SWOT! No, it’s not mosquito season – thankfully that is passing as we head into the amazing season of fall in the mountains of Western North Carolina (WNC). SWOT is an acronym that stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. It is a simple strategic planning tool. You might be thinking, “we did our strategic planning in July” but my friends, a lot has changed since July. The great plans you began the year with may not be working out, and as we move towards the end of October, it is a great time to pause and reassess. Today I’m going to walk you through the SWOT process. In the second half of the show, I’ll take you through a related process that focuses more on your leadership, rather than the organization. Together, these tools can help you adjust course and/or refocus in a short period of time.

Sponsor Spot 1:If you or your teachers have been thinking about planning a student trip, but don’t really know where to start, Kaleidoscope Adventures has you covered!
Kaleidoscope Adventures has been planning exceptional educational travel for more than 30 years. They understand the unique needs of student groups and will handle all the details from start to finish – so you can enjoy the experience! If you still need some help getting the ball rolling, check out their great e-resources including The Ultimate Guide to Planning Student Travel, The Ultimate How-To Guide for International High School Travel, AND The Ultimate Financial Guide for Your Student Trip.
These are all FREE and packed with helpful tips and advice like how to get your parents on board, funding your trip, picking chaperones, and more.
Connect with Kaleidoscope Adventures at mykatrip.com for your free copy or to talk with a pro planner.
Kaleidoscope Adventures is travel beyond expectations!

Show Intro

Celebrations:

• Processes and systems.
• Fall in the mountains; why don’t we call it autumn any more?

Key Points Part 1

• SWOT components
• Ways to use the SWOT
  • Together
  • Individually, then together
  • As program review (with gallery walk)
• Example – walking through my own business

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 http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.

Key Points Part 2

• SSCC overview (Credit to Darrin Peppard, Leaning Into Leadership)
• Ways to use it
  • Individual reflection
  • Collaborate and do it for each other (with or without SWOT)
  • Quarterly?
• Example for my own leadership

Summarizing (The big takeaway)

• Strategic leadership isn’t an event
• Turbulent times call for frequent course adjustments
• Simple tools help us pause and be intentional

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!

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: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

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:

Let’s begin by looking backwards. On Sept. 16, Mara and I released an episode on three things you should be doing now to care for yourself. Mara took the lead on that one as we dove into designing your morning, clarifying your identity and mission, and building a sustainable habit of creating you time. As an aside, I’m still enamored with the idea of creating a “third space” in which you can be yourself, without trying to be something for everyone else, and a shoutout to listener and daily email reader Penny Connor for that concept.
Last week I did an episode on transitioning from work to home in ways that will make it easier to leave school at school. The three key components were investing time in reflection before walking out of school, listening to personal things (like music or audio books) on your commute home, and having specific practices when you walk in the door to home that signal your body to shift into home mode.
I acknowledged then that many of you do have duties that require you to work from home and that we would dive into that today, but before we go there…

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.
And if you still need some help getting the ball rolling, check out their great e-resources including The Ultimate Guide to Planning Student Travel, The Ultimate How-To Guide for International High School Travel, AND The Ultimate Financial Guide for Your Student Trip.
These are all FREE and packed with helpful tips and advice like how to get your parents on board, funding your trip, picking chaperones, and more.
Connect with Kaleidoscope Adventures at mykatrip.com for your free copy or to talk with a pro planner.

Show Intro

Celebrations:

Fall: Leaves, great sleeping temperatures, and football

Key Points Part 1

The most significant barrier to turning off is when work intrudes into your home. This can happen for three primary reasons:

• You have a duty that specifically requires you to work from home
• There is a real emergency
• Your work is your life (the issues you work on are the issues you live with)
• You view yourself as a martyr

Let’s look at some general habits for when you MUST work from home and then address each of the other circumstances.

1. Limit who can contact you at home. If you have a work phone, shut it down and allow your boss/important person to reach you via your home phone. Or program your phone to only allow certain people to reach you at certain times (Hint: iPhone’s Short Cuts feature is super helpful). 

1. Create (and enforce) strict boundaries about what duties are and are not off-limits for being interrupted at home and communicate those to people. If you are in charge of getting subs, control how people reach you and when you will check email. You can also do something like add all your teachers to your favorites and set your email to put all messages from favorites into a special folder. This way, when you open your computer to check email, you only need to look at the favorites folder so you aren’t getting sucked into other things. The technology has made it harder to be away from work, but we can also use it to flip the script. 

