Dr. Rosa Isiah, A blog about my journey as an Educational Leader for Social Justice

It's the Small Moments that Count Recently I had a huge 'Aha' moment. I realize that many of us spend our 'early' years celebrating big events or waiting for the next big thing to happen in our lives. As I get older, it's the small big things that make me truly happy. Vanilla nut coffee, ice cream with my kids, cuddling with kids, a movie with my baby girl or husband, watching an Alaska reality show with my son, a hot bubble bath, a PEDICURE...Yes! I'm now learning to spend my time creating and being truly mindful about my small moments. The grown folks were right! Live for the small moments. Work can't be your everything. Find your balance. Have a great week!

Are You Leading With Questions? Always the beautiful answer who asks a more beautiful question. -E.E. Cummings Think back to your last leadership or team meeting. As facilitator, did you create opportunities for the team to process and discuss questions? How did the team engage?  Many of us walk into meetings with exhausting agendas that lack opportunities for dialogue or problem solving through questioning. Research indicates that questions, the right questions, can positively influence an organization in a variety of ways. A question has the power to identify problems, challenge the status quo, identify biases...all catalysts for creativity, collaboration, and change . Asking the right questions after 22 years After 22 years as an educator and educational leader, I’ve recently learned about the importance of effective questioning. I engage in the challenging and satisfying work of creating an organizational culture of risk-taking and problem-solving.  I’ve...

The English Learner's Schooling Experience ...an excerpt from my research on Long Term English Learners The schooling experience is a particularly crucial time for English language learners as they develop their academic identity.  From the moment English learners enter public schools, they are expected to adapt to the dominant language and culture, acquiring English and mastering grade level content at the same rate as their English only peers. These expectations have a “significant impact on the language skills and academic performance, as programs can either promote language loss or language maintenance and development over time” (Menken & Kleyn, 2010, p. 399).   In addition to the demands of mastering content in all curricular areas while learning the language, middle and high school teachers and administrators are ill prepared and struggling to support this diverse group of ELs.  “These students are likely to be segregated in the classrooms and in their comm...