Plenty of Edu-Fun and Princi-PAL-ing happening in Episode 49! Join Jon and Nick for all this and more:

• "Rocky Balboa's Punches of Perspicacity:" Lesson 1 from Rocky Balboa - Life ain't all sunshines and rainbows...
• A Word from Our Fake Sponsors: Movie Trailer for 1988's "Bloodsport" starring Jean Claude Van Damme
• "You Just Bought Yourself Another Saturday!" Movies About Education: Uncle Buck
  • Twiddlers
  • Silly Hearts
• A Word from Our Fake Sponsors: Movie Trailer from 1989's "Cyborg" Starring Jean Claude Van Damme
• RSP Reviews TV Shows: "The Strain" on FX
  • @TheStrainFX

Don't Miss It!

Episode 48 brings Edu-Awesome to a new level! A new segment debuts that will please all of our principal and teacher movie fans!

• Article Review: "Complaining" by Selena Rezvani (@SelenaRezvani)
  • How is complaining ruining your reputation at work?
  • The Fish Philosophy (@fishphilosophy)
  • Jim Rohn and @shawnachor
  • @toddwhitaker and "Shifting the Monkey"
  • IIRP and Restorative Practices
• A Word from Our Fake Sponsor: Dr. Pepper and Air Supply (1981)
• New Segment: "You Just Bought Yourself Another Saturday:" Lessons from Movies About Teaching/Education
  • The Breakfast Club
    • Carl and Vernon
    • "The kids have changed."
    • "You think I give a _*&^% what these kids' think?"

All this and more!

Hey, Rockstars!

Today's episode features an awesome Edu-Interview with Downingtown's Supervisor of Professional Learning, Jen Saksa (@DASD_Profdev). Jen is a former high school teacher, assistant middle school principal, and elementary principal. Here's these three discuss:

• Professional Development and the need to differentiate for everyone...
• Desire to shift the focus of what it was to what it should be...
• Recognizing the needs and developmental stages of adult learners...
• What works? PLC's, Ed Camps, Action Research, Job Embedded Coaching, Mentoring, Social Media PLN's, etc....
• Romeo and Juliet
• Michael Fullan (@MichaelFullan1) and philosophy that "belief changes after behavior changes..."
• Andrew Hargreaves, UBD, Todd Whitaker (@toddwhitaker), Shawn Achor (@shawnachor), Dan Pink (@danielpink), Malcolm Knowles (
• Favorite John Hughes' movie...
• Favorite and least favorite representation of a principal in a movie...

This one is philosophy and Edu-Heavy!

Welcome back, Rock Stars! Today's episode is extra-special as we feature both an interview and music from the hit children's band (or "Kindie" as its called nowadays) "Recess Monkey!" (@recess_monkey)

Drew Holloway, lead singer and writer, re-joins old friend, "The Doctor of Proctors" for an interview covering the hit bands' music, evolution into a Kindie-Rock national juggernaut, and the inspiration from the wonderful world of education. All of this occurred during "Recess Monkey's" whirlwind East Coast Tour. The interview took place at Angelo's Pizza in King of Prussia, PA, (Angelo's Pizza-Facebook) owned by legend and friend, Tony Capone

This episode also contains two smash-hit singles from "Recess Monkey's" new album, titled "Wired!" The album was inspired by the "Maker Faire" movement occurring in schools and communities all across the country. The two featured songs are "Brick by Brick" (Legos) and the title track, "Wired!"

Follow Recess Monkey on Twitter: @Recess_Monkey

On the Web at: Recess Monkey Town

And on Facebook at: Recess Monkey's Facebook Page

All of their music is available everywhere...especially Amazon and iTunes! Sample more on Spotify!

The Rock Star Principals team up with the Doctoral Cohort from Neumann University to debate and discuss the logistics, pragmatics, philosophy, and more surrounding the state of New Jersey's recent decision to increase the rigor of certification standards of teachers. This is one great discussion where principals, teachers, and aspiring leaders share their thoughts on this and the overall state of education in the United States! First, read the original article here by Peggy McGlone (@PeggyMcGlone) from the Star-Ledger (@starledger):

NJ Raises Standards for Teacher Training and Certification

The Rock Star Principals have joined forces with Cabrini's Summer II EDU 646 Technology and Communication Course in order to create an incredibly power "Educational Technology" Podcast in Episode 44! The Cabrini students (all future administrators) split into three groups and tackled a relevant educational technology based topic in individual podcast segment!

