A significant new research report from the Learning Policy Institute and The Wallace Foundation emphasizes the significance of federal, state, and district policies that foster the availability and quality of principal preparation and professional development programs as state leaders continue to consider the best use of federal funding to improve education in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the research, a school principal’s preparation and professional development affect their leadership effectiveness and are linked to good outcomes for teachers and students.

Teachers deserve to unwind and rejuvenate over the summer, but they cannot help but continue to put their hearts and souls into their careers as educators and stay connected to the educational environment. Teachers are students for the rest of their lives. Summer continuing education and professional development initiatives provide instructors the best of both worlds by allowing them to learn and improve on their schedule and wherever they are.

What does it take for principals to lead schools successfully, and how prepared are they? Principals face a difficult task in ensuring that every student has the opportunity to participate in a high-quality educational experience. School leadership must prioritize equities and excellence to fulfill this challenge, and principals must be instructional leaders who prioritize equity.

How frequently do school leaders take a strategic pause to think about what they should do next? The answer to this question is not enough. School leaders are expected to be on the go constantly, accomplishing more and thinking more. Is that even possible to do so? Expecting leaders to succeed in a world where they must always act, think, and generate more is, at best, self-defeating. It might be terrible for our projects, teams, and health in the worst-case scenario. So, how do we keep up and improve as leaders simultaneously? We do it by challenging, if not outright contradicting, established wisdom.

If ‘Experience is the Best Teacher’ and simulations approximate experience, then simulations can provide an excellent opportunity for learning in the context of professional leadership development. So how does this work? When approaching the challenge of learning, it is crucial to acknowledge that there is a distinction between learning from ‘teaching’ and learning from ‘experience.’ Once we have that as a baseline of understanding, we can examine how or where learning happens in ‘experience.’

Many educators are now rethinking how virtual learning might improve the student experience by providing more flexibility than in-class options, especially for hybrid and all-virtual learning models. Colleges and universities now have the potential to progress beyond these improvised models. They can try to create more stable online learning platforms that cater to a diverse group of students who require coursework at various times and in multiple formats to fit their own goals and lifestyles.

If simulations work in the medical field, simulations could be used in every field, whether that be an advertising major learning how to pitch to prospective clients or an education student learning how to deal with building an inclusive classroom.

Even the best leaders and educators have room to improve. Part of getting aspirants on the same page with the rest of the district is simply communicating the district’s values, beliefs, and priorities throughout leadership and professional development.