T.J. Vari

Support, celebrate, and grow your best teachers so that they stay in your school and continue to have maximum impact. Burnout and teacher turnover are on the rise, yet we often spend more of our energy on the underperformers. In this powerful book from bestselling authors Todd Whitaker, Connie Hamilton, Joseph Jones, and T. J. Vari, you'll learn why it’s crucial to recognize your best teachers, going beyond superficial gestures of appreciation and investing in them in deeper ways. The authors show school leaders how to identify their best teachers and then reveal strategies for supporting them, including recognizing the value-cost of teachers’ time; prioritizing appreciation; controlling the narrative; tailoring professional learning; helping teachers grow through peer observations as well as beyond the school; applying data informed feedback; and nurturing self- and collective-efficacy. Each chapter begins with a powerful story, an overview of our blind spots, strategies on what we should invest in, and how to ensure that the whole school profits from your efforts. There’s also an Initial Deposits feature that provides a quick, tangible way to get started with each idea. With the helpful models, tips, and tricks in this book, you won’t just be inspired to make a change but will be well equipped to take action. As your best teachers get better-and-better, your students and the entire school culture will benefit!

Let’s face it, many school leaders are trapped in operation and management mode – this book will get you unstuck! Expert authors Jones and Vari provide a practical and empowering guide to help school leaders reclaim their time and sharpen their focus on improving teaching and learning. Based on the 3Ts method—Time, Tools, and Tactics—this book helps principals and assistant principals become more intentional and impactful instructional leaders. Each chapter offers actionable strategies and tactics that guide leaders toward spending more time in classrooms offering feedback, and less time managing crises that others are better equipped to handle. By differentiating urgent from important work, offering a clear roadmap for leadership growth, and unpacking effective feedback practices to ensure the leaders message is highly impactful, this book helps leaders lift not only their own performance but also the entire school community. Whether you’re new to your role, an aspiring leader, seasoned administrator, or a district-level coach, this book delivers the clarity and structure needed to lead instruction with confidence and purpose. Everyone knows the importance of instructional leadership; this book is designed to help leaders learn the skills to do it well!

Let’s face it, many school leaders are trapped in operation and management mode – this book will get you unstuck! Expert authors Jones and Vari provide a practical and empowering guide to help school leaders reclaim their time and sharpen their focus on improving teaching and learning. Based on the 3Ts method—Time, Tools, and Tactics—this book helps principals and assistant principals become more intentional and impactful instructional leaders. Each chapter offers actionable strategies and tactics that guide leaders toward spending more time in classrooms offering feedback, and less time managing crises that others are better equipped to handle. By differentiating urgent from important work, offering a clear roadmap for leadership growth, and unpacking effective feedback practices to ensure the leaders message is highly impactful, this book helps leaders lift not only their own performance but also the entire school community. Whether you’re new to your role, an aspiring leader, seasoned administrator, or a district-level coach, this book delivers the clarity and structure needed to lead instruction with confidence and purpose. Everyone knows the importance of instructional leadership; this book is designed to help leaders learn the skills to do it well!

Support, celebrate, and grow your best teachers so that they stay in your school and continue to have maximum impact. Burnout and teacher turnover are on the rise, yet we often spend more of our energy on the underperformers. In this powerful book from bestselling authors Todd Whitaker, Connie Hamilton, Joseph Jones, and T. J. Vari, you'll learn why it’s crucial to recognize your best teachers, going beyond superficial gestures of appreciation and investing in them in deeper ways. The authors show school leaders how to identify their best teachers and then reveal strategies for supporting them, including recognizing the value-cost of teachers’ time; prioritizing appreciation; controlling the narrative; tailoring professional learning; helping teachers grow through peer observations as well as beyond the school; applying data informed feedback; and nurturing self- and collective-efficacy. Each chapter begins with a powerful story, an overview of our blind spots, strategies on what we should invest in, and how to ensure that the whole school profits from your efforts. There’s also an Initial Deposits feature that provides a quick, tangible way to get started with each idea. With the helpful models, tips, and tricks in this book, you won’t just be inspired to make a change but will be well equipped to take action. As your best teachers get better-and-better, your students and the entire school culture will benefit!

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.

Too often educational leaders are caught in a "culture of nice," finding it difficult to give their teachers and staff critical feedback to improve their practice. This important book helps leaders become both candid and compassionate, unrelenting and supportive, and demanding yet caring. Exploring real scenarios and situations, this book helps you through the common traps of trying to improve performance, and the strategies to move beyond these pitfalls to achieve desired results. Addressing best practices for driving change such as informal feedback mechanisms, collaborative decision-making, and teacher leadership, this important book will help you create a trusting and supportive environment where you can have candid educational conversations in person and in writing, during informal chats, in PLCs, and with other leaders.