The Systems Supporting Teacher Growth with Isiah Williams

Teaser:

If you’ve listened to this show for longer than a month you have likely heard me talk about the flywheel – the “magic” system for driving continual teacher growth. In December I was at an administrators’ conference in Pinehurst, NC and happened to sit at a table with an enthusiastic and passionate young AP who shared with me some of the strategies his school was using to create a culture of continual growth. What he described was a flywheel, and I am so excited to have him on today.

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Show Intro

It’s not too early to think about summer. No. not the vacation, the learning that can happen. The team at Summer Pops are educators with a passion for preventing the backwards summer slide in math, and Summer Pops is a unique and engaging approach to summer enrichment. I encourage you to connect with Summer Pops for free workbook samples. Go to summerpopsworkbooks.com to get your free copy and of course, the link is in the show notes.

Guest Bio:

Isiah Williams is a 2nd Year assistant principal at East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, NC. He helps guide a magnet school of over 2600 students. Isiah is in his 17th year in education and was formerly a math teacher.

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 systems have you built around teacher development?
• How have these systems grown and evolved over time?
• How do they impact your work as an AP?
• How have teachers responded?
• If an AP is listening and wanted to move this forward in their school, what advice do you have for them?

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

• It’s a system, and each piece has a structure and a purpose
• Don’t build it all at once (see March 17’s episode on change mistakes)
• Include teachers from the beginning
• Notice: collaboration, not conflict

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: https://www.amaz...