Teacher Evaluation Criteria

Toxic management behaviors can destroy all good initiatives. Avoid these seven and replace them by seven Healthy Management Habits. You’ve probably experienced it—or done it, and often more than once: toxic management behavior. It destroys all good initiatives, kills motivation and engagement, and can lead organizations to the edge of the cliff… or beyond. To recognize toxic management behavior, this list of seven types by Jakob Bovin is a useful tool. It describes seven of the most toxic management behaviors we may witness in our organizations. And, what is more, he also offers seven alternatives by flipping the behaviors 180 degrees. Let’s call them the Seven Healthy Management Habits. They are: EMPOWER EMPLOYEES: Encourage autonomy and trust employees to take initiative, fostering innovation and job satisfaction through ownership of their work. SHARE INFORMATION TRANSPARENTLY: Keep lines of communication open, sharing necessary information to ensure everyone is aligned and can contribute effectively to the team's goals. VALUE EMPLOYEES HOLISTICALLY: Recognize employees as individuals with unique contributions, promoting a culture that values personal well-being alongside professional achievements. SERVE AS A GUIDE: Understand leadership as a behaviour focused on guiding and inspiring others, not just holding a position of authority. TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY: Ensure all employees feel valued by offering equal opportunities for recognition and advancement based on merit, fostering a fair and inclusive work environment. UNITE AND STRENGTHEN THE TEAM: Foster a collaborative environment that encourages teamwork, strengthening trust and cooperation among team members. BE ACCESSIBLE AND SUPPORTIVE: be available for guidance and feedback, supporting employees' growth and addressing issues promptly to enhance job satisfaction and team cohesion. The lesson is simple 1. Avoid the toxic management behaviors 2. Replace them by the healthy management habits #managementdevelopment #peoplemanagement #organizationaldevelopment

Classroom management lays the foundation for a thriving learning environment. By building positive relationships, setting clear expectations, and maintaining consistent routines, teachers create structure, reduce disruptions, and foster student engagement. Proactive strategies help anticipate challenges and model emotional regulation, promoting mutual respect and accountability. With strong classroom management, educators reclaim time for meaningful instruction, and classrooms become spaces for growth, reflection, and joy. 🟥 Positive Relationships • In Action: Students are greeted by name, eye contact is intentional, and teachers model empathy and active listening. There’s space for student voice, whether through classroom jobs, reflection journals, or restorative conversations. • Impact: Trust flourishes. Students feel emotionally safe, which reduces anxiety and increases participation. A child who once hesitated to speak now volunteers to lead a group prayer or share a personal insight during a lesson. 🟧 Clear Expectations • In Action: Rules are co-created and posted visually, often with bilingual phrasing or symbolic anchors (e.g., “Speak Life,” “Honor Time”). Teachers revisit expectations regularly, using role-play or anchor charts to reinforce them. • Impact: Students internalize boundaries and begin to self-regulate. Transitions become smoother, and misbehavior is addressed with clarity rather than confusion. A student who once struggled with impulsivity now pauses and redirects themselves before acting. 🟩 Consistent Routines • In Action: Daily rituals like morning meetings, prayer circles, or exit tickets are predictable and purposeful. Visual schedules and timers support executive functioning, especially for neurodiverse learners. • Impact: Students thrive in the rhythm. They know what’s coming next, which frees up cognitive space for deeper learning. A student with attention challenges begins to anticipate tasks and complete them with growing independence. 🟦 Proactive Strategies • In Action: Teachers use proximity, nonverbal cues, and pre-corrections to guide behavior before issues arise. Lessons are differentiated, and seating arrangements are intentional to support collaboration and minimize conflict. • Impact: The classroom feels calm and responsive, not reactive. Students learn conflict resolution and emotional regulation by example. A student who used to shut down during group work now engages with peers confidently, knowing the environment is structured to support them. #TeachWithStructure #LeadWithRhythm

To all the change makers: WE ARE DOING BEHAVIORAL CHANGE THE WRONG WAY. What works? To change behavior, focus on creating ways that help people get around barriers that stop them from behaving in desirable ways. What does NOT work? What we intuitively tend to do: focusing on obvious but ineffective factors like providing knowledge, developing skills, or influencing attitudes. Here is the research, from a review of meta-analyses: Across domains, interventions designed to change individual behavior are the least effective when they target knowledge, general skills, or attitudes. They are most effective when they change habits. Interventions that change the social or structural elements of an environment are the least effective when they focus on legal and administrative sanctions or on increasing institutional trustworthiness. They are most effective when they change the provision of social support or access to a particular behavior (e.g., making it the default or reducing friction in accessing it). Change is hard. We can make it easier by forming new habits, providing robust social support, and increasing access to desired behaviors. Let’s prioritize these approaches to truly drive effective change in ourselves, in organizations and beyond. Article here: https://lnkd.in/e76nz-fs #Change #Behavior #Leadership #Research #Workplace #HumanResources #Learning #Growth #Habits #Innovation

