

Transformative Principal
Jethro Jones
Jethro Jones interviews instructional leaders from around the nation to learn and teach what it takes to become a transformative principal. Episodes address topics like Response to Intervention (RTI), Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS), Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), the latest advances in educational research, standards-based grading, and interviews with industry leaders like Bill Daggett, Rick Wormeli, Todd Whitaker and even people outside the education like Seth Godin, JeVon McCormick, Liz Wiseman, and more.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 14, 2021 • 37min
Reframing American Education with Dr. Tyrone Burton Transformative Principal 387
Dr. Burton serves as a Turnaround Specialist for the Rensselaerville Institute based in Albany, New York. He was music teacher from 1983 to 1989, and then became a principal In August 2001 Dr. Burton was assigned as the Principal to Cherokee Park Elementary. At the time of his appointment the school was in Corrective Action with a SPS of 44.4, and about to be taken over by the Department of Education. Dr. Burton retired from Caddo Parish Schools in 2017 as a Distinguished Principal and was hired by the Rensselaerville Institute where he currently serves as a Turnaround Specialist. He is also the CEO and founder of Passion Driven Leadership. These allow him to pursue his passion which is to help and support leaders in education. He and his wife Wanda have twin boys and three lovely grandchildren. He is the author of Reframing American Education. Academic Efficacy - If teachers trust principals and teachers and parents trust teachers, you create an environment of academic confidence. Asking teachers if they’re willing to grow. Teachers created and owned the school environment. Our problem wasn’t getting teachers but choosing the right teachers. How to turnaround schools? Leadership implements attitudes and cultures that is going to turn around. Kids first Responsibility Vision Communication Fiscally responsible Using data to inform decisions, not drive it. Four types of data: academic, perception, demographic, background. Sometimes schools look at background data and superimpose that on their academic data. Data-informed means you drill down deep and see what the context of the data tells them. Implement strategies that help students think. Close the hope gap before we close any other gap. The Case Against Standardization She thought the scores were high because she We beat teachers up with data. We get lost in doing the work. Different skillset than just leading Cracking the code of code cracking - Christopher - Seton Hall There is NO empirical research regarding standardization that it works. The power of coaching It’s more about class than it is about black and white. We do it because educators don’t control How do kids learn better without standards? We’ve hounded that teachers teach standards not students. This is wrong! When students own the learning process, it’s a win win for everyone. It’s hard for us to Trust is very important. Accountability often erodes trust. How to be a transformative principal? Change your mindset. Think about how you can transform yourself. Reflect. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on timeless topics, with a list of authors recognized globally for their fresh perspectives and proven strategies to drive success in modern schools and classrooms. John Catt’s mission is to support high-quality teaching and learning by ensuring every educator has access to professional development materials that are research-based, practical, and focused on the key topics proven essential in today’s and tomorrow’s schools. Learn more about professional development publications that are easy to implement for your entire faculty, and are both quickly digestible and rigorous, by visiting https://us.johncattbookshop.com/. Learn more about some of the newest titles: Michaela: The Power of Culture by Katharine Birbalsingh Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli Putting Staff First: A blueprint for revitalising our schools by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) by Bruce Robertson Stop Talking About Wellbeing: A pragmatic approach to teacher workload by Kat Howard John Catt is also proud publisher of the new book from Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones: SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves Visit this page to learn more about bulk orders and how to bring John Catt’s research-based materials to your school: https://us.johncattbookshop.com/pages/agents-and-distributors
LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe’re 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 10, 2021 • 35min
Trust Based Observations with Craig Randall Transformative Principal 386
Craig Randall is developing relational trust between principals and teachers, leading to risk-taking and growth. Author of Trust-Based Observations Trust-Based Observations, my new book about a transformative method of doing teacher observations. In a nutshell the book and model are designed to help show administrators how to build trusting differentiated relationships with each of their teachers such that teachers are willing to work through uncomfortable feelings of vulnerability and embrace taking big risks to grow their practice. The model also directly connects the observation process to annual action research goals and schoolwide professional development through the creation of professional development communities tied directly to TBO areas of pedagogy. What is wrong with our current observation protocols? Everything has been well-intended, it just hasn’t been effective. Gates Foundation 7 year research project to improve quality of teaching. Matt O’Leary - predominate researcher on teacher observation. When we evaluated teachers, they start to play it safe. If we create the right environment, everyone will feel safer. 