Transformative Principal

Topaz Adizes is an Emmy-award winning creator who helps build the space between two people through deep and meaningful conversations. We have one of those for you today. Jethro and Topaz share how to listen better, ask better questions, and have intention in the conversations we have. {The AND} and 12 Questions for LoveIlluminating the space betweenWhat 12 questions would be the questions that spark a deep relationshipTrial and error - what questions work, and in what sequence?WHy are these questions and others working or not working? {The AND} is a formatIt’s about holding the space for people. There are as many stories of relationships as there are sands of the sea. It is what is.The Skin Deep is an experience design studio. The media suggests that the speaker is important. Questions fall into some sort of societal programmingAsk questions that go deeper than the simple questions we usually askIntention and well-constructed questionsThey’re asking themselves “How do we ensure that our students rank high?” A

In this podcast conversation, Tiffany Caouette discusses the role and importance of play-based learning in education. Tiffany Caouette, currently working with the Connecticut Association of Schools, shares her insights on Connecticut being one of the first US states to acknowledge the significance of play-based learning through legislation. She talks about her experiences as an administrator, and her push for the inclusion of play-based learning in schools. She emphasizes the benefits of this learning approach, which not only includes improved executive functioning skills and critical thinking abilities among children, but also incorporates real-world applications into their learning process. The conversation delves into issues such as teacher autonomy, utilizing current resources, and balancing the use of electronics in classrooms. The podcast concludes with a discussion on the role of professional development for teachers and administrators in the successful implementation of play-based learning.We all stru

In this episode, Jethro is joined by Paul Thiessen and we talk about a broad range of topics from Podcasting for the school community to AI and Personalized Learning. The Daily - One topic, condensed in a short amount of time.Talking about events or different topics in our school (purple up and science of reading)Conversations with teachers about perceptions in the beginning, middle, and end of career. Why focus on his specific community - parent coffees, video calls, etc. 20-30 people ended up showing up. Gave more flexibilityThe Puma PawdUse DescriptJethro’s TEDxTalk about Attendance.Personalized LearningWorking with Education Elements32/40 educators really wanted to dive in to personalized learning. Synergy Podcast episodes on Transformative PrincipalIt’s about mindsetChange in education What impact can I make? How does AI tie into personalized learning?Embracing AI in educationStill need to have critical thinking to determine what is good information. AI can mark students’ progress in academic standards. 

Today's episode is super fascinating. Rick Meyer shared his dashboard, and you might want to check out the YouTube video for this episode because it is incredible what he’s doing with teacher data. The power of the data hubVery reactive in MTSS to startDidn’t know how to do formulas to startData entry comes from Google formsMain test scores entered by admin/instructional coachProgress monitoring is done by paraprofessionalsStudents enter dataTeachers don’t put any data in. Daily: Checkin/attendance dataWeekly: Sonday Phonics Progress monitoring - Color coding based on their MAP Scores. Monthly or as needed: Raider badges & Freckle Intervention program Behavior data - Ownership roomsProtecting the data: hLookup Query and other formulasWiping out the old data.How to be a transformative principal? Identify what you want to collect! About Rick MeyerRick Meyer is an elementary principal in Sidney, NE. He has been in education for 19 years, the first 7 as a kindergarten teacher. He then transitioned to a techno

How she stays at the same place for so long. RelationshipsStreet cred and reputation exist, but they don’t know me personally. Each family is a new relationshipHonesty and transparencyPeople don’t always love the news I give them, but they do appreciate the honesty and directnessDon’t need to sugarcoat things because it doesn’t actually help. Call and connect with new families. Calling to share good news. Our students deserve our A game every dayDeveloping teachers when you have a good relationship. Be a good listener, open the door for reflection. Work together, rather than against each other. 90% of teachers want to be here for the right reason. Seeing brillianceThe meat of your work is not in doing observations. Small moments of walkthroughs are where the growth really happens.Keep a sense of humorWeird, hard, and funny happens every day. Don’t make rash decisions - Somebody else thought I should make a decision quickly. Don’t let anyone rush your decisions.How to be a transformative principal? Think about

In this episode, Dr. Erin Bailey joins Jethro Jones to talk about how to engage families in inspiring the joy of reading in children. Making reading backed by research, powered by joyConcerns in children’s reading - not teaching it correctlyTeaching teachers to be culturally responsiveTrain teachers in getting to know their students. Things we should do to teach kids reading: phonological awareness (hearing and manipulating sounds), phonics, vocabulary, fluency (rate, accuracy, expression), and comprehension.Typically science of reading stops at the first two.There’s no one way to teach readingMotivation to readGiving children access to books that they own and chooseLink between motivation and reading, and motivation and comprehensionBookmobile, printed, SkybraryGetting joy from the experienceParents are the primary educatorsYou can’t out-teach the culture of the home.Teacher PD about family engagement systemsFamily engagement vs. family involvementFamily engagement is the family system and the school system