The Podcast kicks off with a whole class discussion of Todd Whitaker's "18 Things Great Principals Do Differently!"

Commercial: Cabrini College

Group 1: Math Tech:

After listening to the Ted Talk Teaching Kids Real Math With Computers by Conrad Wolfram who is a technologist, businessman and inventor of the website www.computerbasedmath.org , our group discussed some of the main points learned. Questions discussed include: Do you think there is anything wrong with the way we teach math today? How is Common Core addressing these issues? Do you agree with Conrad’s stance on computers in education?

Commercial: Cabrini College 2

Group 2: Follically Challenged:

Jay, Jeremy, Jason, & Rob discuss NY Times article "In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores" by Matt Richtel." Commentators focus on the continued funding of technology in classrooms despite the fact that there are limited to no improvements in standardized testing scores.

Group 3: "BookFace:"

Social media, is it acceptable or not? We came across this topic when looking at some articles on the internet. The two articles we found and referenced were "Social Networking Nightmares," by Mike Simpson which was found on the NEA website and "Teachers, Students and Social Media: Where is the Line?" by Lori Grisham. This radio podcast was based on acceptable use of social media with educators. The end result came down to the issue of being professional, smart, and conscientious of your social media and using it just as we expect our students to use it.

Happy Father's Day to all our Rock Star Dad's out there in the "Rock Star Nation" leading the "Edu-lution!" Today's episode is chock full of philosophy with our Neumann Cohort and thought-provoking articles:

• Neumann University Cohort Discussion on Jim Dillon's (@Dillon_Jim) article, "Education Builds Character."
  • "Training" v. "Education"
• A Word from Our Fake Sponsor: Dove (Calls for Dads) #RealDadMoments
• Neumann University Cohort Discussion on Kenneth Goldberg's (@thehomeworktrap) article, "Why Principals Should be Wary of Homework."
  • What does the research say?
  • What do real teachers' say?
  • What does Alfie Kohn say? (@alfiekohn)

Enjoy this great Father's Day Edition!

Excitement abounds on Episode 42 of the greatest podcast in the history of the universe...(too much?)

• Talkin' Movies with Elli Ross
  • Jon's eight year old daughter, Elli, hosts a segment where she asks Jon and Nick about movies that they've seen, but she hasn't. First up is "X-Men: Days of Future Past!"
• Public Service Announcement: Brain on Drugs
• Lessons from the Middle School Mafia #6
  • From "A Bronx Tale"
    • "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent."
• Commercial: rockstarprincipals.com
• Article Review: 10 Life Lessons from a Navy Seal (Life Buzz)

Follow us on Twitter @rckstrprincipal

www.rockstarprincipals.com

The Rock Star Principals honor and remember all those who have served our country in order to protect our fereedoms. Episode 41 features:

• A Memorial Day National Anthem performed by Caleb Johnson, the 2013 American Idol Winner.
• A twelve person panel discussion of "Value-Added Teacher Assessment and Evaluation" from the Downingtown Doctoral Cohort at Neumann University.
• Commercial: rockstarprincipals.com

Episode 40 is here and it is a doozy! But, hey, aren't they all? Join Jon and Nick this Memorial Day Weekend for:

• Battling for the Soul of Education (battlingforthesoulofeducation.com)
  • Battery Hens v. Free Range
  • TV Dinner Teaching
  • What happens when the bells don't work?
  • @AlfieKohn @JohnTaylorGatto
  • Apprenticeship Education
  • and more!
• A Word from Our Fake Sponsor: Honeycomb (1989)
• Lessons from the Middle School Mafia: Pulp Fiction
  • "If you don't want answers, then stop asking the scary questions." - Jules
  • Big Picture v. Narrow world view
  • Relevations and challenging the system
  • and more!
• Commercial: rockstarprincipals.com
  • Learn all about the services offered by RSP!
    • Consulting, presenting, weddings, blessings, and more! (-:
• New Segment! "Jon Asks Nick Questions About Movies He Hasn't Seen"
  • "Godzilla"

Don't miss this giant-sized 40th episode!!!