Chris Legleiter is a middle school principal with 23 years of experience in education, with 12 of those being an administrator. Chris has a lead learner focus on helping others to collectively grow and learn from each other. He serves his school community by building relationships, being student centered and modeling the way.
You can view it here.
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
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Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Over the past two decades (since she was in college) Jennifer has sculpted groundbreaking campaigns around youth empowerment, employment and entrepreneurship, bringing educational, government and corporate stakeholders together to impact millions. Author of the New York Times Bestseller Secrets of the Young & Successful, Kushell is an advisor to leading global youth organizations, a delegate of several State Department led entrepreneurship missions, and a Youth Advisor at the UN. Building Exploring Your Potential is part of a lifelong quest to ensure no driven young person lacks access to opportunity to achieve their potential.
Students are intimately coached through Exploring Your Potential™ by Jennifer, who offers context, explains the relevance of key topics, and inspires action every step of the way.
(Available on the website)
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
It’s December, half of the 2019 school year has come and gone and I bet I could predict one thing you're feeling right now, tired! You've been putting in a lot of work and I hope, ruckus maker, that you’ve seen the fruit of your labor. Jethro Jones joins the show from the Transformative Principal. We are going to talk about avoiding burnout and personalized communication.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
Key Talking Points
Key Milestones of the Episodes
[03:55] Getting to know Jethro
[05:09] The story involving burnout
[08:23] Importance of not giving up
[10:40] How to motivate others
[17:08] How to impact on others
[18:20] Five steps to single Focus School Improvement plan
[26:55] What is Mastermind
[29:01] One thing for ruckus makers to remember
Key Quotes
About Our Guest
Jethro Jones, 2017 NASSP Digital Principal of the Year, is a principal in Fairbanks, Alaska, and host of Transformative Principal, where he interviews principals, leaders, and influencers who help improve K-12 education throughout the world. Jethro is a leading consultant for principals through masterminds and helps schools create school improvement plans that actually work.
Resources
Tip of the Week
Get the right people on the bus: We have all heard a million times, but it is worth saying again, “Get the right people on the bus”. It is a Hidden Jim Collins’ gem in his book “Good to Great”. He discusses how important it is to have the right people in your organization. So you really need to think about it, figure out who you need in what positions and then you need to act on it. It's one thing to just think about it, but you do need to act on it. So make sure that you are getting the right people on your bus.
Show Some Love
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
SHOW SPONSORS
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
Nobody is born with ownership and resilience. It is a muscle one needs to build. How do you go about building the resilience and ownership? In today’s episode, we are joined by Winston Clement. He will be taking us through the process of developing the ownership and resilience muscle.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
Key Talking Points
Key Milestones of the Episodes
[04:56] Getting to know Winston
[08:21] Dealing with the victim mentality
[12:46] Managing change, stress and mental health
[14:47] Stepping out of the comfort zone and being proactive
[19:14] What keeps Winston in check?
[20:13] Importance of a morning routine
[25:08] How does Winston measure success?
[31:57] What message would Winston have on a school marquee?
[34:56] Winston’s dream school
Key Quotes
About Our Guest
Winston Clement is a speaker and trainer, empowering audiences worldwide to break through their own barriers. Winston's mission is to inspire 1 billion people to enlist their full human potential. In 2018 he delivered a TEDx talk titled, your limitations are an illusion. They had a massive impact. Mine.
Contact Winston at: work@winstonclemente.com
Tip of the Week
Take pictures. Make sure you have somebody with you, whether it be a student or a staff member or somebody you can rely on to take pictures. It's so important because you need to capture those memories with the kids and you need to be able to have something in a file somewhere when it's time to do celebrations or for graduation that you could put together a video slideshow quickly.
Show Some Love
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
SHOW SPONSORS
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
As a new principal you are trying to figure out just who you are. What your leadership voice is, and the footprint and legacy that you'll leave behind. How do you start to make change happen? How do you gain the trust, credibility and build relationships that you'll need to take the school to the next level?
In today’s episode, our guest Heather Bell Williams is one of our ruckus makers who has a better idea about how to do this, how she would build her dream school and building leadership in teachers.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
Key Talking Points
Key Milestones of the Episodes
[04:27] Introduction to Heather
[05:13] Following the footsteps
[10:25] Inviting people to the change
[13:12] Aha moments
[19:00] Community Innovation
[24:55] Building leadership
[29:19] Pre-testing and post-testing
[30:10] Heather’s message
[31:53] Heather’s top three priorities
[33:09] Advice from Heather
Key Quotes
About Our Guest
Heather is a Chief Ruckus maker of a small school in St. Stephen, New Brunswick where she and her husband have lived for 20 years. They have raised two great sons with a focus on community engagement. She is most proud of the summer intervention camp, on-site daycare, and the employment of a family coordinator whose sole job is to get kids to school.
