Transformative Principal

Amy Locke graduated from the University of North Florida with a BA in Special Education: Deaf Studies and an M.Ed in Special Education: Deaf Education. She has been working in the field of Deaf Education for 7 years, beginning her career as an itinerant teacher for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students in central Florida, then moving to Houston, TX to teach in a self-contained 3rd/4th grade class with DHH students. About 4 ½ years ago, she moved to Alabama to work as a reading teacher in the high school department at the Alabama School for the Deaf. In November 2014, she became the high school director. The Alabama School for the Deaf currently has 178 students from all around our state, all of whom have a documented hearing loss. We have two academic departments here: Elementary serves students from age 3 through 6th grade and the High School department serves students in grades 7–12. We are a residential program and a little more half of them live on campus in our dorms. The rest are day students living within an hour of our school.   Wanted nothing to do with learning sign language. Small community, tightly knit. Culture is inviting. Switched at Birth There are always many opportunities to serve the hard of hearing students. Parental involvement is hard to come by because of logistics. IEPs over the phone. 16 teachers are deaf. Just started picture-in-picture with sign language interpreter. Huddle originated at a university for the deaf Galladette University. Travel to other deaf schools. Recruiting and hiring. Director for the high school Director for elementary Director for career teach Director for athletics Challenge to find other people to learn from. Applying learning from other principals to her school. Sending teachers to professional development. Bring more professional development to the school, rather than sending teachers out. Empowering teachers with technology. Loading… Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.  

John Hope Bryant came to Alaska for the Alaska Principals Conference. He spoke to us about how he hopes to inspire corporations to partner with schools to prepare our students for the future. I bought both of his books mentioned below. I am excited to read them.  John Hope Bryant on Twitter. Learn more about Operation Hope. Learn more about Global Dignity Day. John has two books out. The first is Love Leadership: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World. “Summary from the publisher: Aimed at a new generation of leaders and extremely relevant for today’s economic climate, Love Leadership outlines Bryant’s five laws of love-based leadership-Loss Creates Leaders (there can be no strength without legitimate suffering), Fear Fails (only respect and love leads to success), Love Makes Money (love is at the core of true wealth), Vulnerability is Power (when you open up to people they open up to you), and Giving is Getting (the more you offer to others, the more they will give back to you).” The second is How the Poor Can Save Capitalism: Rebuilding the Path to the Middle Class. “Summary from the publisher: Raised in poverty-stricken, gang-infested South Central Los Angeles, Bryant saw firsthand how our institutions have abandoned the poor. He details how business loans, home loans, and financial investments have vanished from their communities. After decades of deprivation, the poor lack bank accounts, decent credit scores, and any real firsthand experience of how a healthy free enterprise system functions. Bryant radically redefines the meaning of poverty and wealth. (It’s not just a question of finances; it’s values too.) He exposes why attempts to aid the poor so far have fallen short and offers a way forward: the HOPE Plan, a series of straightforward, actionable steps to build financial literacy and expand opportunity so that the poor can join the middle class.”         Loading… Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.   Sponsor: Sanebox Web Site Transformative Principal on Stitcher Refer A Principal Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey

Ashley:  Ashley teaches 3rd grade in Plymouth, Minnesota at Greenwood Elementary School. She received her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from Miami University in Ohio. She then completed her Masters of Arts in Education with an endorsement in   K - 8 writing from St. Mary University in Minnesota.  Jamie: Jamie enjoys seeing students complete learning independently. Jamie teaches 3rd grade at Greenwood Elementary School in Plymouth, Minnesota. She received her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from University of Iowa. She completed her Masters in Education from Hamline University in Minnesota.  Both Jamie and Ashley feel that learning should be meaningful and authentic for their students. PICE Learning is a new and improved way of teaching comprehension skills for our 21st century learners. The PICE approach gives students ownership in their learning while using the common core standards. Students are able to connect with each other and independently learn in our 21st century. PICE Learning was developed by Ashley and Jamie, they wanted to connect students’ learning to skills that they will use everyday and in their future.  If you’d like more information check out: www.picelearning.com   * Learning then vs. now with PICE * There is a little more work that goes into PICE. * PICE Learning web site. * Explain Everything App * iMovie * Notability * Book Creator * Pic Collage * Mini Lessons on Monday to teach kids the apps. * Email Learningpice@gmail.com Follow on Twitter @picelearning Loading… Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.  

  Just before the #AKPrincipals conference ended, I had a chance to catch up the minds behind it all, Mary McMahon and Rod Morrison. They did a great job planning the event and will do an even better job next year.      Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.   Sponsor: Sanebox Web Site Transformative Principal on Stitcher Refer A Principal Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey

Here is a little bonus episode with Principal Kafele. We talk about how to reach those that are hardest to reach. Principal Kafele spoke at the Alaska Principals conference in Anchorage on October 18th.  If this is your first time listening to Transformative Principal, please subscribe.    Loading… Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.   Sponsor: Sanebox Transformative Principal on Stitcher Refer A Principal Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey

Jamie: Jamie enjoys seeing students complete learning independently. Jamie teaches 3rd grade at Greenwood Elementary School in Plymouth, Minnesota. She received her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from University of Iowa. She completed her Masters in Education from Hamline University in Minnesota.  Both Jamie and Ashley feel that learning should be meaningful and authentic for their students. PICE Learning is a new and improved way of teaching comprehension skills for our 21st century learners. The PICE approach gives students ownership in their learning while using the common core standards. Students are able to connect with each other and independently learn in our 21st century. PICE Learning was developed by Ashley and Jamie, they wanted to connect students’ learning to skills that they will use everyday and in their future.  If you’d like more information check out: www.picelearning.com   Gives Students an opportunity to be engaged learners. Started as coteachers Not 1:1 - 3:1 or 4:1 Engaging our students. Kids were already eager learners Model with the students how to learn together Weekly Lessons - Project starts on a Monday, and they have all week to work on it. Not about using an app, it is about learning. Sequencing activities - visualizing. How they are presenting their learning is up to them. Students can listen to stories through the Moodle site. Two students have jobs of being the Tweeters. Kids are wanting to see themselves. Twitter papers teach kids about character limits. Twitter Mrs. Tewksbury Twitter Mrs. Drill Loading… Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.  

Michael Shapiro is serving in his second year as the principal of Highland Tech Charter School in Anchorage School District. A recent transplant from the Chicago area, he previously served as principal of Shepard Middle School in Deerfield, Illinois for seven years, during which time the school earned a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award. Prior to that he served as an assistant principal for five years in two different schools. Mr. Shapiro began his educational career as a computer applications teacher and director of instructional technology. He is currently a doctoral candidate in Administration and Supervision at Loyola University in Chicago. Highland Tech is a 6th–12th grade charter school that promotes personal mastery through student centered, individualized learning and varied assessment strategies. Student placement is based on academic ability, rather than chronological age, ensuring students are challenged each day. Students are encouraged to take an active role in their education and master core content and the skills necessary for success in the 21st Century. Technology integration and project-based assessments are critical components of Highland Tech’s rigorous model.  Professional Development - content expertise and deep understanding of the standards. Focus on building a curriculum that is standards-based. Planning meaningful activities that align with standards. Help teachers help students refine and revise work. Time is a huge barrier. Giving up control to students. Advisory - take this incredibly seriously. School visit in Michigan. In the traditional model, we don’t demand that they master, we demand that they pass with an average. Redos and Retakes Be present. Be in classrooms learning every day. Uncomfortable being called boss, because he is really a servant. Loading… Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.  

Michael Shapiro is serving in his second year as the principal of Highland Tech Charter School in Anchorage School District. A recent transplant from the Chicago area, he previously served as principal of Shepard Middle School in Deerfield, Illinois for seven years, during which time the school earned a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award. Prior to that he served as an assistant principal for five years in two different schools. Mr. Shapiro began his educational career as a computer applications teacher and director of instructional technology. He is currently a doctoral candidate in Administration and Supervision at Loyola University in Chicago. Highland Tech is a 6th–12th grade charter school that promotes personal mastery through student centered, individualized learning and varied assessment strategies. Student placement is based on academic ability, rather than chronological age, ensuring students are challenged each day. Students are encouraged to take an active role in their education and master core content and the skills necessary for success in the 21st Century. Technology integration and project-based assessments are critical components of Highland Tech’s rigorous model.  Not one and done approach, focused on student Mastery. Time bound, but a lot of flexibility. Real-world project based learning. Rubrics at every level. Takes some time for kids, teachers and principals even to get used to it. Lots of misperceptions in the community. Reinventing Schools Coalition RISC Different Levels - Standards and Rubrics Kids can be in 8th grade math and be in 10 grade ELA. Require up to Alg. II/Trig in math at Highland Tech. Integrate levels as much as possible. Paying attention to outliers. Variety of assessments qualify for standards. Not just the paper-pencil type. Loading… Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.  

Piper is the principal of Draper Elementary in Draper, UT. She has been a long-time friend and mentor to me, personally, and has helped me learn so much over the last few years. ELA in English and Math in target language Teachers more intentional in working together on content between languages. MobyMax to supplement schoolwork. Reflex Math to focus on computation skills. What she’s doing is working because Draper Elementary ranked 22 in the state in math. How you ensure good instruction is taking place when you don’t speak the target language? Anyone should be able to understand topic in the classroom when they are in the target language. Good instruction on Steroids. 9 tenets of instruction from State of Utah Listen. Loading… Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.  

Piper is the principal of Draper Elementary in Draper, UT. She has been a long-time friend and mentor to me, personally, and has helped me learn so much over the last few years. Dual immersion schools - what is the process, and what challenges are unique to you? 200 dual immersion schools in the state, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, French What barriers are there to having native speakers come teach in America? A/B schedule at elementary level. Teachers come from mainland China and local areas. Immersion teacher and non-immersion teachers and culture issues. Personalizing issues with culture. Specials to integrate the two cultures. Dragon Training Seeking input to learn what was important to the students, faculty, and parents. Blanket monkey. Loading… Please take a moment to rate this podcast in iTunes or on Stitcher.  Ready for a Modern Web Site for your school? Simple School Sites is the place to go for high quality Wordpress sites specially designed for schools. Please follow me on Twitter: @jethrojones for the host and @TrnFrmPrincipal for the show. Buy Communication Cards Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com Download Paperless Principal.