In this episode, Matthew Ebert joins Jethro to discuss how to actively and intentionally create the space for educators to be their authentic selves at work and how that impacts a greater school community.Ongoing, authentic, and messy1:1 meetings with all the staff.Slack as a schoolwide communication tool - How to implement without teachers feeling like they need to be in the Avoid performative care6 staff meetings in one year. Use Slack as you need it - AutonomyPower of muting channelsHilarious communitiesThe power of continuous meetings. All development is personal. (The Personal is Professional)Must have holistic approaches to all things. Try, fail, cry, and try again. 6 staff meetingsThe Art of GatheringInitiatives came from the teachers, not from the administration. Grades were not an accurate reflection of what kids really could do. Care vs. accountability Schools are not families, they’re teams. How to be a transformative principal? Stop going to meetings and start going to classrooms. About Matthew Eb

Jethro sits down with David Bryan to talk about how to make school more worthwhile. The difference between public and private schoolsMore freedom in a private school to address issues in their schools.How to manage high tuition.All students paid tuition.Why he started New Roads to connect people. The richness of a diverse population leads to amazing environments.Schools that are worthwhile are flexible, nimble, and messy. What does the future of education look like? Schools have to invest in those areas where kids are interested.Improving the conversation by being together.Every human being has been learning from the time they were aware. “Getting Credit” for their learning.Kids learning skateboarding tricks. Fan the flames that are there. Grade school teachers David Bolton - Educational ActivistCuriosity Invited PodcastHow to be a transformative principal? Pause before you say no. About David BryanThrough a decades-long career in the trade, business, and education spaces, Dr. David Bryan has garnered the ski

How to converse with Chatbots using other toolsBackground in ELA teachingThinking of the tool as a reading assistantWhat is a reading assistant?Getting an executive summary Get an idea if I should really dive into this idea. Process - find the text, ask what it is, then zoom in, Zoom out as neededHallucinations exist, but they are reduced when the text is there. AI For the rest of us - AugmentationHow does this make Rod a better learner?Focuses my time better and helps me know what I should spend my time on. How leaders talk to one another. Finding a gap in the research - hard to discern the landscape. Reading more scholarly research because I have a tool that helps me know I’m going to get something from it. Science Direct and Google Scholar to find resources.Like the autonomy of interacting directly with the source. @rodjnaquin everywhere but check out the substack.

This is a trailer for a new show I just started called A Vision for Learning. In it, we focus on the Apple Vision Pro, AR, VR, XR, AI, and the future of learning. I've already released some great episodes, including two interviews with people who have been using AR in schools for years already!Click here to subscribe and get my learning-focused review of the Apple Vision Pro this weekend!If you listen to Transformative Principal, you'll love A Vision for Learning. 

What we teach and how we teachPK-8th grade over a quarter million devoted to studentsSmall class sizes, 2 teachers in a class of 20. Started at 85 studentsIncredible amount of individual supportTransportation is 7% of the budget. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner every dayWraparound servicesOn-site partnership with Dayton’s Children's Hospital - full-time mental health, doctor, and other services for kids.Startup year - be naive about what starting a school entails. Temporary site - Fire marshallWorking with a local Medicaid provider30% higher in every category than every other child on MedicaidLooking at lots of data for whole-child outcomes51% at grade level at the start, and 85% at grade level at the end of the year.Not all roses and sunshineScreenings for character, mental health, etc. Age 27 goals. How they teach - Tried finding instructional strategies that really moved the needle. Influenced by Hattie’s work - prioritized by effect size.Teacher quality mattersBenjamin Bloom’s Research - Acton AcademyUsing p

In this show we talk about creating a personal operating system, the core four needed to make yourself an amazing human being. You’re going to love this interview. You can’t lead others to do something you’re not willing to do yourself.Self-leadership in four core areas. Gap in what Leader who has a deep level of integrity Because of the depth of your own integrityYou can be better, but a great leader is someone who can find people who are better in their area of expertise. The thing that we are unwilling to do will cause resentment in those we lead. Nobody expects the leader to be better than everyone at everythingLeaders give people authority and trust to own that part of the organizationThis all starts at home. Servant-hearted leadership is the most powerful leadership. Doing it at home with your family makes it easier to translate to the workplace. The more I hold onto stuff, the more I’m the bottleneck.You have to let go in order to grow. Priority and sequence to everything. Get myself on point so I’m on

Linking Leaders Podcast - subscribe and listen in your podcast player of choice.Small little seeds of ideas Administrator hacks - How they interactBuilding pathways for administrator prep and their early days.Content and process of what we provide.Connector for administratorsMentoring aspiring administratorsWhat administrators need are connections with others. Opportunity and process to come together.Creating the time to step aside and having people think through a problem of practiceLower the temperature - make them feel less stressed. “It mattered that we met because…”Every time I’m in front of a group of leaders, I’m able to model something that they can learn too. Center for Leadership and Innovation - Planning summits, step aside, go deep. Rather than frequent check-ins do half day summitsPlay-based learning2nd year around - how do you take on everything but not getting in over your head? Marking where we have had some impact in our state. How to prioritize what you should change. Pulse surveys. Is this

