Who leads your teaching/learning? 

In education, I am a big fan of leading each other which is also known as distributive leadership. 

In the classroom, I typically let students lead me. I want to hear their ideas about how our classroom community can be better and the ways in which I may serve them well. I want to readily respond to their questions, comments, and big ideas. I want to be their cheerleader, coach, mentor, partner, and yes, friend, in learning. I am there for them, and I let my students lead me. I also work to lead my students too. Leadership is shared in the classroom. 

Similarly I expect that my colleagues, administrators, family members, and citizens will lead me too. They will likely have a lot to say about what I do this year and how I do it. I'll be listening to their leadership since I know they bring to school so many areas of expertise, more than any one person can represent. I hope to lead as well by sharing ideas, modeling teaching strategies, and working collaboratively to develop programs and improve craft.

I believe shared leadership invites the best of what we can do in schools and also leads our students to similarly collaborate and share with us, their teachers/leaders, and each other. This prepares our students well for the world of the future--a world that will depend on inspired, effective, and targeted collaboration and distributive leadership. 

The strategic use of time supports good teaching? 

How is time used where you teach and learn? 

Who has ample time for planning and collaboration, and who has insufficient time in that regard? 

Does the use of time match professional expectations? 

To better efforts, is it advantageous to audit the use of time in school systems? 

How would you describe your most challenged learners? What creates the challenge? 

I would describe my most challenged learners as those who are unable to learn successfully in the school setting. These are the students that don't make steady gains, demonstrate interest or investment, and who disrupt the overall classroom program. 

These students come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. There is not a one size fits all descriptor of these students as each of them is quite different from the other. 

There is much we can do to teach these students well, and it's important to think about what it takes prior to the start of the school year so you are ready. 

Orientation

Turning students' first names into number values is a terrifc way to build team, assess math attitudes and knowledge, and have fun early in the math year.

First, set up a computer so students can photograph themselves and print a picture of their face. 

Next, give each student a print out of a T-shirt.

After that ask students to determine the value of their name in the following way:

If A = 1, B =2 . . .X= 26, figure out the value of each letter of your name.

Once the school year starts, there's hardly a moment to breathe. The pace of school life, particularly at the early-childhood and elementary levels, is marked by significant time-on-task with large numbers of children and tremendous responsibility for coaching, leading, and responding to students', families', and system-wide needs, expectations, questions, and requirements.

Summer gives you the time to strategize for the year ahead, and as you strategize, it's good to think about the new and existing initiatives, opportunities, and expectations that exist. In the best of circumstances, I think it serves educators well to stay ahead of these new efforts and endeavors so that you don't have to back track, do it over, or repeat work. Plus, to plan with the future in mind means that you're ready for this new work.

To break down this strategizing, I recommend the following actions:

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