Resources
Tip of the Week
Training, Mentoring and Leading Students: Be a principal that trains, mentors and leads a group of students. This will put you back in touch with the kids and with some of the things in the classroom. Putting yourself in position and sharing your knowledge with students build relationships quicker than you'll ever imagine.
Show Some Love
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
SHOW SPONSORS
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
In today’s episode, our guest Robert Breyer is one of our ruckus makers who will share his story with you. He has served as a classroom teacher and administrator for the past fourteen years. He has some brilliant ideas about business and to execute his plans he has launched a podcast.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
Key Talking Points
Key Milestones of the Episodes
[05:32] Introduction to Robert Breyer
[07:16] Starting of podcast
[13:28] Aha moments
[18:36] AP to Principal
[23:50] Importance of building confidence
[26:08] Gift for Ruckus Maker
[33:30] Leaving comfort zone
[36:49] First book of Daniel
[43:41] Story for the Ruckus maker
[45:58] Demand of the business
[47:55] Take away from the conversation
Key Quotes
About Our Guest
Robert Breyer has served as a classroom teacher and administrator for the past 14 years. He was selected to the first Sandhills Leadership Academy class, which is a selective process to prepare a cadre of highly effective school leaders for high needs schools These experiences have shaped Robert into a reflective and effective school leader who sets the example for his peers, teachers, and students.
Robert is also the host of the Guiding Principals podcast.
Resources
Tip of the Week
Honoring Students: Follow the universities and honor your students with Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude and Cum Laude. Get them ready for college. I've seen a school district do this and it was amazing because there are no questions asked about students weighted GPA’s and courses they took. A student has to have a certain GPA and above to be at Magna, Summa and Cum Laude. It’s just a brilliant introduction to honoring deserving students and moving away from tradition.
Show Some Love
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
SHOW SPONSORS
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
In today’s episode, our guest Orly Friedman is one of our ruckus makers who will share her experience with you. She is the founder of a new K-8 school with a focus on developing a sense of urgency in all students.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
Key Talking Points
Key Milestones of the Episodes
[00:14] Introduction of Orly Friedman
[04:14] Orly’s Story
[05:29] Making of school
[12:20] Utilizing staff in different ways
[15:51] How do grades put a stop to learning?
[20:47] Orly’s learning
[23:25] Example of a student or teacher’s goal
[26:10] Training staff with OKRs
[27:42] Top three priorities for building and school
[29:59] Advice from Orly
Key Quotes
About Our Guest
Orly Friedman is the founder of Red bridge, a new K-8 school marching in San Francisco in September 2020. The focus of the school is developing a sense of agency in all students previously or they spent five years teaching Elementary School in Washington DC. She moved to California to get her MBA at Stanford after which she joined the founding team of Khan Lab School and work there for 4 years as head of lower school.
Resources
Show Some Love
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
SHOW SPONSORS
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
What would you do if you walked into the doctor's office for what you thought was possibly kidney stones and instead the doctor looked at you in the eyes and said you have cancer. What would be your next step?
In today’s episode, our guest Aubrey Patterson is one of our ruckus makers who will share his with you. He’s a cancer survivor and wanted to do something in education and set up an example.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
Key Talking Points
Key Milestones of the Episodes
[03:55] Introduction to Aubrey Patterson
[05:34] Aubrey’s Story
[12:44] Concrete idea to face challenges in life
[13:56] The message
[19:28] Example to understand the message
[21:52] What things build you up
[27:16] Top three priorities
[28:58] Advice from Aubrey to Ruckus makers
Key Quotes
About Our Guest
Aubrey has been a teacher, principal, and superintendent in a high performing school district in Western Canada.
Aubrey co-created Nohea Leadership to help EDUleaders use of technology to capture great ideas, recapture time and build exceptionally open and positive learning cultures. Nohea’s easily adaptable systems use three distinct stages that fall in succession like dominoes: simplifi, clarifi and amplifi.
Tip of the Week
Start with the end in mind. What is the result that you are watching for the end of the year? You want to win, you want those kids to win, you want that achievement score to go up, and you want those kids to master skills. So, always start with the end in mind.
Show Some Love
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
SHOW SPONSORS
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
Do you have a dream of writing and publishing a book, but you do not go how to about it? Everyone has a book inside them. The problem is how to transform it into reality.
