Mrs. Cromer: Leading & Learning

Winter break gives many of us time to slow down, catch up, and recharge.  If you are like me, it also gives you time to read that ever-growing stack of books that you keep ordering!  While I probably should be cleaning, organizing, or engaging in other baby preparations, I can't resist perusing the pages of books that my PLN has recommended.  Seriously.  I am on my third book.  The Four O'Clock Faculty: A Rogue Guide to Revolutionizing Professional Developmen t by Rich Czyz has been on my wishlist for a few weeks.  So when it arrived, it naturally skipped to the front of the line as we are currently working on revamping our professional development structure for the coming year. The book did not disappoint with plenty of suggested activities you can implement tomorrow to supercharge your professional learning.  Unfortunately, we know there are schools and administrators out there who are not supportive of revolutionizing professional learning,...

The scene outside my window allowed me to finish a book today. It is a well-known fact that I am a huge fan of educator and author Todd Whitaker  ( @ToddWhitaker ).  Not a day goes by that I don't find myself using a tip or idea from one of his books.  One of the most-used books in my Todd Whitaker library is The 10 Minute Inservice , which he co-authored with Annette Breaux. So I was ecstatic to see that Whitaker and Breaux had teamed up to write another gem, Quick Answers for Busy Teachers: Solutions to 60 Common Challenges .   The book did not disappoint.  It was loaded with tips for dealing with students, adults, classroom management, instruction, and professionalism. In classic Whitaker style, it is straight-forward and easy to apply to current practice. Our school hired five new teachers this year and two more are teaching a new grade level for the first time.  I have marked several pages to share with these teachers, as well as those who ...

The extra hour of sleep over the weekend gave me just enough time to finish Eric Sheninger's book, Digital Leadership .   For me, the book affirmed by beliefs about technology use in education. I was inspired by the story of New Milford High School and encouraged by the struggles of other educational leaders that were highlighted in the book.  The book is a wonderful start for those educators who are not yet sold on the idea of digital leadership.  Eric does a great job of explaining the need for change in our schools while keeping the focus on sound pedagogy and student learning.   "It has nothing to do with devices and has everything to do with rethinking what our students need to prepare them for the rapidly changing real world behind school walls." - Sheninger The book is also jam-packed with resources to get you started or to further your efforts to become a digital leader.  I would highly recommend it to any educational leader and will b...

As a first year principal, I am always hungry to learn about new resources and strategies.  So when I heard that my favorite educational leader was publishing a new book, of course I pre-ordered a copy. www.tower.com The Secret Solution: How One Principal Discovered the Path to Success is a fictional tale that follows "Roger Rookie" through his first year as principal.  Along the way he encounters the typical school characters and undergoes several leadership transformations. The Secret Solution is an easy read and administrators are sure to identify with Rookie as he faces familiar issues with faculty, staff, and parents.  Although the struggles were simplified, the message was clear; the path to success is a mix of climate and accountability.  Oh, and the illustrations were a nice bonus. I would recommend this book to any current or aspiring administrator.  As a collector of Todd Whitaker books, it was nice to see his concepts put into practice, ev...