EdLeader

EdLeader Podcast host Dr. Rob Jackson might just be a closet bibliophile, someone who has a great love of books. Occasionally he enjoys returning to touchstone texts or timeless tomes, those books that shaped him early in his career and life and bringing them forward, spending time again with the words, thoughts, and reflections that moved him then and move him still. This latest episode is just t...

Military-connected students and families transition on average 6-9 times in a military child's academic career. Schools should thoughtfully consider how to provide every flexibility possible to ensure that military-connected students have a smooth transition when they arrive and that their unique needs are met while they are with us. Dr. Angie Mullenix is the Director of Innovative Practices...

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the m...

When students graduate from our schools and school systems, where do they go? We hope that they are enrolled, enlisted, or employed. We hope that we have helped them accomplish their dreams and reach their goals. Today’s guest on the EdLeader podcast is focused on meeting students where they are and taking them as far as they want to go. Dr. Jeff Cox became the 11th President of the North Carolina...

Leaders tend to dive into the work and forget about themselves. Later, they find themselves feeling drained, frustrated, and tired. You have heard the clarion calls to prioritize your own self-care.  We have also heard that self-care is not selfish. Though important aspects, self-care is more than just exercise and eating well. It is also prioritizing your own growth, continuous learning, building...

In a world that tips towards negativity and defeatism, EdLeaders have the opportunity to brighten life and sew positivity through Bringing Joy into the schoolhouse and into the lives of students and staff every day.  Donna L. Bledsoe, principal of Cedar Ridge Elementary School in Surry County, NC was selected as the 2023 North Carolina State Principal of the Year. She encourages every EdLeader to...

Stephen M. R. Covey is the author of Wall Street Journal #1 Bestseller, Trust and Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others.   Joining Dr. Jackson for a truly inspirational conversation, Covey believes that even though our world has changed drastically, our leadership style has not. Most organizations, teams, schools, and families today still operate from a model of “Command and...

Previous episodes in the Science of Reading series have focused on the strands of fluency, background knowledge, sight word recognition, verbal reasoning, literacy knowledge, decoding, and language structures. With this episode, we continue deconstructing the reading rope. Today, Dr. Jackson pulls out the strand of phonological awareness. His guest host for this episode is ChatGPT. ChatGPT is an A...

In education, I am surrounded by incredibly caring people who want to make a difference. For years, as an ice breaker in a meeting, an introduction in a presentation, or in an interview question, I have asked the question, ‘Why do you want to be a teacher, a counselor, a principal, a superintendent, or an educator?’ For years, the universal answer has been and is, “I want to make a difference!” As...

Welcome to the 2023 - 2024 school year! It is hard for me to believe that this school year marks the EdLeader podcast’s fifth school year seeking to add value to the work and professional and personal lives of EdLeaders. Recently I was humbled when the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction selected the EdLeader podcast as a Promising Practice in the state and added it to their collection...

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the m...

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the m...

Join Dr. Jackson as he seeks to apply his one-word to his personal and professional life through reflecting through the lens of a seminal book in the field of education. New Year's Resolutions have been around for a while. Over 4,000 years in fact. According to History.com , the Babylonians were the first to make resolutions as they planted their crops, launching a new year.  I have no idea h...

The pathway to the principalship is paved with passion, purpose, planning, and practice. Dr. Carrie Tulbert, 2014 North Carolina State Principal of the Year, joins Dr. Jackson to share her journey to the principalship, how she supports Assistant Principals in their professional growth, and strategies for Principals in supporting their teammates in their own leadership journeys. Dr. Carrie Tulbert...

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the m...

Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut describes leadership this way, “Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It's about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter. It is about laying the groundwork for others' success, and then standing back and letting them s...

MTSS, or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, is a framework for school improvement. From selecting materials to planning instructional activities to improving core instruction, to considering interventions for groups and individual students, MTSS guides teachers and administrators to focus clearly on process improvement and effective practices.  Dr. Tanya Turner serves as the Superintendent of the Pe...

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the m...

The Science of Reading is undergirded by theories of how students learn to read and comprehend text. The theory most often cited is Scarborough's Reading Rope as conceived by Dr. Hollis S. Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough believed that the elements of Word Recognition and the elements of Language Comprehension all weave together into the rope of Reading Comprehension. Just like a true rope, the m...

This latest episode in The Science of Reading series focuses on background knowledge, a crucial strand of Language Comprehension.  Once a reader has decoded the print into words, reading comprehension requires inferences that are built on background knowledge and not necessarily explicitly stated in the text. As the writers at BrainTrust define it, “Background knowledge is everything a child alrea...

Recently as Dr. Rob Jackson dove headfirst into attempting to understand The Science of Reading , he found himself immersed in The Reading Wars with Whole Language or Balanced Literacy on one side and The Science of Reading on the other.  As he researched the divide between the two, he encountered a side skirmish and made himself a note to come back to it. Lost in the vitriol over phonics instruct...

As an elementary teacher, elementary principal, and as a Superintendent, EdLeader podcast host Dr. Rob Jackson has watched the battle lines drawn and the theories, best practices, and curriculum shaming hurled back and forth in the "Reading Wars." Equating a war with the debate over the best way to teach children to read seems a bit excessive, but a quick glance over the blogs spewing na...

In this final episode of the EdLeader special series "Leadership Lessons from the GOAT," LockedOn Blue Devils host and lifelong fan, JJ Jackson, joins his Dad one more time to wrap a special season and a special book, "Leading With the Heart" by the GOAT, Coach Mike Krzyzewski. After a recap of the season's final game, JJ and Dr. Jackson share a special story from courtsid...

In Part 2 of an incredible conversation with Stephanie Harvey and Annie Ward, co-authors of From Striving to Thriving and Intervention Reinvention, the rubber hits the road as Stephanie and Annie bring the research alive and give practical advice for making a difference for students . In the conversation in Part 1, they defined “reading volume” and discussed “tabling the labels” that become self-f...

EdLeaders are instructional leaders who are charged with making decisions daily about the teaching and learning taking place in classrooms, schools, and school districts. "Children learn to read by reading and need access to books they want to read; time to read; and loving, knowledgeable teachers who trust them as powerful learners and know how to build on their strengths. An affirming appro...