12 observations/week. Monday-Thursday 3 20 minute observations. Tuesday-Friday 3 reflective conversations. We want to spend our time as product? Share what you notice, strengths you observed. Don’t offer suggestions. When you’re in classrooms so much, you start to see who is good at what. Latent label? We want to save our suggestions for something that is going to have a bigger impact. If we don’t use emotional intelligence and trust, then we aren’t going to have a big impact. Action Research Project. It’s not top-down watching, it’s them there together. Professional development - when people choose their own paths for choosing their PD, you see them taking more ownership of it and feel more empowered. What about students’ self-driven opportunities? How to be a transformative principal? Trust your teachers and build relationships of care for them. Start doing short observations, look for strengths. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on timeless topics, with a list of authors recognized globally for their fresh perspectives and proven strategies to drive success in modern schools and classrooms. John Catt’s mission is to support high-quality teaching and learning by ensuring every educator has access to professional development materials that are research-based, practical, and focused on the key topics proven essential in today’s and tomorrow’s schools. Learn more about professional development publications that are easy to implement for your entire faculty, and are both quickly digestible and rigorous, by visiting https://us.johncattbookshop.com/. Learn more about some of the newest titles: Michaela: The Power of Culture by Katharine Birbalsingh Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli Putting Staff First: A blueprint for revitalising our schools by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) by Bruce Robertson Stop Talking About Wellbeing: A pragmatic approach to teacher workload by Kat Howard John Catt is also proud publisher of the new book from Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones: SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves Visit this page to learn more about bulk orders and how to bring John Catt’s research-based materials to your school: https://us.johncattbookshop.com/pages/agents-and-distributors
LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe’re 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, 2021 • 29min
Equity through Virtual Teaching with Dr. Michael Robinson Transformative Principal 385
Dr. Robinson is on a mission to ensure that all students and educational practitioners receive the best experience in educational technology that will ensure immediate and future success in the real world. He believes in forming long-lasting partnerships with school districts and educational professionals in order to meet all students’ individual needs and the continuous promotion of differentiated learning. Proximity Learning is an online education service company serving over 150 school districts and instructing over 50,000 students annually. They’ve been in the virtual learning space for 10 plus years, and their leadership team is made up of former teachers, principals, superintendents, etc. who see this as an opportunity to really make a difference in the education space as a whole. Virtual Teachers fill the gap when we have teacher shortages. LMS and virtual video conferencing software to make the magic happen. Facilitator in the classroom when that is needed. If you don’t need a full time teacher to teach a respective course, you can just select that one course. Best practices for remote learning. Asynchronous student is on their own. Synchronous the teacher is still with those kids. Connectivity is really important. What skills do teachers need to work in virtual environments? Each school district needs a remote learning action plan. During parent teacher conferences teachers and parents can still interact virtually. Students have their own ways of communicating in the online environment. What does the future of school look like? We do have a teacher shortage, so we are going to have to do more with less, or make education more enticing to teachers. When you have LMS and Virtual software to connect with kids. Maybe we don’t have all the brick and mortar buildings that we currently have. how to be a transformative principal? Open your mind, don’t think that everything has to be in a brick and mortar environment. Embrace synchronous virtual instruction. If they don’t have a strong math teacher, they don’t have equity. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on timeless topics, with a list of authors recognized globally for their fresh perspectives and proven strategies to drive success in modern schools and classrooms. John Catt’s mission is to support high-quality teaching and learning by ensuring every educator has access to professional development materials that are research-based, practical, and focused on the key topics proven essential in today’s and tomorrow’s schools. Learn more about professional development publications that are easy to implement for your entire faculty, and are both quickly digestible and rigorous, by visiting https://us.johncattbookshop.com/. Learn more about some of the newest titles: Michaela: The Power of Culture by Katharine Birbalsingh Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli Putting Staff First: A blueprint for revitalising our schools by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) by Bruce Robertson Stop Talking About Wellbeing: A pragmatic approach to teacher workload by Kat Howard John Catt is also proud publisher of the new book from Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones: SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves Visit this page to learn more about bulk orders and how to bring John Catt’s research-based materials to your school: https://us.johncattbookshop.com/pages/agents-and-distributors
LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe’re 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 3, 2021 • 31min
How to Create a Burnout Proof Culture with David Shar Transformative Principal 384
“Too many of us clock out of life as we clock into work. Where we were once looking for fulfillment and meaning in our careers, we now just show up for a paycheck… But what if we could change all that? What if we could reignite that passion in ourselves… in our coworkers…in our employees? David Shar was happily managing his small ice cream parlor in Baltimore City when his employee came in with tears in her eyes. Her boyfriend had been shot multiple times, she didn’t know if he would survive. David tried to give her the day off, but she refused, telling David that she had to be at work… work was her “happy place.” When David began his career he had no idea how much his crew of teenagers and young adults from the inner city would impact his view on work, life, & leadership. His experiences in that ice cream parlor led David on a journey of discovery to answer the question - What makes work one person’s happy place and another person’s purgatory? He discovered how organizations, through their leadership & culture can create burnout-proof work environments that engage and inspire employees to be the best versions of themselves. President of Illuminate PMC and creator of the FTF Burnout-Proof Culture Model, David is a keynote speaker, consultant, and trainer specializing in helping organizations improve their leadership and culture, combat burnout, and design meaningful work. David combines decades of leadership experience with the latest psychological research to help attract, retain, and motivate top talent. David holds his bachelor’s in human resource management from Colorado State University and his master’s in industrial / organizational psychology from the University of Maryland – College Park. He is a current doctoral candidate in business psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology where he is studying the interaction between meaningful work and burnout. David is NOT your typical academic - as a scientist / practitioner translator, David makes leadership theory & business psychology accessible, implementable, and fun through the use of humor and storytelling.” How do you support people who are going through struggles? Their lives were so beautiful in so many ways, first and foremost. Finding the beauty in someone else’s life is the first thing you need to do. We did a lot of volunteering. Ice cream was a tool to make Baltimore a better place. Kids who saw themselves as the bottom rung started to see that they had something to give. Stress is everywhere! Work was an escape from that. Work can be a place where we are in control. Work can be a place where you feel like your hands are tied behind your back. She’s a first grade teacher that cannot comfort her kids the way she always has. Administrators can facilitate what people are experiencing What is burnout? How to help prevent burnout. Give them some autonomy in their day. This is a time for innovation! Support is so crucial to prevent burnout. Instrumental support, mental support. If support comes in the wrong form, it can blow up in your face. Instrumental support - jumping in to help. Mental Support Emotional support - being there as a sounding board. Communication Cards It’s not about the Nail how to bring back the water cooler Open the lines of communication It’s really hard to separate from the challenges of their lives. We’re so worried about encroaching on people’s time, but we need to make time to How to be a transformative principal? Show vulnerability. It’s ok to not have all the answers. Ask their opinion. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on timeless topics, with a list of authors recognized globally for their fresh perspectives and proven strategies to drive success in modern schools and classrooms. John Catt’s mission is to support high-quality teaching and learning by ensuring every educator has access to professional development materials that are research-based, practical, and focused on the key topics proven essential in today’s and tomorrow’s schools. Learn more about professional development publications that are easy to implement for your entire faculty, and are both quickly digestible and rigorous, by visiting https://us.johncattbookshop.com/. Learn more about some of the newest titles: Michaela: The Power of Culture by Katharine Birbalsingh Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli Putting Staff First: A blueprint for revitalising our schools by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) by Bruce Robertson Stop Talking About Wellbeing: A pragmatic approach to teacher workload by Kat Howard John Catt is also proud publisher of the new book from Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones: SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves Visit this page to learn more about bulk orders and how to bring John Catt’s research-based materials to your school: https://us.johncattbookshop.com/pages/agents-and-distributors
LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe’re 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...

Jan 31, 2021 • 30min
The Principals Toolbox with Dr Justin Thomas Transformative Principal 383
Justin Thomas, Ed.D., is an elementary school principal serving students, faculty, and community near Nashville, TN. Prior to his work in school administration, he enjoyed 8 years as a middle school and high school band director. During his 6-year tenure as principal, his school team has been recognized multiple times by the Tennessee Department of Education for outstanding student growth and achievement gap closure. Dr. Thomas believes that the keys to success revolve around growth and gratitude - the ideas that all members of a school can ‘get better’, and that a spirit of thankfulness is key to strong culture. Dr. Thomas is the author of “The Principal’s Toolbox: Real Talk on Tackling School Leadership” (2020). Noticing an abundance of philosophical books about leadership, his purpose in writing The Principal’s Toolbox was to take an honest look at many of the practical aspects of the principalship. Aspiring and new principals will find this title especially helpful. Dr. Thomas is married (Susan) and they enjoy their busy life with 3 daughters in Nashville. What is your policy on (some obscure thing)? How to balance things you are passionate about with what people The moment you think you have it figured out you learn more. You can tell a lot about how people act when they Are we frustrated that we Cannibalize - we can’t eat each other alive over things both of us dislike Too often we blame someone when we are frustrated with a situation. How to overcome your frustrations. Sit down and talk through the challenges that we are facing. Relationships are central to finding change. You can push through initiatives, but if you want spiritual believers, it has to be something that they feel like they had a hand in. I don’t help them become anything. It’s not what we do, it’s who we are. There’s nothing that we can do or say that means anything in comparison with the little interactions on a daily basis. How to be a transformative principal? Say thank you to someone who no longer hears it. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on timeless topics, with a list of authors recognized globally for their fresh perspectives and proven strategies to drive success in modern schools and classrooms. John Catt’s mission is to support high-quality teaching and learning by ensuring every educator has access to professional development materials that are research-based, practical, and focused on the key topics proven essential in today’s and tomorrow’s schools. Learn more about professional development publications that are easy to implement for your entire faculty, and are both quickly digestible and rigorous, by visiting https://us.johncattbookshop.com/. Learn more about some of the newest titles: Michaela: The Power of Culture by Katharine Birbalsingh Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli Putting Staff First: A blueprint for revitalising our schools by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) by Bruce Robertson Stop Talking About Wellbeing: A pragmatic approach to teacher workload by Kat Howard John Catt is also proud publisher of the new book from Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones: SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves Visit this page to learn more about bulk orders and how to bring John Catt’s research-based materials to your school: https://us.johncattbookshop.com/pages/agents-and-distributors
LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe’re 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 27, 2021 • 29min
Create Your Own School with Nicole Colter Transformative Principal 382
Nicole Colter became an instant mom, when she married a single dad with three children aged 5, 6 and 7. If that wasn’t enough, over the next 12 years she also built three different businesses without any prior knowledge of, or training in, those industries. > These combined experiences taught her the value of creativity and self-direction. Nicole is now on a mission to cultivate these skills so that all people can thrive in these changing times. Her shift to education started with her role as a high school service-learning coordinator while completing her Master of Science in Creativity and Change Leadership. She now teaches management at a community college and facilitates workshops to reawaken inborn creativity. Nicole is currently co-creating an online learning community workshop called Create Your Own School with a team of other educators and teens. Studying creativity and self-directed education in 2015. How are you going to be a change leader? The 21st Century Visionary Podcast. What’s stopping you and vision statement workshop. The average person buys into the idea that someone else knows better. That’s just not true Kids learn more by watching you inside the home than anywhere else. You are likely the best person to educate your children. Social Learning Environment - prompts and guides. If you spend every day knowing you’re looking for something new and different then you will notice something new and different. 5 year olds are at the peak of their creativity How to be a transformative principal? Support creativity. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on timeless topics, with a list of authors recognized globally for their fresh perspectives and proven strategies to drive success in modern schools and classrooms. John Catt’s mission is to support high-quality teaching and learning by ensuring every educator has access to professional development materials that are research-based, practical, and focused on the key topics proven essential in today’s and tomorrow’s schools. Learn more about professional development publications that are easy to implement for your entire faculty, and are both quickly digestible and rigorous, by visiting https://us.johncattbookshop.com/. Learn more about some of the newest titles: Michaela: The Power of Culture by Katharine Birbalsingh Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli Putting Staff First: A blueprint for revitalising our schools by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) by Bruce Robertson Stop Talking About Wellbeing: A pragmatic approach to teacher workload by Kat Howard John Catt is also proud publisher of the new book from Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones: SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves Visit this page to learn more about bulk orders and how to bring John Catt’s research-based materials to your school: https://us.johncattbookshop.com/pages/agents-and-distributors
LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe’re 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 24, 2021 • 41min
Coaching in Coronavirus Times with Joellen Killion Transformative Principal 381
Joellen Killion is a senior advisor to Learning Forward and served for many years as the association’s deputy executive director. As senior advisor, she leads initiatives related to the link between professional development and student learning. She led the most recent revision of the Standards for Professional Learning, and has extensive experience in planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of professional learning at the school, system, and state/provincial levels. She works with coaches, principals, district and state leaders to support understanding and embedding standards-based professional learning in a system. The author or co-author of numerous books, her most recent book, published in 2015, is The Feedback Process: Transforming Feedback for Professional Learning. Her other books include Coaching Matters (with Cindy Harrison, Chris Bryan, and Heather Clifton); Assessing Impact: Evaluating Staff Development; Taking the Lead: New Roles for Teachers and School-Based Coaches (with Cindy Harrison); Becoming a Learning School (with Patricia Roy), and others. Coaching in this crazy time. Constant change - primary focus helping people stay positive We have turned on a dime—making remarkable transformations overnight. Learning themselves. Helping people take care of themselves. How to stay positive when it is really challenging. Being truthful acknowledging emotional distress is one of the most positive things we can do. what do we mean by a coach. Consulting vs coach vs collaborator A good coach is someone who helps a person define the problem seek possibilities, and guides that person in decision-making by helping the person sort out options. It’s not about getting it right, but forming a hypothesis. Trying to get to the root. Find appropriate solution that gets to the help people search for and identify their own means. knowing who I am as a coach My primary mission as a coach is to lead them to discover their own best approach. helping someone facilitate and mediate their own thinking. Empower another by doing that. It’s our identity as a teacher. We have learned over the last decade that more engagement in problem-based learning and opportunities for kids to solve their own problems, it solves so many problems. Dialectic approach to feedback When we give people information, that information is discounted The person giving the feedback is doing all the work! I do not allow people to use the words give and receive in talking about feedback. Holding myself superior to you. Starts with what did you know? What did you discover? The feedback process starts with two steps: Get clear about what they are intending to learn? Establish jointly a clear set of success criteria If I know what I’m looking for and I don’t engage you in cearly The Coaching Habit Helping students have a voice in their process. How to be a transformative principal? 1. Take a moment to identify three things they are proud of in their leadership practice. 2. Taking enough time to be with their families to have time for non-work related relationships to be renewing. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on timeless topics, with a list of authors recognized globally for their fresh perspectives and proven strategies to drive success in modern schools and classrooms. John Catt’s mission is to support high-quality teaching and learning by ensuring every educator has access to professional development materials that are research-based, practical, and focused on the key topics proven essential in today’s and tomorrow’s schools. Learn more about professional development publications that are easy to implement for your entire faculty, and are both quickly digestible and rigorous, by visiting https://us.johncattbookshop.com/. Learn more about some of the newest titles: Michaela: The Power of Culture by Katharine Birbalsingh Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli Putting Staff First: A blueprint for revitalising our schools by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) by Bruce Robertson Stop Talking About Wellbeing: A pragmatic approach to teacher workload by Kat Howard John Catt is also proud publisher of the new book from Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones: SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves Visit this page to learn more about bulk orders and how to bring John Catt’s research-based materials to your school: https://us.johncattbookshop.com/pages/agents-and-distributors
LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe’re 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, 2021 • 27min
The Power of Culture During a Pandemic with Angela Mahoney Transformative Principal 380
