In this episode, Jenn and I are thrilled to welcome William Parker! A longtime educator from Oklahoma who transitioned into full-time consulting, speaking, and writing, Will is the author of "Messaging Matters" and his new book, "Whose Permission Are You Waiting For?: An Educator's Guide to Doing What You Love"

Will shares how his new book, born from coaching conversations with high-achieving leaders at crossroads, is designed to help educators think through career options, get out of ruts, and reconnect with their joy.

We dive into key concepts from the book, including:

• Avoiding the Binary: Why you don't always have just two options and how to explore multiple pathways.

• The Power of Curiosity and Inquiry: How asking questions and reaching out to experts leads to discovery.

• Idea to Action: Moving from thinking to doing with intentionality and achievable goals.

• Goal Setting and Reflection: The importance of looking back to learn and setting goals for the future across all parts of your life.

• Whose Permission Are You Waiting For?: Identifying yourself as your biggest obstacle and realizing you often only need your own permission to take the next step towards what you want.

• Figuring Out What You Want: Practical exercises like the 'Doing, Not Doing, Want to Do, Don't Want to Do' framework.

Join us to explore how to give yourself permission to dream, inquire, and rediscover the joy of learning in your career. Also, don't forget to tune in to William's podcast, Principal Matters. It’s packed with practical tips and inspiration for school leaders.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to [email protected]. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at [email protected].

In this episode, Jenn has a conversation with one of the educators who was featured prominently in Harry and Rosemary Wong's latest book, THE New Teacher Induction Book: How to Recruit, Train, and Retain New Teachers. Tara Link is a leader who started an induction program 18 years ago in Moberly, Missouri. She joined Jenn to talk about Rosemary and Harry Wong's latest book, and she had so many useful tips to share.

Unfortunately, while we are losing a number of our new and newer teachers, we are also not doing as good of a job of supporting our new teachers as well. About 50% of all new teachers receive no induction at all.

Tara shared some of the problems our new teachers face. Sometimes they don't receive anything more than a welcome and then the rest of their new teacher support is left up to chance.

They also struggle with a whole new generation of classroom management issues that may have looked different in the past. Plus, newer teachers are increasingly coming through alternative certification routes so they may not have had enough training. 

Tara really emphasized the importance of DIFFERENTIATING the support we provide to new teachers and being extremely CLEAR.

We discussed THREE KEY COMPONENTS of an effective new teacher support system that the Wongs outlined in their book:

1. COLLABORATION

New teachers need to connect with a wide range of the people they plan to work with and need to feel they are part of something bigger than themselves. This connects to purpose and our Gen-Z teachers are particularly feeling the need to connect to their purpose.

2. PD TAILORED TO THE NEEDS OF NEW TEACHERS

We need to provide new teachers with PD on the basics -- classroom management, lesson design -- and not just jump into training them on the latest fad. As leaders we also need to continually model for new teachers. Be the model of what you want them to be.

3. A COMPREHENSIVE, MULTI-YEAR APPROACH

We need to do much more with our new teachers than have them come a day or two before the rest of the staff. Tara developed a model program S.H.I.N.E. (Supporting, Helping, and Inspiring New Educators) that lasts two full years. She shares some successful elements of her program but encourages you to ask your experienced teachers what was helpful in supporting them and look around at your own resources to see how you can use them to support new teachers. 

Where to start? Tara recommends just choosing ONE system of support. Choose something you are already doing well and plus-one it, that is, add to what you're already doing well.

RESOURCES

• THE New Teacher Induction Book: How to Recruit, Train, and Retain New Teachers by Harry and Rosemary Wong (and Jenn's summary for The Main Idea is out in April)

• Tara Link's latest book, Teacher Induction that Works: A Lasting Impact from Day One.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to [email protected]. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at [email protected].

March is Women’s History Month! This episode features a conversation with LaVonna Roth, an inspirational speaker and consultant whose work has inspired women leaders everywhere. Jenn introduced LaVonna, highlighting her impactful speaking on leadership. LaVonna shared her "S.H.I.N.E." framework, initially for students but powerfully applicable to adults and leaders. SHINE represents Self, Heart, Inspire, Navigate, and Exceptional, focusing on strengths, passion, inspiration, action, and becoming your best self.

We explored how this framework resonates with all leaders because of its human-centered approach. LaVonna shared her journey of growth and emphasized the importance of focusing on strengths over weaknesses and overcoming imposter syndrome by recognizing one's inherent value. She offered practical advice related to self-reflection on one's abilities and letting go of perfectionism.

