Theschoolhouse302 #onethingseries Leadership Podcast

Growing as a leader is a professional choice. The challenge is that trying to grow during a storm, or in the case of the last year and a half, a pandemic is difficult. Typically, in a storm, we seek shelter and hunker down to wait it out. Although this is great survival behavior, it’s not good leadership practice. Principal leaders, district leaders, and others in leadership roles do not have the luxury of waiting anything out and playing it safe until a time when things are easier. Actually, it’s just the opposite. The leader has to move forward in the storm and brave the elements. The two books that we feature this month will help leaders do just that--move forward by braving the elements. Consistent with our theme this month both books can be viewed through the lens of growing through the grind. Our first book, The Art of Woo: Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas, was chosen because leadership success rises and falls on influence. During these times, leaders need the skill set to effectively per

Richard is an award-winning scholar, teacher, and author at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. In his work, he helps students and executives reach peak levels of personal and professional effectiveness through skilled negotiation, persuasion, influence, and the discovery of meaningful life goals. Three beliefs permeate everything that he teaches and writes. First, success begins with self-awareness. Second, success progresses through excellence in practice. Third, as he shows in his latest book, The Conscience Code, success demands a lifelong commitment to the highest standards of integrity. Richard teaches a course in “ethics and responsibility” where students share stories about navigating value-challenges, in other words, the times that we are compelled to do things in life that don’t align with our sense of integrity. Throughout this interview, Richard calls on individuals to have courage and face those tough issues that surface from time-to-time. As the interview begins, we dive rig

The school year is in full swing and although we are thrilled that students across the country and the globe are back in person, there is undoubtedly a lot of trepidation as educational and principal leaders navigate this difficult time. Not only are there ongoing, daily issues that we wrestle with because of Covid19, school leaders are simultaneously acclimating students and staff back to schools when much has changed. We are not the same as we were when Covid19 struck and the pandemic took hold. Here at TheSchoolHouse302, we would like to think the educational community has grown. These months have revealed our resolve and our willingness to go to great lengths to reach and teach our students. We also recognize that in order for us to continue to grow and build a network of support, we need to fully immerse ourselves in social and emotional learning (SEL). The great news is that SEL is not new. The challenge, though, is making sure that it is integrated seamlessly within our school cultures and not a stan

As school doors open this year to welcome back students, successful schools recognize that if they want to reach and teach all students, they need to touch their hearts and their minds. Amid the dual pandemics--Covid19 and the social and civic unrest--students are entering the school year with a host of needs that must be addressed to ensure that they are successful. These needs cover the spectrum from a deficit in mathematics to a family hardship. Regardless, in the end, we know that student achievement improves when students feel connected and safe, when relationships flourish in the classroom. There is no substitute for a student having a meaningful connection with a teacher, counselor, paraprofessional, administrator, or other educator at school. Our blog this month focused on 6 different ways to build SEL in schools, and we hope you found them easy to implement. As educational leaders, we realize that one of the best places to start your learning is by reading great books, which is why we curate our li

Who Is Thomas Hoerr? Thomas R. Hoerr retired after leading the New City School in St. Louis, Missouri for 34 years and is now the Emeritus Head of School. He is currently a Scholar In Residence at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and he teaches in the Educational Leadership program, preparing prospective principals. He also led the ISACS New Heads Network and founded the Non-Profit Management Program at Washington University in St. Louis. Hoerr has written five books, and his newest book is Taking Social Emotional Learning Schoolwide: The Formative Five Success Skills for Students and Staff. He has written more than 150 articles, including “The Principal Connection” column in Educational Leadership Magazine from 2004 to 2017. Major Takeaways from Our Interview with Thomas Hoerr: Tom wastes no time in this interview by quickly acknowledging that academics in the school set the floor not the ceiling. His insight about David Shield’s moral and character development versus content learned uncovers the pow