How the coaching call worked well for Hillary. Female, like-minded folksTrying PQ reps has been newWorking on one saboteur - physically embody that saboteur.Constantly on technology and value time away from technologyListening to my team and giving them space. Teams focusing on helping her with her saboteur when she divulged what her saboteur isHow this is helping in her career changes. Loving the challenge of change. Fearful that I wasn’t very good at it, and you’re not until you get some experience and get your feet on the ground. How her leadership is supporting her in a career change.Focus to where she wants to live. How job interviews will be impacted by what she’s learning. You need to take care of you first. It takes discipline. You are worthy. Set asiAbout Hillary ChapmanHillary Chapman dreamed of being an educator at age 4 when she would assign homework to her neighborhood friends from her parent’s Readers Digest and National Geographic.  Thanks to her Mom encouraging her to have more recess…Hillary

Family Engagement - Daily practice employing executive functioning skillsIf parents are informed they can help in a more powerful wayBringing parents into the process mattersHow do I hone this down into a daily task?Alexis Reid Podcast on Resilient SchoolsHow to keep from fighting with your kidsModeling and routines with kids.Physical tactile colored Organized Binder.Requires use of skills and practice.Predictable learning routines help kids take risks.If they get practice, they get opportunities to growAccountability - something that young people learn to do with practice.Getting practice with them in a “no-stakes” way. Jethro’s family goal setting page.Singular practice on goal setting - goal, sub goal, when and where, see what impacts it is creatingThen evaluate what you need to adjust to make it happenWorking on it over timeActual implementation is much better than lessonsThe actual implementation for schools and families - where to find everything, asking questions (prompts), Having Routines and modeling

We also talk about Jethro's six week coaching program that is incredibly powerful. Taylor shares her 1-session experience that made her want to go all in for the six week program. If you want a free coaching session like that for yourself, schedule a time here. Want to do more to level up and help people The saboteur conversation really spoke to me.  Identifying what path I do want to go down.  Power of the free coaching call.  The free coaching session kept Taylor from admiring the problem, and being able to focus on a solution. Getting deeper into the root cause of the problem of practice How the program helps her find success in current busy times. It’s OK to take 2 minutes to take a breather during the day.  Heavy, tense training, and now she knows how to do manage it a little better.  You don’t have to be isolated or alone doing this work.  We should be doing this when things are hard.  How this program helps with the really difficult things that are happening in Taylor’s personal life.  This is about pe

In this episode, we talk about self-identifying the challenges we face and asking for help when we need it. We also talk about Jethro's six-week coaching program which is incredibly powerful. Sam shares the 1-session experience that made her want to do the six weeks. If you want a free coaching session like that for yourself, schedule a time here. Why Sam was interested in Coaching with Jethro Identity tied up in a certain position in a school. Struggles: ability to relate to other people following a difficult day.  Felt alone as a middle school principal Difficult days are especially challenging People don’t bring positives to you, they bring problems to you.  Don’t have the same opportunities to get support and positive feedback from others.  The negative stands out more than the positive.  People asking “Are you ok?” People were willing to say, “Yes, let’s talk” but she also needed someone outside to say The advantage of having a neutral party.  Spinning tires on a problem, look at the problem from a human

In this episodes, Kelly interviews Jethro about his Coaching Practice. If you want a free coaching session like that for yourself, schedule a time here. The power of mental fitness - starts with self, judgment, and relationships jethrojones.com/coach  10 saboteurs and how they show up.  Sage powers  Mastermind coaching vs. Individual coaching Success Mindsets

In this episode, Jethro is joined by JC Pohl, of TeenTruth.net to discuss his new book Rising Above: A Story of Positive School Conflict Resolution Background is in film and Rising Above is told in a narrative format Monica is modeling the behaviors she’s experiencing Conflict is such a negative term.  Relate at the human level Connect, then collaborate Give people a voice in the plan, and let them stay in and move forward Be curious, ask questions We have to go out of our way to make the face-to-face communications needed. Administrators do need to have PR and need to have marketing skills Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath How to partner with parents, rather than dictate to parents Not every family is playing with a full deck when it comes to parent involvement -  Invite parents into the school more.  Scavenger hunt outside of Dallas About JC PohlJC Pohl is an award-winning producer, nationally recognized speaker, and certified counselor who has reached more than 12 million people with his efforts to buil

Dr. Robert Feirsen is currently associate professor and coordinator of the Educational Leadership Program at Manhattanville College. Previously, he was assistant professor and chair of the Education Department at 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 relation