I saw a posting about Pedro Noquera’s 10 principles of equity in education, and felt it could be altered somewhat to be good policy for all of us. So with apologies to Pedro Noquera and gratitude for the nudge toward excellence, here is my modified list…

1. Develop each person’s talent; don’t “measure” and “sort.”

2. Assign the strongest people to work with the most challenging tasks.

3. Treat people as partners, with respect.

4. Discipline to build character and to address the underlying causes of behavior,

not to punish.

5. Empower people; don’t shackle them with a “script.”

6. Challenge “predictable” outcomes.

7. Put your energies into what we have control over, and stop blaming what we don’t.

8. Offer all people rigor and high expectations.

9. Respond to the needs of the whole person.

10. Speak up and speak out for others, even when it requires personal sacrifice.

Teach the way people learn, rather than asking them to learn the way we teach.