What better conversation to have in August than the very best ways to engage students this school year. Our focus throughout this school year must be on the whole child--an academic intensity coupled with social and emotional development. You will hear us often say that our students need to know that our care for them is just as important as our curriculum. To ensure this focus, we developed the 6 Key Classroom Practices Model. This model encompasses each necessary element that we must reflect upon, and, if needed, make a change to ensure that we are leveraging the practice to its fullest extent. In this fireside chat, T.J. begins by breaking down the model with details about how educational leaders, and, in particular, principal leaders, can use these 6 categories to ensure that student achievement remains our central focus throughout the school year. Each element is interconnected and strengthens the other. In addition to breaking down this comprehensive model, Joe discussed the critical importance of

Don’t miss this vblog on YouTube or catch our Read This segment of our One Thing Series podcast--books you need to read to lead better and grow faster. Featured Author: Doris Kearns Goodwin Featured Books: Leadership: In Turbulent Times Why We Love This Book for School Leaders We love this book for school leaders, especially now, because Kearns draws on the skills and attributes of four American presidents--Abraham Lincoln, Theodre Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson--who encountered times of confusion, fear, despair, and hope. Leadership: In Turbulent Times is destined to be a classic. Here are just a few reasons to pick it up: The author points out the specific traits that make for a successful leader in any organization. For example, we learn that not only was Lincoln ambitious--running for the office of the presidency at age 23--he had “the motivation and willpower to develop every talent he possessed to the fullest.” This is something that school leaders can emulate and model

Who Is Dwight Carter? Dwight Carter is a nationally recognized school leader from Central Ohio and has been an educator for 27 years. Because of his collaborative and innovative leadership, in 2010, he was inducted into the Jostens Renaissance Educator Hall of Fame. He was also named a 2013 National Association of Secondary School Principals Digital Principal of the Year, the 2014 Academy of Arts and Science Education High School Principal of the Year, the 2015 Ohio Alliance of Black School Educators Principal of the Year, and a 2021 Columbus Afrocentric Early College Sankofa Emerging Leader Award winner. He is currently the Director of Student Support Systems for the Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools District. He is the co-author of three books: What’s In Your Space? Five Steps to Better School and Classroom Design (Corwin, 2015), Leading Schools in Disruptive Times: How to Survive Hyper-change (Corwin 2017), and the second edition of Leading Schools in Disruptive Times (Corwin, 2021). Majo

Critical Ideas from our 302 Thoughts: Capacity Driven Investments Administrators must ask, what investments will yield the highest returns? When considering staff members, be sure to have a 360° view, including administrators, instructional staff, support staff, and non-Instructional personnel. Schools need an all hands-on-deck approach, which we describe in great detail in our book, Passionate Leadership. Professional learning should be dynamic, not only focused on equipping the educator with skills, but also diving deep into self-care and ways they can fill their own cup each day. There should also be a clear distinction between training and professional learning. There are incredible products that can definitely help students learn and assist teachers in the classroom. But, consider services and products that help staff to learn beyond training them to use a new tool--a new way to rejuvenate and get better at the work, now and into the future. We think highly of the following purchases that school leade

Don’t miss this vblog on YouTube or catch our Read This segment of our One Thing Series podcast--books you need to read to lead better and grow faster. Featured Author: Danny Bauer Featured Books: Mastermind: Unlocking Talent Within Every School Leader Why We Love This Book for School Leaders We’ll say it up front and just get it out of the way, Danny is a friend of TheSchoolHouse302, and we are thrilled about his new book. You might say we are biased, and that is impacting our review. Honestly, we would agree 100%. But only because we curate authors as often as we curate books, and Danny’s last book was a hit with us as well. We carefully select what we read at this point, and each page that we turn is with the expectation that we will learn something new to apply in our roles. This book achieves that for us with a twist. As Bauer quickly writes in the beginning of his book, Masterminds are not a new way to develop leaders. In fact, we first read about the concept of a Mastermind in Napoleon Hill’s cla

