This is my leadership and learning spin on a popular post (here and here). Volume One can be found here.

Things I’m Loving Right Now:

• Protocols:  I have been using pre-made and self-developed protocols for looking at student work, designing learning tasks, and discussing professional readings with colleagues lately. While protocols can feel stiff and impersonal, with the right introduction and support, they actually provide an important structure in which productive, professional, collaborative work can take place. Resources for protocols I’ve used include: National School Reform Faculty website, The Art of Coaching by Elena Aguilar, The Power of Protocols by McDonald, Mohr, Dichter, and McDonald, and Tools for Leaders by Marjorie Larner.

• Intelligent, hard-working colleagues:  I work with some amazing people! We worked hard to design a collaborative, transparent Common Core implementation plan. While the work is not easy, it is so worthwhile to see how far we’ve come and to celebrate our successes. In spite of the struggles happening across the country due to (in my opinion) poor, weak, or disorganized implementations, we know that our system is learning what alignment looks and sounds like each and every day.

• Reading to students: This week I participated in Read Across America at one of our schools by reading to two classes of students. It is so nice to stop and read, for pure pleasure, with students. The looks of joy and amusement on their faces make all the hard work and stress worthwhile. Because really, why are we here if not for our students?

• Slice of Life blogs: I had never heard of the Slice of Life blog challenge until about a month ago. When I stumbled upon it, I spent about 4 seconds considering if I could make the time to participate, but I was wise enough to convince myself that my dissertation writing was what needed to take priority at this time. Nonetheless, I am enjoying how many of the bloggers I follow regularly are participating in the challenge this month. You can see some recent posts by some bloggers I admire here, here and here.

What are you loving right now?

What is rocking your learning and leading worlds?