Angela Mahoney is currently the principal at Eastland Elementary School, which is part of a high-achieving, small, rural school district in the Northwest corner of Illinois. Prior to working in education, she spent many years working in the private sector. As an educator, Angela taught kindergarten, 4th, 6th and 7th grades before getting her degree in administration. During that time, she became passionate about the social-emotional needs of her students and created a course to specifically address the need for students to develop life-long success skills. As an administrator, she believes that the most important building block of a school is the culture and relationships created within the walls of the building, while still maintaining high academic standards. Eastland Elementary School has continued to be one of the highest achieving schools in the area on state standardized test scores. Angela is active in her professional community, serving on the board of the Northwest Region Illinois Principals Association, and presenting on a variety of topics at both the regional and state levels. Presentations have included innovative SEL practices, data-driven instruction, effective professional development, as well as leadership during a crisis. She and her husband, Tom, currently live in Northern Illinois and have two daughters. Maisie, 26, leads a special projects team for a health technology company in Boston and Delaney, 23, is finishing her graduate degree in Occupational Therapy in Georgia. Started school year with kids in building. The biggest block to a building is the culture. When you walk in you can just tell what the culture is like. Having a theme each year. The hardest thing is the lack of control Vulnerability it important. If they’re doing great, how are they doing it? How do you support a healthy culture, especially during coronavirus where there is so much challenge? The positive affirmation won’t allow us to live in the problem. How do you focus on your vision for your school? We focused on a positive affirmation. How do you ensure that you and your staff have balance? Being as healthy as you can. Once a month going and doing something. We need to be connected Having a PLN outside your own environment. How do you have those hard conversations with people who may not be thriving. Be vulnerable and honest. Our school feels normal because we are here every day. There’s no judgment here. We’re going to get through this together. You have to honor however they are feeling. You have to take it hour by hour and day by day. What can we take away from these situations that we can apply to our leadership. We want to have fun again. How to be a transformative principal? Focus on what you can control. It’s time to not focus on our problems and things we can’t control. 1 thing to support the staff. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on timeless topics, with a list of authors recognized globally for their fresh perspectives and proven strategies to drive success in modern schools and classrooms. John Catt’s mission is to support high-quality teaching and learning by ensuring every educator has access to professional development materials that are research-based, practical, and focused on the key topics proven essential in today’s and tomorrow’s schools. Learn more about professional development publications that are easy to implement for your entire faculty, and are both quickly digestible and rigorous, by visiting https://us.johncattbookshop.com/. Learn more about some of the newest titles: Michaela: The Power of Culture by Katharine Birbalsingh Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli Putting Staff First: A blueprint for revitalising our schools by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) by Bruce Robertson Stop Talking About Wellbeing: A pragmatic approach to teacher workload by Kat Howard John Catt is also proud publisher of the new book from Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones: SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves Visit this page to learn more about bulk orders and how to bring John Catt’s research-based materials to your school: https://us.johncattbookshop.com/pages/agents-and-distributors
LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe’re 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 17, 2021 • 31min
The Seed of Self Worth with Michelle Mann Transformative Principal 379
Michelle Mann has been in higher education for over 20 years. She focuses her work on working with disadvantaged students, especially students who have dropped out of high school. She currently resides in St. Petersburg, Florida. She is also a former police officer. A problem at home becomes a problem in the community. They were just trying to figure it out. Jennifer Morse-Roebuck Parents or Prisons Prison becomes the parent. Power of home visits. Being there with them means a lot. They’re just trying to survive. Letting someone know you’re on the same team makes a big difference. Letting them know that you care. Empathy is empathizing with their current conditions, and not looking down on them. Wherever they are, respecting that. In order to get someone where they need to be you need to meet them where they are. I may not have the same experience, but I can validate your experience. Gather some wisdom and knowledge from anyone. Kids don’t understand their leadership potential or how to be a leader. They’re influencing someone, somewhere. What do they see, what do you see? What do you want them to see? Focus on the person. Vocational Education Center - All of my kids were kicked out of school: drug, sex, or weapons. We never know a person’s potential. They just need an opportunity to see the light. How to be a transformative principal? It’s a process. Trust the process. Walk in the process. Walk in authority. There may be some detours. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on timeless topics, with a list of authors recognized globally for their fresh perspectives and proven strategies to drive success in modern schools and classrooms. John Catt’s mission is to support high-quality teaching and learning by ensuring every educator has access to professional development materials that are research-based, practical, and focused on the key topics proven essential in today’s and tomorrow’s schools. Learn more about professional development publications that are easy to implement for your entire faculty, and are both quickly digestible and rigorous, by visiting https://us.johncattbookshop.com/. Learn more about some of the newest titles: Michaela: The Power of Culture by Katharine Birbalsingh Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli Putting Staff First: A blueprint for revitalising our schools by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) by Bruce Robertson Stop Talking About Wellbeing: A pragmatic approach to teacher workload by Kat Howard John Catt is also proud publisher of the new book from Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones: SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves Visit this page to learn more about bulk orders and how to bring John Catt’s research-based materials to your school: https://us.johncattbookshop.com/pages/agents-and-distributors
LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe’re 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 16, 2021 • 34min
It is What My Community Needed with Dr Tiawana Giles Transformative Principal 378
It’s what my community Needed with Dr. Tiawan Giles Transformative Principal 378 Dr. Tiawana Giles is the proud principal of George W. Carver Elementary School!! She is also a contributing author the Women Who Lead Anthology. In the age of coronavirus. Lead by example. Setting a great example hat people want to support. We are better than what they say we are! If I give you this shirt, you are part of Carver Nation! Our community at large supported it as well. How to make yourself stand out with tons of other schools around you. We became part of the community that we serve because we wanted Carver to the center of the community We had the heart to get to where we wanted to be. Started with faith-based groups and ways they could be part of Carver Nation in ways they were comfortable with. Warm welcome from us at the door and a Carver T Shirt. I can’t do this work by myself - I need the help of the community. Kiwanas - Reading books on tape and sending links to families. Community helps clean the building, helped distribute different activities. Quarterly parent breakfast. Community started a foundation started with affluent community in Richmond. $107,000 raised You do have to make far more deposits before you can make any withdrawals. Building relationships - If you make people feel welcome, they will welcome you. We come together for the sake of the kids. Opportunities to build authentic relationships. It’s what my community needed! I asked everyone what they needed If it will benefit our scholars, that’s what we will do! You have to model this work with them. Look at it from all lenses, but bring people along with you. Making sure that people are prepared for leadership roles. People are in Carver Gear whenever we talk about our school. You need a variety of people on panels to help you figure things out. You get to ask folks to come even if you don’t have the people you want there. Inviting people builds their confidence. Your word means a lot, use it wisely. I have to do a lot of the work to help them be successful. Checking in and checking on your people. how to be a transformative principal? Find something positive to tell every single person on your team. Sponsors TeachFX Innovative school leaders across the country have started tracking online student participation using TeachFX because it’s one of the most powerful ways to improve student outcomes during COVID — especially for English Learners and students of color. Learn more about TeachFX and get a special offer at TeachFX.com John Catt Today’s Transformative Principal sponsor, John Catt Educational, amplifies world-class voices on timeless topics, with a list of authors recognized globally for their fresh perspectives and proven strategies to drive success in modern schools and classrooms. John Catt’s mission is to support high-quality teaching and learning by ensuring every educator has access to professional development materials that are research-based, practical, and focused on the key topics proven essential in today’s and tomorrow’s schools. Learn more about professional development publications that are easy to implement for your entire faculty, and are both quickly digestible and rigorous, by visiting https://us.johncattbookshop.com/. Learn more about some of the newest titles: Michaela: The Power of Culture by Katharine Birbalsingh Teaching WalkThrus: Visual Step-by-Step Guides to Essential Teaching Techniques by Tom Sherrington and Oliver Caviglioli Putting Staff First: A blueprint for revitalising our schools by John Tomsett and Jonny Uttley The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) by Bruce Robertson Stop Talking About Wellbeing: A pragmatic approach to teacher workload by Kat Howard John Catt is also proud publisher of the new book from Transformative Principal host Jethro Jones: SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves Visit this page to learn more about bulk orders and how to bring John Catt’s research-based materials to your school: https://us.johncattbookshop.com/pages/agents-and-distributors
LinkedLeaders: You need support. Get just-in-time mentoring at LinkedLeaders.comWe’re 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.