We also discussed creating supportive cultures where leaders uplift others, referencing the idea of a "Firefly Effect," where collective support leads to greater success. LaVonna encouraged leaders to be open, collaborative, and to recognize and nurture the strengths of those around them. You can find more about LaVonna and her work at igniteyoushine.com.

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to [email protected]. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at [email protected].

 

Responding to emergencies takes two things: leadership and communication. Are you prepared? Mike and Jenn had a truly productive conversation with school preparedness expert, Chris Joffe.

He talked about everything from why leaders need to start with themselves and understand how THEY respond to emergencies. He also shared that one of the essential keys is having an emergency org chart and teams to deal with the wide range of emergencies your school might have.

Throughout it all, Chris emphasized that humans and relationships are key. Why? Because “emergencies require people to respond.” Unfortunately, his data shows that the vast majority of emergencies are an escalation of an event – an incident in school that leads to fights, weapons, or even worse, a school shooting.

To learn more about Chris and the services Joffe Emergencies provides for school: https://www.joffeemergencyservices.com/

Chris has offered to do a free workshop for subscribers to THE MAIN IDEA on the emergency preparedness stuff you won’t find in the district handbook – it will be April 7 at 4pm ET / 1pm PT – sign up here (https://forms.gle/TSStmwiAo8jkSmvn7 ) or reach out to me at [email protected]

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to [email protected]. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at [email protected].

 

Khalid Oluewu, principal of Webster Elementary School in Chicago, has done what many principals would love to do: He has created structures and practices at his school to ACCELERATE learning for all, and in particular for Black males.

Wow. The idea started when he was a teacher and taught middle school math and had students come to him years behind. He looped with the students and in three short years he not only got them on grade level, but when they went to high school they were able to skip Algebra and start with Geometry.

 Now as a principal he put four things in place to accelerate learning - to have students learn one and a half years' worth in just a year):

1. Have teachers focus on PRIORITY standards

2. Have teachers provide JUST-IN-TIME supports not live in remediation

3. Provide more individualized learning by having teachers use small groups and by partnering with organizations who could provide high-impact tutoring

4. Using tech platforms for more individualized learning

The results? In one year the overall proficiency level leaped from just 6% to 50% and for Black boys, it went from just 2% to 30%! Truly impressive. And those numbers keep climbing up, far from the single-digit proficiency levels they were before.

 To learn more, check out these resources:

• Read Khalid's research paper: Year of Acceleration for All (Yes, that includes Black Males)

• Visit Webster Elementary School if you're in Chicago

• Reach out via email: [email protected]

 As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to [email protected]. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at [email protected].

 

After 30 years in the field Elena Aguilar gathered all of her experience and learning and put together the most powerful book on coaching we've seen -- Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching. Elena sees coaching as the way -- one conversation at a time -- that we transform our schools.

In this deeply insightful conversation she shares the importance of coaching more than the teacher BEHAVIORS we are all used to coaching. She shared an example of how, when she coached a teacher to change her behavior -- and change her classroom from rows and direct instruction to groups -- once Elena left, she reverted back to the rows. Elena asked, 'Why?" and the teacher was honest in saying she just didn't believe that groups were the best way for students to learn.

Elena has come to the conclusion that for coaching to be truly transformative, we need to coach teachers' BELIEFS, BEHAVIORS, and ways of BEING, or the "Three Bs" as she calls it.

This approach to coaching is so successful because she acknowledges that teachers are human, and we need to address the emotions that are involved in the job.

Listen to this great conversation, and you'll walk away with several ideas you can use immediately. Elena shares how you can transform that staff meeting you're planning by cutting out some of the content and carving out 6 minutes for people to connect before diving in.

She also shared a few tools that she uses in her coaching -- the Spheres of Influence and Gaps Framework -- and once you hear her explain them, you can use them in your conversations and coaching with staff as well.

Overall, Elena's ideas from her book Arise all aim at helping you to COMMUNICATE better with staff and creating the CONDITIONS so your staff can thrive.

Learn more about Elena and her work: https://www.brightmorningteam.com/ 

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to [email protected]. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at [email protected].

Mike returns to the podcast! Jenn and Mike had a great conversation with Coach Carlos about his book Power Engage: Seven Power Moves for Building Strong Relationships to Increase Engagement with Students. No, he's not a coach of a sports team, but a former school leader who has successfully turned around three failing schools by improving STUDENT ENGAGEMENT.

