Salome Thomas-EL

Every student must know they are unique and incredible and capable of doing great things. Principal Salome Thomas-EL is crazy about the kids in his school. He's curious about them and the lives they lead at home and in the community. He is committed to being a consistent adult they can rely on and to maintaining a culture of love and support for every child. In this inspirational and action-oriented book, "Principal EL" shares insights gleaned from his own experience as a student whose life was changed by empathetic educators and as a teacher and school leader who has become a life-changer. Proceeding from his "Four Cs" approach, which maps a positive way to show up for the young people in our classrooms, he offers a collection of research-backed strategies to help educators provide students with equitable access to supportive relationships and to instruction that is engaging, respectful, and effective. In Meet Their Needs, and They'll Succeed, Principal EL covers The pedagogical and curricular keys to successful and joyful learning, The value of developing critical thinking skills and ways to go about it, What all educators should know and do when working with kids affected by trauma, The powerful whys and practical hows of after-school programs and community engagement, andWhat we all gain when committed teachers choose to stay. This book is for bold educators who care about kids and want to prepare them for the life and leadership roles that await them.

In Retention for a Change, we give precise strategies for motivating, inspiring, and energizing a staff. The goal is to make your school a place of success for everyone. Teacher retention is a huge issue that continues to grow, and we believe that this book is one-of-a-kind in that it tackles a tough topic with practical solutions.

In Retention for a Change, we give precise strategies for motivating, inspiring, and energizing a staff. The goal is to make your school a place of success for everyone. Teacher retention is a huge issue that continues to grow, and we believe that this book is one-of-a-kind in that it tackles a tough topic with practical solutions.

Building a Winning Team is about the critical need for schools and districts to promote a positive reputation for the community in which they serve. There is a growing need to recruit and retain teachers in the field of education, and this book addresses new ways to approach what we call “the talent equation.” We provide stories from real practitioners along with new and innovative ways to approach vision work, branding, culture, recruitment, human resources, and more. This book combines the research, theory, and practical application in both a how-to guide for implementation and the inspiration needed to grow your team to be the best that they can be. At the heart of this book is the notion that great schools consist of great teams that have a winning mentality. If you’re looking for new ways to tell your school’s story, develop an award-winning reputation, and recruit top talent, this book is perfect for you.

Building a Winning Team is about the critical need for schools and districts to promote a positive reputation for the community in which they serve. There is a growing need to recruit and retain teachers in the field of education, and this book addresses new ways to approach what we call “the talent equation.” We provide stories from real practitioners along with new and innovative ways to approach vision work, branding, culture, recruitment, human resources, and more. This book combines the research, theory, and practical application in both a how-to guide for implementation and the inspiration needed to grow your team to be the best that they can be. At the heart of this book is the notion that great schools consist of great teams that have a winning mentality. If you’re looking for new ways to tell your school’s story, develop an award-winning reputation, and recruit top talent, this book is perfect for you.

Reignite your passion for serving children! Have you fallen into a rut? Has your position become simply a "role" or a "job?" The authors of this book will remind you why education, the most important profession in our society, demands passionate leadership. Passionate Leadership is an aspiring call to action for teachers and principals around the world to recommit to passionately serving children, building the communities children deserve, and celebrating our successes. Take ownership, push to new heights, and break old boundaries by following the strategies in this book. Discover Practical ideas and suggestions for how to serve as a beacon of hope in the fieldFirst-hand experiences from enthusiastic leaders modeling what passionate leadership looks likeCharts and graphs that will help you assess your strong points and identify areas you can improve on Student success and growth begin with leaders who commit to taking courageous action!

Salome Thomas-EL, award-winning educator and the highly-praised author of "I Choose to Stay," has helped hundreds of troubled children get into magnet high schools, major colleges, and universities. Yet he still finds himself devastated by the long-ago death of a promising student named Willow Briggs. Salome worked with and consistently encouraged this troubled boy, who ultimately became one of the school's top chess players and students. But when Willow moved on to high school, he found no real positive influences. He struggled academically and was murdered on a street corner at the age of sixteen. More than any other factor, Willow's death launched Salome Thomas-EL on his mission to be a positive influence, and to encourage all of us to set the best example possible for the young people in our lives. "The Immortality of Influence" is a refreshing, common-sense roadmap to helping kids achieve their dreams in which Thomas-EL movingly describes the methods he has used to help his students succeed. It all started in Vaux Middle School, where he began a chess club to teach boys and girls how to think critically and resolve conflicts with their minds instead of their fists. Not only did his students win eight national championships and become local heroes, they also scored high on the SATs and got into top colleges. When Thomas-EL found himself faced with kids who didn't exercise or eat well, he started a summer program in which the students walked to museums and other cultural events around the city. Recognizing the importance of exposing kids to the world outside their own neighborhoods, he took fifteen African-American students to rural Vermont, where they interacted with white children their age and discovered how much they had in common. All of these students were later accepted to the best magnet high schools. These are just a few examples of what can happen when kids are mentored in a positive way--not only at home, but in the community at large. For parents, guardians, educators--anyone who wants the best for kids, this book is an essential, inspirational reference. It's all about making a difference--not just for today, but forever. Sometimes, it only takes one special person to set a child on the right path, but more often, it does indeed take a village. "The Immortality of Influence" will inspire you to band together with other caring adults and start making a difference--now.