Teaser:

First, a bit of context to today’s show: This year, Darrin Peppard (Leaning Into Leadership podcast) and I are partnering with the North Carolina Middle Level Educators Association to provide leadership development for a group of middle school principals, APs, and deans. We kicked off this Leadership Excellence Network in August and September with two 90-minute virtual sessions in which we focused on clarity of purpose and clarity of priorities. We will meet face-to-face in mid-November and in preparation for that meeting, Darrin and I are doing coaching calls to help leaders develop a goal to focus their efforts on. Today’s guest was gracious enough to have our coaching session recorded as a podcast episode as well and I think you are going to love this episode. Before we being…

Sponsor Spot 1:I’d like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today’s show. Lots of companies can help you organize class trips, but Kaleidoscope helps you organize adventures – because isn’t that what student trips should be? Kaleidscope is a full-service tour company offering a range of adventure opportunities and they excel at customizing trips based on your unique context, needs, and goals. Kaleidoscope offers exceptional travel experiences for students (and their group leaders). Thinking about student travel? Reach out to Kaleidoscope using the link in the show notes.

Show Intro

Guest Bio:

Amber Coburn is the Middle School Dean of Students at Eno River Academy, a K-12 Charter School in Hillsborough, North Carolina. A lifelong champion of middle school and all its quirks, she has spent the past 14 years helping students grow academically, socially, and emotionally. In her current role, she is honored to expand her impact on teaching, learning, and school culture at Eno River Academy Middle School!

Warmup questions:

• We always like to start with a celebration. What are you celebrating today?
• Is there a story that will help listeners understand why you are doing what you do?

Questions/Topics/Prompts

• Supporting new teachers
• Coaching stances
• Check-ins versus coaching
• Commitments

Sponsor Spot 2:I want to thank IXL for sponsoring this podcast…
Everyone talks about the power of data-driven instruction. But what does that actually look like? Look no further than IXL, the ultimate online learning and teaching platform for K to 12. IXL gives you meaningful insights that drive real progress, and research can prove it. Studies across 45 states show that schools who use IXL outperform other schools on state tests. Educators who use IXL love that they can easily see how their school is performing in real-time to make better instructional decisions.
And IXL doesn’t stop at just data. IXL also brings an entire ecosystem of resources for your teachers, with a complete curriculum, personalized learning plans, and so much more. It’s no wonder that IXL is used in 95 of the top 100 school districts. Ready to join them? Visit ixl.com/assistant to get started.

Closing questions:

• What part of your own leadership are you still trying to get better at?
• If listeners could take just one thing away from today’s podcast, what would it be?
• Before we go, is there anything else that you’d like to share with our listeners?
• Where can people learn more about you and your work…

Summary/wrap up

We covered a lot of ground, but here are the three things I hope you take away from the episode:

• Be intentional about scheduling and blocking time to work with your teachers
• Use informal check-ins to learn about your teachers and build trust
• Be clear about why you are in a classroom so teachers know what to expect. Email me at [email protected] for a copy of the 4 Patterns of observation.

Special thanks to the amazing Ranford Almond for the great music on the show. Please support Ranford and the show by checking out his music!

• Ranford’s homepage: https://ranfordalmond.com
• Ranford’s music on streaming services: https://streamlink.to/ranfordalmond-oldsoul
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ranfordalmond/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ranfordalmond/

Sponsor Links:

IXL: http://ixl.com/assistant 

Kaleidoscope Adventures: https://www.kaleidoscopeadventures.com/the-assistant-principal-podcast-kaleidoscope-adventures/

Close

• Leadership is a journey and thank you for choosing to walk some of this magical path with me.
• You can find links to all sorts of stuff in the show notes, including my website https://www.frederickbuskey.com/
• I love hearing from you. If you have comments or questions, or are interested in having me speak at your school or conference, email me at [email protected] or connect with me on LinkedIn.
• If you are tired of spending time putting out fires and would rather invest time supporting and growing teachers, consider reading my book, A School Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose. The book is available on Amazon. You can find links to it, as well as free book study materials on my website at https://www.frederickbuskey.com/reclaiming-purpose.html 
• Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Remember the secret to good leadership:
  • Be intentional in choosing how you will show up for others
  • Be fully present
  • Ask reflective questions
  • And then just listen
  • Don’t overcomplicate it, the value is in the listening.
• Have a great rest of the week!
• Cheers!

Guest Links:

Frederick’s Links:

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.frederickbuskey.com/ 

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/strategicleadershipconsulting 

Daily Email subscribe: https://adept-experimenter-3588.ck.page/fdf37cbf3a 

The Strategic Leader’s Guide to Reclaiming Purpose: