My time outside gives me much opportunity to think and reflect. As a former educator, a few ideas come to mind. The first relates to the eighth identified intelligence – naturalist intelligence — from Howard Gardener’s famous list. In its most literal terms, a naturalist is someone who shows expertise in the recognition and classification of plants and animals. From an educational vantage point, it describes a child who possesses naturalist inclinations while sharing many traits of kinesthetic learners. These children flourish from being able to touch, feel, hold and try practical hands-on experiences, but generally prefer to do so outdoors, surrounded by nature and animals.

Lessons from My School Leadership Mastermind

When I launched my School Leadership Mastermind for school principals and administrators back in June, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It was my first time running a mastermind group of any kind and, while I had participated in and gained from other masterminds, running my own would be a totally different experience. Particularly in the throes of a COVID pandemic that had put school leaders back on their heels for months.

Educational leadership in the age of online learning

As remote-work orders stretch into another month, new concerns about its long term-feasibility are being raised. Fatigue is one salient issue, but many are more concerned that continuous growth and development will stagnate in a world that lacks in-person contact.

The education industry in particular is among the most affected here in the United States, and questions about meaningful development are top of mind for teachers and educational leaders alike. How can remote learning practices be improved before students return to school? Is it still possible to improve practice as an educator while working from home?

4 Learning Lessons from the Garden

My time outside gives me much opportunity to think and reflect. As a former educator, a few ideas come to mind. The first relates to the eighth identified intelligence – naturalist intelligence — from Howard Gardener’s famous list. In its most literal terms, a naturalist is someone who shows expertise in the recognition and classification of plants and animals. From an educational vantage point, it describes a child who possesses naturalist inclinations while sharing many traits of kinesthetic learners. These children flourish from being able to touch, feel, hold and try practical hands-on experiences, but generally prefer to do so outdoors, surrounded by nature and animals.

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