The Better Leaders Better Schools Podcast | The #1 Downloaded School Leadership Show

Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools  podcast. This is a weekly show is for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker?  A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.

Up next you can hear Daniel Bauer’s interview with Rebecca Roper. They explore interesting topics such as how she starts each day, a program called the Principal Apprenticeship and her taking action on a letter activity Daniel described in the School Leadership Series.

We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com

For the last 17 years, Rebecca has worked in two different counties in VA. She’s currently the Principal at Donahoe Elementary School in Henrico County, VA and  is in her fourth year leading this Title I school. Donahoe has 530 students, ranging from Pre-k to 5th grade. Prior to this, Rebecca served as the Associate Principal of Ward Elementary School in Henrico County, the Assistant Principal of Beaverdam Elementary in Hanover County, and 2nd and 3rd grade teacher at Pole Green Elementary in Hanover County.  

Outside of work, Rebecca loves to start her day by working out and end it by reading.  She enjoys baking for others and spending time with my family especially her two fabulous boys.

Rebecca takes us on a journey of her perfect day at work with waking up early and exercising to get in the right headspace.  She arrives to work early before her teachers and organized things for the day. Next she greets the students with music, high fives, dancing to get in the mood for school.  Rebecca tries to spend the rest of her day where the students are.

“One of the favorite things I love about my day is when I have a principal apprentice.  We are a PBIS school and my students can use dolphin dollars they get for their awesome behavior and they can purchase 20 minutes they can spend with me as the principal apprentice.” - Rebecca Roper

Students love being a principal apprentice.  Rebecca allows students to spend 20 minutes of their day with her holding her walkie, carrying her lanyard and experiencing that time with the principal.  The students perspective is that she is on the phone a lot, in classrooms, run a fire drill’ whatever the day may bring. Students pay 80 dolphin dollars for this experience.

“When I ask them why do you think I am in the classrooms they say because we want to make sure that the kids are learning and you are watching the teachers and what they are teaching.  Sometimes you have to talk to kids about their behavior.” - Rebecca Roper

Rebecca had her staff envision what type of year they had and write a letter to themselves about what they experienced.  The letter was addressed to dear future self to describe the year the had, their successes, their achievements. The staff put the letters in a bag and Rebecca will give them back at the end of the year.

“They talked about how it was such a powerful activity.  I gave them the choice of either putting the note away and I would give it to them at the end of the year or if they wanted me to read it and give them an idea of what they’re working towards where I can encourage them.” - Rebecca Roper

Transformative Principal:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/transformative-principal/id770942472?mt=2

Cult of Pedagogy

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cult-of-pedagogy-podcast/id900015782?mt=2

Rise Podcast

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rise-podcast/id1245763628?mt=2

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ORGANIZED BINDER

• Organized Binder is an evidence-based RTI2 Tier 1 universal level solution
• Focuses on improving executive functioning and noncognitive skills
• Is in direct alignment with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework
• Is an integral component for ensuring Least Restrictive Environments (LRE)

You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/

Teach FX

• Empowers teachers with feedback on student engagement
• A fitbit for teachers that measures student engagement
• Research shows that the more students speak in class, the more they learn, and the better they perform on standardized tests.
• Use your phone or laptop to analyze your class, and the app’s artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm tracks your talk ratio automatically, with no extra work from you or an instructional coach.
• The idea is to give teachers a useful barometer of student engagement you can check every day!

You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://teachfx.com/

Copyright © 2018 Better Leaders Better Schools

Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools  podcast. This is a weekly show is for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker?  A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.

Up next you can hear Daniel Bauer’s interview with his friend Jennifer Abrams. She’s been on the show three times and has a new book out called Swimming in the Deep End.  This book helps leaders escape the old routine.  Keep listening and you’ll learn how to drive change and break from tradition in today’s podcast.

We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com

Jennifer Abrams, a former English teacher and new teacher coach, is currently a communications consultant who works with educators and others on new employee support, being generationally savvy, effective collaboration skills, having hard conversations and creating identity safe workplaces.

Jennifer’s publications include Having Hard Conversations, The Multigenerational Workplace: Communicate, Collaborate & Create Community and Hard Conversations Unpacked - the Whos, Whens and What Ifs. Her new book Swimming in the Deep End: Four Foundational Skills for Leading Successful School Initiatives which released March 29th.

Jennifer does not want anyone to feel like they are drowning when they initiate change.  She wants you to build up your ability to swim in the deep end. You may not be able to start in the shallows because an initiative has to happen now and there is an urgency for students.  But you can work with someone or put on floaties to get to the deep end and while you are working in the deep end.

