Today's school administrators and counselors recognize the continuing problem of aggression at recess, but struggle with how to respond to it. Given the wide range of possibilities, what can schools do to improve the playground environment? This article addresses that question and also offers a specific disciplinary model that can be applied to…

One of the most important aspects of a healthy school--and one that, unfortunately, often falls by the wayside--is indoor air quality. The U.S. Government Accountability Office estimates that more than 15,000 schools nationwide report suffering from poor indoor air quality. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, schools with poor…

A dramatic shift is sweeping through the schools. Third graders texting on their cell phones. Kindergarteners who can navigate an iPod Touch better than educators can. Middle schoolers who already have an Internet following on their blog or YouTube channel. These are not the same 21st century learners people came to know over the first decade of…

Evaluating an unsatisfactory teacher is mentally and physically exhausting and might take months or even years to resolve. Commonly, the principal handling the unsatisfactory teacher evaluation will have his or her professional and personal conduct scrutinized. For that reason, principals must maintain professional boundaries by avoiding social…

Too often, intervention occurs late, is fragmented, and is not supported by the system as a whole. Using traditional intervention structures, struggling students and the educators who support them are unlikely to achieve long-term success. What results is a precarious outcome--"can't do" students become "won't do" students. By…

This article features Doing What Works (DWW), the largest, most comprehensive, and most insightful repository of effective, research-based instructional practices and other resources currently available to educators. It is a principal's free ticket to accessing an abundance of research-based best practices and school improvement. DWW covers a wide…

Full implementation of the Common Core State Standards for mathematics is still a few years away for many states. But district and school leaders are faced with many decisions now--from curriculum adoption to teacher professional development--that will influence the long-term effectiveness of this bold initiative. School leaders have a significant…

"Surprise! Here come the preschoolers." Thousands of elementary principals are receiving a similar message from their supervisors as the concept of universal preschool is propelled to the forefront of the national education agenda. School districts across the country are being infused with wide varieties of federal- and state-funded…

Understanding the rapid and episodic learning and development of young children is a complex undertaking. In the early years, each child experiences the most dramatic developmental and learning period in his or her lifetime. In addition, there is marked variability among children in the rate and pattern of typical development. Motor,…

Much has been written during the past decade about the changing role of the principal and the shift in emphasis from manager to instructional leader. Anyone in education, and especially principals themselves, could develop a mental list of responsibilities that fit within each of these realms. But research makes it clear that both those aspects of…

As evidenced by countless studies, time spent engaging in the arts has lasting effects on children of all ages, not only instilling in them a sense of creativity and innovation, but also providing them the skills needed to compete in a global economy. In May 2011, the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities released "Reinvesting in…

While the four C's--critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication--will naturally fit into a school's existing curriculum, changing the school culture to emphasize these skills takes time and planning. The good news is that school leaders can get started in just a few minutes. In this article, the author presents practical steps…

Creating a healthier school in today's world of budget cuts and seemingly endless to-do lists is not only possible, but it is also imperative. Beyond the health implications, one of the most compelling reasons for creating healthier schools is that wellness serves as a power booster for learning. Numerous studies have documented what educators…

Many schools are in some stage of implementing differentiated instruction, with some already in what Carol Tomlinson describes in "The Differentiated School" as "second order change," where the entire school practices differentiation. In high-performing schools, differentiation has proved to be an effective instructional strategy; in classroom…

For years, professional journals have published articles that communicate the importance of high-quality arts education programs. This article talks about how educators can use quality arts programs to contribute to the intellectual, physical, and emotional well-being of learners. The author also discusses what principals can do to advance arts…