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Transformative Principal

Transformative Principal

871 episodes — Page 5 of 18

S12 Ep 541Using Data To Find The Perfect College with Dave Hurwitt Summer of AI Series Transformative Principal 541

Dave Hurwitt is an innovator. Over the course of his career, he’s led the development and launch of new products and services – from toothpicks to wind turbines – that have generated well over $1 billion in sales. Having worked in admissions through grad school, he was amazed by how little technology and the internet had impacted the college search and admissions process. And even more, he was dismayed to discover how often students were transferring or dropping out altogether. In early 2020, this led directly to his founding Troove, a 2-sided, AI-powered platform to help students discover their passions, people, and place based on the real experiences of recent alumni and current higher education students.This episode is brought to you by AILeader.info, where you can learn all about AI specifically in a place designed for educators through 3-minute masterclasses. How Troove worksTake the idea of suggestions from Netflix or Amazon and apply it to college.15-minute quiz, how do you ask the right questions to get the answers that make sense of the patterns?At any school, there is an in and out of the classroom experience and culture.Less self-awareness.Finding experts who can explain psychological safety.Keep layering in more and more data.Social culture preferences and learning culture preferences.Doesn’t have to be complete to start.Continue to explore the good stuff.Open to sharing data and information about yourself.Willingness to share and age are tightly correlated.How can we make that sharing of information safer, data safe, and help them see themselves more clearly?Incomplete information about schools without complete information.Making informed decisions about their future.Is this too complicated?Start taking steps - the request: go explore new technologies that might be useful that we can afford to trial.Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.Just get started.Connect with Dave Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Jul 4, 202333 min

S12 Ep 542Bot's Up, Doc? with Jethro Jones Transformative Principal 542

In this episode, Jethro and Fred discuss chatbots and artificial intelligence. The episode covers the history of chatbots, including the Turing Test and the development of Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Bing, and Jasper. The potential uses and issues with chatbots are explored, including incomplete or misinformation, theft of intellectual property, inappropriate uses, and threats to various types of jobs. The episode also touches on the impact of chatbots on education and the potential for the weaponization of disinformation, cybersecurity, and more emotion-targeted advertising.Beginning of Cybertraps Podcast Episode IndexWritebettr.com - test out AI with your poorly written emailsAILeader.info - learn about AI and how to use it to save time with 3-minute masterclasses.Today’s Topic: Bot’s Up, Doc?Keynote delivered at last minute for Alaska Society for Technology in EducationArtificial Life and Artificial IntelligenceWhy chatbots are NOT “artificial intelligence” – yet“The Father of Chat”The Turing TestAlan Turing OBE FRS [1912–1954] – British mathematician and computer scientistLeader in the development of computer and algorithmic theoryAt Bletchley Park, helped design a machine to crack the Enigma code1950 – Turing devises The Turing Test:Can a computer produce answers indistinguishable from a human?The Imitation Game1954 – Turing commits suicideLarge Language Models (LLMs)ChatGPT (esp. 4)BingJasperembedded AIPhotoshopGoogle Workspaceincredibly rapid changeCurrent ChatGPT IssuesIncomplete Data or MisinformationTheft of Intellectual PropertyInappropriate UsesResponse to MSU ShootingThreat to Various Types of JobsMid-to Lower-Level TechMedia / PR ProfessionalsCustomer ServiceParalegals / Attorneys?Religious Leaders?MonetizationA Quick Object LessonCensorship Is a Biz-KillChina Was a Tech Leader in the 2010sWeChatAliPayBeijing (CCP) Got NervousParty Officials Took Corporate SeatsThe goal Was to Limit Social InfluenceChinese Tech Companies Slashed Investment in Pure ResearchChatGPT and EducationA Flawed Resource for StudentsIncomplete InformationMisinformationKids Will Use Technology to CheatNot the First Time …Several Schools Have Had Cheating ScandalsNYC Blocked, then Unblocked, Access to ChatGPTResponses and SolutionsTools for Identifying Chat-Generated ContentIncorporate Chat Critiques into CurriculaThe Revenge of the Palmer Method?Create Assessments that ChatGPT Can’t AnswerThe Parade of HorriblesWeaponization of DisinformationCybersecuritySocial EngineeringScams and SpamsManipulative SuggestionsIntegration with Other TechnologiesMore Emotion-Targeted AdvertisingDisplaced Emotional RelationshipsPersonalized Chatbot (“Amanuensis”)Fasten Your Seat Belt. It’s Going to Be a Bumpy Night. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Jul 3, 202333 min

S12 Ep 540The Future is Now Summer of AI Series on Transformative Principal with Nancy Giordano Episode 540

Based in wonder and optimism, Nancy Giordano is an exponential strategist focused on building a safe, inclusive, thriving future. Believing we have a once in a generation opportunity to rethink, reimagine and reshape every industry and social construct we call life, she supports and champions those actively architecting bold solutions and guides the visionary leaders eager to meet this call. An active strategist working on horizon solutions, Nancy is eager to share her insights on emerging technologies and shifting cultural expectations in ways that get everyone deeply motivated by the possibilities…and confident to start building.This episode is brought to you by AILeader.info, where you can learn all about AI specifically in a place designed for educators through 3-minute masterclasses. Life hack - make up your jobJob is labeled or definedCan’t use a map anymore, so we need a compass - What does the future need and expect, and what am I in a unique position to create and contributeCompass allows you to sense and respondpurpose and intentionlenses to the future - personal, community, societyexpectations and opportunities as a member of the communityWatched the movie “Her”It didn’t come out of nowhereSpeech that can be fabricated See Episode 537History teachers may be best prepared.LiteraciesDreams and the role they play in our psychological well-beingJoined an AI startup 8 years ago.Humanity Bill of RightsHow do we build better decision-making framingDavid Ogilvy - give me the freedom of a tightly defined strategy.We can all agree on these 10–12 thingsSAMR ModelThe more students have to go outside the system for what they think is important the less the value is that degree.It’s a tool that helps usWhat are the use cases for AI?Responsible AI instituteScale the conversation around ethicsAlgorithm and dataHuge structural changesTeachers who have it are that much more impactful and great.Part of the reason we have a mental health crisis is that kids don’t feel totally prepared for the future.Gravitate towards those who are preparing us well.SWOT Analysis - RIFF Map - Relieved, inspired, frustrated, FearfulThings you’re frightened byHead to nancygiordano.com and check out the book LEADERing.Summer of AI - learn all about AI in a safe, supportive community focused on school leaders and applications of AI to school environments - aileader.info Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Jun 29, 202334 min

S12 Ep 539Using AI in Turnaround Schools with Dr. Scott Neil Transformative Principal 539

This episode is part of the Summer of AI series presented by AILeader.info. AILeader.info makes the abstract actionable by helping you stay on the cutting edge with 3-minute masterclasses that teach you what you need to know about AI in just 3 minutes or less. To join, go to AILeader.infoGot key people to be successful. Curriculum alignment Instructional rigor advanced models for schools Teacher Planning - is the source of what teachers are doing. Is ChatGPT the best for lesson planning? More advanced models exist. Machine Learning will actually remember the moves and methods of a teacher. Almost like having a coach built into your model. Bard with Google ASU+GSV conferenceFineTune - If you’re serious, you need better language models. Provides references to everything that it creates. School districts can go in with more confidence because there is less bias. AI is going to be the path. Dual challenge for school districts - figure out a policy on AI Don’t worry about AI taking your job, worry about the person who knows AI taking your job. You can control AI and put parameters around it. Intervention plans for students at the completion of a lesson. The human element goes into what are the rules you’re telling the AI to do. Make a strategic plan to get AI out there in a sensible way. AI models in SEL 90% of the time Teaching people how to be good prompt engineers Explain it to me like you’re a consultant. Jasper for CopywritingMachine Learning - it learns what you’re looking for. Mazy pulls from four different types of sources How to be careful about what you adopt. How this should be impacting teaching and learning. People are thinking that kids are cheating. Aligning to the 21st century world of work. Global achievement gap. What are the skills kids are going to need? Kids need the assistance of a teacher when they are stuck. Why wouldn’t we have AI take the place of teachers if the AI can do it better? What is a teacher going to be in the future? We had a chance to make a real impact Just design a great lesson. - #1 thing that catches kids up 3 years in 1 year - is feedback.- Ego-involved feedback vs. task-involved feedback.- Data’s getting stale - 48 hours- How to make sure teachers have time to do what they need.- Lead180.com- educompass.appAbout Scott NeilDr. Scott Neil is a nationally recognized expert in the area of school turnaround with a focus on Data-Driven Instruction and instructional leadership. With a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and 20 years of school and district leadership experience in urban education, Scott has led the turnaround of five different urban schools in Florida over his 31-year career in education. Dr. Neil spent six years working as a national subject matter expert, training facilitator, and principal coach with the national nonprofit organization New Leaders, whose mission is to prepare educators to become transformational school principals across eleven cities within the United States. Scott founded LEAD180 in 2014 to help provide support to schools across the country in the area of instructional planning and the alignment to the Cognitive Rigor of College and Career Ready Standards.Bringing a unique combination of deep experience as both a practitioner and researcher in the field of school leadership within high poverty school settings, Scott has trained and mentored over 400 principals, 400 emerging school leaders, and over 5,000 teachers over the course of his career. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-

