Successfully Leading a School in a Culture of Change

I have had the pleasure of meeting with hundreds of Christian school administrators this year at conferences and on their campuses. Our conversations often lead to a discussion of their biggest challenges, and I sometimes share the following advice on how to make positive changes. We live in an era of exponential change, and with every change comes an element of friction. Christian schools need strong leaders to meet changing expectations, manage new technologies, and confront elements of culture that conflict with a biblical worldview education (all within a finite budget). It is not hard to convince leaders of these …

Newspapers and Education

The following quote from Warren Buffet about the newspaper business reminded me of my childhood: “If Mr. Guttenberg had come up with the internet instead of movable type back in the late 15th century and for 400 years we had used the internet for news and all types of entertainment and all kinds of everything else and I came along one day and said I have got this wonderful idea. We are going to chop down some trees up in Canada and ship them to a paper mill which will cost us a fortune to run through and deliver newsprint and then we’ll ship that down …

Summer Reading

2018 Summer Reading for Christian School Leaders

Summer was a busy time when I was a school leader, yet my schedule was more my own. I encourage you to schedule time away from the office for reading, prayer and reflection. Here are some reading ideas, but you may also, like I did, have a stack beside your desk or a folder within Outlook to read!

What Lessons can a Christian School Learn from J.C. Penney?

The comparison of a retailer and an educational institution may seem a bit strange. However, they have a lot in common, and there are some clear corollaries that can be instructive when considering the challenges and changes facing both sectors.

Overcoming the #1 Challenge for Online Students

Most students still learn using a method that has existed in our schools for over 100 years. In a typical classroom setting, students sit at desks in rows and the teacher “teaches” from the front of the room. The typical student has been trained since childhood for someone to give them information and take notes or listen. While the traditional classroom is adept at preparing students for industrial and knowledge-based jobs, it has not kept pace with preparing students for today’s economy that employs a greater share of workers in service and innovation-based economies.