Salome Thomas-El

Too often educational leaders are caught in a “culture of nice,” finding it difficult to give teachers and staff the critical feedback needed to improve practice in schools. In this session, we identify the reasons why candor is so uncommon, and we learn to overcome the “candor cancellations” that plague school culture in too many systems across the country. The authors of Candid and Compassionate Feedback: Transforming Everyday Practice in Schools are joined by the inspiring Principle EL to deliver this engaging session on shifting the culture of schools toward that of compassion and resilience through faster and more accurate uses of feedback cycles. Any instructional leader who wants a stronger culture through the use of informal feedback to teachers, shared decision-making in PLCs, and more capacity among teacher leaders, will enjoy this fast-paced session with outcomes that you can use immediately in your school or district when you return back after the conference.

Participants will understand the misconceptions about candor and how it works to improve school-based practices faster than any other strategy.
Participants will reflect on the feedback they give to teachers and peers as well as the level of discourse in PLCs and for capacity building with teacher leaders.
Through the use of scenarios and role play, participants will come away equipped with stronger precision with the use of language for improved feedback.

It’s often misunderstood that equity issues in schools are all about equal access to quality programs for all students. While this is certainly true, it’s only the first step in the equation. Equity is not just about access, it’s about outcomes. For stronger outcomes, students need agency. Real equity only occurs when learning takes place in a culture that supports the “whole child” through meaningful, self-initiated choices. In this session, leaders will learn that passionate leadership requires a fundamental understanding of the problems we face in schools and a new approach to solving them. Participants will come away with both the inspiration to lead in new ways and the practical next steps to take for better student outcomes. The authors of Passionate Leadership: Creating a Culture of Success in Every School will facilitate this session, and you’ll feel the energy and enthusiasm before you even enter the room.

Participants will come away with a model for building trust in the classroom for stronger student-teacher relationships.
Participants will learn about and develop questions to help understand students’ dispositions around learning and school to facilitate deeper connections in the classroom.