Jun 23, 202341 min

S12 Ep 538How Superintedents are Approaching AI with Jeremy Tucker Transformative Principal Summer of AI Series Episode 538

Dr. Tucker brings a unique perspective with a lifetime of learning experiences overseas and in the United States. Having grown up traveling back and forth between Africa and the United States he experienced a variety of learning environments. He credits his mom, his first homeschool teacher, teachers at an international school, and numerous Missouri educators for his decision to pursue a career in education. His experiences have influenced his commitment to designing learner-centered educational experiences.He currently serves as the Superintendent of Liberty Public Schools. During his time in LPS, the District opened EPiC Elementary (2022 National Blue Ribbon School), partnered with industry to create Kansas City Tech Academy, established the UnSchool Challenge, and rolled out several micro schools including HMS by Design, EDGE, North Nation By Design, and Warren Hills Reimagined. These innovations evolved through a commitment to answering the question, “What does it mean to be learner-centered?” and always thinking about what lies at the edge of vision. In 2017 Liberty Public Schools was accepted into the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools. League districts pioneer innovative learning and leadership practices that lead to improved outcomes for students and that help prepare them for learning for life.Moving closer to the “edge of vision,” Dr. Tucker has led the LPS community in designing a Graduate Profile, establishing a Vivid Vision, development of an equity-centered strategic plan, and advanced Real World Learning networks across the Kansas City metropolitan area.Dr. Tucker was identified as a “20 to Watch” educator for 2016–2017 by the National School Boards Association. In 2019, Dr. Tucker was named the 2019 Missouri Superintendent of the Year.This episode is brought to you by AILeader.info, where you can learn all about AI specifically in a place designed for educators through 3-minute masterclasses. Understanding what we mean by Artificial intelligence and how rapidly it is evolving.How do we leverage our data in a better way?How might we leverage artificial intelligenceJobs that could be created vs jobs eliminated.It’s about how we do our jobs.It’s important to have ourLeveraging group think and group feedback to get to the sentiment ofMaking qualitiative data quantifiableInteroperability of systems - Could AI help our systems communicateWord CloudsValuable skill that could be lost? Did I really capture everything?Allowing people to get their hands dirty with the feedback.How do we make sure that people have the ability to live in bothGIGO garbage in garbage out.Machine learning in the computerDon’t want to miss the critical thinking piece where they just take the CSV file without understanding how things are working.AI is not an emerging field,It’s accelerating. It’s probably worth recognizing we’re all learners.We’re fairly progressiveCare for the present and enabling the future.At times we’re learning or leading.how does this fit into my content area or my grade level?ChatGPTHow do I integrate this into my classwork?Is there any difference between a teacher using ChatGPT and and Teachers Pay TeachersOER district, using available-online curriculum.Really understand the validity of the resourceTraditional Resource Adoption vs. OER resource adoption.Curricular teams have choiceProfessional development, how to navigate that.How teachers will look at educational resources and professional developmentField trips for admin & teachers to learn from other industries.What do we learn from other industries?For what experiences is there no substitute?Starts with human elements, and then we slide in the academic areas.Engagement - how do we ensure that everyone is engaged? Improving 2 way communication and engagement opportunities.How to connect with Jeremy - LPS53.org, follow on jtucker.tmOER expert - Jeannette Westfall - Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that

Jun 19, 202338 min

S12 Ep 537APLUS framework for adopting AI with Jethro Jones Summer of AI Series Transformative Principal 537

In this episode, Jethro Jones introduces the Summer of AI Series on Transformative Principal. All summer, we’ve got some great interviews scheduled to come out with believers, skeptics, and everyone in between all about AI. See the APLUS framework hereJoin the conversation by joining our Facebook group hereAnd, Jethro also shares the AILeader.info resource, a membership site to help you learn how to save time and energy by learning how to use AI most effectively as a school leader. Join here. Jethro also shares the APLUS framework for adopting AI in schools: Accessibility: Ensure that AI-driven educational tools and resources are accessible to all learners, regardless of their backgrounds, abilities, or disabilities. Design AI systems that accommodate diverse learning styles and provide inclusive learning experiences for all students.Privacy and Ethics: Uphold strong ethical standards in the design, development, and deployment of AI technologies in education. Safeguard student privacy, ensuring transparent data collection and usage practices. Proactively address bias, fairness, and accountability concerns to maintain trust and protect the rights of learners.Learner-centricity: Place learners at the center of AI integration in education. Prioritize their well-being, agency, and autonomy in the learning process. Promote critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills while using AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for human interaction and guidance. This means that we cannot implement tools that make teachers’ lives easier if it actually makes students’ lives worse! One of the things that I have been hearing a lot of lately is that adults want to use AI to help them do their jobs, but at the same time want to prevent students from using AI and start calling it plagiarism or academic dishonestly. OK for me, but not for thee, is a bad way to approach this new technology. Usability: Develop AI-based educational tools and platforms that are user-friendly and intuitive for both students and educators. Prioritize simplicity, clear interfaces, and streamlined experiences, enabling easy adoption and minimizing technical barriers for all stakeholders.Sustainability: Consider the long-term impact and sustainability of AI integration in education. Embrace scalable and cost-effective solutions that benefit educational institutions and accommodate future advancements. Promote environmental sustainability by optimizing energy consumption and minimizing electronic waste.These principles, known as APLUS, emphasize the importance of privacy, ethics, and responsible data practices in AI integration in education. By prioritizing accessibility, learner-centricity, usability, and sustainability alongside privacy and ethics, we can create an educational environment that harnesses the power of AI while ensuring the well-being and rights of learners are protected. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for t

Jun 12, 202319 min

S11 Ep 536Helping Staff Come into a New School with Eric Makelky and Jethro Jones Transformative Principal 536

This is a continuation of our coaching calls with Eric Makelky. Please check our previous episodes 532527523 519 514, 510, 506, and 501In this episode, we talk about onboarding new staff. What Eric has done that has been helpful.District duties and Principal duties.How do we make people stick around?New Teacher Academy - in-house teachers come in and model, share, and showcase practices from their classroom.In-house people leading these things.Half-day around the building - basic information.Make a list, and trickle in during the summer.And what do they really need to be ready for the first day of school?Resources, curriculum, plan, classroom management.Big Picture vs. Details.How do you do that?Trello Board about onboardingHow do you avoid overwhelming them?Identify what is really valuable and what is extraMentoring new teachersHow do you not force mentoring on teachers?Collaborative teams within PLCs.Solid mentorMentorship is done according to the needs of the menteeIt’s about mentoring culture not just pedagogy.Have retired teachers come and be mentors when appropriate. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Jun 6, 202339 min

S11 Ep 535Building Momentum with Danny Bauer Transformative Principal 535

Danny Bauer is a Principal Development & Retention ExpertBest Selling AuthorAnd Host of Two of the World’s Most Downloaded PodcastsAs the Chief Ruckus Maker, he founded Better Leaders Better Schools in 2015.In this episode, we talk about his new book and other various and random things. Why an experimental mindset is so important.Deliver a result in as few words as possibleBuild Leadership MomentumGift yourself a 3-hour deep work blockPerfect principal entry planJohn Unger - after I started this all the stress was gone.Should veteran school leaders still pick up this book?How to get out of your own head?Imagine worst-case scenarios.I’ve already imagined worse than this.What would it take for you to hold this with an open hand?Outcomes are never in your control, inputs are.5 categories within the framework - start with the individual school leader, ruckus maker mindset tool.Everything else builds on top of each other and leads toSignificant and legacy work is not found in operations.The mark you leave on a campus is found on the other parts besidesBreaking up the entry plan to focus on significant time periods.Each campus is different and has unique needs.Take actionHow to turn off the noise.Get the book here: buildleadershipmomentum.comBonuses: Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Jun 1, 202343 min

S11 Ep 534From Conflict to Collaboration with Dr. Robert Feirsen and Dr Seth Weitzman Transformative Principal 534