In today’s episode, our guest Caleb is one of our ruckus makers who thinks he has a book inside him. Danny coaches Caleb on how to find the book within and the process of how to write and publish his book.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[00:35] Introduction to Caleb Bonjour
[07:27] Committing and setting time aside for writing
[11:35] Brainstorming your book topic
[17:43] imposter syndrome and how to deal with it
[20:48] Developing your audience and identity
[25:11] Pitching a publisher
[28:20] Understanding self-publishing
[31:46] Caleb's next step
Caleb Bonjour is a fun loving educator that strives to be a lifelong learner. He has an amazing, supportive wife Amanda, a talkative and rambunctious five-year-old son Lincoln, and a 3 year old daughter McKinley. They also have three great dogs, Milo (an American Bulldog), Willow (a Cocker Spaniel), and Rosie (A Fox Red Labrador that is training to be a therapy dog for schools). Caleb loves being with his family, watching and playing sports, listening to many varieties of music, and learning more and more leadership and education on a daily basis.
Caleb strives to be the best educator he can be through studying best practices and constantly changing or adapting his practices to reach all students and staff. He has taught and coached with Pella Community Schools and Grundy Center Community Schools and is in his second administrative position as Principal of Cardinal Elementary in the Maquoketa Community School District.
Loosen up: Stop taking yourself too seriously. Humans are imperfect beings, so we do make mistakes. Sometimes we trip, we might spill our coffee on ourselves. You need to laugh at yourself and tell people those kind of stories.
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
Imagine a 10-year-old student is invited to your staff meeting, and he stands courageously in front of 60 to 80 adults. His task to present the data which he's researched and collected on staff implementation of a new aspect of a student-designed curriculum. The results are that only half the staff is implementing with fidelity, and the student challenges the team to level up their game.
You are probably wondering how you can give your students such a voice. Our guest today tells us how she has managed to empower the students' voice in her school. Listen in, get inspired, and learn.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[03:01] Tip of the week.
[04:52] Melissa Clark's Introduction
[08:08] How Melissa started the student voice empowerment
[13:25] Challenges and setbacks when students are given so much voice
[16:58] Positive impacts from a student's voice
[23:24] Everything is about learning
[28:57] Melissa's top three priorities for her dream school
Pivot (online platform for student voice)
Melissa Clarke is a Principal and coach who has worked in primary schools for the last 20 years. Melissa believes strongly in providing teachers with ‘permission’ to try innovative practice and believes through coaching and personalised professional learning staff will be empowered to be the best they can be while ensuring all teachers are on a journey of ongoing improvement. Her interests include high quality literacy teaching in the classroom, visible learning and the activation of student voice to empower learners. Melissa has taught all grades from K-6 and worked with students from a range of backgrounds and support needs.
Be the best at one thing: Be really darn good at one thing. Be an expert in that. Find what you're passionate about, be an expert in that and then hire others to be good at other things or empower your assistants to be good at the other things that you as a leader need to be active and an expert in at least one thing plus one to hire others.
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
The Conrad Challenge unleashes the potential of students to solve the world’s most difficult problems.
Register until November 1, 2019 at The Conrad Challenge
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
Did you know that you can borrow ideas from other industries and implement them in your schools? Some people have tried, and they have succeeded.
One of those people is Maria Piccolo Mattoon, who happens to be our guest today.
She is the first person from the Learning Community to be interviewed on the show. Maria is a board member at Birla public school in Qatar.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[03:50] Tip of the Week
[06:07] Maria’s introduction
[07:47] Implementing ideas borrowed from other industries
[09:27] OODA loop reflection technique
[10:31] The department of capacity building
[12:07] How are promotions done at Birla School?
[13:05] Pitfalls to avoid when promoting from within
[14:13] The secret to retaining top talent
[17:57] Happiness KPIs
[21:17] What is the most important thing when creating local partnerships?
[25:06] Maria’s dream school
Maria Pakalomattom is a Board member at Birla Public School, a private school with over 7500 students in Qatar. She has led various initiatives at the school covering the strategic, academic, operational and financial aspects. Maria has investments in ventures across sectors as an entrepreneur, but education is her favorite. Maria studied at Columbia University, where she focused on finance and entrepreneurship.
Go to bed early. Just like eating right and exercising, there is immense value in getting appropriate rest. I make terrible decisions when I’m tired and i’m no fun to be around. I love Michael Hyatt’s post on the importance of rest.
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
The Conrad Challenge unleashes the potential of students to solve the world’s most difficult problems.
Register until November 1, 2019 at The Conrad Challenge
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
As a school head, you can't make ruckus sitting in your office with the four walls surrounding you and all the business of public education happening out in the school. Our guest today, Andy Lindsay tell us how he built himself a mobile office which ended up as a learning inspiration for an autistic student in the school.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[03:50] Andy’s introduction
[05:25] What’s a mobile office?
