Successful Teaming - Part One

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Successful Teaming - Part One

Team success is organizational success. Capacity to build and deploy effective teams has repeatedly been shown to be more important than individual skill, procedural clarity or even well-defined performance targets in improving organizational outcomes. 

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Risky Leadership

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Risky Leadership

Before considering whether to leave teaching and take a role in the administration, teachers need to learn an important lesson about indemnification. 

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More Memory and a Faster Processor

More Memory and a Faster Processor

When children were given a computer, they self-organized learning groups and reinforced the central tenet of education. We all need more memory and faster processors. 

Getting Incentives Right

Getting Incentives Right

Public education in the United States resists change. That schools look much now as they did in the 1950s and the entrenched interests that resist change is old news. The story less often told and much more provocative is how gatekeeping to school heads hinders change.

More Testing of Students

More Testing of Students

Big new grants announced recently by the feds seek to remedy fears of over-testing students. The current political fight misses the big picture. There is plenty of reason for optimism in more testing. 

Top Four Pain Points in Education Today

Top Four Pain Points in Education Today

Education is loaded with insiders, and for outsiders, education is often a monolith. Insiders know education is highly fragmented. Addressing fundamental challenges in education is the central mission of any leader’s work. With that in mind, here are the top four pain points across the education space. 

The End of the Carnegie Unit

The End of the Carnegie Unit

Education needs to be untethered from measuring success based on how long students spend in a chair. But the same logic applies to people working in schools. Top talent values being allowed to work at a time, place, path and pace of their choosing.  Schools need to remember to untether its employees as well as its students. 

Our Site's Goals

Our Site's Goals

Welcome to Second Rail, a platform dedicated to rethinking and reshaping education. Our three core goals anchor our mission:

  1. Encourage Informed Dialogue: Education is a significant sector, valued at $1.3 trillion and making up about 9% of the GDP. Despite its importance, both K-12 and higher education face challenges. Second Rail, founded by John Heintz, aims to address these issues head-on. With a background spanning education, law, and management across various countries, John seeks practical solutions to improve learning globally.

  2. Integrate Diverse Fields for a Clearer Vision: Education is interconnected with entrepreneurship, law, management, governance, technology, and leadership. Second Rail, led by John Heintz and supported by a team of experts, aims to bring these fields together. By cutting through the noise, we provide a more comprehensive and informed perspective on the future of education.

  3. Drive Global Educational Improvement: Education is a universal endeavor that crosses geographic and cultural boundaries. At Second Rail, we believe in the power of collaboration and shared knowledge. Our goal is to use cross-disciplinary insights to make more informed and effective strides in education.

Second Rail is more than just a platform for identifying problems; it’s a catalyst for change. Through articles, podcasts, and discussions, we bring together educators, leaders, and change-makers to share knowledge and work on solutions.

We recognize that education doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's part of a larger ecosystem that includes economics, politics, human rights, and technology. At Second Rail, we take a holistic approach, considering all these factors in our discussions and writings.

As you explore Second Rail, you’ll find a wealth of knowledge and insights. More importantly, you’ll find a community of individuals passionate about improving education.

Join us at Second Rail. Engage in the conversation. Be part of the change.

Right Sizing Schools

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Right Sizing Schools

The right size of a school the smallest size necessary to ensure it achieves its mission. To be at the right size, leaders need clear answers to two questions. First, what is the school's purpose? Second, how do we know if we're being productive? Until purpose and productivity are defined, schools will always be bloated or baby-sized.

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Reliable School Success

Reliable School Success

The way to a guaranteed and viable curriculum is through principals. Principals must be instructional leaders with the power to run their schools independent of oversight from either district-level managers or school boards. 

How Is Education Doing?

How Is Education Doing?

Popular opinion on the need for education transformation wavers. The skills gaps highlights the disconnect: educators overwhelmingly believe education prepares people for work and employers say the opposite. The litmus test most easily used to gauge public opinion is the answer to a simple question: does the average person believe education is succeeding? 

Diversity In Leadership

Diversity In Leadership

Diversity is touted among talent experts, but few can articulate the hard organizational advantages to seeking leaders with diverse backgrounds. Hyper specialization is an asset for managers. Hyper diversity is the asset for leaders.