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Robert Feirsen and Dr. Seth Weitzman about their new book From Conflict to Collaboration: A School Leader’s Guide to Unleashing Conflict’s Problem-Solving Power.We talk about how to avoid conflict, the three A’s to approach conflict, and much more.About the GuestsDr. Robert Feirsen is currently an associate professor and coordinator of the Educational Leadership Program at Manhattanville College. Previously, he was assistant professor and chair of the Education Department at the New York Institute of Technology. A former SAANYS member, Dr. Feirsen enjoyed a distinguished career in P-12 schools. As a school building leader in Westchester and Nassau Counties, he served as an elementary school principal, a middle school assistant principal, and a middle school principal. At the central office level, he served as an assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, deputy superintendent, and superintendent of schools. Dr. Feirsen taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels as a social studies and special education teacher in schools in New York City before moving into supervisory roles. Dr. Feirsen holds an Ed.D. from Fordham University. Dr. Feirsen’s research interests include addressing organizational conflict, the school principal-school counselor relationship, principal and teacher retention, the relationship between psychological ownership and professional learning, college readiness, and the applications of design thinking. His research and other articles have been published in a number of academic journals, as well as Educational Leadership and Education Week. Dr. Feirsen has led workshops at such venues as ASCD, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), and the American Educational Research Association (AERA). With Seth Weitzman, he has presented at national and statewide conferences including ASCD, the New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS), and the New York Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NYACTE). Seth Weitzman is also the co-author of From Conflict to Collaboration: A School Leader’s Guide to Unleashing Conflict’s Problem-Solving Power and How to Get the Teaching Job You Want.Dr. Seth Weitzman sat in a middle school principal’s chair for 27 years in Nassau and Westchester counties. Leadership positions included co-president of the Mamaroneck administrators’ union, president of the Nassau County, and later, the Westchester County Middle School Principals’ Association, and a New York State Middle-Level Liaison (a working group of principals representing every county and BOCES in New York State meeting with NYSED officials). Together with Dr. Robert Feirsen, he is the co-author of two books: How to Get the Teaching Job You Want and From Conflict to Collaboration: A School Leader’s Guide to Unleashing Conflict’s Problem-Solving Power. He is either author or co-author of a number of articles published in national education journals including Educational Leadership and American Middle-Level Education Magazine. Drs. Feirsen and Weitzman have presented in numerous professional association conferences at the county, state, and local levels (e.g. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, American Association of School Personnel Administrators, New York State Middle School Association, New York State Association of Teacher Educators) and graduate-level classes (Teachers College, Bank Street College of Education). He is currently Senior Instructor in the Mercy College Educational Leadership Department. His 40-year education career began teaching elementary school and middle school in Connecticut and New York City. He holds an EdD from Teachers College, Columbia University. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Ma

May 29, 202346 min

S11 Ep 533Designing a Student-Driven CTE School with Shelley Groves Transformative Principal 533

Shelley Groves is an assistant superintendent of a Career Technical Education Planning District in Ohio. In this podcast, she shares her experiences with CTE, work-based learning experiences, how she keeps kids from failing, and how she has changed the curriculum to give students more choice while still focusing on the standards. She also talks about the collaboration between the two campuses and the Focus Friday pilot program that has helped to build more effective relationships.In Ohio, CTE can be delivered several different ways: career technical planning districtOne exceptional experience. 2 campuses, Fairfield and Franklin CountiesOnly juniors and seniors.From career exploration to workforce development.How far do kids have to travel. 1 hour bus ride for some.Perkins funding comes with CTE.Required to have work-based learning experiences.Failure is not an option.My students don’t fail, because I don’t give them an option.Kids are leaving and working on the job.AASA last year - listening to one of the speakers. Why are we afraid to ask for student feedback.What are we afraid they are going to say?Looking at our curriculum, students who come here are hands-on, but over the past years, our academic model didn’t reflect what’s happening in our CTE labs.How do we help students love the academic model?Gave students Children’s literature class and Inquiry passion projects based on their own interests.Some students don’t report to campus at all.Stopped doing English 11 and started giving kids more choice so they could focus on the standards.Scary thing for teachers because they have to learn with the students.The teacher already knows the standards.Are you getting what you need from this class?Two campuses - struggling with collaboration.Two schools working independently of each other.Teachers wondering if they are going to go through it every year?How do we make classes sufficient so that kids can do things in any section or period?Applied academics - kids who are in construction go to each of their classes together.Students’ concerns are that they don’t want to be identified by just their program.Pilot Program - Focus Fridays - no classes on those days, different sessions you can attend.How different classes have helped teachers build more effective relationships.Kids really feel like the school is committed to them as an individual.Passion for learning, what better way to model this than to give kids opportunities to do what classes they want.Applications are up by 300 students.Lots of communication behind the “Why”How can you fix the academic part of it?Why are we teaching what we’re teaching and how are we teaching it?How to be a transformative Principal? Try something new. Model something new for your staff and don’t give up.About our GuestShelley Groves has been in education for 25 years, started as teacher of math and now overseeing curriculum as assistant superintendent of a CTE Planning District. They serve 16 schools districts About our HostJethro Jones, 2017 Digital Principal of the Year, is a former principal and founder of the BE Podcast Network. He is also the author of the books How to be a Transformative Principal and SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves! Jethro currently speaks around the country on a variety of subjects from principal leadership to student driven learning. Jethro has worked as a principal at all K–12 levels, including a prison school, a district coach, distance learning team lead, and English teacher. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks

May 24, 202341 min

S11 Ep 532Dealing with Difficult Parents with Eric Makelky and Jethro Jones Transformative Principal 532

This is a continuation of our coaching calls with Eric Makelky. Please check in our previous episodes 527, 523, 519, 514, 510, 506, and 501In this episode we talk about dealing with difficult parents. - Celebration - Just calling someone who applied. - Someone applying - Reaching out immediately - Making it personal. - Parents - How to get them on your team? - 25–30 parents now on the advisory council. - Challenges with parents - Being a successful principal is about being popular and making everyone happy. - Parents can be really challenging. - Education is the parents’ responsibility and we are here to help out. - What about when there isn’t a reason? - I’m recording this conversation…Me, too. - Would you like me to send a copy to you? - Intimidation approaches - Next time: so many things to learn that I didn’t have things in place for helping new staff. How do I help new staff transition in? Sponsors Transformative Principal MastermindLead a school everyone can be proud of.Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do.I help you stop putting out fires and start leading.Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

May 8, 202336 min

S11 Ep 531Implementing Distributive Leadership with Jack Arend Transformative Principal 531

Jack Arend joined the AWSP team in July 2019. He has served in education since 1989 as an elementary, middle and high school music teacher. He began his building leadership career in the fall of 2006 as the principal of Peter G. Schmidt Elementary in the Tumwater School District. After eleven years in the principalship, he served two years at the Central Office level overseeing multiple content areas and mentoring first year teachers. Jack and his wife are both graduates of Washington State University. Jack received his Masters Degree from Western Washington University and his Administrative credentials from Seattle Pacific University. Jack and his wife Brenda enjoy living in the Olympia area and love spending time with their three children, Amanda, Emily, and Thomas. The Move Up Workshop online version is now closed, but if you are interested, you can join the waitlist at my web site Move Up workshop Do you see your school vision in your classroom observations Professional Learning is self-care for the school leader. Self-care is how you get your power back. From aspiring to retiring School Leadership matters Are there systems set up that allow you to leave? Can you schedule an in-person event and not feel guilty. Distributive leadership Saddened when people can’t go There’s no “coverage for my building” so I can’t go. Learning is a part of our job. Schools are big machines to keep running. It’s no small job that schools run efficiently every day. Every moving part is not contingent on moving the wheel. It doesn’t always have to be the school leader. I thought I was there to take things off their plates. Delegation Giving people opportunities for others enables me to do other things Trust can take so long to develop and take split second to break Trust is like walking on a glass tabletop. Start with honesty and clarity Not taking things off my plate that should be on my plate. Let it happen, and don’t micromanage. “How’d it go?” Drafting a master schedule example What are their parameters, and what is out of bounds? Importance of understanding the task. People want to have a voice How to be a transformative principal? Get to know your people. It’s 100% relational. Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

May 1, 202341 min

S11 Ep 530How to Make Today a Win with Ryan Henton Transformative Principal 530

Ryan Henton is the Assistant Principal at 450-student Castle Rock High School. He’s in his 15th year as an educator and his first year as an administrator. Previous to administration, he was an English teacher teaching everything from 6th grade to English AP, in California and now in Castle Rock. In this episode, we talk about Ryan’s experience at the Move Up workshop which you can join virtually starting next week! Worksheet hanging on his wall. Helped me focus more learning on the job is so fast and furious. Show up Lead Up, Level Up Ryan’s one thing is “How to make today a WIN.” Moving from Prevention to Promotion mindset. Focusing on his destination. Did I make the right move? So many hats to wear and so many things to do. I always went home feeling not successful. The workshop helped me see things in a different way. Connecting with other assistant principals. Format | Calendar | popped up | | ———– | ———————- | | Podcast | bullying investigation | | JV Practice | Meet with parents | This workshop was an upgrade in my thinking! Making me think and reflect day-to-day Forces me to reassess my goals for that day. How the one thing has impacted his leadership The principal has seen it, but he isn’t sure if the staff sees it. My world was my classroom Your classroom is your priority. I’ve become more attentive, more focused Important to you, but not important to the whole How to be a transformative principal? Lean into your strengths! Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Apr 26, 202332 min

S1 Ep 530An Interview With Jethro and Lynn Hardin from the Principal Purpose Podcast

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In this interview, Jethro talks with Lynn Hardin about the Move Up Workshop. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Apr 25, 202336 min

S11 Ep 529Every Teacher an Intervention Expert with Shaun Cornwall Transformative Principal 529

