Emotional intelligence skills can help any school leader become more effective, better serving their school and community.
In this article, ASCD author Ignacio Lopez explores some key EI skills and discusses why they are so vital. This may be one of the most important articles you’ll read this year!
Note: The information Lopez provides can also be useful for teacher leaders, too.
The phrase “it’s lonely at the top” is especially apt in educational leadership. Serving as a principal can be a very isolating job, and the resulting pressure plays a huge role in the increasing number of people who leave the profession each year.*
But a network of support built on professional connections is one way to offset this problem. This article attempts to reframe the concept of “individualistic, isolated leadership” and replace it with a new “Communal Leadership” model.
Connecting with others may be just the bridge you need to embark on a more effective leadership path and to create a space where you can thrive.
Book bans are increasingly common in many states across the country. Texas and Florida are among the leaders in this movement. Idaho, Iowa, and Tennessee have all seen bills that seek to criminalize educators and librarians for sharing books some consider offensive (Harris, 2022; Hytrek, 2022; Jones, 2022).
Arkansas joined this group in March of 2023 with ACT 372. It allows anyone (regardless of whether they have children in school) to “challenge the appropriateness” of any book. However, like many such laws, it does not specify the criteria for determining if a book is appropriate or obscene. And since sections 1 and 5 of the Act expose school employees to criminal penalties (including up to a year in jail), it has created a lot of confusion and anxiety among the state’s educators.
This ASCD article addresses this emerging challenge and offers five guidelines for dealing with book bans. As the authors point out, “banning certain books will not keep students from understanding the relevance of race, gender, and sexuality in society,” and in an increasing heterogeneous society, educational leaders must “support the critical engagement of knowledge through all forms of identities, lived experiences, expressions, and contributions.”
References:
Harris, G. (2022, March 2). Tennessee Republicans back bill to criminally charge educators, ban books with alleged ‘obscene materials.’ Tennessee Politics.
Hytrek, N. (2022, February 4). GOP legislators target librarians for prosecution, fines under new bill. Iowa Starting Line.
Jones, B. (2022, March 7). House backs criminal charges for educators, librarians who disseminate ‘harmful materials’ to children. Idaho Ed News.
Every school administrator must be prepared to respond to a crisis. We deal extensively with this topic in EDLD 6352 … but here are some additional resources that might prove helpful (see below).
ASCD compiled this list in the wake of the horrendous school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. It may prove helpful should your community experience such an unthinkable tragedy. However, many of these resources would also be useful for dealing with other crises (like tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes), or even student deaths due to suicide or accidents.
Supporting Educators to Rise Stronger After a Traumatic Event: Administrators must be ready to reprioritize and address the effects of loss, grief, and change that educators experience.
Guiding Students and Families Through Grief: How can school staff help students process deep emotional stress and send them on the path of restoration and healing?
For School Leaders, a Time of Vigilance and Caring: A recent survey shows that gun violence has become one of principals’ biggest concerns. But are we taking the right steps to ensure schools are safe?
How Schools Should Really Talk About Safety: Moving beyond gut reactions to tragedies toward a more comprehensive approach for safeguarding students.
Why Social Bonding Is a School-Safety Priority: In enhancing school security, school leaders should not overlook the importance of connection.
Can SEL Reduce School Violence?: A researcher says teaching empathy, problem solving, and self-control could lead to safer schools.
WEBINAR: Equipping Educators with Effective Violence Prevention and Crisis Response Strategies: School safety concerns have tragically been thrust to the forefront of a national discussion, but too much of the talk has been at schools and educators rather than with them.
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