“It’s unnatural and even unhealthy to never experience stress. Stress can give us a positive push. It can tell us about ourselves and our surroundings. We experience stress when we are challenged—and overcoming challenges can be some of the greatest moments in our lives.” — p.11 You would be interested in this book if… (1)…
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Book Review: Free Agent Learning by Julie A. Evans Why Student Agency Should Reshape the Way We Structure School “School is no longer the sole repository of knowledge. Students increasingly have the agency and the means to adopt new self-directed, interest-driven behaviours outside of school.”— Julie A. Evans, p.1 “The voyage of discovery is not…
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Thanks to Jason Rogers, my podcast-partner-in-learning, for recommending this book to me after listening to Claude Silver at a conference. This book is about her life and coming into how to lead herself and herself with others. If you’ve been following the “Leadership Lab”, part of the Cohort 21 community with @jmedved, @tfaucher and @gvogt,…
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Forward, Together: Vulnerable Leadership in Contentious Times “Do not judge people for not being where you are today. You weren’t there yesterday.” There are books we read to learn, and books we return to again and again to be reminded of what matters. Forward, Together by George Couros is both. Full of hard-won wisdom, vulnerable…
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Let’s start the year off with “Joy” and the pursuit of Joy in our lives. Happiness is a more temporary, externally triggered feeling of pleasure, while joy is a deeper, more lasting state of internal contentment. Happiness is often a response to specific events or circumstances, such as getting a new job, while joy stems…
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As we head into the winter holidays, I am excited to share with you a book I read back in the Fall, and one that was recommended this book by a friend and former colleague, Vanessa Wade. She is responsible for discipline at her current school, and is currently pursuing an Ed Diploma in Ethical…
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In the epic tale, Jason lashed himself to the mast of his ship, commanded his crew of Argonauts to put wax in their ears, all to avoid crashing upon the rocks of the Sirens. But why didn’t Circe recommend wax in his own ears? Why was he yelling at his crew to change course? How…
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Hidden Potential by Adam Grant How Rethinking Growth Can Transform Our Classrooms, Our Teams, and Ourselves “The true measure of potential is not how high you reach but how far you came to get there.”— Adam Grant, Hidden Potential As an educator and school leader, I’ve long been preoccupied with the question of how we…
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“When kids feel that their worth is contingent on their performance … they feel they only matter … if they are successful.” ~Jennifer Breheny Wallace I picked up Never Enough on the recommendation from a few educators. I expected it to be non-surprising and “preaching to the choir”; however, as I turned the pages, I…
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Book Review: First, Break All the Rules by Gallup The Manager’s Role in Unlocking Human Potential “Great managers don’t believe that people can become anything they want to be. They believe that people can become more of who they already are.”— Gallup Organization There are books that reaffirm what you already believe. There are books…
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