On this episode we talk about the Move Up Workshop, where you will learn how to show up, lead up and level up so you can move up. Are you ready to move up? Take the 2-minute assessment here and see for yourself. Shaun Cornwall is a seasoned educator and administrator dedicated to delivering top-notch education to all learners. Shaun embraces a well-rounded approach to education, focusing on academic, engineering, artistic, wellness, and social-emotional aspects. With a 20-year background in education, he has served as an Assistant Principal, Dean of Students, and elementary-level classroom teacher. He is currently serving as an assistant principal in the issaquah school district. Shaun has a knack for incorporating technology into learning environments and has successfully developed STEM programs during his career. With a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and a principal’s license, he is also an active member of ASCD and AWSEP, and has contributed to STEM conferences and the NSTA’s Science Scope journal. Apart from his professional life, Shaun is a devoted husband and father to four wonderful children, aged between 7 and 17. In his spare time, he loves designing and playing board games, crafting delicious sourdough bread, and catching the latest films at the movies. Most valuable from the workshop was around evaluations and aligning myself around her values Our staff will be intervention experts is our vision. Rubric-based observations vs. a conversational approach Robotic and not super focused or helpful for teachers? Feedback is more authentic Teachers want to be better teachers and my feedback actually helps them now. One thing: going to be in one lunch every day. Put it on the calendar and told people they can expect to see me. Having a paraprofessional out there with me observing how I was handling it. Why you should attend the workshop. You are in charge of your own professional growth. What has made Shaun a great principal? Other principals. A great principal: Mary Kay Summers More about being intervention experts: meeting students where they need and what they need How to support teachers in that realm. How to be a transformative principal? Get out of your office. Be with kids. Connect with kids that don’t see you as much. Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Apr 18, 202330 min

S11 Ep 528Be the Head Coach of a School with Ben Ziegler Transformative Principal 528

Ben Ziegler started his teaching career in SW Washington back in 2009. For a decade now, he has been a part of the Battle Ground School District, and for the past four years, he has been serving as an administrator. Throughout his tenure, Ben has held various positions, including a Dean for Students at the high school level, three years as an elementary AP, and currently, he is an AP at the middle school level. On this episode we talk about the Move Up Workshop, where you will learn how to show up, lead up and level up so you can move up. Are you ready to move up? Take the 2-minute assessment here and see for yourself. What was most valuable from the workshop you attended with Jethro? Getting our mission/vision statements into our observations. How we are aligning in our vision and mission Coherence - aligning academics and social emotional. TPEP What is your one thing? Being aware 2x a day, ask myself if I’m aware. Helping teachers be more willing to try new things and do different things. How has your one thing impacted you in ways you didn’t expect? Had a really good conversation with a staff member here and made some suggestions to a staff member. Believe in myself more and slow down in moments in dealing with people. Strategic vs. Tactical approaches. Perspective Surprised in a good way with how much it aligned with what I already believe. Inventory of gratitude If someone is considering attending this workshop, what advice would you give them? What is your vision for your career? Started coaching middle school sports at 19 years old. Loved teaching and coaching. Be the head coach of a school. You work with people to improve their schools but help them be the best they can be. Knowing when to pull back and when to push. It comes down to relationships. It often comes down to the right question at the right time. Let people sit there. How to be a transformative Principal? Figure out your one thing for yourself - go out and observe and listen. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Apr 9, 202326 min

S11 Ep 527The Long Game of Recruiting and Retaining Teachers with Jethro Jones and Eric Makelky Transformative Principal 527

Take our free quiz to see if you’re ready to become a principal! Get personalized feedback and actionable steps for improvement. Start your journey to educational leadership success today! In this episode, we are continuing our coaching conversations with Eric. Please check in our previous episodes 523 519 514, 510, 506, and 501 We are talking about how we finally met in person! We have known each other for years, but haven't met yet! Here's the outline of the rest of what we talk about: Schoolai.com Chapter on hiring from How to be a Transformative Principal Recruiting and hiring What do we need to do differently to be more flexible Knowing how few applicants there are, how can we recruit differently? What is good? Easy to fill out applications Vacancies open sooner Early for traditional What do you not feel good about? Don’t know how much difference teacher fairs make or not Like having a presence at a job fair. Very few graduates in programs Internet has changed the application process How much schools social media helps? Suggestions for Improving Attract people to come to your school. Get on the phone and talk to them about what you offer at the school. “We need a body” Worried to non-renew a teacher because they’re not going to get any applicants. Always be recruiting Look for talent everywhere Build a pipeline and keep in touch. Letter of intent for returning to their home district and get a bonus. Build a longer district pipeline. Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Apr 2, 202344 min

S11 Ep 526The Authority: Culture Rules with Mark Miller, WSJ Best-Selling Author and Chick-Fil-A VP

In this episode, we’re bringing you a conversation from The Authority Podcast, part of the Be Podcast Network. Today’s guest is international best-selling author and business leader Mark Miller, Vice President of High Performance Leadership for Chick-Fil-A. Culture Rules: The Leader's Guide to Creating the Ultimate Competitive Advantage is Mark’s 11th book. He currently has over one million books in print in more than twenty-five languages. Ross and Mark discuss: 71% of U.S. leaders believe culture is their #1 most powerful tool to drive performance, but enhancing culture ranks low on their priority list — why the gap? First move: decide and declare what you're trying to create. Culture needs to be explicit. The 3 Culture Rules: Aspire, Amplify, Adapt What does culture mean to your customers? Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wanted to shift the company from being “know-it-alls” to “learn-it-alls” — what did Mark learn while working on the book? The “magic circle” of game design and how it explains culture. What Mark learned about innovation and purpose. Measuring culture Culture Rules is now available for purchase, with a number of bonuses available for individual and bulk orders. Learn about them here: https://www.leadeveryday.com The Authority is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with leading authors from the education world and beyond. Host Ross Romano, a leadership coach, storytelling strategist and edtech advisor, draws out their invaluable insights on leadership, culture-building, transformation, and student & educator success. Subscribe to The Authority: Apple: https://apple.co/3ePnTea Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3JxkyeX RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/425789/rss Connect on social media: Mark Miller is a business leader, best-selling author, and communicator. He began writing almost twenty years ago, and with over one million books in print in more than twenty-five languages, Mark’s global impact continues to grow. Connect with him: https://www.linkedin.com/in/highperformanceleaders/ https://twitter.com/MarkMillerLeads Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Mar 28, 202355 min

S11 Ep 525Tackling the Teacher Shortage Problem with Michael Horn, Charles Fournier and Kevin Stoller Transformative Principal 525

This week on Transformative Principal, Jethro Jones shares a special episode where he was on a panel to discuss the current teacher shortage and what can be done. This was recorded for the Better Learning Podcast In this podcast, we discussed the following: - teachers that are leaving or doing really well. - How education has been a pink collar job and the impact that has on our day today - Empowering individuals - Addressing mentorship - Policy change vs. leadership decisions - Public Impact in North Carolina - Teacher Buy-in - Teachers want to connect - Playing with Teaching - Motivation - Leadership & culture - A discussion of money About the Panel:ists Michael Horn is the co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute and author of Blended and Disrupting Class, and the new book coming out this week called “Choosing College!”, which is the book we are talking about today! Charles Fournier is a High school English teacher and freelance podcaster at Wyoming Public Radio. Worked as an associate producer on the award-winning podcast HumaNature. Currently working as a sound designer on award-winning podcast, The Modern West, and host The Mountain Time Podcast Hour on WPR. Recently, have been producing the narrative podcast Those Who Can’t Teach Jethro Jones, 2017 Digital Principal of the Year, is a former principal and founder of the BE Podcast Network. He is also the author of the books How to be a Transformative Principal and SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves! Jethro currently consults schools and districts on redesign efforts that don’t seem like another program. Jethro has worked as a principal at all K–12 levels, including a prison school, a district coach, distance learning team lead, and English teacher. The Better Learning Podcast is hosted by Kevin Stoller, CEO of Kay-Twelve and author of Creating Better Learning Environments. The podcast is also associated with other organizations that are focused on improving education including the Education Leaders’ Organization (ELO) and the Second Class Foundation Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Mar 23, 20231h 3m

S11 Ep 524Building Skills in Executive Functioning with Dr. Karen Dudek-Brannan Transformative Principal 524

Dr. Karen Dudek Brannan spent 14 years as a school speech-language pathologist (SLP) while working on her doctorate in special education and Director of Special Education credential. In 2015, she launched a business focused on helping IEP teams design services that support language, literacy, and executive functioning, as well as helping all team members be better leaders. She brings a valuable perspective from both the service-provider and leadership ends of special education. Dr. Karen is also the host of De Facto Leaders on the Be Podcast Network. The show is designed for teachers, aspiring school leaders, and pediatric therapists who want to gain new strategies for success in their sessions and classrooms, and become more effective leaders. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or visit Karen's website to find the link to your preferred podcast app. Summary: In today’s episode we dive into the world of executive functioning. Dr. Dudek-Brannan explains what effective work should look like beyond the traditional model of students working on skill deficiencies in isolation with a counselor or therapist. She describes how a team can focus on building these skills in students and what practice in the classroom includes. Best way for listeners to reach out to Karen: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/ Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Mar 15, 202337 min

S11 Ep 523How to Prioritize Problems with Eric Makelky and Jethro Jones Transformative Principal 523

How Eric Taught a student to write a better email. Write better emails How to prioritize problems. Keeping a focus What’s keeping you from focusing on your 1 thing in your school? 1 thing: getting into classrooms. Master schedule - Is this even in the top ten list? Got into his 1 thing within a month every year. Priorities - getting prepared for state testing, getting prepared for next year’s scheduling, graduation, staffing for next year. Are your priorities your todo list? Big idea behind state testing reflect the efforts of our kids What makes or breaks a great school. Why isn’t your past experiences translating to the current situation. Graduation rate was 85%, wasn’t meeting our goals. Goal of learning 1 thing each day. I’ve learned something new every day. What is the 1 thing that if you What was most valuable? Reframing how I prioritize Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Mar 5, 202341 min

S11 Ep 522Relationships to Repair and Prevent Harm with Dr. Tina Curry Transformative Principal 522

Tina Curry, Ed.D is currently Lead Coach at Fernwood Elementary School in Chicago Public Schools and an adjunct professor at DePaul University and National-Louis University. She was one of the contributors to the book Teaching for Racial Equity, which was recently named an Excellence in Equity Award Winner. She is an expert in equity in education and has trained educators in culturally responsive teaching and equity practices. She is a sought- after equity consultant. As a critically acclaimed public speaker and advocate for equity and justice in education, Dr. Curry has delivered keynote addresses locally and nationally. During her 23- year tenure in Chicago Public Schools she has served as a middle school and high school teacher, an equity coach, a literacy coach and went on to become a literacy specialist for three years in the Office of Literacy. Dr. Curry was named National Louis University’s Graduate Faculty of Year in 2019 and received the Most Influential Teacher Award from Sarah Goode STEM Academy that same year. She is a presenter at Illinois Association for Teacher of English (IATE), National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE), Illinois Reading Council (IRC), American Education Research Association (AERA), Illinois Writing Project (IWP), and Literacy Research Association (LRA). Her research interests include culturally responsive teaching, equity, literacy coaching, and school leadership. Summary for show notes: In today’s episode we talk with Dr. Tina Curry about her equity journey. She describes some of the many obstacles she faced when confronting racial equity in public school, including her work with other teachers. Tina points to relationships between teachers and students as the most meaningful way to repair and prevent the harm that has been done. Best way for listeners to reach out to Tina: Twitter @DrTina Curry Email [email protected] Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Feb 26, 202331 min

S11 Ep 521Making In School Suspension Meaningful with Johnathan Cranford Transformative Principal 521

Johnathan Cranford is an in-school suspension teacher in Houston, TX and author of The Art of In-School Suspension: A Discipline Program that Benefits Staff and Students. On today’s episode we dive into Johnathan’s passion project, making ISS effective. He emphasizes the importance of having an educator in the room, focusing on a system of doing your work, and building in SEL instruction. The bar for ISS is often low in schools and he believes some investment will pay big returns for students, teachers, and administrators. Johnathan can be reached through his website www.theartofiss.com Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Feb 19, 202346 min

S11 Ep 520Real World Curriculum and Grading with Chad Lang Transformative Principal 520

Chad Lang is an assistant superintendent of HR and school improvement in Glenwood Iowa. He is passionate about grading, curriculum, and professional development. On today’s episode we discuss the importance of curriculum and grading when preparing students for the “real world”. He clarifies the difference between curriculum and resources, and explains why textbooks and companies should never be the curriculum for our students. Chad also describes the importance of starting with a common definition of grades, with his definition aligning tightly to what we expect students to know and be able to do in reference to specific standards. Chad can be reached on Twitter @chad_mLang or through his personal email [email protected] Principal MastermindLead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Feb 12, 202343 min

S11 Ep 517What If They Don't Want Feedback with Eric Makelky and Jethro Jones Transformative Principal 519

Last time we talked about evaluation. What has changed? Put into practice - new frame of reference and mindset. Talking about blindspots that a teacher has is what makes the evaluation meeting meaningful. What are some things you want my perspective on in the classroom? In this episode we discuss: - How to help the evaluation process be successful. - What if they don’t want feedback? - Ask what they want to get out of the evaluation process. - What if they ask for just a pat on the back? - Self-evaluation - use that to look for blindspots Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Feb 9, 202329 min

S11 Ep 517The Road to Awesome with Darrin Peppard Transformative Principal 517

Darrin Peppard is a school district superintendent, speaker, author, publisher and consultant focused on what matters most in leadership. Darrin’s an expert in school culture and climate as well as coaching and growing emerging leaders. He is known for his keen insight, culture-first leadership style, and dynamic personality. In 2016, Darrin was named Wyoming Secondary School Principal of the Year by WASSP/NASSP and was the 2015 Jostens Renaissance Educator of the Year. In 2017, Darrin earned his Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Wyoming. This past summer, Darrin was inducted into the Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame. On today’s episode we discuss school culture and the road to awesome. Darrin describes the moment he knew his school had a culture problem and how he started down the road less traveled instead of the “gotcha” road. He started by changing what he controlled, himself, and then focused on empowering the students and staff to join him and take ownership in their school’s journey. www.roadtoawesome.net 307-371-89447 Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Feb 8, 202341 min

S11 Ep 516PLCs in a Small School with Jeff Makelky Transformative Principal 516

PLCs in a Small School with Jeff Makelky Transformative Principal 516 Jeff Makelky has spent 41 years in public education and is currently the principal of Big Piney High School in Wyoming. He graduated from Dickinson State and Montana State, was recognized as the Wyoming Secondary Principal of the Year in 2020, and has published articles in Principal Leadership. His email address is [email protected] In today’s episode Jeff discusses his proudest accomplishments as a building leader, why he thinks more teachers should consider a career in educational leadership, and how his staff has been working toward implementing PLC practices to fit a small school setting. Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Feb 7, 202336 min

S11 Ep 515Interdisciplinary Teaching with Dr. Opie Blackwell Transformative Principal 515

Opie Blackwell is the current principal of Ridgeview Charter Middle School in Atlanta, GA. Ridgeview Charter Middle School is an inaugural recipient of the Association of Middle Level Education's (AMLE) prestigious Schools to Watch designation, a nationally recognized 2022-2025 elite "Lighthouse School to Watch" from the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform, is a southeast recognized "Showcase School" for AVID, and is an International Baccalaureate program school. His email address is [email protected]. On today’s episode Opie describes the hard work surrounding interdisciplinary teaching and learning that his team has been prioritizing. He lays out the entire journey and emphasizes why a focus of including student voice is so valuable to the success they’ve achieved at Ridgeview Charter Middle School. Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Feb 6, 202332 min

S10 Ep 518ChatGPT is here, what are we going to do? With Damon Hargraves Transformative Principal 518

In this episode, Jethro and Damon Hargraves talk about ChatGPT. This is from a Twitter Spaces that they did in early January. And this has led to some pretty interesting conversations. Jethro has been contracting with a startup to do user research interviews about how we could use AI in schools. If you are intersected in this and would like to chat with us, please schedule a time here. We’ve done about 70 interviews since this Twitter space happened, and we are looking for more, so don’t be shy! Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Jan 22, 20231h 6m

S11 Ep 514How to Make Evaluations Worthwhile with Eric Makelky Transformative Principal 514

In this episode, we are continuing our coaching conversations with Eric. Please check in our previous episodes 510, 506, and 501 trying to make it a focus to be aware of people What’s on your mind? What’s the challenge you’re facing today. Today we focus on teacher evaluations. For New Teachers 5 informal observations 2 formal observations 2 formal observation post-conferences 2 summative conferences start, mid, and end of year with goals 14 touchpoints per teacher. For Experienced Teachers: 3 informal 1 formal start, mid, and end of year with goals 8 total touch points. Evaluation system is homemade. Current concerns: - Hard to make them meaningful - Less confident writing up evaluations because it’s my first year seeing everyone. - Feedback: is it accurate and in alignment with what is really happening? - What value does Eric see? - Good to give teachers feedback on a regular basis. - Good to give formal feedback - Post observation conferences are good to go over feedback. - From a teacher’s perspective - Some staff aren’t used to having observations and evaluations. - Picked one area on the rubric and only scored and gave feedback on that one thing. - Try chunking it, and then get some feedback. Suggestions for effective evaluations Johari Window The only feedback that matters is what people can’t see Purpose is to make them meaningful - finding blind spots. Jump through the hoops. Is the vision for the school actually happening. Self-evaluations at the beginning of the year. Sponsors Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Jan 11, 202335 min

S11 Ep 513A Three Phase Plan for Building Culture with Ryan Mackey Transformative Principal 513

Ryan Mackey is the principal of Douglas High School and is beginning his ninth year as a school administrator. Wyoming Principal of the Year 2022–2023. He is also a certified McGrath Solutions TRUE-SPEAK trainer that allows him to work with other school administrators and frontline staff on communication within various organizations. He has been in education for 16 years and began his career teaching social studies while coaching football, basketball, and track. After teaching and coaching for seven years, his wife (Jessica) and two children (Brooklyn and Conlan) moved to Douglas as the middle school assistant principal and activities director. He then became the principal of the middle school in 2016 where he worked on transforming school culture through standards-referenced grading and reporting. In 2019, he was named the principal of Douglas High School and has worked to develop and establish a safe and supportive school climate and culture. He is passionate about continuous learning as well as creating and maintaining a transformative school climate and culture. Lastly, Ryan recently obtained his superintendent certification and is working on his dissertation for his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Wyoming. Ryan Mackey shares his three phase plan for leaders focusing on the culture of their schools. Starting with the adults in the building, then students, and finally focusing on the families and community members. He emphasizes the importance of the school’s mission and vision driving everything the adults in the building do, having a collaborative approach, and his rallying cry is “we’re going to work hard and do what’s best for kids!” Best way for listeners to reach out to Ryan: Email- [email protected] Call- (307) 358–2940 Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Jan 7, 202342 min