1. Designate a location you go to when you must do work at home, whether that is phone calls, email, or something else. Maintaining physical separation from your normal living areas when you are working is critical! Bonus: make your home workspace uncomfortable so you won’t be tempted to spend extra time there. Closet anyone? 🤣

Going back to one of the questions I asked you last week: what happens if you are unavailable for six weeks? The school will keep functioning, even though some of the “critical” things you always did may not get done. Maybe they weren’t so critical after all?

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 http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.

Key Points Part 2

Three special situations:

• There is a real emergency
• Your work is your life (the issues you work on are the issues you live with)
• You view yourself as a martyr

Emergencies

• Create your boundaries and build friction to make it harder for people to contact you – unless it is regarding a very specific situation your team has already determined needs to go to you (fire in the building, death of staff or student). (hard talk: if your narrative is “I need to be there for my people” what does that say about how much you value your family?)
• Have a clear funnel of who contacts you after hours and what constitutes an emergency
• If there are always emergencies then confront the hard truth about what this job is going to do to you and then make a decision.

Your work is your life (eg addiction counselor in recovery, family of educators, a close family member is undocumented)

• Out of my expertise, but need to acknowledge
• Community, community, community?
• Stealing minutes for me, for indulgence

You view yourself as a martyr

• You may be a martyr if…
  • You think your school will fall apart without you (it won’t)
  • You cannot possibly do less than your best work, even on tasks that don’t deserve it
  • You must respond to everything before you can end the day
  • After 3:30, you spend more time thinking about work than you do about the people you love
• There are a lot of cultural elements in education that push us towards martyr syndrome, but whether or not you walk through the door is up to you.

Summarizing (The big takeaway)

• The key is boundaries
  • Who
  • What
  • When
• Use technology
• Create an uncomfortable home office
• Don’t be a martyr (by definition, martyrs don’t survive)

Special thanks to my amazing son-in-law Ranford Almond for the...

Teaser:

I’ve been having a lot of conversations with APs and other leaders recently and one of the common themes is how overwhelming the work is right now and how hard it can be to invest in self-care. Mara and I discussed some self-care strategies a couple weeks ago in episode 271. One thing we did not talk about is how to unplug from the day so your time away form work is… well, time away from work. We are going to get technical and discuss specific strategies and habits you can adopt to increase the likelihood that you can leave your work behind. There are a couple caveats to this: For many of you, there are job responsibilities you have in the evening (subs and buses) – and we will look at how to work from home in the healthiest way possible next week. The other caveat is these techniques are helpful but they are not a panacea. We’ll touch a bit more on that as we dive into the show.

Sponsor Spot 1:I’d like to thank Kaleidoscope Adventures for sponsoring today’s show. If you or your teachers have been thinking about planning a student trip, but don’t really know where to start, Kaleidoscope Adventures has you covered!
Kaleidoscope Adventures has been planning exceptional educational travel for more than 30 years. They understand the unique needs of student groups and will handle all the details from start to finish – so you can enjoy the experience! If you still need some help getting the ball rolling, check out their great e-resources including The Ultimate Guide to Planning Student Travel, The Ultimate How-To Guide for International High School Travel, AND The Ultimate Financial Guide for Your Student Trip.
These are all FREE and packed with helpful tips and advice like how to get your parents on board, funding your trip, picking chaperones, and more.
Connect with Kaleidoscope Adventures at mykatrip.com for your free copy or to talk with a pro planner.
Kaleidoscope Adventures is travel beyond expectations!

Show Intro

Celebrations:

Mara is getting married! (wish her well at [email protected] or [email protected])

Key Points Part 1

• Let’s not sugar coat things – it’s hard right now
• Things probably aren’t going to get much better in the near future
• Burnout is an organizational problem (See also Helen Kelly in episodes 141 and 182)
• That said, there are things we can do to make it “suck less.”
• Today: transition home, next week: how to protect home time when you must work from home
• Opening with encouragement to do 5mc (it is about reclaiming purpose and being able to say, today, I moved my school forward)
  • Simple and fast
  • Gets you critical insights
  • Builds relationships
  • Builds teacher capacity

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 http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.

Key Points Part 2

Begin with these three reflective questions:

1. If burnout is an organizational problem, what’s the problem?

1. Imagine 10-20 years into the future. If you keep working the way you are now, and your self-care habits remain the same, what word(s) pop into your head?

1. If you were out for three months, what would happen at work?

A leading cause of fatigue and burnout is the inability to leave your work at work. If you want to be successful - as a leader and a person/family member/friend - you must figure out how to leave your work behind. Yes, this is easier said than done (speaking from experience) but we can develop some practices to help.

Key components:

• Concluding the work day
• Transitioning to home
• Entering home mode

Concluding the work day

• Reflect on the day, including identifying:
  • Regrets and missed opportunities
  • Wins and celebrations
• If there is a serious issue that will be difficult to let go of, journal about it and do as much processing as you can. When you close the journal, close your mind. Also, do your journaling in a personal notebook you take home with you, not on a work-owned computer. When the issue intrudes on your thoughts at home, acknowledge and let it go.
• Identify the three most important priorities for the next day and time block them on your calendar.

Transitioning to home

• Be intentional about what you do with the trip home.
• You can use this as reflection time or professional learning (podcasts), but that undermines your transition. It is better to listen to professional podcasts on the way to work (that’s why we release at 6 am instead of 3 pm) and listen to music or something that grounds you in your non-professional life on your way home.

Entering Home Mode

• As soon as you get home, change into casual non-work clothes
• Create a specific routine to signal yourself that you are home, such as:
  • Spend time checking in with a loved one (including pets)
  • Imbibe your favorite food or beverage and do something relaxing
  • Exercise (consider stopping at a park to walk on your way home – even for five minutes. One step – literally- better than nothing; drive straight to the gym, do not pass Go, do not collect $200 😉)

Summarizing (The big takeaway)

• You may not be able to escape but you can make it better or at least suck less
• It’s not your fault (burnout is an organizational problem)
• Choose one thing: Reflection, trip home, walking in the door.

We’ll look at working from home next week.

Try this: turnoff this podcast now and reflect. What is ONE thing you could do to strengthen your transition home?

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/ranfordalmon...

Quote: “What is one step better than nothing?”

Teaser:

No special intro, let’s just get into it!

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

Key Points 

• Recap of last week’s show
• Reflect on this: Imagine 10-20 years into the future. If you keep working the way you are now, and your self-care habits remain the same, what words pop into your head?
• Main points from today’s show:
  • Do 5-minute coaching
  • Be intentional about being fully present (or not)
  • Block two 30-minute admin blocks each day to do all the stuff. Get coverage so you aren’t interrupted.
  • Turn notifications off so you can be more fully present. Funnel communications through the front office.

Mara Buskey contact info:

Email: [email protected]

Homepage: https://marabuskey.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mara-buskey-98321218b/ 

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 http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.

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!

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: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Quote: “You are worthy of investing time in yourself!”

Teaser:

No special intro, let’s just get into it!

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

Key Points 

• You should not be your own afterthought
• Design your morning
  • Time is not the quality indicator, it can be short
  • Design it for you and your preferences and needs
  • Take a few moments to breathe, to set an intention, to check in with yourself
• Clarify your identity and personal mission
• Build a sustainable system for “me” moments
  • Be you beyond just working
  • Be playful
  • Change the scenery
  • You are worthy!
• Stop filling all the quiet moments with noise!
  • Our brains need quiet to process
  • Deal with the worries or they will wake you up at night 😉

The Artisits way: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/349644/the-artists-way-by-julia-cameron/

Mara Buskey contact info:

Email: [email protected]

Homepage: https://marabuskey.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mara-buskey-98321218b/ 

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 http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.

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!

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: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

Teaser:

The title for this episode is The Key Ingredient in New Teacher Support. We don’t actually use that language anywhere in the episode and I only decided on the title after we were finished recording. Instead of making you wait in suspense, I’m going to share the key ingredient right now – it’s you. You are the key ingredient to the success of your beginning teachers. You don’t control what the mentor teacher does, you don’t control what the district does, the only thing you control is what you do. And when the top reason teachers say they leave the profession is because of a “lack of support” they are talking about you. I recognize this is not a popular view, not because people necessarily disagree, but instead because we have some mistaken (my opinion) notions of who is responsible for supporting beginning teachers. I hope by the end of the show, Cathy and I will have convinced you that you are the key ingredient in your BTs’ recipe of success.