Learn more about Danny Bauer Daniel Bauer is an unorthodox Ruckus Maker who has mentored thousands of school leaders through his Better Leaders Better Schools blog, books, podcasts, and powerful coaching experiences. His new book, The Mastermind: Unlocking the Talent Within Every School Leader introduces a proprietary process called the ABCs of powerful professional development™ which is changing the landscape of how school leaders experience professional development. Key Thoughts from Our Interview with Danny Bauer Danny wastes no time about the harsh reality that 90% of school leaders who leave their school, leave the profession. The cost of retention is too high, which is why joining a community of dedicated professionals is paramount. Listen to Danny explore the imposter syndrome--how it limits our abilities, why it kicks in, and how we can push past our self-defeating behaviors when we are a member of the right community. Danny shares a quote: What’s ordinary for you is extraordinary for me. ~ Der

The Information Age and Principal Leadership We live in a time that has been deemed the “information age.” Some argue that in the 21st Century we can be exposed to more information in one week than those who lived in the 17th Century would be exposed to in their entire lives. In many ways that makes our mere existence more challenging as we look to lead our schools effectively. We need discrete skills that enable us to process and filter an abundance of information. Knowing how to discern and weed through all of the channels in order to make sound decisions is a marquee skill of any effective principal. That skill needs to be coupled with another critical and complementary skill, which is knowing how to apply that knowledge in actionable and strategic ways. Who is John Dewey and How Did He Impact the World? Effective principal leaders know how to synthesize information and apply it to the unique needs of their schools. This is what brought us back to the work of John Dewey this month. We wanted to study

Learn More About LaVonna Roth As a former elementary and secondary educator, keynote speaker, author, consultant and mom, LaVonna bridges her passion for how the brain learns with education and shows every individual how to S.H.I.N.E. through their mindset and social-emotional well-being so achievement soars for all. She has a Bachelor’s and two Master’s Degrees, taught at the elementary and secondary levels, author of 8 books (about to be 9), and has worked with educators in the U.S./Canada, Europe, South America and the Middle East. She is the founder of the Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.® framework and creator of brain-powered learning. To elevate educators further, LaVonna teaches educators how to get into educational consulting – part-time or full-time - through her Prime to S.H.I.N.E. consulting course and membership site. She will leave you inspired, remembering why you got into education, and how to create substantial change in your classroom, district or organization that is sustainable. She is here t

Don’t miss this vblog on YouTube or catch our Read This segment of our One Thing Series podcast--books you need to read to lead better and grow faster. Featured Author: John Dewey (October 20, 1859–June 1, 1952) Featured Books: Experience and Education and How We Think Leaders are busy. Educators are always running short on time so it is of the utmost importance to select the right books, ones that will take your leadership skills to another level. Think about the following reflection questions as educators: Do you want to think more clearly about thoughts, balance of mind, and how to think critically? Do you want to understand how to analyze your school and thoughtfully determine what decisions will lead to the greatest gains for students? Do you want to better understand how to lead change, maintain high standards, and not suppress individuality? If you answered a BIG YES to these questions then take some time and enjoy these two incredible books by one of the most influential educational reforme

Don’t miss this vblog on YouTube or catch our Read This segment of our One Thing Series podcast--books you need to read to lead better and grow faster. Featured Authors: Amber Teamann & Melinda Miller Featured Book: Lead with Appreciation: Fostering a Culture of Gratitude Here’s Why Every School Principal Should Read This Book About Appreciation for in the Workplace: Lead with Appreciation is great because it’s written by practitioners. Principals and school leaders are looking for ideas that they can implement right away. Look no further on how to show appreciation than this fantastic book. Not everyone accepts appreciation or desires to experience appreciation the same way. This book not only features some great tools like the enneagram, but it digs into our work-appreciation languages. P.S. You can find our interview with enneagram specialist, Kaley Klemp at theschoolhouse302.com. This book is littered with primary resources. The pictures are real, and they add an element of authenticity and reassu