The ultimate guide to creating transformational workshop experiences (Even if you're not a natural facilitator) Ever had that gut-punch moment after a workshop where you just know it didn’t land? I’ve been there. Back then, I thought great workshops were all about cramming in as much content as possible. You know what I mean: - Slides with inspirational quotes. - The theory behind the frameworks. - More activities than a summer camp schedule… Subconsciously I believed that: The more I shared, the more people would see me as an expert. The more I shared, the more valuable the workshop. And participants would surely walk away transformed. Spoiler: they didn’t. They were hit-and-miss. But then on a leadership retreat in 2016, I stumbled onto something that changed everything. Something so obvious it's almost easy to miss. But when you intentionally use them, it took my workshops from "meh" to "mind-blowing": Three simple principles: 1️⃣ Context-based Learning People don't show up as blank slates. They bring their own experiences, challenges, and goals. When I started anchoring my content in their reality, things clicked. Suddenly, what I was sharing felt relevant and useful — like I was talking with them instead of at them. 2️⃣ Experiential Learning Turns out, people don’t learn by being told. They learn by doing (duh). When I shifted to creating experiences, the room came alive. And participants actually remembered what they’d learned. Experiences like roleplays, discussions, real-world scenarios, the odd game... 3️⃣ Evocative Facilitation This one was a game-changer. The best workshops aren’t just informative — they’re emotional. The experiences we run spark thoughts and reactions. And it's our job to ask powerful questions to invite reflection. Guiding participants to their own "aha!" moments to use in the real world. (yup, workshops aren't the real world) ... When I started being intentional with these three principles, something clicked. Participants started coming up to me after sessions, saying things like: "That’s exactly what I needed." "I feel like you were speaking directly to me." "I’ve never felt so seen in a workshop before." And best of all? Those workshops led to repeat bookings, referrals, and clients who couldn’t wait to work with me again. Is this the missing piece to your expertise? - If so, design experiences around context. •Facilitate experiences that evoke reactions •Unpack reactions to land the learning ♻️ Share if you found this useful ✍️ Do you use any principles to design your workshops?

What does a “good” lesson plan look like when you know nothing about the students in your classroom? That’s the question we began with during one of the teacher workshop. Each participant had a template and was asked to design a lesson plan for a group of 10 students. No details. No backstories. Just: “Plan a lesson.” The results were predictable - neatly organized learning outcomes, step-by-step activities, built-in formative assessments. On paper, they looked sound. Structured. Immaculate! And then we did something simple. I gave more details about the students, many carrying a different context. A girl who just moved to the city and speaks only her tribal dialect. A boy who excels in oral expression but freezes during written tasks. A child who zones out during lectures but becomes animated during hands-on activities. A student whose frequent absences are tied to caring for a sick parent. A high-achiever who dominates group work, unintentionally silencing others. With new details, the lesson plans began to shift, some subtly, some dramatically. Activities were adapted, groupings were rethought, assumptions were challenged. What started as a universal plan soon became a mosaic of differentiated pathways. By the end, many teachers forgot about their original plans. And that was the point. Because context isn’t a footnote to pedagogy. It is a pedagogy in itself. Too often, we are trained to plan for classrooms in abstraction, ones that exist only in textbooks or training manuals. But real classrooms are full of specific children with needs, strengths, and circumstances. And when we begin to center those specificities, the idea of a “standard” lesson plan starts to feel not just inadequate rather impossible. This wasn’t just an exercise in empathy. It was a practice in unlearning. Isn't teaching more about listening to the lives that walk into the room each morning? #education #pedagogy #context #lessonplan #priyankeducator

When it comes to making changes in an organization, it's not enough to just tackle the preventors – the things that stop people from changing. We also need to actively work on the enablers. Yesterday, I highlighted the preventors of behaviour change and today I am talking about the enabling factors that help people embrace change. This requires a proactive approach, not just reacting to issues as they arise. ✨ It starts with involving people in the change process. People are more likely to support and engage with changes they have a hand in shaping because it makes them feel valued and invested. ✨ Clarity is essential. When people understand what is changing, why it’s changing, and what is expected of them, they are more likely to get on board. Also- address the "What's In It For Me/Us". When people see personal or professional benefits, they’re more likely to commit to change. ✨ Always remember the human side of change- encouragement from leaders and peers makes the change process more collaborative and recognition shows that hard work is appreciated. ✨ Lack of resources can be a major preventor of behaviour change. But don't wait until resources become a problem to address them. Discuss upcoming changes in coaching check-ins and provide whatever training, support and resources are required in advance, to help people employees feel prepared. ✨ Finally, small steps make change easier and less overwhelming. They allow for gradual adjustment and build confidence over time. For example, if you are introducing a new system- phase the implementation. Start with one department, refine the process, and then roll it out to others, allowing for adjustments along the way. 🚀 Make change inclusive, enjoyable and easy for people. #changemanagement #changeleadership #leadership #leadershipskills #behaviourchange #organizationalbehaviour

