Dr. Barbara Oakley is an educator, writer, and engineer with one of the coolest backstories I’ve ever heard.  She has become an expert on learning and her most recent book Learning How to Learn: A Guide for Kids and Teens is spectacular - so spectacular that my 16-year-old daughter was impressed.  Barb and I have a wide-ranging conversation about her background, learning in general, a little bit about math instruction specifically, and her thoughts on how we can improve teaching and learning in our schools.  I was really impressed with Barb, and I made her promise to do a part two. I hope you enjoy her story and insights as much as I did.  Learning How to Learn: A Guide for Kids and Teens is available everywhere, and you can learn more about Barb and her work at www.barbaraoakley.com.  Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

#47 Learning How to Learn with Dr. Barb Oakley

This is the School Leadership Show.  Learn everything you need to know to thrive in school administration.  The School leadership show is where ordinary school administrators become extraordinary leaders.  The only podcast dedicated to helping practicing and aspiring school leaders realize their potential, advance their careers, and achieve work-life balance, The School Leadership Show brings together the greatest minds from inside and outside of education to deliver you the insights and tools you need to succeed in school leadership.

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In this fifth special episode, Jenn David-Lang of The Main Idea and I talk about resources to help school leaders with building better teams. To support this work, Jenn has gathered her summaries of three must-read books:    Learning by Doing by Richard DuFour et al. - This book shows how to effectively implement PLCs so they will raise student achievement and improve the professional lives of teachers.    The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle - Great cultures can be built. This book shares the 3 key skills that organizations with extraordinary cultures have mastered — building safety, sharing vulnerability, and establishing purpose.    The Art of Coaching Teams by Elena Aguilar - This book provides the tools, tips, protocols, and theory needed to coach teacher teams to become highly effective.   These three books are a great place to start if you are looking to work on your knowledge and skills related to improving the teams that you work with. If you head to The Main Idea website, you can see this and other lists of Jenn’s Must-Read Books for School Leaders. Send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send me an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

111 Mini-sode 5: Trust us, your teams need work.

In this episode, we're shining a light on a pressing issue in the educational landscape: teacher burnout and attrition. With schools across the nation feeling the impact, we turn to expert Chase Mielke, author of Illuminate the Way: The School Leader’s Guide to Addressing and Preventing Teacher Burnout (ASCD, 2023), for insights and solutions. If you're a school leader, educator, or anyone passionate about creating a positive and sustainable teaching environment, this episode is a must-listen. To learn more about Chase and his work, you can find him here: https://www.facebook.com/chasemielkespeaker, https://www.instagram.com/chasemielke/. As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

S7 E6 We Can’t Yoga Our Way Out of This

DEI feels like it’s becoming the (a) third rail in K-12 education. The quote in the title is from Verna Myers, VP of inclusion strategy at Netflix, and is included in Ruchika Tulshyan’s book  Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work. In this episode, Jenn and I have a real and practical conversation with Ruchika about what you can do personally and as an organization to help everyone feel like they belong. As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

109 S7 E5 "Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.”

Many of us as educators have assumed that the kids with strong grades and strong test scores were set up for success. Isn't that what we were supposed to work toward in schools?  Dr. Borba has interviewed scores of students and has found that these 2 areas – grades and test scores  –  are not the markers of success today in the 21st century. Instead, as educators, leaders, and parents we should be focusing on 7 character strengths: self-confidence, empathy, self-control, integrity, curiosity, perseverance, and optimism. Dr. Borba is an educational psychologist, author, and parenting expert. She has written over 20 books and has worked with everyone from Harvard to Sesame Street – mostly about the power of character skills and character education. Dr. Borba’s work has profound implications for us in the field of education right now.  Listen to Dr. Borba share how these seven are what truly contribute to our students' well-being and how we can all foster these important skills. As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

108 S7 E4 We've had something wrong in education – it's not the GPA or the test scores.

Everyone has hidden potential for growth and achievement, but standard approaches to studying, practicing, coaching, and organizing education often leave this potential untapped. The practices of high-achieving individuals (and a high-achieving school system) reveal the surprising skills, scaffolds,and systems that unlock potential. Even better, anyone can learn them, and anyone can teach them, too. In this episode we have a great conversation about Adam Grant’s book Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things and how to apply his insights to our own lives as busy educators. As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas  to mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.  Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues.  Additionally, if you have other NON-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at mike@schoolleadershipshow.com.

#47 Learning How to Learn with Dr. Barb Oakley

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