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:

Cathy Lacey is a Curriculum Resource Teacher and professional learning leader in South Carolina. A Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert, Fellow, Certified Coach, and South Carolina ASCD Emerging Leader, she creates practical, teacher-driven professional learning rooted in evidence-based strategies. She’s a national presenter and founder of Blazers, LLC, where she supports educators through coaching, training, and microlearning.  Cathy was a guest back on episode 257 in June of this year.

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

•  Three biggest challenges new teachers face: classroom management, curriculum management, and feeling supported

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

• Three big needs, but we focused on feeling supported
• AP is the frontline support person for new teachers!
• Clarity of role
• Four Patterns of Observation (episode 65, October 2022)
  • Evaluative
  • Formative
  • Normative
  • Performative

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!

Cathy’s Links:

• Website: https://blazersinnovation.com/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathleenlacey/ 
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/CathleenLacey

Frederick’s Links:

Email: [email protected]

Website:

Description:

The number one thing is relationships – we’ve all heard that. It’s almost a meme. I think “the power of relationships” as an idea exists as two extremes where we tend to over emphasize and at the same time fail to appreciate the full power of relationships. I’m not sure I’m communicating what I mean, but I think it will become clearer in my discussion with today’s wonderful guest.

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:

Dr. Don Parker is a transformational keynote speaker and professional development provider who specializes in social emotional learning and supporting teachers to build trusting relationships. He is a former principal and served at Posen School in Posen, IL and before that, he was the principal of Lincoln Avenue School, a K-8 school in Dolton, IL, wherehe improved the culture, implemented a resilience program for underprivileged youth.Dr. Parker has presented throughout the United States at distinguished educational conferences and has trained and inspired thousands of educators.
Dr. Parker is also a TedX speaker and is considered one of the top authorities on school discipline and an expert on helping teachers to build trusting relationships with students. He is also the author of two Best Selling books –“Building Bridges: Engaging StudentsAt-Risk Through the Power of Relationships” and “Be the Driving Force: Leading YourSchool on the Road to Equity”
I will add, after interviewing Don, I have found him to be a remarkably authentic and caring person.

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

• “It’s all about relationships.” This phrase feels both exaggerated and underappreciated at the same time. I’d like to hear your take on this phrase.
• Your book “Building Bridges” helps teachers connect with students through the power of relationships. What are the foundational pieces of building relationships?
• How does this translate for APs? How can they use your techniques to build bridges with their teachers.
• 2025 seems fundamentally different than the first 24 years of this century. School leaders are facing uncertain times and leading people who are experiencing disruption and turbulence both at home and at work. To support our people, what should leaders be especially attentive too right now?

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 http://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

• The impact of relationships on performance and achievement – its not squishy
• We need to nurture relationships with adults the way we nurture relationships with kids
• 2x2 (2 minutes 2 days in a row); celebration, circles
• Manage your priorities not your time, including closed door practice (to save your attention)
• Supporting people in this moment: see, listen, give grace (there is so much you can’t fix)

Thank you to our sponsors!

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

Guest links:

• LinkedIn: (3) Dr. Don Parker | LinkedIn
• Website: NOW BOOKING » Dr. Don Parker
• FB: DrDon Parker
• IG: (6) Instagram
• X: Dr. Don Parker (@DrDonParker1) / X

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: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

***Link to FREE Conversation Planning Guide***

Show Title: This is Going to be Difficult with Erika Bare and Tiffany Burns

Power Quote: “Remember the stated issue is often not the real issue.”

Description:

Today’s show is fun, interesting, and full of useful tips. I love how we discuss big concepts and then get into the nitty-gritty. If you’ve ever dreaded having a difficult conversation, today’s episode is for you. There are so many thing worth reflecting on in here, I encourage you to pause the episode and take time to think about how some of the key ideas apply to specific scenarios in your life. And, stay tuned to the end of the episode for a special tool available only to podcast listeners!

Sponsor Spot 1:Before we get started, 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.

Guest Bio:

Erika Bare has been an educator for over 20 years, currently serving as the Superintendent in the South Umpqua School District in Oregon. A special education teacher by training, she is passionate about supporting all students through individual supports to reach their limitless potential. Tiffany Burns loves working with kids. In her two decades in education, she taught elementary, middle, and high school students. Tiffany has been an administrator since 2012 and an elementary school principal for the past nine years. This year, she is on a professional sabbatical, teaching university pre-service teachers, while also connecting with educators across the nation, helping to grow the Connected Communicator Movement. Together they wrote Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students.

