Transformative Principal

Schedule a call with Jethro As a review for a year that has included a lot of changes for me professionally, I wanted to list some of the greatest events from the podcasts that I released this year. You can check out my current Top 10 podcasts here, but this list is going to talk about the top 10 things I implemented this year as a result of interviewing some amazing guests. Improving the school scheduling nightmare with Adam Pisoni Transformative Principal 185 The most downloaded podcast released this year is my interview with Adam Pisoni, where we talked about improving the school scheduling nightmare. Here’s my big takeaway. Adam said (5:58–8:35) that he started asking instead of asking what was possible in schools, he asked what prevents traditional schools from iterating. This train of thought led me to make a decision to intentionally combat those things that prevent us from iterating, and make sure we can still iterate even with the struggles we will face. Enjoy the Journey with Jethro Jones Transf

Jerry Snow is a District Administrator and former high school and middle school principal. piedmont.k12.al.us contact information is there. jsnow@piedmont.k12.al.us Part of a 1:1 initiative over 9 years ago. Many awards and recognitions. Trying to show kids that even though they are a small system, they can still do great things. NGLC planning grant Mastery based learning. Sometimes in a class you can only go as fast as your lowest student. Worked with Education Elements. “Embolden Piedmont” NWEA MAP into digital platforms to create ILPs (individual learning plans). Fill in gaps to build on those skills, rather than adapt around them. You’re curating the knowledge rather than giving the students everything. The myth of average - there is no average. If you’re teaching to the average, you’re teaching to nobody. Where a teacher will fall back into the old groove. You need to be honest and up front with them. We modify every year. Can’t go in with an iron fist. We want to make things better for the kids. Troub

Joe Sanfelippo walks us through telling our own story.  Schedule a call with Jethro about the Mastermind Best Year Ever information. We're so grateful to our sponsor AI Coach by Edthena. AI Coach enables your teachers to go through coaching cycles based on their own needs. The virtual coach guides teachers to reflect on their teaching, set a goal, and create an action plan… all based on gathering classroom evidence. It gives support between PD days  and other coaching cycles.Get a free trial for your teachers here.

  Michael Horn is the co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute and author of Blended and Disrupting Class. 4 year plan Look at it through a design process. What do we want that student experience to look like? Design process. What is the narrative arc for the school. Ask lots of questions to map back from the dream. Start as a leadership team. What would we like to be known for? Where are the innovators? Roadmap for how this scales throughout the entire school? You want the whole group together to be aware of the process. Understanding the tools of change is important. What is the “right“ leadership style? X axis agreement among team about how the world works. Y axis agreement among team about goals Use summer! Use creative configurations to give teachers back the time. Create space for professional learning during the school day. How to communicate to parents and the broader community what you’re doing. How to be a transformative principal? 1. Stories are what really move people. Focus on the storie

http://transformativeprincipal.org/bestyearever We're so grateful to our sponsor AI Coach by Edthena. AI Coach enables your teachers to go through coaching cycles based on their own needs. The virtual coach guides teachers to reflect on their teaching, set a goal, and create an action plan… all based on gathering classroom evidence. It gives support between PD days  and other coaching cycles.Get a free trial for your teachers here.

Michael Horn is the co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute and author of Blended and Disrupting Class. Create educational options is to help kids find their potential. Personalize to meet the needs of every student. Organizations follow systems or processes that become engrained in cultures. You get really good at the thing you’ve been doing. We’re not going to see schools disappear. Disrupting class, not the whole system to start. If you want a system to change, you need a great leader. So many forces arrayed to shoot down the “new”. People are not being obstructionist because they’re bad people. They’re not stupid people, they’re people in stupid systems. We need a different system to match a new era. Leaders have to give very clear permission about what you are allowed to violate. “You’re allowed to do anything that doesn’t put kids in harm’s way.“ Very aggressively and clearly document every policy at odds with what has been on the books. Competency-based learning Don’t force them out of their c

Tell a student you are grateful for them. Tell a teacher you are grateful for them.  We're so grateful to our sponsor AI Coach by Edthena. AI Coach enables your teachers to go through coaching cycles based on their own needs. The virtual coach guides teachers to reflect on their teaching, set a goal, and create an action plan… all based on gathering classroom evidence. It gives support between PD days  and other coaching cycles.Get a free trial for your teachers here.

