I've had the tremendous good fortune in my career to cross paths with some of the finest educators and leaders in the business. From the internationally famous superintendents who earned acclaim for district-level turnarounds to the scores of teachers who receive neither fanfare nor, sadly, recognition for the near-miraculous work performed in the schoolhouse classrooms every day, great educators are a treasure to behold. In my travels and experiences, I've also discovered something important: They're not Superman. In fact, the greatest are more like Everyman, and they have some distinct commonalities.

The excellent educators share certain characteristics - descriptors about who they are as human beings, the authenticity of what they bring to their classrooms, schools, and districts on a very personal level. They also act in very deliberate, forceful ways while in the realm of their professional roles - they know their craft, they understand the science behind their decisions, and they're driven by a desire to achieve results.

Above all, and you've read this from me before, highly effective educators constantly and accurately reflect upon their actions, their options, their decisions, and their results. Consider this: How could a teacher improve a lesson for next time if not by examining the outcomes, the processes, and actions of this time? How could a principal determine the most effective strategies for achieving a goal if not by evaluating the previous attempts, changing variables, leadership actions, and results yielded? If improvement is the key (news flash: it is), and change is a prerequisite for improvement, how could any of us possibly fathom what to change and how to change it so that we get improvements, not just differences, except by engaging in the intentional and challenging practice of self-reflection?

We'll be reflecting a little bit on the power of our practices in this issue of The Launching Pad. You know, we do a lot of things in the name of improving professional practice - and, as always, I commend and appreciate that you've selected "reading online professional journals like The Launching Pad" to your action plan - and this issue, like its predecessors and descendants, is built in the hangar of school improvement as well.

From discussions of questioning techniques to drive professional growth to establishing a structure for Response-to-Intervention, from a reminder to celebrate what's working to a chat about service learning, from a profile of an award-winning teacher to the book review that will change your life, we believe we've compiled an exceptional lineup for your professional extension endeavors.

You may also notice that the format of The Launching Pad has undergone a facelift. Believe me, it's just cosmetic. Rather than separate the articles, columns, profiles, and reviews by issue date, we've put them onto one site - a warehouse of tremendous resources, ideas, suggestions, and inspiration, if you will. Just scroll to whatever article suits your fancy and have at it - you can still tell when it was published by the volume/number next to the title. Yes, Mr. Derek Cordell's column, "Common Sense," is still here, is still humorous, is still poignant, and is still motivational, not to worry.

As I reflect upon myself as an educator - a teacher first, a principal, a professional development agent - I realize that I'm constantly weighing the pros and cons of every decision I make...before, during, and after the decision itself. Are all my decisions correct? Certainly not. Have I botched the job before? You betcha. However, it's the tendency to reflect upon my actions - a tendency that I've focused on and honed over the years - that allows me to learn from my mistakes, to assess the alternative paths, and to: a) take corrective action in a reasonable way, and b) ensure that the next time I'm facing a similar circumstance, I make an even better-informed decision.

So to you, my fellow educators, I say welcome to this marvelous journey. Let's learn, reflect, and act intentionally.

Commence liftoff.