Amber Teamann serves as the Director of Technology for Crandall ISD, a fast-growing district outside of Dallas, Texas. During her educational career, Amber’s comprehensive understanding of student learning has resulted in a successful blend of technology and leading. Through her campus and district level leadership, she has helped initiate instructional change district-wide, empowering teachers at all levels. Amber knows that we can all be better together and strives to make every day the very best it can be for each member of her staff and students. As an award-winning administrator, she has been a featured speaker in multiple states helping motivate, encourage, and help develop the capacity of teachers and leaders nationwide. Recognizing the power of social media, working with districts and campuses on finding their voice, and leveraging the power of connected educators has led her down a path she completely owes to the power of a professional learning network. Key Thoughts from Our Interview with Amber

Don’t miss this vblog on YouTube or catch our Read This segment of our One Thing Series podcast--books you need to read to lead better and grow faster. Featured Author: Jennie Magiera Featured Book: Courageous Edventures: Navigating Obstacles to Discover Classroom Innovation Here’s Why Every Principal Leader, Instructional Technology Coach, and Curriculum Specialist Must Read This Corwin Book by Jennie Magiera: Courageous Edventures is a great book for all educators. Why? It’s real in that it’s written by a former teacher, and it blends the challenges that are associated with using technology in the classroom with how to overcome them successfully. The author, Jennie Magiera, now the Global Head of Education Impact at Google, tells a common story, found within many schools--a story where technology is available, but woefully underemployed and arguably misunderstood. Fortunately, she also provides clear ways on how to excel at using these tools to transform teaching and learning. This month, our focu

Learn More About Jennie Magiera, Head of Education at Google Jennie Magiera is the Global Head of Education Impact at Google, bestselling author of Courageous Edventures, and the founder and president of the non-profit Our Voice Alliance (whose mission is to elevate marginalized voices and perspectives to improve equity and empathy in education). Previously, she was the Chief Innovation Officer for CCSD62, the Digital Learning Coordinator for the Academy for Urban School Leadership, and a Chicago Public Schools teacher. A White House Champion for Change, Apple Distinguished Educator, Google Certified Innovator, and TEDx Speaker, Jennie works to improve education globally. She is also passionate about transforming professional learning, having served on the Technical Working Group for the US Department of Education’s National Educational Technology Plan, co-founding PLAYDATE and other conferences. You can follow Jennie on Twitter at @MsMagiera and pick up her book on Amazon. Key Thoughts from Our Interview

Learn from Women Leaders: A Look Into Top Female Innovators There is no substitute for effective leadership and taking the time to read and learn from diverse people from all industries only helps to expand a school principals’ ability to view complex issues through a broad yet critical lens. We’ve discovered that innovation in schools can be limited by the culture of the organization. Fortunately, it is well within the scope of any leader’s reach to become more innovative by implementing a few key practices. Below is our School Innovation Leadership Model. Topics We Cover Regarding Innovative Educator Leadership: We discuss how to be innovative even during times of uncertainty and mass change. The Dual Pandemics of Covid19 and Racism have created opportunities to seize change and to be innovative in schools and the classroom. We highlight that innovation can be incremental and that small adjustments can eventually make for major changes. We pointed back to Society Nine from our blog this month. We tal

Don’t miss this vblog on YouTube or catch our Read This segment of our One Thing Series podcast--books you need to read to lead better and grow faster. Featured Author: Baruti Kafele Featured Book: Is My School Better BECAUSE I Lead It? Here’s Why Every Principal Should Read This ASCD Book by Principal Kafele: The title alone deserves an answer. We believe everyone in an educational leadership position should answer this question and take time to reflect on whether or not they are making a positive impact. It speaks to our latest blog on service- and servant-leadership. Similar to other Principal Kafele books, he starts with the power of questions. If you read this book through the lens of self-development, not only will you understand yourself better, you’ll also continue on the great and challenging journey of leadership growth. Principal Kafele is comfortable with the uncomfortable. As humans, we don’t always like to confront the brutal reality, but growth occurs in the space where we willingly un