, Learning, and Leading with Emotional Intelligence 

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Emotional Intelligence

Using emotional intelligence is a part of life whether it is in school, work or one’s personal life. Learning the elements of emotional intelligence can happen in the classroom and continue throughout the school building. Teaching, learning, and leading with emotional intelligence can be the catalyst to propelling students and staff to new academic, social, and emotional heights.

Mostly, you read about emotional intelligence in business. It is applicable in the education realm, too. A successful school administrator leads with emotional intelligence. In that building, teachers create classroom spaces where students learn to think and be socially responsible. Children are comfortable sharing their emotions, empathy, and experiences. Altogether it is a school building where these five elements work: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Let’s take a look at how the parts of emotional intelligence work the areas of teaching, learning, and leading. Continue reading →

Five Reasons Why African-American Students Lag Behind

Five Reasons Why African-American Students Lag Behind: A Principal’s Point of View 

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Why African-American Students Lag Behind

Each school year we read about test scores of students across America. Data, data, data is what politicians and school leaders spout off to parents and community members. The quality of rhetoric depends on whether or not it’s an election year. One thing that remains a constant story or question is why African-American students lag behind their white counterparts.

In urban school districts, the principals and teachers were instructed to think and focus on African-American students because the data continues to show they are not making the expected increases in growth and attainment. Two things that were not mentioned are root causes or a plan on how to improve African-American students’ progress. Administrators and teachers in the trenches know that there are many variables that contribute to the students’ progress or lack of progress.

Research is Ongoing

Research on why African-American students lag behind is ongoing. The Brookins Institute did an in-depth study, The Black-White Test Score Gap: Why it Persists and What Can Be Done as far back as 1996. Over 20 years passed and educators still have the same questions and responses to why African-American students continue to play catch-up. Actually, the subject has been around much longer. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

It’s a continual conversation seen on Facebook posts from educators’ groups or on Twitter. The conversation is heard in schools, district offices, and teachers’ lounges. Views and opinions tend to focus on five reasons why African-American students lag behind their white counterparts. Continue reading →

First Year First Aid for a New Teacher

By Samuel Durr

Teaching is like being attacked by hornets

Teaching is like being attacked by hornets. If you just laughed at that little gem, you’re probably a teacher. You might be nodding your head in acknowledgment or cringing at the memory of a difficult student. If you didn’t laugh or you’re confused, this article is for you. If you are a first-year teacher, please read carefully. The following are tactics to survive the lions’ nest you could be strolling into. If you’re not an educator, these pearls of wisdom will help you understand the harsh realities of the job.

 1) Don’t fret about those night terrors

They happen to everyone. You will spend your first few months on the job realizing that you’ve made a terrible mistake and experiencing a shock to your serotonin levels. Bad dreams and difficulty sleeping are only some of the symptoms you might feel. I’m no doctor but many teachers, even experienced ones, report what is commonly called ‘teacher dreams.’ I’m still haunted by a nightmare where my whole homeroom of seventh graders mutinied by maniacally laughing. Wait…scratch that, that actually happened. Point is, you’re not losing your mind, it’s normal. Continue reading →