Lucas Miller is the author of Beyond Brilliance: The Blueprint for Learning Anything. Engineer, then neuroscience at UC Berkley. Moonwalking with Einstein - How to remember everything. Using brains more effectively and efficiently. New research holed up in labs across the country. Much is based on the foundation of memory. Memorized learning is just important as it has ever been. Research available for K-12 educators. Growth Mindset Brain is remarkably elastic. Classrooms were quiet, now they are active It’s one thing to be able to answer something on a test, it’s a different thing to be able to teach it to a classmate.   Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomplish everything? Here’s how I help principals work manageable hours: Create your ideal week, so that you can leave work at work and enjoy your life! Join my group coaching program Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Please follow me on T

In this episode, host Jethro Jones is interviewed by his assistant principal Dr. Courtney Orr. Check out the new Chatbot for Transformative Principal 1)Culture First! 2)Love of Learning—never stop! 3)Focus—be in the moment, where ever that is, 4)Seth Godin—rules 5)Personalize Learning…shrink the classroom 6)Podcasting…continues to inspire 7)DeVos…interview wishlist 8)Admin….moving away from putting out fires to being control of our time/priorities 9)Teachers…(DPink)mastery, autonomy, purpose 10)Parents…over communication 11)Students…individualized learning 12)Shift…moving away from playing school to meet student where they are at, help them chart their own path…follow their passions 13)How can we break the rules w/out getting into trouble…change the things we can 14)LITERACY IN EVERY CONTENT AREA. 15)Inspire Students 16)This week…getting control of your time…start with one task…make that a priority. What I want to build at my school. Thanks to @afewthingsworth for the show notes! https://www.carnegiefoundati

Dr. Drew Williams started teaching in Las Vegas and ended up as the principal of Tuacahn High School in Southern Utah, where he shares a facility with Tuacahn Center for the ArtsCreativity, Inc. A work or a text to land on so that it wasn’t personal. Lots of work to come up with core values of Collaborative Design, candid feedback, original work. Grading policies, attendance policies. Changes need to be based on evidence. Core values help us say no. Radical candor. Challenges in creating core values. Comfort in being comfortable. Disrupted status quo. Conversations that require a keen intellect to navigate. Awoke in our faculty a feeling of learning. Why Tuacahn? It’s through the uncertainty that you can drive to the question of why. Dropping a class because it doesn’t align to our core values. How to be a transformative Principal? Never stop learning. Go out of your box and seek learning.   Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomp

Dr. Drew Williams started teaching in Las Vegas and ended up as the principal of Tuacahn High School in Southern Utah, where he shares a facility with Tuacahn Center for the Arts First High School charter in the state of Utah - focused on the performing arts. Working to partner more with the Center for the Arts. Talking times - actors and actresses talking about their experience become actors and actresses. Professional actors asking, “How can we connect and teach classes? Compliance vs. deeper learning. Idea of moving past compliance and on task Idea of being joyful and passionate. When doing auditions can bring working professionals in to participate as well. Teachers are working outside of the classroom on their own careers to Collaborative Design, candid feedback, original work. Trevor McKinsey - Dive into inquiry Math exists in Art, dance, etc. Middle is messy, but it is where the magic happens. Everything is not defined. Don’t give out rules and such. Ask kids what they are curious about. Be mean until

Owning vs. leading Pushed change a little too fast. Get teachers to drive initiatives. Can’t own it. The teachers have to. Biggest change - using grades for compliance It takes a lot of time to have the conversations relating to grading. Using alternative ways of assessing kids. NASSP’s mission and goals as a national support organization. Non-profit boards are struggling to have members. Mentor told Dan he needed to join NASSP for the insurance. Have to change the member benefit. We need to be more than just insurance. Advocacy - need to have someone there to advocate for the needs of schools and principals. Opportunities for advancing leadership. McKinsey Management Program for School Leaders 19,000 members in NASSP. 100% of Rhode Island principals are involved in NASSP Grading and assessment is the biggest conversation. NASSP Conference in Chicago How to be a transformative principal? Expand your network and get out of the little silos that we are in.   Are you feeling like you are always behind at scho

NASSP President Dan Kelley talks about school change and the need for NASSP to have a real impact in principals’ lives. Special education background. President of NASSP. Archaic way of teaching The role of the school needs to change. 5:45 minutes. Schools can become hubs. Changing schools structurally and philosophically. Get caught up in test scores and ranking. Great alternative to AP tests - early enrollment rather than AP. How to tell the story of the school? Start with where the parents are. Facebook, Blog, twitter Easy to use Money following students     Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomplish everything? Here’s how I help principals work manageable hours: Create your ideal week, so that you can leave work at work and enjoy your life! Join my group coaching program Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the s

Justin Baeder, of the Principal Center As instructional leaders there is no better way to lead than to be in classrooms. It is tough to find time and make it into classrooms. Being in classrooms that much sounds ridiculous and impossible. Start small. Just show up. * #everyclassroom challenge, be in every classroom within a 5-day period. * Build up the practice over a period of cycles. * Just keep track of the order you visit people in, and visit them * Systems to keep track of visits. * Write the date you visit on their note card. * Repertoire - app for keeping track of visits. * The way we schedule to get into our classrooms is important. * The way of doing it must fit your style. * Buy the Book: Now We’re Talking Special Interview about writing a book. Get the interview here * How long it took. * What to get clear on. * How to determine what belongs in this book and doesn’t. * How to sell your idea to the readers and publishers.   We're so grateful to our sponsor AI Coach by Edthena. AI Coach

