#e2L Hustle: A Day in the Life by Shannon Buerk, Founder, and CEO of engage2learn. When I was the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in a district, we often had people ask what we did all day in... April 4, 2019April 26, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
#EducatorsChoose – Vote in the 2018 Texas Primaries! engage2learn works with partner districts across Texas and even the United States. We often hear our partner districts talking about the importance of molding students to be active, contributing citizens. The foundational principle of this citizenship in America’s democracy is... February 20, 2018April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
4 Best Practices for An Amazing School Culture Everybody wants to have a fun, positive culture. You can implement all the strategies you want, but at the end of the day, a strong culture trumps strategy. Culture enables teams to work more efficiently and produce higher quality results.... August 18, 2017April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
5 Tips for Making Meetings Matter The Meeting Madness How often have you had a meeting on a topic only to realize you had already met on this topic previously and no decisions had been implemented yet? Employees are spending more time than ever in meetings;... July 12, 2019 by Shannon K. Buerk Read More
A Call to Action: The Case for Public Education By Shannon Buerk At a breakfast on Saturday of TASB last weekend, I was once again inspired by a talk Dr. David Vroonland gave, declaring his support for public, community schools and referencing the original concept for these schools in... October 9, 2018October 11, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
Accountability is not a Four-Letter Word By Kammi Green I have been in the public education system for over three decades as both a student and an educator. During my time in public education, the focus has always been on using standardized tests to hold campuses... January 2, 2018April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
Align Behaviors to Your Beliefs with These 5 Steps By Shannon Buerk I will never forget our first Strategic Planning retreat as an organization. It took place in 2011, a mere seven months after we launched engage2learn; the location was our living room. With an intimate group of e2L... September 12, 2018June 24, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
Cultural Tenets: Why, What, How By Shannon Buerk Anyone who knows me well understands that I feel called to be leading engage2learn. Quite frankly, I did not set out to own an organization, to be an entrepreneur, or to ever leave the classroom. When I... December 11, 2018July 1, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
Diversity and Courageous Leadership By Shannon Buerk Have you ever heard the saying, “Great minds think alike”? At e2L, we believe that great minds think differently. In education, however, there is not currently diversity in the superintendency. Even though 77% of educators are female,... May 10, 2018May 8, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
e2L is a finalist in the Employee Engagement Awards! Did you hear the news? e2L has been nominated for the Employee Culture & Purpose Award in the 2018 North American Employee Engagement Awards. e2L made it on the EE’s shortlist for companies that put workforce engagement at the heart... May 18, 2018May 17, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
Education is Life Itself One classroom. One teacher. An average of 30 students per class. Deadlines. Curriculum. Pacing guides. Formal exams. Gaps. Grades and report cards. Add to that, the expectation that students must learn, “How to learn” in contrast to “What to learn”... January 25, 2019January 25, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
Fail Often to Succeed More by Shannon Buerk, Founder and CEO of engage2learn. One of our consistent norms at engage2learn is to fail often in order to succeed more. No, we are not setting ourselves up for failure;... April 26, 2019April 30, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
Growth mindset as a leader Growth mindset isn’t just a skill for learners and educators. It’s a crucial component of effective leadership. It’s possible to be in a position of authority without a growth mindset, but that makes you a boss, not a leader. See... September 12, 2018September 5, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
How Campus Culture Influences Classroom Culture Leaders are the heart of their campus. A leader’s decisions can determine student outcomes, teacher success, and even the campus culture as a whole. A campus culture is a unique outlook or set of behaviors that defines a school–but did... August 17, 2017April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
How One-on-One Meetings Changed the Way We Do Business by Shannon K. Buerk People often ask me if I had always planned to own my own business. The answer is surprisingly no! I thought I would be a classroom teacher until our children graduated and then become a professor.... January 15, 2019June 24, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
How to Add 13 Years to Your Life by Shannon Buerk, Founder, and CEO of engage2learn. Plato Said It Best Distraction and lost productivity in the workplace have many harmful consequences, including added stress, longer working hours, and low morale. Acclaimed public speaker, Brendon... March 5, 2019March 8, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
How to implement badging and micro-credentialing for innovative learning It’s a new year, and it’s a fresh chance to make and meet new goals. As we dive headfirst into 2018, one thing is for sure: technology will continue to play a huge role in education. Although tech can’t replace... February 1, 2018April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
How to pass a bond: A tribute to FWISD leadership Back in the summer of 2017, Fort Worth ISD had a problem. Its schools needed an updated infrastructure and the district experienced overcrowding at some campuses. To solve these issues, Superintendent Scribner and the Board of Trustees hired engage2learn, an... December 19, 2017April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
How to Tell When a Business Partnership is Right for Your District or Organization By Shannon K. Buerk Have you ever heard educators say they have a lot on their plates? When I was a teacher, I remember trying to juggle all of the initiatives for the school district in which I taught. For... December 14, 2018June 24, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