[06:08] Development and advancement of Andy’s mobile office
[09:44] The unintended consequences of the mobile office
[13:11] The communication system
[17:01] The French fries challenge
[22:33] Danny’s ideal stuff profile
[29:06] Danny’s top three priorities for his dream school
Andy Lindsey has worked in public education for 22 years as a teacher, coach, tech leader, mentor association leader and Dean of Students. For the past five years, Andy has served as an assistant principal, he has won statewide awards in Michigan as a first year teacher, social studies teacher and as an assistant principal. His secret sauce is passion for learning, leadership and kids.
Network! Sometimes we exist in a vacuum of natural talent and that will only get us so far. So effective school leaders need to connect with others that can help them accelerate their growth and pass their knowledge on to as well.
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
The Conrad Challenge unleashes the potential of students to solve the world’s most difficult problems.
Register until November 1, 2019 at The Conrad Challenge
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
Why is career advancement for women more difficult than it is for men? What can women do to fight the bias at workplaces?
People put you into buckets based on who they perceive you to be. Women have had it all rough. Their ambitions and competence get questioned all the time. For instance, how can she deliver at work yet she has a baby to nurture? How can she be so ambitious?
Our guests today are here to help us understand how we can fight bias at workplaces. According to our guests, it all begins with demonstrating confidence, even when you are not confident.
Women are very often perceived as too weak, too sweet, too nice to be effective. If they’re very effective, then they’re considered to be unpleasant and unlikeable.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[03:22] Transitioning from a smaller firm to a larger firm. How to deal with the stereotyping
[06:26] Talking about our accomplishments
[07:42] How can we engage men in the conversation against bias?
[11:10] Goldilocks dilemma
It's Not You It's the Workplace: Women's Conflict at Work and the Bias that Built It by Andrea S. Kramer and Alton B. Harris
Andie Kramer and Al Harris are married practicing lawyers. They have been mentoring women and speaking and writing about gender communication for more than 30 years. Andie and Al offer women unique, balanced, and highly practical advice they can use to prevent gender biases from slowing or derailing their careers.
What kind of leader makes a good mastermind member? Danny asks members that he already serves and this it what they said about their peers:
Mastermind members are supportive, wise and not afraid to kick your butt! ~Eileen, Deputy Head of Schools in China
Courageous, risk takers and learners are how I describe my mastermind peers. ~Chris, VP in Canada
Mastermind members are generous, driven and are never satisfied with the status quo. ~Melody, Principal in Kentucky
If that sounds like you or people you want to surround yourself with apply today at https://www.betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind/
**Our 5th mastermind cohort is launching and is hands down the best professional development a leader can engage in. Join Today!**
Be Consistent: Consistency leads to trust. Make sure you are doing what you say you are going to do each day. Follow through and be consistent with your teachers. Your authentic leadership depends on it. People love a leader who they trust.
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
The Conrad Challenge unleashes the potential of students to solve the world’s most difficult problems.
Register until November 1, 2019 at The Conrad Challenge
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
What is Courage? How can you lead with Courage?
Today we are honored to have Amanda Valenzuela on the show. Amanda will tell us what it takes to lead with Courage. According to our guest, Courage is asking that pesky question that you don’t want to ask at the end of the admin meeting because you know, it needs to be asked. How often do you hold back on something just because you think it doesn’t matter, but deep inside, you know you need to ask?
Amanda takes us through how she leads with Courage.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[01:22] Amanda’s introduction
[09:14] What is Courage?
[10:57] Leading with Courage
[19:09] Finding your voice
[28:51] Amanda’s top 3 priorities
Dare to Lead- Brenae Brown’s
Amanda Valenzuela, native of Southern California, is the Upper School Coordinator and the Languages Department Head. She completed her undergraduate studies at California State University, Fullerton in Spanish Linguistics and Literature, and her graduate studies at UCLA, where she earned a Masters in Spanish and Ph.D. Candidacy in Hispanic Languages and Literatures. As a school leader, she credits the NAIS Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI) for building her capacity to support equitable and inclusive educational practices at ESLA. During the 2019-2020 school year, Amanda is teaching Global Citizenship Through the Lens of Recent Spanish Cinema and AP Spanish Language and Culture. Amanda is also a 2019-2020 Leadership and Design Fellow (L+D) and a contributor to California World Language Project (CWLP) & the California Global Education Project. Amanda loves surfing, hiking, motorcycles, and storytelling.
Build a team: As you develop relationships within the organization take note of everyone’s strengths. Build your team on complimentary pieces. In fact, build the team to bolster your weaknesses as a leader. Do you have a school improvement team, a leadership team, or a data team? Effective school leaders build teams that can support their efforts.