 How? By focusing on relationships. Teacher-student relationships and parent-school relationships are particularly key. Listen as we talk about the 3 indicators every school should examine to detect problems with culture:

1. Three years of recruitment data
2. Three years of retention data (both student and teacher)
3. Response to quality instruction

 Then make sure your teachers are having the right type of relationships with students, that is, performance-based relationships. These are relationships where teachers have control and engagement is high. Not punitive relationships, and not permissive relationships.

 Coach Carlos also talks about the importance of our teachers having the right MINDSET. Do your teachers have a COACH-DRIVEN mindset? We know coaching is important as a pedagogical tool, but did you know it's important in building relationships, too?

To learn more about his book go to: https://www.solutiontree.com/power-engage.html 

To learn more about Coach Carlos: https://www.solutiontree.com/carlos-johnson.html 

 As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to [email protected]. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at [email protected].

 

Megan Tshannen-Moran and Jenn had a delightful conversation about the power of trust in schools. It is one of three factors that is so powerful that it oustrips SES in predicting student achievement. Far from being a "soft skill," building trust has become a must-have skill for educational leaders.

In this conversation Megan not only defines trust for us, but she also gives us lots of concrete strategies and tidbits to build and keep trust alive in schools.

We discussed what happens with betrayals of trust and Megan outlines in detail how leaders can bring their school through a step-by-step Appreciative Inquiry process to help when a school is experiencing a low-trust moment.

You can learn more about Megan Tshannen-Moran and her work here: https://schooltransformation.com/

She also kindly offered to answer your emails here: [email protected]

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to [email protected]. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at [email protected].

What a great conversation about the new book, The Artificial Intelligence Playbook: Time-Saving Tools for Teachers that Make Learning More Engaging! Jenn got to talk to all three of the authors: Meghan Hargrave, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey and learned so much.

We discussed everything from what AI is and isn't, to the reasons leaders should address teachers' emotions around AI, to whether AI is going to take over our jobs! (Spoiler alert, the authors quoted Ethan Mollick who says, "AI won't take your job, but someone who uses AI will!" ... so listen to this podcast to be the person who knows how to use AI!)

There are, however, things to be careful of — like students using AI for plagiarism — so we discussed some great ideas to address this. 

We also got into some concrete examples of the ways AI can help teachers with the important work they're doing:

1. managing content
2. fostering student engagement
3. meeting students’ instructional needs
4. assessing student learning
5. providing effective feedback, and 
6. lifelong learning for educators

The authors share examples of prompts you can feed into AI and some of the tips they have for making sure you get the best possible answers from AI.

Since our listeners are mostly ed leaders, they also shared that on Corwin's website there's a school leader's guide to the book. There's also a study guide for teachers and a boot camp with self-paced modules on the website. The authors are all over social media. You can't miss them.

If you've been shy about diving into AI, this conversation and this book are two great places to start!

As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to [email protected]. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at [email protected].

You probably know Charles Duhigg from his book, The Power of Habit. Or maybe Smarter Faster Better. Now he has a newer book out that is another great resource for school leaders — Supercommunnicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection.

Charles shares with Jenn how people mess up communication and how to improve it. He says that most miscommunication happens when we are having different conversations, and when we fail to connect. There are basically three conversation types: decision-making, emotional, and social relationships.

You don't want to miss this conversation because you'll see how Jenn uses Charles's own techniques to connect with him emotionally in just ONE minute. And later in the podcast, Charles and Jenn role play a teacher and principal and how to diagnose and address a typical conflict.

There are so many nuggets of wisdom for educational leaders in this podcast. One small thing you can do tomorrow? Ask deeper questions with staff. Instead of asking WHAT questions, like "What is happening today?" Ask, "How are you feeling about how things went today?"

You can find more information at CharlesDuhigg.com or sign up for his Substack. He suggests supporting a local bookstore by picking up this book there. Also, Penguin Random House has a free guide for teachers and students on their website.

 As always, send your comments, questions, and show ideas to [email protected]. Consider rating the podcast in iTunes and leaving a comment.  And please pass the show along to your colleagues. Additionally, if you have other non-education books with implications for school leaders, send those suggestions our way, too. And finally, If you or someone you know would like to sponsor the show, send Mike an email at [email protected].