Prevailing, Not Relishing with Rebecca Coda and Rick Jetter Transformative Principal 195 Proactive paranoia is good paranoia Call people to the carpet in a professional way. Rebecca Coda and Rick Jetter are the authors of Escaping the School Leaders Dunk Tank: How to Prevail When Others Want To See You Drown. How to prevail instead of getting bummed out. Depersonalize the situation. Some reason they have ego, fear, jealousy, etc. Didn’t start with you, started with someone or something else. Alignments - aligning to different people. How people gather allies. If you’ve got an army behind you. Moving on How to deal with politicking. Nonviolent communication Call people to the carpet in a professional way. 4 step process for nonviolent conversation. Script, rehearse, prepared for curveball reactions Said with care and patience. Don’t want to be alone without a witness. You’re not effective if you’re feeling this way. Teacher Bullies How to be a transformative principal? It comes down to being willing to do wha

Proactive paranoia is good paranoia. Rebecca Coda and Rick Jetter are the authors of Escaping the School Leaders Dunk Tank: How to Prevail When Others Want To See You Drown. How to tell if you are being sabotaged. Proactive paranoia - inner voice where you know it is not right, but you It comes down to relationships. You notice the behavior changes. Exclusion. Emotional triggers that lead to tactics. Emotional driving forces - jealousy, skepticism, holding accountable. Leaving out information or leaving people out. What do we do when to handle it? Explicitly confront or leave it alone? Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomplish everything? Here’s how I help principals work manageable hours: Create your ideal week, so that you can leave work at work and enjoy your life! Join my group coaching program Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and

I have always felt so uninspired by the term “College and Career Ready!” It seems so empty George Martinez - chief of staff for anchorage mayor spoke at the African American Student Leadership conference The term he used was Path to Passion. That is much more inspiring. Why passion? Because we all need something more than a JOB! We need our own personal mission statements. Much of what I believe comes from my spiritual approach I am a child of god. If I believe that I am a child of God, that must mean that I believe others are children of God as well. It makes it so much easier to be kind and nice to people. It also makes it easier to have high expectations of people. Because they truly are more than they can ever believe. I Discovered my passion at about 16 years old. I learned that I had skills in teaching others, and leading others. I could have chosen many other professions besides teaching and education, but because of my not-so-great educational experiences, I knew I could impact kids in a powerful way.

Naphtali Hoff is an executive coach, organizational consultant, trainer, writer & speaker. How to come back from making a mistake. Think big picture. If you don’t create the right foundation, then you will spend far less time helping kids than When elephants fight, it’s the grass that gets trampled. - Rick Lavoie Where you can support the vision Everything flows from the foundation. We make decisions based on the emotional connection. Trust shields you from other problems. How to be a transformative principal? Continue to invest in yourself. You can’t give what you don’t have. email: nhoff@impactfulcoaching.com becomingthenewboss.com 212-4706139     Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomplish everything? Here’s how I help principals work manageable hours: Create your ideal week, so that you can leave work at work and enjoy your life! Join my group coaching program Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on S

Naphtali Hoff is an executive coach, organizational consultant, trainer, writer & speaker. Teacher and school leader. Support principals in a way that he had been supported. Get his book, “Becoming the New Boss” Leadership vs. Management You need to manage processes. Leadership is another dimension. What is your priority and what is your main focus? You can delegate management. Leadership is getting people moving in a direction Leadership belongs to everyone in the building. Be a good listener, especially at the beginning. Good leaders are listeners. Demonstrate a willingness to listen and accept a culture. Find ways to make low-stakes, high-success wins. Rick Lavoie, earning chips. Need to go through change strategically. Consensus vs. agreement Data should drive the process. Initiating the process is good, but don’t go down the path if you’re not going to make the actual change. Are you feeling like you are always behind at school? Do you feel like you need about 2 more hours each day to accomplish ev

Part time curriculum director in a rural school district and part time consultant. How to stay on top of so many content areas. Framework for quality curriculum Instructional priorities. Looking at research and finding what’s current. Best practices Nearly all PD was sit and get. Spiraling themes of professional development. Able to provide effective supports Gradual release of responsibility. I do, we do, y’all do, you do. Practice feedback reflection That’s what we’ve always done. Peer observation isn’t always received very well. Timeline of job-embedded PD. August 1/2 day with 60 teachers as a pilot on classroom questioning Cohorts of 4-6 teachers in each cohort - meet for 1/2 day with that cohort. Host teacher presents lesson. Facilitator asks questions. Review of data points that people collected after observing a lesson. Scripting - What did the teacher say, what did the kids say? Share data, review host teacher’s goals and visit a new one each month. Don’t invite administrators to take part in the pro