Steve identifies 3 strategies that leaders can be doing now to build relational energy with their staff. Relational energy is important because the more you have the more bought in and accountable staff will be for realizing their development goals and increasing student success.

Visit Kim Cameron’s Blog here. 

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The author of Emphasizing the Importance of Play During Distance Learning, Madeleine Rogin, shares her experiences and insights around the role of play for teachers and students. Play tends to provide intrinsic motivation, opportunities for decision making, and spontaneous immersion in the moment; all of which have positive impacts on learning.

Contact Madeline: m[email protected]

Steve and Cory Camp from SIBME Coach Replay, discuss how a focus on longer term thinking as we approach teaching and learning may better serve our students. They examine what strengths were developed by teachers, students, and parents during the past year and how coaches can support teachers tapping this learning for building student success.

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What signs signal us as parents that the “rigor” level of our child’s program may need an adjustment? What conversations should parents be having with school staff about rigor? How do we encourage programs that develop well-rounded people who impact the world? Two heads of schools share their experiences.

Read "The Dark Side of Rigor" article here.  

Contact Ole: [email protected]   

Contact Percy: [email protected]

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Mindsets influence both conscious and unconscious behaviors we as educators put into practice. In part one of this series, Cory Camp from SIBME Coach Replay joins me to explore how fear of "learning loss" might be replaced with excitement for rejoining our students in a love of learning and being together. How teachers can collaborate as an ecosystem is also examined.

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Teachers can invest in conscious planning to create opportunities for students to strengthen executive functioning skills. Experienced teacher and teacher educator, Brenda Watkins, outlines the benefits and example strategies for all grade levels.

Contact Brenda: [email protected]

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Kathy Perret and Kenny McKee join the podcast to share insights from their new book, Compassionate Coaching: How Educators Navigate the Barriers to Professional Growth.

“Successful Coaching is a humanistic, compassionate process that places students at its center. Truly effective coaching places people above programs.”

Read Compassionate Coaching here. 

Contact Kathy Perret: [email protected]

Our children build a sense of self-efficacy when they realize that their own actions have produced successful outcomes rather than believing success was generated by my parents’ actions. Over helping and over directing can prevent the necessary experiences of “successful failures.” Having chores at home can be helpful. Consider how you create an environment for developing independence.

Subscribe to the Steve Barkley Ponders Out Loud podcast on iTunes or visit BarkleyPD.com to find new episodes!

Teacher educator, Brenda Watkins, shares her classroom experiences and content from the graduate level course Developing Executive Function to Empower Learners. Included are observable elements for recognizing strategies and opportunities for extending teacher focus on empowering students.

Contact Brenda at: [email protected]

Learn about Project Zero here.

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School counselor and author of Middle School Matters, Phyllis Fagell, shares important understandings and suggested mindsets for teachers to be exploring as they approach the remainder of this school year, summer programs and next fall. Her specific examples from her day to day interactions with students provide great insights.