S11 Ep 512Prioritizing Culture over Strategy with Brad Gregorich Transformative Principal 512

Brad Gregorich is a proud alum of Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT. He earned both his undergraduate and master’s degree in educational leadership as a Battlin’ Bear. He has been a classroom teacher, junior high assistant principal, and elementary principal. Brad is currently the principal of Hillcrest Elementary School in Gillette, WY. On today’s episode Brad discusses how he prioritizes culture over strategy as a building principal. He has focused on the culture their school is working toward through communication and staff leadership. We also discuss some of his advice to building principals when trying to maintain a healthy balance between school and family time. The best way for listener’s to get in touch with Brad is through his school email: [email protected] Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Dec 25, 202231 min

S11 Ep 511Improving Teacher Retention by Improving the Employee Experience with Eric Bransteter Transformative Principal 511

Eric Bransteter is a former 5th grade teacher, media specialist, and building-level administrator. Eric has always had a passion for technology integration in the classroom, which led to him co-founding the EdTech company iAspire. Eric now hosts The Employee Experience in Education podcast where he speaks with educational leaders, former educators, and industry experts to better understand the employee experience in education. Eric’s goal is to equip school leaders with realistic and actionable strategies to keep more teachers in the classroom. Eric discusses how schools can improve teacher retention by focusing on the employee experience. By aligning the employer’s expectations, needs, and wants with those of the employee, schools can prevent turnover and retention in the classroom. The four principles of the employee experience are connection with themselves, connection with others, connection with their role, and connection with the organization. Happy teachers don’t quit! Best way for listeners to reach out to Eric Bransteter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericbransteter/ Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Dec 23, 20221h 2m

S11 Ep 510People Leader vs Instructional Leader with Eric Makelky Transformative Principal 510

In this episode, we are continuing our coaching conversations with Eric. Please check in our previous episodes 506 and 501 This week we check in on what Eric has going on, and talk about how to be a people leader instead of an instructional leader. Checking back in on Eric: - Canned responses going so well, I’ve shared it with teachers - Email war: the war that you’ll never win! - Didn’t talk with superintendent about exiting - Staff moving past something Being the Instructional Leader - Are you an instructional leader or a people leader? How to be a people leader? - Focus on the individual. - Check up on people informally. - Morning lap - Being visible to being impactful - “I didn’t talk to them all week.” - Feelings of guilt Where can teachers learn to be better teachers? - Colleagues - Themselves - Principal - Technology - Conferences Teachers don’t really don’t need us to tell them how they can be better! How does your day change as a people leader? - Laps during prep - Finding those who cruise under the radar - What is a need that is unknown? - Materials and resources for new teachers - Find a way to buy the support they need. How do you find out if they need something? - Ask, What do you need? - What else? - What is your specific challenge? - How can I help? - What was most valuable today? Focus on the individual, not the data. Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Dec 6, 202235 min

S11 Ep 508It's All About The People with Erika Garcia-Niles Transformative Principal 508

Dr. Erika Garcia-Niles is a principal in MIssouri. Erika Garcia on Twitter we don't remember our impact but they sure do. behind the scenes at new district better than I could have imagined. Focus on people - It's all about the people. People by day, paperwork by night. It's about surrounding yourself with the right people. Leave before you're ready. Don't find the next thing, find the right thing. Use coaching to help someone reflect on themselves. Ask questions of them to get them to reflect We can get hung up on the things we don't believe, rather than what we do believe. Every single child should have a person. I feel like school was made for me! Eric Makelky Special Education What teachers need from principals right now? How to be a transformative principal? Check in with your teachers! Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Dec 6, 202229 min

S11 Ep 509With Dr. Henry Turner Transformative Principal 509

Dr. Henry J. Turner is an award-winning high school principal, author, and nationally renowned speaker. He is most proud of the collaborative community he works within to empower students to fight hate and bigotry in their school. Pointing to his unwavering commitment to equity and a student-centered culture, Henry was named 2020 K12 Principal of the Year by K–12 Dive. Henry is the author of the newly released book, Change the Narrative: How to Foster an Antiracist Culture in Your School, published by DBC inc. As a national speaker, he shares his experience as an innovative instructional leader, passionate advocate, and committed antiracist educator with educators and organizational leaders. Henry works with educators, leaders, and communities on how to create a culture that commits to diversity, equity, and inclusion empowers students’ voices and addresses economic and racial disparities. He has a biweekly newsletter, “Lessons on Social Justice Leadership” that can be found at HenryJTurner.com. Race is a social fabric that has been created in our society. If we believe in all students succeed, then we need to respond to students’ needs. School was founded on separating students and what systems were excluded. 25% of students were on IEP, 50% of black students were on IEPs. Racism - system of advantage based on race Who are we blaming for these disparities? What is wrong with these students vs. what is wrong with these schools? 80% of educators want to do racial justice work in their schools. Leaders are nervous about diving into this - how Teaching students to stand up for someone else. Start small How do you make sure students are seen? How do you pronounce your name? Intent is good, impact is bad. The way to make students feel included is to empower them. How do you get started? Creating agreements with students Name activity - sharing the history of your name This is the way to begin to talk aboutt he work. Talking about race really begins with talking about us. Focus on relationships. Who are we blaming for the problem? - What did I do over the course of the year to help you feel comfortable sharing that with me? Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or

Nov 30, 202236 min

S11 Ep 507The Changing Landscape of Assessments with Al Kingsley Transformative Principal 507

Al Kingsley has spent the last 30 years in the EdTech space and 20 of those as a school trustee and governor. He is co-chair of Workstream 4 at the Foundation for Educational Development, an organization developing a framework for long-term vision and sustainable planning in England. Al is Group CEO of NetSupport Ltd, an internationally acclaimed EdTech vendor. As a firm supporter of lifelong learning, he is also a regional Apprenticeship Ambassador and Chair of the Employment & Skills board for his region’s combined authority. An active writer about all things EdTech, Al is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and sits on the advisory council for the Foundation for Education Development. He authored a book, My Secret #EdTech Diary, released in July 2021 that is a road map to a new way of thinking about technology in education. Many similarities - Local authority schools, state run, and private/independent school. Two checkpoints in year 2 and year 6 Internal (teacher-based) and external assessments (formal assessments marked and moderated externally). GCSE - age 16 in a range of subjects. Types of assessments Attainment - comparative score Progress - how much they grew. A Levels - final exam before college. What is the purpose and the outcome of these measures? external serves only 2 measures - certificate of completion or accountability for schools Are those results where they are in attainment, or are there other reasons. Whether our measure of a successful education is acquisition of knowledge or something more? Staff retention PISA is suggesting some changes in how to assess students. Sugata Mitra ted talk NAEP scores for last 15 years - 15–16 jurisdictions in US that were low consistently. Educational decisions are made in political cycles. We don’t want quick change, we want long term embedded money. What are the indicators that might vary the funding for schools? Respect and trust our school leaders. Who knows our students best? Do we trust those people? The skills being acquired in the workplace are actually the things we’re putting more weight on in the world. Key skills that could be applied anywhere. Education for Human Flourishing Aesthetic appreciation - How do you measure if people value their learning process at your school? Test less and Don’t make the test 100% percent of the assessment. Breadth of offerings. Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably m

Nov 17, 202250 min

S11 Ep 506Dealing with Collective Trauma with Eric Makelky Transformative Principal 506

This week is our next installment of seeing how Eric is doing in his new school. As a refresher, here is last month’s update.Last time, we gave him three strategies: - Strategy 1: add 15–30 minutes to however long you think each meeting will be. - Strategy 2: You seem upset, what’s the best way to contact you when he gets back at X? - Strategy 3: intentional Drive-bys - Schedule time to go be visible.We checkin on those ideas and then talk about what he’s facing today.Eric shared a great strategy today:Strategy #1: Create a “canned response” in your email provider to send to people when they are upset inviting them to talk in person or on the phone.It’s never a good idea to get in an email war. Much better to have a conversation with a person who is upset. Creating a response you send that always invites someone to meet with you and resolve differences is a sure-fire way to stop email wars and keyboard warriors.Strategy #2: Schedule to send out that email! Don’t send it immediately after you write it. Give everyone time to cool down.Today, Eric asks the question, “How can I help teachers have confidence that I’ll stick around so they’ll stop avoiding digging into the work?”This is a valid question.Teachers want to know you’ll stick around before they commit, but that is really just smokescreen for trust issues. They don’t trust you yet. People don’t actually care how long you’ll be around if they can trust you now.Eric and I discuss some ways to make sure they are experiencing that trust, including doing the exact opposite of what a teacher specifically requests.We highlight how to deal with past issues of traumatic experiences and how to do better in the future.We also share one of the great books i’ve read recently: What happened to you.Finally, I gave Eric two pieces of advice: 1. Preplan how you will exit when you do exit the school (spoiler alert: everyone leaves the school!) 2. Create different experiences around what were bad experiences!We’ll be back with another interview with Eric at the beginning of December! Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Nov 17, 202243 min

