Need Some Inspiration?

Leaders who inspire others make an impact. As they say, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” When leaders have that extra spark, we breathe an extra surge of life into the work we do and the people we serve.

What inspires you? If you’re like us, it depends on the day. Sometimes we need to hear success stories from colleagues, and how their efforts led to real change. Other times, we need to connect with thought leaders and get a fresh perspective. And there are days when we just need to know we are in this together, that others are elbow deep in the messy business of leadership, that it’s not always pretty, and that that’s ok.

Welcome to the Inspiration! Blog

We are shifting Inspiration! from a quarterly newsletter to a bimonthly blog. Below are some of the types of posts meant to inspire you as a leader:

Quick Takes
- NCSM leaders reflect on trends, challenges, policy developments, and leadership lessons shaping mathematics education today.
Conference Sessions Continued
- Conference presenters revisit key ideas, share implementation reflections, and expand on conversations that resonated with NCSM members.
From the Field
- NCSM members (that means you!) share reflections and practical insights from their day to day work as mathematics leaders and practitioners, or discuss how they are applying ideas from conferences and other NCSM professional learning experiences in their schools, districts, and coaching work.

The Inspiration! blog is meant to be your inspirational “snack bar.” We’re here to get you that little something extra when you need to reignite your leadership spark, and we’re excited for what lies ahead!

Meet the Editors

John Fischer

I am a current K-12 math education leader in a mid-sized school district on the Colorado front range. I recently served as the president of the Colorado Math Leaders, an NCSM affiliate organization, and through that experience became more convicted than ever that when leaders collaborate, we all rise. I am deeply passionate about seeing students succeed and empowering educators to serve their communities effectively. As a current practitioner, my editorial lens will lean towards what is useful, practical, and timely on the ground in K-12 schools.

Dr. Haley Galyean

I currently serve as the Math Coordinator in a mid-sized school district in Texas. After beginning my career as a classroom teacher and later serving as a district math specialist, I now support mathematics teaching and learning across all grade levels. I currently serve as Vice President of the Texas Association of Supervisors of Mathematics (TASM), an NCSM affiliate organization, and through that work became even more committed to the power of collaboration among math leaders. I believe that when we share ideas, learn together, and elevate one another, we strengthen opportunities for both educators and students.

I am passionate about empowering teachers, supporting meaningful implementation of high-quality instructional materials, and creating systems that help all students experience success in mathematics. My editorial lens will focus on bridging research and practice by highlighting ideas, strategies, and stories that support the day-to-day work of math educators and leaders.

Give us some Inspiration!

If there are issues you want to hear about, or leaders you want to hear from, let us (the editors) know! Find our email addresses below. We’ll continue to curate a variety of posts, but your requests can help us hit the mark.

Reach out to us if you want to share your voice with NCSM members and guest author a “From the Field” segment mentioned above, or click on the “Submit a Post” link below.

When you see something here that you find particularly impactful, pass it along to your colleagues and amplify the voices that inspire you.

We can’t wait to hear from you, to learn with you, and to see the impact we can all have when we lead inspired!

Haley Galyean

hgalyean@mathedleadership.org

John Fischer

jfischer@mathedleadership.org

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