Jethro welcomes Dr. Jayne Lammers to Transformative Principal. Although we're talking about AI tools, we didn't spend a lot of time talking about the mundanity and what other sources are talking about: the how to, which tool does what thing. Really, we give guidance for school leaders about how to think beyond the boxes and the accountability systems that are currently set up to start to reimagine what learning can be  in schools and beyond, and the ways in which generative AI tools might play a role in that. 

• Edmentum has been using AI tools on the back end for a while. 
• Courses products - self-directed learning. 
• Teaching kids how to use the tools as a personalized tutor for them. 
• Badges and micro-credentialing
• Youth engaged in “fandom” not looking for credit.
• Butting up against the expectations and formalization of 
• Disrupt the siloed nature of secondary schools
• Very few learners get the opportunity to see connections between their content areas. 
• The Sims 12000 players - writing the stories - Trying to set that up in classroom. 
• “Slow and unwise” in school vs developing as a writer in her community. 
• Don’t take what Eve does and give her grade for it. 
• Making learning not about jumping through hoops. 
• AI Tools can make more mundane tasks easier
• Tutoring spaces - 
• Need to differentiate. 
• There’s not enough time in a class period to make the content connect to students’ particular interests. 
• The need for a teacher is less important than it has been in the past. 
• There is a need for teacher engagement in the relationship. 
• The human connection can be transformative. 
• Teacher moves into the role of facilitator, coach, and mentor, rather than an evaluator. 
• How to be a transformative principal? Create a coalition of the willing - Do some experimentation - Champion

Dr. Jayne C. Lammers is the Director of Learning Design at Edmentum. She began her education career as a middle and high school literacy teacher and found a passion for supporting teachers in meeting the needs of striving readers. She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction at Arizona State University and spent 15 years in higher education, preparing teachers for the challenges of today’s classrooms. Her research explored the intersection of students’ interests and technology’s affordances, aiming to make literacy instruction more meaningful and impactful. Now, at Edmentum, Dr. Lammers helps ensure that their products leverage research-based best practices and consider the realities of teachers’ work and students’ needs. 

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.