Just for the ASKing! is a monthly e-newsletter that addresses the needs of all those who strive to be instructional leaders. Authored by Just ASK Senior Consultant, Bruce Oliver, each issue provides information that can provide immediate food for thought and serve as a resource in promoting professional learning in faculty meetings, collaborative teams, and coaching and supervisory sessions. The over 150 issues available in the library are organized into focus areas that are on your mind right now. Feel free to reproduce this e-newsletter for non-commercial use.
Bruce Oliver, the author of Just for the ASKing!, lives in Fairfax County, Virginia, where he was a teacher, a professional developer, and a highly acclaimed 16-year middle school principal. He is also the author of Points to Ponder and a co-author of Creating a Culture for Learning: Your Guide to PLCs and More. In addition to his publications, Bruce has led workshops in several states including Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin and made presentations at multiple state and national conferences.
Meeting the Diverse Needs of Teachers
In this issue Bruce writes, “One of Just ASK’s most popular books (and corresponding workshop series) is Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners. Author Paula Rutherford provides an extensive analysis of how to address the learning requirements of all children, no matter their readiness levels. As I was recently paging through that book, I had an aha moment: Not only is it important to support the learning needs of each student, it is equally advantageous for leaders to address the individual needs of the teaching staff.
All principals want to have the best school possible. They go to great lengths to hire the most qualified candidates. Then the real work begins. It is incumbent upon all leaders to look across their faculty as a whole and consider how each individual functions on a day-to-day basis to provide the best learning experience possible for the young people they teach. The question about teacher diverse needs then becomes:
What are some important considerations that an exceptional leader should take into account in order to have a positive and productive?”
As you read the nine suggestions provided in this issue, ask yourself what suggestion you would add to make this a “Top Ten List of Ways to Meet the Diverse Needs of Teachers?”
Be sure to read this thought provoking issue and then take action.
Just ASK Opening of School Checklist
The Just ASK Opening of School Checklist is by far the most popular issue of Just for the ASKing! This annual issue enumerates the actions that need to happen before students arrive for the first day of school and for the first weeks of school. Download and print this checklist to keep track of task completion.
Just ASK Closing of School Checklist
This annual checklist builds on the extraordinary popularity of our Opening of School Checklist. It provides a list of tasks that can help you end the school year on a positive note.
2021 Special Edition Closing of School – Where Do We Go from Here?
Just for the ASKing! Issues are filed in these Areas of Focus:
Instructional Leadership
Creating a Culture for Learning
Best Practice in Instruction
Making Assessment a Learning Experience
Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners
Thought-Provoking/Motivational