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

• What constitutes a difficult conversation? (Are there specific categories?)
• Is there a clear framework to help leaders think about these conversations?
• What are the “best practices” of having difficult conversations?
• What are a couple key techniques?

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…

Sponsorship:

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 http://ixl.com/assistant to get started.

Summary

• The process: Reflection on self, preparation, flow, concluding
• Are you okay?
• “The story I’m telling myself” and recognizing our stories are often wrong.
• Be humble – sometimes we are wrong.
• Getting better is work and takes resources, and Erika and Tiffany are happy to help you…

Close

Guest links:

www.connectingthroughconversation.com

Online course discount: ctcpodcast

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090370647418&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/connectingthroughconversation/

Linked In Erika Bare http://linkedin.com/in/erika-bare-6a72a6215

Linkedin Tiffany Burns http://linkedin.com/in/tiffany-burns-90a50a274

Twitter https://twitter.com/CTCPlaybook.com

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@CTCPlaybook

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: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CWRS2F6N?ref_=pe_93986420_774957520

If there is a theme running through the late summer podcast episodes, it’s this: listen to your teachers. Everything becomes easier when we listen. Today, two former beginning teachers of the year help us elaborate on the why and how of listening.

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:

Natalia Mejia is the NCCAT 2023 Empower NC Beginning Teacher of the Year. She entered education to increase teacher diversity and holds degrees from UNC Charlotte, including a Masters in Latin American Studies. Having studied abroad in South Africa and Germany, she teaches multilingual students with a global philosophy rooted in Ubuntu ("I am, because we are") and the Mayan expression In Lak'ech ("You are my other me"). Natalia has co-authored two book chapters about her South African research and co-founded the nonprofits 49ers for Puerto Rico and Knit-Together Prana.
Xavier Adams is the NCCAT 2022 Prudential NC Beginning Teacher of the Year. Known as Mr. Xavier to his students, he teaches World History, Honors African American Studies, Honors Latin American Studies, and AP African American Studies at Orange High School in Hillsborough, NC. He also leads the school's teacher-equity team, student-equity team, and Minority Achievers Program.
His pedagogical approach centers on using historical understanding to create a better world today. Xavier has co-presented with students at venues including the National Governors Association and North Carolina's General Assembly, and helped students publish op-eds. He holds two master's degrees from Duke University, and is quickly becoming a notable author on multiple education topics.

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

Prequel: The three questions:

• What is your teaching superpower?
• What is the biggest difference between who you are now as a teaching and who you were when you began?
• What is one thing you wish your students would do differently?

Part 1

• Thinking back, what was the most challenging thing about your first few years teaching and what could/did your APs do to help?
• Are there things you did not know, but which others seemed to assume you did knew>
• Thoughts on how APs can accelerate the growth of their ECTs (early career teacher)?
• Anything else regarding ECTs?

Part 2

• It feels like a disempowering time right now. Last week I had Elena Aguilar as a guest and she talked about how disempowering a time this is. There are so many ways that people - young and old - are being told they don’t matter, aren't relevant, have no power, and, worst of all, don’t belong. The most obvious and egregious arena is politics and society, but social media, the economics, and the climate also make us feel small. Elena talked about how listening, and asking questions that put agency into the answerer’s hands, were tangible ways to communicate to people they matter. I hope all our listeners will embrace that idea that we can use questions and listening to increase agency. I’d love to have a discussion around this  - as it applies to all of us, students, families, teachers, admins. 
  • What’s your take?
  • What questions can we be asking?
  • How do we return agency to teachers and students?
• We are all North Carolinians, a state with a Democratic Governor and almost a supermajority Republican Legislature. As in many other states, there has been a lot of legislative activity aimed at chilling discourse in classrooms, especially as it relates to history. The bills have not become laws, but there is a chilling effect nonetheless. It is a scary time to cling to our authenticity and to push the edge of our teaching. 
  • How do you nurture your own strength?
  • How do you nurture student agency?
  • What can school leaders do to foster courage and authenticity in their teachers?

Sponsor Spot 3: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…

Sponsor Spot 4:Before we wrap, 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.

Summary/wrap up

• Ask your teachers what they need (same message as last week)
• Build connections
• Affirm their value
• Protect them (give them the power to not self-censor)

Thank you to our sponsors!

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