AWSP Blog

I summarized a classic book for you this month. Todd Whitaker recently updated his popular book from almost 25 years ago, What Great Principals Do Differently. Imagine if you were fortunate enough to be assigned the ideal principal mentor. This is a book that feels like a conversation with that mentor as he shares bite-sized pieces of advice from his time as a principal (and his research). The ideas are spot-on and you can implement them tomorrow. Oh, and he shares anecdotes to help you remember these tips, too. This book puts all those pieces of advice in one place — it compiles the 20 things that Whitaker has found separates the good from the great principals.s in education.

Having a sense of belonging in school does wonders for students. Research shows that it helps them both learn and grow. Unfortunately, many students feel disconnected and disengaged in school. Luckily, we don’t have to just hope that our students feel a sense of belonging in school. There is a lot we can do as educators to actively build it. This just might be the year to make BELONGING your school’s theme. To help, I’ve summarized a book that shows teachers how to build belonging in their classrooms.

Are we truly tapping into each student’s fullest potential? We know that every single student has potential for growth and achievement, but it’s not always so clear how to unleash that potential in schools. Adam Grant’s latest book, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things, has some great ideas for us. Adam is an organizational psychologist but I chose to summarize this book because his research and ideas have important implications for us in education. What does Grant suggest we do to bring out the best in students? He has a multi-level approach (and I love that each starts with an S!)