“I think that anytime we are working with adults to roll out bigger scale things in a school, in a department or in a district, we are not in the shallow end anymore.  We are looking at some work that requires a little bit more strength, a little bit more skill set and there are times when your feet aren’t touching the ground.”

- Jennifer Abrams

Jennifer talks about the 4 foundational skills of how to make change.  

1. Think before you speak
2. How can we understand resistance - don’t mock the concern for change?
3. Respond to resistance in a humane way
4. How do you manage yourself -- self care

Jennifer thinks that understanding others is a practical way to start to make change.  Consider if people will push back and say they need more knowledge when you roll things out for the first time.  Ask yourself what is the purpose, who is going to help me, and are they credible, will I be trained, and how does this connect to the culture I signed up for.  People may be more willing to jump into the deep end if these are answered.

“If the person who is trying to roll out this initiative can anticipate those and can have answer to those before they start the initiative it might assist in making it more palatable.” - Jennifer Abrams

Jennifer encourages everyone to take a half a day with those people that will be in the deep end with you and craft the message that you are all on the same boat it is well worth it.  Get out of your office and take 3 hours and put energy into it so the message is consistent. Unifying is worth your time.

Swimming in the Deep End by Jennifer Abrams

Hard Conversations Unpacked by Jennifer Abrams

Hard Conversations Unpacked - The Whos, the Whens and the What-Ifs by Jennifer B. Abrams

The Multigenerational Workplace:  Communicate, Collaborate, and Create Community by Jennifer Abrams and Valerie Von Frank

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• BECOME A PATRON OF THE SHOW FOR AS LITTLE AS $1/MONTH
• DID YOU LIKE THE SHOW?  iTunes SUBSCRIBE HERE!
• LEAVE A 5-STAR RATING AND REVIEW

ORGANIZED BINDER

• Organized Binder is an evidence-based RTI2 Tier 1 universal level solution
• Focuses on improving executive functioning and non-cognitive skills
• Is in direct alignment with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework
• Is an integral component for ensuring Least Restrictive Environments (LRE)

You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/

Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools

Known as ‘The Connection Coach’, Tara Brown is an award-winning educator, author and international speaker whose 30-year professional journey has taken her from rural Florida to gang territory in California and to one of the largest high schools in Tennessee with over 43 countries represented. Her international engagements have included Dubai and Beirut, training both educators and students. Tara believes strongly in the power of connections and that a major key to reaching kids is the ability to build positive relationships.

Whether here or abroad, Tara’s passion and humor continues to drive her work to better equip adults with the ability to connect with youth in order to unleash their true potential. She is committed to helping strengthen organizations ‘One connection at a time’. Buckle up....because you are about to get ‘Tara-Ized!’

• The challenge of being a high-tech, low-touch society.
• Tips for getting below the surface and being present in the moment
• Kids are more than a number on the spreadsheet
• Kids before content
• We’re neurologically wired to connect. How do you do that at your school?
• Slinging dopamine and making emotional deposits
• What does it feel like on your campus?
• What is your fundamental message?
• Do the work to find the story behind the story
• Have you identified your line in the sand?

• The Daily Good

“We are world-class dopamine slingers committed to putting kids before content.”

-Tara Brown

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LEVEL UP 🚀

Website :: Facebook :: Insta :: Twitter :: LinkedIn

ORGANIZED BINDER

• Organized Binder is an evidence-based RTI2 Tier 1 universal level solution
• Focuses on improving executive functioning and noncognitive skills
• Is in direct alignment with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework
• Is an integral component for ensuring Least Restrictive Environments (LRE)

You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/

Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools

Barry Saide has been in education for 18 years. He currently serves as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Tabernacle School District, in Tabernacle, New Jersey. He is a current board member for NJASCD, is an ASCD Emerging Leader, and ASCD Influence Leader. He is a former elementary school teacher, supervisor of curriculum and instruction, and adjunct college professor. He's served on educator work groups for the New Jersey Department of Education, and advised on policy for The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Great Schools!, and National Council for Teacher Quality (NCTQ).  Connect with Barry via Twitter @barrykid1 or his website, barrysaide.com.

• Who are the people you surround yourself with
• How Barry uses the obstacle of time to his benefit
• Engaging in the moment you’re in right now
• Absorb from everywhere and then add it to your life
• The power of gratitude
• Barry’s approach to being great every day
• Thought leaders Barry follows
• The Reflective Practice Protocol used in Tabernacle School District

• Who Moved My Cheese?
• Ego is the Enemy
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***

• Tim Ferriss
• James Altucher
• Jimmy Casas
• Jeff Zoul
• Bobby Dodd
• Winston Sakurai
• Glenn Robbins

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• Twitter (@barrykid1)
• LinkedIn

• BECOME A PATRON OF THE SHOW FOR AS LITTLE AS $1/MONTH
• DID YOU LIKE THE SHOW?  iTunes SUBSCRIBE HERE!
• LEAVE A 5-STAR RATING AND REVIEW

Join my hybrid group coaching & leadership development community

Website :: Facebook :: Insta :: Twitter :: LinkedIn

ORGANIZED BINDER

• Organized Binder is an evidence-based RTI2 Tier 1 universal level solution
• Focuses on improving executive functioning and noncognitive skills
• Is in direct alignment with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework
• Is an integral component for ensuring Least Restrictive Environments (LRE)

You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/

Copyright © 2018 Better Leaders Better Schools

Visit https://betterleadersbetterschools.com for more info.

At the core, Jaime Jay is a connector of personalities and brands. He constantly challenges himself to be a better human being. He is also an amateur hockey player and starter geek who truly enjoys helping his clients rediscover themselves, their companies and how to realize their ‘WHY’.

• Worked with clients in Canada, the United Kingdom, America, the Philippines, other countries in Asia, and Mexico.
• Responsible or growing and leading multiple management, sales, and operations teams.
• Co-founded and operated a publishing company where he helped create, publish, and distribute a regional real estate publication.
• Recipient of the Army Achievement Medal for Meritorious Service.
• Hosted a Top 100 Business podcast in iTunes.
• Selected to speak on marketing panel and was awarded the “Top Gun Consulting Maverick Award” in recognition o his outstanding marketing performance.

His line of business, Bottleneck Virtual Assistants, is more than just a staffing agency. They connect businesses with qualified talent who share the same love for success.

• Jaime’s entrepreneurial journey to success via focus
• Energy givers vs distraction suckers
• How Jaime thinks about FOCUS
• Why Jaime downsized running four businesses to one
• Having direction without having clarity
• How schools can use Virtual Assistants to improve the quality of work

• Hire a VA: Use the PROMO code  “BLBS “ to receive a discount.

• Website

• BECOME A PATRON OF THE SHOW FOR AS LITTLE AS $1/MONTH
• DID YOU LIKE THE SHOW?  iTunes SUBSCRIBE HERE!
• LEAVE A 5-STAR RATING AND REVIEW

Join 50+ school leaders from around the world in our leadership community

Website :: Facebook :: Insta :: Twitter :: LinkedIn

ORGANIZED BINDER

• Organized Binder is an evidence-based RTI2 Tier 1 universal level solution
• Focuses on improving executive functioning and noncognitive skills
• Is in direct alignment with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework
• Is an integral component for ensuring Least Restrictive Environments (LRE)

You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/

Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools

Jeff Zoul is a lifelong teacher, learner, and leader. During Jeff’s distinguished career in education he has served in a variety of roles, most recently as Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning with Deerfield Public Schools District 109 in Deerfield, Illinois. Jeff also served as a teacher and coach in the State of Georgia for many years before moving into school administration.

Jeff Zoul has also taught graduate courses at the university level in the areas of assessment, research, and program evaluation. He is the author/co-author of many books, including What Connected Educators Do Differently, Start. Right. Now. – Teach and Lead for Excellence, Improving Your School One Week at a Time, and Leading Professional Learning: Tools to Connect and Empower Teachers.

Jeff has earned several degrees, including his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts and his doctoral degree from the University of Alabama. He is also been recognized for his work as an educational leader on numerous occasions, including the 2014 Bammy Educators’ Voice Award. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys running and has completed over a dozen marathons. Zoul resides in Evanston, Illinois.

Jeff originally appeared on episodes 27 & 107 of the podcast.

• The story of Education Write Now
• 100% of proceeds of #EdWriteNow go to the Will to Live Foundation
• Relationships matter people!
• Improving on something that already works
• Hire people that compliment you
• What Great Educators Do Differently
• Do what you say you’ll do
• We will … [FILL IN THE BLANK]

• Education Write Now Volume I
• Education Write Now Volume II
• Will to Live Foundation
• What Great Educators Do Differently

• Website
• Twitter

• BECOME A PATRON OF THE SHOW FOR AS LITTLE AS $1/MONTH
• DID YOU LIKE THE SHOW?  iTunes SUBSCRIBE HERE!
• LEAVE A 5-STAR RATING AND REVIEW

Join my hybrid group coaching & leadership development community

Website :: Facebook :: Insta :: Twitter :: LinkedIn

ORGANIZED BINDER

• Organized Binder is an evidence-based RTI2 Tier 1 universal level solution
• Focuses on improving executive functioning and noncognitive skills
• Is in direct alignment with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework
• Is an integral component for ensuring Least Restrictive Environments (LRE)

You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/

Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools