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Last week, I was fortunate enough to visit Ron Clark Academy (RCA) in Atlanta for the 4th time,  and each visit reinforces what makes this school exceptional. After visiting, many would think that it’s the vibrant almost Disneyworld-esque campus that makes the magic happen. Some would argue that it’s the eager parents, praying their children […]

Imagine a captain steering a ship without understanding the wind, tides, or the stars to guide them. They might keep the ship afloat and the crew busy, but they wouldn’t navigate it to the desired destination. The ship is simply drifting in whatever currents it wanders into. Without a solid understanding of what learning is

It’s a new year, and like many of us, you might be thinking about how to make this one better than the last. Here’s the hard truth: if we want something to change in our classrooms, we can’t just wish it into existence. We need actionable steps, backed by research and rooted in practice. For

For years, we’ve been chasing learner engagement like it’s some elusive treasure—something that will magically appear if we just give the right pep talk or create a fun activity. But here’s the truth: engagement isn’t something we wait to happen. It’s something we must intentionally design for. When we talk about learner engagement, we’re really

I sat at a red light the other day, and my mind wandered as it tends to do in these moments of waiting. Looking around, I watched all that surrounded me at some random stop light on a typical city street on a day just like any other. Cars rolling by, buildings on either side

The new school year is here. School leaders, you are tasked with creating an environment that fosters growth, collaboration, and success for both staff and students. Effective leadership goes beyond mandates and directives; it requires a deep connection with those you lead. How do we, as school leaders, prioritize meaningful interactions and build strong relationships

Curiosity, far from being merely an intrinsic trait, is the cornerstone of effective learning-a dynamic force that can transform conventional classrooms into vibrant spaces of discovery and deep understanding. With an effect size of 0.74 or almost 2 years’ learning, curiosity can be a way we can get our kids on the hook while also

The constant pursuit of achievement in schools often puts educators under immense pressure. We go to great lengths—teaching, assessing, analyzing data, adjusting instruction, and providing interventions—to secure the desired gains from our students. The celebrations when it happens are euphoric, but the defeats when it doesn’t are disheartening. Amidst pandemic impacts, home support challenges, and

You have a mess right now in your school or district. It might be a small one, a tiny corner area of a school that needs attention. It might be a huge one, an overarching need that needs a massive effort to overhaul. The kind of mess I’m referring to is not one to be

The longer I find myself in education, visiting classrooms, working with schools and learning from other educators, I keep coming back to one word that may help us all turn things around: intentional. I think we say we are being intentional, and at the beginning of an initiative we might be. But, if we are