Danny Steele

Educator / Motivational Speaker / Leadership Coach / Author / I love students, teachers, culture, leadership, and public education. That’s what I post about.

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

So @carrollschools crushed their leadership retreat! It was an honor to be part of it.

And it was extra cool to speak in the district from which I graduated!

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

Can’t wait to join the great leaders of @carrollschools this morning!

My alma mater!

[Eric Sheninger @E_Sheninger]

New episode - Leading from the Classroom to the Boardroom: Critical Strategies for Educational Leadership https://t.co/gPuU5rnzLw | Listen on Spotify or wherever you access your favorite podcasts. #edchat #edutwitter #educhat #suptchat #edadmin #edleadership

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

A number of years ago, I asked a third-year teacher a simple question:

"What have you learned during your first few years in the classroom?"

I expected a few comments about lesson planning or classroom management.

Instead, she shared four pieces of advice that every educator—whether you're in your first year or your thirtieth—could benefit from remembering.

1. Pay attention to the needs of your students... not just the standards.

Standards matter. Curriculum matters. Assessment matters.

But the students sitting in front of us matter most.

Sometimes the greatest lesson we teach on a given day isn't the one we planned. Sometimes it's making a child feel seen, heard, and valued.

2. Talk through behavior issues... don't just assign consequences.

Consequences certainly have their place.

But if all we do is punish behavior without understanding it, we often miss the opportunity to change it.

Conversations build relationships. Relationships build trust. And trust often changes behavior more effectively than consequences alone.

3. Rely on your colleagues.

Teaching was never intended to be a solo endeavor.

The best schools are filled with educators who share ideas, encourage one another, ask for help, and celebrate each other's successes.

None of us has to do this alone.

4. Take things in stride.

Not every lesson will be perfect.

Not every parent meeting will go smoothly.

Not every day will end the way we hoped.

Learn from the difficult moments—but don't let them define you.

It's remarkable that a teacher only three years into her career had already discovered these truths.

Maybe that's because wisdom isn't measured by the number of years we've spent in education.

Sometimes it's measured by our willingness to learn from each day we're given.

As another school year approaches, these four reminders are worth carrying with us. They're simple enough to remember, yet powerful enough to shape the culture of a classroom—and even an entire school.

If you had to add a fifth lesson to this list, what would it be?

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

@SMShottelman 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

@RachelEdohoEket @ISTE_ASCD 🙌🏼👊🏼🤘🏼💪🏼

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

@pinkpatterson @katyisd Whoa! Congrats!

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

@JustEdTech @ISTE_ASCD Great to connect!

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

Epic experience @ISTE_ASCD in Orlando!
#ISTElive
#ASCDAnnual

[Josh Tovar @JTSPOTLIGHTS]

*Developed PD for members via book studies and speakers like @SteeleThoughts
*915 pillars connected to that of the state
*Awarded scholarships for Seniors via fundraising events like golf tournament @TALAS4edu @EspeHilts @BEAMDFW @AmyAlarcon23

[Eric Sheninger @E_Sheninger]

New post: Driving Institutional Change with Evidence and Research https://t.co/RqH7tMmP3u #edchat #edutwitter #educhat #suptchat #edleadership #edadmin

[Michele Hill @HillMrispo]

Kicking off the first day of @ISTE_ASCD Conference in Orlando with @lecte11 and @SteeleThoughts

[Eye On Education @RoutledgeEOE]

Did you attend Danny Steele’s great session today on instructional leadership? Continue your learning with 20% off his book on https://t.co/inijDTj1su! #ASCDAnnual #ISTElive

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

@BitnerAndrea @ISTE_ASCD @Principal_EL I've heard him! He always brings the 🔥!

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

Excited to be @ISTE_ASCD !

Hope to see some of y’all!

#ASCDannual2026

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

The Conversation Before the Conversation

One of the most valuable pieces of advice I can offer teachers is this:

If you have a difficult, disrespectful, or defiant student, make it a priority to have lots of conversations with them when they're not in trouble.

Talk to them in the hallway. Ask about their weekend. Notice when they do something well. Learn about their interests.

Those conversations build rapport.

And rapport doesn't guarantee there won't be future conflicts—but it makes those conflicts far less likely. When students know you care about them outside of moments of correction, they're much more likely to receive your guidance when it matters most.

The same principle applies to leadership.

Every leader has staff members who can be challenging. Maybe they seem resistant to change. Maybe they're negative. Maybe they simply get under your skin.

Your greatest opportunity to influence them probably won't come during a difficult conversation.

It will come on an ordinary Tuesday morning.

It's the casual conversation in the hallway. The check-in after a faculty meeting. The sincere question about their family or a hobby they enjoy. Those moments build trust long before you need to address a concern.

Too often, leaders only engage certain employees when there's a problem to solve or behavior to correct. Unfortunately, that means every interaction begins to feel like bad news.

Great leaders don't wait for conflict to build relationships.

They build relationships so conflict becomes easier to navigate.

Teachers shape the culture of their classrooms. Leaders shape the culture of their organizations.

Both do it best when they are intentional and proactive—not simply reacting when something goes wrong.

The best difficult conversation is often the one made easier by a hundred ordinary conversations that came before it.

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

Excited to see everyone tomorrow @ISTE_ASCD!
#ASCDannual

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

So excited to be presenting @ASCD this weekend!

"The Instructional Leader in YOU: 10 Strategies for Every School Leader"

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

A path forward...

[Danny Steele @SteeleThoughts]

The most important qualities of any educator are not adequately captured on a resume.