Those who say they lead from evidence over beliefs… do we not seek evidence to support our beliefs especially if we are not working consciously to seek out differing voices?

I got to spend my day in schools. These are some of the best days. And sometimes I get to leave a school with a tiny trinket that reminds me of the work our staff did to make magic for kids. ♥️

The best thing about teaching is that I have so many people who have shared their dreams for their future with me. And I get to cheer them on as they make them a reality. A former student who has been curling since grade school just competed in the Brier and my heart is so filled with his joy ♥️

Back to school season is in full swing here!

Our society has prioritized productivity and efficiency over learning for a century now, so when Altman et al say AI is a "PhD in your pocket," they don't mean "smarter" as much as "cheaper" and "faster" 2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.com/education-an...

Education and the New Cult of Efficiency

Raymond Callahan's 1962 book Education and the Cult of Efficiency remains a classic study of public education in the US, chronicling how in the early twentieth century schools' goals became business g...

2ndbreakfast.audreywatters.com

Back to the office tomorrow so back to a slow intentional Sunday filled with walks, baking, and self care rituals to prep for the week ahead.

Ended the conference with the best seat in the house 🤣

Without the leaders doing the work and building the networks of support you cannot just plunk a program into a classroom and expect results.

What is your be thing you could let go to make more room in your schedule to spend more time in classrooms?

Knowing what great instruction looks like and having a deep understanding of what instruction looks like in each classroom in your school is a first expectation of instructional leadership

Give teachers permission to linger in spaces of learning.

Active and consistent student partnership in assessment is an indicator of an effective system. How do we engage authentic student voice our classrooms?

How do we engage folks in data analysis they have influence over? Thanks for the thought provoking morning @katiewhite426.bsky.social

Wrapped up another round of learning walks with my schools today. ♥️

As soon as you attempt to standard the human condition (be it in education, health, etc) you inherently create bias. You cannot create a “standardized assessment “ that is unbiased. To standardize is to bias

There is a delicate tightrope walk school principals must master one side being the expectations of their staff and school community the other being the nonnegotiable of their division and government. Finding that path through both is a true skill.

Another day spent in schools. I got to help out in a math class and chat with a couple of my fave high school kids. And I got to see this beautiful art ♥️

I had 2 interactions with principals I support today where they thanked me and made sure I knew how respected I am in their group of principal friends. Working in schools these days is hard. I’m so thankful to be able to be a soft place or land for the leaders of these spaces.

My parents forced me to take French classes from grade 4-12. I learned about Carnaval Des Quebec in these classes and finally got a photo with Bonhomme! Junior high life goals complete.

Feeling full moonish out there.

My school division hosts seasonal pipe ceremonies in our schools. I appreciate these days for time to slow down our thoughts & sit in circle together, for our elders who share their knowledge and lift their pipe, for the feeling of connection to staff, our communities & students. #reconciliation

The thing I’ve learned to do this school year so far is slow down Sunday. Where we slowed down Sunday. Slow morning, slow walk, homemade slow cooked Sunday meal. Slow down. Breath deep. Reenergize.

The skills and strategies for creating conditions for student success look different depending on the mindset of the room. Conditions for conformity and control look different than the conditions for creating a community of learners.

Success and competition are not at all the same thing. -Alfie Kohn. Just a little reminder being “successful” and “winning” aren’t mutually exclusive.