Transformative Principal

Show notes on TransformativePrincipal.com

Show notes and listener survey on http://transformativeprincipal.com

Show notes at http://transformativeprincipal.com/ken-daly. Please take the listener survey at http://transformativeprincipal.com

Show notes at http://transformativeprincipal.com

Show notes at http://transformativeprincipal.com

Mike is a principal of a pre-K–8 school. He is a great principal and also really great at using technology in unique ways. You can follow him on Twitter (@Techedvance). Spending a few minutes on his web site will teach you a ton about how to use technology to improve your professional practice. Turning off the red badge for email notifications. Blog Post Classroom Walkthroughs with Drafts The Drafts app. Dealing with things that come up through the day (do it now, or save for later). Mac Power Users Podcast appearance. Plain text notes held together by Dropbox is Byword, NVAlt, Fantasical all make him a better leader. How to be a transformative principal: Find one way that you can use technology to do your job. If you carry around a smart phone and you can’t answer the question, how does my phone help me be a better principal, make it a goal to find out how it does help you do your job. What keeps him inspired: The things in my office that remind me of my faith and my daughter starting in preschool at my school. Sponsor: Sanebox Web Site Transformative Principal on Stitcher Refer A Principal Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey

  Mike is a principal of a pre-K–8 school. He is a great principal and also really great at using technology in unique ways. You can follow him on Twitter (@Techedvance). Spending a few minutes on his web site will teach you a ton about how to use technology to improve your professional practice. How Mike got into administration. The difference between public schools and private (religious) schools. Doing more with less. Relying on fundraising. We need to strike the right balance between instructional leadership and all the other stuff we are tempted to spend our time on. The most important aspects of Mike’s leadership. There is a little more flexibility in how things are done in the private school, and they are able to meet the needs differently. How to challenge teachers to do better. Hiring makes a huge difference. We give teachers tools and an opportunity to learn on their own, share with their colleagues and grow. What kind of people Mike is looking for as teachers: What is it about this age group of students that makes you want to teach them? Systematic Podcast appearance Mac Power Users Podcast appearance. Why Mike likes to share what he is learning and doing. The podcasts Mike listens to: 5by5 network (MPU, Back to Work, Systematic). Out of School, 99 percent invisible, Workflowing. Sponsor: Sanebox Web Site Transformative Principal on Stitcher Refer A Principal Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey

Part 2 of my interview with Colin Andrews. How Colin hires great teachers Colin doesn’t ask any interview questions, he just listens to his VPs ask all the questions. An online form for parents to fill out student’s absences. How Colin inspires people to be the best they can be and ensure students have global, authentic connections. Sister schools in China, Korea, Japan, mainland USA and Kodiak, AK. How he gets connections with other schools in the country. How he took the school from $800 in the bank when he started to $200K for materials and PD. Global connections so kids can think about how to talk to kids across the ocean. Goal to connect each class to two overseas classrooms. Picks books relevant to his locale’s native culture and other native cultures in the other schools and share them with the students. How Colin started connecting with the schools he partners with now (No mention of Twitter!) How to be a transformative principal: Open doors for other people. “Give it a Go” What keeps him going: his grandchildren. Connect with Colin Sponsor: Sanebox Web Site Transformative Principal on Stitcher Refer A Principal Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey

This week I interview Colin Andrews, principal of Blockhouse Bay Intermediate School in Auckland, New Zealand. Mr. Andrews is inspiring. He is doing so much cool stuff, we didn’t have time to get to everything. We start by talking about the learning fellowship that Mr. Andrews did many years ago. A four way study looking at transition from elementary to middle and then to high school. Forest, outdoor classroom, pest control, projects all directed by the kids. Envirokids, through process of inquiry and student voice that create amazing things. Pathway and other Envirokids project It is the ability of the teacher to be able to spot a question and really pursue it. Structure of envirokids: two-three blocks of time on Fridays, one teacher, about 30 kids. Working days for the families, kids need to bring one parent with them to participate in the work day (on the weekend). How to make manual labor sound exciting? 4 Ethics - Academics, cultural, sporting, and service to the community. Recognized through everything they do all the year long. Role of the advisor of Envirokids. One teacher teaches all academic subjects, so she changes her teaching on Friday to focus on the Envirokids. Sponsor: Sanebox Web Site Transformative Principal on Stitcher Refer A Principal Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey

In part two of my interview with Jordan Collier, we dive into his plan for observations. Really informative stuff, and a good plan for any administrator. Observations - daily schedule. Jordan focuses on helping teachers when doing observations. Attempting to alleviate fears of observations by building relationships. How to facilitate a role-play to help teachers see what it is like to do an observation. How a two-minute conversation can change a teacher’s practice. The importance of set meeting times with teachers to talk about what they are doing. The schedule process. The greatest compliment in the world, “You’re never in your office.” Trying to get kids to think you are following them because you are in their classes so often. You have arrived when you are being invited to teachers’ classrooms. Had a blast in 8th grade SCI lab. Kids and I learned about bias w/ Fruit Loops, Fruit Spins & Tootie Fruities. pic.twitter.com/ItUEHEhmKU — Jordan Collier (@JCollierAR) September 2, 2014 How to have the positive conversation and still focus on improvement. Dealing with uncomfortable situations. Freaky Friday folder. Staff Culture Check! Sign up fo Leverage Leadership Looking for consistency for staff culture check. Friday newsletter. What you can do to be a transformative principal like Jordan: Be obnoxiously positive about your school. Sponsor: Sanebox Web Site Transformative Principal on Stitcher Refer A Principal Best Tools for Busy Administrators Survey