Imagine walking into a school where all the staff felt comfortable speaking their minds, and everyone felt valued and respected. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, this dream could become a reality if we as leaders focus on one crucial element - psychological safety. I've worked in several environments where any suggestion, question or feedback was met with aggression, criticism and ridicule. Sometimes they simply didn't even listen. It's toxic and completely destorys morale. It becomes a waiting game - who will leave first - you or me? If you don't create an atmosphere of trust and respect your team will start to spend more and more time and energy planning their exit route, rather than working for you. Psychological safety might sound like just a buzzword, but it's something every school needs. It’s the idea that people can express themselves, take risks, and be honest without fear of being judged or punished. It's the foundation of wellbeing, positivity and high performance. Psychological safety is the feeling of being able to share your thoughts, admit mistakes, and ask questions without worrying about negative consequences. It’s about creating an environment where everyone feels safe to be themselves. It's about working truly as a team. Educational leaders have a massive role and set the tone for the entire school. If they create a safe environment, it ripples down to every teacher and student. So why Should Leaders Care About Psychological Safety? - It Boosts Morale and Performance to Strengthen School Culture - Supports Mental Health and Well-Being - Supports Retention & Recruitment - Reduces Toxic Conversations & Influences - Encourages Risk Taking, Innovation & Creativity - Supports Diversity and Inclusion - Encourages Professional Growth - Aligns with Ethical and Moral Leadership Schools that invest in psychological safety lay the groundwork for sustainable success. They are also a much happier place to work. Happy leaders = happy staff = happy students = educational success. Comment, like, share and connect for more content around workplace culture, high performance, leadership and wellbeing. #Culture #Leadership #Wellbeing

A Leadership Framework for Independent Schools As leaders, we constantly navigate the complexities of school communities—balancing vision, strategy, culture, and operations—all while keeping students at the heart of our decisions. I’m excited to share a resource that distills years of research and practice - The Framework for Leadership in Independent Schools in the Australian Context, designed as part of my doctoral thesis. Here are a few insights from the framework that could transform your leadership - 1️⃣ Situational Leadership: Effective leadership begins with understanding the unique context of your school. Student demographics, culture, teacher experience, and available resources shape the foundation for tailored leadership. 2️⃣ Transformational Leadership: What happens when things go wrong? Leaders who ask “What can we learn?” create a culture of inquiry and continuous improvement, paving the way for meaningful innovation. 3️⃣ Student-Centered Leadership: Every decision you make should reflect the belief that all students can learn and achieve. Equity, inclusivity, and holistic development are at the core of great schools. 4️⃣ Strategic and Visionary Leadership: How do you envision your school in 10 years? Ground your planning in long-term challenges and opportunities, inspiring a shared commitment to sustainable goals. These are just a glimpse of the 10 dimensions of leadership outlined in the framework, which integrates situational awareness, cultural alignment, ethical principles, and pedagogical focus to create a leadership approach tailored to independent schools. Whether you’re a seasoned principal or an emerging leader, this framework is a practical tool to guide your decision-making, build trust, and ensure alignment with your school’s mission and values. Click below to access the document. #EducationalLeadership #IndependentSchools #Principals #LeadershipFramework

Reflection is one of the most powerful tools for growth. Yet, its so easy to overlook. I've always asked myself: What’s working? What isn’t? What can I do better? Make this happen: 1. Block Time: Put an hour on your calendar at the end of each month. Treat it as a non-negotiable meeting with yourself. 2. Ask the Right Questions: I use these prompts: • What were my biggest wins this month? • What challenges did I face, and how did I handle them? • What lessons did I learn? • Where did I spend my time, and was it aligned with my goals? • What do I want to do differently next month? 3. Write It Down: There’s something powerful about putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Documenting your thoughts helps clarify them and gives you something to review later. 4. Set Intentions: Based on your reflection, identify 2-3 priorities for the next month. Keep them actionable and specific. Reflection is about learning from your experiences. It’s about stepping back, recalibrating, and moving forward with intention.

They say experience is a great teacher. How do you leverage it? I rely heavily on experiential learning as a customer service trainer. Customer service reps have valuable experience from... * Serving customers * Being customers * Interacting with other humans The trick is optimizing what you learn from experiences. David Kolb created a four-step experiential process that anyone can use. 1. Experiencing: doing something. 2. Reflecting: evaluate how it went. 3. Thinking: decide how to adjust. 4. Acting: trying something new. My Customer Service Tip of the Week emails are built around this model. 1. Experience Each tip starts with a relatable story or example. For instance, I went to REI to buy hiking poles for my wife and a knowledgeable sales person used her expertise to help me make the right decision. 2. Reflecting The tip asks you to think about how the tip applies to you. The expertise tip suggested making a list of the top ten product questions customers ask. 3. Thinking Think about how you can use the tip when serving your customers. The expertise tip suggested coming up with extra helpful answers to each of the top ten questions. 4. Acting Apply the tip right away with the customers you serve. This process is self-reinforcing. Trying a new approach leads to a new experience. You can then repeat the steps and continue learning. I bet you already do this! What is one customer service skill you learned from experience?