S11 Ep 505Virtual Family Well-being Nights with Ami Shah Transformative Principal 505

Ami Shah is the Co-Founder and CEO of Peekapak, an award-winning social-emotional learning platform that engages elementary and middle school students to learn skills like self-regulation, empathy and teamwork and reaches over 450,000 educators and students. Peekapak does this using stories, evidence-based lessons, and game-based learning. Behind-the-scenes, teachers, and administrators receive real-time reports showing a student’s progress and emotional state. This empowers educators to be proactive in helping curb future mental health issues. Educators can share pre-written class updates, activities, and stories with families to reinforce learning at home in English and Spanish. Peekapak is backed by; Silicon Valley-based accelerator, Imagine K12, the Edtech vertical of Y Combinator and the Unreasonable Institute. Ami has earned an MBA from INSEAD, a BBA from Wilfrid Laurier University and is passionate about improving youth education, and has previously taught in K–4 classrooms and advised & volunteered at education-related non-profit organizations. Ami has been featured on Toronto Life, Flare, TechVibes, CBC and numerous other outlets. Ami has also spoken on topics such as social-emotional learning, student well-being, and mental health and education technology. Ami has spoken at conferences such as SXSWedu, Future of Education Technology Conference, LearnLaunch, ASU GSV and many more. Overcoming the barriers Interviewed over 300 educators to find out if SEL is actually important. It’s really hard to fit this in if it’s not required. Weren’t taught this, how am I expected to teach this to my students Shouldn’t parents be teaching this? How to involve parents in SEL. Family Well-being nights How to be a transformative principal? Help people feel heard. Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Nov 10, 20223 min

S11 Ep 504PBL Simplified with Ryan Steuer Transformative Principal 504

Ryan Steuer launched the first Project Based Learning middle school in the country and is the founder of Magnify Learning, a PBL professional development organization that equips teachers, instructional coaches, and principals across the country to engage learners, tackle boredom, and transform classrooms. Prior to founding Magnify Learning, Ryan was an engineer for a Fortune 50 company, 8th grade English teacher, and missionary. He shares his education and leadership insights on YouTube and on the PBL Simplified podcast. New Tech Network Taught traditionally, and didn’t see results that I wanted. Kids were showing up to school and doing what they were supposed to. The Punnett Square Work is so authentic and worthwhile that they want to learn it. Grammar lesson has life to it. It can take time to make the switch. Just starting to see the engagement. Upfront time to create this Lots more resources and structures. Define the problem, research solution, try it out, reflect Umbrella of authenticity Bring the Why Closer Cool stories of PBL Going across the street to a forest to see how much CO2 schools are sucking in. Who cares about that work? how to increase rigor. We get stuck on engagement and rigor. Opportunity to expand their view of the world. Liaison’s for PBL. Community partnerships. Do more than just be the audience. Bringing partners in to be part of the teaching force. How to be a transformative principal? Go and talk to learners. Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Nov 3, 202232 min

S11 Ep 503Bring Calm to Chaos with Andrew Terry Transformative Principal 503

Andrew Terry is in his 24th year in education. He graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Spanish degree and received his masters in Education in 1999. He began as a Spanish teacher at the middle and high school levels before moving into administration in 2006. In 2016 he became the principal at Anchorage Public School in the Louisville Kentucky area and has been there for 7 years. Observe dismissal procedures Small little area, no busses, many kids can walk to school Kids were going everywhere Teachers loved it immediately because they felt comfortable right away. Communication is simpler Go through a process and involve a committee and parents Pikmykid made it simple and easy for everyone. Kiddeo - keeping track of kids when there are emergencies, including communicating police and firefighters. Any time you have change, having time to adapt to it is important. Independent city school district HQIR - High Quality Instructional Resources Why such a focus now? Evidence-based data to support the kinds of things Combining state standards and evidence-based. textbooks first, secondary HQIR - internet resources, Go through a process with adopting HQIRs. Involve parents in that decision-making process. Philosophy in our reading and writing. Teachers became invested What Works Clearinghouse Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Oct 30, 202235 min

S11 Ep 502Creating a Culture of Joy with Joshua DeSmyter Transformative Principal 502

Josh DeSmyter is the proud principal of Shrevewood Elementary in Falls Church, Virginia. He has worked in education for 15 years in Detroit, Washington D.C. and now in Virginia. Josh is currently in his eighth year as an administrator in Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). He leads with the three core beliefs of Family, Excellence and Relationships at the forefront of his work. Josh has taken Shrevewood ES school from a 54% engaged school community to a 94% engaged school community in just three short years by instilling a Culture of Joy. He is currently a finalist for FCPS’s Outstanding New Principal of the year award. - culture of Joy. - handcuffs are coming off when you get the principal job! - positivity, modeling, consistency - Being a really good listener. - Knowing who they are - individual conversations, one-on-one - Influence others around you. - How to handle it when someone comes to you with something that doesn’t really matter. - We listen, and we go back to leadership teams. - Taking Action Book - Episode 100 of Transformative Principal - Professional Development team. - Parliament Team - wise owls - Collaborative Learning Teams - putting leadership in the hands of the teachers - Staff Engagement Survey - How to be a transformative principal? Be a learner every day. Find something you can learn from others in your building. Reeks excellence - can see that kids, family, and staff are happy. Process of the journey: What have you learned through other schools and leadership? Managing the message: importance of clarity, key stakeholders to support the message Leadership Teams: tell me about the team leaders that support culture? How have you developed their leadership capacity? Hiring: how have you hired teachers to support the positive culture? Community (students, staff, families): Consistency with the modeling Building aesthetics: How does an environment support culture? Relationships with students, staff, and families Visibility in classrooms, hallways, meetings, and community events Celebrations: with staff, school, and community Being reflective and learning from mistakes Honesty and vulnerability The power of collaboration Sunday Scaries - blech 60% there to everyone being happy. “How was your break?” You can tell a lot by their response to that question. Culture - CulturedKids has helped bring What do you do to help your people feel good about coming? You can’t control their feelings, but what can do you to motivate and inspire? Sponsors Pikmykid Improve your school dismissal and safety response with Pikmykid, the Schools Safety and Dismissal Platform. Help move your dismissal from chaos to calm, get kids to their families faster and safer. Visit pikmykid.com/be to learn more Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins Univ

Oct 21, 202229 min

S11 Ep 501Advanced Time Management Techniques with Eric Makelky Transformative Principal 501

This week is our first “coaching” call with Principal Eric Makelky. We jump on a zoom call, and hit record. You get to hear it. In this episode, Eric shares how, a month into school, he’s getting pulled in all directions and can’t get focused on doing what needs to be done! Have you ever felt that way? I know I have! He’s showing up late to meetings, getting too many todos, and just feels like he’s constantly drinking from a firehose! We talk about three distinct strategies in this episode: Strategy 1: add 15–30 minutes to however long you think each meeting will be. Instead of scheduling an hour meeting, give yourself extra time. This intentionally reduces the amount of meetings you can have, prevents you from getting overbooked, and makes things better. Strategy 2: You seem upset, what’s the best way to contact you when he gets back at X? When people are upset, their needs can seem more urgent, so make sure they are heard, and that often softens the anxious feelings. Strategy 3: intentional Drive-bys - Schedule time to go be visible. Schedule time to go get the things people want to drop on you. They’re going to drop them on you anyway, might as well make it happen on your timetable as much as possible. What do you think of these three strategies? Any good? Did we miss something? We want your feedback! Also, Eric is looking for guests to interview on these three topics: - Retaining great teachers - Adapting to the culture of a new school More Show Notes Ideal Week - Being new, running into being a fire extinguisher instead of a leader. Start with Office team - 2 principals, 2 secretaries Shared calendars Managing your own time? Informal meetings - often showing up late. Why are you showing up late? Drive bys are causing me to be late Start and end on time is a norm. Strategy: add 15–30 minutes to however long you think each meeting will be. Fridays: Red - no staff no students Blue - staff 8–12, kids maybe or required 9–11 Black - 8–4 full day staff inservice Lots of questions from lots of PLCs Being pulled in a lot of directions for each Friday New expectation - This is what you tell someone if they stop by… Previous expectation - Someone asks for the principal, we get the principal. Give a respectful answer Why wouldn’t your staff do it as you are asking? Angry, appease because they are angry. People get defensive when others are upset. Strategy: You seem upset, what’s the best way to contact you when he gets back at X? Proactive things to do to prevent things from popping up Quiet time outside of school hours to get other things done. Regular emails - Friday memo to make sure people know All the reasons why staff come down to office “Master doc” Schedule time to pick up drive bys. Strategy: intentional Drive-bys - Schedule time to go be visible. We haven’t talked about me - why not? What was most valuable? Morning drive by lap. How long will this last? Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learnin

Oct 2, 202242 min

S11 Ep 500Why Teachers Are Really Leaving with Amelia Gamel Transformative Principal 500