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
The Conrad Challenge unleashes the potential of students to solve the world’s most difficult problems.
Register until November 1, 2019 at The Conrad Challenge
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
Do you know students can advise you in ways that you cannot imagine? Dr. Marcus Campbell tells us how his students helped him come up with the dress code for the school. Additionally, Dr. Campbell tells us how his school changed the status quo and got more students to the AP classes regardless of their race.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[05:10] The history of dress codes
[06:15] Adopting the Oregon chapter
[10:59] What shift happened to the dress code?
[17:02] Access and equity to AP classes
[24:47] How Marcus makes decisions
[27:41] Self-care
Frederick Douglas by Dr. David Blight
Dr. Campbell earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at National College of Education, National Louis University in the fall of 2015.
Marcus Campbell also serves as the Assistant Superintendent/Principal at ETHS since 2013. In this role, he serves as the educational leader and chief administrator of all school operations at Evanston Township High School and is responsible for implementing and managing the policies, regulations, and procedures of the Board of Education to ensure that all students are educated and supported in a safe, equitable, culturally relevant and student-centered learning environment.
What kind of leader makes a good mastermind member? Danny asks members that he already serves and this it what they said about their peers:
Mastermind members are supportive, wise and not afraid to kick your butt! ~Eileen, Deputy Head of Schools in China
Courageous, risk takers and learners are how I describe my mastermind peers. ~Chris, VP in Canada
Mastermind members are generous, driven and are never satisfied with the status quo. ~Melody, Principal in Kentucky
If that sounds like you or people you want to surround yourself with apply today at https://www.betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind/
**Our 5th mastermind cohort is launching and is hands down the best professional development a leader can engage in. Join Today!**
Be Consistent: Consistency leads to trust. Make sure you are doing what you say you are going to do each day. Follow through and be consistent with your teachers. Your authentic leadership depends on it. People love a leader who they trust.
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
The Conrad Challenge unleashes the potential of students to solve the world’s most difficult problems.
Register until November 1, 2019 at The Conrad Challenge
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
How can you attack the white supremacy culture? Why is it that we are so afraid to talk about race? Why is it so difficult for us to kick start the conversation?
White supremacy has affected our schools but we are shy to talk about it. Our Ruckus maker today takes us through the white supremacy issue in our schools and its remedy.
Joe Truss is a fourth year principal of Visitation Valley Middle School in San Francisco. He is working to bring PBL to the hood and empower students to rise above the odds. In addition, Joe Truss is a leadership coach helping educators to engineer for equity. He focuses on long-term planning, racial equity in the transformation of adult culture.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
Key Talking Points
Key Milestones of the Episodes
[07:06] Joe’s introduction
[08:56] Joe’s catalyst to pursue white supremacy
[11:20] First attempt to fighting racism
[12:03] How to get back after defeat
[17:54] Implementing change and learning
[20:20] Is school an exercise of power hoarding?
[25:51] The great release and a sneak peek into the future.
Key Quotes
Key Resources
Culturally Responsive Leadership
Culturally Responsive Leadership 1
About Our Guest
Joe Truss is a 4th year Principal of Visitacion Valley Middle School, in San Francisco. He is working to bring PBL to the hood and empower students to rise above the odds. In addition, Joe Truss is a Leadership Coach helping educators to engineer for equity. He focuses on long term planning racial equity and the transformation of adult culture.
Tip of the Week
Being Vulnerable: Let those you lead know that you are human. Let them know that you are passionate about everything you are working on. Being vulnerable leads to authenticity and trust. Trust is so important and with trust you can accomplish almost anything. Listen to the podcast for an excellent vulnerability activity you can do with your teachers and teachers can do with students. Being vulnerable is an excellent characteristic of a strong leader.
What kind of leader makes a good mastermind member? Danny asks members that he already serves and this it what they said about their peers:
Mastermind members are supportive, wise and not afraid to kick your butt! ~Eileen, Deputy Head of Schools in China
Courageous, risk takers and learners are how I describe my mastermind peers. ~Chris, VP in Canada
Mastermind members are generous, driven and are never satisfied with the status quo. ~Melody, Principal in Kentucky
If that sounds like you or people you want to surround yourself with apply today at https://www.betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind/
**Our 5th mastermind cohort is launching and is hands down the best professional development a leader can engage in. Join Today!**
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You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
The Conrad Challenge unleashes the potential of students to solve the world’s most difficult problems.
Register until November 1, 2019 at The Conrad Challenge
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
We all know there a times when we have to “tell like it is” in a conversation. Yet, there is no roadmap to having these conversations. How you do give clear feedback without sounding rude or inconsiderate? How do we create environments where staff can move from “being nice” to telling us the truth when it matters?
