“It has been fascinating to note the complexity of decisions at every level as the coronavirus has spread across the world. How decisions are made matters. How we press the occasional pause button to reflect on our decisions matters as well.”
Tim Van Soelen reflects on the past weeks through the lens of tool known as the After-Action Review.
How can conflict increase creativity among teams? Teams are tasked with solving a problem (or problems), and creativity can provide the team with more options, and more viable options can solve problems. So, what is the relationship between creativity and conflict? Research literature discusses the impact that conflict has and whether conflict is positive or negative. So, the real question isn’t “is there a relationship?” But rather, “what is the relationship?”
I always used textbooks in my classes … but never how they were intended. They were valuable for me, as the teacher, to identify the important ideas in whatever subject I was teaching. We didn’t have state standards then, so I relied on the wisdom of the experts to break big topics (Ancient History, Simple Machines, Colonial Life, Force and … Read More
Although the Denver Christian Deeper Learning conference now seems like a fleeting memory in the rear-view mirror (February was eons ago), it is appropriate to recall with gratitude the blessings experienced as 375\+ educators gathered from all over the world for our 3rd annual Christian Deeper Learning conference! The opportunity for educators to gather for encouragement, learning, and networking (face-to-face!) … Read More
In these unprecedented times, it is more important than ever that we, as faculty, help students finish well. We can do that in three ways: engage students’ minds, maintain expectations, and communicate gratitude.
A friend recently shared this wonderful quote from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings:
Frodo: “I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.”
Gandalf: “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
So, how should we respond to times of crisis?
Whether teaching on-line or face-to-face, RAFTs is an engaging strategy that encourages writing across the curriculum and provides opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding in creative ways. The strategy invite students to assume a role, consider their audience, examine a topic from a relevant perspective, and write in a particular format.
Just as a pilot needs to consider the physics of lift and drag while flying a plane, school leaders have to consider how they can create lift while leading their institutions. This can be a challenge because it involves change and a willingness to evaluate the current state while also looking to the future…
As we find ourselves in one of the most challenging times in modern history, nearly all our professional focus is on ensuring continuity of student learning and school operations. But the present crisis also presents educators an opportunity for us to learn as well. If we’re not intentional, what opportunities to learn might we be sacrificing?
The spread of COVID-19 has caused the biggest disruption of the industry in decades. This has caused a lot of anxiety, frustration, and fear for educators. But how do we respond to and lead through such a disruption?
