TregoED Blog

Back in the day, as union president, I had a few people come to me saying that the principal’s observations were not valid because he/she did not understand the content, for example, in a foreign language classroom. The principal’s response? “Good teaching is good teaching.” It is with that perspective that I started watching some Read the full article…

It’s hard to argue with the abstract value of building more capable leaders, isn’t it? But what do we want our leaders to be able to do better – and why? Leadership development can help our leaders become more effective and efficient- but how? What does effective leadership look like? Effective leadership is not an Read the full article…

We often ask the children in our classrooms to step out of their comfort zones to learn and grow.  It is not easy – working hard to understand, asking questions, asking for help, getting feedback.  All of it can be a bit uncomfortable.  Leaders that want to learn and grow need to be able to Read the full article…

We may tell others there are no such things as stupid mistakes, but in our hearts, we know we ourselves sometimes make mistakes that qualify: e.g., sending an email to the wrong person, losing something important, making a simple but significant calculation error. As a leader, “stupid” mistakes can sometimes be compounded or magnified – Read the full article…

Nowhere in education is the effect of high turnover and staff shortages more acutely felt than in special education.  As states and local districts struggle to build incentives to lure educators into the realm of special education, it has become apparent that it is just as important to build the teachers and leaders that districts Read the full article…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  What better time to reboot, revisit, revise, reflect, restructure, re-imagine, reinforce, and re-ignite your staff in preparation for a new year and a fresh start? Making a few simple questions a part of your day to day practice can help you ignite a culture of trust and Read the full article…

BBT Award Winners: “No Magic Bullets when faced with Achievement Issues”

“Without the ability to think critically and independently, citizens are easy prey to dogmatists, flimflam artists, and purveyors of simple solutions to complex problems” (American Association for the Advancement of Science, Project 2061) We all dream of the “magic bullet” – a solution that is concrete, easily understood, easy to implement, and 100% effective.  We Read the full article…

There is no doubt that education leaders are paying more attention to “culture.”  Improving, changing, building, and driving school culture has become a much talked about subject – just take a look at some of the hashtags created around the topic #schoolculture, #edculture, etc.  But what exactly are you driving and building?  Culture reflects the Read the full article…

As schools strive for continuous improvement on key academic goals and to meet ESSA standards, attendance surfaces as an issue that may seem to be an easy fix at first glance.  However, it is the “the scope of attendance problems that schools encounter and the depth and diversity of student needs” that make solving the Read the full article…

Sometimes one simple question can pack a lot of punch.  “What do you think?” is that kind of question.  Do you ask it of others?  Maybe you ask it regularly – or maybe you don’t ask it all because you think you need to have all the answers.  Maybe you ask it of a range Read the full article…