Introducing the Game Changers 2017 – 2018 Cohort I’m so excited to start our Game Changers series again this year! This is one of my favorite things that we have ever done. I love to learn from other people so much, and being able to learn from the... October 3, 2017April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
Lessons From Game Changers On October 25 – 26, over 70 superintendents and principals convened at Rackspace in San Antonio, TX for this year’s first Game Changers event. Game Changers gives public school leaders the chance to tour and learn from innovative business leaders... December 6, 2017April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
Linking Learning Environments and Culture Culture is critical in producing the results you want from your educators and learners. While leaders can take a starring role in building a school culture, the learning environment itself influences culture as well. Here’s how you can help create... August 29, 2017April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
Modeling Is Powerful: 5 Ways to Be Intentional by Shannon Buerk I still remember the first time I saw myself teaching: it was when I gave an assignment to my 11th graders to teach a math lesson to the class. As each “student teacher” proceeded with the lesson,... November 6, 2018November 28, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
My “Why” for Choosing Public Education By: Shannon Buerk, Founder and CEO of engage2learn I have always loved memorials that serve as reminders of pivot points in our history. When our path is challenging, we need reminders of why we do what we are doing, especially... February 5, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
Out Of The Norm: How Norms Influence Culture Norms aren’t something we always think about, but they’re everywhere. Norms are the reason we wait in lines at the grocery store, make eye contact while chatting with a friend, and brush our teeth before work. A norm is simply... August 10, 2017April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
Recognition Systems with Growth As An Outcome It’s important for people to feel recognized. No matter their age or occupation, humans spend much of their daily lives collaborating with other people to accomplish their goals. While the notion of recognition is most popular in the workplace, it’s... January 9, 2018April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
Responsible Campus Rollout Responsible Campus Rollout Classrooms decorated from floor to ceiling, check. Campus fully staffed, check. Schedules completed, and students are eager to return to school on the first day. But, are you and the campus really ready? Each year, schools around... February 22, 2019February 27, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
Responsible District Rollout Communication literally rules the nation right now. We all walk around with a direct source to our news and access to contacts at our fingertips. Even with all the advancements in technology communication can be lost. It is important to... February 19, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
Shifting the System We Have Inherited Because my husband coached college basketball, we moved 10 times in the first 16 years of our marriage. As a high school teacher, I taught all secondary grades and every English level, including remedial and AP classes, in two different... August 29, 2019 by Shannon K. Buerk Read More
Spring Break Challenge: 4 Things by Shannon Buerk, Founder, and CEO of engage2learn. For a few years now, I have taken on a health challenge over Spring Break that has made the time even more beneficial. I have challenged people I... March 8, 2019March 8, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
The e2L Process–Magnetized The e2L Framework is known for helping in turnaround situations. While our partners have had impressive results in this area, the e2L Framework is also used to overhaul magnet programs. e2L’s work magnetizes a school’s growth. Our process helps districts... September 20, 2018October 1, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
The Gift of Learning from Our First Teachers By Shannon K. Buerk The fall of 2018 has afforded me several occasions to reflect upon how I acquired certain skills and knowledge. My Papaw passed away in August, my last remaining grandparent, and that gave me pause to think... December 20, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
The Importance of Culture Or: Striving for a Mickey Mouse Operation by Amanda Stephens Long before I had ever heard of organizational culture or began to consider its importance in developing an innovative workplace, I saw a sign on my college campus: the distinctive shape of... February 8, 2019 by engage2learn Read More
The importance of executive coaching Too often we hear that school districts struggle to recruit and retain stellar educators. After all, it’s teachers in the classroom who influence student achievement and growth – we need to invest in stellar teachers. So why do great teachers... March 22, 2018April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
What exactly is coaching and why is it so important? We’re all humans, and that means we have the potential to learn and grow. Growth takes shape in so many forms, whether it’s as simple as remembering a traffic shortcut or as amazing as curing a deadly disease. Sometimes we’re... August 1, 2017April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
What is a High Performance Culture? When e2L partners with a district, we strive to create a High Performance Culture. But what exactly is a High Performance Culture (HPC)? Is all this talk about culture just fluff, or is there a measurable return on HPCs? Too... March 1, 2018April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
What kind of leader are you? Leaders are essential to running our schools effectively. However, leadership comes in many shapes and sizes. It’s important to understand your own leadership style as well as how to improve it. Take this quiz to see what kind of leader... October 9, 2017April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More
What kind of learner are you? Everyone processes information differently, but there are three main categories of learners. The most common learner types are visual, auditory, and tactile. Your learner style will influence how you break down information as well as the best way to absorb... November 1, 2017April 12, 2018 by engage2learn Read More