These are the questions (and more) that Joseph and TJ cover in this episode
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[7:20] How do we break out a culture of trying to be nice all the time
[9:00] What are some common misperceptions people have about having candid conversations?
[17:35] What should we do if our best practices and strategies aren’t working?
[24:22] Being candid with yourself
[26:50] How to encourage candid conversations with staff
[29:17] How do we empower teachers to be more candid leaders?
“Very often when we talk about candor,it’s associated with being rude..”
“Unfortunately, we often miss the mark in order to help people...because we sugarcoat things.”
“The relationship is far better when we have a firm ground on which to start it.”
“With precision, you can go faster.”
Candid and Compassionate Feedback by Joseph Jones & Dr. TJ Vari
Nuance: Why Some Leaders Succeed and Others Fail by Michael Fullen
Both of our guests are school administrators and educators.
Dr. Joseph Jones is the Director of Assessment and Accountability in the New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District. Dr. T.J. Vari is the Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools and District Operations in the Appoquinimink School District. Dr. Jones and Dr. Vari are co-authors of the new book: Candid and Compassionate Feedback: Transforming Everyday Practice in Schools.
Dr. TJ Vari LinkedIn
Dr. Joseph Jones LinkedIn
The Angry Parent: Always direct the angry parent back to the teacher. The parent should always go to the teacher first as they are in the trenches and may have information the parent needs to possibly solve the issue at hand, This is an important step as 99% of the time the issue will be handled at the teacher level and empowers the teacher and adds respect and trust.
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://teachfx.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
Where are you comfortable as a leader and where do you need to take the leap?
Our guest today is a perfect example of what it means to step out of a comfort zone.
Kristie Letter is an English teacher who decided to take a shift from teaching English to teaching innovation and design thinking. Such a great shift! Also, she is a creative writer with a book of short stories coming out this month.
Listen in and I hope you will enjoy the episode.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[03:00] Kristie’s introduction
[04:01] Kristie’s shift from teaching English to teaching innovation and creative design
[09:30] The Conrad challenge
[11:52] Embracing failure
[12:42] How can we benefit from collaboration?
[13:37] The failure resume
[19:41] Stepping out of the comfort zone
[23:30] Kristie’s dream school
Fire in the Hole by Kristie Betts Letter
Kristie Letter is a teacher at a public charter in Lafayette, Colorado. Kristie is interested in how students and schools are afraid to fail. Her students won multiple awards in the Conrad Challenge. She is also a creative writer with a book of short stories coming out in late September called Fire in the Hole.
Conrad Challenge Twitter: @ConradChallenge
Kristie Letter Twitter: @kristieletter
Show Some Love
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SHOW SPONSOR
The Conrad Challenge unleashes the potential of students to solve the world’s most difficult problems.
Register until November 1, 2019 at The Conrad Challenge
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
Emotions are something we carry around with us 24/7, yet we only let them out for a few hours at home.
Why?
Why do we limit our emotions to such a small part of our day when they can have such a big impact on our life?
Christie Mann, author, leadership coach, and spiritual psychologist explores these questions through her own story as a 13-year old with a father in jail and mistaken belief that suppressing emotions was the best way forward.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[7:00] Christie’s origin story
[9:10] Addressing emotional intelligence in children & adults
[11:40] How would you start learning how to work with your emotions, instead of suppressing them?
[16:07] How do you reframe challenges as gifts?
[20:23] What is the bigger “Why” behind your mission?
[24:05] The bad things we say as adults that emotionally harm our children
“Part of the story was ‘I can’t feel emotions because there’s no time for it and there’s no space to be sad.”
“There is...much more demand for people to bring their full self to work.”
“I like to think about how much energy we put into suppressing our emotions.”
“I had to train myself how to allow emotions to come up in a healthy and responsible way because I’ve suppressed them for so long….”
“When we tell children in our world not to have the emotion...that is actually shutting down the emotion.”
Adventures of Little Sass by Christie Mann
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
Christie Mann has made it her mission to fulfill her purpose of being a leader who develops leaders. Christie is a best-selling author, spiritual psychologist, leadership coach, speaker and Kundalini Yoga & Meditation teacher who designs and facilitates transformational content that make our world a healthier place to be. A proud member of CTI’s Faculty and Organizational Coaching teams and the creator of The Adventures of Lil’ Sass, a series of emotional wellness books for young people.
Join the Adventure here: www.lilsass.com
@adventuresoflilsass
Don’t change anything as a first year principal: As a first year principal you need to take the time to develop relationships. Know your people and observe what is what and how everything meshes together. Change is difficult and is much easier when trust has been built with your employees. Be an active listener and focus on building strong relationships with your staff prior to making any changes.
