Research repeatedly shows that educators spend a lot of time doing activities that do not connect to student outcomes. Not on purpose, but in a world with so many distractions it becomes easy to lose the North Star. In this podcast, author and consultant Lyle Kirtman implores us to shed any projects or behaviors that do not align with our goals for student outcomes. In fact, he stresses that this is imperative if we want to stop the rapid rate of burnout that is impacting schools at all levels. Listeners will get tips on how to talk to data-averse teachers about data, use guiding questions to make decisions about what to do and what not to do, and how to skillfully push back against mandates that run counter to a school’s mission.

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Schools need leaders, but fewer and fewer are entering into the position. And far too few are thriving once they are in the role. Two reasons: a mismatch of expectations and a lack of clarity about what the job entails. These signal that it is time to take a hard look at how we prepare aspiring leaders. Tim Cusack and Bustamante have surveyed the landscape, and share their findings in their latest book, Leader Ready. They propose four pathways to get budding leaders to bloom, including standards-based support, guided practice with mentors and mastery experiences. 

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New teaching staff, whether novice or veteran, are a central part of a successful school year. So why is it that they are often greeted at the door of our school community with the autopilot vibe of a ticket taker at the movies? In their latest book Onboarding Teachers, Fisher, Frey, Shin and Biscocho change the rules of engagement, offering activities and practical strategies that focus leaders and coaches on critical aspects of success for that make-or-break first year. 

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The one and only John Hattie joins LCL to share the sequel of his seminal book, Visible Learning.  It is not merely an update on previous content, but a concerted effort to focus on what we don’t already know about, along with data that has changed. He also discusses the importance of paying attention to what teachers believe about learning, the need to highlight the many schools doing the work well and how to choose where to focus our limited time as educators. He reminds us that teachers and leaders have some of the highest coping strategies of any profession and that there is much to celebrate in all we do. 

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Scheduling common planning times is not just about moving some pieces around on a chart. It is also about the educators who enter these spaces and the beliefs they carry with them. In this episode Donahoo and Katz help listeners see that many decisions have both a technical and adaptive aspect to them. They ask listeners to reflect on unhelpful stories, bogus barriers, overconfidence, and other behaviors that need interruption. They also implore leaders to get comfortable with discomfort because it is the only way to get good ideas to stick.

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Going deep into education research can feel daunting, but not when you’re listening to Tom Guskey. Sharing the highlights from his latest book, Implementing Mastery Learning, third edition, Guskey begins with a short history of mastery learning and ends with its continued relevance today.  You will hear about formative assessment, effective correctives, high-quality enrichment, how to change mindsets, and much more. Rooted in a conviction that every students should have access to the tools of a scholar, Guskey reaffirms our belief that excellence for all is possible. 

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How much training did you get on classroom management before you became a leader or teacher? The answer is probably: not much—and we are seeing the catastrophic results.  Larry Thompson is on a mission to elevate this work, so it stands shoulder to shoulder with all we know about curriculum and instruction. He views poor behavior as a skill deficit that can be improved with strategic coaching.  Thompson touches upon how to listen to what a child is actually saying when they are upset, “spot” them in ways that build their autonomy and agency and ultimately advance high-quality culture in your school.

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Do you know how to identify the white space in your organization? No? Well not knowing could explain why some of your great ideas fail to gain traction. In this podcast, James Marshall discusses how school leaders can master successful implementation. Based on his new book Right From the Start, Marshall sets forth a pathway to get predictable results from your programming. From needs assessment straight through to evaluation, you’ll get user-friendly guidance on how to tackle this work with confidence.

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Joseph Johnson, an expert in urban education reform, shares what leaders in high performing urban schools do differently. He skillfully articulates that great achievement with these students is not an anomaly and, in fact, reliably occurs when certain pieces are in place. This includes making students and families feel valuable, focusing on mastery, ensuring culturally responsive teaching, progress monitoring and so much more. Johnson calls on listeners to reject the status quo that keeps so many students stuck. Instead, he shows how we can look to models of excellence for the strategies that actually work to help urban students thrive.  

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If we look at the data, we can safely say women are doing the work of classroom teaching while disproportionately, men are making administrative and leadership decisions. On this episode, three school leaders discuss how to start breaking down barriers and leading the way for future generations of women leaders. This includes finding the right mentors, identifying the differences in the superintendency versus the instructional track and embracing traditionally “female traits” in leadership roles. This open and honest conversation will point all listeners towards a more inclusive leadership environment.

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