Cain's Corner

Trust  Mr. Webster's definition of "Trust" -  1. a: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. b: one in which confidence is placed 2. a: dependence on something future or contingent. b: reliance on future payment for property (such as merchandise) delivered Most school culture surveys include a question or questions about trust. Trust is the foundation of leadership. The foundation of any relationship is trust. Any healthy organization or relationship must be built on trust. Developing trust is like constructing a house. It takes time, and it must be done piece by piece. As with a building, it's much easier to tear down trust than it is to build it up.  School improvement begins by creating relationships. These relationships help us determine what is relevant to the learner. Relevance helps us achieve academic rigor with our learners.  Megan Tschannen-Moran (2014, pp., ix-x) said "there is...

Professional Learning for Personal Development             Recently I finished reading "4 O'Clock Faculty" by Rich Czyz . I highly recommend the book as it provides ways to make professional learning meaningful, engaging, and personally relevant. If we want to change the way students learn, we must change the way adults learn.  Effective  school leaders understand the needs of their teachers as learners. For me, a starting point in differentiated professional development and understanding the needs of teachers draws from Michael Huberman’s “The Lives of Teachers”. Relying on concepts of developmental psychology, Huberman (1993) indicated that teachers travel through several different stages. Career Stages and Development Needs Stage Name Years in Field (approximation) Developmental Theory and Needs 1 Preservice 0 Training and preparing for the profession. 2 Induction...

"Behavior Support" The end of the school year brings a lot of uncertainty for many of our students. For 10 months school has been a place of safety, certainty, warmth, care, and predictability. Danny Steele @steelethoughts tweeted recently about the need for "an awareness of the stress students are dealing with" can help put things into perspective. As we end this school year, having that perspective and a desire to support all students to and through the final bell is paramount. I've heard a school year compared to the 160 game Major League Baseball Season. Others have referred to a school year as a marathon and the finish line now being in sight. However you look at it, it's important that we stay consistent in our expectations, consistent in our routines, consistent in our own behavior, and consistent with our love for kids. This time of year is not easy for many of our students. We must keep that in perspective as we support all students over the next...