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://teachfx.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
If education is about the future, why do we spend more time checking boxes versus innovating?
Why do we highlight innovative educational programs only to repeat the same things we do every year in school?
These are the questions Dr. Elizabeth Micci tackles in this episode of Better Leaders, Better School. Dr. Micci shares with us her practices (like getting up at 5:45 to hike) and her experiences that led her to reflect and make a dramatic change to help create authentic and fun learning experiences for her students.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[6:00] So...you get up before 5:45 ...to hike?
[7:33] What are some tips on improving your willpower to get up early and exercise?
[11:14] Dr. Micci’s experience and research at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education
[14:00] How did your experiences at the graduate school impact you?
[19:00] What are some examples of school projects that used unique, real-world experiences?
[25:25] How would you respond to critics of your real-world experience approach?
This is Marketing by Seth Godin
Don’t forget to catch more episodes and resources at the Better Leaders Better Schools website.
Beginning her career in education with Teach For America, Elizabeth taught secondary English before going on to co-found and administrate a college preparatory academy in Houston, TX. She returned to graduate school for her Doctor of Education Leadership degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, joining The Harbour School in 2017 as a researcher and member of the high school humanities faculty. Elizabeth was named High School Principal at THS in July 2018.
Do No Be a Workaholic: Make sure you are balancing your life and no spending all of your time a school. Leaders need downtime and time to reflect. Take that time whenever you can. Don’t stay at school late at night in your office. Go home, find a new routine to help balance your personal and professional life. Model this for your teachers as well. They cannot be workaholics either!
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://teachfx.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
For some teachers and administrators, discipline is something that is to be dealt with.” If a child acts up in class, write them up or send them to principal.
But for Nathan a child “acting up” isn’t something to just be dealt with. It’s a student reacting to something.
That “something” is what Nathan believes we need to figure out and support. He shows us how to uncover that “something” and use it to build relationships that create better students and better leaders.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[3:15]The powerful story of Luka
[7:33] What are some tips on improving your willpower to get up early and exercise?
[10:00] Doing restorative conversations: Why are open-ended conversations important?
[12:07} Doing reflective conversations: How does a restorative conversation look like?
[19:25] How would you deal with critics and skeptics of the “restorative conversation” method?
[22:44] BehaviorFlip
Hacking School Discipline: 9 Ways to Create a Culture of Empathy and Responsibility Using Restorative Justice by Nathan Maynard
https://twitter.com/NmaynardEdu
https://twitter.com/BehaviorFlip
Nathan is a co-author of Hacking School Discipline: 9 Ways to Create a Culture of Empathy and Responsibility Using Restorative Justice. He also is the Co-Founder and acting CEO of BehaviorFlip. He is passionate about addressing the school-to-prison pipeline crisis and closing the achievement gap through implementing trauma-informed behavioral practices.
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://teachfx.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
What makes a great presentation?
How can two presenters give the same presentation and yet only gets the audience’s attention?
These are questions Dr. Horvath explores with us in this episode. Dr. Horvath, a researcher and educator, breaks down the science behind great presentations and how you can improve your next “ I-have-to-give-a-presentation-for-my job-or school” experience with basic tips that you can apply in less time than it takes to create a PowerPoint theme.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[5:30] Why do stories impact us?
[9:01] How do you start storytelling?
[13:00] Using anchors in your story to grab your audience’s attention
[14:00} Simulation: Why you should stories with your audience, not at them
[15:24] Synchrony: What happens when brains think the same story
[18:00] Obstacles to good story-telling
[20:00] How to deal with the pressure to stop obsessing over the test
[24:10] How do you improve your PowerPoint skills?
Stop Talking, Start Influencing: 12 Insights From Brain Science to Make Your Message Stick
CV: https://d2saw6je89goi1.cloudfront.net/uploads/digital_asset/file/384940/Jared_Cooney_Horvath-CV.pdf
Don’t forget to catch more episodes and resources at the Better Leaders Better Schools website.
Read the Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap
Jared Cooney Horvath is a cognitive neuroscientist with expertise in human learning, memory, and brain stimulation. He earned his Master's degree from Harvard University and his Doctorate from the University of Melbourne. In 2018, Dr. Horvath co-founded LME Global to bring his pioneering brain and behavioral research to teachers, organizations and professionals looking to boost their performance and gain a competitive edge. To inquire about booking Dr. Horvath for a speaking engagement, or to view his online courses and training material, visit www.lmeglobal.net
jared.cooney.horvath@gmail.com
Website :: Twitter :: LinkedIn
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://teachfx.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
Testing, testing, testing…
It’s one of the things students (and teachers) hate and school policy makers seem to love...but is there a way outside “teaching to the test”? Is there a way to create and test learning experiences that aren’t multiple choice or essay.