Amelia Leighton Gamel shares her take on the real causes of educators burning out and leaving the classroom, as well as what solutions leaders need to be focused on to retain staff. Classroom management bootcamps, teacher mentorship programs, parent involvement, and administrator support are all part of her equation to help teachers be successful and stay in the profession. Happy teachers, happy principals! Best way for listeners to reach out to Amelia: text/call 517.392.1207 direct email to my personal account - [email protected] website- equitableEDU.org About Amelia Gamel Amelia Leighton Gamel is a national speaker and consultant with comprehensive experience in the field of education having served as a public school teacher, published academic author, college professor and nationally recognized innovator of student success initiatives. She is the recipient of the J. Ward Preston Outstanding Faculty Award and has devoted her career to encouraging student success and assisting educators in effectively engaging with students. Her success is a result of her compassionate methods, interpersonal abilities, insights into the human experience and a thorough understanding of the experiences of historically excluded groups. Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Sep 25, 202230 min

S11 Ep 499Helping Kids Feel Like they Belong with Dr. Marcus Belin Transformative Principal 499

Dr. Marcus Belin serves as the Principal of Huntley High School and President of the Illinois Principals Association. Dr. Belin, native of Chicago, Illinois. attended Bradley University, where he received his bachelor’s in elementary education (‘10) followed by a master’s in education administration (‘14). He completed his doctorate at National Louis University in July 2020. Why it’s important for kids to feel like they belong. Everyone who intercepts can pour into them If you signed up to work in a school and you think your title matters, you’re in the wrong place. How do you make the interactions worthwhile? It’s like watering plants. A teacher that has literally saved kids lives Classroom is a netflix genre. What a relationship can be, if trust is the foundation. They’ll tell you those things that you want to hear, but also those things you don’t want to hear. A pound of flesh in discipline restorative practices - it’s not being soft. It was about punishment, then it was about discipline, now it is about learning. Remember what you told me. Restorative is not just about Classroom as a netflix genre. 720 episodes in a high school career. Kids come together for a time, help it be meaningful. How to be a transformative principal? to actively listen and hear the stories and voices that exist within your building. Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Sep 18, 202228 min

S11 Ep 498Model It, Live It, Let Them Experience It with James Moffett Transformative Principal 498

James Moffett is a principal in Kansas and he loves kids. Pretty empathetic Relationships Teri Barilla Question things I did as an educator If you were doing these things before the pandemic, you were as ready as you could be for the pandemic If you wouldn’t accept it from your supervisor, don’t dish it out to your kids. Accountability, structure, consequences, - all structured in love. It’s such a mindset shift for educators because it’s not how school was for us. Model it, live it, let them experience it. How do we help schools see that kids are respected on day 1. Teachers are structured beings Each vs. every. The Rabbit Effect How to be a transformative principal? Rest and recover and put more focus on the relationships you have in your building. Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Sep 11, 202232 min

S11 Ep 497A New Chapter for Transformative Principal with Eric Makelky Transformative Principal 497

In this episode, there is a bit of passing of the baton, as we introduce the next Transformative Principal, Eric Makelky. Eric will be recording the majority of the podcast episodes you hear over the next few months as we try a little experiment. We don’t know how it will work out, but we are hopeful. Each month, Jethro will have a coaching session with Eric that you will get to listen to see what a coaching session is really like, and to see how someone grows over the course of a school year. We’ll try this out and see how it goes. There are other episodes that Jethro has already recorded that will be coming out throughout the year as well, so you’ll still hear from Jethro. If you’d like to connect with Eric, he has an email at erik at transformativeprincipal.com or you can follow him on Twitter at emakelky Here are some things Eric is looking for support in this year: - Matching expectations with culture - Onboarding and supporting teachers new to the profession and new to the principal. - Building trust with families. Eric has a couple big goals for this year, too: - Measurable improvement on district goals. - Building trust - Defining the culture they want. Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Sep 5, 202226 min

S11 Ep 496Caring For Teachers with Nadine Levitt Transformative Principal 496

Nadine Levitt Twitter is a Swiss-born German, Kiwi, US transplant, and founder of the music technology company, Wurrly, LLC. She began her career as a lawyer but after 6 years of practice, she began to pursue a career in music as a professional opera singer and songwriter. She has performed extensively all over the United States and the world, sharing the stage with David Foster, Andrea Boccelli, Kiri Te Kanawa, Roger Daltry, Christina Perri, and Steven Tyler to name a few. Passionate about music in schools she sits on the national board of Little Kids Rock, and in 2016 led the development of the music education platform WURRLYedu, which empowers student voices and makes it easy to bring a fun and effective music education to schools. Nadine is also an author of children’s books, including the My Mama Says book series, which teaches kids to identify, acknowledge and direct their emotions. PDReimagined.com Mary Ellen Imodino-Yang TEDX Talk Value Care package. Each month has a theme. Work in groups to come up with strategies to come up in daily life. Do things in 2–3 minutes or less. How do you get up when you don’t know where the ground is? The power of curiosity. It’s not an end destination, it’s a journey. Music to move you. The power of music in SEL situations. We shouldn’t teach music to be a musician. Physiological - music is one of the only things that can really get into our brains. Music can interrupt other emotional cycles. People are more inclined to buy expensive items when the store is playing classical music. How to rekindle their passion? Time scarcity - brought on by an emotional response that you’re feeling overwhelm. Interrupt overwhelm - do something different Free to teachers, cost to districts. The more you apply these skills the easier it is to avoid and manage overwhelm. Emotions are just messages We are engineered to see patterns. Thoughts are just patterns. Often our thoughts are not based in patterns. When you become aware you’re telling yourself a story, just tell yourself. Respond rather than react. Communication cards Need to speak freely: challenged and rewarded. When we share, we don’t feel shame. The need for people to take responsibility for their part. Leadership - formal and informal leadership opportunities. Leadership is having control over the outcome. Controlling your own identity. SEL - Teach emotions in an isolated way How you can use for deeper learning Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. L

Aug 28, 202241 min

S11 Ep 495Chief Empathy Officer with Dr. Tom Hoerr Transformative Principal 495

Thomas R. Hoerr, PhD retired after leading the New City School in St. Louis, Missouri for 34 years and is now the Emeritus Head of School. He is currently a Scholar In Residence at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and teaches in the Educational Leadership program, preparing prospective principals. He also led the ISACS New Heads Network and founded the Non-Profit Management Program at Washington University in St. Louis. Hoerr has written several books, and his newest, _Taking Social Emotional Learning Schoolwide: The Formative Five Success Skills for Students and Staff_, was published in December of 2019. He has written more than 150 articles, including “The Principal Connection” column in Educational Leadership Magazine from 2004 to 2017. He was previously on the Transformative Principal Podcast episode 224 where we talked about who you are is more important that what you know, and episode 225 where we talked about his book, The Formative Five. - Why does Empathy matter so much? - If there were more empathy in schools, we’d be in better shape. - If you don’t have empathy, it’s hard for people to follow you. - If you do have empathy, it’s easier for people to follow you. - Empathy is a muscle. You can make it stronger - intentional and transparent - Voluntary - making it voluntary is having empathy. - listening, aggressive, pursuing. - One of your problems - you look too busy. - I was working; I was being accessible. - Who are you closest to in your school. - Even if my idea is the best, it’s not the best if nobody is on board. - Breakfast with Tom - agenda is yours. - Empathetic Conversations - extension of this notion that I really want to get to know people as people, not just teachers. - I know you as a student, I want to know you as a student - Leadership is about relationship. - Teacher observations - school principals should use them as a way to build trust and observations. - Educators are underpaid. - Herzberg’s theory of motivation - Teaching is far too siloed - If people can just read one part of the book, what is it? The part about listening. Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit

Aug 21, 202226 min

S11 Ep 494Hope and Laughter with Dr. Melissa Sadin Transformative Principal 494

Dr. Sadin has served as a special education teacher, a gifted education teacher, and a building administrator. Most recently she served as a director of special education. Dr. Sadin has been vice-president of her local School Board and is recognized as a Master School Board Member. She has conducted research on the perceptions of teachers working to create trauma-informed classrooms. Dr. Sadin is a published author and has produced numerous webinars on children with attachment trauma in schools. Currently, Dr. Sadin works a director of exceptional education and as an education consultant and developmental trauma expert providing professional development to school districts, municipal service providers and parents. Nationally, Dr. Sadin is a highly sought-after keynote speaker and conference presenter. Her Trauma Guide Series of books are available on her website, www.traumasensitive.com. Building resilient students Hope - Start and end with the people. Over half of teachers are seeking to leave! We are doing it to ourselves. We have to start with what happened to us? Resilience is the ability to adapt and overcome challenges. Google Meet rooms open. Choose 1 issues The flight of teachers from the profession. What are the components that a school leader needs to create a resilient school? Deeply rooted in social justice and forgive yourself. Google Scholar - science of hope - When you say the word hope, you begin what they define as hope. Use the word Hope Then laugh. Sponsors Transformative Principal Mastermind Lead a school everyone can be proud of. Being a principal is tough work. You’re pulled in all kinds of directions. You never have the time to do the work that really matters. Join me as I help school leaders find the time to do the work they became principals to do. I help you stop putting out fires and start leading. Learn more at https://transformativeprincipal.com Just Right Reader Just Right Reader Decodables are a great way to help your students learn how to read, with research-based strategies that are proven to be effective. Each grade level has over 100 books. Send books home in packs of ten, with video lessons accessible via QR codes on each book, with lessons in Spanish and English. Learn more at https://justrightreader.com Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.

Aug 14, 202229 min