The following manuscript explores the application of family science theories to the field of child life. Ecological systems theory, family systems theory, and conflict theory will be presented and applied to child life. These theories explain the responsibilities and experiences of the specialist, their relationship with patients and families, and…

The 2023 Thought Leaders Report, "Leadership Reimagined: Navigating the Higher Education Workplace" provides leaders with information and tools to help them lead their employees through the continuing uncertainty with a focus on the workforce. We recognize that workforce issues are incredibly challenging and understand that an engaged…

Authors and education consultants Jane Kise and Ann C. Holm explore how teachers and leaders can treat challenges facing their schools as "polarities" which require regular work and attention to the needs of the entire community, as opposed to quick, one-time fixes. This approach not only provides more effective solutions to ingrained…

Schools are sites of teachers' professional learning for both new entrants and experienced practitioners. In this paper, schools are conceptualised as complex, multidimensional ecologies that are constituted by the relations that exist between school leaders, teachers, mentors and all members of the school community. As relational environments,…

Teaching in K-12 schools is stressful, as educators know and research documents. Although all teachers experience stress, minoritized teachers of color often experience unique stressors. Common examples include being asked to translate for parents who do not speak English or function as the disciplinarian for students experiencing behavioral…

Many Black female educators feel pressure to be super-strong. They neglect self-care, often leading to serious health problems (what one psychologist has termed the StrongBlackWoman cycle). Hughes Jones shares her story of denying work-related stress and breaking down, and suggests ways leaders can create more supportive work environments for…

If leaders want to support and retain--not just hire--Black educators, they must understand what it means to be a Black educator now. El-Mekki, a veteran educator and founder of the Center for Black Educator Development, shares realities Black teachers face, from the fact that schools don't always feel safe to them to the responsibility they feel…

Purpose: As educators across the globe are tasked with taking teaching online, this paper shares a culture-centered approach to transitioning to education at a distance. Specifically, in this essay, a focus is placed on how one school preserved their collaborative culture among administrators, teachers and staff. The purpose of this paper is to…

This joint position statement is acknowledge the importance of early intervention (EI) service coordination and recognize the expertise and needs of the professionals who provide this service. Because of the complex nature of service coordination and the essential role of service coordinators in the EI process (Bruder et al., 2005; Childress,…

Building and sustaining an organizational culture and climate where productive and positive leader-follower relationships can thrive is perhaps the single most important responsibility of those who aspire to lead. The attributes of benevolence, honesty, openness, reliability, and competence form a framework that individuals use in determining a…

The author discusses "the big picture" of higher education, which pertains to the perpetuation of decreasing civil discourse and increasing challenges in higher education. These may be attributed to several factors including decreased funding, increased mental health crises, heavier workloads, and systemic inequities. Even though major…

During a time of economic prosperity and historically low unemployment rates in the U.S., too many young people continue to be left behind. This is particularly true for "opportunity youth" with disabilities--those young people ages 16 to 24 who are not working or in school. Specific interventions are needed to close the opportunity and…

A recent controversy over Amazon's culture has strong implications for the whole child approach, and it offers powerful lessons for principals. A significant difference between the culture of so many businesses today and the culture at good schools is that in good schools, the welfare of the employees is very important. Student success is the…

The phase of entering the role of assistant principals and the coping strategies assistant principals use upon entering their role have barely been studied. Most studies that dealt with assistant principals focused mainly on the role of the assistant principals and their readiness to advance to the position of school principal, while the study…

School leaders are expected to be visibly in charge, always on top of their game, doing the right things to advance the school, and exuding confidence and command. For these traits, leaders have extensive resources to draw on to foster their professional growth. The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the regional and state…