If you have been in education for longer than a minute, you have probably heard the term growth mindset. It’s a pretty big deal. Having a growth mindset is the idea that our intelligence, our understanding, our skills are not fixed or finalized. There is room for improvement. Even more than that, there is expectation of improvement.

How difficult is it to assess first, rather than judge? This is an extremely difficult habit to carry on out, time after time. At times our inner feelings just want to take over and judge, judge, judge! Judging and assessing involve different perspectives and approaches. Let's take a dive into the key differences and notice the benefits to assessing situations.

In leadership, it is not truly about knowing all the answers but rather asking the right questions. As educational leaders, what questions should we be asking ourselves? The Intentional School weighs in with a few questions to get you started.

Just keeping it real…I love a good leadership book. There are a million to choose from, easy to ask for recommendations from leaders you admire, and practical lessons/solutions right there at your fingertips. So why should you consider hiring a leadership coach instead of, or in addition to, reading a leadership book? Let’s continue keeping it real…

I’m a simple guy…it doesn’t take a great deal to entertain me. And I can find a lesson almost anywhere. Recently, I wrote about some leadership lessons found in the greatest decade’s music - the 80’s, and it was reasonably well received. So I thought to myself, “Self - let’s try this again with some classic leadership quips from the movies.”

Curious about what we do at Intentional Schools? Interested in learning more about how we could work with your school or educational team? In today's webinar, the team tackles some great FAQs to address just that!

Most educators don’t enter the field looking for fame and fortune. Instead, educators are largely motivated by a strong desire to see greater good prevail in the world. It’s a noble goal! Too often, however, that goal can grow too large. When educators start trying to “save the world,” it’s a recipe for burnout and frustration all around. What’s the right response? It’s important to acknowledge that yes, it’s good for educators to want to solve problems and change trajectories in students' lives. However, the goal needs to be redirected in order to see the most lasting change.

When I was young and starting out in education, I had great pride issues in my work ethic. Skipped lunch, worked through my prep, came early, stayed late…let’s be honest, I had a savior complex.

I vividly remember walking into the lunchroom one day to grab a coffee (gotta keep going!!) and a coworker asked me how my day was…I answered (probably breathlessly) ‘Oh, good, just super busy, don’t have time for lunch, always work to be done.’

She responded with: ‘Jacki, quit trying to be a martyr…nobody gives a s*^%.’

Everyone loves a good story. And everyone has a story to tell! Storytelling is one of the oldest human art forms and is a gateway to connection with others. In this webinar, the Intentional Schools team discusses the importance of sharing your story and its impact on individual educators, classrooms, teams, and schools.

Teachers may work in separate classrooms, but a thriving school relies on effective, consistent communication between those classrooms in order to stay healthy. What makes this kind of communication difficult to achieve, and how can you improve your school staff’s communication? Turns out, there’s a lot you can do as a leader to influence a culture of professionals who support, learn from, and depend on one another. Let’s dig into some strategies to help improve school communication.

Educators are stressed. Recent studies include alarming data – like more than 25% of teachers are experiencing symptoms of depression. On the bright side, educators share that they love their work and find joy in what they do…it’s just become incredibly taxing. Here’s where school leadership needs to take notice. If burnout continues unchecked, teachers will quit. Today, let’s talk about some practical, proactive steps to dealing with the problems of burnout and retention in education.

When I say I’m happy you’re reading this, it’s not just hyperbole. You’re wildly successful, and I’m elated you’d take the time out of an undoubtedly busy schedule to read my work. If I were to guess, your career has already been one for the history books. You’ve withstood incredible odds and survived. Now, it’s time to push even further. How do you prepare for what’s next?