Dr. Jones believes it is possible to learn without “teaching the test”. She shares a unique experience that gave her the courage to stop obsessing over the test and push the boundaries without fear of criticism.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[3:45] How did you get to that point where you stop obsessing over the pressure to “teach the test”?
[9:00] Dealing with overwhelm
[15:00] Creating authentic learning experiences and what to do when you hit gridlock
[20:00] How to deal with the pressure to stop obsessing over the test
[24:10] Dealing with jealousy from your peers
[27:15] How did you make successful change with reluctant school leaders and teachers?
A Recipe for Success Using SAS University Edition: How to Plan Your First Analytics Project
Don’t forget to catch more episodes and resources at the Better Leaders Better Schools website.
Stop Motion App (IOS & Android)
Read the Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap
Dr. Sharon Jones, EdD is a former Career & Technical Education teacher turned CEO and founder of thedot.consulting and founder of The Dottie Rose Foundation, author, Senior Technical Trainer at Central Piedmont Community College and podcaster for Lady Tech Charmers.
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://teachfx.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
Most of us associate writing in a journal with a school assignment or something to do when you get the time. But a journal can be a lot more.
A journal can be a practical tool to help you be a better leader.
In this talk, Aaron Morris shares why a journal can be a powerful tool to help you reinvent, reflect, and redirect your professional life so you can be a better leader ...especially when your life changes in ways that you didn’t expect
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
[5:40] How did you reinvent yourself?
[12:50] How do you even start reinventing yourself?
[14:35] Journal Hack: Using a journal to be a mind dump & detachment tool for clarity
[15:47] Additional ways to detach
[17:03] More journal hacks: Focusing on the mundane, making the “shift”, and more
[25:50] Being authentic & courageous as a leader
“The one thing that has really been an AHA is continuously reflection on who I am..”
I keep asking myself, “Do I really want to be the person that didn’t leap?”
“Courageous is contagious…”
“Reflection is the key..”
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts
Don’t forget to catch more episodes and resources at the Better Leaders Better Schools website.
Aaron Morris is a former math teacher (despite having an English degree), who made a transition to a new school after being moved up to assistant principal. When he is not leading,, connecting, or reflecting, he is working on going back to Disney or with his family.
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://teachfx.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools
Welcome to the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast. This is a weekly show for ruckus makers -- What is a ruckus maker? A leader who has found freedom from the status quo. A leader looking to escape the old routine. A leader who never, ever gives up.
In this episode, Danny is going to do two things. One, he’s going to share a handful of quotes that have really pushed his thinking in the past few months. This is a gift to you as it will push your thinking as well. Two, Danny shares where BLBS is going over the next quarter and then talks briefly about goals and systems.
We hope you enjoy the podcast. All the highlights, resources, and next steps can be found below. Listen to the full episode here and learn more at betterleadersbetterschools.com
1.) “Am I going to find my place in the world or make my place in the world?”
This quote comes from a great book called Niche Down by Christopher Lochhead. Christopher was a guest on BLBS Episode 168: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-legendary-by-being-different/id1036167679?i=1000422486207
2.) The next quote comes from a book called Reboot by Jerry Colonna. Jerry has his own podcast. He is a former financial guy and now coaches tech startup executives.
Jerry says, “The toughest part of being a leader -- is meeting the world as it is and not as we wish it to be.”
3.) One of Danny’s favorite books is The Art of Possibility. He often talks about Rule #6 (which is a mastermind core value) and the practice of giving everyone an A.
“Here’s the quote: “It’s all invented anyway, so we might as well invent a story or framework of meaning that enhances our quality of life and the life of those around us.”
Niche Down by Christopher Lochhead
Reboot by Jerry Colonna
The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
This is Marketing by Seth Godin
Measure what matters by John Doerr
Read the Better Leaders Better Schools Roadmap by Daniel Bauer
Don’t forget to catch more episodes and resources at the Better Leaders Better Schools website.
Link Mastermind: https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind
Link to Go! Community: https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/go
Reflection: Take time to reflect on the previous school year and include the pros and cons in your current thought process as you are starting your new year. Reflection is vital to every leaders growth. There are many ways to reflect. Try writing it down in a journal, audio tape your reflection each week, consider blogging and vlogging. You will be glad you did.
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://organizedbinder.com/
You can learn more and improve your student’s success at https://teachfx.com/
Copyright © 2019 Better Leaders Better Schools