Cathy Gassenheimer's Blog (2)

I just returned from the Leadership Alabama Education retreat. It was held in Mobile and began on Thursday afternoon. It concluded today (Saturday at noon). The highlight of the retreat for many was the visit to George Hall Elementary School. George Hall's students come from generational poverty. But, that doesn't hold them back. In fact, the vast majority of George Hall students are performing academically at the highest levels. According to Jim Williams, Executive Director of the Public… Continue

As I have been preparing for Tuesday's Secondary Quarterly Meeting, I've been doing a lot of reading. I've attached an article by Mike Schmoker that I commend to you. Schmoker is a passionate advocate for effective teachers and effective teaching.



In his book, Results Now, he argues that in most schools and districts a "buffer" exists which works against innovation and improvement.



"…school culture and supervision tend to ignore or divert teachers from implementing and… Continue